Morning Media Newsfeed: Journalist Sotloff Beheaded by ISIS

[emailonly]{{{ sbox300x250 }}}[/emailonly] Click here to receive Mediabistro's Morning Media Newsfeed via email. American Journalist Steven Sotloff Reportedly Beheaded by ISIS (TVNewser) Two weeks after James Foley was beheaded by ISIS, American journalist Steven Sotloff has reportedly been executed by the same group. FishbowlDC “This is something that the administration has obviously been watching very carefully since this threat against Mr. Sotloff’s life was originally made a few weeks ago,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest Tuesday afternoon. Earnest went on to say, “I’m not in a position to confirm the authenticity of that video or the reports at this point since I obviously just walked out here. If there is a video that has been released, it is something that will be analyzed very carefully by the U.S. government and our intelligence officials to determine its authenticity.” ABC News In a new video, which appeared online Tuesday, Sotloff addresses the camera, saying, “I’m sure you know exactly who I am by now and why I am appearing.” Later the video then cuts to the militant who says, “I’m back, Obama. I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State [ISIS].” Politico Sotloff, 31, grew up in Florida and was a freelance journalist, having worked for publications like Time magazine and Foreign Policy. He was taken hostage while reporting in Syria last year. WSJ The Islamic State video also showed a man identified as Briton David Cawthorne Haines. He is kneeling and wearing an orange jumpsuit as the militant threatens to kill him next. A U.S. official said there is no reason to believe the video isn't authentic. USA Today The U.S. intelligence community has concluded that a video appearing to show the beheading of Sotloff is genuine. Washington Post Owner Jeff Bezos to Replace Publisher Katharine Weymouth (FishbowlDC) In a 9 a.m. email to staff Tuesday morning, Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth announced her imminent departure as the paper’s publisher after 7 years. Beginning Oct. 1, Fred Ryan, formerly with Allbritton Communications and Politico, will be publisher and CEO. New York Post / Media Ink Weymouth is the granddaughter and namesake of long-time Post chairwoman and publisher Katharine Graham. Poynter / Leadership & Management Weymouth’s resignation completes the ownership change initiated a year and a month ago when Bezos bought the paper. The Washington Post Ryan told Post journalists in a newsroom meeting Tuesday that they need to embrace the change roiling the industry in pursuit of what he has called “a growth strategy.” And though he praised several recent initiatives, including those intended to more aggressively attract online readers during morning hours, Ryan offered few details on his vision -- or Bezos’ -- for the Post. Piers Morgan No Longer With CNN (TVNewser) Piers Morgan is no longer with CNN. The former primetime host says he turned down a 2-year contract to host 40 “big interview” specials. “Great company, great network,” Morgan tweeted. New York Post Morgan’s show ended in March, though his contract just expired on Labor Day. Money may have been a factor in his decision to part ways with the network. Mediaite When Morgan’s show ended, he had said he would serve CNN in some type of special-host capacity. “I decided not to accept it -- and to try pastures new,” he said. Variety Morgan began anchoring the network’s 9 p.m. slot in January 2011, replacing the durable Larry King Live with a celebrity-interview show that did not always hit the target with CNN viewers. The program, in which Morgan could be seen breaking away from conversations with perplexed guests like Gregg Allman to ask if they had inadvertently given him a scoop in their responses, proved to be fodder for satire on Saturday Night Live. Morgan also used the program to rally against the National Rifle Association. [emailonly]{{{ jodslot01 }}}[/emailonly] Dave Weigel Joins Bloomberg (FishbowlNY) Dave Weigel is joining Bloomberg Media’s forthcoming Bloomberg Politics site. Weigel comes to Bloomberg from Slate, where he served as senior political reporter for the past four years. Weigel previously worked for The Washington Post. FishbowlDC In recent weeks, Bloomberg has announced several major hires, including ABC News’ Tom Johnson and The Daily Show’s Pat King as executive editor and senior producer of the politics vertical, respectively, and Esquire’s Mike Nizza as executive editor of the Bloomberg Politics website. HuffPost The forthcoming Bloomberg Politics brand, which will feature political coverage on the Web, mobile, TV, radio and in print, is slated to launch on Oct. 6. NYT Magazine Adds Emily Bazelon (FishbowlNY) The New York Times announced that Emily Bazelon -- who had been a senior editor with Slate since 2005 -- is joining as a staff writer. Capital New York Bazelon is the latest in a series of appointments made by Jake Silverstein since the former Texas Monthly editor-in-chief took over as editor of the magazine in May. Several weeks ago, the Times announced that star opinion-page writer Maureen Dowd would be joining his staff. Other new recruits and promotions include deputy editor Bill Wasik, formerly of Wired, and design director Gail Bichler, who was bumped up to the top creative slot on Aug. 19. Poynter / MediaWire In a statement, Silverstein said he was “giddy” about the hire. John Reiss Named Acting EP of Meet The Press (TVNewser) Meet the Press isn’t just getting a new moderator, a new executive producer is joining as well. John Reiss, who has been EP of Hardball With Chris Matthews for the last seven years, has been named acting EP of the show, just as Chuck Todd takes over as host. FishbowlDC Last Friday, we reported that 23-year NBC News veteran -- 11 as MTP EP -- Betsy Fischer Martin would depart the peacock network that day. Politico / Dylan Byers on Media Reiss will replace Rob Yarin, who served as EP for the past tumultuous year under David Gregory. Yarin will remain with the show, overseeing what Wallace described as "several big MTP-related projects and initiatives." Wallace