Flash mobs terrifying business owners in Philly are said to have been inspired by "Twitter messages to 'come to South Street.'" That is bullshit: Twitter didn't cause these flash mobs; neither did "social-networking". It was a dance crew.
Just over 10 per cent of the top magazine editors, as rated by Mediaite, take the time to use Twitter. The statistic was pointed out by Kurt Andersen. Via Twitter. So they won't have seen it.
Today, we said good riddance to journalism school and celebrated the unschooled "rat" reporter. Many of you attended J-schools. One of you offered a partial defense, and told a classic rat story.
A shrinking pool of journalists may mean the death of J-schools. Good. Fusty academia, pointless courses on 'new media' and endless essay-masturbation over ethics is pointless anyway.
As Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger points out: the Times of London sent their Berlin correspondent to investigate allegations of abuse involving the Vienna Boys' Choir. That correspondent's name is Roger Boyes. Roger, in England, is a euphemism. For fuck.
In your copacetic Thursday media column: a Russian tycoon buys a British paper, a new NYT White House correspondent, John Carney is let go, and newspapers in general had the worst year everrrrrrr last year.
The Wall Street Journal has published the best story in, I'm guessing, its entire history, pertaining to monster manure gas bubbles threatening to explode all over the US heartland, with devastating effects.
Set aside for a moment the debate over whether Aol is a freelancer sweatshop. The real problem at the internet company is naive editors. Or at least, that's what the guy in charge of Aol says.
In your vengeful Wednesday media column: Albany justice does not save the media, a physically attractive journalist is found in India, Nightline is old, and the WSJ plans to cover this whole "god damn Mets" business.
Just like angry former expat Matt Taibbi, the editor-in-chief of the Russian edition of Newsweek, Mikhail Fishman, likes to party the Moscow way. But it may all be a set up by the Kremlin. Or maybe not. Who knows?
Wikileaks.org is a website legendary in certain circles for posting documents people want hidden from the world. The Pentagon is not a fan. Now, Wikileaks is accusing the U.S. of spying on its editors.
In your tendentious Tuesday media column: W magazine names its new editor, The Onion gets a TV show, haters be hating on Christiane Amanpour, and a win for Brian Tierney, newspaper champion.
Last week we told you that Regent/ Here Media, publisher of Out, The Advocate, and other gay titles, was ripping off freelancers. Oh, the tips that poured in! They are really deadbeats, apparently. New scathing complaints against the company, below.
In your munificent Monday media column: W's new editor selection appears to be at hand, Howie Kurtz writes something decent, a WSJ prediction comes (roughly) true, and low morale at ABC News.
New York Times crown prince A "to the" G Sulzberger has triumphed in his most demeaning test thus far: writing an entire story about bathroom breaks. You don't have to take this, AG! Put those editors in their place! [Previously]
The WSJ mocked a headline in the Toledo Blade: Luckey Teen Wins Blade Spelling Bee. "He's luckey," the paper said, "the blade can't spell any better than he can." Except Luckey is the name of the town he's from. [HuffPo]
The LA Times today examines how the Seattle Post-Intelligencer segued from print to exclusively online journalism. But blogging — how and why we cover the stories we cover — is going the other way and coming to resemble... newspapers.
When the Future Robot Death Panels ask you to show them one article that explains exactly how narrow-minded, cynical, amoral, and borderline sociopathic the Washington press was in the time of Freedom, you may want to consider this Politico story.
In your finally Friday media column: wacko wants to buy newspaper from some other wackos who are too wack to sell, Christiane Amanpour has a new job, a WSJ wage freeze, and Jon Friedman is a literary Tiger.