Media News

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Palin Finishes Memoir, Going Rogue, Out Nov. 17 (AP)
Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate, has finished her memoir just four months after the book deal was announced, and the release date has been moved up from the spring to Nov. 17, her publisher said.

Daily Beast Seeks to Publish Faster (NYT)
In a joint venture with Perseus Books Group, The Daily Beast is forming a new imprint, Beast Books, that will focus on publishing timely titles by Daily Beast writers -- first as e-books, and then as paperbacks on a much shorter schedule than traditional books.

Gay Talese on Getting Drunk at The New York Times (Big Think)
Author and journalist Gay Talese describes the tobacco-filled and liquor-drenched newsrooms of The New York Times in the sixties -- where men passed out on typewriters, and no one was quite sure just how the paper actually got out. Big Think: Talese on how the tape recorder killed journalism.

Star-Ledger Editor Jim Willse Announces Retirement, Names Successor (Newark Star-Ledger)
Jim Willse will retire next month as editor of The Star-Ledger, and Kevin Whitmer, the paper's managing editor, will succeed him. Willse was The Star-Ledger's editor for the past 15 years, during which time the newspaper won a host of national journalism awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes.

Why Business Loves Charlie Rose (CNN/Money)
As the economic crisis has unfolded, Charlie Rose's iconic oak table and austere black-draped set have been the place to talk about it. This fall the Charlie Rose brand goes global: Bloomberg Television will rebroadcast it in primetime around the world, the better to compete with CNBC and other financial channels.

Their Man Dominick (Vanity Fair)
When Dominick Dunne died in August, he had become what he'd always yearned to be, a bona fide celebrity. The dapper VF contributor and novelist was also something more important: a crusader for justice.

SNL Newcomer Won't Be Fired for Dropping the F-Bomb (US Weekly)
Saturday Night Live newcomer Jenny Slate made quite an impression on viewers of the NBC sketch show's season premiere Saturday. Though show execs were not happy and called a meeting after the show to discuss the slip, Slate will keep her job according to an NBC spokeswoman.

Sean Gallagher to Head L.A. Times' Online Newsroom Operations (LAT)
The Los Angeles Times has named Sean Gallagher to run its online newsroom operations and oversee the Los Angeles Times Media Group's growing portfolio of digital properties. He replaces Meredith Artley after serving as managing editor of latimes.com and will continue to supervise the Web site in his new role.

Debut Series Drawing Unexpected Numbers (THR)
After two years of new shows opening to middling numbers, broadcast is showing renewed signs of life this fall. Many veteran series continue to decline, but audiences are checking out new programs in higher-than-expected numbers.

How To: Plant An Item in Page Six (PRNewser)
For publicists representing the Hollywood starlet of the moment or the popular downtown hang, there is perhaps nothing more important than a prime placement in Page Six, the New York Post's long running gossip column. For junior publicists, or for those who aren't already representing a "bold-faced name," what are some tricks to getting Page Six ink?

Media Brands Bringing Licensing Dollars Home (AdAge)
The beleaguered media business is still marching aggressively on at least one front: store shelves at a big retailer near you. More and more media-branded consumer goods are squaring off against similar products from rival media brands.

Critics Claim Ideological Creep at The Wall Street Journal (NYT/Media Decoder)
Many worried The Wall Street Journal would become a cat toy for Rupert Murdoch after he bought it, but the paper's shift toward a more general interest newspaper has not been accompanied by tendentious politics. Still, there are some worried by a paragraph inserted into Teddy Kennedy's obituary.

Pension Plans the Latest Worry for Publishers (E&P)
There's no carefree retirement ahead for newspaper companies. Instead, the next few years could bring big pension plan bills that will further strain the finances of publishers already struggling under high debt that must be paid from slumping revenue.

Assessing Safire (Slate)
Jack Shafer: William Safire refused to observe the usual journalistic standards because he never really thought of himself as a journalist. A human hybrid of flack, hack, speechwriter, book author, novelist, and politician, he answered to nobody but himself, and for all his alleged skill as a reporter, he never asked himself any tough questions. Galleycat: Celebrating William Safire's precision.

Non-Profit News Ventures Go Big Time (Reflections of a Newsosaur)
Alan Mutter: The fight to save public affairs reporting likely is moving to a whole new level that will be characterized by more financial firepower, more professionalism, and more civic muscle than ever before.