So you got AppleTV for Christmas and you really, really hate your cable company. You can watch 30 Rock via Netflix streaming, but you can’t cut the cord with cable or you lose access to AC360 on CNN and Monday Night Football on ESPN. What the Hell, right?

What the Hell indeed. And that’s exactly the question pondered–and, surprisingly, answered–by FORTUNE‘s Jessi Hempel who asks “What the Hell Is Going on With TV?” in the latest issue, on newsstands today.

Though Oprah Winfrey is currently filming the final season of her syndicated talk show (she tapes the last episode, which will air on September 9, 2011, next May), the Queen of All Media will not go gentle into any good night. Her new TV network, OWN, is launching on January 1, 2011—and in addition to having complete creative control over the channel, Winfrey has committed to appearing on OWN for 70 hours each year.

Black History Month is, among other things, a media event. And believe it or not, there was a time when the cover of a magazine was considered an unparalleled promotional powerhouse. Following is a collection of covers that feature an artist, personality, historical event, or publication of significance in black history. This series is co-produced by Linda Rubes of Fortune magazine. View the full list here. (Cover at left: Time, April 6, 1970, painting of Jesse Jackson by Jacob Lawrence, for a special issue on “Black America 1970.”)

As the face of media evolves, it’s important to honor the figures who helped define, shape and set the standards in their industries. These are some of the most prominent members of the media who passed away over the past 10 years. Take a look back with some snippets from their respective New York Times obituaries.

Last week Fortune magazine picked Apple’s Steve Jobs as the CEO of the decade, and ran this cool cover. Jobs has been the go-to tech dude for business mags and newsweeklies for over 20 years, and it got us thinking about all the covers that he has appeared on. Feast your eyes on these beauties!

Grab the latest issue of New York or Fortune magazine, roll it up and smoke it — you might get high. This week, they’re full of weed. Both titles ran full-length features about marijuana, exploring the relationship between pot and the law in our country. Is the “Great Pot Moment” upon us? Well yes, at the newsstand at least.