Gannett Co. to release fourth-quarter financials tomorrow

Gannett Co. will release its fourth-quarter earnings report on Friday.
Jim Hopkins, who writes a blog on the company (gannettblog.blogspot.com), predicts that these will be some of the hot focus points:
* Will top executive Sue Clark Johnson be replaced?
* Will there be more job losses in 2008?
* Will Gannett Co. will announce a big write-down of assets?
To read the full entry from Hopkins click here.

Veteran journalist explains what's really wrong with newspapers

Jon Talton, a 27-year veteran journalist, shares what he believes is really wrong with newspapers on his blog the "Rogue Columnist."
Talton has been a columnist at the Arizona Republic and an editor and columnist at Charlotte Observer, Cincinnati Enquirer, Rocky Mountain News, Dayton Daily News and what is now the North County Times in San Diego.

"We hear endlessly that the troubles are a result of the Internet, new technology, ‘people don’t read anymore,’ and, my favorite, ‘people don’t have as much time as they used to.’ As if there was once a 36-hour day, or people who once worked 12-hour shifts while raising large families had this abundance of time.
These forces are real. And yes, a big swath of the public is distracted by celebrity gossip and gets its ‘news’ from blogs, television and talk radio. What’s less noted is how newspapers themselves contributed to the dumbing down of America. What’s most frustrating is that the discussion fails to focus on the more significant reasons behind the decline in newspaper journalism."

Talton argues that the consolidation of newspapers into large, publically held companies resulted in trying to make Wall Street happy leading to Groupthink, a defensive strategy that cut newsrooms' top talent, and a collapse of leadership.
To read more click here.

The Telegraph gets a new publisher

George McCanless has been named president and publisher of The Telegraph in Macon, Ga.
McCanless previously served as the senior vice president for finance and strategic planning at The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. He has been the top finance executive at The News & Observer since joining the newspaper in 20.
McCanless, 51, has spent 25 years in the newspaper industry as a chief financial officer and finance executive. In Macon, he replaces Pamela J. (P.J.) Browning, who was named president and publisher of McClatchy's daily in Myrtle Beach, S.C., The Sun News, in December.
"George is a seasoned executive with a distinguished record of success at four different newspapers in the East and Southeast," said Gary Pruitt, McClatchy's chairman and chief executive officer. "His leadership and passion for community service will serve The Telegraph well."
To read the full release from the McClatchy Co. click here.

SeenThis?

The Wall Street Journal Online will launch SeenThis?, an application that brings users' social networks onto the pages of WSJ.com.
The new addition will allow the site's users to see what articles are most popular with the friends and groups from leading social networking sites, without having to leave the site, according to a release from Dow Jones.
WSJ.com is the first company to fully deploy SeenThis?
"SeenThis? provides an exciting new way for WSJ.com users to interact with their trusted social network and engage with our content," said Daniel Bernard, general manager of WSJ.com. "Recommendations from friends are an effective way to fuel discovery and sharing of content that matters most to people. This application not only extends our brand and content to new audiences in large social networking sites, but also deepens on-site engagement by bringing those communities directly to WSJ.com."
To read the full release click here.

Scripps, Times report fourth-quarter results

In what has been a tough few years for newspaper companies, The New York Times Co. today reported a fourth-quarter profit of $53 million, but overall revenue still fell 7.1 percent.
The company reported increased circulation revenue, which is declining at most newspaper companies, and rising income from other sources, including About.com, which continues to grow rapidly, according to a report in The New York Times.
The Associated Press reports that Media company E.W. Scripps' fourth-quarter profits fell 8 percent on declining advertising sales at its newspapers and television stations. Scripps reported a profit of $123.3 million for the quarter.
The preliminary results did not include an anticipated charge for writing down the value of its uSwitch Inc. subsidiary, an online shopping site.
To read the full story about the Times click here.
For the report on E.W. Scripps click here.

WSJ launches new environmental blog

Editor & Publisher reports that The Wall Street Journal launched “Environmental Capital,” a blog daily the focuses on news and analysis of the business of the environment.
The blog's lead writer is Keith Johnson, who spent the past decade reporting from Europe, increasingly on energy issues. Jeffrey Ball, who has covered the auto and oil industries and now covers the business of the environment, is the blog’s editor and a contributor.
Today the blog today includes a post that questions if the Fed’s second rate cut in just over a week is good news for alternative energy.
The blog can be found at www.blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital
To read the full story from Editor & Publisher click here.

Bob Schieffer to retire next January

The New York Times reports that Bob Schieffer, CBS News reporter and 17-year host of "Face of the Nation," will retire next January.
Schieffer, who will turn 72 next year, provided stability to a newscast, and news division, jolted by the abrupt departure of Dan Rather, who had been its public face for three decades, according to the Times.
“I think that’s probably going to be it,” Mr. Schieffer told the newspaper by telephone Tuesday night from the CBS News set in Washington, after appearing live on the West Coast to discuss the victory of Senator John McCain in the Republican presidential primary in Florida.
For the full story click here.

CNBC to air "Swoosh! Inside Nike!"

CNBC will air their lastest in-depth documentary next month and this time the report from sports business reporter Darren Rovell focuses on Nike.
Through the one-hour documentary that will air on Feb. 12 at 10 p.m. and 1 a.m EST, Rovell takes viewers into the company's histroy and to a sit-down interview with Nike's co-founder Phil Knight.
Michael Jordan also describes how Nike wooed him in 1984 and about his work with Nike's chief shoe designer, Tinker Hatfield.
CNBC is calling the work,"the most comprehensive television examination to date on Nike, the world's largest shoe and apparel company."
To read the full release click here.

Gannett promotes Greiwe

Linda K. Greiwe was recently named president of Gannett’s Newspaper Network of Central Ohio and president and publisher of The Newark Advocate.
Her appointment comes after working as the senior vice president of Advertising at The Arizona Republic since 2001.
“Linda’s management skills and extensive background in advertising will be a tremendous asset in Central Ohio,” said Sue Clark-Johnson, president of Gannett’s Newspaper Division. “Linda has a proven record in every job she has done for Gannett; I am very pleased with this appointment.”
For the full release click here.

Behind the story: USA Today's week-long report "Turning 62"

USA Today Personal Finance Editor Fred Monyak knew this year is when many baby boomers would turn 62 and their retirement could begin.
Realizing the importance of 2008 for boomers, he proposed to his reporters a week-long series to explore the impact on those early retirees.
The series, which was published this month and is called "Turning 62," focused on several key areas that would affect the retirees most deeply.
Now with the project completed, Monyak shares the details about why these stories warranted his reporters' focus.

Why did your staff believe this was a worthwhile project?
"We all felt that we owed the huge baby boom generation -- there are 79 million of them, the biggest generation in U.S. history -- a full-scale series that would provide financial guidance as they begin what will be the longest retirements ever."

