"It's not like libraries are over-funded!" said Soledad O'Brien, master of ceremonies for the 12th annual fundraising gala for the Brooklyn Public Library on Thursday. "It's not like, ‘Trim the fat off those libraries!' Those are cuts that are going to be very much felt."

Ms. O'Brien was drinking a glass of water in the children's section of the central branch in Grand Army Plaza in advance of her hosting duties. We were discussing Governor David Paterson's proposed $20 million cut -- 20 percent of the overall budget -- to state library funding as reported by the Library Journal earlier in the day.  read more »

Curious to see how CNN's Soledad O'Brien lives? New York magazine's S. Jhoanna Robledo took of tour of the newswoman's $4.6 million, three-bedroom, three-bathroom loft in Chelsea and brought along videographer, Jonah Green, so you can see it for yourself. (Before you make the joke, the apartment contains no Situation Room.)

At one point, the brokers show Ms. Robledo Ms. O'Brien's bathtub, teeing up the quip, "That tub can fit an entire news team." Even Lou Dobbs?

On Wednesday night, CNN premiered its new documentary Black in America: The Black Woman and Family in which correspondent Soledad O'Brien takes a look at "the varied experiences of black women and families and investigates the disturbing statistics of single parenthood, racial disparities between students and the devastating toll of H.I.V./AIDS."

On its first night, the doc put up big numbers for the cable news channel. According to a release from CNN, over 2.1 million viewers tuned in, including 966,000 in the 25-54 demographic.

More from the release:

According to Nielsen Media Research data, CNN’s two-hour premiere of Black in America: The Black Woman & Family was a resounding success, topping Fox News and MSNBC during the 9-11pm time period.  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/media/cnns-documentary-black-america-black-woman-and-family-makes-strong-debut#comments Media Black in America CNN Soledad O'Brien Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:58:28 -0400 Felix Gillette 72395 at http://www.observer.com http://www.observer.com/2007/broadcast-broads-o-brien-orman-behar-tart-girl-reporter-gala

Conspicuously absent from the 32nd annual American Women in Radio and Television Awards, held on Monday, June 18, at the Times Square Marriott Marquis, were Katie Couric, of CBS’ floundering Evening News, and Rosie O’Donnell, late of ABC’s The View.  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2007/broadcast-broads-o-brien-orman-behar-tart-girl-reporter-gala#comments O2 Joy Behar Soledad O'Brien Tue, 19 Jun 2007 20:29:14 -0400 David Foxley 55321 at http://www.observer.com