ON TV/ ‘THE IFC MEDIA PROJECT’ 8 tonight on IFC

> Reason to watch: Think a “Fahrenheit 9/11”-styled assault on the news media, with a little less indignation.

> What it’s about: Hosted by Gideon Yago, “Project’s” first two episodes are wide-ranging denunciations of certain media practices, habits and peccadilloes, notably the white-missing-child staple of cable news; Israel’s alleged intimidation of media; the media’s alleged fig leaf use of the word “alleged”; punditry; the selling of the Iraq war by retired generals; Judith Miller; the betrayal of Valerie Plame, and … allegedly much more.

It’s served with a dash of insolence, a dollop of sneer and a few tablespoons of hip.

> Bottom line: The news media! Is there a bigger, fatter, sloppier target on the face of our rapidly warming planet than … us? Herein are the usual bogeymen —- The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, pundits, sleazy “news” consultants, gullible newspapers spun by evil Republicans —- but none of these subjects is thoroughly explored, or disemboweled.

“Project” throws a lot of spitballs, but few hardballs.