Mediagazer: AOL Reversed Its Traffic Slide in August (Jeff Bercovici/Mixed Media)

7:25 AM ET, September 18, 2011

Top News:

Paul Carr / TechCrunch:

I'm Leaving TechCrunch. Here's Why. — So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark —that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back. - Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

TechCrunch:

Paul, I Accept Your Resignation — Paul Carr, one of our columnists who was hired for his grandstanding ways, has decided to fall on his own sword and quit very publicly on TechCrunch. I believe this is the second or third time he's quit in public in the past couple weeks. I keep losing count.

Discussion: Real Dan Lyons Web Site and ShortFormBlog, more at Techmeme »

Danny Sullivan / Daggle:

Why TechCrunch Won't Just Go Poof, Though Eventually, It Might Decline — TechCrunch has lost its first writer, Paul Carr announcing his departure following Mike Arrington heading off. Let the echo chamber echo! The death of TechCrunch! No. Harmful to TechCrunch? Maybe. Publications don't just go poof.

Jeff Bercovici / Mixed Media:

AOL Reversed Its Traffic Slide in August — Since I pointed out last month that the combined audience of AOL and the Huffington Post has been shrinking fast since the two merged in March, it's only fair to note that in August the trend broke the other way, though modestly.

Mimi Turner / Hollywood Reporter:

Hulu Has ‘Failed’ in Europe, RTL Boss Says … LONDON - Gerhard Zeiler, the chief executive of Europe's biggest free TV group RTL, said European broadcasters won't do deals with Hulu because of its content terms. — Zeiler, who oversees more than 20 European free to air networks channels including RTL …

Discussion: MediaPost

Yinka Adegoke / Reuters:

Hulu sale at risk even as new bids are due — (Reuters) - The auction of online video site Hulu has been slowed by recent developments which could derail it completely, according to sources familiar with the process. — Among the issues are conflicts over complicated digital rights …

Discussion: VentureBeat

Jim Romenesko / Poynter:

Rebecca Blumenstein named WSJ Page One Editor — Rebecca Blumenstein has been a Deputy Managing Editor at the Wall Street Journal since December 2009, and previously served as Managing Editor of WSJ.com and as China Bureau Chief. Matt Murray takes her post as International/Investing Editor and Deputy Managing Editor.

Discussion: The New York Observer

Bobbie Johnson / GigaOM:

Why the Guardian needs its American dream to come true — It's no secret that a lot of U.K. news websites want to cash in on their popularity with American audiences. In fact, the plans by several newspapers to take a shot at expanding their online presence in the States …

Discussion: Guardian, Thanks:bobbiejohnson

Cotton Delo / AdAge:

Just How Bad Is ‘Jersey Shore’ for New Jersey's Brand? — State Is No Stranger to Bad PR, but Are Snooki & Co. Making It Worse? — When MTV's “Jersey Shore” won a $420,000 tax break from New Jersey's Economic Development Authority this week, local politicians predictably expressed their outrage — with one notable exception.

Discussion: Nation Now, Thanks:cottondelo

Robert Andrews / paidContent:

@ pcAds: Hearst Wants Tablet Magazines To Adopt Movie, TV Pricing — New device opportunities should allow Hearst to drive its digital revenue model away from advertising reliance, and toward 50/50 equivalence with readers' payments, the publisher's president, David Carey, told the paidContent Advertising conference.

Discussion: newsplexer and eMedia Vitals

Jon Friedman / MarketWatch:

NYT's Jill Abramson is flunking Twitter — Commentary: The new editor is sly, confident and self-effacing — NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Jill Abramson, the new executive editor of the New York Times, has a confession to make. Apparently, she is flunking Twitter 101.

Discussion: Future of Journalism

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:
The 'Times" new editor spends an evening among the oxpeckers

Discussion: MarketWatch

Andy Fixmer / Business Week:

New TV Season, and Fewer Viewers — Pay-TV subscriber losses, and younger viewers watching online, spell trouble — As a college student, Jordan Geddis took cable TV for granted. MTV, Comedy Central, and ESPN were just part of the dorm tab at Syracuse University.

Discussion: Company Town

New York Post:

A pink slip for Condé's longtime Brides editor — Conde Nast CEO Charles Townsend and President Bob Sauerberg called a rare joint meeting yesterday morning of editors, publishers and other top executives. Usually the only time they gather under one roof is for the Christmas party.

Discussion: FishbowlNY