What lessons did your staff learn from the project?
"I think we all concluded, given the extraordinary popularity of the series online, that we satisfied a hunger for information among our readers who are near or in retirement or who have relatives who are. The challenges of retirement have changed drastically in the past generation. Now, for example, retirees are less likely to receive monthly pension checks. Instead, they are more likely to receive lump-sum payouts that they have to personally manage. Today's retirees are also less likely to have company-provided retiree health insurance. The stakes are high, and many retirees feel overwhelmed by their greater financial burdens. We hope we helped make that task a little easier. I think we also learned that large-scale newspaper projects like this one, though enormously time-consuming and often frustrating in the weeks and months leading up to the final product, in the end pay off in a way that's worth the investment we put into them."

What type of response has your staff received from the project?
"We were, frankly, amazed at how popular the series proved among our readers online. All week, the series dominated page hits on usatoday.com and evoked hundreds of comments and vigorous debate. A huge number of our readers emailed the stories to friends and relatives. C-SPAN invited one of our reporters to be an in-studio guest last Sunday morning. The reporter delved into many of the issues raised by the questions here and answered viewers call-in questions for an hour."

To read the "Turning 62" series from USA Today click here.

Reynolds Center 2008 interns selected

The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism has selected seven students from universities around the county for 10-week business journalism internships at major publications this summer.
Students were selected by the host publications in conjunction with the Reynolds Center, which funds the internships designed to help improve the quality of U.S. business journalism.
The students, universities and host publications are:

-- Elizabeth Campbell, Northwestern University, The Boston Globe
-- Cassandra Crockett, Yale University, The Salt Lake Tribune
-- Kate Diaz, Northwestern University, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
-- Amy Eagleburger, University of North Carolina, The Arizona Republic
-- Ashley Macha, Arizona State University, The Business Journal of Phoenix
-- Sonia Narang, University of California, Berkeley, San Jose Mercury News
-- Steven Overly, University of Maryland, The Plain Dealer in Cleveland.

“The success of our internship program initiated in summer 2007 underscored the relevance of bringing together quality students with publications that have shown a commitment to quality coverage of business,” said Andrew Leckey, Director of the Reynolds Center, which is based at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. “The students greatly benefit not only the host, but their own promising careers in business journalism.”

WSJ: A possible move? A sports page?

The New York Times reports on possible changes at The Wall Street Journal.
The first includes moving its offices to Midtown from Lower Manhattan where The Journal's staff has been for 119 years.
The second is the addition of a sports page.
Coverage of sports is part of Rupert Murdoch's plan to add more nonbusiness stories to The Journal.
From The New York Times' report:

The Journal regularly covers the business of sports, but does not cover the sports themselves extensively. But in recent years, seeking more ads aimed at consumers rather than businesses, it has greatly expanded its lifestyle and consumer reporting, adding “softer” sections like Personal Journal and Weekend Journal, and a Saturday newspaper.
People at the paper who have been briefed on the plan say it is very likely that a sports page, possibly tucked into Personal Journal, will be created in the next few months. But they cautioned that it was not yet clear how often the page would appear or what kinds of articles it would contain.

For the full report click here.

Kansas City Star publisher announces his departure

The publisher of The Kansas City Star is leaving the paper to join MediaNews Group, according to reports from the Kansas City Business Journal.
Mac Tully has led the newspaper since 2004. Editor Mark Zieman will step in as interim publisher until a permanent replacement is announced.
For the full story click here.

WSJ names editor for new magazine

Tina Gaudoin, most recently editor of the The Times Luxx, has been named the editor of The Wall Street Journal's new high-end lifestyle magazine.
The magazine will launch this September and she will develop a team of journalists to work on the publication, according to reports from CNNMoney.com.
"The magazine will provide the kind of quality editorial content that readers expect of the Journal, in new ways that will entertain and inform the Journal's affluent and influential audience," said Marcus W. Brauchli, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal, in the story. "Tina truly understands this niche and is well known with luxury readers and advertisers. She brings a valuable set of skills to the Journal from her extensive career in the magazine world that will greatly contribute to this new initiative."
To read the full story click here.

Jim Zebora: from business editor to managing editor

Before he got into newspapers Jim Zebora ran a record store.
The experience of managing a dozen employees and overseeing operations sparked Zebora's interest in business reporting.
For the last nine years he has led business coverage at Connecticut's sister papers, The Advocate and Greenwich Time. Both papers share business content.
Now his success on the business desk has landed him the managing editor job at Greenwich Time.
"I think having a business journalism background is a big plus as I transition to covering a single but very influential town," Zebora said. "I have always been a committed local journalist, and as business editor I refocused the section on what our local players were doing. Now, I’m covering the schools where their kids study, the churches they go to, the restaurants they eat in and the local taxes they pay."
Zebora said Greenwich is a place where a lot of business gets done.
For example, he said the Greenwich-based private equity firm General Atlantic LLC was the biggest investor in Archipelago Holdings when it merged with and took the NYSE Group public in 2006. And Greenwich was also the epicenter of the Long-Term Capital Management and Amaranth hedge fund meltdowns.
In addition, Zebora points out that Lower Fairfield County Connecticut — the combined circulation area of Greenwich Time and The Advocate — is the No. 3 home in the world to hedge funds after New York and London.
"The shared business section will continue to serve Greenwich Time well in reporting on what our people are up to in this troubling economy," Zebora said. "Our own business stories will localize that to the street level, and follow the fate of Greenwich as events unfold."

Washington Post launches new online magazine

According to a New York Times report, The Washington Post will soon launch an online magazine geared primarily for a black audience.
The magazine will have news and commentary on politics and culture and tools for readers to research their family history.
Henry Louis Gates Jr., a writer and Harvard professor, will be the magazine’s editor.
To read the full story click here.

Moryt Milo named editor of Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal

Veteran Silicon Valley journalist, Moryt Milo has been named editor of the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, according to reports from the publication.
The story says that Milo joins the Business Journal from the Silicon Valley Community Newspapers group, which publishes 10 community newspapers in the valley, and is operated by MediaNews Group. Most recently, Milo worked as editor of the Campbell Reporter and the Almaden Resident.
For the full story click here.

Newspapers' online audiences grew in 2007

Associated Press Business Writer Seth Sutel reports that newspapers' online audiences grew by about 6 percent last year.
The report is based on data released by the Newspaper Association of America and compiled by Nielsen Online, a Web audience measurement agency owned by The Nielsen Co.
The story says:

Many newspapers have been adding online features such as video, blogs, jazzier graphics, online community features and links to other Web sites in an effort to lure in more readers and compete with other outlets of information online, including blogs and portals like Yahoo Inc. Daytime visitors are very important for newspapers since online traffic is highest then, as many people log on from work. Nielsen Online said its measurements accounted for people logging on from work or home.

For the full report click here.

Bushee says his decision to leave Gannett Co. was a personal one

After Ward Bushee announced he was leaving The Arizona Republic, he sent his parting comments to staffers, saying his retirement from Gannett Co. after more than 30 years was for personal reasons.

"Anybody who has ever known me understands that my heart has always been in and around the Bay Area of Northern California. It is where my family lives. It is where Claudia and I have so many close, long-time friends and where we return every chance we get. It has been more than 25 years since I left my home state. I now will have the opportunity to return in a role that is very special for me as the Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle."

Bushee said he leaves Gannett knowing it has the best talent to be successful in the future. He said this group includes Randy Lovely, who will take over Bushee's role in Phoenix.

