It is rare when a non-media columnist for The New York Times devotesprecious ink to taking on the media. When economist Paul Krugman didjust that recently, I was startled because it is so uncommon forissue-oriented commentators even to acknowledge that most people understand theworld through what they see and read, or that the media might be missing keynews. How stories are played, or ignored, is usually not a subject thatopinion-makers think about even though it is their stock in trade.