Justice Dept. Eyes Gannett Deal
Antitrust investigators have begun examining a proposed acquisition by the Gannett Company, as the industry appears headed for further consolidation. Boston Globe: Justice agency "aware" of proposed Metro deal. Boston Globe: Not much outrage in Boston over NYT-Metro Deal. NYP: Times' widening reach into the Boston market could be illegal.

Powell's FCC Legacy
LAT Editorial: Powell was right about what really matters: Regulators aren't keeping up with changes in technology and society, making it time for a revolutionary change in our approach. Salon: As Colin and Michael Powell exit the Bush administration, they leave legacies of failure, writes Eric Boehlert. Marketwatch: The much maligned FCC needs a new image, but don't look for major policy changes, writes Jon Friedman.

Tsunami No-No
A song during a segment on HOT 97's Miss Jones in the Morning show used racial slurs to describe people swept away in the disaster and and made jokes about child slavery. NYDN: "We are absolutely appalled, saddened, outraged and angered," said Kai Yu of Asian Media Watch.

Investors Were Penthouse Patsies
The former owners of Penthouse magazine allegedly cooked the books and defrauded investors by booking up to $1 million in phantom revenue in 2003, according to the feds.

Johnny's Naughty Genius
David Edelstein: You'd think that Carson was some sort of egoless saint of television, when at his peak he was precisely the opposite. NYT: Seeking the key to the Carson ad mystique. USAT: Carson tributes roll in.

FCC Dismisses Indecency Complaints
It's okay to use a nickname for "Richard" as an insult on network television, the agency ruled yesterday, in a denial of several indecency complaints brought by a L.A. media watchdog.

Pope to Media: Do Good
The world's media outlets should use their power to promote peace and understanding and to mobilize aid during natural disasters, Pope John Paul II said in a statement yesterday.

Bloggers, Journos Face Off at Harvard
At a conference on "Blogging, Journalism, and Credibility," Harvard fellow Dave Winer compared established media to the mainframe computers rendered obsolete by desktop PCs. SFC: Blogs come of age as a source of news.

ABC's Jacko Deep Throat
ABC has not revealed how it received more than 1,900 pages of grand jury testimony in the child molestation case against Michael Jackson.

Rock of Ages in RS
Rolling Stone magazine will run an ad for the Holy Bible next month—the same ad it rejected two weeks ago for its "spiritual message."

NYT to Add 'Social Announcements'
Starting next week, the paper's Sunday Styles section will add paid notices of weddings, engagements, partnerships, even anniversaries.

TV Program Searching Services Emerge
Google and Yahoo are introducing services that will let users search through television programs based on words spoken on the air. Guardian: Yahoo's revenues surge.

Foreign Correspondents and Roadblocks
Alissa J. Rubin: Journalists are already hampered by security concerns, but delays and bad weather can steal the chance for a story.

Rising UK Anti-Semitism Blamed on Media
Britain saw the sharpest rise in anti-semitic attacks of any country last year, and British press coverage is a leading cause, according to an Israeli government report.

Another Critic Takes Shots at the LAT
Hugh Hewitt: The Times' coverage of the war on terrorism is woefully inadequate, failing to educate the paper's readership on the nature and extent of the threat the country faces.

NBC Execs Admit Ratings Fall Was Tough
NBC executives spoke candidly and were philosophical about their ratings fall, and also said the rock group Mötley Crüe has been banned from the network.

Beeb Works to Stem Boobs
The BBC chairman, Michael Grade, admitted that its news division had further to go to correct the failings identified in the wake of the Hutton crisis.

Trading Spaces Host Swaps Out
Paige Davis, the perky host of the popular TV show about couples who redecorate each other's homes, is leaving as part of TLC's transition of the show to a hostless format.

—David S. Hirschman