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New Yorker Cartoon Obama Cover Sells Out (NYP)
The controversial July 21 cover of The New Yorker portraying Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as a Muslim has been a virtual sellout on newsstands. In fact, the demand has completely overwhelmed Conde Nast's ability to fill requests for additional copies.

USC Young Republicans Allege Phony CNN Interview (LAT)
The president of the College Republicans at the University of Southern California is charging that CNN used a "fake College Republican" in its broadcast report today, claiming there was a lack of enthusiasm for the GOP candidate, Sen. John McCain. A CNN spokeswoman now says it was an inadvertent error.

Facebook: Movement or Business? (Time)
Josh Quittner: Mark Zuckerberg may want his users to think of Facebook as a movement, but to the grown-ups it's a business -- and one that's working very hard to be profitable. But it's got a ways to go before it's in the money, and all this "movement" talk makes me suspicious -- like Zuckerberg's putting something over on me.

Wired Working on a Google-Baiting Widget (Folio:)
Wired.com is looking at launching a series of widgets that could change the game for the way the site approaches content. First up is a web reputation ranking tool which takes the user data from some of the big social networks like Facebook and MySpace using open API, crunches it, and spits out a list-style ranking broadcast across Wired's widget network.

Rough June for Newspapers Portends Bleak Future (AP)
Regional and national newspaper publishers, already staggering with a drop in ad revenue more severe than the industry has seen since the Great Depression, say the second half of 2008 may be even worse. Three publishers -- McClatchy Co., Lee Enterprises Inc., and E.W. Scripps Co. -- reported Thursday that their profits had fallen by nearly half in the second quarter compared to last year.

End of the Affair: Barack Obama and the Press Break Up (TNR)
As Obama ascended from underdog to front-runner to presumptive nominee, the flame seems to have dwindled. Reporters grouse that Obama's flacks shroud the campaign in secrecy and provide little to no access. "They're more disciplined than the Bush people," a reporter gripes. "There was this idea of being transparent, but they're not. They're total tightwads with information."

An Early ProPublica Collaboration Tests Deadlines and Gets Results (CJR)
ProPublica, in conjunction with WNYC, recently conducted a month-long investigation into the lax regulatory framework behind a booming natural gas drilling industry in rural New York. The extraction process uses chemicals that raise serious health and environmental concerns both for upstate residents and for the city's drinking water. "It's almost an editor's dream," says Albany Times Union editor Rex Smith who was offered the piece.

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