Last night, mediabistro.com kicked off the holiday party season with its own candy cane maritini-soaked shindig. We got to Tribeca Cinemas early, commandeered a big bowl of popcorn and snagged a spot at the bar, where we could get a good view of the party-goers on their way in.

Some of our fellow bloggers were also in attendance, in addition the event’s bubbly hostess, mediabistro.com’s senior editor Donya Blaze (left). TVNewser editors Chris Ariens and Kevin Allocca, as well as GalleyCat editor Jason Boog, were all there, mixing and mingling with the crowd.

TVNewser editor Kevin Allocca, Mediaite.com’s Steve Krakauer and TVNewser’s Chris Ariens

More pictures after the jump

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On this gloomy Friday in New York, after a particularly long week for the media world, host Matt Van Hoven, editor of AgencySpy, and special guest host TVNewser‘s Kevin Allocca welcomed FishbowlNY editor Amanda Ernst to the mediabistro.com Morning Media Menu to wrap up the biggest news of the week.

Of interest today was news of even more layoffs at Condé Nast — this time at GQ and Vanity Fair. Also discussed, The New York Times Co.‘s third quarter earnings report, out yesterday, which revealed the surprising fact that although advertising revenues have dropped, circulation revenues grew for the company. What does this mean for the publishing world?

Lastly, Kevin discussed the newly redesigned CNN.com, unveiled last night. The new Web site has better navigation with the same amount of video content offerings, as well as increased cross-over promotion with Time Inc. brands like Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly, in the hopes of becoming many users’ homepage for news. We’re hopeful that a more visible partnership between CNN.com and the Time publications will help the brands survive the onslaught facing the publishing industry these days.

You can listen to all the past podcasts at BlogTalkRadio.com/mediabistro and call in at 646-929-0321.

Today on the mediabistro.com Morning Media Menu podcast, host Matt Van Hoven of AgencySpy and special guest host TVNewser‘s Kevin Allocca “CNN Newsroom” anchor Don Lemon, who discussed user-generated content, Twitter and blogs and how he uses them on his show.

“I’ve been using it on the show now for over a year,” Lemon said of user-generated news. “I think Rick [Sanchez] and I were the first two to use it. I actually had a personal [Twitter] account and sort of pitched it but didn’t do it on the air…We use Twitter, we use Facebook, I use whatever resource is available. I’ll use iReports, I’ll use my own…I went to Blog World last week and took a camera and shoot little vignettes and put them on the air. However I can get material, as long as it can be vetted and its real, I’ll take it from anywhere.”

Lemon also got a chance to tell some stories about his trip to Las Vegas last week for the Blog World Expo, where he focused his coverage on the death of print journalism and the future of newspapers. Lemon also helped to launch the Twitter trending topic #bcancer, which remained the top trending topic on Twitter for four days and helped raise money for breast cancer while creating a Guinness World Record, he said. “It’s really crazy how social media takes the power of an idea to the next level,” he said.

And what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay there for this anchorman. Stay tuned until minute 27 to find out what we mean.

You can listen to all the past podcasts at BlogTalkRadio.com/mediabistro and call in at 646-929-0321.

What does it mean for the industry when a media company like the New York Times Co. announces that 100 people must be cut from the newsroom?

That question led today’s mediabistro.com Morning Media Menu podcast, hosted by AgencySpy editor Matt Van Hoven and TVNewser‘s Kevin Allocca, who welcomed FishbowlNY editor Amanda Ernst to discuss the New York Times‘s announcement of layoffs yesterday.

Amanda reminded listeners that the Times laid off 100 people in 2008 through the same voluntary buyout process. “When companies make layoff announcements like this, they kind of couch it,” she said. “They give you a number and you don’t know really know what’s going to happen. And you kind of just have to wait and see.”

Kevin dug up some statistics about the Times: the paper had a little over 1,300 newsroom staffers before the last round of cuts, and now they have around 1,250. But no other U.S. newspaper has more than 750 staffers. Overall, it’s been estimated that 14,000 newspaper staffers have lost their jobs this year.

