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A Tale of Two Media Columnists
Outgoing Times executive editor Bill Keller's Sunday magazine column (which this week, on the topic of how the potential prosecution of Rupert Murdoch is going to ruin things for the press in the rest of the world, is an appeal to probability inside a false dilemma inside an argument to moderation inside an appeal to consequences) will end in a month. Super-smart guy! Not a fan of the column! In any event, there's a punchline to the news of the column's end that you wouldn't want to miss. Keller is off soon to the increasingly bland and Andy Rooney-ish op-ed pages.
If you would like a corrective to Keller's column, try today's David Carr column! It's bold: "James Murdoch is done. He and his father both know that." And more!
The Andy Rooney-ism is everywhere! Even John Burns is now maundering on about how rude Britain has become. Forfend!
Speaking of terrible columns, don't miss Friedman's from yesterday. Oh boy. Even as far as Times columns goes, this was a towering achievement. "There will be a viable third party! It will come from the INTERNET. Guaranteed, just because!" I can't remember the last time I saw someone waste Times column inches so aggressively, or with such completely fatuous arguments.
(OK, fine. I can remember. It was the last time D. Brooks talked sociology. But still.)