Mediagazer: NBC News to launch NBCNews.com (Dylan Byers/Politico)

4:40 PM ET, June 21, 2012

Top News:

Jennifer Schuessler / ArtsBeat:

Lehrer Apologizes for Recycling Work, While New Yorker Says It Won't Happen Again — The science writer Jonah Lehrer, author of the runaway bestseller “Imagine: How Creativity Works,” has become the latest high-profile journalist to be caught up in a plagiarism scandal …

Discussion: CJR, New York Magazine, Erik Wemple, JIMROMENESKO.COM, Plagiarism Today, MarketWatch, Poynter, Media Decoder and JIMROMENESKO.COM

Jim Romenesko:

David Remnick says New Yorker isn't dropping Jonah Lehrer — “There are all kinds of crimes and misdemeanors in this business,” New Yorker editor David Remnick tells Jon Friedman in an interview about Jonah Lehrer, “and if he were making things up or appropriating other people's work that's one level of crime.”

Discussion: Felix

Jack Shafer:
Jonah Lehrer's recycling business

Discussion: WWD, Poynter, JIMROMENESKO.COM, The Daily Dish and The Huffington Post

Katherine Rushton / Telegraph:

News Corp directors ‘allowed hacking cover up’ — News Corporation's directors facilitated a “cover-up” of phone hacking and bribery at the News of the World and allowed the company to forge ahead with a “whitewash” inquiry, a US lawsuit has claimed.

Lisa O'Carroll / Guardian:

Leveson inquiry ‘will cost almost £6m’ — The Leveson inquiry into press ethics will have cost the taxpayer almost £6m by the time it reports back to the prime minister in October or November, it has emerged. The culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has told fellow MP Steve Baker …

Josh Halliday / Guardian: Phone hacking: Met refers files on four more journalists to CPS

Jeff Bercovici / Mixed Media:

Dow Jones Shuts Down SmartMoney Magazine — SmartMoney, a magazine about managing your finances, isn't such a good investment in the eyes of its owner, Dow Jones & Co. The 20-year-old title is shutting down its print edition, its staff learned this afternoon. It will survive in online form.

Discussion: AllThingsD, Adweek, paidContent, Capital New York, LA Biz Observed, MinOnline, AdAge, MediaPost, JIMROMENESKO.COM, @edmundlee and Wall Street Journal

Jeff John Roberts / paidContent:
Wall Street Journal launches new video hub, plans Facebook integration

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest

Brian Stelter / Media Decoder:

NBC Made Contingency Plans, but Ann Curry Reports to Work at ‘Today’ — For a couple of hours on Wednesday, as Ann Curry's negotiations to leave the “Today” show were first reported publicly, NBC News officials believed that she would not be coming into work Thursday morning …

Discussion: PopWatch, Poynter and TVNewser

James Poniewozik / Time:
Why Didn't Morning TV Love Ann Curry?

Discussion: @keitholbermann

Brian Stelter / Media Decoder:
NBC Prepares to Replace Ann Curry on ‘Today’

Guardian:

BBC's Mark Thompson in talks to head New York Times — Outgoing BBC director general Mark Thompson is in talks with the New York Times about becoming its new chief executive to fill the vacancy left after Janet Robinson was fired in December. Discussions between Thompson and New York Times executives …

Discussion: FishbowlNY and Poynter

Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:

‘Fox & Friends’ Finds Ratings and Controversy — When it comes to sitting for interviews Mitt Romney is not usually a willing and eager subject. But there is one invitation he rarely turns down. — “Fox & Friends” has had Mr. Romney as a guest 21 times in the last year.

Discussion: TVNewser, The Huffington Post, Erik Wemple, Media Decoder, Inside Cable News and Mediaite

Peter Kafka / AllThingsD:

After Divorcing Sports Illustrated, Turner Wants to Hook Up With Bleacher Report — Bleacher Report and Turner, which have been circling each other for months, are edging closer to a deal. People familiar with both companies say they haven't agreed on final terms, but are now negotiating exclusively …

Discussion: Business Insider

Dylan Byers / Politico:

NBC News to launch NBCNews.com — NBC News, which has long had to share its website with MSNBC at msnbc.msn.com, is finally set to get its own website. — NBC Universal has hired a new press representative and brand manager who tells POLITICO that her assignment will be to …

Jack Mirkinson / The Huffington Post:

‘The Cycle’: Inside MSNBC's New 3 PM Show — MSNBC has found its replacement for Dylan Ratigan's show: “The Cycle.” — The new program, which the network was set to announce on Thursday, will feature a permanent cast of four: conservative commentator S.E. Cupp, author and pundit Touré …

Discussion: Politico and Mediaite

Megan McCarthy / Betabeat:

Twitter Having Issues, Info Junkies Try to Survive Without Steady Influx of Tiny Distractions — Screengrab from the ever-useful downforeveryoneorjustme.com — Twitter, everyone's favorite methadone drip of 140-character news and quips, has been down and unresponsive for the past hour.

Discussion: Bits, Twitter Status, VentureBeat and @jorcohen