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Convicted Newspaper Baron Conrad Black Headed for Prison (AP via Chicago Sun-Times)
Conrad Black, the brash media mogul who vacationed in Bora Bora, rode around London in a Rolls Royce and ended up convicted of swindling shareholders out of millions of dollars, is headed for prison, where inmates are paid 12 cents an hour for such jobs as washing windows and mopping floors. The 63-year-old British baron is expected to be sentenced today to as much as 24 to 30 years.

You Couldn't Write This Stuff: TV Reality Sets In (NYT)
As a result of the now monthlong strike by the Writers Guild of America, almost none of the most popular shows on prime time television will be offering new episodes to viewers after the first of the year, or for the foreseeable future. In their place on the networks' schedules will be repeats or reality programs, some of them returning but many of them new. NYT: Writers' talks collapse amid acrimony. LAT: Fade to black begins in Hollywood. NYP: With much of Hollywood on a strike-induced hiatus, TV stars with time on their hands are taking a second look at celebrity endorsements and other marketing deals to stay busy. NYT: Screenwriters dig in for an extended brawl.

'Book Review' Editor Tanenhaus Takes Over Times 'Week in Review' (Radar)
Noted neocon and "New York Times Book Review" editor Sam Tanenhaus has been given control of the paper's "Week in Review" section From Executive Editor Bill Keller's memo: "I can't wait to see what creative energy he will bring to the continual reinventing of the Week in Review." Mediabistro: 2004 MB interview with Tanenhaus when he first took over as editor of the Book Review.

CBS TV Distribution's Roger King Dies (Hollywood Reporter)
Roger King, the colorful television pioneer who brought Oprah Winfrey to national television, died Saturday at Boca Raton Community Hospital after suffering a stroke at his home the day before. He was 63. Most recently CEO of CBS Television Distribution, King was one of the most accomplished salespeople in television.

Jailed AP Photog in Iraq Gets First Hearing (AP)
An Iraqi investigating magistrate on Sunday convened the first criminal hearing in the case of Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein, who has been held by the U.S. military without charges for nearly 20 months. It was the first time Hussein or his lawyers have seen any of the materials gathered by the U.S. military against him since his arrest in Ramadi on April 12, 2006.

NBC Decides to Run Conservative-Group Ad (AP via WaPo)
NBC reversed course Saturday and decided to air a conservative group's television ad thanking U.S. troops. The ad, by the group Freedom's Watch, asks viewers to remember the troops during the holiday season. NBC had refused to air the ad because it guides viewers to the Freedom's Watch Web site, which NBC said was too political.

International Herald Tribune and Reuters in News Alliance (NYT)
The International Herald Tribune is to announce plans today to transform its financial section online and in print next month by forging an alliance with the news agency Reuters. The daily business section of IHT.com and the print editions — which will be renamed Business with Reuters — will publish news from both organizations.

Is CBS Trying to Rebrand Couric? (AdAge)
With Katie Couric's perky personality and Today background at the ready, her arrival at CBS to anchor the evening newscast was billed as a chance to reinvent the program in a way that would attract more women and younger viewers. That hasn't exactly worked out. Now CBS is promoting the show as if Walter Cronkite still sat behind the desk.

Martha Cuts a Dozen Jobs (WWD)
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. quietly let go a half dozen employees in several departments Friday and staffers fear that more layoffs could come today. People at the company said the cuts had included some art directors in the merchandising department, a photo studio assistant, a high-level IT staffer and a photo stylist who has produced shoots at Stewart's home, possibly among others.

NBC Rings Up Holiday Refunds (Mediaweek)
NBC has quietly begun reimbursing advertisers for fourth-quarter prime-time ratings shortfalls, averaging about $500,000 per advertiser, according to media buyers, marking the first time in years a network has taken such a step to compensate marketers for ratings deficiencies. Buyers said NBC is offering cash back to advertisers looking to get ads on the air before Christmas.

An Interview With Golden Compass Author Philip Pullman (Intelligent Life)
He had written fairy tales, detective stories, melodramas, thrillers and fantasies. But when Philip Pullman embarked on his trilogy, His Dark Materials, he went back to the most fundamental story of all: the one with the snake, the apple and the fig leaf. He recast Adam and Eve as a 12-year-old girl and boy living in parallel universes, who meet, fall in love and spend the night together.

Mystery Writers of America Killing Author's Award Chances? (Page Six)
Charles Ardai, who writes under the pseudonym Richard Aleas, says the MWA axed from consideration his Songs of Innocence, even though Publishers Weekly named it one of the 100 best books of 2007. The reason: He owns the imprint whose name appears on the cover, Hard Case Crime, which specializes in hard-boiled fiction and has featured heavy hitters like Stephen King and Jason Starr.

More Facebook Apps You're Sure to Love Eventually (AdAge)
Simon Dumenco: There's been a firestorm of protest over the launch of Facebook Beacon — a new program that automatically tells Facebook users' friends about what they're up to at partner sites. But Facebook users will have even more opportunities to interact with a whole new crop of Beacon-like programs. Here's an exclusive peek at what other privacy-invading features Facebook users can look forward to in 2008. Mediaweek: Perhaps they are caught up in the holiday spirit, or maybe everybody loves a good mea culpa, but most digital media buyers are in a forgiving mood when it comes to Facebook's recent string of Beacon blunders.

Active Interest Media's Earth Day Surprise (Folio:)
In honor of Earth Day next spring, Active Interest Media will offer subscribers of Yoga Journal the option of receiving the May 2008 issue digitally instead of in print, and will plant a tree for every digital issue it sends. The issue will feature downloadable music and audio interviews, and will be able to be sent from reader to reader.

Muckraking Pays, Just Not in Profit (NYT)
David Carr: There is a chance that historians will examine this period in American history and wonder if journalism left the field. With a lack of real-time annotation, wholesale business swindles and rogue actions by sitting governments will go uncovered. In part, it is the triumph of the spinners, top to bottom.