Jon Fine

Jon Fine Says Goodbye - Posted September 24, 2009
Today, BusinessWeek media columnist Jon Fine said his goodbyes before jetting off on a six-month sabbatical with his wife, Mediabistro.com founder Laurel Touby. Although he seemed excited about his adventures, Fine said he would miss his readers most of all: "The biggest surprise to me about this whole taking-time-off thing is how... [FishBowlNY]

Getting The Skinny On The BusinessWeek Deal As Bid Deadline Looms - Posted September 14, 2009
After tracking the upcoming BusinessWeek sale all summer, the magazine's own media columnist Jon Fine has compiled all the known information about the transaction and put together this helpful guide. So what do we know? The deadline for any interested parties to place a bid for the magazine is tomorrow. And... [FishBowlNY]

Mediabistro Founder Announces Sabbatical - Posted September 2, 2009
Mediabistro.com's founder Laurel Touby is planning some time off. This morning, Touby and her husband, BusinessWeek media columnist Jon Fine, tweeted about their plans to take a six-month sabbatical to travel the world, starting later this month. The first two countries they'll hit: Italy and China. Touby and Fine also plan to... [FishBowlNY]

Mansueto Eyes BusinessWeek - Posted August 5, 2009
Over the past few weeks, BusinessWeek's own media columnist Jon Fine has been tracking the efforts by the magazine's owner, McGraw-Hill, to sell the business pub. Yesterday, he reported another possible bidder has entered the fray: Jon Mansueto, whose Mansueto Ventures also owns Inc. and Fast Company. Mansueto has a history of buying... [FishBowlNY]

Mansueto Eyes BusinessWeek - Posted August 5, 2009
Over the past few weeks, BusinessWeek's own media columnist Jon Fine has been tracking the efforts by the magazine's owner, McGraw-Hill, to sell the business pub. Yesterday, he reported another possible bidder has entered the fray: Jon Mansueto, whose Mansueto Ventures also owns Inc. and Fast Company. Mansueto has a history of buying... [FishBowlNY]

BusinessWeek Update: There Are Interested Parties - Posted July 23, 2009
BusinessWeek media columnist Jon Fine has some excellent insight into the progress of the sale of his employer. According to Fine, OpenGate Capital, the private equity firm that bought TV Guide magazine last year, and Bruce Wasserstein, who picked up New York magazine in 2003, have both shown interest in BusinessWeek, which... [FishBowlNY]

Trying To Find A Business Model That Works - Posted July 17, 2009
Last night's panel produced by Mediabistro.com and sponsored by Demand Studios focused on finding a business model for news on the Web but -- like most panels of its kind -- no real conclusions were reached. The panel was moderated by BusinessWeek columnist Jon Fine, and featured (in photo from left to... [FishBowlNY]

WaPo Nixes Salons In Face Of Criticism|The New York Blade Closes Up Shop|MediaNews Denies Bankruptcy|Boston Mag Owner Dumps "Idiot" Editors|SalaryTK's Unpaid Job Posts Sad But True - Posted July 2, 2009
FishbowlDC: The Washington Post responded to criticism of its proposal offering lobbyists and others off-the-record access to reporters and editors for a price. The "salon" idea has since been nixed altogether. Also: some fun bits from the AP's interview with President Barack Obama today. The New York Times: Biweekly gay newspaper The... [FishBowlNY]

WaPo Nixes Salons In Face Of Criticism|The New York Blade Closes Up Shop|MediaNews Denies Bankruptcy|Boston Mag Owner Dumps "Idiot" Editors|SalaryTK's Unpaid Job Posts Sad But True - Posted July 2, 2009
FishbowlDC: The Washington Post responded to criticism of its proposal offering lobbyists and others off-the-record access to reporters and editors for a price. The "salon" idea has since been nixed altogether. Also: some fun bits from the AP's interview with President Barack Obama today. The New York Times: Biweekly gay newspaper The... [FishBowlNY]

Watch This: NYT Interactive Newsroom Panel From Mediabistro Circus - Posted June 24, 2009
Miss the circus? Now you can experience it right from your desktop. Footage from the Mediabistro Circus presentation by members of The New York Times' digital newsroom is now available for Mediabistro On Demand subscribers. The panel, moderated by BusinessWeek columnist Jon Fine, featured Times' multimedia editor Andrew DeVigal, graphics editor Steve... [FishBowlNY]

