Z on TV: The debate is on -- get your TV analysis here tonight - Sun critic David Zurawik writes about the business, culture and craziness of television

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September 26, 2008

The debate is on -- get your TV analysis here tonight

debate The first presidential debate is on for tonight at 9 at the University of Mississippi, according to the AP, and that means that I'll be here at the Z on TV blog right after it ends to analyze the event in terms of the language of television.

Just as they do with most of national politics, the vast majority of voters will experience tonight's highly anticipated encounter between Democratic candidate Barack Obama and his opponent, Republican John McCain, through their TV or computer screens. And those filters make a difference.

That's a big part of the mission of this blog -- to explore the way our reality is mediated and shaped as it is processed through our media machines.

So, I'll see you tonight. Meanwhile, here is a picture of the run-through using student stand-ins at the University of Mississippi several hours before McCain made public his decision. It comes to us courtesy of the school and The Oxford Eagle.

Posted by David Zurawik at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Comments

Here's McCain's latest on tonights' debate, as well as his approach to the financial crisis.. Hilarious!
http://www.youtube.com/thedailymccain

Posted by: P.J. Brooklyn | September 26, 2008 1:02 PM

David,
Can we count on an objective, impartial review by YOU of the debate? With due respect, I observe that your last several reviews--particularly of Sarah Palin/network tv encounters-- have been compromised, and even the language colored, by your liberal political views.
If your column tomorrow is headlined, "Lehrer Nails McCain on 'Political Posturing'", I'll know you haven't heeded my request

Hi Terry, You shouldn't tempt me with headlines like that. (I'm kidding.) I'm serious, though, when I urge you to check out the pieces on this blog that I have written about Keith Olbermann, Bill Moyers and Al Franken. Here's a headline: "MSNBC paying for its Olbermann sins." I urge you to check them out because I think they argue against the "liberal" label you put on me. Anyway, I promise to try and be fair in my post-debate analysis. I am again being serious when I say I will be looking for your analysis of my analysis to see if you think I accomplished that. Thanks. Z

Posted by: Terry | September 26, 2008 2:28 PM

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About David Zurawik

I've been The Baltimore Sun's TV critic since 1989. My writings on TV and media have appeared in such publications as TV Guide, Esquire magazine and American Journalism Review. I have a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an M.A. in specialized reporting (on popular culture) from the University of Wisconsin. I'm the author of The Jews of Prime Time (Brandeis University Press), a look at 50 years of Jewish characters and identity on network TV. I have also been with WYPR-FM (88.1) radio since 1994 and can be heard Thursday mornings at 7:30 doing a weekly "Take on Television" report.

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