Quotes of the Day

BIRTHDAY GIRL: “Bom dia Rio. Thanks sun for coming out today on my birthday eve.” — USA Today travel writer Nancy Trejos.

Ouch!

“Maybe if Holly Petraeus spent a little less time at the CPFB…….” — Free Beacon‘s Michael Goldfarb.

Right-wing writer concedes one nice thing about Obama

“The one — ONE — thing I agree with Barack Obama on is that Homeland is the best show on TV.” — TWT senior ppinion writer Emily Miller.

From a very nerdy Dept. of Bragiculture…

“Cool moment. Ran into Sen. Leahy just now at DCA. We talked about Phish. He said his son knows Trey. He’s a Dead guy but loves Phish, too.” — National Review Online‘s Robert Costa.

Reporter makes desperate plea for coffee

“One million preteen kids just boarded my metro car. Save me. #havenothadenufcoffeeforthis” — WSJ bank reg reporter Victoria McGrane.

The Ass Kisser

“Very interesting piece here by @DylanBiers.” — Commentary‘s John Podhoretz. (Last week the pair was bickering until PodWhore realized Byers wasn’t actually insulting him. Now they’re in love. )

Scribe says other woman’s hubby is alleged douchebag

“You’re a pretentious douchebag if Dear Abby isn’t good enough for your problems and you have to seek out the NY Times ‘Ethicist’ columnist.” — The Daily Caller TV writer Jeff Poor. (The Ethicist received a letter frighteningly similar to the situation swirling around Paula Broadwell, alleged mistress to General David Petraeus.)

And this from a facetious Politico reporter… “Dear Ethicist: I work in an information security-related field but am considering writing explicit and career-destroying emails. Help me?” — Politico‘s Alexander Burns.

The Complimenter

“The 2013 Calendar sent out to all its print subscribers reminds me of what an amazing photographer team @washingtonpost has on its rolls.” — WSJ‘s Raju Narisetti, formerly of WaPo.

NPR’s Andy Carvin works on final edit of his book in Istanbul, a publicist weighs in on latest sex scandal to rock D.C., a CNN Contributor has a problem with his hip flexor and two straight journos have a gay convo… Read more

The WSJ announced today that Raju Narisetti is leaving as Managing Editor for WaPo and taking over as Managing Editor for the Digital Network for the company. This will include WSJ.com, SmartMoney.com, MarketWatch and the Chinese, Japanese and German-language editions of WSJ.com. Alan Murray, Deputy Managing Editor and Executive Editor, Online says, ”Raju knows the world, knows digital journalism, and knows the Journal.” Narisetti has previously worked at WSJ as a reporter in Pittsburgh and in 2006, was Editor of The Wall Street Journal Europe.

Usually a publication’s gossip page is the go-to page for readers. It’s usually fun, lively. Occasionally daring. Just ask NYP‘s Page Six.

But in Washington, not even WaPo’s gossip column, The UnReliable Source as we’ve dubbed it, can hold readers’ interest. Not only do they report on Hollywood stars like Justin Bieber (who doesn’t, by the way, live in Washington), even more egregious is the fact that don’t even place at all on the publication’s list of most visited areas on their website. The star of their findings is liberal blogger and Democratic strategist Ezra Klein.

Hmm…maybe Klein should write gossip?

A memo from Managing Editor Raju Narisetti details extensive findings about the newspaper’s internals. The top 5 blogs are as follows…

Read more

Like some reporters, WaPo‘s Elizabeth Flock was off last week — conceivably for the holidays.

But FishbowlDC sources are insisting that Flock was suspended last week for writing that post on GOP Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney‘s using a KKK slogan in his speeches. Editors who oversaw the post insisted that she call Romney’s campaign for comment. She did so via email and the comment went to her spam folder, as reported by WaPo Ombudsman Patrick Pexton on Dec. 16. In his piece, Pexton gave Flock a public flocking on many levels — her journalism, her ethics and her common sense. He suggests that she pick up the phone once in a blue moon and use it. He also suggests she think before associating someone who has never been accused of racism with the KKK. Then this morning, weirdly, she writes about an 8-year-old American girl being targeted by Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel. Coincidence perhaps?