"While it is hard to leave, nothing makes me happier than Randy Lovely's succession to the top editor's job. He is the real deal - an outstanding journalist, leader and strategic thinker. Randy will continue to support our very good reporters and work to elevate watchdog journalism that serves the region. He will have the support of Nicole Carroll and other strong managers in the Information Center. And he will be an excellent representative for the Republic in the community."

Randy Lovely replaces Bushee at The Arizona Republic

Randy Lovely was promoted to vice president of news and editor of The Arizona Republic, replacing Ward Bushee who announced today that he's leaving the paper to work at the San Francisco Chronicle.
Lovely, who has worked for Gannett for 16 years, was named managing editor of the newspaper in 2002 and was later promoted in 2005 to executive editor, according to reports from The Arizona Republic.
Lovely has also held management roles at The News-Press in Fort Myers, Fla., The Times in Shreveport, La., and The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif.
"I am delighted Randy has agreed to take the top news spot. He has been an instrumental part not only of the Arizona Republic's move to a multi-platform information company but has contributed his expertise to the Gannett Company as a whole in a variety of top task force assignments. He has an excellent understanding of the issues facing our state," said Sue Clark-Johnson, Gannett Newspaper Division President.
Click here to read the full report.

Bushee named editor of Chronicle

Hearst Newspapers named Ward Bushee, former editor and vice president of The Arizona Republic, executive vice president and editor of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bushee replaces Phil Bronstein who was named editor-at-large of Hearst Newspapers Division and the Chronicle on Jan. 23.
Bushee will begin working in California on Feb. 1
Bushee has been an editor for the last 21 years in the Gannett Co., where he was named "Editor of the Year" three times and 11 times won the company’s President’s Ring, awarded to outstanding top editors.
He has led The Arizona Republic since 2002, where he directed the news staff for Arizona's largest paper and the 10th largest newspaper in the nation.
Prior to joining the Republic, Bushee was editor and vice president of The Cincinnati Enquirer.
“It is an honor to be coming back to my home area as the editor of the paper that serves the greatest city in the world,” said Bushee. “The Chronicle has been my favorite newspaper for as long as I can remember. I have long admired the quality of journalism practiced by its staff and the sense of San Francisco and the Bay Area captured on its pages. I am very excited about the opportunity to lead the Chronicle news staff during this challenging time of transition in the newspaper industry.”
To read the full release click here.

Globe challenges Metro’s layoff story

The front page of yesterday's Boston Metro said The Boston Globe was planning to lay off hundreds of staffers.
Officials at The Boston Globe, however, beg to differ.
A story in the Boston Business Journal includes this response from Globe spokesman Al Larkin:

"Metro Boston's front page story today claiming that the Boston Globe is planning 'hundreds of layoffs' is factually incorrect," according to a statement released by Larkin. "There are no plans for a staff reduction of the size cited in the Metro. As we have said many times in the past, we are always looking for operational efficiencies and will make staff reductions in accordance with those efforts when and if appropriate."

Metro's Web site today says that editor Saul Williams stands by his report, which he said cited sources inside and outside of the newspaper.
The Boston Globe did confirm plans to raise the price of its single copy papers in Greater Boston from 50 cents to 75 cents beginning Feb. 4.
The Metro had reported that the price change would happen Feb. 1 and did not specify that the increase would only be in the Greater Boston area.
For the full story from the Boston Business Journal click here.
For reports from the Metro click here.

WSJ's Web site: not everything will be for free

Over the last few months, the media has speculated that once News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch took over The Wall Street Journal he may make everything on the paper's Web site, wsj.com, free.
But today Murdoch indicated that won't be the case.
The Wall Street Journal most likely will keep a significant portion of its Web site content behind its paid-subscription wall. At least that's what Murdoch alluded to when answering a question at the World Economic Forum.
“We are going to greatly expand and improve the free part of the Wall Street Journal online, but there will still be a strong offering” for subscribers, Mr. Murdoch said in a story on the paper's Web site. “The really special things will still be a subscription service, and, sorry to tell you, probably more expensive.”
The Wall Street Journal has the news posted on their site. To read the full report click here.

Philly newspapers may face "a dire situation."

In a meeting with Philadelphia newspaper union representatives, publisher Brian Tierney detailed a grim future for the city's newspapers, which include Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News.
Tierney said the haywire economy and a struggle to meet debt requirements will most likely put the newspapers in “a dire situation” by summer or fall if the company does not find way to cut costs by 10 percent.
A release on The Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia's Web site says members plan to meet with company executives to discuss saving options.
It is unclear what would happen if savings goals aren't met, but the union release does say there were references to outsourcing some jobs overseas.
To read the union's release click here.
Philadelphia Magazine also is closely following the story and has details from the meeting on their Web site. To read the report click here.

The Tennessean's turmoil

The Nashville Scene has a story today about staffers that have recently left The Tennessean, a Gannett-owned paper.
The story says last week one of the paper's best reporters Sheila Wissner walked out of the newsroom in the middle of writing a story.
Wissner worked at The Tennessean for 20 years, mostly as an investigative reporter. But as the paper put less of a focus on investigative work, she was moved to the state politics beat. After asking to return to her beat and not getting an answer, Wissner picked up her coat and left for good, according to the report.
Her departure is the latest in a string of reporters and editors to leave the paper in the last few weeks, inlcuding cops and courts reporter Sheila Burke, state political reporter Jessica Fender, city editor Ricky Young, assistant business editor Todd Pack and lifestyles writer Hollie Deese.
The story points out that not all staffers left because they were unhappy with their jobs.
For the full story by Matt Pulle click here.

More changes at Sun-Times

The news just keeps on coming from the Sun-Times Media Group.
In addition to layoffs throughout its publications, which include the Chicago Sun-Times, the company announced it will shut down three weekly newspapers that focus on Chicago North Side neighborhoods.
The Skyline, the Booster and News-Star will cease publication on January 30th, according to reports in the Chicago Tribune.
The decision means even more job cuts, part of a plan to cut operating costs by $50 million this year. The Tribune reports that up to 35 layoffs are still expected at the Chicago Sun Times.
Employees at the newspaper had begun to be notified of the layoffs by phone on Wednesday night.
For the Tribune's full coverage of the layoffs click here.
Or to read about the elimination of the three weekly newspapers click here.

Bronstein's new role

San Francisco Chronicle Editor Phil Bronstein was recently named editor-at-large for the paper and Hearst Newspapers.
The job shift means that Bronstein will work on "broader strategic responsibilities" at the newspaper and for Hearst, instead of focusing specifically on daily newsroom operations.
Hearst has not yet announced who will take over as editor of the newspaper.
Bronstein was first editor of the Hearst-owned San Francisco Examiner in 1991 after working as a reporter at the paper. When the Chronicle and Examiner newsrooms merged in 2000, the former award-winning investigative reporter and foreign correspondent took over as editor.
In his new role, Bronstein will still represent the paper in the community, help shape the role of the paper and its Web site and oversee investigative projects.
And he will also plans to keep writing.
“I got into this profession because of my great love for words and how they can be used to move people,” Bronstein said. “Hearst is a huge company with amazing creative resources and I’m really looking forward to diving into the possibilities that presents.”
For the full release click here.

