Mediagazer: Why “Etch A Sketch” Matters (Rem Rieder/American Journalism Review)

11:45 PM ET, March 22, 2012

Top News:

Betsy Rothstein / FishbowlDC:

NBC's Chuck Todd Trashes ‘Tidbit’ Journalism — On this morning's MSNBC “The Daily Rundown” host Chuck Todd went after what he and his panel dubbed “tidbit” journalism. Their repugnance was high after yesterday's Etch a Sketch remark from a top Mitt Romney campaign advisor that, they joked angrily, “went viral.”

Discussion: Mediaite, Forbes, @jayrosen_nyu and CJR

Rem Rieder / American Journalism Review:

Why “Etch A Sketch” Matters — I'm ordinarily a big Chuck Todd fan. I find the NBC chief White House correspondent to be extremely knowledgeable and generally insightful with his takes on politics. And I love his zest for the game. But I have to disagree with him on this one.

John Hudson / The Atlantic Wire:

The Onion's Bumpy Ride to Chicago — The Onion is in the midst of the biggest upheaval in the newspaper's 24-year history. This week, its editorial team in New York City begins the first phase of its move to Chicago, as staffers clean out their desks, put the writer's room table up for sale on Craigslist …

Discussion: Betabeat, BuzzFeed, Splitsider, DCist, FishbowlNY, JIMROMENESKO.COM, New York Magazine and Poynter

Ross Luippold / The Huffington Post:

IFC Cancels ‘ONN’ — NEW YORK — At Tuesday's upfront announcing new programming for the cable channel IFC, one show that previously was a staple, “Onion News Network,” went unmentioned. On Wednesday, a spokesperson for IFC confirmed to The Huffington Post that “ONN” would not return for a third season.

Discussion: TVWeek.com

Ken Doctor / Newsonomics:

McClatchy's Gary Pruitt Scales the AP Mountain — Associated Press board members — the newspaper CEOs who populate the board — opted for one of their own when they picked McClatchy CEO Gary Pruitt as their new leader . — By historical measure, it's a strange move.

Discussion: PR Newswire, The Huffington Post and paidContent

Jim Romenesko:
Pruitt is a different kind of AP CEO

Discussion: Sacramento Bee

Alex Weprin / TVNewser:

Layoffs At CNN As Network Transitions To Acquisition Model For Documentary Programming — CNN laid off dozens of employees today in its two documentary units, TVNewser has learned. — In a statement, the channel says that while it will continue to produce in-house docs-such as the …

Discussion: The Wrap and Inside Cable News

The Smoking Gun:

Feds Intercept Pot Shipments To Publishing House — Two shipments of marijuana destined for the New York City offices of a major book publisher were intercepted this month by federal agents after postal workers detected a “suspicious odor” emanating from the Express Mail parcels, according to court records.

Discussion: The New York Observer, The Informer, FishbowlLA, Gothamist, Jacket Copy and GalleyCat

Vanna Le / Forbes:
St. Martin's Press Finds Humor In The 11 Pounds Of Marijuana From Mystery Sender

Discussion: Melville House Books

Sarah Limbrick / Press Gazette:

David Beckham's dad sues News Int over phone-hacking — The father of footballer star David Beckham's has become the latest celebrity to launch a lawsuit over phone-hacking. — Ted Beckham has joined a string of public figures suing News Group Newspapers and private investigator Glen Mulcaire …

Discussion: Guardian

NPR: As 'Murdoch's Scandal' Unravels, Many Implicated

Martin Hickman / The Independent:
Rebekah Brooks questioned over alleged bribes

Discussion: @joshhalliday and Telegraph

Chris Ariens / TVNewser:

Bloomberg TV Cuts 30 Staffers, Adds Digital Jobs — TVNewser has learned Bloomberg TV has laid off up to 30 reporters, producers, associate producers, editors and other staffers this morning as the company shifts to a digital-centric newsroom. As TV employees are cut …

Discussion: mediabistro.com, @niemanlab, @brianstelter, Business Insider, FishbowlNY and TVSpy

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:

After the ‘Post’ loses music critic Dan Aquilante, it also kills an ad he bought for his new venture — Dan Aquilante, the New York Post's longtime music critic, has left the paper to start his own editorial syndicate. And after 32 years of loyal service, he thought the Post would be an ideal venue …

Discussion: FishbowlNY and New York Magazine

Jon Bruner / Forbes:

The Interactive Media Map: America's Most Influential News Outlets — Oregonians love NPR; Wisconsinites adore the Onion; the Huffington Post is widely read in Appalachia. These are a few of the favorites that the data team at Bitly uncovered when they parsed data from millions of clicks on their shortened links.

Discussion: Crikey, Forbes, The Huffington Post and Poynter

Paul Bradshaw / Online Journalism Blog:

Guardian to act as platform for arts organisations — The Guardian has been talking about being ‘of the web’ rather than ‘on the web’ for some years now, with a “federated” (as some staff call it) approach to publishing which often involves either selling advertising across, or pulling in content from …

Discussion: Guardian

Jack Dyson / Dysonology:

Memorandum to all staff - Daily Mail ethics c. 1966 — In 1966-7 my Dad got a job as a young reporter for the Daily Mail's Manchester office, just as it was made Newspaper of the Year. All staff received the memo below from editor Mike Randall. — When Dad sent it to me, he added: “Mike Randall left the paper soon afterwards.

Discussion: Guardian and The Atlantic Wire