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Novak Claims He Didn't Out Plame (E&P)
On Meet the Press, Robert Novak continued to claim that he did not really "out" covert CIA agent Valerie Plame. And he defended not only talking about sources with the prosecutor, but also refusing until now to confirm he had testified.

Couric Ready to Get Started (USAT)
Viewers told new CBS anchor Katie Couric they want more perspective and "a better understanding of the ramifications of the news," she says of her listening tour. "I got the distinct sense they want us to go a little bit deeper" with historical background and "how is this relevant to their lives." WaPo: "I think we sometimes get a little bit sucked into this world where we think everybody's living and breathing what we're doing," Couric said of the frenzy of press coverage about her move from NBC to CBS. "Americans are dealing with things that affect them much more directly." NYT: When Couric takes over, CBS is planning more widespread changes, including fanning the newscast out across different media to capture a wider audience.

NYT Treasury Leak Was No Surprise (USN&WR)
The Treasury Department expected the SWIFT story to leak. When the program was developed in 2003, a press plan was included. The goal: Get out front with the spin that there are safeguards to prevent snooping on private accounts, that it is legal, and that there are big benefits to it.

MSNBC Struggles To Find Identity (AP via San Jose Mercury News)
"The challenge hasn't changed in 10 years — to clarify why MSNBC is an alternative to CNN," said Erik Sorenson, MSNBC's general manager from 1998 to 2004. "Fox has succeeded in doing that; they have a clear identity and purpose ... MSNBC has continued to struggle to identify itself." TVNewser: Reflections on MSNBC at 10 from the network's former top editor Merrill Brown.

Cable's Siren Call Proves Irresistable for Veteran Newsmen (CSM)
By signing with HDNet, Dan Rather is part of an elite club of former network news anchors who have taken up new posts in the smaller world of cable news. Former ABC Nightline anchor Ted Koppel and former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw have moved to the Discovery Channel.

Young YouTube CEO Stirs Up Sun Valley Confab (NYP)
CEO Chad Hurley of YouTube, whose Web site whose videos are gaining as much buzz as some network shows, was the break-out star of the recently completed media mogulfest in the Idaho hills. NYP: Old media malaise sours mogulfest.

Fitness Finally Names Brodey Editor (FishbowlNY)
A deputy editor at Glamour, Denise Brodey was hired away from rival Shape in May by Meredith, but was placed at More for three months until a non-compete clause in her contract cleared. Mediaweek: She will report to editorial director Michael Lafavore.

The Shelf-Life of News (NYT)
A new research paper seeks to answer a riddle for publishers, editors and even readers: when does new news become old news? In the case of a news article on the Internet, the answer is surprisingly long: 36 hours.

MySpace Hacked (TMZ)
Green Tea Monkeys, an indie ska/punk/reggae band from Germany, hoped to tap into MySpace's potential to achieve the success of other once no-name bands. But they never thought they would have to apologize to their entire fan base for racist bulletins posted under the band's name.

Devil's Curse: Placed Products Slump (Reuters)
While the hit movie about a fashion editor from hell showcases dozens of high-end and mainstream brands, the share prices of brands that got placement in The Devil Wears Prada have almost all slumped more than the wider stock market in recent weeks.

Bravo Dishes The Dirt on NY Daily News (WaPo)
Howard Kurtz: Tabloid journalism is an art unto itself, a rock-'em, sock-'em, go-for-the-jugular enterprise that conjures up the get-me-rewrite days of newspapering. Tabloid Wars, a six-part Bravo series on the Daily News, captures much of the flavor.

At Santa Barbara Paper, Tension Is All Local (NYT)
Wendy P. McCaw, the reclusive multimillionaire owner of The Santa Barbara News-Press, is at war with her own staff. What started as a conflict over journalistic ethics has in the past week escalated into a full-blown rebellion.

Guardian Names 100 Most Powerful in U.K. Media (Guardian)
Top of this year's Media Guardian 100 is BBC director general Mark Thompson. Rupert Murdoch is in third place for the second year running. Candidates are judged on three criteria — their cultural, economic and political influence in the U.K.

Publishers Want Higher Billing in Book-Film Deals (LAT)
Publishing houses have launched ventures intended to get a bigger piece of the Hollywood action. "There is such a thing as film envy in many parts of the publishing community," said Sara Nelson, editor of Publishers Weekly. Publishers almost never control the film rights to their books.

Grove on Soho House Brawl (Lowdown)
Lloyd Grove: It sure wasn't Norman Mailer bouncing his Scotch glass off Gore Vidal's head. But writers Ian Spiegelman and Doug Dechert brawling at Soho House — pushing, shoving and flinging insults — was more than enough to make Toby Young's book party a rousing success. FishbowlNY: In an exclusive video, Spiegelman gives his version of the scuffle.