Accessibility links
David Folkenflik Folkenflik is NPR's media correspondent and is a host and editor of On Point from NPR and WBUR.
David Folkenflik 2018 square
Stories By

David Folkenflik

Media

Reporters Who Are MDs Find Lines Blurred In Haiti

Some coverage of the grim situation in Haiti has raised questions about the blurring of lines between being reporter and being hero of your own narratives. Richard Besser, Sanjay Gupta and Nancy Snyderman, all doctors, have each become the subject of their own stories for lending medical aid while reporting from Haiti.

Reporters Who Are MDs Find Lines Blurred In Haiti

Listen · 4:15
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/122784322/122777046" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Television

The Man Behind The 'Tonight' Controversy

The upending of the late night schedule at NBC can be laid at the feet of NBC head Jeff Zucker. By moving Jay Leno to prime time, Zucker disturbed the ecosystem of viewing habits and created a downward slide of ratings leading into local news and the rest of the late-night schedule. One affiliate station revolt later, NBC has reversed itself while America watches.

The Man Behind The 'Tonight' Controversy

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/122623150/122623834" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
'Game Change' Authors Say No Need To Name Sources

John Heilemann (left) is a writer for New York magazine. Mark Halperin is editor-at-large and senior political analyst for Time magazine. hide caption

toggle caption

Books

'Game Change' Authors Say No Need To Name Sources

Washington press and political insiders are combing through the just released book Game Change for explosive anecdotes about the politically powerful. But some observers are questioning the use of unattributed and uncorroborated stories throughout Mark Halperin and John Heilemann's new book.

'Game Change' Authors Say No Need To Name Sources

Listen · 4:14
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/122574684/122580979" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Law

Prosecutor Turns On Crusading Journalism School

The Cook County, Ill., prosecutor says Northwestern University journalism students are not protected under the Illinois Reporter's Privilege Act. The students are accused of altering their results in an Innocence Project investigation. The project has helped exonerate 11 men convicted of murder.

Prosecutor Turns On Crusading Journalism School

Listen · 5:02
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/122359627/122436150" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Let The Tiger Woods Booking Wars Begin

Tiger Woods speaks at a press conference after Round 3 of the 2009 Australian Masters in November. Lucas Dawson/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Lucas Dawson/Getty Images

Media

Let The Tiger Woods Booking Wars Begin

Tiger Woods will have to come out of seclusion at some point, and when he finally does, his first TV interview will be a major get. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik describes the frenzied angling among producers and anchors desperate to get Tiger on their network.

Let The Tiger Woods Booking Wars Begin

Listen · 5:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/121620492/121701905" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

Uneasy At ABC, Stossel Finds Home At Fox Business

In his new self-titled show on the Fox Business Network, John Stossel can peddle his contrarian, sharply libertarian beliefs. The refugee from ABC is unapologetic for embracing his ideology and says he feels entitled to speak to just about anyone, anywhere, to articulate his beliefs.

Uneasy At ABC, Stossel Finds Home At Fox Business

Listen · 4:37
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/121353067/121353686" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

For Stephanopoulos, It's Officially 'Good Morning'

The This Week host will take Diane Sawyer's old seat on ABC's Good Morning America, the network confirmed Thursday. The move is yet another remarkable transformation for George Stephanopoulos, a one-time political strategist and heartthrob who overcame his partisan ties to become a respected political journalist.

For Stephanopoulos, It's Officially 'Good Morning'

Listen · 4:12
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/121298349/121304850" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

Cable Giant Comcast Buys NBC Universal

Comcast announced Thursday a deal to become majority owner of NBC Universal. The deal gives Comcast control of NBC, the Spanish-language Telemundo and about two dozen cable channels.

Cable Giant Comcast Buys NBC Universal

Listen · 4:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/121063954/121063936" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Business

Comcast Announces NBC Universal Deal

Comcast, the nation's largest cable provider, is buying a controlling stake in NBC Universal, which has broadcast and cable networks and a movie studio. The deal would make Comcast one of the nation's most powerful players in news and entertainment.

Comcast Announces NBC Universal Deal

Listen · 3:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/121045034/121045047" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Bloomberg News Reporter Remembered

Bloomberg News reporter Mark Pittman died last week at age 52. Although he was not well-known outside Bloomberg, Pittman was a legend inside it. His reporting on credit default swaps suggested the likelihood of a market collapse. Pittman also questioned the financial viability of the pre-crash mortgage culture.

Bloomberg News Reporter Remembered

Listen · 3:20
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/120963360/120963351" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

GlobalPost: A New Experiment In Foreign Coverage

In recent years, budgets for permanent foreign staffs have been slashed in all but a handful of newsrooms. GlobalPost, an upstart online news outlet that relies on a network of more than 70 part-time contributors in 50 countries, is making the case for a new for-profit model for covering the world.

GlobalPost: A New Experiment In Foreign Coverage

Listen · 4:44
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/120629644/120676381" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

Complaint Adds To Tumult At 'Washington Times'

The Washington Times has long thought to be immune from the economic forces challenging the rest of newspaper industry because of the deep pockets of its founder and owner, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, head of the Unification Church. But the recession has taken a toll on the paper and now an apparent power struggle among Moon's sons is adding to the paper's challenges.

Complaint Adds To Tumult At 'Washington Times'

Listen · 4:23
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/120624304/120624299" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Television

Oprah To End Show In 2011

Oprah Winfrey is expected to announce Friday that her talk show will end in 2011. Winfrey's production company, Harpo Productions Inc., said she would provide more details on Friday's Oprah Winfrey Show.

Oprah To End Show In 2011

Listen · 3:18
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/120595141/120595140" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript