Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been banned for life from the National Basketball Association and fined $2.5 million for making racists comments.
Gossip siteTMZ broke the story, publishing a recording of an argument between Sterling an an ex-girlfriend, V. Stiviano.
TMZ Staff, TMZ: “L.A. Clippers owner to GF: Don’t bring black people to my games… including Magic Johnson”
Howard Kurtz, Fox News: “TMZ slam-dunks Clippers owner: Gossip site exposed racist rant”
Lynn Zinser, New York Time: "NBA bars Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life"
Jack Mirkinson, Huffington Post: “NBC, TMZ get Donald Sterling story wrong”
Noah Rothman, Mediaite: “Bob Costas: Media can play part in convincing Sterling he must sell team”
Sean Newell, Deadspin: “The Clippers protest Donald Sterling with inside-outwarmups”
Colleen Curry, ABC: “NAACP willing to ‘forgive’ Clippers’ Donald Sterling after yanking award”
Patrick Coffee, PR Newser: “Sponsors have begun to abandon the Clippers”
Kent Babb, Washington Post: “Alleged Donald Sterling recording is the latest in series of incidents involving Clippers owner”
Huffington Post, Catherine Tiabi: “Donald Trump predictably makes the Donald Sterling saga worse”
Covering Cliven Bundy
A month ago, Cliven Bundy was a little-known Nevada cattle rancher fighting the government over grazing fees. He became a conservative folk hero of sorts, as supporters filled his farm protesting a seizure of 900 head of cattle. A standoff ensued between an armed militia and the Bureau of Land Management.
Senators Rand Paul and Dean Heller backed Bundy until a story in the New York Times ran these comments:
Katherine Fung, Huffington Post: “CNN askes Cliven Bundy: ‘How does it feel to be abandoned by your friends at Fox?’”
Josh Barro, New York Times: “ClivenBundy accidently explained what’s wrong with the Republican party”
Josh Feldman, Mediaite: “Bill Maher: Maybe the GOP should just stop courting racists like Bundy”
Kathleen Parker, Washington Post: “The GOP’s bad fling with Cliven Bundy”
Jonathan Topaz, Politico: “ClivenBundy: Sean Hannity, Fox is ‘just right on’”
Ralph Ellis & Greg Botelho, CNN: “CNN Exclusive: Rancher says he’s not racist, still defiant over grazing battle”
Liz Fields, ABC News: “Who is Cliven Bundy and why is he so controversial?”
Jordan Chariton, TVNewser: “Howard Kurtz: Fox News ‘fell seriously short” in its Cliven Bundy coverage”
Erik Wemple, Washington Post: “Yay for Fox News’s Howard Kurtz”
Setting up storylines on 'Chicagoland'
The Chicago Tribune obtained more than 700 emails exchanged between producers of the CNN docu-series "Chicagoland" that indicates there was collaboration with the office of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the filmmakers.
Bill Ruthhart, Chicago Tribune, “Emails show Emanuel aides, producers coordinated ‘Chicagoland’ scenes” | Video
Chicago Tribune: “PDF: Read email samples”
John Kass, Chicago Tribune: “CNN and Mayor Rahmfather – made for each other”
Fran Spielman, Chicago Sun-Times: “Despite e-mails, “Chicagoland” producers deny series was staged”
Michael Calderone, Huffington Post: “CNN disputes idea that Rahm Emanuel had editorial control over documentary series”
Stinging the stingers
British journalists setting out to bust open a baby-selling ring in Bulgaria discover the ring was being run by journalists running a sting on people trying to buy babies.
Roy Greenslade, The Guardian: “A Sunday Times sting ends with the stingers being stung”
Indy Star: #ShowUsYourGuns
The Indianapolis Star hoped to use this weekend's National Rifle Association's convention to draw in a new audience. So, trying to drive engagement, it asked readers to submit photos, and #ShowUsYourGuns. Some people sent it photos of firearms, others flexed their muscles. Others called out the publication for what they viewed as making light of gun violence in their city.
Cori Faklaris, Indy Star: “Show us your guns for the NRA convention”
Jeff Swiatek, Indy Star: “Guns, celebs and politics: NRA convention bringing offbeat buzz to Indy”
Ann Marie Cox, The Guardian: "The NRA way: Celebrate buying guns in a city where 4 people were shot last night"
Jim Romenesko, “NRA convention is in Indianapolis and the Star is asking readers to #ShowUsYourGuns”
1994: Internet comes to NPR
This 20-year old memo sent to NPR staffers is making the rounds online this week. In it, Dennis Fuze introduces the internet -- explaining how a new worldwide computer network allows for communication and file sharing.