Sources in WaPo‘s newsroom say word spread last week that WaPo had suspended Flock. She didn’t post anything last week, nor tweeted about anything work-related. But today she’s back on BlogPost. Was she on a regularly scheduled holiday or what some are calling a “forced vacation”? At WaPo Managing Editor Raju Narisetti‘s newsroom Q&A last week, he said experienced editors read the post before it went up and didn’t flag it.

Flock did not deny the news. But she responded to FBDC, saying, “Thanks for your email. I can’t comment on the matter. You will have to go through Marcus Brauchli.” Narisetti, who oversees the entire website operation,  also wouldn’t comment. “Happy holidays,” he said in response. “As you might imagine, I can’t comment on personnel issues.” To that end, we sought comment from WaPo Director of Communications Kris Coratti. We also threw in an email to Executive Editor Steamed Marcus Brauchli for kicks and will check our spam filters pronto. We’re hoping four’s a charm.

UPDATE: Coratti wrote, “We don’t comment on personnel issues. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.”

Quotes of the Day

Racy thoughts from WaPo‘s ME

“Rock stars get room keys. I get business cards.” — WaPo Managing Editor Raju Narisetti.

HuffPost‘s Sam Stein attempts bribery

“Free drinks to anyone who rt’s my story huff.to/w1ZJoM #anewtactic” — HuffPost‘s Sam Stein in a funny reaction to James O’Keefe‘s absurd charge that he boozes up his sources to get stories. Read more about the Stein ordeal here on Mediaite. Also read their interview with O’Keefe by White House Correspondent Tommy Christopher.

A question we should all ponder…“How long do lights on Twinkle Toe Princess shoes last? Got pairs for our 8 & 4 yr old today. Already close to desperation.” — NPR’s Scott Simon.

TV reporter to Mr. Conductor: Leave me alone!

“Not only is @Amtrak overcrowded and overpriced the customer service is awful! Mr. Conductor don’t take your bad day out on me.” — NBC Washington’s  John Schriffen.

TV cameraman scares crap out of radio reporter

“Just had the S scared out of me, bumping into @newmediajim outside Starbucks when he cheerfully shouted ‘Neal!’ Always good to see him, tho.” — WTOP’s Neal Augenstein in a recent tweet. He’s referring to NBC News cameraman Jim Long.

TMZ’s Harvey Levin: A Visionary?

A note was slipped to me by a stranger during TMZ founder Harvey Levin’s speech at the National Press Club on Monday. It read, “I’ve been a member here for almost 25 years. Heard Pres. candidiates, CEO’s of largest corporations, cabinet secretaries. He is far and away the best speaker we’ve heard at the NPC. Relevant; speaking/not reading; Visionary.” Among other things, Levin said Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.), with whom he had dinner some months ago, would thank him for putting him and his abs on TMZ. He said the NYT has figured out the web better than most; he remarked that LAT has a “good” website with issues. Levin stressed the need to “reinvent” and “evolve.” He said, “Newspapers don’t need to fold — they need to reinvent themselves. …There’s this holy grail, that we must preserve newspapers. Why?” He calls the rush to publish web stories a “cop out,” saying, “the web doesn’t force you to publish before you’re ready to publish. You still decide when to pull the trigger.”

Favorite lines from WaPo Monica Hess‘s story on Dangerous Instincts by a former FBI profiler and serial killer expert: “Reading the book is likely to do one of two things. If you tend to be lackadaisical about things such as door-locking, then the book will introduce you to the deadbolt. If you’re already vigilant, then it will make you purchase a Navy SEAL dog with bionic teeth.” If you don’t care about sleeping, read the full story here.

As a way to connect readers with its newsroom, WaPo today launched “Ask the Post,” a micro-site where managing editor Raju Narisetti and others will take questions about the Post’s coverage and website.  To pose a question, visitors can leave a comment or use the hash tag #askthepost.  Other users can then vote up the inquiries they most want answered.  In addition to Q&A, the page features:

• Critique: A callout that asks readers to critique WaPo’s front page each day.
• Who Does What? Regular profiles and reader Q&A with Post staff, starting with Style Editor Frances Stead Sellers, who will discuss her plans for the Style section and share her views on arts and culture coverage.
• Daily Roundup: a spotlight on  content from WaPo and around the Web.

