media
Pitching a Fit Over Gaddafi's Trump Tent Erection
Andrew Belonsky · 09/22/09 10:52PMTom Ford Needs Money
Andrew Belonsky · 09/22/09 09:18PMTimes Reporters in Hirsute Deception Scandal
Hamilton Nolan · 09/22/09 03:35PMLetterman's Ratings, Rather's Suit & The Post Parody
cityfile · 09/22/09 02:28PM• Barack Obama's appearance on David Letterman's show last night helped the Late Night host score his second-highest ratings ever. [NYT, WP]
• Dan Rather scored a couple of victories in his suit against CBS: A motion by the network to dismiss the case was denied by a judge; and Rather's lawyers will be permitted to question Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone. [Reuters]
• Yesterday, activists handing out fake copies of the Post outside its offices were detained by cops. Today, the paper says it was "flattered" by it. [NYP]
• Book deals: Jenny Sanford, the estranged wife of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, is writing "inspirational memoir" for Random House. And Andrew Young, an aide to former Senator John Edwards, has landed a deal with St. Martin's Press' Thomas Dunne Books to publish his tell-all memoir.
• In an effort to keep more viewers tuned in, ABC plans to reduce—yes, reduce—the number of commercials in the premieres of its new shows. [LAT]
• Fox won the opening night of the fall season, a first for the network. [THR]
Maybe the New York Post Will Not Murder Hippie Spoofers After All
Hamilton Nolan · 09/22/09 12:42PMWhy Did the FBI Destroy Walter Cronkite's FBI File?
John Cook · 09/22/09 11:58AMA Cornucopia of Reasons Why Nikki Finke Can't Come to Work
John Cook · 09/22/09 08:31AMHoping to Maintain Reality, French Lawmakers Target Fashion Ads
Andrew Belonsky · 09/22/09 03:32AMRather's David v. Goliath Battle with CBS Goes On
Andrew Belonsky · 09/21/09 09:46PMBeck Prefers Obama Over "Weird" McCain, But Loves Hillary Best
Andrew Belonsky · 09/21/09 09:07PMEmmy Ratings, Bloomberg's Bid & The Post Parody
cityfile · 09/21/09 02:04PM• Despite all the talk of the impending demise of the TV industry, ratings for last night's Emmy Awards weren't too shabby. The three-hour show was seen by 13.3 million people, which is up 8 percent from last year. [THR]
• Bloomberg LP has officially submitted its bid to buy BusinessWeek. [BW]
• Michael Musto of the Village Voice is hearing rumors that Conde Nast is planning to shutter five of its titles as it looks to slash costs. [VV]
• A group of activists affiliated with The Yes Men handed out copies of a New York Post parody this morning as part of an effort to draw attention to climate change; a number of them were later detained by the NYPD. [DF]
• Despite low ratings and lousy reviews early on, Katie Couric is expected to anchor the CBS Evening News until her contract expires in 2011. [NYT]
• Barack Obama made appearances on just about every Sunday morning talk show yesterday. With the exception of those on Fox News, that is. [LAT, [HP]
• Obama's media tour will continue tonight when he sits down alongside David Letterman on his late-night show, a first for a sitting U.S. president. [NYT]
Conde Nast Rumor Ping-Pong
Hamilton Nolan · 09/21/09 12:52PMThe Paparazzi Wars Go Hi-Tech
cityfile · 09/21/09 11:43AMHunting down celebrities and taking their pictures—work carried out by thousands of paparazzi photographers every day—hasn't changed much over the past few years. The cameras are better and the lenses are longer. But the job still necessitates someone patiently waiting for hours outside the Bowery Hotel so that when Lindsay Lohan finally emerges, a thousand photos can be snapped of her in the six seconds it takes the actress to get from the door of the hotel to her waiting car. But technology could change the celebrity-industrial complex forever if Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has anything to do with it: