Mediagazer: FCC Plan to Ease Cross-Ownership Rules Points to Consolidation (Bloomberg)

9:00 PM ET, December 23, 2011

Top News:

Alexia Tsotsis / TechCrunch:

Over 40 Internet Companies Come Out Publicly Against SOPA (Including Us) — Since the list of 120 or so SOPA supporting companies hit the Internet yesterday, the lines have been drawn; People are publicly promising to pull thousands of domains from domain registrar Godaddy after it appeared on the list as a supporter.

Paul Tassi / Forbes:

The Great SOPA Conspiracy Theory — It's not a stretch to imagine that the reason big media companies want SOPA to pass goes beyond just hampering piracy. Rather, it would give them massive amounts of control over the internet, as they can deem which sites are harmful to their brand …

Discussion: TechCrunch and Techdirt

Mike Masnick / Techdirt:
Prominent Rightwing Blogger Promises To Work Hard To Defeat Any Rightwing SOPA Supporters In Congress

Discussion: Hit & Run

Julie Moos / Poynter:

WUSA removes story from website after discovering parts of it came from the Washington Post — WUSA President and General Manager Allan Horlick says the station has removed a story from its website after learning that portions of it were taken from a Washington Post piece on the same subject.

Discussion: Fairfax News, @mathewi, Washington Post and Gannett Blog

Peter Kafka / AllThingsD:

Maybe Apple's Newsstand Really Was a Present for Publishers — When Apple launched its Newsstand feature in iTunes this fall, the idea was that giving newspaper and magazine publishers their own dedicated shelf space — for those who signed on to Apple's subscription program - would boost sales.

Discussion: CJR, TUAW, @pkafka, MacRumors, Business Insider and Electronista, more at Techmeme »

Mathew Ingram / GigaOM:

How Amazon is helping to sustain long-form journalism — Amazon has been taking a beating recently for what some see as its attempt to cut in on the business of independent booksellers, and for its ongoing disruption of the e-book market via its Kindle lending library and other moves.

Discussion: The FJP, Poynter, PC Magazine, Bits, TeleRead, Joho the Blog and Forbes

Bloomberg:

FCC Plan to Ease Cross-Ownership Rules Points to Consolidation — Dec. 23 (Bloomberg) — The Federal Communications Commission agreed to propose easing limits on one owner holding a television station and newspaper in a top 20 U.S. market. — The FCC plan keeps existing caps on TV and radio station ownership.

Jason Del Rey / AdAge:

Former TechCrunch Staffer Sarah Lacy Set to Close Funding Round for PandoDaily — Netscape Co-Founder Marc Andreessen Joins Michael Arrington and Other Investors In Tech News Site — Former TechCrunch Senior Editor Sarah Lacy is expected to close a round of funding in the next two weeks …

Discussion: Future of Journalism and Business Insider, more at Techmeme »

Adam Clark Estes / The Atlantic Wire:

It Costs a Fortune for The New York Times to Cut Costs — The New York Times is finishing up a new round of buyout packages for veteran employees, but with the report that the paper is paying $15.4 million to remove former chief executive Janet Robinson and a look at how much the paper …

Discussion: FishbowlNY, New York Post, Hot Air and CJR

Paul Farhi / Washington Post:

Journalists complain the White House press office has become overly combative — The White House's relationship with the reporters who cover it has blown hot and cold throughout history. And this year, some reporters say, things have taken a decidedly frosty turn.

Discussion: The Huffington Post and @poynter

Jesse Solomon / CNN:

New York Times files lawsuit seeking info on targeted killings — NEW YORK (CNN) — The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice charging that the government failed to release information under the Freedom of Information Act on records surrounding questions …

Merrill Knox / TVNewser:

Bloomberg Hires CNBC Producer For ‘Street Smart’ — Jason Farkas will join Bloomberg TV as a senior broadcast producer in January. His hire was announced today by Ted Fine, Bloomberg's executive producer for afternoons. — Farkas will focus on helping the “Street Smart” editorial team ahead of the program's re-launch on January 9.

Chicago Tribune:

Sun-Times' new owners envision highly digital delivery, products — Chicago technology entrepreneur Michael Ferro and former Newsday Publisher and CEO Timothy Knight lead the group. Knight says flagship tabloid newspaper will remain an integral part of the portfolio.