Top News:
Dan Conover / Xark!:
What if we give it away? (w/apologies to REM) — Today's news about the Media General/Berkshire Hathaway deal reveals just how dire things have become for our newspaper princes. Unable to turn their newspapers around, Media General has traded its print properties and a big chunk …
Discussion:
The Buttry Diary, @jayrosen_nyu, DealBook, @stevebuttry and New York Times
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Jeff John Roberts / paidContent:
Why Warren Buffett is buying newspapers — The Oracle of Omaha acquired his hometown newspaper in January and just snapped up dozens more in a $142 million deal. This is supposed to be the fastest declining industry in America. What is Warren Buffett up to? — Here's why the deal makes a lot more sense than it appears:
Discussion:
Poynter, Omaha World-Herald, The Rural Blog, Newsonomics, Wall Street Journal, Erik Wemple, Gawker, Poynter and Tampa Bay Times
Tom McGeveran / Capital New York:
In a memo, Ricketts tells his news staff his politics have ‘absolutely no impact’ on their work — The ‘Ricketts’ playbook obtained by the ‘Times.’ — Late this afternoon, Joe Ricketts, the founder of AmeriTrade who was the subject of a front-page article in today's New York Times …
Jason Del Rey / AdAge:
Amazon to Sell Ads on Kindle Fire Welcome Screen — If You Have $600K — Amazon Seeks Big Money as It Brings Advertising to Its Hottest Tablet — The Kindle Fire is Amazon.com's best-selling product, the company said in its first-quarter-earnings release. And it's being treated that way by the Amazon ad sales team.
Discussion:
VentureBeat, paidContent, TechnoBuffalo, Android Phone Fans and CNET
Julie Moos / Poynter:
Amid diversity improvements at NPR, fear and challenges remain — As NPR struggles with declining revenue, the public radio organization will have to consider staff changes, but no programs have been targeted. — “The [Washington Post] article inaccurately singled out 'Tell …
Discussion:
Mediaite, JIMROMENESKO.COM and Washington Post
Mariah Blake / Salon:
Coverup at Washington Times — Editors knew there was an apparent plagiarist on staff but let him keep writing. An exclusive look inside the paper — During his long career, Arnaud de Borchgrave, a one-time Newsweek correspondent and editor, has earned his share of laurels.
Discussion:
Erik Wemple and Erik Wemple
Mathew Ingram / GigaOM:
Facebook's biggest problem is that it's a media company — There's been a lot of attention paid to Facebook's business model recently, especially with the news that General Motors has killed a $10-million advertising campaign devoted to the giant social network — not exactly a great sign …
Discussion:
Poynter, Los Angeles Times, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, AllThingsD, Business Week, Hillicon Valley, PR Newswire, @brianstelter, The Atlantic Online, DealBook and The Kernel
Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:
Survey: 52% of media professionals abandon websites when they hit a paywall — A new survey found that more than half of media professionals polled immediately leave a website after encountering a paywall. One-quarter said they were unlikely to return to the site, and 63 percent …
Discussion:
DigiCareers, eMarketer, WebProNews and MediaPost
James Rainey / Los Angeles Times:
Los Angeles Times receives $1-million grant from Ford Foundation — The funds will help The Times expand coverage of key areas, including immigration and ethnic communities in Southern California. — The main entrance of the Los Angeles Times building (Los Angeles Times / April 30, 2012)
Discussion:
Poynter, LA Observed, The Informer, @jayrosen_nyu, @michelemclellan, @ckrewson, @ckrewson, Politico and @jayrosen_nyu
Steve Buttry / The Buttry Diary:
Aggregation guidelines: Link, attribute, add value — Aggregation has become a dirty word in much of journalism today. — Bill Keller, former editor of the New York Times, last year wrote: “There's often a thin line between aggregation and theft.” — Patrick Pexton, Washington Post ombudsman …
Josh Stearns / MediaShift:
The First Amendment Should Protect Everyone's Right to Record — Since September, police have arrested dozens of journalists and activists around the country for the “crime” of trying to document political protests in public spaces. People using smartphones and mobile devices are changing the way we record and share breaking news.
Discussion:
The Huffington Post and The Daily Beast
Philip Elliott / Associated Press:
Mitt Romney Tries To Win Over Reporters With Cookies And Conversation — PALM BEACH, Fla. — Mitt Romney is on a charm offensive. — He took reporters' questions after Thursday's campaign rally instead of keeping them at bay. He brought them warm chocolate chip cookies for the flight …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post
Ravi Somaiya / New York Times:
After 7 Years, No End in Sight to Phone Hacking Scandal — LONDON — The phone hacking scandal that shook Rupert Murdoch's global media empire and hit the heart of the British government began quietly on a Monday in 2005, when aides to the British royal family gathered in a palace office appointed …
Discussion:
Journalism.co.uk and Free Press
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Rachel McAthy / Journalism.co.uk:
Sir Harold: ‘Fatal miscalcuation’ over Murdoch's 1981 bid
Sir Harold: ‘Fatal miscalcuation’ over Murdoch's 1981 bid
Discussion:
Press Gazette, Guardian and Telegraph