Mediagazer: So Warren Buffett likes newspapers again? (Jack Shafer)

1:45 AM ET, May 19, 2012

Top News:

So Warren Buffett likes newspapers again? — Just because Warren Buffett blew $142 million in cash on 63 daily and weekly Media General newspaper titles yesterday doesn't mean that newspapers are back. All it means is that an old cow that's still a milker has been moved to a neighboring farm's pasture …

Discussion: Newsonomics, Wall Street Journal, PRNewser and Reuters

Dan Conover / Xark!:
What if we give it away? (w/apologies to REM)

Discussion: The Buttry Diary, @jayrosen_nyu, @stevebuttry, DealBook, Tampa Bay Times and New York Times

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:
Survey: 52% of media professionals abandon websites when they hit a paywall

Discussion: eMarketer, DigiCareers, NetNewsCheck Latest and WebProNews

Omaha World-Herald:
Deal shows Buffett's faith in community newspapers

Discussion: Tampa Bay Times, CJR, Poynter, Erik Wemple and paidContent

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 DC Porcupine

Erik Wemple:

CSIS to investigate Arnaud de Borchgrave's writings — The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said this afternoon that it will investigate the work of Arnaud de Borchgrave, one of the think tank's program directors and a columnist for the Washington Times and United Press International.

Discussion: DC Porcupine

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:

Facebook IPO may force journalists to consider their role in the social network's growth — Facebook's IPO just created a lot of billionaires. Probably not that many of them work in journalism. But journalists, Kristie Lu Stout argues, create part of Facebook's value.

Discussion: Bloomberg, GigaOM, Lost Remote, CNET, Forbes, Business Insider, PRNewser and The Atlantic Online

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: Los Angeles Times, Business Week, DealBook, The Firewall, ReadWriteWeb, Bits, Adweek, AllThingsD, @brianstelter, TechCrunch, The Kernel, Hillicon Valley and PR Newswire

Michael Hastings / BuzzFeed:

Congressmen Seek To Lift Propaganda Ban — Propaganda that was supposed to target foreigners could now be aimed at us. “Disconcerting and dangerous,” says Shank. — An amendment that would legalize the use of propaganda on American audiences is being inserted into the latest defense authorization bill, BuzzFeed has learned.

Discussion: Mediaite and @adrianchen

Laura Hazard Owen / paidContent:

A kinder, gentler DRM? — With Harry Potter fan site and e-bookstore Pottermore.com now using watermarking instead of heavyweight DRM on all the Harry Potter e-books, anti-DRM arguments are growing louder. Now the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF), the organization that oversees …

Discussion: TeleRead

Mark Hosenball / Reuters:

Exclusive: Did White House “spin” tip a covert op? — (Reuters) - White House efforts to soft-pedal the danger from a new “underwear bomb” plot emanating from Yemen may have inadvertently broken the news they needed most to contain. — At about 5:45 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 7 …

The Huffington Post:

'Reporter's Privilege' Under Fire From Obama Administration Amid Broader War On Leaks — RICHMOND, Va. — The Obama administration Friday morning continued its headlong attack on the right of reporters to protect their confidential sources in leak investigations.

Discussion: @mikeriggs and Capital New York

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: Wired, Techland, VentureBeat, TechnoBuffalo, Android Phone Fans, paidContent, Digital Spy and CNET

Bloomberg:

‘Pan Am’ May Fly Again As Web Revives Canceled TV Shows — In the world of television, canceled doesn't mean what it used to. — The four major U.S. networks this week unveiled 31 new shows for 2012-2013, meaning at least that many won't be back. Some, like CBS's “A Gifted Man,” failed to win viewers.

Discussion: Variety and Radio & Television …

Chris Velazco / TechCrunch:

Adobe's Updated Digital Publishing Suite Means More Magazines For The iPhone — When it comes to digital magazines, why should tablet owners have all the fun? That's the sentiment Adobe was espousing earlier today at an event held in New York where they officially pulled back the curtains on their updated Digital Publishing Suite.