From WNYC in New York, this is NPR's On the Media.

I'm Brooke Ladstone.

And I'm Bob Garfield. The inauguration Thursday was a chance for Americans to experience life in a monarchy.

American style.

Music American style. Though TV news producers appeared to be working off the same shot list they had used for President Reagan's funeral,

the anchors were divided on the appropriate tone.

Some treated it like the Oscars.

She had on a beautiful winter white ensemble by Oscar D'Alorenta. on the appropriate tone. Some treated it like the Oscars.

She had on a beautiful winter white ensemble by Oscar de Laurentia.

Still others, like NBC's Al Roker, a hometown parade.

How you feeling today, Mr. President? You feeling good? Yeah, the weather's good, sir.

It was easy to miss, but we did notice small pockets of journalism,

not on the cable news channels, but in the coverage of Peter, Dan, and Brian.

Guests included former counterterrorism czar Richard Clark,

who gave the rare critical commentary on the president's speech,

and there is even a piece about the power of Washington lobbyists. The inaugural week has become a celebration of both democracy and of deep corporate pockets.

But there was no real news. This was just our quadrenial American coronation.

Still, at a real coronation, people do not organize to turn their backs on the queen.

At a real coronation, people don't hold up signs saying Hitler was democratically elected, too.

Despite TV's passion for pomp and ceremony, it was all a little untidy in the American style.

So, with the inauguration an invigorated news media

readies itself for a second term.

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