Media News

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Thomson Reuters Plans Video-On-Demand Service (NYT)
Thomson Reuters will announce on Tuesday an ambitious new video-on-demand service for its financial services clients, with thousands of searchable videos and transcripts on a range of topics, hoping to become a one-stop source for business people.

CC Media Reports Big Loss (WSJ)
Radio and outdoor-advertising company CC Media Holdings Inc., the owner of Clear Channel Communications, reported a $5 billion loss for the fourth quarter, reflecting a big impairment charge stemming from a decline in the value of its radio licenses and permits and other assets.

Philly Daily News To Be Labeled Edition of Inquirer (Philadelphia Inquirer)
The Philadelphia Daily News will soon be printed as an edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer, though the two papers will maintain separate news staffs and still compete for stories, officials of Philadelphia Media Holdings, which owns both papers announced yesterday.

Book Deal for Blagojevich (PRNewsChannel)
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has signed a six figure book deal with one of the largest independent book publishers in the U.S. to write about the discussions, the considerations, and the factors involved in picking President Barack Obama's successor to the U.S. Senate.

A Fill-In on Cable News Is Thrust Into Host's Chair (NYT)
Jane Velez-Mitchell is a true-crime author, a television talking head, a lesbian, an animal activist, a recovering alcoholic, and a vegan. She was until recently a glorified freelancer for Headline News. Now she is one of Headline News's nightly hosts -- and her show is setting ratings records for the network.

Hackers Target Facebook (BBC)
Facebook has been targeted by malicious hackers seeking to steal valuable data from members. The social network site has been hit by five separate security problems in the last seven days, say security experts.

Martha Stewart Living to Broaden Editorial Focus (Mediaweek)
Martha Stewart Living's association with its eponymous founder, 360-degree marketing programs, and editorial consistency have made it a favorite of marketers. But now, facing sharp ad page declines, Living is broadening that message to include beauty, travel, and fashion editorial content.

Promotions and Further Layoffs at Rodale (FishbowlNY)
Rodale announced yesterday that Mary Murcko has been promoted to publisher of Prevention, and Jack Essig has been promoted to publisher for both Men's Health and Women's Health. Rodale has also cut 20 staffers including former VP of Prevention Bob Ziltz.

Penthouse Magazine Closing? (Gawker)
Anthony Previte, FriendFinder Networks' chief operating officer, reportedly announced he is closing down Penthouse "because it does not make any money and is in the red for production." When asked about it, though, FriendFinder CEO Marc Bell laughed at the rumor.

FT Paid Subscriptions Up 9% in 2008, Still Firing People: Wha? (MediaJobsDaily)
Iconic pink paper The Financial Times is actually making money(!) from paid subscriptions, according to an earnings statement. According to Pearson, which owns FT, FT.com, and The Economist, online subscriptions grew five times faster than non-paying registrations in 2008.

Ad Skippers Beware: Ask.com Going After You With TV Crawl (AdAge)
Search engine Ask.com has started an ad campaign that relies mostly on "crawls" that show up in the lower part of the screen during selected cable programs. The marketer hopes to capture attention by posing questions to viewers at the bottom of the screen about the subject matter they are watching.

Samir Husni to Launch Magazine Innovation Center in August (Folio:)
Samir Husni, the University of Mississippi professor known as "Mr. Magazine," is relinquishing his duties as chairman of the journalism department at the school to launch the Magazine Innovation Center, a non-profit think tank of sorts.

LA Times Not Paying (Politico)
New Republic senior editor John Judis isn't happy about not being paid for an LA Times opinion piece written shortly after the 2008 election, and yesterday he warned other journalists to demand pay in advance.

Death Throes of the Rocky (Salon)
Nancy Mitchell: If there is a "brand" that we journalists at the Rocky Mountain News embraced, it was embodied in the instructions that were once posted in our managing editor's office. Three simple rules, not produced by a focus group: Get the news. Tell the truth. Don't be dull. I'd like to believe we did all three.

The Cunning Genius of the Public Radio Fundraising Drive (Slate)
June Thomas: If you're a public radio addict like me, you know the despair of waking up on a winter morning, turning on the radio, and hearing the jarring sound of your local host begging for money. Pledge drive is last-nerve-frayingly exasperating -- but it's also sheer genius.