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Wired Fabricator? (AP via E&P)
An investigation into the sourcing and accuracy of news stories by freelance journalist Michelle Delio at the leading web news site concluded that the existence of dozens of people quoted in the articles could not be confirmed. Delio stands by her reporting and the existence and accuracy of her sources.

Spin Class for Beijing (NYT)
The Nieman Foundation will conduct a training session for Chinese officials on how to deal with the media during the 2008 Olympics. Boston Globe Editorial: The Nieman Foundation has a well-earned reputation for training the press. It should not be in the business of training press handlers—officials whose job it will be to shape coverage of a news event.

Huffington Unbound (Slate)
Jack Shafer: Arianna Huffington's new blog, the Huffington Post, neither overpromises nor overdelivers in its debut edition. LA Weekly: Huffington Post a bust, writes Nikki Finke. Salon: Arianna Huffington's new project combines new media buzz with Hollywood liberal glitz. But will it be Star Wars or Ishtar, wonders Farhad Manjoo. E&P: Huffington Post syndication may start in early June.

Big Grants for Public TV, Radio (NYT)
The Ford Foundation's initiative to aid nonprofit media comes as public broadcasting is facing a decline in corporate underwriting and state government support. Salon: Republicans have launched a heavy-handed campaign to correct public broadcasting's "liberal slant." But most Americans don't think it has one, writes Eric Boehlert.

New York Times Plays Defense (Boston Globe)
A recommendation that The New York Times respond publicly and more vigorously to its critics drew a mixed reaction yesterday from media and public relations analysts, who said the idea is understandable but potentially risky.

Reporters Insist They Shouldn't Be Targeted in Leak Case (LAT)
Five journalists found in contempt for refusing to name confidential sources told a federal appeals court that nuclear scientist Wen Ho Lee should have tried harder to get the information from other sources before taking them to court.

Boston Globe Auctioning Ads on Web (NYP)
The paper is using an online auction to sell the half-page ad that appears on the front page of its Sunday job classified section. Each week the ad will be sold to the highest bidder through BostonWorks.com, the companion website to the print classified section of the same name.

NBC Losing Out on Ad Bucks (NYDN)
After tumbling from first to fourth place in the ratings race this season among the crucial 18-49 audience, NBC stands to lose as much as $550 million in advertising dollars—a 20 percent decline from last year—broadcasting and media execs said yesterday.

Abdul Had Pre-SNL 'Meltdown' (Page Six)
Moles says the American Idol judge melted down Saturday afternoon after complaining about "the pressure" of her heavily hyped appearance. Abdul was reportedly asked to appear in three sketches, but agreed only to make an appearance at the end of the opening skit. WaPo: Abdul's carefully orchestrated SNL appearance may not have been Emmy-worthy, but it got two big thumbs up from the guy who's trying to bring down her career, writes Lisa de Moraes.

Fox News 'Wishes You Well' (NPR)
David Folkenflik: Fox wishes a lot of people well, it turns out, in a seemingly gracious turn of phrase meant to soften the station's withering contempt for rivals.

Disney Ex-Directors Sue Over CEO Pick (NYT)
Roy Disney and Stanley Gold are going after the Walt Disney Company for choosing Robert Iger as the next chief executive.

Editor's Ouster Worries Catholic Publications (Boston Globe)
The announcement Friday that the Rev. Thomas J. Reese, an oft-quoted commentator on the workings of the Catholic Church, has been forced to resign after seven years as editor of America magazine has sent shock waves through the worlds of Catholic journalism and academia.

Kabul Must-See TV Heats Up Culture War (CSM)
In a pop culture as barren as Afghanistan's mountains, Tolo TV's mix of MTV-style shows and hard-hitting news programs has turned the up-and-coming network into an entertainment oasis, as well as a lightning rod for critics who see the station as a threat to the country's Islamic values.

Online-Only Boxing Event From Burnett (Ad Age)
In a move that appears to take on TV at its own game, Mark Burnett Productions and Yahoo! will produce a live boxing bout that will be exclusively available to online viewers.

Ron Chernow Wins Book Prize (AP via ABC News)
The historian received the inaugural $50,000 George Washington Book Prize, the nation's largest literary prize for early American history, for his biography Alexander Hamilton.

EMP's Ann Powers Joins Blender (Seattle P-I)
Music journalist and author Ann Powers, who co-wrote the New York Times bestseller Piece by Piece with singer-songwriter Tori Amos, is leaving the Experience Music Project to become a senior critic for Dennis Publishing's Blender magazine.

War Resisting Correspondent Sues ABC (LAT)
A correspondent says the news network let him go after he refused to go to Afghanistan and Iraq. Officials insist such postings are voluntary.

Mags That Know When to Hold 'Em (WaPo)
Peter Carlson: These days, poker is big business. And naturally this poker craze has spawned a slew of magazines, which are sometimes written in a jargon that is almost incomprehensible to outsiders.

'70s Cable Channel Changed Film Industry, Vanished (Nerve)
Lily Oei: Once upon a time in Los Angeles, in the early days of cable, there was a channel called Z. Launched in the late '70s, well before Netflix and TiVo, it gave Angelenos a chance to catch an eclectic mix of televised programming, be it The 400 Blows or The Empire Strikes Back.

—David S. Hirschman