Click here to receive mb's Newsfeed by email.

CNN's Klein: Holloway Story 'Easy and Brainless' (NYT)
Bob Costas's refusal to host a show based on its topic raises questions over the relative importance of a stream of recent television news stories. NYO: Roger Ailes moves into Lachlan's old office.

Poll: Media Fell Short on Iraq (Chicago Tribune)
A majority of Americans thinks that both the news media could have done more to inform the public about Iraq and the stakes involved in going to war there, according to a new Gallup poll.

Atlantic Seeks Cinder-Editor (NYO)
David Bradley, the multimillionaire owner of the storied monthly magazine, is in the midst of a coast-to-coast "listening tour": part recruiting drive, part educational field trip.

Novak Selling Tickets on Double Super-Secret Background (VV)
Syd Schanberg: Robert Novak is now on the Internet blithely hawking "off-the-record" sessions with Washington's power elite. He's only asking $595 a person.

Wal-Mart in Vogue (LAT)
The mag is mixing mass with class in its glossy pages, running ads for huge discount retailer Wal-Mart alongside upscale designers such as Gucci, Oscar de la Renta and Roberto Cavalli.

Is the Age of the 'Star Editor' Over? (NY Sun)
Myrna Blyth: Today's newly successful magazines rely far more on a format or formula than the creative vision or buzz factor of a highly publicized, highly paid editor-in-chief.

Is Your Town DISH Worthy? (CNN/Money)
Satellite television company EchoStar is willing to give away its service to all residents of a lucky town for 10 years. But the town must legally (and permanently) rename itself DISH.

Bad Circ Virus Spreads (WWD)
House Beautiful missed its rate base of 850,000 for the 12-month period that ended June 30, 2004. The mag had previously reported delivering a bonus of more than 8,000 copies for the period.

Worse Than the Plame Game? (WaPo)
David Ignatius: A potentially far more dangerous threat to the press has emerged in an indictment that lists contacts between reporters and sources as "overt acts" in an alleged conspiracy to commit espionage.

CBS Affiliate: Evidence Against WMD MIA (Huffington Post)
A television ad in which Cindy Sheehan asks President Bush questions has been rejected by a Boise network affiliate. The station said there is no proof that Bush lied about WMD in Iraq.

NY Gov. Wants Probe of Post (AP via E&P)
Gov. George Pataki has called for a federal investigation after transcripts of taped telephone conversations, some involving him and his wife, appeared in the New York Post. NYP: Pataki's advisers believe it was illegal for the paper to print the transcripts.

Hachette Titles To Go Digital By Early '06 (MIN)
Although their partner Zinio has been digitizing magazines and newspapers since 2000, Hachette Filipacchi's Jack Kliger believes the Internet-savvy marketplace is now ready for it full-throttle.

Mag Mischief Gets Curtain Call (NYT)
Who's the Daddy?, a play set entirely in the office of the editor of Britain's Spectator magazine, has been an unexpected hit in London.

Apprentice Cast Apprehensive About Cruise (Lowdown)
On the "Apprentice Legend Cruise," 2000 rabid fans are paying up to $5,000 for an eight-day trip alongside former contestants on the Trump reality show.

Book Re-Covered (NYT)
On second thought, the image of a Conan the Barbarian-type warrior didn't seem right for Rick Moody's new novel.

When Will Celeb Weeklies' Bubble Burst? (Business 2.0)
Greg Lindsay: By the time Bauer, Wenner, and American Media are finished churning out brand extensions, the editors won't be the only ones who feel eternally exhausted.

Times Now Source-Shy? (NYO)
Caroline Miller: The paper has acquired an odd, awkward new affectation. When an anonymous source is cited, the story often adds the reason why the source requested his or her identity not be disclosed.

HST Cannon Blast as TV Fodder (Marketwatch)
Jon Friedman: Why did journalists think this was newsworthy? It only goes so far to rationalize that these nostalgia freaks desperately wanted to resurrect the spirit of the 60's.

Gotti Cancer Tale Made-for-TV (Page Six)
Victoria Gotti never had breast cancer, as the Daily News claimed on its front page Sunday—nor did she ever suffer a heart attack or earn a law degree.

—David S. Hirschman

IN YESTERDAY'S MB BLOGS:

Surprise: Hemmer To Anchor FNC At Noon [TVNewser]
Well this is anti-climactic: Bill Hemmer will debut as a Fox News Live anchor on Monday, August 29, the network announced today.

FNC's Wallace Disses Jon Stewart [FishbowlDC]
Fox News' Chris Wallace proved an adept interviewer on Jon Stewart's Daily Show last night, grilling the host about the show's former correspondent and current 40-Year-Old Virgin Steve Carrell.

Michiko Kakutani grabs for the brass ring [FishbowlNY]
Even Norman Mailer would have to appreciate today's offering from Michiko Kakutani, where she channels Holden Caulfield in order to write about Ben Kunkel's new book "Indecison."

It's not Miller Time for Scheer [FishbowlLA]
Robert Scheer's Opinion column in today's LAT is sure to raise a ruckus in the usual quarters where ruckuses (ruckusi?) are raised. Therein, he excoriates Judith Miller for trusting her administration sources too much (not the first time we've heard this, I realize), and suggests that she could learn something-- not from other journalists but from brave truth-seekers like movie star Tim Robbins.

Get Your Housing On, And Fast [UnBeige]
Party-giving stalwarts the AIA are taking it real and socially conscious with their housing awards.

On the Email Interview [mbToolbox]
There are plenty of things to be said against the email interview: it lacks tone, it's not spur of the moment enough, it's just plain lazy. Yeah, but no transcribing! No dealing with actual real people! I say it's a treat.