Mediagazer: Sundance Deals: Buzz But No Money Yet (Sharon Waxman/The Wrap)

9:55 PM ET, January 22, 2011

Top News:

Joshua L. Weinstein / The Wrap:

Did Keith Olbermann Bolt MSNBC to Create Media Empire? — It was Keith Olbermann's decision to leave MSNBC, TheWrap has learned. — The outspoken host first told the network last April that he wanted to leave and began negotiating his exit then, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation.

Discussion: Media Decoder, The Wire, Mediaite, The New Yorker Blog, The Huffington Post and Talking Points Memo

Bill Carter / Media Decoder:

Olbermann Leaves ‘Countdown’ on MSNBC — Updated Keith Olbermann, the highest-rated host on MSNBC, announced abruptly on the air Friday night that he is leaving “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” immediately. — The host, who has had a stormy relationship with the management of the network for some time …

Jeff Pearlman / CNN:

Tracking down my online haters — Editor's note: Jeff Pearlman is a columnist for SI.com. He blogs at jeffpearlman.com. — (CNN) — Matthew is a college student from a small suburban town in Missouri. He loves the Kansas City Chiefs and spending Sundays in front of the TV watching football.

Discussion: Neowin.net

Andrew Alexander / Washington Post:

Can The Post regain its legacy of excellence? — My fourth-floor office looks out over the main entrance to The Post. I often glance across 15th Street and see tourists taking photos of the newspaper's iconic nameplate. For so many, The Post has a reputation for journalistic excellence.

Sharon Waxman / The Wrap:

Sundance Deals: Buzz But No Money Yet — The buyers are all here in force this year - Fox Searchlight, Weinstein (yes, Harvey is in the house), Focus, Roadside, Lionsgate - and they're all on the hunt for movies. — But thus far they've not been pulling out their checkbooks.

Jim Romenesko / Poynter:

Charlotte Observer forces city to release e-mail subscriber list — The City of Charlotte has given residents on its e-mail list a heads-up about the Charlotte Observer obtaining the city list through an open records request. The paper's Director of Strategic Products and Audience Development …

Roy Peter Clark / Poynter:

How journalists are using Facebook, Twitter to write mini serial narratives — Since the mid 1990s I've been experimenting with serial narratives, stories of more than one serving, in which parts or episodes often end in cliffhangers, driving the reader or viewer to the next installment.

Justin Ellis / Nieman Journalism Lab:

Boston Hack Day Challenge: An open door to Boston.com — Count The Boston Globe among the growing number of organizations that want hackers to come in from the cold. On the weekend of Feb. 25 they're holding a three-day event called the “Boston Hack Day Challenge” where developers …

Discussion: Scripting News

Media Week:

Matthew Dearden brings a ‘can-do’ culture to Clear Channel — Matthew Dearden, chief executive of Clear Channel UK, tells Media Week how his experience client-side at BT has shaped his strategy and investment plans for the outdoor advertising business — Matthew Dearden, chief executive, Clear Channel UK

Lucia Moses / Adweek:

NewsBeast in Final Talks With Union About Merger — Union reps some 90 Newsweek edit staffers — Newsweek and The Daily Beast are in final talks with the Newspaper Guild about staffing issues related to their merger, Adweek has learned. — The union, which represents …