Media Watch: September 1995
Table of Contents:
Revolving Door: A Liberal Acquisition
A few days after acquiring Capital Cities/ABC in August, Walt Disney Company Chairman Michael Eisner made Hollywood "super-agent" Michael Ovitz the President of the new expanded company as of October 1. In doing so, Eisner placed a dedicated Democratic fundraiser in charge of the ABC television network.
In December 1993, the Los Angeles Times reported that the founder of the Creative Artists Agency, "hosted and organized" a $1,000 to $2,500 per plate fundraiser for President Clinton and the Democratic National Committee. The event raised $450,000, the National Journal learned. A BPI Entertainment News Wire story noted that Ovitz "introduced the President by ticking off a list of recent accomplishments, including the passage of family leave legislation, the NAFTA trade agreement and the Brady bill for handgun control." He urged the celebrity crowd to give Clinton "the time he needs to build a consensus and to enact change."
Ovitz served as co-chair of the host committee which unsuccessfully tried to lure the 1996 Democratic convention to Los Angeles. A few months ago they chose Chicago.
Other than a contribution to former Senator Rudy Boschwitz, a GOP moderate, Ovitz donated only to Democrats, a review of FCC records since 1987 by TV, etc. discovered. In the 1993-94 cycle he turned over at least $36,000 to Democrats. Among those who've received $500 or $1,000 checks: Senators Howard Metzenbaum (Ohio), Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), Gary Hart (Colo.), Tom Harkin (Iowa), Carl Levin (Mich.), Chris Dodd (Conn.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Harris Wofford (Penn.), George Mitchell (Maine), John Kerry and Ted Kennedy (Mass.).
Beneficiaries in the House include: Pat Schroeder (Colo.), Mel Levine (Calif.), Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, former House Speaker Tom Foley and several liberal congressional candidates.
He also opened his checkbook for the 1988 Dukakis and Biden presidential campaigns, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ($1,000 in 1989-90, $10,000 in 1991-92), Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ($2,500 in 1991-92, $3,000 in 1993-94) and $15,000 to the DNC in 1993-94.
Switching Sides
Douglas Waller, Newsweek's defense reporter since 1988, has jumped to the competition. He's now covering the intelligence agencies for Time out of its D.C. bureau. A Legislative Assistant to Senator William Proxmire (D-Wis.) from 1985 to 1988, Waller previously was Legislative Director for liberal Congressman Ed Markey (D-Mass.)....
Another liberal Bay State Democrat, Senator John Kerry, has lost his Press Secretary to a national newspaper.
Alexandra Marks has return-ed to the Christian Science Monitor where she's now covering the UN. Before joining Kerry's staff Marks worked as a reporter for the Monitor Radio network and now-defunct Monitor TV channel.
From Peanuts to Piccadilly
Rex Granum, Deputy Press Secretary to President Jimmy Carter, has been named by ABC News as London Bureau Chief and Director of news coverage for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Back in 1992-93 Granum put in a stint as Washington Bureau Chief. Since 1986 Granum's worked in Atlanta as Southern Bureau Chief.
