Mediagazer: Casey Anthony the most searched story of 2011 (Julie Moos/Poynter)

7:45 PM ET, November 29, 2011

Top News:

Paul McMullan defends Milly Dowler phone hacking — Former News of the World deputy features editor tells Leveson inquiry that hacking of missing teenager's voicemail was ‘honourable’ and done by ‘well-meaning journalists’ — Former News of the World deputy features editor Paul McMullan arrives at the Leveson inquiry today

Discussion: Journalism.co.uk

Tara Conlan / Guardian: Jeremy Hunt hints at demise of PCC

Guardian:
Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson are ‘scum of journalism’, Leveson told

Discussion: Gawker, The Huffington Post, The New York Observer and Journalism.co.uk

Robert Dex / The Independent: Jeremy Hunt: Police ended hack inquiry

BBC:
Leveson Inquiry: Journalist talks of culture of bullying

Discussion: Guy Fawkes' blog

David Cohn / digidave.org:

Spot.Us has Merged with Public Insight Network — Spot.Us + PIN = Rocking — Spot.Us launched in November of 2008. Counting the months of planning (and applying for the Knight News Challenge) that went into the launch and I've been working on Spot.Us for almost four years.

Discussion: MediaShift Idea Lab, News for Digital Journalists and rjionline.org

Steve Myers / Poynter:

Spot.Us becomes part of Public Insight Network — American Public Media has acquired Spot.Us and will integrate it with its crowdsourcing platform Public Insight Network. The two operations “create a media that is more responsive and responsible to the public's needs,” writes Spot.Us founder David Cohn on his blog.

Discussion: 10,000 Words, rbr.com and NetNewsCheck Latest

Michael Calderone / The Huffington Post:

How CNN Landed Herman Cain Interview On New Allegations — NEW YORK — When CNN producers booked Herman Cain on Sunday to appear on “The Situation Room” the following day, they couldnât have expected that the Republican presidential candidate would be on air denying allegations …

Discussion: Iowa Caucuses, blogs.thedailybeast.com, Slate, ABCNEWS, The Caucus, MyFox Atlanta and Capital New York

Steve Myers / Poynter:

Media inquiries pushed Ginger White to go forward with story of Cain affair — Aaron Gould Sheinin reports that Ginger White decided to reveal a 13-year affair with presidential candidate Herman Cain — which he denies — because TV and online journalists have been seeking her out.

Discussion: MyFox Atlanta

Katherine Rushton / Telegraph:

Chris Bryant: BSkyB used details from phone hacking to aid lobbying — News Corporation passed information obtained by hacking to BSkyB to help it “advance its commercial interests”, Chris Bryant, the Labour MP has claimed. — Anti-Murdoch protestors hold placards reading “End the Murdoch Mafia” …

Katherine Rushton / Telegraph: James Murdoch suffers severe loss of support as BSkyB chairman

The Sydney Morning Herald:
BSkyB chairman Murdoch re-elected with 19% opposition

Discussion: Company Town, paidContent:UK, Guardian and Wall Street Journal

Nadia Damouni / Reuters:

Exclusive: THL eyes buyout of Yahoo's U.S. business — (Reuters) - Thomas H. Lee Partners is interested in buying the U.S. operations of Yahoo Inc, breaking away from other bidders that are for now eyeing either a minority stake or teaming up with the Internet giant's partners in Asia, sources familiar with the matter said.

Discussion: Future of Journalism, Epicenter, DealBook, CNET News and Online Video News

Arianna Huffington / The Huffington Post:

Mitt Romney Brazenly Lies and the Media Lets Him Slide — Last week, a lot of media attention was devoted to latest GOP frontrunner Newt Gingrich using the word “humane” in a debate answer about illegal immigration, suggesting we should avoid policies that tear families apart.

Discussion: CJR, Capital New York and Metro

Julie Moos / Poynter:

Casey Anthony the most searched story of 2011 — Bing has released rankings of its most searched terms this year, and crime and terrorism top the list of news stories, followed by weather and celebrity. The top 10 list: — Casey Anthony Trial — Osama bin Laden Death — Hurricane Irene

Discussion: Gawker, Journalism.org, TechCrunch, FishbowlNY and TVNewser, more at Techmeme »

Rachel McAthy / Journalism.co.uk:

Google launches data journalism awards with GEN — Google announces the new awards programme at #news2011, the first news summit from the Global Editors Network — Google will partner with the Global Editors Network to offer a new data journalism contest aimed at both “established news organisations and newcomers”.

Discussion: Future of Journalism

Emma Barnett / Telegraph:

British Library newspaper archive puts 300 years of history online — Sixty-five million historic newspaper articles, covering the most significant events over the last 300 years, are now fully available online from today in a new archive created by the British Library.

Discussion: Future of Journalism and Fast Company, more at Techmeme »

Joel Gunter / Journalism.co.uk:

Fawkes removes Campbell evidence following order — Political blogger Paul Staines, who runs the Guido Fawkes blog, has taken down a draft of Alastair Campbell's written evidence to the inquiry following a section 19 order from Lord Leveson — Political blogger Paul Staines has removed …

Discussion: Digital Spy, Journalism.co.uk and http://www.Stinkyjournalism …

Andy McSmith / The Independent: Blogger is not likely to reveal source

Martin Bryant / The Next Web:

WordPress.com launches WordAds to help you make money from your blog — WordPress.com recently announced a partnership with advertising giant Federated Media. Now that's borne fruit for the hosted service's users - you could soon be able to carry ads on your blog, and take a share of the revenue.

Discussion: Future of Journalism, ReadWriteWeb, VentureBeat, WordPress.com News and CNET News, more at Techmeme »

Bloomberg:

Lions Gate Said to Be in Merger Talks With ‘Twilight’ Film Producer Summit — Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. (LGF), the independent film and TV company, is in merger talks with Summit Entertainment LLC, the studio behind the “Twilight” vampire movies, three people with knowledge of the situation said.

Discussion: Forbes, Los Angeles Times and Deadline.com

Andrew Pugh / Press Gazette:

FT journalists to ballot on industrial action over 2% pay rise — Journalists at the Financial Times have voted to ballot for industrial action after rejecting a 2 per cent pay rise. — The NUJ chapel is also opposing alleged threats to collective pay negotiation, and claimed the mood among …

Discussion: Jon Slattery and Guardian