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Choice of Gibson as ABC Anchor Leaves Sawyer Facing Questions (NY Sun)
Why did Charles Gibson get to leave Good Morning America first? Diane Sawyer now has to battle for ratings against NBC's new Today show team — Meredith Vieira and Matt Lauer — without the familiar and soothing Mr. Gibson. NYO: Gibson prevailed, in large part, by hanging in: "I was the guy still there by the candy machine, and so I got the job." TVNewser: Elizabeth Vargas receives standing ovation in ABC office. NYT: Two-anchor system doesn't survive ABC shuffle. WaPo: The tapping of Gibson caps a period of extraordinary volatility for all of the network newscasts, and reflects an attempt by ABC to reverse a ratings plunge. NYP: ABC moves to reassure advertisers. USAT: Gibson hopes to give World News stability. FBNY: A new generation of nightly network newscasters.

McClatchy Sells Philly Papers to Group of Local Investors (Inky)
McClatchy Co. has agreed to sell Philadelphia's major daily newspapers and web site Philly.com to a group of local investors for $562 million, most of which will be borrowed from banks. "We got it," said a jubilant Brian P. Tierney as he rushed through The Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News lobby. NYT: The sale ends a chapter of uncertainty and turmoil at the papers. E&P: Former Philadelphia Inquirer editor Robert Rosenthal said the sale to a local investors group could prove problematic.

U.S. Urged to Stop Paying Iraqi Reporters (NYT)
A Defense Department investigation of Pentagon-financed propaganda efforts in Iraq warns that paying Iraqi journalists to produce positive stories could damage American credibility and calls for an end to military payments to a group of Iraqi journalists in Baghdad.

Fed Chief Learns That the Microphone Is Never Off (LAT)
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said that he erred by talking to Maria Bartiromo about interest rate policy at a recent Washington dinner, making remarks that caused stock prices to plunge when they were reported a few days later.

Schieffer: 'Don't Be Rattled By Blogs, Don't Be Scared By The Government' (FBNY)
The media's exposure of the government's mistakes is "vital to a democracy," said CBS Evening News anchor Bob Schieffer during a candid speech at the Deadline Club's annual awards dinner last night. Schieffer also addressed the state of evening news: "I think the ratings of all the evening news [networks] will go up," adding that the recent media coverage of desk shifts will "remind people evening news is there."

Despite Non-Compete, AMI Lets Coleman Walk (NYP)
Mark Coleman, who was originally constrained by a three months' non-compete clause in his deal with American Media, is joining Life & Style as the new deputy editor.

NYT's Siegel Left His Mark (NYO)
"There's nobody who has had more tangible, visible effect on the newspaper you see when you pick up the New York Times every day than Al Siegal," said Craig Whitney, formerly the night news editor, who inherited Siegal's title as standards editor. Low in same column: Nobody wants to work at Page Six.

Newseum Gets $52 Million Gift From News Orgs. (WaPo)
An assembly of news organizations banded together yesterday to give $52 million to the Newseum, the museum dedicated to the news business. Charles L. Overby, chairman and CEO of the Freedom Forum and the Newseum, said the gift was one of the largest combined media gifts in history.

The American Idol Winner Is ... Fox (LAT)
The impact of the program doesn't stop with its regular Tuesday and Wednesday airdates. Fox has successfully used Idol to lure viewers to other programs that have been harvested into hits, including 24 and House.

Bigger, Younger and Richer (WWD)
That's the direction most magazine publishers would like to see their audiences trending. But of 35 men's, women's and teen titles measured in Mediamark Research's newly released spring 2006 survey, only Marie Claire managed to hit the trifecta.

Eisner Takes Swipe at Iger From CNBC Hotseat (NYP)
In the latest installment of his talk show on CNBC, former Disney boss Michael Eisner took a subtle jab at his successor, Bob Iger, calling Disney's deal to acquire Pixar "expensive" and a "big bet." He also claimed his relationship with Pixar honcho Steve Jobs was never strained.

Salam Pax' Baghdad Blog to Become Movie (Guardian)
The Baghdad Blog, the daily dispatches penned by the Iraqi architect known as Salam Pax, is to be turned into a film. Salam Pax is the pseudonym of the 20-something from Iraq whose online diary received huge media attention and a loyal, worldwide readership after it appeared on the web in 2003.

Bill O'Reilly Picks a Fight With Univ. of Oregon Prez (Inside Higher Ed)
Although Dave Frohnmayer didn't appear on the show, which he called "entertainment," he didn't hold back in telling various publications his feelings about O'Reilly. Said Frohnmayer: "Being called names by him is like being called ugly by a frog."

Winner of 'Win a Trip With Nick Kristof' Contest Announced (NYT)
Nick Kristof has a new traveling companion — Casey Parks of Jackson, Mississippi. A graduate student at the Missouri School of Journalism, Casey will have the opportunity to accompany Kristof, the New York Times Op-Ed columnist, on a reporting trip to Africa this September.

NYT's Bill and Hillary Article Misleading? (Slate)
Jack Shafer: Even the headline of reporter Patrick Healy's piece appears coded. It alleges a Bill and Hillary "balance," but, specifying no fulcrum upon which the relationship firmly rests, it invites the reader to conjure up a wobbling teeter-totter.

More Delays for English Version of Al-Jaz (Guardian)
The Qatar-based 24-hour news channel was originally set to launch in April, but a series of construction and technical problems originally pushed back the launch to June. But the problems are still not fixed and the launch has now been delayed to early September.