Mediagazer: ‘Rigged appraisal system’ at Reuters gets veteran copy editor fired (Jim Romenesko)

12:35 PM ET, September 6, 2012

Top News:

Rick Edmonds / Poynter:

Journal Register can't afford for legacy costs to derail Digital First progress — Journal Register filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday. Hey, aren't these the same folks who have been touting as breakthroughs each step along the way of their fast-track digital transition?

Discussion: The Latest Word and The Newspaper Guild

Ryan Chittum / CJR:

Journal Register, future-of-news star, is bankrupt again — Yesterday, John Paton announced that Journal Register Company is filing for bankruptcy for the second time in three years. That's something of a surprise to people who's read his announcements of soaring digital revenues and profits credulously.

Discussion: Radio & Television …, Gannett Blog, Top Digital Journal News and San Francisco Peninsula …

Matt DeRienzo / Connecticut Newsroom:

What bankruptcy means for Journal Register Company newsrooms — First of all, let me couch this by saying that I'm speaking only for myself, and that I continue to appreciate the fact I work for a company that allows and encourages employees to think for themselves, speak their minds and debate company strategy in public view.

Discussion: JIMROMENESKO.COM

Jeff Jarvis / BuzzMachine:

The news we can afford — I want to see news organizations grow again. But first, they must finish shrinking. They must decide what they can afford to be. — That is what is happening with Advance reducing publication schedules and resources in New Orleans and other of its markets.

Discussion: Poynter, Deadline.com and @rafat

Joshua Benton / Nieman Journalism Lab:
Journal Register Co. declares bankruptcy...again: Is this the industry's first real reboot?

Discussion: Street Fight, Journal Register Company, @mymessyjesse, @p2chairman and Digital First

Steve Buttry / The Buttry Diary:
Financial maneuvers won't slow Digital First progress

Discussion: Nieman Journalism Lab, eMedia Vitals, @neilthackray, @janinegibson, @jxpaton, @dankennedy_nu, Guardian and MediaPost

Chris Ariens / TVNewser:

Tom Brokaw Rushed to Charlotte Hospital — NBC News special correspondent Tom Brokaw was taken by ambulance to a Charlotte hospital this morning after an appearance on MSNBC's “Morning Joe.” — Brokaw, 72, who stepped down as anchor of “Nightly News” after the 2004 election …

Discussion: FishbowlDC, Deadline.com, Mediaite, The Wrap, Business Insider and The Huffington Post

Meena Hart Duerson / NY Daily News:
Tom Brokaw says ‘all is well’ after being hospitalized following Morning Joe appearance …

Discussion: @tombrokaw

CNN:

CNN International's Response to the Guardian — Here is CNN International's response to Glenn Greenwald's Guardian story about Amber Lyon's documentary. 1. False: CNN International did not air “its own documentary”. The Truth: It was never intended to air on CNN International.

Discussion: @ggreenwald, Inside Cable News and Guardian

Glenn Greenwald:

Reply to response from CNNi — CNN International has posted a six-point response to my Guardian story from Tuesday on its refusal to broadcast a documentary featuring Amber Lyon showing the repression and violence used against protesters in Bahrain and its substantial financial relationships …

Discussion: @fieldproducer

Lisa O'Carroll / Guardian:

News International attempts to block phone-hacking damages case — News International is trying to have a phone-hacking damages case involving Elle Macpherson's former adviser thrown out of court, 18 months after her claim was launched. Mary-Ellen Field, who acted as the model's financial adviser …

Lisa O'Carroll / Guardian:
Former Labour MP says News of the World contributed to loss of her baby

Discussion: Press Gazette

Bloomberg:
News Corp. Selects Board Member With Ties To Colombia Wiretaps

Discussion: FishbowlNY, Los Angeles Times and Guardian

Jeff Sonderman / Poynter:

Amazon to shake up mobile tech world today with new Kindle devices, content deals — Amazon will make waves in the world of tablets, e-readers and possibly even smartphones today when it announces new devices at a 1:30 ET event. Here is what you can expect. — The Amazon devices

Discussion: Fast Company, Forbes, The Verge, AllThingsD, TechCrunch and Techland

Jim Romenesko:

‘Rigged appraisal system’ at Reuters gets veteran copy editor fired — Earlier this year, Reuters management gave Performance Improvement Plans (PIP) to 29 journalists that it believes are “laggards”; they face dismissal if bosses don't see enough improvement in 30 days.

Michael Calderone / The Huffington Post:

MSNBC President Phil Griffin On Convention Ratings Victory: ‘Nobody Thought We Could Do This’ — CHARLOTTE, N.C. — MSNBC president Phil Griffin is a happy man. On Wednesday afternoon, Griffin learned that MSNBC was the top-rated cable network for the opening night of the Democratic National Convention …

James Poniewozik / Time:
What We're Learning from the Convention Ratings (Or Lack Thereof)

Discussion: TVNewser, Hollywood Reporter, New York Times, Politico, TVNewser, New York Magazine and Washington Post

Jeff Bercovici / Forbes:

Beyond Borders: Kobo Moves On With New E-Readers And Indie Bookstores Pact — While Amazon dominates the market for e-books and e-readers, the 27% share held by Barnes & Noble shows there's no shortage of buyers out there who prefer to get their reading devices from a bricks-and-mortar storefront.

Ta-Nehisi Coates / The Atlantic Online:

The Economics of Magazines and Diversity — Last week, I went on a bit of bender asking (begging, pleading, rather) for people to subscribe to the magazine — either in print or via iPad. In making my argument, I pointed to the support The Atlantic has traditionally given its writers …

Discussion: Poynter

Jeff Sonderman / Poynter:

News websites avoid August doldrums to reach record Web traffic — August is traditionally thought to be a slow news month, and overall Web traffic has sagged more than 14 percent in Augusts past. — But something about this past month (Olympics? The RNC?

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest and Guardian