Also discussed: the Yes Men’s recent hoax involving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

You can listen to all the past podcasts at BlogTalkRadio.com/mediabistro and call in at 646-929-0321.

Today was a very special media- bistro.com Morning Media Menu podcast, featuring guest host Kevin Allocca, the editor of TVNewser, and CBS‘s “Early Show” weather anchor David Price.

Price spoke to Kevin and Menu host Jason Boog of GalleyCat from Omaha, Neb. about the “No Way Home” challenge he’s embarked on, traveling from California to New York in a week using only $50. It’s a journey that has taken him on various modes of transportation including a single engine place, which flew him from Orange County in California to Las Vegas.

Using Twitter and email, Price has not had to pay for a hotel yet, he’s earned money, negotiated for meals and he’s made his way half way across the country. He’s also managed to maintain a sense of humor about his situation despite his lack of food and sleep. “You can’t help me with money right now, but I would advise you or anyone listening that it is perfectly fine to send me cash when I get home,” Price joked good-naturedly. “Cash, bonds, deeds to a home, a lead on a second job.”

Follow Price on the “Early Show” Web site and on Twitter. “If you have a shower, please reach out to me,” Price begged.

You can listen to all the past podcasts at BlogTalkRadio.com/mediabistro and call in at 646-929-0321.

TVNewser: CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour celebrated the launch of her new show “Amanpour” at Michael’s yesterday, and chatted with Kevin Allocca. Says Kevin: “After the interview, Amanpour remarked, ‘That’s the tiniest lens I’ve every looked into.’”

FishbowlLA/Folio: Nikki Finke reports that The Hollywood Reporter will be going online only next year, while another entertainment trade Variety will be erecting pay walls. But Folio reports that THR owner Nielsen Business Media says it has no plans to shut down the trade pub’s print edition.

GalleyCat: Back in August, GalleyCat senior editor Ron Hogan correctly predicted that Oprah Winfrey‘s next book club selection would be Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan. The Washington Post made it official this afternoon, citing unintentionally leaked info. Winfrey is set to announce her book club choice during her show tomorrow.

Ad Age: The Wall Street Journal has announced plans to start charging for its mobile app available on iPhones and Blackberrys, and the cost is surprisingly high. Readers that don’t subscribe to the WSJ either in print or online will have to pay $2 per week for the app — or $104 a year. Subscribers to either medium will only be charged $1 a year and those who subscribe to both will get mobile access for free.

Bloomberg: IAC CEO Barry Diller says he will use his cash to repurchase stock, not invest in other companies like NBC Universal.

— DIANE CLEHANE

On the menu at Michael’s today: a tasty stew of media mavens and moguls with a heaping helping of famous faces on the side. We could barely keep up with the goings-on in the dining room, since every other minute there was some boldface name heading to the Garden Room for CNN’s lunch to celebrate Christiane Amanpour‘s new show. We spied Gayle King, Cynthia McFadden, Joni Evans, Gloria Steinem, and Harry Evans among the scribes invited to cover the soiree. (Nice to see you, Steve Krakauer!) Our own TVNewser Kevin Allocca editor was there, too.

I was lunching today with Carrie Kania, senior vice president and publisher of It Books and Harper Perennial. It Books, HarperCollins’ hip new imprint, is tapping into the zeitgeist with a fall list brimming with of-the-moment tomes including Twitter Wit (Who knew so many people could write such witty Tweets?) and the just released I Love Your Style by the uber stylish Amanda Brooks. “I love the book because it shows how fashion evolves,” Carrie told me. I Love Your Style is full of fabulous images of timeless style icons like Jackie Kennedy, Ali McGraw and Charlotte Rampling as well as today’s trendsetters like Natalie Portman. It’s also got plenty of great ideas and tips on how to identify and develop a style that’s truly one’s own. Carrie is just as passionate about the classics on Harper Perennial’s backlist. “So many 13 and 14 year-old girls have not read The Bell Jar; I want to help them find it.” Seems like Carrie is on a mission to get everyone she can excited about publishing: she’s also teaching the New York University graduate course ‘Introduction to Publishing.’ Says Carrie of her gig that spends eights weeks focused on books and another eight on magazines: “I take the students through every step from acquisition to marketing. The mentoring I got early on was invaluable to me, and I want to help people like that. There is no better business to be in.”

