Mediagazer: Stephen Colbert to Explore (or Pretend to) Run for President (Brian Stelter/New York Times)

11:05 AM ET, January 13, 2012

Top News:

Arthur S. Brisbane / The Public Editor's Journal:

Update to my Previous Post on Truth Vigilantes — I have appended a note statement from Jill Abramson, the executive editor, responding to this post. — First, though, I must lament that “truth vigilante” generated way more heat than light. A large majority of respondents weighed in with …

Jim Romenesko:

NYT public editor on reaction to Truth Vigilante post — What I was trying to ask was whether reporters should always rebut dubious facts in the body of the stories they are writing. I was hoping for diverse and even nuanced responses to what I think is a difficult question.

Discussion: FishbowlNY and Poynter

Steve Myers / Poynter: Keller: 'I wonder if Art hasn't confused matters a bit'

Jay Rosen / Pressthink:
So whaddaya think: should we put truthtelling back up there at number one?

Discussion: Salon, Poynter, Strange Attractor, Jack Shafer, The Huffington Post, Future of Journalism, FishbowlNY and Mediaite

Arthur S. Brisbane / The Public Editor's Journal:
Should The Times Be a Truth Vigilante?

Craig Silverman / Poynter: Journalists incredulous as Times public editor asks: ‘Should the Times be a Truth Vigilante?’

Ed Strapagiel / INMA:

Newsmedia executives cautious about 2012 — 2012 study finds North American newspapers pessimistic about ad revenues, looking to digital for growth. — Newspapers — and many other industries — expected at least some economic recovery in 2011. This simply did not happen.

Discussion: freefromeditors

Brian Stelter / New York Times:

Stephen Colbert to Explore (or Pretend to) Run for President — If anyone can make a mockery of the newest campaign finance innovation, the “super PAC,” it's Stephen Colbert. — Mr. Colbert, the Comedy Central television host, has made jokes at the expense of super PACs for months …

Discussion: Media Decoder, Speakeasy, Soup, msnbc.com, The Raw Story, Washington Wire, The Huffington Post, The New York Observer, New York Magazine and PopWatch

Mark Sweney / Guardian:

Future Publishing sells New York operation for $3m — Magazine publisher Future has sold its loss-making New York division to NewBay Media — Future Publishing has sold off its loss-making New York operation - home to magazines including Guitar World, Revolver and Guitar Aficionado - in a deal worth $3m (£1.9m).

Discussion: Folio, MinOnline, eMedia Vitals and Media Week

Rupert Murdoch / @rupertmurdoch:

Many questions and jokes about My Space.simple answer - we screwed up in every way possible, learned lots of valuable expensive lessons.

Discussion: FishbowlNY, NME, PC Magazine, Epicenter, The Huffington Post, London Calling Blog, SlashGear and The Next Web, more at Techmeme »

Michael Calderone / The Huffington Post:

Chris Hughes, Facebook Co-Founder, Interested In Buying The New Republic — NEW YORK — Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes is a candidate to buy the New Republic, according to sources familiar with the matter. A deal has not yet been reached. While Hughes has made his fortune in the tech world …

Discussion: Betabeat and Washington Post

Russell Adams / Deal Journal:

Why It's Tough to Sell the Boston Globe … New York Times Co.'s recent sale of 16 local papers suggested it may be only a matter of time before the company consists of little more than the flagship newspaper. But the next likely target for disposal, the Boston Globe, comes with some complicating factors.

Discussion: @romenesko

Lucas Shaw / The Wrap:

Larry King, Carlos Slim Planning ‘Huge’ Online Venture (Exclusive) — Larry King is launching a “huge” online initiative backed by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, TheWrap has learned. — Two individuals close to King confirmed that the venture was underway, though details remain sketchy.

Discussion: Jim Romenesko

Liz Gannes / AllThingsD:

Facebook Gives Politico Deep Access to Users' Political Sentiments — Counting Twitter mentions would have you believe that Ron Paul is the most popular Republican candidate in the ongoing U.S. primaries. Umm, right. — But some social media analysis of politics is going beyond that.

Discussion: Facebook, The Politico, Medacity, The Hill, VatorNews, Poynter, ZDNet, Gawker, FishbowlDC, The Next Web and Mashable

Nat Ives / AdAge:

Newsweek Reviving Its 1960s Design for ‘Mad Men’ Issue, Down to the Ads — Effort Marks Season-Five Premiere of AMC Show — Newsweek is planning an issue marking the return of “Mad Men” this March by adopting the magazine's 1960s design throughout — all the way, it hopes, to the ads.

Discussion: Business Insider, PopWatch, magCulture.com/blog, Gothamist, FishbowlNY and Newsweek

Ben Popper / @benpopper:

Some personal news - I'll be taking a new job as East Coast editor of VentureBeat on Monday. http://t.co/G0ea3l0B

Discussion: IndustryGamers

Erik Wemple:

How did the Tennessean scoop the White House press corps on the Johnny Depp Halloween party? — In her new book “The Obamas,” Jodi Kantor of the New York Times started a fight with the White House when she wrote of a big-time Halloween party in 2009:

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest and Future of Journalism, Thanks:erikwemple

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:
Jodi Kantor gets a grilling from Upper West Side Barnes & Noble Patrons about her book, ‘The Obamas’

Discussion: BuzzFeed, Mediaite, Politico, Capital New York, Erik Wemple, The Huffington Post, Politico and Globe and Mail

Press Association:

Why I published Madeleine stories — The Daily Express ran stories suggesting Madeleine McCann's parents could be responsible for her death because at the time “there was reason to believe” they might be true, the paper's former editor has said. Peter Hill told the Leveson Inquiry …

Discussion: Guardian