Sony Disputes Snakes $15.2M Box Office Win (E! via FishbowlNY)
The opening of New Line Cinema's much-anticipated predestined cult-camp-classic Snakes On A Plane took in $15.2 million in its opening weekend, making it the #1 movie in America. Or was it?

At Some Mag Publishers, Nonbusiness Is Going Strong (NYT)
As it turns out, there is a clutch of magazines that have been quietly going about their business — or, rather, nonbusiness — for years. And, lately, two in particular seem to be thriving in these turbulent times: AARP The Magazine and Consumer Reports.

Animation Writers Looking for Pay Equality (LAT)
Writers of live-action features get royalties when their work is repackaged and sold. But writers of animation don't. It's an industry standard evolved over a decades-long debate between the writers and their employers since the early days of animation, when storyboard artists and animators were the primary creative forces behind projects and screenwriters only came in to add polish at the end.

Al Jaz TV Causing Trouble for British Pubs, but It's Not Political (NYT)
Al Jazeera Sports Plus, a fast-growing satellite sports channel, has become popular with viewers who want Formula One races and British soccer matches. The commentary is strictly Arabic, but the cut-rate service, along with other foreign satellite channels, is gaining a broad following in British pubs.

Life Post-Homeland Terror Family Protection Purity Act (AdAge)
Simon Dumenco: I still find it weird that former Men's Health editor Dave Zinczenko is now a U.S. senator. I heard about that in prison, but I only just caught him on C-SPAN this week. I have to confess that I'm loving the whole intern sex scandal he's caught up in.

Politicians Score Points by Attacking the Media (Baltimore Sun)
In the quest for votes and allegiances, candidates have found the press to be a useful foil, whose ostensible prejudices are preventing the airing of higher truths. In many cases, it seems, reporters themselves are blamed for whatever shortcomings they might uncover in a candidate.

More Newsfeed here...