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'It Was Like Falling Off a Cliff for Three Months' (WaPo)
When she walked into the Iraqi Islamic Party's branch, she was still wearing one of the head scarves and enveloping embroidered dresses given to her by her captors. AP via Houston Chronicle: Man arrested in Carroll extortion attempt. E&P: Carroll colleague says early blackout on abduction paid off. CSM: Carroll's ordeal.

Some ESPN Staffers Assail Bonds Reality Show (NYT)
A two-day seminar attended by ESPN personnel at an airport hotel in Hartford earlier this week exposed a schism within the network about the wisdom of televising a 10-hour reality series starring Barry Bonds.

Seattle Papers Want to End JOA Dispute With Binding Arbitration (Seattle Times)
Seattle's two daily newspaper companies announced a surprise agreement yesterday morning to settle their long-running legal dispute through binding arbitration. But by late afternoon, it became clear it wasn't a done deal, as a third party said it would seek to participate in the process.

What a Newspaper Sounds Like (WaPo)
Washington Post Radio, a joint venture of The Post and Bonneville International Corp. relied heavily on interviews with Post reporters on its first day on the air, making WTWP both a news source and a continuous promotional vehicle for The Washington Post Co.

NYP Circ in the Dumps? (NYDN)
Tens of thousands of New York Posts were dumped at two recycling centers yesterday morning still wrapped in their original plastic binders, just hours after being printed, in a bizarre ploy that has already come to the attention of newspaper circulation authorities.

Should Newspapers Abandon Objectivity? (Slate)
Michael Kinsley: Objectivity is less an ideal than a conceit. It's not that all journalists are secretly biased, or even that perfect objectivity is an admirable but unachievable goal. In fact, most reporters work hard to be objective and the best come close. Objectivity is just a muddled concept.

Newsday Writers Say Agent Flipped Mafia Cop Deal (NYP)
The tangled case of the "Mafia cops" also has a tangled literary tale as rival writers try to rush to market with the story. Newsday reporter Rocco Parascandola and ex-Newsday reporter Sean Gardiner thought they had a deal wrapped up but their agent allegedly shopped the idea to another writer.

Who Cries for Cargo? (Slate)
Michael Agger: Cargo's May issue will be its last, and then, once again, men will be alone, alone on a wide wide sea of gadgets, wheels, and fashion. The pain is still raw, and the question lingers: Did the failure of Cargo lie in its conceit or its execution?

Concerns Over Smithsonian-Showtime Deal (NYT)
A recent deal between the Smithsonian Institution and the Showtime Networks cable channels has some documentary filmmakers, historians and researchers concerned that their access to the collections and curators of the Smithsonian could be limited or cut off.

Knight Ridder DC Bureau Had it Right on Iraq Weapons (The Nation)
John Nichols: While most mainstream media outlets earned the scorn that has been heaped upon them for their stenographic reporting of the Bush administration's prewar claims about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, Knight Ridder's Washington bureau was consistently skeptical of the White House.

CNBC's Dangerous Game (Marketwatch)
Jon Friedman: Sadly, gimmicks of varying types seem to mean a lot to CNBC these days. Consider the game show-like sweepstakes and former Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner's new talk show, to name two.

CBS Replaces Comedies With Amazing Race 9 (Mediaweek)
CBS execs confirmed that after two low-rated telecasts, Wednesday 8-9 p.m. sitcoms Out of Practice and Courting Alex will be put on hiatus for The Amazing Race 9, which moves from Tuesday at 10 p.m. into the Wednesday 8 p.m. hour on April 5. B&C: CBS unveils Saturday-morning slate.