Mediagazer: Demand Media Just Made It Almost Impossible For 75% Of Its Writers To Get Work (Noah Davis/Business Insider)

2:55 PM ET, October 18, 2011

Top News:

David Streitfeld / New York Times:

Amazon Rewrites the Rules of Book Publishing — SEATTLE — Amazon.com has taught readers that they do not need bookstores. Now it is encouraging writers to cast aside their publishers. — Amazon will publish 122 books this fall in an array of genres, in both physical and e-book form.

Discussion: Bits, The Week, SlashGear, Eamonn Fitzgerald's Rainy Day, MediaFile, GigaOM, NYConvergence.com, TeleRead, Adweek, The New York Observer, VentureBeat, Business Insider, FT Tech Hub and GalleyCat

David Streitfeld / New York Times:

In E-Reader Battle, a Superhero Slugfest Among Booksellers — The tablet wars have begun. Superheroes are the prize — or perhaps the victim. — Amazon, seeking to make its coming Kindle Fire tablet as appealing as possible, negotiated a deal with DC Comics for the exclusive digital rights to a hundred popular graphic novels.

Rick Edmonds / Poynter:

New Knight study identifies 3 surprising keys to nonprofit news business success — The Knight Foundation has a new study out this morning examining the business models for seven locally-based nonprofit news sites in their drive to achieve sustainability. — Focusing on high-profile ventures …

Discussion: Knight Foundation, CJR, Center for Sustainable …, Broadcasting & Cable and LA Observed

Peter Kafka / AllThingsD:

Viacom and Google Pick Up the Gloves, Again — They're back! — Viacom and Google, who have been tangling over copyright violations at YouTube since 2007, will be at it again today at a federal courthouse in New York. The two sides will start oral arguments for Viacom's appeal of the case …

Discussion: Plagiarism Today, Company Town, paidContent:UK, WebProNews and Softpedia News, more at Techmeme »

Jeff Roberts / paidContent: Appeals Court Cites ‘Many Hurdles’ In Viacom-YouTube Appeal

Steve Myers / Poynter:

Dallas Morning News VP: In 3 years, we won't print 7 days a week — Mark Medici, vice president of audience for The Dallas Morning News, said Monday during a talk at the Inland Press Association conference in Chicago that the newspaper won't print seven days a week in three years.

Robert Andrews / paidContent:

Charting WSJ Europe's Circulation Over The Last Decade — Our analysis shows how The Wall Street Journal (NSDQ: NWS) Europe, which is being investigated for an alleged circulation “scam”, doubled its subscription sales to offset diminishing single-copy circulation.

Discussion: Future of Journalism and Talking Biz News

Frédéric Filloux / Guardian:
How can we stop publishers inflating circulation?

Discussion: paidContent, Poynter, Future of Journalism and Reflections of a Newsosaur

Lucia Moses / Adweek:

‘Fortune’ Expands Editorial Franchise — Fortune magazine plans to double down on editorial franchises in 2012 as it tries to build on the popularity of its Fortune 500 list to appeal to readers and advertisers. — It's the latest example of how magazines, business titles in particular …

Discussion: Poynter and Talking Biz News

Jim Romenesko / Poynter:

U. of Virginia editor faces charges for telling readers about plagiarist on staff — Cavalier Daily editors at the University of Virginia discovered last month that they had a plagiarist on staff and reported the writer to the school's Honor Committee. They also published a Sept. 12 editorial …

Discussion: The Cavalier Daily

Dan Frommer / SplatF:

Adventures in self-publishing: Rejected from Google News! — Google, the search company that started as two guys at Stanford, openly discriminates against entrepreneurs. At least for its Google News product. — Not only is that silly and short-sighted, but it should go against everything Google stands for.

Brian Moylan / Gawker:

Zachary Quinto Inspires ABC News Anchor to Come Out on Air — Dan Kloeffler, one of the anchors of ABC's World News Now, the zany 3am news program that most people only see when they wake up on the couch to shut off the TV, came out on the air early this morning. And it's all because of Zachary Quinto.

Discussion: Lifestyle, TVNewser, New York Magazine, Softpedia News, The Wrap, The Huffington Post, On Media's Blog and ABCNEWS

Alex Weprin / TVNewser:

Natalie Morales Latest NBCer to Join ‘Rock Center’ Roster — NBC's upcoming primetime newsmagazine “Rock Center with Brian Williams” continues to add high-profile contributors. The latest addition is NBC “Today” news anchor and third hour co-host Natalie Morales.

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable

Rachel McAthy / Journalism.co.uk:

Member of S4C launch team returns as chief executive — Ian Jones, currently managing director of content distribution and commercial development at International for A+E Television Networks in New York will return to S4C as chief executive by April next year

Discussion: Guardian

Noah Davis / Business Insider:

Demand Media Just Made It Almost Impossible For 75% Of Its Writers To Get Work — On Monday night, Demand Media's SVP of editorial Jeremy Reed sent an email to all the writers announcing the creation of the “First Look” program. — The program gives writers with a “structure” …

Discussion: WebProNews and Medacity

Chris O'Shea / FishbowlNY:

NYMag.com Sets Traffic Record in September with Over 10 Million Unique Visitors — September was a historical month for New York, as its website topped 10 million unique visits for the first time. While that's great news, the best part about it might be that about 90% of the users during that time were enjoying web-only content.