To “Ask the Post” or sound off, click here.

Amid the craziness of the 2012 presidential election, Broadway Papers is slated to publish a book by WaPo‘s “The Fix” Editor Chris Cillizza, who is also managing editor of Postpolitics.com.

Cillizza, additionally a folksy MSNBC contributor who often appears on “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” will write The Gospel According to The Fix: Everything You Need to Know about Politics. The book, set to publish next July, is being described like this: “Humorous political stories, tidbits from the beltway, fun things you haven’t heard about your local politicians and more.” The book “will show everyone from political junkies to casual observers how things really work in the wonderfully odd game of politics and political coverage. It will also examine politicians’ timeless foibles in the traditionally amusing, insightful way Cillizza writes on the blog.”

“We are delighted that the analysis and insights that Post audiences have come to expect and love from Chris in print and online will now find a new platform in a book,” said Raju Narisetti, managing editor of WaPo.

QUOTES of the DAY

Major sigh of relief. Ed Henry may have switched employers moving from CNN to FNC, but they still let him take those beautiful photographs that he is wont to do: “Huge storm brewing in the sky over Washington’s Union Station,” he wrote with the accompanying picture.

Howiella nearly takes out three monks crossing K Street

“Typical DC morning: nearly ran over 3 jaywalking Buddhist monks on K Street. Whoops.” — The Hill‘s gossip scribe Judy Kurtz in a Tuesday tweet. Kurtz is the daughter to The Daily Beast’s D.C. Bureau Chief Howard Kurtz.

Bio of the Day

CBS’s new Chief White House Correspondent Norah O’Donnell: “Wife, mother of 3, CBS News Chief White House correspondent, #1 fan of @chefgeoffs.”

Modern mysteries

“.@tanabsie and I will never understand why people use the phone while using the facilities. So wrong!” — Politico‘s Amie Parnes in a Tuesday tweet. “Tanabsie” is Politico CLICK’s Karin Tanabe.

Journo dines on salmon and Seagram’s

“Salmon sandwich and Seagram’s Ginger Ale. Yeah, this is the most pretentious lunch I’ve had all week.” –  The Hill‘s Briefing Room reporter Daniel Strauss in a Tuesday tweet.

Luke Russert finds inner frat boy

“I can’t believe Semisonic has a greatest hits collection on iTunes. ‘Closing Time’ is in my top 5 of 90s song.” — NBC congressional reporter Luke Russert in a recent weekend tweet.

Weingarten: the smartass

WaPo Managing Editor Raju Narisetti wrote, “Wish people would stop saying Wow to everything they RT unless they are ‘overwhelmed with delight or amazement.’”  Weingarten had a one-word reaction: “Wow.”

Coffeemaker conks out on Hotline Editor

“Thanks, expensive Keurig coffee machine. You picked the perfect time to stop working — when I need caffeine to stay up for #CA36 returns.” — NJ The Hotline’s Jessica Taylor in a Tuesday night tweet.

A Quick Convo Between Two Jounros

Today’s conversation is between Roll Call’s John Stanton and Agence France Presse’s Olivier Knox.

Oliver Knox: Well, today *is* St Olivier’s Day on the French calendar. #threwmyselfaparty John Stanton: Ah yes, @OKnox i believe St. Olivier is patron saint of pederasts and diminutive malcontents. Olivier Knox: He ministered to the Stantons?

The heat is on WaPo‘s Dave Weigel.

Weigel, who writes the conservative blog, “Right Now,” faces another uphill battle today with The Daily Caller‘s story fresh out this morning about Weigel’s “savaging conservatives” and “rooting for Democrats.” In it, Daily Caller writer Jonathan Strong unearths more e-mails that Weigel wrote that blast conservatives. The Daily Caller asserts that these e-mails reveal a “personal animus” from Weigel toward conservatives. In one reported e-mail, he calls Matt Drudge an “amoral shut-in.” Read the story here. (FishbowlDC got word of the story around midnight Thursday from a key GOP operative that such a story was in the works.)

