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Robert Novak Breaks His Silence About Plame Case: Rove Was a Source (NYT)
In his syndicated column, Robert D. Novak, confirms that two of his sources were Karl Rove, the senior White House adviser, and Bill Harlow, then-spokesman for the CIA. Mr. Novak does not disclose his primary source. WaPo: "I'm still constrained as a reporter," Novak said in an interview. "It was not on the record, and he has never revealed himself as being the source, and until he does I don't feel I should."

Least. Watched. TV. Week. Ever. (AP)
It was the least-watched week in recorded history for the four biggest broadcast networks. CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox averaged 20.8 million viewers during the average prime-time minute last week, according to Nielsen Media Research. That sunk below the previous record, set in 2005.

MySpace Is Top U.S. Web Site (Reuters)
News Corp.'s MySpace accounted for 4.46 percent of all U.S. Internet visits for the week ending July 8, pushing it past Yahoo Mail for the first time and outpacing the home pages for Yahoo, Google and Microsoft's MSN Hotmail, according to Internet tracking firm Hitwise.

Wired Regains Web Sites (Reuters via NYT)
Lycos Inc. has agreed to sell its Wired News online properties for $25 million to Condé Nast Publications, owner of Wired magazine.

Nielsen to Post Data for Ad Viewing (LAT)
In a move that is sure to transform not only the way ad time is bought and sold but potentially the content of the ads themselves, the audience research company said that it would begin distributing data on average viewership for the commercials in any given program.

New Vibe Owners Axe 21 (NYP)
The spate of new layoffs added award-winning design director Florian Bachleda and managing editor Lori Yacavone to last week's purge which included editor-in-chief Mimi Valdez, executive editor Shani Saxon-Parrish, deputy editor Jamie Katz and music editor Eric Parker. AdAge: Staffers were already incensed and confused about the way the takeover has been handled since it was announced last week.

WSJers Rage Over Gigot Editorial (NYO)
The Wall Street Journal news staff can live with occasional opposition from the paper's editorial page. What it can't live with is the editorial page's support. "People feel like we're walking around with knives in our backs," one news staffer said, in the wake of the page's recent betrayal of its reporters.

Magazines at the Break: So Not Jane (FishbowlNY)
Martha Stewart's post-penitentiary ass-kicking continues, as Living is up 75% in ad pages (586 vs. 336 last year) and 92% in revenue to $74 million — roughly $35 million more than it pulled in during the first half of 2005. Other magazines did not fare so well: TV Guide's new format resulted in $100 million less in advertising revenue and 550 less ad pages.

Katie Couric Countdown Heats Up (NYP)
CBS is shifting the publicity machine into high gear to herald her arrival later this summer as the fresh yet familiar face of the CBS Evening News. The goal is to not only reach the nightly news audience but also the millions of fans who watched her for 15 years on Today — women in particular.

How Nick Denton Reaps So Much Publicity (Slate)
Jack Shafer: At every juncture, the local media, which couldn't be bothered to write about sex scandals, the secret shames of the rich, binge drinking in the halls of power, or other forbidden knowledge, has pissed itself wet writing about the Gawker sites.

A War Room for the Times? (NYO)
Niall Stanage: The similarities between the newspaper of record and the Democratic party have nothing to do with treason, irresponsibility or blaming America first. The main thing the institutions share is a potentially fatal timidity.

Band Sues CBS Over 'Supernova' Name (AP)
What happens when two Supernovas collide? Lawsuit. A Southern California rock band called Supernova has filed a complaint against Mark Burnett's CBS reality show Rock Star: Supernova, saying it had the name first.

Dan Rather Comes to HDNet With Plenty of Carry-On Baggage (WaPo)
"Yes, I have baggage — I have the baggage of being a graduate of the journalism school of South Vietnam," Rather said to Lisa de Moraes. He also acknowledged he was "biased — I have a very strong bias toward independent journalism."

When a 14-Year-Old Girl Is a 'Woman' (E&P)
Ever since the case of the raping and killing of an Iraqi, the age of the victim had been in dispute. Two days ago, Reuters and others news agencies produced proof that she was 14. Most news organizations then started calling her a girl — but some persist in referring to her as a "woman."

Ellen Levine's Near-Quarter-Century as EIC (MIN)
Time will tell the impact that Levine will have on her new position as Hearst Magazines editorial director that starts Monday, but it will be hard for her or anyone to match her achievements of the past 24 years.