Media News

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News Corp. Unveils New Channel/Network/Service (B&C)
My Network TV, which launches Sept. 5, will be anchored by nine News Corp. stations being abandoned as UPN merges with The WB to create The CW. But execs are rushing to sign up orphans or snag strong stations that might otherwise have signed up with The CW. NYT: Fox Television Stations, owned by the News Corporation, was the hardest hit of the many broadcast companies affected by the creation of the CW network out of WB and UPN, both of which had been struggling financially. WaPo: UPN stations get cleansed with soaps. LAT: Fox's new network is likely to set off another skirmish in the already high-stakes broadcast television wars.

FCC Upholds Nipplegate Fine (AP)
Federal regulators will stick by their decision to slap CBS with a $550,000 fine for the Janet Jackson flash at the 2004 Super Bowl. They also plan new sanctions against Fox, NBC and CBS TV stations or affiliates for violating decency standards. Bloomberg via NYP: New push signals a renewed effort by the Bush administration to crack down on broadcasters.

Frey's Publishing Contract Yanked Away (Page Six)
I-made-it-up memoirist James Frey's book deal has exploded into a million little pieces. Frey had a seven-figure deal with his current publisher, Riverhead, for two more books, including Frey's "first" novel, slated for publication in fall 2007. But Riverhead decided the author was too much of a liability.

Trump Continues Attack on Martha, Calls Her a 'Moron' (Newsweek)
"Fans of the Apprentice — you know I have these rabid fans — they were angry at me because Martha did a show and it was so bad that it was an embarrassment," says The Donald. "They were really angry because it was just so pathetic. And they should have been. They were right." NYP: Public Trump/Stewart feud "is sounding a lot like ringing cash registers." NYDN: Profits, stock soar for Martha.

Craigslist Accused of Bias in Housing Ads (NYT)
A housing group in Chicago has sued Craigslist, accusing it of violating the Fair Housing Act of 1968 by publishing discriminatory advertisements. If the lawsuit succeeds, Craigslist will be forced to follow the same rules newspapers do in their classified advertising listings.

As Iraq Heats Up, Boston Globe Closes Baghdad Bureau (E&P)
Budget constraints that have been reducing newsroom staffs nationwide during the past year are now hitting a number of foreign bureaus, with The Boston Globe closing its Baghdad operation and two of Tribune Co.'s top papers weathering foreign office shutdowns.

Muhammad Cartoon Flap a 'Failure' for the Press (WaPo)
William Bennett and Alan Dershowitz: Over the past few weeks, the press has betrayed not only its duties but its responsibilities... To put it simply, radical Islamists have won a war of intimidation. They have cowed the major news media from showing these cartoons. CSM: Muslims may not enjoy the scrutiny, but they can handle it. Just like the rest of us, writes Jonathan Zimmerman. VV: If I were an editor of a newspaper, I would publish the cartoons — within the context of the entire story, writes Nat Hentoff.

CBS News Gets 'Folksy' (NYT)
Alessandra Stanley: The high-strung showboat that was Dan Rather is gone. Now, the newscast is led by a folksy country doctor in Bob Schieffer who consults younger specialists and applauds their work, while gently reminding them to keep it simple for the patient.

Jennings to Be Honored With Journalism Institute (AP)
The National Constitution Center will use part of a $6.4 million grant to establish a journalism institute named after late ABC News anchor Peter Jennings. The funding for the project comes from the Annenberg Foundation and will also support six other outreach programs.

TV Station Refuses Ad Criticizing Media for Reporting Bad Iraq News (Minneapolis/St. Paul City Pages)
A local station rejected an advertisement that attacked "the media" in a manner that station management regarded as untrue. The spot in question featured testimonials from Minnesota veterans defending U.S. war policy in Iraq interspersed with images of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

OfficePirates Creator Doubles as Actor (WWD)
Featured on the site are a number of short video clips called "10 Second Theatre." In one of them, co-creator Mark Remy — who is known as a hilarious but usually publicity-shy writer and editor — is the star.

Texas News Anchor Quits Amid Drug Probe (UPI)
Kevin Steele, who quit after two years, has become involved in an investigation relating to a news story he was working on. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported Steele made a cocaine purchase as part of a story about drug dealing.

—David S. Hirschman