Senator John McCain will announce his presidental campaign in April according to ABCNews.com. While taping the Late Show on CBS, McCain told David Letterman that he’ll give a formal speech to that effect in early April.

Tune in tonight.

This memo was sent by LAT editor, Jim O’Shea, to his newsroom kinfolk in response to last night’s damning Frontline piece about the future of newspapers:

Colleagues,

Unfortuately I am not in the newsroom today. I am in New York for the L.A. Times Book Prizes. I did want to address the Frontline piece involving The Los Angeles Times, though.

I found it to be simplistic and excessively negative about the future of the newspaper industry and the L.A. Times. The piece lacked balance and sophistication and relied on stereotypes.

I know there was also concern about quotes from Charles Bobrinskoy at Ariel Capital. Mr. Bobrinskoy knows as much about newspapers and the needs and news appetites of the readers of The Los Angeles Times as I know about astrophysics. Everyone should keep in mind that “analysts” of the stock market are the same ones who advised people to buy stocks such as Enron. I could fill the Grand Canyon with the misinformation that people such as Bobrinskoy have spread. So I think everyone should look at his comments in that context.

I have never heard anyone at Tribune Company advocate that The Los Angeles Times should become a paper without foreign or national bureaus. I doubt he represents anyone’s views but his own. I certainly don’t think he is right and I would never have agreed to be your editor if such a preposterous proposal were part of any deal.

The Los Angeles Times is a great newspaper with a great staff. We face challenges, and they won’t be easy to overcome. But we will do it. We will figure out solutions to these problems and lead the industry to a bright and better future. Thanks so much for all of your hard work.

Jim.

KCET broadcast Frontline’s series News War last night, as counter programming for American Idol, never guessing that someone could actually want to watch both. This episode, What’s Happening to the News, which examimes the struggles of the LA Times, will repeat this Friday and the website has the whole series.

The producers interviewed all the right people for the series, and all but five of them are men.

In this episode, Amanda Congdon is presented twice–once in her Rocketboom days, and now as the fresh new face on ABC.com. She even gets an extended section on the website–the only woman with such a segment. (Maybe she’s supposed to help David Westin get a reasonable return.) Other than a woman in the LAT’s Baghdad bureau (in a burkha!) and Lauren Rich Fine from Merrill Lynch, women aren’t talking about the news business. And judging by the credits, women aren’t working in it either, at least not on this episode. (The first two episodes were written, produced, and directed by Raney Aronson-Rath.)

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Erin Aubry Kaplan has been dumped by the LAT and says two more Op-Ed writers will follow — though she doesn’t know which ones.

The writer, who started in 2005, tells LA Observed:

“I have 4 more columns to go and that’s it. Rather sudden. I’m disappointed but not very surprised, given the state of the Trib. They said they were cutting 2 others, but not sure who.”

NBC will present Victoria Beckham in a summer 6-part reality series, produced by Simon Fuller. The series will, in the words of the release:

give viewers an exclusive inside look at Beckham’s glamorous life as she makes the move across the pond from London to Los Angeles.

We’re going to watch her move? Unpack boxes? Whee.

Kevin Reilly, President, NBC Entertainment, somehow managed to say without laughing:

The series will give viewers a glimpse into what makes Victoria so popular and admired as one of the most glamorous women in the world. She makes news wherever she goes and our audience can now become insiders in this fascinating personal view of what being Posh truly represents.

FBLA thinks we know what Posh truly represents.
Fuller told a British paper that the series will humanize her, if that’s at all possible.

Beckham said:

This show is really something different, it’s pushing the boundaries and I think it’s going to surprise a lot of people.

We’re surprised already. Ray Richmond, on the other hand, is thrilled to tiny bits. So is TV Junkie. Kidding.

Creative juices are flowing at UPOD. Someone asked for examples of celebs with three names, and here’s what happened:

If Oprah married Deepak she would be Oprah Chopra.

If Immanuel Kant married Kipper the Dog then Benny Goodman and then Lesley-Anne Down, he’d be Immanuel Kant Kipper Goodman Down.

If Bea Arthur, groupie that she is, fell in love with the lead singer of the Police, she’d be Bea Sting.

And finally…if Yoko married Sonny and then the lead singer of U2 then divorced to become engaged to Dr. Yang from Grey’s Anatomy…we’d find in the Sunday Styles Section of the NYT an announcement of the union of Yoko Ono Bono and Sandra Oh Ono.

Oh, admit it–you laughed too.

We are endlessly fascinated with celebrity gossip sites — not because we care one lick about Antonella Barba, but because we’re in awe of how many words go into crafting the meringue-like confections of each individual blog post.

Take, for instance, TMZ.com’s recent posting about Justin Long. Basically, a reporter saw Long walk his dog down Robertson Blvd. yesterday. That’s it. Guy walks his dog. End of story.

But in TMZ’s capable hands, the “story” stretched to 83 words — including three puns and four pop culture references.

LAT, take note, we’ve seen the future of journalism. And it has you rolling over and playing dead.

YouTube removed those priceless moments of the Oscar show, at the request of the Academy, even though Ellen’s opening monologue and Will Farrell’s musical interlude were some of the most-viewed clips. Oscar.com had brief snippets of the musical numbers and the opening monologue. Copyright issues, rather than competition, are the Academy’s reasons for strong-arming YouTube.

Variety’s On The Town live-blogged the Oscars from the press room:

10:09 Scott Rosenberg is a menace to society. His fawning, self-referential questions cause the NYT’s David Halbfinger’s head to pitch forward, nearly deleting his story.

Kelsey Grammer is moving his producing deal to 20th after 15 years at Paramount. He brings “an eclectic range of projects” with him, whatever that means.

Dreamworks Animation did indeed drop a steamer on Flushed Away, with $21.3 million fourth quarter loss. Shrek the Third is supposed to rescue DWA, and next year brings a sequel to Madagascar and Jack Black in Kung Fu Panda. Lather, rinse, repeat.

FBLA subjects Jacob Soboroff, videographer, activist, and good sport to our weekly questions.

1. What newspapers do you read? IN 3-D, WITH COFFEE, MOST MORNINGS: NYT, LAT, DN, WSJ

2. Which ones do you move your lips to while reading? NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, NYT — THE COFFEE MAKES ME DO IT!

3. Which Web sites are on your favorites bookmark? WAY TOO MANY (LE MONDE IS MY HOMEPAGE, MYSPACE IS MY GO-TO WHEN I CAN’T REMEMBER WHY I’M STARING AT THE SCREEN)

4. Where do you get your car washed? PALISADES CAR WASH, ALSO ANY DO-IT-YOURSELF CAR WASH

5. Do you know your dentist’s first name? NO CLUE

6. Do you believe newspapers are going to die? If so, when? NO WAY

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Hell To Pay: Costa Mesa evangelist Chuck Smith, founded a Christian radio empire. But he’s about to give it all up to the “devil.”

Hep Party Caterer Infected With Hep-A: Beyonce, Sports Illustrated models and other beautiful people are at risk for infection with hepatitis A after a Wolfgang Puck Catering prep cook was diagnosed with the disease. Good thing none of those people eat.

Jay Hearts Screenwriter: In his Scriptland column, Jay A. Fernandez calls the Oscars a triumph for screenwriters, saying “the ceremony was arguably the most screenwriter-friendly in modern history and, hopefully, a sign that their part in this great and glorious distraction is beginning to get its due recognition.” We’re sorry, Jay, we were distracted by Jennifer Hudson’s jacket. Did you say something?