Like it Is

More than 70 million people tuned in for the only VP candidate debate scheduled for 2008 between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin. I think people are not only curious about Palin, they just also enjoy hearing people actually communicating with one another in this era of reality TV.

It's not "sexy" but C-Span and the Sunday morning news discussion shows are some of the best exchanges of ideas, thinking and live debate going on television. My personal Sunday favorite?

"Like it Is" hosted by Gil Noble, one of THE coolest journalist-thinkers on television.

His show comes on channel 7 WABC in New York on Sunday morning's; part of their public affairs programming. Save for Tavist Smiley, Saturday and Sunday mornings are the usual slot for news programs with African-American hosts. The SaveLikeitIs Website says it's the longest African-American produced news program on television.

Bob Marley was interviewed by Gil Noble in 1980 shortly before the singer collapsed in Central Park and was diagnosed with cancer. The video quality isn't the best, but you can see parts 1 - 3 of the interview on Youtube.

Newsday columnist Les Payne is always on. To me he is one of the most interesting media-news people to listen to, but you don't really see him on CNN or any of the network news shows.

Interestingly "Like it Is" was developed during one of the most tumultuous social periods of the 1960's. According to their Website:

"Like It Is" was born amidst the nation's racial turmoil of the 1960s. President Lyndon Johnson's "National Commission on Civil Disorders" issued a (Kerner Commission) report...part of which recommended that African-Americans be hired in major market TV News, so that Americans could have access to a broader perspective of post and present-day issues."

It's the most realistic discussion of the implications of the bail out package I've heard. Not many news shows discuss the influence of corporate ownership on how the media is covering both the sub-prime and credit market fallout and the specifics of the $700 billion bail out.

Les Payne is the only journalist on TV I've heard remind people that Lehman Brothers paid out $8.7 billion in bonuses to their own employees in 2006 or 2007. And we're bailing them out?