Mediagazer: Backpage.com Confronts New Fight Over Online Sex Ads (David Carr/New York Times)

12:25 PM ET, October 31, 2011

Top News:

Lucia Moses / Adweek:

A Year of Tina Brown and Newsweek Still Needs a Savior — When the merger between Newsweek and The Daily Beast was announced almost a year ago, it seemed like it might, at least, have the makings of a good story: charming nonagenarian audio tycoon teams up with a media mogul and celebrity editor …

Discussion: The Wrap and Poynter

Tim Molloy / The Wrap:

NBC-Owned Stations Enhancing News Coverage, Hiring 130 People — NBCUniversal plans to enhance local news at its 10 owned television stations, hiring more than 130 people to cover more local news. — The company is making a “major investment” to ensure that its stations have …

Discussion: Lost Remote

Lucas Shaw / The Wrap:

Hearst Hires Former Conde Nast COO, Promotes Digital Exec — David Carey, President of Hearst Magazines, announced two executive hires on Monday in the company's U.S. magazine division, bringing on Debi Chirichella as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Grant Whitmore as Vice President, Digital Media.

Lauren Indvik / Mashable!:

Conde Nast Traveler's iPad App Has a Size Problem — The inaugural iPad edition of Conde Nast Traveler has arrived at Apple's Newsstand — and it's hefty. — The issue is 784 megabytes — substantially bigger than even Wired's first issue, which attracted a fair number of comments …

Thanks:laureni

Katherine Rushton / Telegraph:

James Murdoch gets pay rise despite News Corp row — Fury over James Murdoch's chairmanship of BSkyB did not stop him accepting a £1,300 pay rise as the broadcaster took a £16m hit for its aborted takeover by News Corporation, where he is deputy chief operating officer.

Marcus Vanderberg / FishbowlLA:

James Rainey Trading Media Column for Reporting — James Rainey wrote his last “On the Media” column for the Los Angeles Times Saturday, as the columnist will focus more on reporting on the media going forward. — LA Observed has the memo from the LAT announcing Rainey's new role at the newspaper:

Peter Kafka / AllThingsD:

Disney Double Dips: Renews Netflix Deal for ABC Shows, Adds Amazon — Another example of why the Web video boom is (currently) a great boon to Big TV: Disney has announced not one but two deals to sell digital copies of its reruns. — Disney has re-upped a two-year-old deal with Netflix …

Discussion: Media & Entertainment, rbr.com, Forbes, Online Video News, Home Media Magazine, Multichannel, Fast Company, CNET News, Between the Lines Blog, VatorNews, NetNewsCheck Latest and GeekWire, more at Techmeme »

Peter Kafka / AllThingsD:

Something New From Nook, Coming in a Week — Barnes & Noble will be announcing ... something at a New York City press conference in a week. — About what? The oblique invitation I just got in my inbox doesn't say a word, other than promising that it will be a “very special announcement.”

more at Techmeme »

Justin Ellis / Nieman Journalism Lab:

How Google is quietly experimenting in new ways for readers to access publishers' content — Google appears to be experimenting with a new paywall-esque content roadblock for publishers, and it's not One Pass. For lack of a better name, let's call it a “survey wall,” because instead …

Susan Krashinsky / Globe and Mail:

Postmedia plans to charge for online articles — Canada's largest newspaper publisher is the latest in the industry to say the future can't be free. — Postmedia Network Canada Corp PNC.A-T , publisher of the National Post and other daily and community papers across the country …

Discussion: Guardian and Future of Journalism

Alex Weprin / TVNewser:

‘Rock Center’ Books Jon Stewart, As It Places Two Segments Online — On the premiere of NBC's “Rock Center” tonight, host Brian Williams will sit down for a conversation with comedian and “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart. Williams made the announcement during “Sunday Night Football” on NBC last night.

Discussion: mediabistro.com