Click here to receive mb's Newsfeed by email.

McClatchy Wins Knight Bidding (NYT)
Knight Ridder, the second-largest newspaper company in the United States, will sell itself for about $4.5 billion in cash and stock to the McClatchy Company, a publisher half its size. Marketwatch: An expanded McClatchy will consist of 32 daily newspapers and about 50 non-dailies, with a combined circulation of about 3.2 million. E&P: Profile of Gary Pruitt, McClachy's man behind the KR deal.

Tough Year for Newspapers in '05 (WSJ)
The newspaper business had another difficult year in 2005, in advertising, circulation and stock performance. But for the first time, the industry has been shocked into making more serious investments online, according to the Project for Excellence in Journalism. USAT: Web-savvy news "dinosaurs" take a page from history. E&P: While 2004 was a bad year for the newspaper industry, with circulation and advertising declines, "2005 was about three times worse."

'Gonzo' Journo Bill Cardozo Dies (LAT)
Cardoso never achieved Hunter Thompson's fame, but he assured himself a page in journalism history when he applied that strange five-letter word to the darkly exuberant, drug-infused brand of participatory reporting and novelistic writing.

Why Does CBS Want Couric So Badly? (NYT)
For Katie Couric, the CBS anchor post would mean better hours, less money (probably) and a heap more gravitas. In return, CBS would procure the services of a television pro, a longtime crowd favorite and a huge burst of publicity. The risks, however, would be substantial. Inky: NBC courting Vieira in case it loses Couric to CBS.

On-Demand TV Station to Carry Stern Uncensored (NYP)
Though Howard TV, which will be shown exclusively on In Demand through 2009, will be carved out of his Sirius show, the satellite radio company won't be getting a financial cut - revenue will be divided between In Demand, the cable operators and Stern.

Reportage Shrinking (WaPo)
Howard Kurtz: Hundreds of cable and radio commentators, and millions of bloggers, can sound off about the news in real time. But the number of old-fashioned fact-gatherers is dwindling, and will almost certainly continue to shrink.

Harper's Article Ignites HIV Controversy (NYT)
In his last issue as the editor of Harper's, Lewis Lapham has left a parting gift for his successor: a firestorm in the media and among AIDS researchers. FishbowlNY: The Nation's Richard Kim rails against Harper's decision to publish AIDS denialist.

After NBC's iVillage Buy, Media Companies Case Other Sites (Mediaweek)
For the last year or so, traditional media giants have been snatching up prominent Web brands like it's going out of style. And the feeding frenzy isn't over. Observers expect more deals to be inked in coming months, as traditional media players hunger for a bigger piece of the vibrant online ad market.

Critic: Newspapers Needs Blogs (PressThink)
Jay Rosen: The Guardian is way out in front on newspaper blogs, while the Buffalo News is bringing up the rear, and there is no point in newspapers just starting lots of blogs. The smarter ones are trying to sign up knowledgable readers to become writers.

Media Guy's Reader Appreciation Week (Ad Age)
Simon Dumenco: I opened an e-mail last weekend with the subject line "We are certain that we can get you laid." I thought it was, perhaps, a confident note from a blogger in response to last week's column. But it says a lot about this column that it covers many of the same themes as porn spam.

Hugh Hefner and the Evolution of Playboy's Centerfold (NYer)
Joan Acocella: In the end, the most striking thing about Playboy's centerfolds is how old-fashioned they seem. This whole "bachelor" world, with brandy snifters and the attractive guest arriving for the night: did it ever exist? Yes, as a fantasy. Now, however, it is the property of homosexuals.

Newspapers Need to Ask Searching Questions (Guardian)
Jeff Jarvis: The World Association of Newspapers is portraying Google as an enemy of news. I wouldn't say that. I'd call Google something between a necessary evil and a friend - and if news organisations are smart, they will learn how to befriend the beast.

—David S. Hirschman