RomeneskoYour daily fix of media industry news, commentary, and memos.Finke: NYO wouldn't be as snarky under De Niro's ownership- May 12, 2006 Read the articleDeadline Hollywood Nikki Finke says the New York Observer probably wouldn't be much different to the average eye if it's owned by Robert De Niro and his associates. "I am confident, however, that a lot of NYO's infamous snarkiness would disappear." Current owner Arthur Carter's best quality as a newspaper boss "is that he doesn't give a damn about who or what his editors and writers piss off," writes Finke. "I swear he actually likes it when his paper gives...http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=101357 It's farewell to good journalism in Philly if Onex moves in- May 12, 2006 Read the articleCJR Daily "We care who we sell to," McClatchy CEO Gary Pruitt said in March when he announced the purchase of Knight Ridder's 32 papers and revealed that McClatchy would resell 12 of them. Edward B. Colby writes: "We believed Pruitt when he said that -- but based on what we now know, it would be all but impossible to believe him if he seriously entertains an offer from Onex to buy the Inquirer and Daily News. Gut-check time, Gary." Message for Toronto firm interested in Philly..http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=101354 After cutting stock listings, will papers kill business sections- May 12, 2006 Read the articleTalking Biz News Dave Kansas (left) of the Wall Street Journal says getting stock listings out of print editions is the wave of the future as more readers get quotes online. "I think some papers have gotten too aggressive on this front, driven primarily by high newsprint costs. But I imagine that five years from now printed stock listings will be either all gone or just a weekly affair. My big concern is that some papers will use the elimination of stock listings to...http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=101336 Bitter 28-year Wilkes-Barre newspaper war may end soon- May 12, 2006 Read the articleAssociated Press The Times Leader, published since 1879, has been put up for sale by McClatchy. A potential buyer is the parent company of TL's rival, the Citizens' Voice, which could shutter it. Michael Rubinkam writes: "A shutdown of the Times Leader would be an extraordinary twist of fate, considering that the tabloid Citizens' Voice was started in 1978 by striking Times Leader workers and was never expected to outlast its older, bigger competition."http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=101333 Bush & Co. aren't rushing to be on Russert's show these days- May 12, 2006 Read the articleWomen's Wear Daily Jacob Bernstein asks Tim Russert if it's gotten harder for "Meet the Press" to book members of the Bush administration as the war drags on. "There is no doubt that the frequency by which Bush administration officials have chosen to give interviews has declined dramatically as the war becomes more and more controversial. The vice president has not been on in more than two years. Donald Rumsfeld hasn't been on in six months." Russert prays on Saturday "that I...http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=101330 Student's view: Five reasons why magazines are here to stay- May 12, 2006 Read the articleNew York Review of Magazines Nicole Oncina writes in Reason 5 ("McLuhan Loves Magazines"): "Print has been the preferred medium of disseminating information for the past 500 or so years since Gutenberg and, not surprisingly, the idea of breaking with this tradition can seem threatening. But in the face of this historical gloom and doom, there is hope: Photography did not replace paintingit made it better. Telephones did not replace live conversationthey made us value it more." ..http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=101324 LAPD to use blog to rebut what it considers unfair coverage- May 12, 2006 Read the articleLos Angeles Times LAPD chief William Bratton says he sees the new blog "as an opportunity for me to respond to those issues where I feel the department is being misrepresented."http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=101321 Reporters covering Duke rape case told to stay off DA's floor- May 12, 2006 Read the articleRaleigh News & Observer Reporters from all over have flocked to the sixth floor of the Durham County courthouse, looking for new developments in the Duke lacrosse team rape case. Officials want that to stop. "This is a friendly reminder to everyone who is employed by or representing any media to please stay off the 6th floor of the Judicial Building," writes a sheriff's office rep. "There are no exemptions to this request." Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong's office is on...http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=101315 Additional items for May 12, 2006- May 12, 2006 SF Chron wants U of California vote on pay proposals to be open (SFC) Judge criticizes reporters' background checks on potential jurors (AP) Moran fears aspiring sportswriters don't know Red Smith's work (ChiTrib) Former Salt Lake Trib owners want judge to revive appraisal lawsuit (AP) Subpoenaed SF Chron reporters called "brave and noble" (Indy Star) Los Angeles Times sports section beefed up with three additions (LAO) Send link suggestions, letters, etc. to jromeneskopoynter.org Sign.http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=101234 Bradlee: Rosenthal gave NYT the best years they ever had- May 12, 2006 Read the articleNew York Observer Ben Bradlee says of Abe Rosenthal: "By adding all those sections, he completed The Times; he presided over a real revolution in the paper; and they became as good as they thought they were. I wanted to beat his brains out, but he was a lovely guy, and I really liked him a lot." Charles Kaiser writes that the late Times executive editor "inspired more admiration, emulation and vilification than any other journalist of his generation." Rosenthal probably...http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=101306 |