Our “coverage of the coverage” of Election 2008 this week wraps up with a review of the winners and losers in the media during this election cycle. I’ll suggest a few and I hope you’ll weigh in with yours:

• Winner – local television station owners: I heard anecdotally that some $3 billion was being spend on this election overall. Most of that money went to local television advertising for candidates at all levels. In this age of the diminishing impact of all old-line media, that cash flow has a huge shot-in-the-arm for station owners managing the expenses of the conversion to digital and an economic downturn.
• Loser – objective news reporting: The consistent big story all year has been the shameless boosterism of one candidate over another by the supposed objective media. The Pew Research Center examination of the general election is just the latest evidence indicating a national press corps “in the tank” for now President-elect Obama, but this complaint has existed all year. How can culture watchers worry about the polarization of our society because we don’t all drink from the same media fire hydrant, when it’s proven that that hydrant’s water is tainted?
• Winner – comedy-based news: This has been a breakthrough year for shows that use the news as the source of their comedy routines. Saturday Night Live reached a 14 year high in ratings on the weekend Sarah Palin appeared. Every major candidate had to make a pilgrimage not only to Jay and Dave, but most-importantly to Jon at The Daily Show. Mr. Stewart has usurped Charlie, Katie, and Brian as the media mouthpiece to the Millennials.
• Loser – talk radio: Rush Limbaugh’s big new contract not withstanding, the impact of talk radio to move voters to action is seemingly past its peak. Exit polls showed that Obama received 20% of the conservative vote on Tuesday, showing that there is a diversity of opinions of what brand of conservatism is working right now. Add the looming threat of the Fairness Doctrine, or at least a strong trend toward reregulation of the broadcast media, and you’ll see a murky future for talk radio’s power.

I could go on, but I want to hear from you. Who are your winners and losers?