Mediagazer: Two-Thirds Worldwide Say Media Are Free in Their Countries (Gallup)

10:10 AM ET, March 30, 2012

Top News:

Philadelphia Newspapers Set to Be Sold to Local Leaders — A consortium of local business and political leaders is poised to purchase the Philadelphia Media Network, publisher of The Inquirer, The Daily News and Philly.com, according to several people familiar with the negotiations.

Discussion: mediabistro.com

Jim Romenesko:
Philly newspapers deal to be announced tomorrow?

Discussion: Philly.com

Jeff Roberts / paidContent:

Paywall Promos: How Far Should Newspapers Open The Door? — As newspapers lock content behind paywalls, marketers are opening that same content right back up again through campaigns that provide readers with temporary access for free. The idea seems a good one but newspapers are still experimenting with when and how to do it.

Discussion: BtoB Magazine

DigiDave:

The Future of Paywalls, Memberships and Advertising - Writing on the Wall is Starting to Appear — This came across my social media feed this morning: “Google Unveils New Revenue Option for Web Publishers.” — In short: It's a simple technology where readers who come across a paywall …

Laura Hazard Owen / paidContent:
Google Partners With Pandora, AdWeek, NYDN On New Paywall ‘Substitute’

Discussion: eMedia Vitals, Mashable!, Google Small Business, Google News Blog, AdExchanger.com, Adweek, Canadian Magazines and ZDNet

Mike Shields / Adweek:
Google Unveils New Revenue Option for Web Publishers

Discussion: Poynter, ZDNet, NetNewsCheck Latest and The Atlantic Wire

Josh Constine / TechCrunch:

Maxim Minimized. Big Layoffs Hit Men's Mag Web and Editorial Staff — The Internet killed the magazine star. There's been a major round of layoffs at Maxim magazine. Senior Editor Seth Porges is at least one employee who got the axe, according to our sources and confirmed by a recent update …

Discussion: FishbowlNY and Beet.TV, Thanks:@joshconstine

Nat Ives / AdAge:
Magazines' Digital Circulation More Than Doubles — But Remains Small

Discussion: FishbowlNY, NetNewsCheck Latest, The Verge, MediaPost, Media Buyer Planner, Canadian Magazines, JIMROMENESKO.COM and eMedia Vitals

Bill Mickey / Folio:

The Economist Reaches 1 Million Facebook Fans — Plus, how the brand optimizes its page for maximum interaction and engagement. — The Economist announced Wednesday that its Facebook page has surpassed the 1 million fan milestone. Nick Blunden, global publisher of digital editions for The Economist …

Discussion: Talking Biz News, TechCrunch, Garcia Media and The Wall Blog

Chris O'Shea / FishbowlNY:

Ex Goldman Sachs Exec Greg Smith Gets $1.5 Million Book Deal — Sorry to start your Friday out like this, but we've got to tell you: The rich do, in fact, get richer. Greg Smith, the former Goldman Sachs executive who quit with a hilarious New York Times Op-Ed, is getting $1.5 million to write a memoir.

Discussion: The Awl, Media Decoder, New York Post, @benfritz, Fox Business and GalleyCat

Jake Dobkin / Gothamist:

Who Is On The Secret NYPD Press Email List? — About an hour ago, the NYPD's Department of Public Information (DCPI) accidentally CC'd their entire email list on a routine press release. Normally this list of about 230 email addresses is BCC'd. This list is very interesting …

Discussion: NYConvergence.com

Anton Troianovski / Wall Street Journal:

Verizon Pitches Mobile Video — Verizon Communications Inc. Chief Executive Lowell C. McAdam said the company could have a wireless video service by year-end that lets pay-TV subscribers see some content on their mobile devices if regulators approve a proposed cable partnership.

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest, CNET, Engadget and The Verge

Gallup:

Two-Thirds Worldwide Say Media Are Free in Their Countries — WASHINGTON, D.C. — A median of nearly two-thirds of adults (65%) across 133 countries and areas Gallup surveyed in 2011 say the media in their countries have a lot of freedom, essentially unchanged from the median of 67% found in 2010.

Discussion: WebProNews and The Huffington Post

Jason Del Rey / AdAge:

March Madness Digital Viewing Generates $60 Million in Ad Sales for Turner, CBS — Total Doesn't Include Subscriptions for Mobile Access — It's not a revenue number that's going to convince many that a long-awaited reallocation of TV dollars to digital has arrived.

Discussion: eMedia Vitals, Thanks:@delrey

Alicia Shepard / Poynter:

The iconic photos of Trayvon Martin & George Zimmerman & why you may not see the others — Since the shooting of Trayvon Martin became national news, two photos have come to define the emotionally and racially charged narrative. — News organizations initially had just a few photos of Martin …

Discussion: MarketWatch and Orlando Sentinel

Bill Carter / Media Decoder:

Couric on ‘Good Morning America’ Could End No. 1 Streak at ‘Today’ — With the news that Katie Couric will be co-hosting “Good Morning America” on ABC next week, the prospect that the “Today” show could finally lose a week has suddenly become more real than at any time in the last seven years.

Discussion: WebProNews, Gawker and Fox News

Brian Stelter / Media Decoder:
For a Week, Couric Will Co-Host ‘Good Morning America’

Discussion: Radio & Television …, Forbes, TVNewser and @learmonth

Adrienne LaFrance / Nieman Journalism Lab:

Merger means the new Bay Citizen will be more investigative and experimental — Breaking: The Bay Citizen won't be covering as much breaking news any more. — The merger of Bay Citizen with the Center for Investigative Reporting announced yesterday — with CIR forces coming out in charge …