Former New York Observer editors Tom McGeveran and Josh Benson launched their online magazine in beta form today. It seems to have lived up to its advance billing as a sort of Politico-meets-Salon-meets-Observer.
The founding editor of the Wall Street Journal's glossy lifestyle magazine has flown the coop. The newspaper is making kindly noises about the departure, but we hear the editor, Tina Gaudoin, has wanted out since at least last summer.
In your womp-filled Wednesday media column: Greta Van Susteren will never leave your TV screen, an ad blogger gets an ad job, Benoit Denizet-Lewis is a Good Man, and the FT is the paper of the future.
In your odd Tuesday media column: a NYT Magazine freelancer's desperately seeking Wikipedia help, Eliot Spitzer's coming to CNN, an age bias suit against a NYC TV station, and Mike Bloomberg saves the media, no problem.
Ranting, bow-tied Bloomberg News standards enforcer Matthew Winkler: would you be surprised to learn he is remarkably humorless? It is true. And lately, "puerile, obscure and uninformative" Bloomberg TV has been a target of his wrath.
In your mordant Monday media column: Zachery Kouwe is canned again, a replacement for Gourmet, the government set to save journalism, News Corp makes a purchase, and Howard Kurtz defines heroism.
Tabloid sex talker Andrea Peyser has been hearing nothing but "Hottie Banker" this and "tits on a stick" that and "hot female bodies are calling you, Andrea" for weeks now. She's sick of it. Where's the respect for large breasts?
Nahua Indians armed with machetes kidnapped 13 reporters in southwestern Mexico, but released them and instead grabbed the film crew from Grupo Modelo that was shooting a beer commercial on their land without permission. All were eventually released unharmed. [AP]
Politico columnist Roger Simon—who has been away from work since October—had both legs amputated after getting a blood infection. He's now back to work talking about drugs, handicapped parking spots and selling his old legs on eBay.
If you've been following any Forbes staffers' tweets lately, you might notice a uniform push to help their famous CEO Steve Forbes get more Twitter followers. That's because the company is actually asking its employees to advertise their boss's account.
In your absurd Thursday media column: the oil spill drives reporters to attempt insane feats, Peter Shankman makes an insane pile of money, and a WaPo reporter's insane book party. Insanity!
A serious staff exodus is underway at the New York Post. The paper has lost several big names already this year. Now, several more (including Neel Shah) are leaving. Col Allan's management skills are perhaps not the best?
Tonight, Jon Stewart opened The Daily Show with a hilarious "Indecision 2010" segment in which he noted the media's shift from calling yesterday's primary elections an "anti-incumbent" event to a "girl power" one, after most incumbents were victorious. Video inside.
TV cameras on one side, paparazzi on the other, reality stars' lives are broadcast twice: once in the tabloids and once on TV, the former a preview for the latter. Is this the death of gossip, or a renaissance?
In your workmanlike Wednesday media column: Ed Henry comes out in favor of the competition, Clark Hoyt sums up his dramatic tenure, Newsweek gets a new bidder and beef with Howie Kurtz, and Clay Shirky, man of mystery no more.