Click here to receive mb's Newsfeed by email.

Harvard Author Says Copying Was Unintentional (NYT)
Kaavya Viswanathan, the Harvard sophomore accused of plagiarizing parts of her recently published chick-lit novel, acknowledged that she had borrowed language from another writer's books, but called the copying "unintentional and unconscious." WaPo: Viswanathan said the book would be revised to eliminate any inappropriate similarities.

New Publisher Named at Rolling Stone (NYP)
Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner has tapped Tim Castelli, currently the associate publisher of lad magazine Maxim and earlier a group publisher at Ziff Davis, to take over the post that was held by Steve DeLuca, who exited in February.

Fired CIA Agent Denies Leaking Info to Reporter (WaPo)
A lawyer representing fired CIA officer Mary O. McCarthy said yesterday that his client did not leak any classified information and did not disclose to Washington Post reporter Dana Priest the existence of secret CIA-run prisons in Eastern Europe for suspected terrorists.

Tony Snow Likely to Take Post as White House Spokesman (CNN)
The Fox News anchor is likely to accept the job as White House press secretary, succeeding Scott McClellan. A source familiar with the discussions said that newly-appointed Chief of Staff Josh Bolten asked Snow to make a decision by early this week.

Producer Accuses Maury Povich of Sexual Harassment (NYDN)
The legal filing claims Povich has been tangled in a "long time, intimate and sexual relationship" with 47-year-old producer Donna Ingber — and calls the talk show set a Peyton Place rife with porn and booze.

NY Post Subpoenaed Over Pataki Tapes (AP)
The paper is complying with federal subpoenas connected to its reports about recorded telephone conversations involving Gov. George Pataki, his wife, top aides and others.

Countdown for Lowdown? (WWD)
Are Lloyd Grove's days slinging gossip for the New York Daily News drawing to an end? It's certainly looking that way, with speculation rampant that the Lowdown columnist has been dipping a toe in the job market of late.

Dish Network Is Only U.S. Company Publicly Considering Al Jazeera (Rocky Mountain News)
Even on Dish, Al Jazeera's attempt to provide an alternative to Western news outlets like BBC World and CNN International isn't likely to appear on any of the satellite TV operator's popular programming tiers.

Ads Coming to iTunes (AdAge)
Apple — a brand that prides itself on the purity of the user experience — will soon put up billboards on its popular iTunes service, according to content partners who have been briefed on the plan. The introduction of visual ads could be the first step to allowing ads in other content areas or on iPods.

Return of Opie & Anthony Official (USAT)
Experts say the first-of-a-kind deal between CBS Radio and XM could be a model for new synergies between traditional and satellite radio. It will immediately boost O&A's visibility and may make them a major morning drive-time force. "It's their time now," says Tom Taylor of Inside Radio.

Viacom Pays $102M for Xfire (Red Herring)
Viacom, in a move that amps up the gaming and online community offerings of its MTV Networks, said Monday it was set to pay $102 million for two-and-a-half-year-old startup Xfire. The media giant will integrate its purchase with MTV Networks' music, entertainment, and networking properties.

Rather: Couric Will Need To Be A Leader (AP via USAT)
Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather wished his successor luck, but said Katie Couric will need to be a leader and demonstrate a passion for news to succeed in the anchor chair.

Fox News Wants $1 Per Subscriber (WSJ)
Fox News Channel is seeking to increase the distribution fees paid by cable and satellite operators to $1 dollar per month per subscriber, up from the 25 cent to 35 cent subscriber fee the network currently earns.

Seattle Papers Talk Separately With Union (Seattle Times)
Seattle's two daily newspapers will negotiate with their largest union separately this year, breaking a nearly half-century tradition of joint or coordinated bargaining of new labor contracts.

Fox Veep: Diversity Is Not Necessarily a Strength (AlterNet)
"I've hired more than 100 people here in ten years, and I have never asked about anyone's personal political beliefs," said Fox News vice president John Moody. "Because that wouldn't be fair and wouldn't be effective."