The Ticker: M&J, Lin, Smith, Shales…

> After FNC’s New Year’s Eve coverage, a couple viewers wrote to DaySide wondering if Juliet Huddy had gotten “some work done.” No!, she said — “I haven’t had a face lift, I haven’t had a boob job–” “Well that’s obvious,” co-host Mike Jerrick interjected…

> CNN’s 8pm wildfire coverage was excellent, with Carol Lin anchoring. So why did the network turn to Larry King on tape at 9pm. Thousands of viewers immediately turned the channel to Fox News for continuing live coverage. Three minutes later, Oklahoma’s governor held a press conference and CNN had to resume live coverage…

> Tuesday on the Early Show, anchor Harry Smith has an exclusive interview with Lance Corporal Blake Miller, who was dubbed “the face of war” in 2004…

> Katharine Q. Seelye writes about a “new weapon in the media wars” that is “shifting the center of gravity in the way that news is gathered and presented…”

> Tom Shales writes about “the noble calling of TV criticism…”