Oprah Pulls the Plug

After 25 years on the air, Oprah plans to quit her phenomenally successful TV show. The most popular TV personality, the most affluent media executive, the most influential celebrity, and the most recognized person in the world will walk away from it all on September 8, 2011. Oprah changed the face of television, offering a daily discussion of human nature and a electronic pulpit for her personal views. How will Oprah's monumental departure affect daytime television? Where will she appear in the future? Do you think she will slip behind the scenes of her multi-billion-dollar media empire or will she simply continue her talk show on her own Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN)?

H1N1 Pandemic (or Panic!)

The Swine Flu (H1N1) has rapidly evolved from a rare strain of flu to a random worldwide killer! Only a month ago, health officials were patiently reminding people to get their annual flu shot, then suddenly, the media was reporting about healthy young people dying from the virus. After the panic hit flu clinics and the unprepared public health units ran short of the vaccine, frustrated citizens blamed politicians and politicians started pointing fingers at each other. So, what happened? Do you feel that the news media made the situation better or worse? Do you feel that you received the proper information about H1N1 in the appropriate way? In a public health pandemic, do you think the media is a source of critical information for preventing the spread of the virus or a catastrophizing megaphone that creates a hyperactive panic crisis?