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Time Inc.'s Holiday Cuts (FishbowlNY)
More than two dozen employees from Time Inc.'s consumer marketing division got the axe yesterday, including three director-level execs: John Reese (Time) and Josh Orenstein (Money), and Hank Fifield (This Old House). NYP: Time Inc. Chairman and CEO Ann Moore once again tossed aside one of the few sacred rules left in corporate America: Do not fire people the week before Christmas.

Viacom Backs Out of Talks to Form YouTube Rival (B&C)
The new Internet video Web site collaboration that has been discussed by media heavy hitters including NBC Universal, News Corp., CBS, and Viacom may be on the rocks after Viacom backed out Tuesday afternoon, according to multiple sources familiar with the talks. Contrary to published reports, Viacom was reportedly interested in such a venture until Tuesday, when it decided to step away.

NYT Dreams Up Little Free Tabloid Project, Aims for Elusive Young (NYO)
Whatever form the new project takes, there are plenty of precedents for a broadsheet spinning off a tabloid. The Times itself launched a free publication, MarketPlace Weekly, in June 2005. It was a drab creation — consisting mostly of classified ads and articles taken from the regular paper's real-estate, jobs and automotive sections — and it got a drab reception. It was killed without fanfare. NYT: Times appoints two deputy editorial page editors.

Regan Lawsuit to Be Ready in 'Matter of Days' (Variety)
In the matter of Judith Regan vs. News Corp., the legal fireworks are about to begin. Regan's attorney, Bert Fields, wouldn't specify the damages she will seek, but the balance of compensation owed under Regan's contract would be a starting point. "She's not going to take this lying down," Fields said. USAT: Regan to keep Sirius radio show. LAT: O.J. Simpson sued by Goldman family over book. GalleyCat: Before Regan was informed of her firing, her e-mail access was cut off at 4:00PM Pacific time on Friday.

Dean Baquet: 'Media Mensch' of the Year (NYO)
Oh, what a year for newspapers! They're dying! They're ghosts! They're di-no-saurs! And that's just from the publishers. This is the first business in the history of capitalism where the owners are trying to terrify themselves out of business. So in a year of panic in the newspaper business, the crisis of the press came to this: The most inspiring media hero this year was the guy who quit.

TV Profanity Will Go Before Appeals Judges (NY Sun)
Fox and CBS's First Amendment challenge to regulations against on-air profanity could either open the way to more cursing on network television or encourage broadcasters to play it safer with tamer programming. A court will hear arguments today in a case brought by the networks against the FCC. The networks are challenging recent government efforts to police on-air indecency more aggressively.

With New Bans on Skinny Models, Photo Editors Retouching to Add Pounds (WWD)
As the body mass index of runway walkers continues to make headlines, skinny models just might present a whole new problem for editors. Everyone has a story of a celebrity cover slimmed by Photoshop, but several editors have been quietly ordering the retouching of gaunt model shots to make them look, well, a little fatter. [Second item]

AJR Editor Promises Legal Support for Writer Named in Santa Barbara Lawsuit (E&P)
Editor Rem Rieder said that, although the American Journalism Review was not named in the libel suit filed this week by Santa Barbara News-Press owner Wendy McCaw, the publication would provide legal support for freelance writer Susan Paterno, whose story prompted the suit. "The story is carefully reported, carefully fact-checked," said Rieder. "Suing the writer like this is just a form of intimidation." E&P: Lawsuit draws criticism.

When The Topic Is Race, Media Turns Uneasy Lens On Itself (Public Eye)
"When Ed Bradley died, I was struck how in many of the national articles written about him, in the first sentence was the fact that he was an African-American man," said CBS News Correspondent Byron Pitts. "When Peter Jennings died, nobody said one of the premiere white journalists, or one of the premiere Canadian journalists. They didn't point out in the first sentence that he didn't finish college."

Studios Brace for Life Without Scribes (Variety)
Even as the winter holidays loom, Hollywood's facing 2007 with an unmistakably grim directive: Start stockpiling. Despite recent pronouncements by WGA West prexy Patric Verrone and executive director David Young that negotiations won't start until the summer, the prospect of a strike has lit a fire under producers and execs.

In Boom Year for Internet, Web Developers' Pay Soars (Independent)
Web developers in the U.K. have enjoyed a surge in salaries over the past year as companies vie for their skills as a result of the boom in Internet activity. They are once again one of the most sought-after IT professionals after the sudden boom in the popularity of sites such as MySpace and YouTube, as well as the increasing popularity of Internet retailing and advertising.

The 20 Best and Worst PR Moves of 2006 (BusinessWeek)
How many ways can a company shoot itself in the foot? How many ways can fate turn against a company or executive, trashing reputations and fortunes along the way? There are seemingly endless possibilities, as this annual review of the worst PR moves of 2006 makes clear.

MySpace Blocks Profile in British Strangler Case (Guardian)
MySpace has admitted that it took down the profile of Tom Stephens, one of two men arrested in connection with the murder of five women in Ipswich, to "preserve" the information for police. Users can delete their own MySpace profiles, but in the case of Mr Stephens the social networking Web site made the decision to block access to his page following his arrest. Guardian: MySpace makes first foray into print content.

Media Ignoring Context in 'Troop Surge' Articles? (CJR Daily)
Paul McLeary: We realize that the president hasn't made his decision yet, but all signs point to some kind of temporary surge in troop strength in Baghdad. If this happens, we're curious to see if the president's past comments about listening to his generals, and what would be the deaf ear he turns to them now, will rise to the level of being newsworthy.

Time's POY Choice 'Unsatisfying' (Marketwatch)
Jon Friedman: Time has been widely ridiculed for seeming vague and wishy-washy. I'd agree that that the amorphous "You" doesn't really stand for anything. The mag still comes out looking like a winner, though; it's getting a mountain of publicity. Editor Rick Stengel shrugged knowingly. He said: "We've provoked comments" and contended that "we're re-animating the Time franchise."