Discussion: Business Insider

Alex Kantrowitz / Fortune:

Meet the journalist behind Tumblr's rise — Former Newsweek editor Mark Coatney won't take all the credit. But since he joined Tumblr and began selling the platform to other publishers, it has skyrocketed. — By Alex Kantrowitz, contributor — FORTUNE — Mark Coatney is Tumblr's secret weapon.

Discussion: Future of Journalism

Matt Brian / The Next Web:

iOS magazine publisher sees Apple's Newsstand boost sales by 750% — Apple's successful launch of iOS 5 and selling more than 4 million iPhone 4S handsets in 3 days hasn't just benefited the Cupertino-based company, the sheer number of users utilising new applications and features has seen …

Discussion: GigaOM and Business Insider

Tanya Irwin / MediaPost:

AmEx, ‘Billboard’ Launch Facebook Entertainment Channel — American Express is joining with Billboard to launch an entertainment channel on its Facebook page that will provide cardmembers with exclusive ticket offers and other specials. — Consumers (including non-cardmembers) can “like” …

Jason Del Rey / AdAge:

ESPN.com Overtakes Yahoo Sports for First Time Since 2008 — Attributes Record Unique Visitors to More Content, Improved Products and Grantland — The self-proclaimed Worldwide Leader in Sports hasn't, in fact, been the leader in online traffic in quite some time.

Discussion: mediabistro.com and Business Insider

Michael Arrington / Uncrunched:

WSJ Gets Personal With Gravity — The Wall Street Journal quietly enabled a personalization feature today (or at least this is the first time I've noticed it). Articles are now automatically sorted based on what they think you'll like to read. It's powered by Los Angeles based startup Gravity.

Discussion: Talking Biz News

Devindra Hardawar / VentureBeat:

Music video site Vevo eyes news and features with new editorial director — Vevo, the music video site jointly created by YouTube and music labels, is eyeing a new editorial focus with the hire of veteran journalist Jim Macnie as its editorial director. — Macnie, who previously served …

John Plunkett / Guardian:

Mail and Mirror face contempt action over Milly Dowler coverage — Attorney general says prejudicial reporting of Levi Bellfield's conviction meant further charge could not be considered — The attorney general has launched contempt of court proceedings against the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror …

Colin Perkel / Yahoo! News Canada:

Publishing dying officer's radio transmission OK, press council decides — TORONTO - Reporting the distress call of a dying police officer as he lay pinned under a minivan did not breach journalistic ethics, the Ontario Press Council has decided. — In explaining why it would not hold a public hearing …

Andy Fixmer / Bloomberg Businessweek:

Calstrs Plans to Withhold Votes for Entire News Corp. Board — Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) — The California State Teachers' Retirement System will oppose re-election of News Corp.'s entire board, including Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rupert Murdoch, citing a lack of independent members.

Peter Lauria / Reuters:

Exclusive: Memo to Fox Business staff - don't copy Fox News — (Reuters) - Here's a novel idea: Fox Business Network should focus on covering business news. — At least that's what Kevin Magee, executive vice president of the News Corp-owned cable news network, is urging his staff to do.

Discussion: TVNewser

Justin Hyde / Jalopnik:

The post wherein Hyde says CUL8R to Jalopnik — After 14 months and a couple thousand posts, this is my last week at Jalopnik. Hand over your yearbooks for a minute, and I promise to keep my pen drawings safe for work. — Most ex-Jalops leave like they're stumbling out of a rave hoping …

Discussion: Jalopnik

Matt Dornic / FishbowlDC:

Another WaPo Fire Sale — Just over a year ago the Washington Post slashed their subscription costs from $40 to $10 for 20 weeks of Sunday home delivery through group buying site Groupon. Retention rate unknown, the stunt did manage to increase WaPo's circulation by several thousand in only 24 hours.

Discussion: eBookNewser and GalleyCat

Richard Horgan / FishbowlLA:

Tim Conway Jr. Wants to Send Hikers Back to Iran — For the most part, KFI News personality Tim Conway Jr. (pictured) modulates his anger. But last night, during his show's “News Bender” feature with announcer Aron Bender, he went on a tirade against recently released American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal.

Kim Willsher / Guardian:

French intelligence chief accused of spying on journalist — Bernard Squarcini - a close ally of Nicolas Sarkozy - under investigation for allegedly obtaining reporter's phone records — The head of France's secret services and a close ally of President Nicolas Sarkozy …

Michael Malone / Broadcasting & Cable:

Carpenter Named ABC Station Group Digital Senior VP — WPVI news chief heads west with promotion — Carla Carpenter, vice president and news director at WPVI Philadelphia, has been promoted to senior VP of digital media for the ABC Owned Television Stations Group.

Laura Hazard Owen / paidContent:

GigaOm's Michael Wolf Launches Digital Publisher BSTSLLR — In a move he describes as akin to “having your own minor-league baseball team,” Michael Wolf, GigaOm's VP research, is launching his own digital publishing imprint, BSTSLLR. (In response, several minor-league baseball teams are dropping all vowels from their team names.)