Reporter's notebook: Elise Ackerman, San Jose Mercury News

Elise Ackerman has had a busy week so far.
As a business reporter for the San Jose Mercury News, she has spent the last few days following the possible Yahoo layoffs and the likely departure of eBay Chief Executive Meg Whitman.
On Tuesday, Ackerman reported that Yahoo was planning to layoff hundreds of its employees. Then today she had a story about the slowing growth of eBay and about the speculation that Whitman may leave her post.
Ackerman currently covers Yahoo, eBay and Google for the San Jose Mercury News and has been a business reporter for the last eight years. She said building good, trusting relationships with sources is the key to solid coverage as big stories unfold.
"When people know you and they trust you, they are willing to share stuff as big stories break," Ackerman said. "You have to spend time with people and get to know them. They will talk to a reporter if they feel comfortable that it will get accurately reported. Try to take advantage of the opportunity to meet people and get to know as many people as possible."
Ackerman said she got into business reporting after covering a variety of beats at publications that include U.S. News & World Report and the Miami New Times. She tried the business beat because she was sure it would improve her overall coverage.
"Business is really fascinating. It makes the world go round," she said. "I wanted to understand it better because I thought it would lead to a greater understanding of things in society."
When she has a moment to catch her breath, Ackerman plans to dive deeper into technology issues. It's an area that she said will become increasingly more important and one she wants to help readers understand.
But for right now, she'll continue to follow the breaking news from the companies she covers. After all, it's only Wednesday.
To read Ackerman's story on eBay click here.
For her story on Yahoo click here.

What it means for consumers

Newsday business reporter and columnist Carrie Mason-Draffen talked to economic experts about where exactly the consumer stands in the midst of a possible recession.
She points out that is is consumers' money that is the key economic driver of the U.S. economy.
Her first question: Is fear taking hold among consumers?

"I think there will be fear among investors losing money, but among consumers, it's more than fear," said Panos Mourdoukoutas, professor of economics at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University. "It's a lack of money, a lack of liquidity. Consumers are in a bind. They have no money to spend."

To read the full column click here.

Philipps new role

Mike Philipps, former editor of the Cincinnati Post and a career journalist, has been named president and chief executive officer of The Scripps Howard Foundation.
The foundation is a non-profit organization created by Scripps in 1962 to promote excellence in journalism through endowments, scholarships and grants.
Philipps joined Scripps in 1977 as a reporter for the Post.
For the Post's full report click here.

Isn't the news itself still valuable to anyone?

David Simon, a former Baltimore Sun reporter and executive producer of HBO's hit series "The Wire," questions what's happening in the newspaper industry in a recent column for The Washington Post.
From zoned tabs to the trend of brevity, Simon wonders why many newspapers have seemingly forgot about impoartant coverage areas and about readers who want well-reported, well-told news stories.

"In Baltimore, the newspaper now has 300 newsroom staffers, and it is run by some fellows in Chicago who think that number sufficient to the task. And the locally run company that was once willing to pay for a 500-reporter newsroom, to moderate its own profits in some basic regard and put money back into the product? Turns out it wasn't willing to do so to build a great newspaper, but merely to clear the field of rivals, to make Baltimore safe for Gremlins and Pacers. And at no point in the transition from one to the other did anyone seriously consider the true cost of building something comprehensive, essential and great. And now, no profits. No advertising. No new readers. Now, the great gray ladies are reduced to throwing what's left of their best stuff out there on the Web, unable to charge enough for online advertising, or anything at all for the journalism itself."

To read Simon's full column click here.

Could Google someday buy The New York Times?

John Ellis of Real Clear Markets speculates that as profits at The New York Times continue to decline, the company with the most to gain from purchasing the paper is Google.
Ellis points out that over the last five years the value of The New York Times has declined by 70 percent and with a looming recession the numbers most likely will continue to drop.
For Ellis' full report click here.

Another student media partnership for Gannett?

Gannett Co. is slowly establishing more of a presence in student media, buying the student-run newspaper at the University of Central Florida last year and the student paper at Florida State in 2006.
Now the company is discussing another partnership with Colorado State University's The Coloradoan, according to reports from the Associated Press. School officials say the talks are very preliminary.
"The Coloradoan had contacted us late last year ... to talk about potential partnerships," university spokesman Brad Bohlander said. "The university had not sought to sell the Collegian... Today was in response to that, to set up the first meeting to see what they had to say."

More changes at the Register

In addition to eliminating its stand-alone business section, there are even more changes planned for the Orange County Register.
Under publisher Terry Horne, the paper also will soon have six geographically zoned versions of its local news section to provide more localized news coverage and advertising exposure, according to Register reports.
Horne, who was hired at the newspaper last year, most recently led the East Valley Tribune in Phoenix. Before that, he worked at The Arizona Republic where as vice president of community newspapers he was behind the launch of compact zoned newspapers for specific areas in Phoenix.
For the full report click here.

It's time for real media leaders to come forward

In Tim McGuire's most recent blog post, he discusses the Orange County Register's decision to drop its business section and move business news into the A section during a time when the subject is becoming more imporant.
McGuire, the Frank Russell Chair for the business of journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications, said the move is another example of "duck and cover rather than launching top-line enhancing offensives."
McGuire also touches on the depature of Los Angeles Times editor Jim O'Shea and on the issue of long-term franchise strength in the newspaper admist concerns over the bottom line.
"Real leaders have to step into the fray and declare a unified mission that includes profit, top-line growth and enhancing the core mission of informing and entertaining readers," McGuire writes. "Every decent leader knows either/or thinking will kill an organization. It is time editors and publishers remember that and recognize that there is wisdom in both arguments.
To read McGuire's blog click here.

Tribune deal is complete, Zell is now chairman and CEO

Tribune Company completed its going-private transaction on Monday, making Sam Zell chairman of the board and chief executive officer. Tribune Co. announced its plans to go private on April 2.
"We have a tremendous opportunity to take the great brands of Tribune Company, and the enormous talent within the company, to a new level," said Zell. "Tribune, along with the newspaper industry, has been mired in its monopolistic origins, and we intend to create a fresh, entrepreneurial culture that is fast and nimble, and which rewards innovation. Our goal is to provide a sustainable, relevant product for our customers and communities."
In addition to Zell, Tribune's board of directors will include the following:
*Jeffrey S. Berg, 60, chairman and chief executive officer of International Creative Management, Inc.
* Brian L. Greenspun, 61, chairman and chief executive officer of The Greenspun Corporation, and president and editor of the Las Vegas Sun.
* William C. Pate, 44, chief investment officer of Equity Group Investments, LLC.
* Maggie Wilderotter, 52, chairman and chief executive officer of Citizens Communications.
* Frank E. Wood, 65, chief executive officer of Secret Communications, LLC, a venture capital company in Cincinnati.
* William A. Osborn and Betsy D. Holden each have been re-elected to serve on Tribune’s board.
For the full release click here.

Former editor and AP reporter killed in car accident

William Stracener, a former managing editor of The Beaufort Gazette and Associated Press newsman, died in a car wreck on Monday, according to reports from Editor & Publisher.
Stracener was a native of East Orange, New Jersey, and a graduate of Wake Forest University. He worked for the Winston-Salem (NC) Journal and United Press International before joining the Associated Press in South Carolina in 1984.
For the full story click here.

