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Conrad Black In Court (BBC)
The former Hollinger exec has appeared in a U.S. courtroom to answer charges of fraud totaling $84 million. Black was heard muttering about "character assassination" on his arrival at the Chicago courthouse. NYPost: Black's courtroom manner was "sullen" and "glowering." Guardian: Black was "steely but subdued." Chicago Reader: The 8th count is the juiciest.

Trib Kills Off City News (Chicago Trib)
The Chicago Tribune has laid its legendary City News Bureau to rest, shedding 28 editorial jobs in the process. "For many of us, City News was more than just a place to work," pines the Trib's Ellen Warren. "It was, indeed, family—dysfunctional, maddening, scary."

CBS Woos Couric (LAT)
The 48-year-old morning host may even be in line for the CBS Evening News anchor job.

Senate Summons Pentagon on Iraq Payola Debacle (NYT)
Top Pentagon officials have been asked to explain a reported secret military campaign to plant paid propaganda in the Iraqi news media. (AP via Guardian): White House "very concerned" about allegations.

See Jane Skewered (NYP)
The main character of a forthcoming novel about a magazine called "Jill" bears an uncanny resemblance to former Jane founder and editor Jane Pratt, sparking speculation that it may be an "unofficial" version of the split between Fairchild and Pratt.

Clooney-O'Reilly Grudge Match Continues (NYP)
Actor George Clooney on Fox News' Bill O'Reilly: "I'll debate him right here, right now." O'Reilly says it's all a PR stunt. The issue? A dust-up over 9/11 charity money.

MoDo: Judith Who? (Texas Monthly)
NY Times columnist Maureen Dowd tells Texas Monthly that her newspaper has very much moved on.

Newsday Peels Off 72 (Newsday)
The cost-cutting measure doesn't affect "news-gathering personnel," according to a company memo.

API Tries to Revive Newspaper Industry (AdAge)
AdAge: Facing down newspapers' tough outlook, the American Press Institute has come up with a plan to revive the industry. More precisely, it has come up with a plan to develop a plan.

Madden Partner: The Race Is On... And On and On (NYT)
The talent search to find a play-by-play partner for John Madden starting next season on NBC's Sunday night football broadcasts is in its sixth month.

WSJ TV Show Finds Its Home (LAT)
The Journal Editorial Report has jumped shipped from PBS to Fox News, after too many public television affiliates proved reluctant to carry the conservative chat show.

Le CNN Set for 2006 Launch (Financial Times)
French President Jacques Chirac has given his approval to the launch of a multi-language 24-hour news channel. CNN boss says he sees no threat.

Craig Against the World (Fortune)
In the beginning, Craigslist was a casual email sent to friends. Could it end by turning newspaper classifieds to ashes?

Backfence Slow Out of the Gate (PressThink)
Liz George on Backfence.com: "Maybe it's the self-consciously small-town vibe, the folksy, golly-gee tone of the site." Whatever it is, 600 registered users isn't exactly a revolution in citizen journalism.

Lowe and Behold: The Ad Man Returns (AdAge)
Lowe Worldwide founder Frank Lowe emerged from retirement yesterday with the surprise announcement that he is setting up a new advertising agency with Paul Weinberger, who resigned as chairman of Lowe London.

US Papers Freeze Out Warming Story (Huffington Post)
Major new scientific revelations about global warming, which made headlines across Europe, went all but ignored by the American press this week.

Icahn-TW Faceoff Heats Up (Reuters)
Analysts now say Time Warner may be vulnerable to renegade investor Carl Icahn. DowJones: TW CEO Dick Parsons calls Icahn "the poster boy for what's wrong with corporate America".

Warner Music Cuts Its Losses (LAT)
A boost in sales of digital downloads helps the company narrow its Q4 shortfall to $30 million.

Sony Shakeup (LAT)
Sony Music is expected to announce shortly a shakeup at two of its largest labels that will include the departure of the head of its Columbia Records unit.

Dead U-Turn on Downloads (LAT)
Following vigorous fan protests, surviving members of the Grateful Dead have dropped a ban on free downloads of their music.