Morning Reading List, 03.11.08

Good morning Washington. Quickly navigate Morning Reading List: REVOLVING DOOR | NEWSPAPERS | TV | ONLINE MEDIA | MAGAZINES | JOBS Most of you did not watch the last episode of The Wire. REVOLVING DOOR Ben Goessling joined The Washington Times sports staff last weekend, joining Mark Zuckerman in Viera, Fla., where they will finish covering spring training. He'll be covering the Nationals with Mark this season. Ben was previously at the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. Kellie Lunney has been hired as Government Executive's new senior editor. She is replacing Anne Laurent. Top of post NEWSPAPERS Politico's Bill Nichols turned 50 yesterday. The Independent reports, "The Financial Times is set to break the mould again when it relaunches its FT Weekend edition for Sunday readers with a big marketing campaign later this spring. Already one of the highest-circulation Saturday newspapers in the UK, the FT is working on secret plans to make the edition work just as well on the next day." USA Today reports, "A federal judge has ordered a former USA TODAY reporter to begin paying fines of up to $5,000 per day after finding her in contempt of court for failing to identify sources who named former Army scientist Steven Hatfill as a possible suspect in the 2001 anthrax attacks." The New York Times reports, "'We are uncomfortable with the term 'citizen journalism,'' said Todd Wolfson, 35, a doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania and one of the organizers of the Media Mobilizing Project in Philadelphia. 'We prefer the term 'community journalism.'' Citizen journalism has become the faddish name for the effort to encourage regular folk to use the Internet to report the news directly, but Mr. Wolfson had a point: many of the people whom his organization and an immigrant rights group, Juntos, are teaching to make video reports for streaming on the Internet are not citizens. Many are not even legal residents." Forbes.com reports, "Lachlan Murdoch is facing a setback in his plans for re-entry into the media sector. After the major financial backer of his proposed $3.3 billion takeover of Consolidated Media Holdings suddenly walked away from the deal, the elder son of Rupert Murdoch is now knocking on the doors of other U.S. investors, seeking support for the bid." New York Times' Public Editor writes, "In the 10 days leading up to Hillary Clinton's victories last week in Ohio and Texas, the news media came under withering attack for being, in the words of a 'Saturday Night Live' skit, 'totally in the tank' for Barack Obama. After Clinton won, Obama said the news media caved under pressure from her campaign and suggested that her record has not been as thoroughly examined as she claims. What about The Times? Has it been in the tank for Obama and unfairly tough on Clinton? Has it looked enough into their records and backgrounds? Many readers have complained that the newspaper is not shooting down the middle." Washington Post's Deborah Howell writes, "Thousands of women -- including this one -- were offended by an Outlook opinion piece last Sunday by writer Charlotte Allen. Complaints flooded my in-box, letters to the editor, the comment board linked to the article on washingtonpost.com, and the blogs. Outlook editors thought the piece was humorous and knew it might be controversial, but they were stunned at the outpouring of outrage." Check out the reader comments here. The Inhofe EPW Press Blog reports, "USA Today and the Los Angeles Times provided hope today that the media may be turning away from hyping alarmism and platitudes on environmental issues and instead offering the public fair and balanced information. The first hopeful report is from USA Today on the science and politics of listing polar bears under the Endangered Species Act, and the second is an editorial from the Los Angeles Times stripping bare the rhetoric and reality about cap-and-trade legislation." Top of post TV When it rains it pours: Another glowing profile of "Morning Joe." A MSNBC release announced, "MSNBC, the Place for Politics, is expanding its already substantial political programming lineup next week as the 2008 presidential race continues to heat up. NBC News Chief White House Correspondent David Gregory will anchor 'Race for the White House,' a fast-paced daily look at the latest election news, weekdays, 6-7 p.m. ET on MSNBC. 'Race for the White House' premieres Monday, March 17, and will continue through the election and beyond as the nation's focus continues on the historic Presidential campaign. Also bolstering MSNBC's political coverage, NBC News' Andrea Mitchell will anchor MSNBC each weekday afternoon, 1-2 p.m. ET'" New York Times' Brian Stelter reports, "The 'stupid computer' is a repeated target of the dimwitted office manager Michael Scott on 'The Office.' But the show itself may be motivating viewers to put down their remote controls and pick up their laptops." The Boston Globe reports, "Imagine lying on the couch watching the latest episode of 'Grey's Anatomy' when suddenly a catchy new song plays. You click on your TV remote, buy the song, and download the tune to your laptop -- without missing a second of the melodrama on the screen. Starting this spring, Backchannelmedia Inc. will be one step closer to making that a reality. During an initial launch in May, the Boston company will test a new technology on WCVB-TV Channel 5 that allows viewers to use their remotes to tag -- or bookmark -- Internet sites and products that are featured on TV so they can check them out later on their computers. In future versions, Backchannelmedia expects viewers will be able to purchase the products and services they see during their favorite TV shows and commercial breaks." TVNewser reports, "Originally set to run through Super Tuesday II, then extended through the end of last week, TVNewser has learned America's Election HQ will continue indefinitely during the 5pmET hour on FNC." Top of post ONLINE MEDIA Knight Kiplinger posted on Kiplinger.com's Politics blog for the first time yesterday about how Barack Obama is no JFK. The Observer reports, "Richard Branson could scoop $750m if Virgin Media is sold to US private equity groups, which are actively considering launching a takeover bid, despite continuing turmoil in the credit markets. According to a private document entitled 'Project Coaxial' -- seen by The Observer -- Blackstone, Cinven, KKR and Providence Equity are prepared to offer $6bn to $7.5bn for the company, in which Branson's Virgin group holds a 10.5 per cent share." Hollywood Reporter reports, "Comcast Interactive Capital will invest in Giant Realm, the rapidly growing affiliate network of video game/entertainment sites targeting men 16-34. The venture-capital arm of the cable giant will lead a new round of financing totaling $3.5 million. Giant Realm also is backed by Edison Ventures Fund and WMA, which founded and previously funded the company. Giant Realm CEO James Green said the cash infusion will fuel expansion of its staff, enhancement of the Giant Realm destination site and enable further development of its online publisher group." The New York Times reports, "In an effort to slow Google's siphoning of advertising dollars away from television, the nation's six largest cable companies are making plans for a jointly owned company that would allow national advertisers to buy customized ads and interactive ads across the companies' systems." Business Wire reports, "The Washington Post Company announced today that it will sponsor a global competition for digital startups from LaunchBox Digital, a Washington, DC-based investment firm focused on cutting edge mobile and Web technologies. Called 'LaunchBox08,' the competition encourages applicants to submit innovative ideas in order to receive seed funding and participate in a 12-week business building program with access to first-rate mentors and advisors." A reader tells us, "Express has audio of the president singing. It's from a YouTube video. The vid itself is pretty bad, but the audio's good." Top of post MAGAZINES A reader points out to us, "Time's Ana Marie Cox calls Bush 'War Criminal'" The AHCJ Awards have been announced and among the winners are National Journal's James A. Barnes and Marilyn Werber Serafini who received second place for "The Debate Over Health Care Reform" Top of post JOBS National Journal Group is looking for a Deputy Managing Editor, NationalJournal.com American Bar Association, Rule of Law Initiative is looking for an Outreach Director. The Chronicle of Higher Education is looking for an Online Marketing Associate. Top of post Hat Tips: DCRTV, TVNewser, IWantMedia, Romenesko, MediaBistro, JournalismJobs, JournalismNext

Fishbowl

Morning Reading List, 03.11.08

Patrick

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Patrick