Changes at The Atlantic's Web site increases readership

The Atlantic hopes its Web site readership will continue to increase as it allows non-subscribers to read articles from the magazine and access the archives.
The New York Times story says a year ago the magazine's Web site traffic was low, but after adding bloggers and video, the number of readers on the site quadrupled.
Now The Atlantic hopes the changes will finally result in a profit, something the magazine hasn't had in many years.
For the full article click here.

LA Times Editor Fired

James O'Shea, the former Chicago Tribune managing editor who replaced Dean Baquet as the Los Angeles Times editor in November 2006, has been "forced out for resisting newsroom budget cuts," according to a report from The New York Times.

The story, topping Google's Business News at this hour, is being covered coast to coast with media columnists spewing out details of what might have happened leading up to Sunday's news and about what might be next. Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune media columnist, wrote: "Sources at the Times, which Tribune Co. took over in its 2000 acquisition of Los Angeles-based Times Mirror Co., said part of the dispute between Hiller and O'Shea over reductions stemmed from the timing -- this being a presidential election year, an expensive proposition to cover. But unlike past budget disagreements, this one was kept from most of the newsroom and did not play out in public."

While The Wall Street Journal first reported the story online on Sunday, the Los Angeles Times now has their own account. A noticeable difference is in the headline. While papers across the country played up the word "Fired," or some connotation of it, in headlines, the Times headline reads simply: "Times editor to leave paper." Publisher David D. Hiller and O'Shea, were both quoted:

James E. O'Shea, editor since November 2006, said Sunday that he was forced out after disagreeing with Times Publisher David D. Hiller's plan to shrink the newsroom budget.

"We did not share a common vision for the future of the L.A. Times," O'Shea said.

Hiller disputed the notion that O'Shea had been fired, saying his exit was part of a larger reorganization plan being put in place under The Times' new ownership...

"Think of it as the changes made at the start of a new presidential term," Hiller said. "In the context of these changes, Jim and I decided we no longer saw things the same way about how to take the company forward."

Read the entire LA Times report here.

Golden returns to New York

The New York Times reports that Michael Golden, publisher of The International Herald Tribune, is leaving the newspaper and returning to New York to focus on his position as vice chairman of The New York Times Company.
Golden, who has been with The Herald Tribune for four years, named Stephen Dunbar-Johnson as his successor, effective immediately. Mr. Dunbar-Johnson has been with the paper for 10 years, serving as advertising director, commercial director and most recently executive vice president before becoming publisher.
“What we’ve accomplished over the last three years is very significant to get the I.H.T. to virtually break even,” Mr. Dunbar-Johnson, 44, said after an announcement to the newspaper’s employees here. “And I really see my role as to build on what we’ve achieved.”
To read the full report click here.

Chicago Tribune expands community coverage

The Chicago Tribune will expand coverage in the city's southwest and western suburbs for its community journalism Web site, www.triblocal.com, according to reports from the Associated Press.
The site launched in April and it lets readers publish stories, photos and blogs about their neighborhoods and communities.
For the full story click here.

Sam Zell's new employee manual

Today's Los Angeles Times includes a story about the new, unique employee handbook that Tribune Co. CEO Sam Zell passed out to his employees.
Here's the opening:
"Rule #1: Use your best judgment."
"Rule #2: See Rule 1."
Zell describes the handbook as shorter, more direct and as a document insinuates trust.
But the newspaper's points out, "The plain language and direct, almost jocular tone of the handbook -- unusual in the corporate world -- may make it a legal minefield, some employment lawyers said. At 3,663 words, the new Tribune manual is about a third as long as the dense, 11,519-word edition it replaced."
For the full story click here.

Treaster, Beckman are named Knight Chairs in Journalism

The University of Miami announced the appointment of two prestigious veteran journalists to serve as Knight Chairs in Journalism.
Joseph B. Treaster, a reporter and former foreign correspondent for The New York Times and author of three books, was named the Knight Chair for Cross-Cultural Communication.
Rich Beckman, a prize-winning international photojournalist, writer, producer and professor at the University of North Carolina, was designated the Knight Chair in Visual Journalism.
The two were selected after a worldwide search that took several months. They will serve as full professors in the School of Communication and carry out projects for the Knight Center for International Media.
"The two Knight Chair appointments mark a big step in our growth as a University in becoming a major player in the global communication field," said President Donna E. Shalala. "These two outstanding journalists have proven records in their fields and can help us excel in the new multi-media world."
For the complete release click here.

Mixed bag for biz magazines' 2007 revenues

The year-end Publisher's Information Bureau figures have been released and while celebrity rags showed an upward trend in total ad pages and advertising revenues for 2007-- courtesy of Britney of course--business magazines came in across the board.
Comparing 2007 year-end numbers to 2006 numbers, Business 2.0, BusinessWeek, Fortune and Fortune Small Business all showed a drop in advertising revenues while Fast Company and Inc. magazine both showed an upward trend. Forbes was mixed, with a drop in total ad pages but a 7.9 percent increase in ad revenues.

See the complete report here.

Woodward works on his next book

Editor and Publisher reports that Bob Woodward is working on his fourth book and plans to have it published later this year.
Woodward, The Washington Post's assistant managing editor, did not tell E&P what the book was about, just that it would speak for itself. The investigative reporter has authored 14 books, including three on President George W. Bush.
For the full report click here.

San Diego Union Tribune to lay off 27 employees

The Associated Press is reporting that the The San Diego Union-Tribune plans to lay off 27 employees, including some reporters.
The layoffs will be spread throughout multiple departments at the newspaper, a result of the soft advertising market.
This latest reduction comes after the paper eliminated 14 pressroom jobs last week and bought out 76 employees in December.
For the full report click here.

New Portfolio additions

William Li was recently named publisher of Condé Nast's Portfolio and Dan Colarusso is slated to become portfolio.com's managing editor.
Li was most recently the publisher of Men's Vogue and Colarusso comes to the magazine after working as a meto editor at The New York Post, accordign to reports from BtoB: the magazine for marketing strategists.
For the full report click here.

Former Washington Post reporter will lead the Washington Times

John Solomon, most recently a national reporter at the Washington Post, was recently named chief editor of the Washington Times.
Solomon, who is 41 and spent two decades at the Associated Press before joining the Washington Post for one year, replaced Wesley Pruden, who held the top spot for 16 years.
Solomon former newspaper reported his departure and also said in November he collaborated with CBS's "60 Minutes" on an investigation into a discredited FBI forensic tool that raised questions about the conviction of hundreds of defendants.
Washington Times publisher Thomas McDevitt said Solomon has a great "nose" for stories and that "we wanted to find a working journalist with some area of expertise that was related to our strategic vision -- enterprise and investigative reporting."
He called Solomon a "virtuoso" who could beef up the paper's online offerings and "a leader who can motivate the talent in our newsroom. If we want to play in the big leagues, we've got to do some things differently."
To read the full story click here.

