Mediagazer: ‘LAT is committed to allowing an online discussion,’ but... (Jim Romenesko/Poynter)

5:35 PM ET, June 11, 2011

Top News:

On the Media: Patch.com's growing pains — Though the online media outfit continues to add to its numerous hyper-local websites, it still needs to do a better job with insightful community reporting. — Patch.com can blow you away with numbers. From about 50 outposts a year ago …

Raju Narisetti / Forbes:

Why Free is Very Expensive — The business model of quality journalism is broken. Readers are moving online—and they want their news for free. Revenues from online advertising too haven't really caught up. Cost cutting and trying to make online readers pay, may not be the answer.

Discussion: Future of Journalism

MediaShift:

New Jersey Supremes Take Narrow View Defining Journalists Online — If you're a self-described journalist who posts on Internet message boards, then you're not protected by the reporter's shield law. — So says, at least, the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Discussion: About.com Journalism

Jim Romenesko / Poynter:

‘LAT is committed to allowing an online discussion,’ but... On Thursday afternoon, comments on an article about Israel firing on pro-Palestinian protesters were “restricted” — meaning they're only posted with a moderator's approval. “As with many stories about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict …

Lmoses / Adweek:

Meredith Makes Big Sales Hire in Ad Slump — Mass women's brands publisher Meredith brought in Dick Porter in a new, supercharged sales role, a move that comes at a time when the company has seen ad sales soften as consumer packaged goods advertisers have sliced spending.

Discussion: FishbowlNY

Reed Johnson / Los Angeles Times:

Sebastian Junger reflects on friendship, war and peace — After the death of photojournalist and friend Tim Hetherington in Libya, Junger resolves to cease front-line reporting. But war, he says, remains one of humanity's master narratives. — Author Sebastian Junger

Discussion: Future of Journalism, The Wire, The Atlantic Wire and The New York Observer

Jillian C. York:

Journalistic Verification, Amina Arraf, and Haystack — How did a Syrian blogger, who told beautiful and heartwrenching stories of life as a lesbian in Damascus, manage to trick so many people? How did an American software engineer, whose passion for the Iranian cause led him to build …

Richard MacManus / ReadWriteWeb:

The Atavist: How Multimedia Should Be Done in Digital Magazines — As media consumption devices evolve, so too does the form content takes on those devices. A great example is a new iPad and iPhone app called The Atavist, which is changing the way nonfiction stories are created and sold.

Discussion: Future of Journalism

Dbyers / Adweek:

Gawker Hires New Head of Sales From Condé Nast — Gawker Media has hired Andrew Gorenstein, currently senior executive director of digital sales at Condé Nast, as its new chief advertising officer, according to an internal Gawker email. — Gorenstein has been at Condé …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal

Jim Romenesko / Poynter:

‘A cautionary tale for anyone considering freelancing for The Daily’ — Barbara Correa says she got an assignment from The Daily about the business implications of Oprah's final program and was offered 75 cents a word. She wrote the story, turned it in and got an acknowledgement from an editor.

Discussion: Runnin' Scared

Cassandra Nicholson / BusinessJournalism.org …:

NYT's Bogdanich, JS's Fauber on how to get people to talk to you — Barlett & Steele Award winners John Fauber (left) and Walt Bogdanich spoke at the Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference. — ORLANDO — When Walt Bogdanich first applied for a job as a reporter at The New York Times …

The Atlantic Wire:

Austan Goolsbee: What I Read — How do other people deal with the torrent of information that pours down on us all? What sources can't they live without? To find out, we regularly reach out to well-informed people to learn more about their media diets. Austan Goolsbee is the chief White …