SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

BRIAN'S SONG – Brian Williams has been suspended by NBC News for six months because of his sins.  If the industry was completely consistent, probably half of its journalists would face one suspension or another.  Williams seems to have taken unusual liberties with the truth, but I'm sorry to say that fibbing of different kinds is an industry problem.  The most common form, from what I've seen, is the sin of omission – leaving out critical facts that could change a story.  The problem is worse with the BBC, which some people wrongly think is a great news organization because its on-air people sound so good.  Problem is, they don't think so good.

JON BE GONE – Jon Stewart is leaving Comedy Central's "Daily Show" after 16 years.  Whether we like his opinions or not, he has become a major figure in political humor.  Clips from "The Daily Show" are used regularly on other programs as current examples of political humor, and Stewart has become a household name.  It will be very hard to replace Stewart, as "The Daily Show" is completely identified with him.  Large dollars will be paid to anyone who succeeds.

SOUL FOOD – From CNS:  "CNSNews.com) - Rep. Elijah Cummings (D–Md.) says, “so many people come to government knowing that they are not going to make the kind of money they would make in the private sector but they come to government to feed their souls.”  Will someone inform the esteemed congressman that many jobs in the federal government now pay more than their equivalent in the private sector.  And the Washington real estate market sizzles because of the amount of money available through government employment and contracts.

UNDER THE HEADING, "YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS UP" – From The New York Times:  "Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking a trove of secret documents to WikiLeaks, has joined The Guardian newspaper as a contributing opinion writer.  Ms. Manning, formerly known as Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, will write on war, gender and freedom of information, said Katharine Viner, the editor in chief of Guardian US, the newspaper’s American operation.  She had contributed to the newspaper on a casual basis, a spokesman said, but the agreement has now been made formal. She will write when stories come up, and not on a set timetable or schedule."  I guess her/his prison schedule might be an inconvenience.  Geez.

February 10, 2015