Mediagazer: Q&A: Patrick Keane on Associated Content's approach to publishing … (Meghan Keane/the Econsultancy blog)

3:05 PM ET, March 13, 2010

Top News:

Randeep Ramesh / Guardian:

Google news tax could boost local papers, report says — Commission of inquiry calls for levies to promote new media, warning that too few interests control too many outlets — Google and other websites that carry news they do not produce should be taxed and the money generated used to prop …

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest

James Rainey / Los Angeles Times:

Mayhill Fowler goes from new media star to old news — As a citizen journalist, her report rocked President Barack Obama's presidential campaign. She has an e-book on her experience. — What does it mean to be the most famous citizen journalist in the world? Mayhill Fowler has discovered it can be a rough ride.

Discussion: Romenesko

Natasha Vargas-Cooper / The Awl:

The Night Lady Gaga Blew Up the Internet with ‘Telephone’ — Natasha: Can I ask you something? — Choire: Yes! — Natasha: Do you ‘get it’? — Natasha: Like Gaga overall. — Choire: I *largely* get it. I mean, obviously I groove on the, I guess, excitement level?

Discussion: Speakeasy, Company Town, Welt Branding, The Atlantic Online, FishBowlLA, ScribeMedia.org, /Film and E! Online

Meghan Keane / the Econsultancy blog:

Q&A: Patrick Keane on Associated Content's approach to publishing and the death of engagement — For major publishers, covering real-time and local information is increasingly a struggle. As budgets and bureaus shrink, publications are competing with never ending updates from social media …

New York Times:

Vast F.C.C. Plan Would Bring Net to More in U.S. — The Federal Communications Commission is proposing an ambitious 10-year plan that will reimagine the nation's media and technology priorities by establishing high-speed Internet as the country's dominant communication network.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Silicon Alley Insider and Gizmodo

Nielsen Wire:

February Online Video Usage Up More Than 10% Over Last Year — The number of unique viewers of online video increased 10.5% year-over-year, according to The Nielsen Company, from 127.6 million unique viewers in February 2009 to 141 million in February 2010.

Discussion: Podcasting News, fierceonlinevideo.com …, Online Video News and Beet.TV

Staci D. Kramer / paidContent:

@ SXSWi: Ronen And Cuban Go Live With Pay TV-Internet Debate — Mark Cuban and Avner Ronen met in person for the first time just before their Pay TV vs. Internet debate here at South by Southwest Interactive—about 20 minutes before their session was interrupted by a fire alarm.

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest and The Social

Simon Singh / Guardian:

This is goodbye — Being sued for libel is not only ruinously expensive, writes Simon Singh, it takes over your whole life. Which is why this will be his last column — Almost a year after writing my first column for this site, I would like to welcome you to my final article.

Discussion: Geekosystem

Hollywoodreporter / The Live Feed | THR:

‘Marriage Ref’ falls to third place (video) — NBC's midseason shows continue to slip from their Olympic-fueled debuts. On Thursday, the second week of “The Marriage Ref” (6 million viewers, 2.7 preliminary adults 18-49 rating) declined 21% in the ratings, falling from first to third place in the competitive hour.

Discussion: The Wrap, Variety, Broadcasting & Cable and Movieline

Multichannel News:

To Tell The Truth — The war of words is heating up between DISH Network and DIRECTV. After it's failed attempt to stop DISH Network from running it “Why Would You Ever Pay More?” campaign in the courts, DIRECTV is getting ready to strike back with its own ad campaign called “To Tell The Truth.”

Peter Bart / Variety:

Rupert Murdoch: the king of media paradoxes — Succession comes second to success at News Corp. — Rupert Murdoch turned 79 on March 11, and even as he made the rounds of a few elite Oscar parties and flashed an occasional (very rare) smile, his friends acknowledged that, while he looks his age, he doesn't act it.

Discussion: Romenesko