We need puppy dogs in Iraq

[video:youtube:LDy7vn7-LX4] Billionaire Sam Zell who owns the Tribune Company (Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and New York Newsday) fires off two barrels during a Q&A at the Orlando Sentinel. Photographer Sara Fajardo questioned the media moghul twice about softening news coverage and Zell was not best pleased. Gawker has more,

The journalist in the video asked where the paper’s journalism was headed, and Zell said journalists needed to focus on what readers want, thus helping generate revenue to reinvest in the paper. The journalist then followed up, saying readers want “puppy dogs” rather than real information. Zell took umbrage, delivering the eminently quotable line, “you’re giving me the classic… journalistic arrogance of deciding that puppies don’t count.” link

Whatever next? Puppy dogs in Iraq, hamsters in Afghanistan, kittens in Khartoum?