Minneapolis and St. Paul are preparing for the arrival of thousands of media activists June 6-8. People are descending on the Twin Cites to attend the fourth National Conference for Media Reform.

Rupert Murdoch -- an aged and male version of a pouting Veruca Salt -- didn't get his umpa lumpa. He lost the bidding war for Newsday this week when Cablevision swooped in to plunk down more cash than Murdoch was willing to cede.

WASHINGTON -- The Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union and Free Press are urging the Federal Communications Commission to reject the proposed XM-Sirius merger.

WASHINGTON -- Comcast, the nation's largest cable company, is reportedly considering imposing a monthly cap on its customers' Internet usage.

The mainstream media are as likely to report on Pentagon propaganda — and thus, themselves — as President Bush is likely to cede that “mission accomplished” was poor phrasing. That is, it ain’t ever gonna happen.