Brian Stelter's contentious interview of radical cleric Anjem Choudary
On the Aug. 31 edition of "Reliable Sources," London-based Muslim cleric Anjem Choudary joined Brian Stelter for a contentious discussion about how he and other radicals use (and some say abuse) the mainstream media and the Internet to spread their messages.
Related news coverage:
· Mediaite: 'I Have Nothing More to Say:' CNN's Stelter Battles Islamic Cleric Over Hannity, Propaganda
· The Daily Caller: "Round Two: Radical Islamic Cleric Squares Off Against CNN's Brian Stelter"
· NewsBusters: "Terror-Supporting Islamist Finds 'Humor' in Saying '9-11, 7-7, 3-11' During Mic Check Before CNN Interview"
Red News/Blue News: is the threat posed by ISIS to America being overblown?
In the above video, Josh Rogin and Naomi Wolf discuss whether politicians and TV talking heads are exaggerating the danger ISIS poses to the United States.
"Let's go ahead and stipulate, right at the start, that the extremist group known as ISIS is a force to be reckoned with, and its actions are atrocious and its beliefs are backwards," host Brian Stelter said in his Red News/Blue News introduction. "But let's consider whether there is a direct threat to America that is being overstated, and whether the press is doing what it should be doing - which is challenging people in power and demanding evidence for their assertions."
Stelter added, "I think the tone of a lot of the news coverage about ISIS has been reflecting the government position."
He played some examples of politicians and TV talking heads warning about the threat of terrorist infiltrations from Mexico and Canada.
"The evidence is not there," Stelter said. "And yet the people who say this stuff don't seem to be held accountable."
The government said Friday that "the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are unaware of any specific, credible threat to the U.S. homeland from ISIL."
Joan Rivers, entertainment pioneer
In the above video, Brian Stelter and "Entertainment Tonight" co-host Nancy O'Dell take a look at Joan Rivers's groundbreaking career.
Rivers was hospitalized on Thursday after she stopped breathing during throat surgery at a Manhattan medical clinic. She was listed in critical condition at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital.
"She had an impact, as far as being a woman in this business, because she really broke the glass ceiling," O'Dell said, referring to Rivers' appearances on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson.
O'Dell also said that Rivers, age 81, has helped to disprove the "Hollywood myth" that "women can't have a long career" in the entertainment industry.
Rural revolt over proposed Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger
Patrick Gottsch, the founder and CEO of RFD-TV, a cable channel dedicated to rural interests, tells Brian Stelter why he thinks the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger could adversely impact his company.
"Disproportionate focus" on Israel?
Author and former AP correspondent Matti Friedman gives Brian Stelter his take on media coverage of the "Israeli-Palestinian" conflict, which he says should be called "Israeli-Arab" or "Jewish-Arab."
Transition at ABC, departure at NBC
A few media news stories of note: Diane Sawyer's low-key departure from the anchor chair, eye-catching comments from the NBC News president Deborah Turness, and Chelsea Clinton's decision to leave NBC.
About "Reliable Sources"
Now more than ever, the press is a part of every story it covers. And CNN's "Reliable Sources" is one of television's only regular programs to examine how journalists do their jobs and how the media affect the stories they cover.
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About the host
Brian Stelter is the host of "Reliable Sources" and the senior media correspondent for CNN Worldwide. Before he joined CNN in November 2013, Stelter was a media reporter for The New York Times. He is the author of the New York Times best-seller "Top of the Morning."
Here's his biography. You can read his stories on this blog and at CNNMoney.com/Media/.
@cnnreliable on Twitter
