In your backstabby Tuesday media column: Aussie papers want Col Allan back, Daily Beast staffers are pissed at their bosses, Tribune Co is canning its executives, News Corp's paywall is still flickering, and Variety's booting its editor. Hard times.

  • The Sydney Morning Herald drops an item in its gossip column that says that New York Post editor Col Allan "is about to hit some tax issues, triggered by his residency overseas, that may force his return to Sydney." Really? That seems a bit premature (and a couple of insiders we spoke to didn't give it much creedence), but what do we know? If you know more, email us.
  • Smoldering resentment is the feeling of the day at The Daily Beast! An inside tipster tells us that at the recent Innovator's Conference in New Orleans, George Stephanopolous was bragging about how TDB had sent its private plane to pick him up in New York and fly him down there—meanwhile, TDB staffers were told today they wouldn't be receiving any raises or bonuses this year. Poor timing, Tina Brown! We tell you this only to make you a better manager!
  • Tribune Co continues to clear out its executive ranks: three more top executives with close ties to deposed boss Randy Michaels have left. It seems that the "Just hire a bunch of radio dudes and their friends to run this multibillion dollar media company" strategy will not be continued by the company's new owners.
  • News Corp UK online paywall update: the Times of London has 50,000 digital monthly subscribers. Which is not so terrible, all things considered. And should get better, one hopes!
  • Leo Wolinsky almost made it to a full year as editor of Daily Variety. But not quite.