also said Yarin "will be integral to establishing a 24/7 editorial presence and ramping up our digital strategy." Todd and Reiss' inaugural episode of Meet The Press is Sunday, Sept. 7. [emailonly]{{{ sbox01 }}}[/emailonly] Susan Lyne Leaving Brand Role at AOL to Head Up Women-Focused Venture Fund (WSJ / CMO Today) AOL's Brand Group CEO Susan Lyne is stepping down from that role to lead a new AOL investment fund aimed at helping female-driven startups, AOL said. Variety The fund will make investments focused on multiplatform media, services and commerce. Initially, AOL will allocate $10 million for the BBG Fund (which stands for “Built by Girls”). Lyne, previously EVP and CEO of AOL’s Brand Group, will remain based at the company’s headquarters in New York City and will report to AOL chairman and CEO Tim Armstrong. Lyne, who joined AOL in February 2013, previously was chairman and CEO of online fashion and luxury brand retailer Gilt Groupe and served as president, CEO and director of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia from 2004 to 2008. Rachel Maddow Show Names Cory Gnazzo as Executive Producer (The Wrap) Cory Gnazzo has been named executive producer of The Rachel Maddow Show, replacing Bill Wolff, who departed in August to join ABC's The View. THR / The Live Feed Followers of the show will recognize Gnazzo from the show's blog, where he often previews what's coming up on the 9 p.m. program. He has also accompanied Maddow on numerous reporting trips, including her 2010 sojourn to Iraq and Afghanistan. Paramount Marketing Chief Josh Greenstein Close to Deal at Sony (Variety) Former Paramount Pictures chief marketing officer Josh Greenstein is in final negotiations with Sony Pictures to succeed Jeff Blake as chairman of worldwide marketing and distribution, according to people at the studio familiar with the matter. Blake was forced out of his job in late July after 22 years with the studio. THR Megan Colligan, who currently serves as president of domestic marketing and distribution, will take Greenstein's job. Moreover, the widely respected executive will oversee home entertainment in addition to theatrical. For decades, theatrical and home entertainment have been separate empires within the various studios, and combining them is a bold move. At the same time, Erik Counter is being promoted to president of worldwide creative advertising and Steve Siskind to president of domestic marketing. [emailonly]{{{ sbox02 }}}[/emailonly] Netflix Takes Facebook Sharing Out of News Feed, Into Private Messages (AllFacebook) Facebook users’ News Feeds will no longer be populated with their friends’ Netflix activities, as the video service announced a new social recommendation feature based on users privately recommending content they have enjoyed to their Facebook friends who might enjoy that content. Netflix users will see messages after viewing content, asking them if they know anyone else who might like that content, and prompting them to connect to Facebook. After doing so, they can choose Facebook friends to send recommendations to, and those friends will see those recommendations the next time they log into Netflix. Crossfire Missing, Again (TVNewser) For a show that was revived almost a year ago, CNN’s Crossfire doesn’t air all that much. After an almost two-month absence beginning in early March, the political debate show returned in May, only to be bumped from CNN’s lineup in mid-July following the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. CNN tells us the show will be on hiatus “for a while more.” An extended hour of The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer continues to run at 6 p.m. ET. Washington Business Journal Publisher Alex Orfinger Named EVP of Parent Company (FishbowlDC) The Washington Business Journal Tuesday announced a new role for its publisher Alex Orfinger, who’s served in that capacity for 18 years. Orfinger and Mike Olivieri, chief revenue officer of WBJ’s parent company American City Business Journals (ACBJ), have both been named executive vice president of ACBJ. The two will each oversee half of ACBJ’s 43 market-specific business journals. [emailonly]{{{ sbox03 }}}[/emailonly] More Cuts at Al Jazeera America (TVNewser) As the year-old network looks to cut costs, Al Jazeera America has parted ways with a correspondent and two executive producers. Last week, AJAM declined to renew the contract of Miami-based correspondent Natasha Ghoneim. A photographer in the bureau was also cut. And Tuesday, we heard two executive producers were let go. Following cuts in April, CEO Ehab Al Shihabi told staffers in July that more layoffs were possible. Zach Wolf Named Managing Editor of CNN Politics Digital (FishbowlDC) CNN executive director of politics digital Rachel Smolkin Tuesday announced to staff that Zach Wolf will join her as managing editor of CNN’s digital political endeavors. Smolkin joined CNN in August from Politico, where she served as managing editor for news. InStyle Teams With LIKEtoKNOW:IT to Offer Shoppable Looks on Instagram (SocialTimes) Instagram is increasingly becoming a platform for consumer discovery. While more entrepreneurs are using the platform to display their wares, it seems Instagram is also the fashion industry’s social network of choice -- with followers often wondering where to get the look. LIKEtoKNOW:IT is a new plugin designed to facilitate a more shoppable Instagram experience. Mediabistro Blogs TVNewser David Muir Plans to Hit the Road for World News Tonight TVSpy 53 Raycom Stations Go Dark on DirectTV FishbowlNY Dave Weigel Joins Bloomberg Lost Remote ABC Tweets Premiere of New Show Selfie FishbowlDC Zach Wolf Named Managing Editor of CNN Politics Digital SocialTimes Instagram is More Important than Facebook to Teens AllFacebook Netflix Takes Facebook Sharing Out of Newsfeed, Into Private Messages AllTwitter The History of Hashtags in Social Media Marketing 10,000 Words Do You Yo? And Should Your Newsroom Be Yo-ing? 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Morning Media Newsfeed: Journalist Sotloff Beheaded by ISIS | WaPo Publisher Out

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