Daily Record cuts Sunday business sections and stock listings

The Daily Record in Morris County, NJ is eliminating its Sunday business section, daily stocks page and Sunday stock summary.
This is just the latest in a series of changes planned for the paper, a result of customers migrating online and to specialty publications.
Other changes include:
* Elimination of the Sunday travel page.
* The paper will be produced in two sections, except on Friday when it has four sections and Sunday when it has six.
* The paper will produce more local new sections focused on specific communities.
* All eliminated print content can now be found on the paper's Web site, dailyrecord.com.
To read the full report click here.

Call for entries: 2008 Gerald Loeb Awards

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2008 Gerald Loeb Awards for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism. The awards, established in 1957, serve to encourage quality reporting in the areas of business, finance and the economy. Entries are being accepted in 13 different categories including a new online category for excellence in the creative use of multimedia technology and interactivity. The awards are open to print, online and broadcast media for work produced during 2007.
Nominations are also being accepted for the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Lawrence Minard Editor Award, which recognizes contributions in business journalism editing.

Get more information and entry deadlines here.

Some content from WSJ already free

The Wall Street Journal will now offer its editorial and op-eds free to readers as it merges its sites wsj.com/opinion and OpionionJournal.com.
Most of the paper's editorial content was part of a paid subscription.
Now readers will have access for the first time to every editorial, daily columnist and clips from a weekly TV show on Fox, the Journal Editorial Report, according to the newspaper.
"We're delighted to offer our world-wide readers access to our message of free people and free markets -- for free. And we hope you'll pay a visit," the announcement in the paper says.
To read the full story click here.

Former NY Times editor to write for Portfolio

The Washington Post reports that former New York Times editor Howell Raines will write a monthly column for Portfolio.
Raines, who was forced to resign from the newspaper about five years ago in the midst of the Jayson Blair fabrication scandal, will be a media critic for the magazine.
"It's been refreshing and a bit daunting to try to think about writing something that hasn't been said 30 times," Raines said. "I don't have any thunderbolts to throw at my former profession."
To read the full story click here.

Gannett names new digital leader

Gannett has named Chris Saridakis its senior vice president and chief digital officer for the company.
The company said Saridakis, currently the CEO of the leading rich media company PointRoll, Inc., will expand and enrich Gannett's global digital operations.
“Chris is a visionary and an innovator, as well as a smart businessman – as his success growing PointRoll demonstrates,” said Craig Dubow, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Gannett. “Chris brings to Gannett’s digital operations those essential qualities, plus a keen marketing sense and a strong reputation in the digital universe. He will use his talent and ability to move rapidly in further developing Gannett into a digital powerhouse.”
Jack Williams also was named president of Gannett Digital Ventures, overseeing Gannett’s portfolio of online classified companies and other diversified businesses.
For the full release click here.

Papers in Allentown and Seattle to cut jobs

The Seattle Times and The Morning Call in Allentown, Pa. are the latest papers announcing plans to shrink their pool of employees, according to Reuters.
The Seattle Times may layoff 17 employees in its circulation department and make other cuts to try to save $21 million. The paper plans to cut 60 more jobs through attrition, 55 of which are currently unfilled. No newsroom layoffs are in the works.
The Morning Call, which is owned by the Tribune Co., may cut 10 positions, according to a memo posted on the Romenesko blog.
To read the full report from Reuters click here.

Sue Clark Johnson to retire

The Arizona Republic reports that Sue Clark Johnson will retire in May from her post as Gannett's chief newspaper division executive.
Johnson, who is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Phoenix Newspaper Inc., said she plans to return to Arizona
“I've been with the Gannett Company for over 40 years, and I've had a great run,” she said. “I've had a lot of fun. I've worked with some great people. I've been able to do almost everything you can do in this industry, and I've had a very good time doing it.”
To read the full report click here.

Sun-Times offering buyouts

The Chicago Sun-Times is offering union-represented newsroom employees aged 55 and older a buyout package that includes severance pay and extended health insurance coverage, acorrding to Editor & Publisher reports.
The deadline to accept the buyouts is Jan. 18. The package will include two weeks salary for each year of employment to a maximum of 25 weeks. Employees will also be placed on a re-hire list for 18 months and continue to recieve health coverage for that time.
For the full story click here.

Sun-Times biz editor resigns

The Chicago Sun-Times' business editor, Dan Miller, resigned from the newspaper today, according to a report from Crain Communications.
The report says Miller, "told his staff he expects the paper to be sold within months and wants to leave before he becomes a casualty of pending staff cuts."
For the full report click here.

Layoffs begin at Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Sun-Times editorial board members were laid off today in the first wave of expected deep cuts for the newspaper, according to reports from the Chicago Tribune.
Michelle Stevens, Lloyd Sachs and Michael Gillis lost their jobs, part of Sun-Times Media Group's plan is to slash $50 million in operating costs. Staffers learned Friday that up to 35 union newsroom position could be eliminated.
There could be more layoffs coming this week.
Read the full report here.

McGraw-Hill Co. to cut 611 jobs

Upheaval in the subprime mortgage market is one of the key factors behind the loss of 3 percent of McGraw-Hill Co.'s staff, according to The New York Times.
The company said its cutting the more than 600 jobs, most of which are in the education division.
McGraw-Hill owns the ratings agency Standard & Poor’s, as well as BusinessWeek magazine, an educational publishing business and other assets.
To read the full report click here.

Cobb named managing editor Denton Record-Chronicle

Dawn Cobb, a 24-year veteran journalist, was recently named the managing editor of the Denton Record-Chronicle in Texas.
Cobb has worked with the Denton Publishing Company since 1986, most recently serving as editor of the Denton Business Chronicle and as business editor for the Denton Record-Chronicle in addition to overseeing numerous special publications, according to the newspaper.
To read the full article click here.

The San Diego Union-Tribune: Doing less with less

Rob Davis analyzes how The San Diego Union-Tribune is making due with less in his article, "Shrinking Union-Tribune," at VoiceOfSanDiego.org. Twenty-nine employees recently took the company's buyout offer. Davis reports that the recent activity brings the total news staff cuts at the paper to at least 10 percent in the last year.
Davis writes that

"Eleven news reporters took the buyout, including some of the paper's best known writers. Two arts critics accepted the offer, as did four editors, two photographers, two food writers and a travel writer. A newsroom source who accepted the buyout provided the list to voiceofsandiego.org. A company spokesman refused to confirm its accuracy. The cuts leave the Union-Tribune with two reporters covering immigration issues as well as Tijuana -- down from five. Gone are border reporter Anna Cearley and Mexico business reporter Diane Lindquist. Lynne Walker, a Copley News Service reporter based in Mexico City, has also left. "

Diane Lindquist, a recent contributor to BusinessJournalism.org, did confirm to us that she has taken the buyout. And she said she plans to launch a Mexican business news Web site. Stay tuned to The Pulse for developments on that site.

Read Lindquist's story on covering border economics here.
Read Davis's entire report on the The San Diego Union-Tribune here.

Reporter's notebook: when Starbucks is your beat

Craig Harris of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer covers Starbucks.
So when the big news broke today that the company had fired Chief Executive Jim Donald and passed the reigns to chairman Howard Schultz, Harris got to work combing his sources to put stories together for his readers.

He shares with businessjournalism.org how his day unfolded, where he searched to find information and how a team effort resulted in multiple stories for the newspaper.

