Earlier today, we called out ABC News' Brian Ross for splicing together footage of him driving a Toyota and a surging tachometer into a fake report. ABC News pledged to fix the video. It did—and made it faker.

In your substitute Friday media column: Christiane Amanpour eyes George Stephanopoulos' old chair, the Los Angeles Times wraps itself in Johnny Depp's handsome mug, the New York Times does teevee, and a Star is unborn.

The Daily Beast asks: what drug is President Obama on? According to his recent medical report, the President's doctors have prescribed "occasional medication use" for "Jet lag/time zone management." Is the President on Provigil?

Brian Ross, America's Wrongest Reporter, has been credited with owning the Toyota recall story, including one memorable report with Ross behind the wheel of an out-of-control car. He did it by splicing in staged footage to make it look scarier.

Joshua Newton, the director of Iron Cross, forced Variety to spike a critical review of his film from the web because he'd purchased a $400,000 Oscar campaign in the paper. But that wasn't enough—now he's considering suing.

In your indecent Thursday media column: golf writers assaulted by Twitter, Pinch Sulzberger has a theory, Barack Obama look suspicious, and the headline of the day.

A remarkable number of editorial employees have left New York magazine recently! Well. Five, at least. Let us review the departed, below.

In your exclusive Wednesday media column: another event related to the White House Correspondents' Association dinner that you will be unable to attend, Details still exists, Tina Brown on Rupert Murdoch, and new Glenn Beck book.

The National Magazine Awards are open to the internet riff raff this year. There's a very special short bus-style affair for the digital media this month, at The Sheraton New York, which is really very nice. Let's see the finalists!

Rupert Murdoch, the News Corp. boss, reportedly doesn't believe New York Times will sell itself any time soon, "least of all to a Mexican" like Carlos Slim. But Murdoch doesn't mean that racially, see.

In your tragic Tuesday media column: NYC's Oscar viewing is endangered, Daily Beast nilla listicles protested, Carlos Slim is a looming threat, and Norm!

The rich: they're different from you and me. You read a story you like, you send a letter to the editor. A rich guy reads a story he likes and sends a $20,000 check to the writer.

When the Washington Post's Rajiv Chandrasekaran abandoned his war-zone embed with the Marines in Afghanistan last week for "personal reasons," military officials thought it sounded serious. But he just needed to go hang out with Matt Damon.

If you're a journalism Brahmin who's simply appalled at the prospect of the National Enquirer winning a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of John Edwards' atrocious moral life, look out—they're going after your young now!

In your ethical Monday media column: a movie review in need of some full disclosure, a trade magazine goes wacko, CBS is too good for Anderson Cooper, and Playboy looks grim(mer).

Companies are supposed to mail out tax forms to freelancers by the end of January. But we hear that Conde Nast had some trouble with that.

Facebook, the social network that conned users out of their privacy in its last redesign, nearly topped itself last night, misdirecting hundreds of private messages. Including sending an "explicit chat" to a newspaper reporter. Even by Facebook standards, that's bad.

In your niveous Thursday media column: an Atlanta editor is a character, Dave Eggers pontificates, Jann Wenner is a joiner, ProPublica is unstoppable, and a sad poor end to a gay publishing empire.

"'Fuck you,' [Matt Taibbi] snarled, and then picked up his mug from the table, threw his coffee at me, and stormed out." It would be awesome if the final scene of this new Vanity Fair piece on the history of The Exile was a complex, multi-player joke by Matt Taibbi and Graydon Carter on everyone else in the media. Otherwise it's just bizarre. I mean it would be bizarre if Matt Taibbi were besties with Graydon Carter, but not as bizarre as Matt Taibbi snapping violently because a reporter failed to praise his work. Although maybe he still has the ol' horse semen running through his veins like journalistic fire!
Anyhow the whole story is great, read it all.

The Washington Post is reportedly considering doing away with Sally Quinn's godawful self-absorbed rich lady column from hell, which is an embarrassment to the entire institution. Do it, Marcus Brauchli! Be a hero today! And fire her editor, while you're at it. [Washington City Paper]