Watch This: NYT Interactive Newsroom Panel From Mediabistro Circus - Posted June 24, 2009
Miss the circus? Now you can experience it right from your desktop. Footage from the Mediabistro Circus presentation by members of The New York Times' digital newsroom is now available for Mediabistro On Demand subscribers. The panel, moderated by BusinessWeek columnist Jon Fine, featured Times' multimedia editor Andrew DeVigal, graphics editor Steve... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch: Charlie Rose, Fern Mallis & Tina Brown - Posted June 24, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE Forget about the summer doldrums: Even though the sun's not shining today, Michael's was hot, hot, hot and so jam-packed I could barely get a bite in edgewise as I tried to keep up with the air-kissing action in the dining room. Despite the dreadful weather (and its dampening... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch: Charlie Rose, Fern Mallis & Tina Brown - Posted June 24, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE Forget about the summer doldrums: Even though the sun's not shining today, Michael's was hot, hot, hot and so jam-packed I could barely get a bite in edgewise as I tried to keep up with the air-kissing action in the dining room. Despite the dreadful weather (and its dampening... [FishBowlNY]

ESPN The Magazine Hopes To Score With Pay Web Site - Posted June 5, 2009
Businessweek's Jon Fine is reporting that ESPN The Magazine will start charging for access to its Web site. Starting in August, readers will have to pay up in order to access magazine and Web-only content like ongoing video series. The content will be made available through ESPN's Insider service, which costs $6.95... [FishBowlNY]

Fine on CNN: "It's Time To Embrace A New Prime-Time Ethos" - Posted May 8, 2009
Jon Fine writes an open letter to "CNN management" in his latest Businessweek column. "Bravo for '08," he begins, but "in prime time it's not enough to lean on CNN's advantages." Fine has a plan for a new prime time focused on debate: It's time to embrace a new prime-time ethos for... [TVNewser]

Breaking: Portfolio Folds - Posted April 27, 2009
Portfolio magazine, the two-year-old Conde Nast business monthly, has folded as of this morning. Thus far, there's been no official word on whether Web site Portfolio.com will live on in any capacity, but it's not looking likely, as there's no mention of future plans for the site in an early report... [FishBowlNY]

Former Onion CEO Joins Nerve.com - Posted April 23, 2009
Sean Mills, who joined The Onion in 2002 and eventually became president of the satirical paper, left to become CEO of Nerve.com. He started last week at the site. Nerve.com will look to downplay nudity as it repositions itself as an "[online] environment that's a lot better for more conservative companies,"... [FishBowlNY]

Why I Followed Andrew Sullivan to the Financial District - Posted April 21, 2009
It's sort of fitting that my last FBNY post should be about The Atlantic dinner/conversation I attended earlier this evening, which featured Michael Hirschorn and Andrew Sullivan, since this post was actually my first foray into this whole blogging thing (and remains my top Google result). The talk — the... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch: Barbara Walters, Barry Diller & Dana Perino - Posted April 15, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE I'm glad I got to Michael's early today because by 12:30 they were literally lining up outside the front door to get in the joint. Even the Garden Room (Siberia to the uninitiated) was SRO. The groups of wannabe diners at the bar and in the lounge were enviously... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch: Barbara Walters, Barry Diller & Dana Perino - Posted April 15, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE I'm glad I got to Michael's early today because by 12:30 they were literally lining up outside the front door to get in the joint. Even the Garden Room (Siberia to the uninitiated) was SRO. The groups of wannabe diners at the bar and in the lounge were enviously... [FishBowlNY]

Mediabistro Blog-Family Roundup - Posted April 8, 2009
Wall Street Journal to charge more for online content- FishbowlNY Literary agent Jarred Weisfeld on Rod Blagojevich's book deal- GalleyCat STEP Inside Design and Dynamic Graphics magazine both fold- UnBeige A conflict-of-interest-off between Dan Abrams and Jon Fine- WebNewser Nancy Grace buys Girl Scout cookies for... [FishBowlLA]

Mediabistro Blog-Family Roundup - Posted April 8, 2009
Wall Street Journal to charge more for online content- FishbowlNY Literary agent Jarred Weisfeld on Rod Blagojevich's book deal- GalleyCat STEP Inside Design and Dynamic Graphics magazine both fold- UnBeige A conflict-of-interest-off between Dan Abrams and Jon Fine- WebNewser Nancy Grace buys Girl Scout cookies for... [FishBowlLA]

Abrams on the Menu: "We Have Not Had Any Problems With Any Potential Ethical Issues" - Posted April 7, 2009
Abrams Research founder and CEO Dan Abrams joined us on the Menu podcast today, while stepping in for Glynnis as co-host was mediabistro.com managing editor Rebecca Fox. We talked to Abrams about his upcoming media blog. "We're close to figuring out what we want to do, and once we do that I... [TVNewser]

