NBC’s decision to put Jay Leno back in the 11:30 slot has revealed the worst side of media critics: taking for granted any successful or smart decision, while relishing the chance to boo every mistake. In any other world this sort of experimentation and admission of failure would be lauded. Instead the entertainment media has gleefully bared its gnashing teeth with “Zucked this up!” headlines. But if these guys are suddenly free to admit they’ve made bad decisions, which TV personalities should be most concerned?

While discussing the healthcare reform bill with The Nation’s Chris Hayes on Countdown last night, Keith Olbermann spied the CNN headline “Dems Dropping Like Flies,” an example, he laughingly said, of “how neutral and completely journalistic they work it over there.” It didn’t stop there, though, as Keith peppered the remainder of the segment with shots at CNN’s overstatement of the rashlet of Democratic retirements.

The failed Christmas attack on Flight 253 has inspired both politicians and opinion journalists to quickly attempt to identify who is most to blame. And it seems like the first to have fingers pointed at her in this story is Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security. But predictably, one can find whatever analysis conforms with one’s own opinion on any of the three major cable news channels. So we’ve edited together punditry from three commentators representing the Left, the Right and the Center, all in one video.

After Harry Potter’s worldwide record-breaking weekend, we got to talking about certain parallels between the magical land of Hogwarts and the equally magical land of headlines, bylines, cutlines, chyrons, blog pickup and declining ad pages. Turns out, the two have a lot in common!

On that note, for your edification and enjoyment, we present our own version – let’s call it “Harry Potter and the Media Muggles.”

Yesterday afternoon’s tragic shooting at Fort Hood saw the cable news networks cover the story wall-to-wall, and continue coverage into prime time. That’s when there began to be some separation.

Here are five things we learned last night from cable news coverage of the shooting.

Just as this White House vs. Fox News feud sounds like it may be winding down, CNN’s Campbell Brown is just weighing in on the issue.

Building on her line of questioning with Valerie Jarrett earlier this week, Brown further reiterated her position that CNN does “news” – a day after Larry King devoted nearly an entire hour to the Michael Jackson “This Is It” premiere.

Maybe it takes another cable news network to press the Obama administration on a point of contention in this feud with Fox News that hasn’t been asked very often.

Last night CNN’s Campbell Brown pressed White House adviser Valerie Jarrett on whether she thinks Fox News is biased (of course), but also whether she thinks MSNBC is as well.

While her competitors at 8pmET are embattled in a continued feud in the face of a supposed ‘deal,’ CNN’s Campbell Brown has not weighed in – until last night.

Jumping snarkily into the debate, Brown knocked the “big swinging anchors,” and also the ‘breathless’ coverage.

Campbell Brown was interviewed on Julie Menin‘s Webcast, and touched on her usual points concerning CNN’s prime time journalism cred as compared to the opinion hosts on the competitors.

After seeing the HuffPost headline, Greta Van Susteren of FNC decided to weigh in and counter Brown.

Make no mistake about it – CNN is owning the Michael Jackson coverage. Their lead anchor, Anderson Cooper is anchoring from LA, and the prime time shows have interrupted wall-to-wall Jackson coverage only long enough to update the Farrah Fawcett story. The good news for CNN is that getting overnights is finally a positive experience – ratings are up. Does this signal a new direction? Will it tarnish their brand? What cost victory?