Links: the pounding in Pittsburgh's media market

Worth a read: Columbia Journalism Review's piece on the scarce news coverage of the crush of TV ads airing in Pittsburgh on behalf of the Congressional District 12 candidates, Democratic incumbent Rep. Mark Critz and Republican challenger Keith Rothfus.  The result: an overwhelming amount of spin, and little fact-checking or digestive aid from the stations airing it all.  The article quotes Post-Gazette blog Early Returns, which follows up on the study:

Not mentioned is the additional fact that no Pittsburgh station held a televised debate -- one brief one was held in Beaver and another was televised locally in Johnstown.

And don't expect things to change dramatically -- November sweeps start today, which usually means splashy investigative stories rather than eat-your-oatmeal elections previews.

The second piece of a legislative package aiming to reform the corrections system has been signed into law, reports the PA Independent.

There's the approaching storm itself, and then there's the mild hysteria over what to call it (Frankenstorm? Snor'eastercane?).  Judging by this Morning Call story, I'm not sure which is worse:

The somewhat silly and breathless tone of the coverage belied the potential seriousness of the storm. Forecasters said there is a 90 percent chance that the East will be flogged by gale-force winds, heavy rain, flooding and even snow starting Sunday and stretching past Halloween on Wednesday.

The severity of the storm depends largely on the track of Sandy, but computer models seemed to be agreeing that the storm would take a left turn as it tracked up the coast, rather than tracking farther out to sea.

The New York and New Jersey coasts seemed to be in store for the most trouble, but rough conditions are expected well inland — across Pennsylvania and into Ohio.