John Stewart: Don't Just Leave It There!

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CNN FACT-CHECKED a Saturday Night Live skit regarding President Obama's health care package. That had media folk wondering, "Why is CNN fact-checking a sketch comedy show?"

John Stewart asked about what CNN isn't fact-checking.

If Facebook Wasn't Free, Would You Waste So Much Time There?

IF FACEBOOK BECAME a subscription based product, how much would you pay? Would you pony up $25 for a year of the greatest time-suck since the invention of television? How about $100 per year?

Or should everything online continue to be free?

Is there a lesson for journalism here? People love facebook. Why don't they love traditional journalism outlets? What do traditional journalists need to do to get some love?

The Scoop On The Poop: Is It News?

THE WHITE HOUSE is denying that first dog Bo pooped on Air Force One.

The Wall Street Journal reports that an anonymous source said, "You can imagine the horror on board when they discovered what it had done."

Read the story. Is it news?

(Photo by the Associated Press)

Let's Talk About Sex, Baby. Or Not.

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT Towson University recently ran column called "The Bed Post" which encouraged people to enjoy "mutual masturbation."

Some readers were offended by such material in the student newspaper, especially when there were more important things to write about. The editor of the paper resigned, telling a local newscast, "I personally made some poor editorial decision regarding the Bed Post."

The newspaper, however, stood by the column to some extent. Their follow up editorial said, "We do not apologize for the sexual content of the column. We wish it had been written less provocatively, and we realize that many readers were offended or simply felt it was inappropriate content for these pages."

Did the author of the story go too far? Or are the readers just prudes?

Do sex columns belong on campus newspapers?

Would You Turn Away Money For An Ad You Feared Might Cause Controversy?

THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN- OSHKOSH student newspaper, the Advance-Titan, recently refused to run an advertisement from a pro-life organization, Human Life Alliance.

The newspapers' staff feared that the advertisement, a 12-page pamphlet, would cause controversy and possibly make the newspaper appear to support the pro-life cause.

Would you have run the ad? Would it appear to make the paper seem biased? Does not running the ad reveal the newspaper staff's opinions?

And The Number One Most Awkward TV Moment ...

DAVID LETTERMAN ANNOUNCED on his show that he was being extorted by someone threatening to to go public with details of Letterman's sex life. The event caused quite a stir, and has become fodder for journalists of every medium.

Is it news? Is he controlling the message? Are the journalists asking the right questions, or are they missing something?

Did You Hear? Phillies Win! Phillies Win!

PEOPLE LOVE SPORTS, especially when their teams win. So be prepared to see the Phillies dominating the local news scene for the next week or so.

People have said that there is no need for sportswriters in newspapers anymore because it's so easy to get sports scores and information from television and online. Anyone who wants that info, they say, will get the information well before the newspaper hits the street the day after the game.

And now, ESPN.com is entering local markets. Will that hasten the demise of newspapers?

To combat TV and the web, should newspapers run even more sports coverage? Or would that only be pandering to their audience?

Do we need newspaper sportswriters anymore?