Abrams on the Menu: "We Have Not Had Any Problems With Any Potential Ethical Issues" - Posted April 7, 2009
Abrams Research founder and CEO Dan Abrams joined us on the Menu podcast today, while stepping in for Glynnis as co-host was mediabistro.com managing editor Rebecca Fox. We talked to Abrams about his upcoming media blog. "We're close to figuring out what we want to do, and once we do that I... [TVNewser]

Carr on How Newspapers Might Save Themselves - Posted March 9, 2009
David Carr has jumped back into the 'how to save newspapers' fray. Part of his future of newspaper fantasy involves media heads coming together in some cigar smoke filled back room and deciding to join forces to eliminate free content and aggregation (an idea Jon Fine has also toyed with):A... [FishBowlNY]

Carr on How Newspapers Might Save Themselves - Posted March 9, 2009
David Carr has jumped back into the 'how to save newspapers' fray. Part of his future of newspaper fantasy involves media heads coming together in some cigar smoke filled back room and deciding to join forces to eliminate free content and aggregation (an idea Jon Fine has also toyed with):A... [FishBowlNY]

Joe and Mika Address How the White House is Addressing the Press - Posted March 6, 2009
MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski close the TVNewser Summit on Tuesday (interviewed by Businessweek's Jon Fine), and will talk about how the Obama administration is dealing with the press so far. Recently, the administration has taken on critics directly. "I'm kind of excited by it," said Brzezinski. "I think it's... [TVNewser]

Joe and Mika Address How the White House is Addressing the Press - Posted March 6, 2009
MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski close the TVNewser Summit on Tuesday (interviewed by Businessweek's Jon Fine), and will talk about how the Obama administration is dealing with the press so far. Recently, the administration has taken on critics directly. "I'm kind of excited by it," said Brzezinski. "I think it's... [TVNewser]

Larry Kramer Tells Laurel at Michael's: 'We Need a New Generation of Storytellers' - Watch the Video! - Posted February 19, 2009
Pictured above, Jack Rotherham of Metacafe. Watch now: mediabistro.com founder Laurel Touby talks shop with Magid's Mike Vorhaus, Polaris Ventures' Larry Kramer, and Metacafe's Jack Rotherham during lunch at Michael's on 55th and Fifth (Part One). — LAUREL TOUBY While Diane Clehane has her Lunch at Michael's column, mine will be the redux version.... [FishBowlNY]

Larry Kramer Tells Laurel at Michael's: 'We Need a New Generation of Storytellers' - Watch the Video! - Posted February 19, 2009
Pictured above, Jack Rotherham of Metacafe. Watch now: mediabistro.com founder Laurel Touby talks shop with Magid's Mike Vorhaus, Polaris Ventures' Larry Kramer, and Metacafe's Jack Rotherham during lunch at Michael's on 55th and Fifth (Part One). — LAUREL TOUBY While Diane Clehane has her Lunch at Michael's column, mine will be the redux version.... [FishBowlNY]

Morning Media Menu: February 19 - Posted February 19, 2009
Today on the Menu it's an all in the family party as we welcome mediabistro.com founder Laurel Touby and BusinessWeek's Jon Fine for a lively exchange of ideas (someone should really consider giving these two a show of their own). Among of the variety of topics up for discussion today was what... [FishBowlNY]

Laurel Touby Plus One on the Morning Media Menu - Posted February 19, 2009
Laurel Touby, founder of mediabistro, and her husband Jon Fine of Businessweek joined the Morning Media Menu today to discuss paid content on the Internet, the potential sale of Playboy, Conan's move to LA and more. Check it out. ... [FishBowlDC]

Laurel Touby Plus One on the Morning Media Menu - Posted February 19, 2009
Laurel Touby, founder of mediabistro, and her husband Jon Fine of Businessweek joined the Morning Media Menu today to discuss paid content on the Internet, the potential sale of Playboy, Conan's move to LA and more. Check it out. ... [FishBowlDC]

Listen to Laurel Touby on BlogTalkRadio - Posted February 19, 2009
This is Steve Krakauer with Mediabistro.com Founder Laurel Touby, Jon Fine of Businessweek and Glynnis MacNicol of FishbowlNY. They discuss paid content on the internet, Playboy's potential sale (and print vs. internet porn), Conan's move to LA and more. Listen here.... [FishBowlLA]