The Daily Caller story comes on the heels of FishbowlDC’s Thursday piece that Weigel had unleashed scathing thoughts on conservatives on a liberal listserv called JournoList. For example, he wanted Drudge to set himself on Fire — which Drudge then posted on his site.

Since then, Weigel has apologized (a mea culpa that also landed Weigel on Drudge). Note to readers: When I sought comment from Weigel for FishbowlDC’s story Thursday, Weigel said he’d be “happy to comment.” Instead, he delayed and delayed, saying, “One sec, I’m on the phone.” Within 15 minutes he wrote to say that in lieu of a response he had published his own apology and ran the quotes that FishbowlDC had sent him for confirmation. FishbowlDC’s item had previously published.

Mediaite also weighed in late yesterday afternoon, publishing a story Thursday about a so-called feud between me and the duo gossip columnists at the Washington Examiner, Tara Palmeri and Nikki Schwab and Weigel. (Note to readers: There’s no feud. I reported a story on a member of the political media – one that was contentious, no doubt. Reporting on the political media is the purpose of FishbowlDC.)

So far, WaPo is backing Weigel. In this Politico story published Thursday, WaPo‘s Managing Editor Raju Narisetti said it’s “time to move on.”

Narisetti told Politico: “Dave’s apology to readers reflects he understands, in calmer hindsight, the need to exercise good judgment at all times and of not throwing stones, especially when operating from inside an echo-filled glass house that is modern-day digital journalism,” said Raju Narisetti, the architect of the Post’s latest moves into the blogging space. “Time to move on.”

Good morning FishbowlDC!

Got a blind item, interesting link, funny note, comment, birthday, anniversary or anything of the sort for Morning Reading List? Drop us a line.

Happy Birthday to CNN’s Mark Preston. What we know and what we’re reading this Tuesday morning…

NEWSPAPERS | TV | MAGAZINES | NEWS NOTES | JOBS

NEWSPAPERS

Boston Globe: The Boston Globe‘s largest union, which represents nearly 700 editorial, advertising and business office workers, overwhelmingly approved a package of $10 million in wage and benefit cuts last night, ending more than three months of tense bargaining and brinksmanship.

From WaPo managing editors Liz Spayd and Raju Narisetti‘s online chat yesterday (h/t Poynter). “Paid wall for the Web site?: There’s a lot of chatter on the Web about moving newspaper’s Web content behind a paid wall. Any chance of that happening at WaPo? Spayd and Narisetti: Nothing imminent though we are constantly evaluating ways to get paid for our content.”

TV

Walter Cronkite‘s voice will stay as the intro to the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.

Because of Pres. Obama’s news conference Wednesday night, CNN is shifting the schedule for the first night of “Black in America 2.” On Wednesday, it will air at 9pmET, but will be back on at 8pmET on Thursday.

Black Retort critiques CNN’s “Black in America” here.

CNN’s Campbell Brown spoke about the state of journalism in a recent interview, saying her network is the only one on cable “doing journalism.” Check out the clip on HuffPost.

CNBC’s Trish Regan announced on the air yesterday that she is expecting twins.

MAGAZINES

Newsweek has yet to see a bump from the redesigned mag.

NEWS NOTES

The Examiner‘s JP Freire‘s take on NJ‘s newly launched 3121, an online networking tool designed exclusively for all congressional members and staff.

Politico on Mary Matalin‘s lesser known role in DC… editor-in-chief at Threshold Editions.

Eight questions from the Economist for Slate’s Jacob Weisberg, including: “In the great shake-up that is now occurring in the media do you think anything of value will be lost?” His answer: “There’s a great deal at risk. The financial basis of the leading organisations that perform large-scale systemic news reporting has collapsed, and it’s not clear what, if anything, will replace it. Certain categories of coverage—foreign, local, investigative—don’t look economically viable on a for-profit basis at the moment. This is a political and societal problem as well as a business one because of the vital role that the kind of journalism traditionally performed by newspapers plays in democracy. We need to find new hybrid models to support it.”

HAT TIPS: mediabistro, TVNewser, Politico

JOBS after the jump…

Read more