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CBS Predicts Upfronts Win (NYT)
CBS said yesterday that it expected to become the leader in the sale of commercial time for the fall season, surpassing NBC, when final tallies are completed, perhaps as soon as early next week. LAT: NBC is forced to lower its prices for commercial spots after falling to fourth place in a key demographic group. Hollywood Reporter: The roughly $2.6 billion will bring CBS' upfront take ahead of its Big Four competitiors, including ABC's reported $2.1 billion in primetime.

Why Now, 'Deep Throat?' (Slate)
Jack Shafer: The unmasking bolsters the idea that coverage of Washington scandals depends as much—or more—on the motives of those involved in the story as those of the press. NYT: Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein are together again, joined in a visibly affectionate, sometimes awkward embrace. WaPo: A storm of publicity and the media glare have descended on Mark Felt's family since the news broke, and this is apparently just what they'd wanted. The Nation: In the context of Washington intrigue, W. Mark Felt was heroic in the scale of his clandestine truth-telling, but he was not unique, writes William Greider. E&P: No WaPo plans for more of Woodward on "Deep Throat," says Downie.

CBS News Experimenting (LAT)
The CBS Evening News is undergoing "a process of evolution," CBS News president Andrew Heyward said as station managers asked the network to lay out a set blueprint for the newscast. NYT: Following the cancellation of the Wednesday edition of 60 Minutes, CBS News has been struggling to disperse the employees, and their egos, to other programs.

Beeb Big Agrees to Meet With Unions (Guardian)
The BBC director general, Mark Thompson, yesterday agreed to further talks next week with unions threatening to strike over his plans to cut 4,000 jobs.

BET Founder to Step Down (Mediaweek)
Black Entertainment Television announced that Debra Lee will succeed founder Robert Johnson as CEO, and will also assume the role of chairman following Johnson's formal retirement in January 2006.

State-Run Russian Company Seeks to Buy Newspaper (Bloomberg via IHT)
Gazprom said it was in talks to buy Izvestia, the national daily newspaper, raising concern among analysts that President Vladimir Putin planned to further curtail press freedoms.

Cameron Diaz Sues Enquirer (Miami Herald)
The actress is suing celebrity tabloid for more than $10 million, alleging an article libeled her, claiming she cheated on boyfriend Justin Timberlake by kissing another man.

CNN Donates $1 Million to Minority Journos (AAJA)
The network is giving a birthday present to members of the Asian American Journalists Association, the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. CSM: I remember CNN's early days as days of improvisation, writes Daniel Schorr. Variety: The CNN News Group has named Laurie Goldberg senior VP and head of public relations.

Black Board Erasure (Chicago Sun-Times)
The move by Conrad Black and wife Barbara Amiel Black severs another tie to the media company they once ruled in imperial style, giving up their last remaining voice in the management.

Reality TV in Aisle 5 (NYT)
Wal-Mart is becoming a major sponsor of a reality television show, signing on with ABC for this summer's The Scholar. Wal-Mart will be woven into the plots of episodes of the show. WaPo: As diligently as designer Tommy Hilfiger tries to play the self-assured, charismatic mogul in the premiere of his reality show, The Cut, he is no Donald Trump, writes Robin Givhan. Guardian: The debut of Dancing With the Stars proved a hit, with the dance floor moves of boxing champion Evander Holyfield and supermodel Rachel Hunter propelling the show to the top of the Wednesday prime time ratings.

Samir Kassir, R.I.P. (Reason)
Michael Young: Samir had enemies throughout the Syrian security and intelligence apparatus, largely because he was so effectively insolent in denouncing their hold on Lebanese political life.

Maer Mag Under Radar (Chicago Sun-Times)
Lewis Lazare: Aside from a small circle of Maer Roshan junkies, we suspect few magazine readers were at their newsstands and bookstores eagerly awaiting Radar's reappearance.

Newspapers 'Podcasting' (NPR)
Desperate to reach a more mobile audience, some newspapers are turning to podcasting. A growing number now offer Internet radio programs, sending stories to iPods and other players.

Class Conflict? (Boston Phoenix)
Chris Lehmann: Getting the New York Times to explain social class in America is like giving your parents exclusive license to explain sex to you: too many deep conflicts prevent a reliable account.

Billy Crystal Kicks Off Book Expo (NYP)
Book Expo America, the industry's premier trade show and the largest gathering of authors in the world, is back in New York for the first time in three years.

Taricani Back on the Beat (Providence Phoenix)
Ian Donnis: Rhode Island investigative TV reporter Jim Taricani talks about the fallout of the source confidentiality agreement that landed him in home confinement for four months

They Say the Neon Lights Are Bright... (CSM)
Kim Campbell: Those who cover Broadway learn to live with confetti. I was picking tissue-paper dots and out of my belongings weeks after seeing two of this year's Tony-nominated musicals.

Online Chron 49ers Video Gets 200,000 Hits (E&P)
Portions of a San Francisco 49ers training video that has sparked criticism from gay-rights groups and city officials for its racism and nudity were posted online and flooded the paper's website yesterday.

CNBC's Cramer Offers Investing Savvy (Marketwatch)
Jon Friedman: Many investors harbor a grudge against the media for looking like cheerleaders during the technology-stock run-up in the 1990s. Jim Cramer insists his act is genuine.

Tacked Up on the Fridge (Newspapers & Technology)
Rob Carrigan: Professor Charles Rankin used to call weddings, births, deaths, announcements, calendar of events, business openings, other soft news, "refrigerator journalism."

Is Web Journalism Newsprint Lite? (Journalism U.K.)
Jemima Kiss: Two thirds of greatreporter.com's readers say that print journalism is still more prestigious than online.

—David S. Hirschman