Eric "Altercation" Alterman vs. Ken Auletta, Round 1

What's up with Eric Alterman and Ken Auletta? In a January 2004 interview with Jesse Oxfeld for Mediabistro, when Auletta was asked about an Alterman argument that corporatism influences tv news -- an argument, incidentally, that Auletta sometimes uses himself -- the New Yorker author said, "(Alterman's) a little more conspiratorial than I would be."

Okay, no biggie there, just some mild media snark. But when C-Span's Brian Lamb asked Auletts about a snarky book review for the Los Angeles Times in which Alterman took Auletta to task about his cozy New Yorker interviews with Media moguls, Auletta came on a bit strong.

"My job is to understand people, not punish them."

Ouch