Here’s the rundown on today’s crowd:

1. My good friend, public relations maven Lisa Linden (Happy Belated Birthday!) and her partner, Steven Alschuler — their firm, Linden, Alschuler & Kaplan works with plenty of Gotham’s movers and shakers in real estate, government and philanthropy, in case you didn’t know — with former senator Nick Spano and his colleague from Empire Strategic Planning, Perry Ochacher.

2. Most of the ‘Imber Gang’: Dr. Gerald Imber, Jerry Della Femina and Andy Bergman. Where were Jeff Greenfield and Michael Kramer?

3. Diane Sokolow and a formidable-looking fellow we didn’t recognize

4. Producer Bill Haber and television legend Norman Lear

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TVNewser has an important report from the field today. The softball field, that is.

Last night, Kevin Allocca trudged all the way to the west side to cover an epic softball battle between Jon Stewart and members of the “Daily Show” staff and NBC‘s Brian Williams and his “Nightly News” crew.

Williams and his “Most Trusted Team” were handily defeated by Stewart and the “Daily Show” bunch, 12 to 2, but Williams was a good sport.

“We have the advantage at the end of the day because we make the news that they parody,” he said post-game, after accusing Stewart of recruiting players from the major leagues. “Without us, they don’t have the raw materials.”

See Williams’ full post-game presser after the jump

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Today on the mediabistro.com Morning Media Menu podcast, host Jason Boog of GalleyCat was joined by co-host Kevin Allocca, editor of TVNewser, and memoirist Richard Farrell.

Farrell spoke about his memoir “What’s Left of Us,” the story of his heroin addiction and the life experiences that came along with it. After he detoxed and overcame his addiction, Farrell went on to become an author, filmmaker and screenwriter. He produced the documentary, High on Crack Street, which aired on HBO, and he wrote the script for the upcoming film The Fighter based on the documentary, which stars Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg — proving that there can be life after addiction.

“My book is about hope, it’s not about being a tough guy,” Farrell said. “I wrote it so that people could see. It’s a pretty dark book. It’s pretty graphic. It’s exactly how I lived it then.”

Farrell also gave advice about writing memoirs and screenplays. “Along my career I never gave up on that I was going to write this some day, I was going to tell my story, I was going to be a writer, that I wanted to be a writer,” he added. “And of course for a lot of writers that means you have to teach, so I became a teacher in college.” Farrell currently teaches English at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell.

Also discussed: An Ad Age report that newspaper revenues will eventually rebound and News Corp.‘s Chase Carey‘s comments that the free television model has to change.

You can listen to all the past podcasts at BlogTalkRadio.com/mediabistro and call in at 646-929-0321.

Today on the media- bistro.com Morning Media Menu podcast, hosts Jason Boog of GalleyCat and AgencySpy‘s Matt Van Hoven welcome the latest editor of TVNewser Kevin Allocca to talk about the daily media headlines.

They discussed the recent news about e-mails sent by reporters to Gov. Mark Sanford during his disappearance and affair scandal, MTV‘s new web ads and ABC‘s interview with Joe Jackson and it’s low ratings.

“I think it shows how quickly the public reaches a saturation point,” host Jason Boog said. “Back when Princess Diana died in that tragic car accident, I think a traditional piece like this looking at old footage would have been gangbusters back then. But now people reach a saturation point so much faster because it just bombards you for a week straight after Michael’s death.”

Also discussed: Kevin’s interview with Al Roker about his new morning show on The Weather Channel, why ratings are so low for Sonia Sotomayor‘s confirmation hearings and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” shattering the midnight screening ticket sales record set last summer by “The Dark Knight.”

You can listen to all the past podcasts at BlogTalkRadio.com/mediabistro and call in at 646-929-0321.