"Covering the firing of Starbucks CEO Jim Donald on Monday was a complete team effort at the Seattle P-I. Our wire editor, Maren Hunt, around 2 p.m. called to tell me Donald had been fired and that Howard Schultz, the chairman, was coming back to run the company. At the time I had just arrived in Tukwila (a suburb of Seattle and a half hour from the P-I) to do a story on McDonald's opening barista bars to compete with, ironically, Starbucks.

Of course, we had to change course but we couldn't kill the McDonald's story because it was the centerpiece for our business section. So, I profusely apologized to the McDonald's folks and zipped back to Seattle to get on a 2:30 p.m. conference call with Howard Schultz, the chairman who would become CEO. After the call Business Editor Margaret Santjer had Hunt and a graphics designer pull together a stock chart that showed the ups and downs of Starbucks stock since the Seattle coffee giant went public in 1992.

After the call, I looked up the company's 2007 proxy on sec.gov to see how much outgoing CEO Donald made and to see if there was any language regarding a severance payment, which Starbucks did not disclose Monday. The proxy said Donald was an at-will employee and was not entitled to a buyout. The proxy also included his annual salary, which we included in the story. I also looked up the most recent Form 4 for Schultz to see how many shares he owned, as I knew he was the largest individual shareholder. I also made calls to analysts to round out the story.

As I was finishing up the Schultz story, I got a call around 6:15 p.m. from the folks at McDonald's for my original story. I filed the Starbucks story around 7 p.m., which Santjer immediately posted online to supplement an earlier breaking news story. I then finished the McDonald's story about 45 minutes later, which Santjer edited and posted. Both stories also appeared in Tuesday's P-I, and the layout desk did an outstanding job of using pull quotes as layers, and the desk did a great job of referring to the biz cover story with an image of the golden arches."

To read the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's coverage of Starbucks click here.

Miami Herald to outsource copy editing

The Miami Herald announced that it will outsource copyediting for a weekly community news section and some advertising production work to a company in India, according to reports from the Associated Press.
Starting in January, copyediting and design in a weekly section of Broward County community news and other special advertising sections will be outsourced to Mindworks, based in New Delhi.
To read the full report click here.

San Jose editor left after three-section paper proposal

An Editor & Publisher report states that before San Jose Mercury News Editor Carole Leigh Hutton resigned, she made push to turn the daily newspaper into a three-section paper.
According to the report, Hutton led a team of staffers in a presentation to MediaNews Group CEO William Deal Singleton on the new concept. Staffers speculate that may have been the final blow to Hutton's job.
One of several aspects of the paper's ongoing "Rethinking Project," the decreased sections idea was apparently greeted negatively by Singleton and David J. Butler, MediaNews vice president for news, during a presentation in mid-December.
To read the full report click here.

New senior editors at The News & Observer

Linda Williams has been named senior editor at The News & Observer. She will oversee the daily news report and the business and metro sections. She has worked at The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times. She also served as metro editor at The News & Observer before becoming deputy manager for local news in 2005.
Williams, and two other new senior editors, also announced on Monday, will report to Executive Editor John Drescher.

Read the full article here.

The State reporter takes Chamber of Commerce job

A long time business reporter for the The State in South Carolina, C. Grant Jackson, is leaving the paper to take on business from the other side. Jackson will become senior vice president of community development for the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

Read the entire story here.

Washington Post plans massive Web site redesign

Reports from Editor & Publisher say The Washington Post is undergoing its biggest Web site redesign ever and it has hired The Wonder Factory of New York to help create a new look for washingtonpost.com.
This is the first time an outside firm will help design The Washington Post's site, which first launched in 1996. The Wonder Factory's other clients have included Newsweek and Martha Stewart Living.
"It is bigger than any other [redesign] since building it in the first place," James Brady, executive editor of washingtonpost.com., told Editor & Publisher. "We are trying to fill it with the strategies we've emphasized the past few years -- reader engagement, multi-media and providing useful data bases for our readers."
For the full report click here.

The New York Times will print in Dallas

Beginning in February, The New York Times will print its national edition in Dallas, Texas.
The recent agreements, with the commercial printing entity of The Dallas Morning News, will extend weekday and Sunday home delivery to readers in the Dallas area.
The New York Times is currently printed at 23 locations in the United States.
"Our agreements with The Dallas Morning News will help us reach more readers in the Southwest with The Times' high-quality journalism," said Scott Heekin-Canedy, president and general manager of The New York Times. "Print site expansions like this one, and another to be announced later in the year, highlight The Times' commitment to building our brand nationwide and bringing our journalism to an increasing number of readers across the country."
For the full release click here.

Chicago Sun-Times may cuts 35 newsroom jobs

In the next four weeks, The Chicago Sun-Times may lay off up to 35 unionized newsroom employees, a result of falling circulation and advertising revenue, according to a Reuters' report.
The cuts would amount to nearly 20 percent of the paper's 188 unionized newsroom positions.
The Chicago Sun-Times is owned by the Sun-Times Media Group, formerly known as Hollinger International Inc. The company said in December that it planned to cut operating costs by $50 million in 2008.
For the full report click here.

Times and CNBC share Web site material

CNBC and The New York Times agreed to share material on their Web sites, uniting the main competitive targets of the News Corp's new ventures, the Fox Business Network and The Wall Street Journal, according to the newspaper's reports.
The deal starts Monday when The New York Times articles and other written material will be posted on CNBC’s site, and CNBC video on the Times site. No money will change hands.
“We have agreed to be each other’s primary partners on the Web, which will strengthen both,” said Vivian Schiller, senior vice president and general manager of nytimes.com.
To read the full story click here.

Journalism award for fairness in news coverage

Journalists can now apply for the Neiman Foundation for Journalism's 2008 Taylor Family Award for Fairness in Newspapers.

The award, which carries a $10,000 prize and is administered by the Neiman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, encourages fairness in news coverage by America's daily newspapers. Second and third place finalists will each receive $1,000.

The award was established through an endowment by members of the Taylor family, who published The Boston Globe from 1872 to 1999.

Nominations may be a single story, a photograph, an editorial or a commentary; a series of stories, photographs, editorials or commentaries; or a body of work by an individual journalist. Entries must be postmarked no later than Friday, Jan. 18, 2008, for work published in a U.S. daily newspaper during the previous calendar year.

For more information click here.

Why would Landmark Communications sell now?

Mark Fitzgerald and Jennifer Saba of Editor & Publisher analyze the possible sale of Landmark Communications, owners of the Weather Channel and multiple newspapers.
The report questions why company officials would pick now to sell Landmark, considering the newspaper industry is getting slammed by a downturn in advertising and fleeing print readers.
Landmark's announcement took many by surprise, according to the story.
"I'm a broker and I had absolutely no clue anything was up," Larry Grimes president of W.B. Grimes said. "I just don't get this. They're going to make so much money from the sale of the Weather Channel it makes one wonder. If the papers are performing poorly some would suggest we're within 12 months of performing a lot better. Why now? It's kind of a curious turn of events."
To read the full story click here.