Morning Reading List, 12.11.08 - Posted December 11, 2008
Good morning Washington. Got a blind item, interesting link, funny note, comment, birthday, anniversary or anything of the sort for Morning Reading List? Drop us a line or let us know in the tips box below. We've got your morning mix of media Muesli after the jump...... [FishBowlDC]

What Surprised Michael Wolff Most About Rupert Murdoch May Also Surprise You! - Posted December 10, 2008
The party for Michael Wolff's much ballyhooed official Rupert Murdoch biography The Man Who Owns the News was held last night at the stunning penthouse of Milk Studios on the West Side and, not surprisingly, attracted a whole slew of media big wigs (every style of horn-rimmed glasses appeared to be... [FishBowlNY]

Michael Wolff on MySpace and Why Rupert Murdoch Loves 'Cretins' - Posted December 2, 2008
So Michael Wolff's long-awaited bio of Rupert Murdoch, The Man Who Owns The News, hit shelves yesterday. Portfolio has a round-up reactions (the Times did not love). Over at BusinessWeek Jon Fine says that "Wolff's Murdoch mumbles, dissembles, has cultural sensibilities predating Elvis Presley if not Rudy Vallee." Fine... [FishBowlNY]

Conde Nast Portfolio's Breakfast Panel - Posted November 20, 2008
This morning, Conde Nast Portfolio magazine hosted a swank Panel/Breakfast at the 21 Club. The topic: The Market's Future: What's Next for the Economy. Speakers: John Cassidy, Contributing Editor, Matt Cooper, Washington Editor, Jesse Eisinger, Senior Writer. Editor in Chief, Joanne Lipman moderated. Attendees included: Mort Zuckerman, Peggy Siegal, Rick Lazio, Felicia... [FishBowlNY]

Morning Reading List, 11.17.08 - Posted November 17, 2008
Good morning Washington. What D.C. coffee shop is featured in the above picture? Think you know? Drop us an email and we'll give you the correct answer (and list the correct guessers) in tomorrow's Morning Reading List. Got a blind item, interesting link, funny note, comment, birthday, anniversary or anything of the... [FishBowlDC]

Print Media Gets a Visit from the Grim Reaper - Posted November 3, 2008
In the aftermath of the last week's black media week those keeping tally of layoffs and foldings had their hands full. This includes the anonymous blogger the Grim Reaper over at Magazine Death Pool (the name pretty much sums up the premise of the blog). In the midst of... [FishBowlNY]

Online Staff Layoffs at The Wall Street Journal - Posted October 3, 2008
Is no one immune? Business Week's Jon Fine is reporting that the Wall St. Journal has laid off at least two online staffers.News Corp's Wall Street Journal today let go of at least two online staffers, insiders report. They are Cybele Weisser, the personal finance editor, and Laura Lorber, its... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch: Charlie Rose, Joe Scarborough, and the Summer Die-Hards - Posted August 6, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE With the dog days of summer upon us, the usual suspects at Michael's are soldiering on over their Cobb salads until it's time to take off those last few weeks of the month to the Hamptons, Nantucket or some other sun-filled spot far from the madding crowd. In the... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch: Charlie Rose, Joe Scarborough, and the Summer Die-Hards - Posted August 6, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE With the dog days of summer upon us, the usual suspects at Michael's are soldiering on over their Cobb salads until it's time to take off those last few weeks of the month to the Hamptons, Nantucket or some other sun-filled spot far from the madding crowd. In the... [FishBowlNY]

Barry Diller: "Editorship Is Going To Emerge As the Real Value-Add" - Posted January 30, 2008
IAC chairman Barry Diller introduces Tina Brown at today's MPA/ASME awards Though we snuck in sometime between the salad and the sea bass at today's Magazine Lifetime Achievement Awards Luncheon at Manhattan's Gotham Hall, we still managed to squeeze in some QT with the F.O.T's* and the S.O.B's* at today's Magazine Publishers... [FishBowlNY]

Morning Reading List, 01.14.08 - Posted January 14, 2008
Good morning Washington. On this day in 1952, the "Today" show premiered, in 1973 the Dolphins became the only one of only two NFL teams to go undefeated during the regular season, and in 2004, President Bush announced we're going to Mars. (Hat tip: MicCheckRadio). Quickly navigate Morning Reading List: REVOLVING DOOR |... [FishBowlDC]

