Mediabistro.com's DAILY MEDIA FEED 1/4/06

mediabistro.com's
DAILY MEDIA NEWS FEED
edited by John Ghazvinian
Wednesday, January 04, 2006

http://www.mediabistro.com

KANN OUT AT DOW JONES [MARKETWATCH]
Richard Zannino, previously a Liz Claiborne and Saks executive, takes over for Peter Kann. NYT: Zannino appointment overlooks Kann's wife. New York: Will Murdoch buy the WSJ in 2006?
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7BD5ACF72E%2DE058%2D4194%2DBB9E%2D32770CE21310%7D&siteid=mktw
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/04/business/media/04dow.html
http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/bizfinance/columns/bottomline/15455/index1.html

MEDIA MISREPORTS MINE DISASTER [E&P]
Greg Mitchell: In one of the most disturbing and disgraceful media performances of this type in recent years, television and newspapers carried the tragically wrong news late Tuesday and early Wednesday that 12 of 13 trapped coal miners in West Virginia had been found alive and safe. Hours later they had to reverse course, often blaming the mix-up on "miscommunication."
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001804359

CBS SETS OUT ON ITS OWN [WAPO]
Fresh from its split from parent company Viacom, the network faces a new set of challenges. Guardian: Is this the beginning of the end for the sprawling media conglomerate?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/03/AR2006010301589.html
http://media.guardian.co.uk/city/story/0,7497,1677651,00.html

IRAQ'S GRIM TOLL ON JOURNOS SETS RECORD [CPJ] A total of 60 journalists have now been killed in Iraq since 2003, making it the deadliest conflict for the fourth estate in CPJ's 24-year history.
http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2006/killed_05/killed_release_03jan05.html

WASHINGTON'S KING OF THE QUOTE [WAPO]
Marshall Wittmann's pithy comments about Beltway politics have made him one of the most quoted guys in town. As they say in the news biz, "he gives good quote."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/03/AR2006010301870.html

OXYGEN LIGHTENS UP [NYT]
The female-oriented cable network tries to shed its earnest image with a little sex and girl-talk.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/04/business/media/04adco.html

LIKED THE STORY? DON'T BUY THE BOOK [SLATE] New York Times reporter James Risen's three stories on domestic surveillance outclass his book chapter on the same subject, says Jack Shafer. NYO: Risen's reporting casts doubt on NYT's Judy Miller excuses.
http://www.slate.com/id/2133681/
http://observer.com/pageone_offtherec.asp

NEW MAG REVIVES SPIRIT OF GONZO [ASPEN TIMES] Woody Creek, the small Colorado town made famous by Hunter S. Thompson, is to get a new magazine edited by the journalist's widow.
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060103/NEWS/101030023

TRIB CHIEF'S TOUGH YEAR AHEAD [CST]
Tribune Co. chairman Dennis FitzSimons goes into 2006 facing declining sales, slipping ad revenue, and impatient investors.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/business/cst-fin-fitz03.html

O'REILLY THREATENS TO GET PERSONAL [MEDIAMATTERS] The Fox News presenter says he'll "get into the lives" of NYTers Frank Rich and Bill Keller and make sure they "won't have a happy new year."
http://mediamatters.org/items/200601030003

NETWORKS SCRAMBLE FOR ALLSTATE BUCKS [WSJ] The insurance company's ad buy used to be a gravy train for the big four. This year, a dramatically different approach highlights how the industry's balance of power is shifting away from the networks.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113634466072137260.html?mod=mm_media_marketing_hs_left

2005: YEAR OF THE MERGER [MEDIAWEEK]
The number of mergers and acquisitions for magazines, newspapers, and websites surged last year, resulting in the biggest volume of activity since 2000.
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001773212

KR'S KATRINA BODY COUNT [HUFFPO]
The struggling Knight Ridder far outshone its competitors in New Orleans, says Harry Shearer. The difference? Its reporters actually bothered to count dead bodies.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harry-shearer/knightridder-counts-the-_b_13221.html

CHINA RELEASES JAILED JOURNO [E&P]
Jiang Weiping, who was jailed after reporting on corruption, has been released early ahead of a planned U.S. visit by President Hu Jintao.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001773119

CLEAR CHANNEL DIVISION FACES CALIFORNIA SUIT [LAT] "Live Nation" is facing allegations of racketeering, conspiring to steal public funds and hiding revenue in Mountain View.
http://www.latimes.com/business/custom/cotown/la-fi-clear4jan04,1,3699111.story?coll=la-headlines-business-enter

WESTWOOD ONE NAMES NEW CEO [MEDIAWEEK]
Peter Kossan will struggle with poor financial performance at the radio conglomerate.
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001772706