Fox Business Network's journey

Chicago Tribune Columnist Phil Rosenthal discusses the progress of News Corp.'s Fox Business Network.
Although official audience estimates have not yet been released by the network, Rosenthal says the newspaper's figures show Fox Business averaged 8,000 viewers in its first eight weeks. In the same time period, CNBC average 265,000 viewers.
Rosenthal says, "Like any 11-week-old, it's too soon to know what this one will grow up to be. Its bloodlines point to it maturing into an extraordinarily strong, swift and sly competitor, running with the best, yet it is naive to expect News Corp.'s Fox Business Network to do more than learn to crawl at this point."
To read the column click here.

San Jose has a new editor

David Butler, the current top news executive for the parent company of the San Jose Mercury News, was named the editor of the paper on Thursday.
Butler, 57, will be responsible for both the news operation and the editorial pages of the paper.
Dean Singleton, chief executive of MediaNews, said Butler will lead the Mercury News and its sister Bay Area newspapers in developing answers to the challenges the newspaper industry faces.
"His mission is to lead the Mercury News to the future" so MediaNews can transfer successful innovations to the rest of its publications, Singleton said.
Butler replaces executive editor Carole Leigh Hutton who had no comment about the change.
To read the full story click here.

Perry will leave his Clear Channel post

President and Chief Executive Officer Donald Perry will step down from his post at Clear Channel Television after two years.
Craig Millar, Senior Vice President, Southern Region will assume Perry’s duties on an interim basis until a new president and chief executive officer is named.
Clear Channel Television owns or operates 51 stations nationwide, including 13 stations which are distributed as digital multicast stations. They serve in 25 markets.
To read the release click here.

Former CBS News correspondent remains silent

Jim Stewart, who left CBS News in 2006 after reporting for 16 years, is refusing to reveal the names of his sources for a series of reports he produced in 2003 about the F.B.I.’s investigation into the domestic anthrax attacks of 2001.
The New York Observer reports say if If U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton decides in the coming months to hold Mr. Stewart in civil contempt for his defiance, the case could become one of the more tortured—and high-profile—media soap operas of the new year.
To read the Observer's report and for background on the case click here.

The numbers behind a free WSJ.com

A report from Bear Stearns suggests says if WJS.com were to become a free site, it would need and 12-time increase in traffic growth to offset the lost revenue.
The site get about 122.4 million page views and generates about $78 million each year.
But $78 million in revenue is only 4 percent of Dow Jones' total revenue.
So the free concept, which many believe Murdoch will soon make a reality, may be doable after all.
To read the full report, click here.

Fast Company's new hires

Folio is reporting that Fast Company has made some new hires, snagging names from within the consumer business magazine circle, specifically from Fortune and Portfolio. Jane Meier, part of the Condé Nast’s Portfolio launch team, will become Fast Company’s deputy art director and Mark Borden, a former Fortune reporter and freelancer, will be senior editor. Joining later this month as a staff writer will be Anya Kamenetz, Pultizer Prize-nominated author of the book "Generation Debt."

Weather Channel is for sale

The Weather Channel and its Web site (http://www.weather.com/) are for sale and some of the biggest names in media, including NBC, a unit of General Electric, the News Corporation and Comcast might be interested in paying the expected $5 billion price tag.
The New York Times report says the sale stems from the breakup of the channel's parent company, Landmark Communications.
The private company owns The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, The News & Record of Greensboro, N.C., and The Roanoke Times in Virginia, as well as 50 other community newspapers.
To read the full report click here.

What j-schools should be teaching

PajamasMedia has an intriguing blog posting today about a new blueprint for the journalism school curriculum, and the overriding theme is that the customer (i.e. reader) is always right.
Steve Boriss offers up a list of courses that j-schools "should be teaching" in order to meet the needs of today's market and prepare "students for the new world of New Media."
One offering Boriss suggests is as follows:

Business for Journalists — Many journalists have become disoriented, losing track of where they fit into our economy. Some believe they are engaged in a public service, a branch of government, or an activist movement. This course will clarify that virtually every journalist works in the private sector for organizations that must maximize profits. This knowledge will be helpful in the workplace, as journalists may from time to time wish to avoid declaring independence from the demands of their employers, stockholders, business competitors, and acquiring corporations. The course will also highlight that their audiences consist of “customers who are always right,” and not “citizens who must be spoon-fed what journalists believe.” In a work-study portion of the course that teaches the humility required for providing customer service to average Americans, students will be required to clean the public toilets in a Wal-Mart.

Intriguing...Read the entire post here.

WSJ begins the new year under Murdoch by revisiting Kucinich's UFO story

Today's front page of The Wall Street Journal includes a story about Dennis Kucinich's alleged UFO encounter more than 25 years ago.
The story has Editor & Publisher's staff questioning if the coverage is an indication of what the newspaper could look and feel like under the new leadership of Rupert Murdoch.
Here's the background:
This fall, actress Shirley MacLaine's new book included a story which said the Ohio congressman's had seen a UFO more than 25 years ago and felt "a connection in his heart and heard directions in his mind." The presidential candidate has since remained quiet about the incident, but friends who were with Kucinich in 1982 talked to The Wall Street Journal for the page one story.
Read The Wall Street Journal story here.
For Editor & Publisher's analysis of the story click here.

Judge says Santa Barbara News-Press violated federal labor laws

The Santa Barbara News-Press will have to rehire eight journalists after a judge ruled that the paper committed flagrant violations of federal labor laws after firing the employees for engaging in union activities, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Evidence presented during a 17-day hearing last summer shows a widespread, general disregard for the fundamental rights of the employees," Administrative Law Judge William G. Kocol wrote in a 75-page decision.
The turmoil began in July 2006 when five top editors resigned to protest what they called publisher Wendy McCaw's censorship of local news.
To read the full report click here.

Former Dateline reporter makes claims about NBC's Sept. 11 coverage

John Hockenberry, who was laid off from Dateline NBC in 2005, said that his former network diverted him from reporting on al Qaeda in the aftermath of Sept. 11., according to a report from Reuters.
In this month's issue of Technology Review, Hockenberry said that on the Sunday after the Sept. 2001 attacks, he pitched stories on the orgins of al Qaeda and Islamic fundamentalism.
Hockenberry claims that the then-NBC programming chief Jeff Zucker came into a meeting he was having with Dateline executive producer David Corvo and said "Dateline should instead focus on the firefighters and perhaps ride along with them a la "Cops," the Fox reality series.
NBC news says isn't impressed with Hockenberry's claim.
"It's unfortunate that John Hockenberry seems to be so far out of touch with reality," an NBC spokesperson said. "The comments are so utterly absurd, we will have no further comment."
To read the full report click here.

After more than 100 years, The Cincinnati Post publishes its final edition

The Cincinnati Post recently published its final issue on Dec. 31 after more than 126 years in operation, leaving The Cincinnati Enquirer with less competition and eliminating another two newspaper town, according to the New York Times.
Fewer than 10 cities still have two or more daily newspapers, and Cincinnati was the last two-paper town in Ohio.
The Post, which is owned by E.W. Scripps, considered a variety of ways to keep the paper alive including publishing as a free daily, a Web Site or with a new business partners, but in July, officials decided to shut the paper down.
The circulation of The Post and its companion, The Kentucky Post, declined to a combined 27,000 from 275,000 in 1961.
To read the full report click here.