Torch-Passing, TVNewser Style - Posted July 26, 2007
For a couple hours, the back room at Michael's was transformed into a television news executive bender, a happy hour in honor of our outgoing TVNewser, Brian Stelter [right], and incoming TVNewser, er, 'Newsers: Chris Ariens, Diane Clehane, Alissa Kinsky and Philadelphia Inquirer TV columnist and Katie Couric nemesis Gail Shister. Some... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Forget Michael Caine — It's Star Jones! - Posted June 6, 2007
Imagine our disappointment when we heard that had we chosen to come by on Monday, we'd have been sipping Bloody Marys at the bar with Claire Danes and Natasha Richardson. Luckily, there were enough faces in today's crowd from filmdom, fashion and, of course, publishing to satisfy our appetite for observing... [FishBowlNY]

Video: Is The New York Times For Sale? - Posted May 25, 2007
Is the New York Times Co. on the block? BusinessWeek's Jon Fine (our CEO's hubby) and Vanity Fair's Michael Wolff discuss the possibilities of a Gray Lady sale. MORE VIDEO: Fine & Wolff On Rupe Fine & Wolff On Katie... [FishBowlNY]

Video: Fine & Wolff On Rupe: Dow Jones Management 'Generally Atrocious' - Posted May 22, 2007
In a new video talk segment we're calling Fine & Wolff (until a catchier name surfaces, BusinessWeek's Jon Fine (a.k.a our CEO's husband) and Vanity Fair columnist Michael Wolff discuss media issues. Here, the duo discuss Rupert Murdoch's bid to buy the Wall Street Journal, the "generally atrocious" management team at... [FishBowlNY]

Video: Fine & Wolff On Katie: 'No One Wants To Be In The Network News Business' - Posted May 21, 2007
In a new video talk segment we're calling Fine & Wolff (until a catchier name surfaces, BusinessWeek's Jon Fine (a.k.a our CEO's husband) and Vanity Fair columnist Michael Wolff discuss media issues. First up, Katie Couric's struggles at the CBS Evening News. Says Wolff: "No one cares about the nightly news,... [FishBowlNY]

Exit Chris Albrecht, Enter Who Exactly? - Posted May 10, 2007
Chris Albrecht's departure from HBO opens up a nice gig for some one. Jon Fine speculates that Matt Blank might want to leave Showtime. Or would Colin Callendar want a bigger job than HBO's original movies? Kurt Andersen was eerily prescient when he wrote about HBO's chief stumbling block being its own... [FishBowlLA]

Dealbreaker: Spiers Out - Posted April 19, 2007
Gawker.com founding editor and former mediabistro editor Elizabeth Spiers is leaving Dead Horse Media, the blog network she launched last year. Via Jon Fine's Fine On Media: "I want to do more sites, some of which are experimental (and not blog-related) and [Dead Horse's investors] want to just focus on improving... [FishBowlNY]

Jon Fine: Has TMZ Gone People? - Posted March 27, 2007
Business Week's Jon Fine posits that Britney Spears has neutered that supposed pitbull of celebrity journalism, TMZ.com. To prove his point, Fine lists a few recent TMZ posts about the pop princess. Close your eyes and have your cubicle mate read you this sentece out loud: "Looks like rehab did more than... [FishBowlLA]

Lunch at Michael's: Post-Hasselhoff, All Business - Posted March 21, 2007
We're guessing many of our favorite media celebrity regulars have headed south with their families for spring break or to rev up from the endless winter doldrums that have left us feeling a bit grumpy. Today, the tables were packed with a cross section of Prada and Gucci suits, and the... [FishBowlNY]

Inside Atoosa's 'Tribe' - Posted January 26, 2007
Jon Fine peeks inside Atoosa's new, post-Seventeen world, and here's what he found: For this ill-defined opportunity, centering initially on the unbuilt Web site atoosa.com, Rubenstein last year dumped her job as editor-in-chief of Seventeen. "I saw what was coming," she said, referring to the ongoing Web-driven destruction of the teen magazine.... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Gay Talese, John Huey and The Guys - Posted January 17, 2007
The scene at 55th and Fifth resembled something of a men's club today where the power suits -- and ties -- ruled. Media machers including Time Inc.'s editor-in-chief John Huey, ad man Jerry Della Femina and the sartorially splendid Gay Talese (who got our attention when he removed his coat and... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Gay Talese, John Huey and The Guys - Posted January 17, 2007
The scene at 55th and Fifth resembled something of a men's club today where the power suits -- and ties -- ruled. Media machers including Time Inc.'s editor-in-chief John Huey, ad man Jerry Della Femina and the sartorially splendid Gay Talese (who got our attention when he removed his coat and... [FishBowlNY]