Mediagazer: Netflix Stock Sinks as Starz Ends Deal Talks (Shira Ovide/Deal Journal)

1:10 AM ET, September 2, 2011

Top News:

Dan Primack / Fortune:

Michael Arrington launching venture fund — America's most powerful tech blogger is taking a major step into the world of venture capital. — Michael Arrington, founder and co-editor of TechCrunch, is raising a venture capital fund to invest in early-stage technology companies, Fortune has learned.

Nicholas Carlson / SAI:

AOL Is Replacing Michael Arrington At TechCrunch - He'll Still Write — Now that Michael Arrington has started a venture capital fund, AOL is conducting an external and internal search to replace him. — Arrington will continue to write for AOL's technology blog, TechCrunch, but he will …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal and Gizmodo, more at Techmeme »

Mat Honan / Gizmodo:

Aol: You've Got Conflicts — In what seems like an obvious conflict of interest, Fortune reports that Mike Arrington, founder of Aol's TechCrunch, is launching a venture capital fund to invest in start-up companies. Aol's TechCrunch specializes in reporting on start ups.

Discussion: L.A. Times Tech Blog, @zee, @fromedome and @kemcke, more at Techmeme »

The Politico:

Washington Post to close all but two local bureaus — The Washington Post is closing all of its local bureaus except two, in the state capitals of Virginia and Maryland, according to a note posted on the Post Guild website. — “As some of you have probably heard already …

Discussion: Poynter and Future of Journalism

Amy Gardner / @amyegardner:

A sad day at The Washington Post, with the news that we're closing all of our local bureaus except Richmond and Annapolis.

Discussion: Poynter, @wapoombudsman, Salon, The Wrap, paidContent, @wapoombudsman, FishbowlDC, Adweek and National Review

Tim Currie / Nieman Journalism Lab:

Chats don't have to be online: A newspaper finds success with its downtown news cafe — Not long ago, the Winnipeg Free Press's social media editor hosted an online chat from her desk at the paper's downtown news cafe. She had done it many times in recent months but something unexpected happened.

Discussion: Fast Company, Winnipeg Free Press and GigaOM

Felix Gillette / Business Week:

Matthew Freud Will See You Now — If the PR whiz can steer himself and his wife, Elisabeth Murdoch, through the News Corp. scandal, he could emerge as a central force in the empire — In the night of July 2, Elisabeth Murdoch and her husband, Matthew Freud, threw a party at their country estate on the outskirts of London.

Discussion: Felix Salmon, more at Techmeme »

Zachary M. Seward / Speakeasy:

When It Rains, It Pours: Yes, August Really Was a Huge News Month — Ah, August: time to kick back, take some vacation, soak in the end of summer and enjoy a brief respite from the otherwise relentless news cycle. But not this August. From Gadhafi to Irene, the month that ended yesterday …

Discussion: Poynter, The Huffington Post and Future Journalism Project

Shira Ovide / Deal Journal:

Netflix Stock Sinks as Starz Ends Deal Talks … Netflix shares are sinking about 9% in after hours trading after a key provider of programming called off talks on a new distribution deal. — Starz Entertainment has it has “ended contract renewal negotiations with Netflix.” Why?

Discussion: AllThingsD, PR Newswire, CNET News, The Business Insider, TechCrunch, Reuters, Variety, msnbc.com, @brianstelter, @brianstelter, @felixsalmon, SplatF, Mashable, Hollywood Reporter, @jtoeman and ReadWriteWeb, more at Techmeme »

David B. Wilkerson / MarketWatch:

Newspaper ad spending down 7% in 2Q — Front Page - News Viewer - Commentary - Markets - Investing - Personal Finance - Community - Games — CHICAGO (MarketWatch) — Newspaper advertising spending fell 7% in the second quarter to $6 billion, the Newspaper Association of America said Thursday.

Discussion: Poynter, rbr.com and FishbowlNY

Angelique Chrisafis / Guardian:

Sarkozy under pressure after Le Monde claims secret service spied on journalist — Phone records of reporter covering Bettencourt affair were intercepted, judge tells paper — Nicolas Sarkozy is under pressure over yet another twist in the Bettencourt affair after Le Monde newspaper …

Amy Gahran / Knight Digital Media Center All-Site Feed:

Why the “scoop” mentality is bad for news — “The scoop” has long been a hallmark of news culture. However, being first on a story usually matters far more to journalists than it does to anyone else. — Scoops can be great, but prizing them blindly skews the priorities of a news organization badly …

Paul Balcerak / Lost Remote:

Q&A with Jenni Hogan, Twitter's top local TV journalist — One of the great privileges I enjoy as an employee of KIRO 7 Eyewitness News in Seattle is the opportunity to work with Jenni Hogan. Jenni (@jennihogan) is our traffic reporter, and she's just as well-known in Seattle for her on-air presence …

Discussion: TVSpy

Ben Elowitz / AllThingsD:

Are You a Media Company or a Technology Company? — Two Truths — Let's start with two truths. — First, publishers need cutting-edge technology to hook an audience through today's digital media channels of the Web, mobile, social, and search. — And, second, the breakthrough technology …

Frank Greve / American Journalism Review:

Taking Readers for a Ride — The world of car reviewing is replete with expensive perks and fantasy vehicles. Consumer advocates need not apply. Wed. August 31, 2011 — Taking Readers for a Ride The world of car reviewing is replete with expensive perks and fantasy vehicles.

Discussion: The Truth About Cars

Lisa O'Carroll / Guardian:

Murdoch daily angers Australian government — The Australian publishes erroneous report about country's PM that could lead to a withdrawal of state ads — The Australian government has reportedly put itself on a war footing with Rupert Murdoch's Australian newspaper division after it published …

Amy Wicks / WWD:

Gaga vs. Horyn — GAGA VS. HORYN: Before Cathy Horyn takes her front-row seat at New York Fashion Week, setting her critical eyes on the collections, Lady Gaga has a few harsh words for the New York Times fashion critic. For some reason, Lady Gaga has decided to issue a takedown of Horyn and her ilk …

Discussion: Gawker, Adweek, Billboard.com The Feed and The New York Observer