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Bush Invites Press for Off-The-Record Talks (NYT)
President Bush has been holding informal off-the-record sessions with major news organizations over the last several days. The meetings, which the journalists have agreed not to describe publicly, have been in the White House. David Bohrman, the Washington bureau chief for CNN: "Most of the time, the environments that our reporters deal with the president in are very structured, very managed, and they rarely get to just kick back and have a conversation." E&P: Monday's gathering included reporters from the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, and Cox Newspapers. Several reporters said they had been called by Press Secretary Scott McClellan to participate just hours ahead of time. Reporter: "Clinton did it toward the end of his second term. A little bit of legacy-building, post-impeachment, post-Monica." FBDC: The New York Times has declined to participate.

Condé Nast to Close Cargo (AP)
Cargo is shutting down with its May issue. The magazine, which first appeared on newsstands in March 2004, was the biggest introduction of a men's magazine ever in terms of ad pages. Cargo's closing follows the demise of two other men's shopping magazines: Vitals and Sync. WWD: Cargo left the world the way it entered it: with much scratching of heads. Although a Condé Nast spokeswoman said no consideration had been given to replacing editor Ariel Foxman, recent months had been filled with rumors of a quiet search under way. FBNY: Condé Nast president Charles Townsend's statement: "Although initial readership and advertising response were encouraging, we now believe the market will not support our business expectations." Gawker: We're never happy to see a magazine die. But if this signifies the official and irreversible death of the metrosexual, well, it's a noble sacrifice.

Facebook Goes on the Block (BusinessWeek)
Facebook, the Web site where students around the world socialize and swap information, has put itself on the block. The owners of the privately held company have turned down a $750 million offer and hope to fetch as much as $2 billion.

Viewers Crowd CBS' Online NCAA Coverage, But Many Turned Away (AdAge)
The network's online screening of the first four rounds of the NCAA was arguably the most successful demonstration to date of TV on the web. But thousands of online viewers were left unable to access the streams.

Real Polygamists Look at HBO Polygamists and See Watershed Moment (NYT)
"It's a more realistic view of a polygamous family that lives out in society than people have known," said Anne Wilde, a widow who was part of a multiple family for 33 years. "It can be seen as a viable alternative lifestyle between consenting adults." Though the first Big Love episode was watched by 4.6 million people, a week later the number was down to 3.4 million.

Producer Returns to CBS Mornings (NYT)
Steve Friedman, who built the street-level studio at NBC's Today as its executive producer and later created The Early Show at CBS, has returned to CBS News as vice president for morning broadcasts. TVNewser: Now he must "accelerate the growth" of his baby.

CNN.com Launches New Home Page (TVNewser)
CNN.com has launched a new home page emphasizing CNN Pipeline and the most popular stories and videos on the site. It also includes dedicated space for the CNN Wire, Podcasts and Video, and "Only on CNN" content. B&C: The new CNN.com home page claims more space for ads by reducing clutter.

Mainstream Media's Bumpy Road to Web 2.0 (CNET)
A heated online brouhaha over Washingtonpost.com's hiring of a controversial young blogger is not only a testament to the fast and furious nature of the blogosphere, but an illustration of the bumps in the road to be expected as the mainstream media forges its way into Web 2.0.

Books Based on Blogs Gaining Ground in the Book Market (WSJ)
Still, not every blogger is a born author. "I don't think a blog is a great place to look for new writers," says Little, Brown executive editor Judy Clain, "because there are so many, and so many aren't very good."

The Legal Maneuver That May Unintentionally Expand Reporters' Rights (Slate)
Jack Shafer: When reporters bawl about the "public's right to know," the tears come in such profusion that they rely on 100-percent Egyptian cotton bath sheets, not hankies, to slurp up the mess. The current crying jag could come to a halt, however, if the Supreme Court agrees to hear the elegant petition on behalf of Pierre Thomas.

Big Demand for Classical Downloads (Guardian)
There are stirrings of a gold rush in the world of classical music, and it comes from an unexpected quarter: the Web.

Comic Book Publisher Switches a Deal to HarperCollins (NYT)
Tokyopop, the publisher of Japanese-style comic books known as manga, announced last month that it had renewed its contract with a division of the Perseus Books Group to distribute Tokyopop's popular graphic novels to bookstores. Now it has reversed course and given its distribution business to HarperCollins.

Voice Press Column Wins Media Criticism Award (VV)
Former Press Clips columnist Sydney H. Schanberg has won the 2005 Bart Richards Award for Media Criticism for "distinguished contributions to the improvement of print and broadcast journalism through responsible analysis or critical evaluation."