Mediagazer: Twitter isn't the new Cronkite - it needs the new Cronkite(s) (Chad Catacchio/The Next Web)

1:30 PM ET, January 9, 2011

Top News:

Craig Silverman / Regret the Error:

NPR, Reuters, CNN and other major news orgs incorrectly declare death of Rep. Giffords — The shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and others at a public event earlier today resulted in an onslaught of breaking news reporting. Major news organizations raced to gather reporting, and information began to spread quickly.

Discussion: Lost Remote, New York Times, Boing Boing, Yahoo! News, Associated Press, Slate, The Huffington Post, Poynter and Mediaite

Chad Catacchio / The Next Web:

Twitter isn't the new Cronkite - it needs the new Cronkite(s) — Editors Note: Today was a horrible day in Tucson, Arizona, and as far as the shooting itself, the criminal investigation and any political ramifications, we are not here to discuss any of that, and our condolences and thoughts …

Thanks:bradtnw

Keach Hagey / On Media's Blog:

Arizona sheriff slams media ‘vitriol’ — Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik took several shots at the media during his interviews and press conference on the Tucson shooting Saturday. — During the press conference, he criticized “people who making a living” off “inflaming the American public”:

Discussion: Arizona Republic, New York Times and The Atlantic Wire

Keach Hagey / On Media's Blog:

Media chaos over Giffords's status — Confusion reigned throughout the media in the hour following the first news that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords had been shot. — A little before 2 p.m. NPR reported that she and six others had been killed. Cable news outlets also began reporting that she had been killed …

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Arizona Republic, Gawker, New York Times, The Caucus, Facebook, Fimoculous.com, This Just In, msnbc.com, CNN, Politics Daily, Mediaite, The Wire, The Daily Beast, TVNewser, Gov 2.0 and Doc Searls Weblog

Chris Ariens / mediabistro.com:

Cablers Cover Shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Others, at Event in Tucson — Around 1:30pmET, the cable news channels began continuing coverage of a shooting spree at an event sponsored by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) outside a Safeway store in Tucson this morning.

Discussion: New York Times, The New Yorker Blog, The Big Picture, Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, Mediaite, Multichannel, Hot Air, NewsBusters.org blogs and The Wrap

Matthew Belloni / Hollywood Reporter:

EXCLUSIVE: History Channel Pulls ‘The Kennedys’; Says Controversial Miniseries ‘Not a Fit’ … In a surprise move, A&E Television Networks has canceled plans to broadcast The Kennedys, the ambitious and much-anticipated miniseries about the American political family that was set to air this spring on the History Channel.

Discussion: ArtsBeat, PopEater, Speakeasy and Deadline.com

Richard Abowitz / The Daily Beast:

At AVN Weekend with Porn's Top Talent Agent — Adult-film stars have descended upon Las Vegas, hustling for gigs at the industry's biggest convention. Richard Abowitz shadows porn's top talent agent as he wheels and deals. — Mark Spiegler waddles, shifting his girth from one foot to the other, swaying slightly side to side.

Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:

How to Steal Any Movie You Want on the Web: Wall Street Gets a How-To Guide — It's easier than ever to download any movie or TV show you want on the Web, for free. Just ask Rich Greenfield. Or better yet, let the Wall Street analyst show you, via a helpful four-minute video embedded at the bottom of this post.

Jim Romenesko / Poynter:

WP publisher: ‘We achieved our goals for ad revenue for the first time in several years’ — Post publisher Katharine Weymouth tells her staff: “I committed to [Post Co. chairman] Don [Graham] and to the Board that we would return to profitability by 2011. Excluding one-time costs …

James Rainey / Los Angeles Times:

On the Media: It's time for NPR to broaden its mix — Will a self-review and new ethics code lead to more ideological balance on the network's staff? — Juan Williams suggested he'd been thrown under the bus of liberal orthodoxy when NPR fired him a couple of months ago.