Mediagazer: On the Media: L.A. City Hall reporters howl after access to City Council is limited (James Rainey/Los Angeles Times)

3:00 PM ET, May 22, 2010

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FTC Closes its Investigation of Google AdMob Deal — After Thorough Review, Agency Finds Transaction Not Likely to Harm Competition — The Federal Trade Commission has closed its investigation of Google's proposed acquisition of mobile advertising network company AdMob after thoroughly reviewing …

Tricia Duryee / paidContent:

FTC Approval Paves Way For Microsoft To Make A Move In Mobile Advertising — There's one thing for sure now: Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) won't have a chance to buy the largest mobile advertising network now that Google (NSDQ: GOOG) has received approval to go-ahead with its $750 million acquisition of AdMob.

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest

Omar / The Life and Times of AdMob:
Working with Google to move mobile advertising forward

Discussion: Silicon Alley Insider

Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:

Exclusive: PaidContent Founder Ali to Depart Pioneering Digital News Site — PaidContent's Rafat Ali, who turned a one-man Web site into a must-read hub for digital media news, is leaving the company he founded eight years ago. — Sources said Ali has told co-workers he will leave the company …

Discussion: Gawker, FishbowlNY, Guardian and LA Observed

Rafat Ali / paidContent:

On To Life 2.0 — In the end, all things do come to an end. The good and bad part is, it is never a definite marker, but all part of a process. And so it has been for me. After pouring exactly eight years of my life and a lifetime into this, I am leaving ContentNext and paidContent in early July.

Discussion: Thompson on Hollywood, Folio and paidContent:UK

Ben Fritz / Company Town:

Weinsteins' deal to reclaim Miramax falls apart [updated] — Bob and Harvey Weinstein's long-in-the-works deal to reclaim independent movie label Miramax Films from the Walt Disney Co. has fallen apart after several weeks of intense negotiations, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Discussion: Hollywood Reporter, The Daily Beast, /Film, Media Decoder, Variety, Thompson on Hollywood, The Wire, DealBook, Gawker, New York Magazine and Movieline

James Rainey / Los Angeles Times:

On the Media: L.A. City Hall reporters howl after access to City Council is limited — Restrictions had been imposed after complaints about noise and distractions. Media contend that access restricted often means access denied. — At L.A. City Hall, one of the challenges for journalists …

John Eggerton / Broadcasting & Cable:

Crystal Retiring From ‘NewsHour’ — President of MacNeil/Lehrer Productions to retire Aug. 31 — Les Crystal, president of MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, will retire effective Aug. 31, but will remain a senior advisor to the company through the end of this year.

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MobileActive.org:

Mobile Done Right? How National Public Radio Embraces the Mobile Web and Apps … Branching out into the mobile space can have big rewards for media organizations that take the time to do it right. However, recognizing the right moments, investing in the right technology, and marketing to the right audience are tough to do.

Henry Blodget / Silicon Alley Insider:

Newsweek Has 6 Employees In “Dining Services” — Rafat Ali at paidContent scored a copy of Allen & Co's preliminary marketing book for Newsweek. The book provided some helpful financial detail. — As expected, Newsweek is losing a boatload of money—$56 million last year. — Why?

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Edmund Lee / AdAge:

Yahoo Aims to Double Original Content in Ambitious Publishing Strategy — Plan Includes Snapping up Journalists, Buying Associated Content — NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Despite Yahoo's well-publicized strategy to corner a broad array of online businesses from advertising to search to content …

Nat Ives / AdAge:

TV Guide Magazine Teams With Its Former Website and Network — Separately Owned TVGuide.com Will Once Again Host the Magazine's Content — NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — TV Guide magazine has struck a deal with the TV Guide Network and TVGuide.com, properties that have operated under …

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Erin McPike / National Journal Online:

Away From Prime Time, CNN Thrives — CNN STICKS TO ITS GUNS ON NEWS WITHOUT OPINION, EXCEPT ON THE HLN CHANNEL. — Smack in the middle of the worst economic decline since the Great Depression, when businesses everywhere are hemorrhaging money and news organizations are suffering through …

Discussion: Romenesko