Mediagazer: Sales Reorganization at Hachette Designed to Focus Efforts on Digital (Jeremy Greenfield/Digital Book World)

4:50 AM ET, October 5, 2012

Top News:

Cindy Adams / New York Post:

NBC Sued Over Trayvon Tape — Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman is suing NBC over the network's botched editing of his 911 tape, Page Six can exclusively reveal. We hear Zimmerman's attorneys are about to file a complaint against NBC and its top executives, naming news president Steve Capus …

Discussion: newsfeed.time.com, Poynter, Mediaite, TVNewser and The Daily Caller

Tim Molloy / The Wrap:
George Zimmerman ‘Considering’ Suing NBC News Over Edited Trayvon Martin 911 Tape (Update)

Discussion: The Huffington Post and mediabistro.com

Jeff Sonderman / Poynter:

When news breaks, most Americans seek a second, trusted source for more info — When Americans first learn about a breaking news story, 83 percent seek out a second source to get more information, new research says. — Half of them turned to a different type of platform (i.e. …

Discussion: Kirk LaPointe's …

Jim Romenesko:

Gannett Government Media announces 5-day furloughs — Employees of Military Times, Army Times, Air Force Times, Navy Times and other Gannett Government Media publications were told today to take a five-day furlough before the end of the year. — From the memo:

Discussion: Gannett Blog

Jim Romenesko:

WSJ memo: We're creating a single newsroom that does away with duplication — I'm told that this note from Wall Street Journal managing editor Robert Thomson — sent out shortly after noon today — is being described in the newsroom as “the layoffs memo.” In it, Thomson writes: … THE MEMO:

Discussion: FishbowlNY

The Fix:

Networks, AP cancel exit polls in 19 states — Breaking from two decades of tradition, this year's election exit poll is set to include surveys of voters in 31 states, not all 50 as it has for the past five presidential elections, according to multiple people involved in the planning.

Discussion: The Caucus and TVNewser

Laura Hazard Owen / GigaOM:

B&N and Microsoft finalize partnership, creating Nook Media — Barnes & Noble and Microsoft have finalized the strategic partnership that they first announced in April. The new subsidiary, called Nook Media, comprises Barnes & Noble's Nook and college businesses.

Discussion: ZDNet, PC Magazine, TechCrunch and CNET

Neetzan Zimmerman / Gawker:

PBS, Sesame Workshop Blast Romney Over Big Bird Comments: Sesame Street Won't Go Away — In its official statement following last night's presidential debate, Sesame Workshop responded to Mitt Romney's remark that he “likes Big Bird” but will cut PBS funding anyway by reiterating its policy as a nonpartisan …

Discussion: @sesamestreet, Christian Science Monitor, The Week, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, Speakeasy, The Huffington Post and The New Yorker Blog

Andrew Kirell / Mediaite:
Romney To Lehrer: ‘I Love Big Bird’ But I Would Cut Federal Subsidies For PBS

Discussion: PBS, News To Me with George Mathis, The Daily Beast, Speakeasy, Forbes, Broadcasting & Cable, Splice Today, The Wrap, Globe and Mail, PC Magazine, Capital New York, The New Yorker Blog, B&C, The Atlantic Online, Guardian, Radio & Television …, The Next Web and Hillicon Valley

Erik Maza / WWD:

Deborah Needleman Settling In at T — DEBORAH'S TEAM: It's Deborah Needleman's first week at The New York Times. She's spent it partly in Paris, for the collections, and mostly avoiding questions about T. A spokeswoman for the Times said Tuesday, “It's her second day and she's focused on getting herself settled here.

Discussion: FishbowlNY and Maza's Bazaar

Charles Apple:

A backlash to ‘digital first’? Or a zig while everyone else zags? — Marla Jo Fisher, the bargain-hunting “Deals Diva” columnist and blogger for the Orange County Register, reveals something interesting in her most recent post. — The paper's new owners have invested a lot of money lately …

Brian Proffitt / ReadWriteWeb:

Will Royalties Kill The Streaming Rdio Star? — The ongoing tug-of-war between musicians, record labels and digital content providers inched a little more towards artists this week with the introduction of an innovative paid-referral plan from streaming provider Rdio.

Jeremy Greenfield / Digital Book World:

Sales Reorganization at Hachette Designed to Focus Efforts on Digital — Hachette Book Group has reorganized its sales staff to align itself with the evolving publishing industry and to capitalize on digital opportunities, according to an announcement from the company's new chief marketing and sales officer Evan Schnittman.

Julie Moos / Poynter:

Jim Lehrer target of Twitter criticism while moderating his 12th presidential debate — Heading into Wednesday night's debate, PBS Executive Editor Jim Lehrer was expected to moderate his 12th presidential debate with a firm hand. But that is not how debate watchers saw him:

Discussion: Newsvandal, Forbes, FishbowlDC, Gawker, Mediaite, Twitter Blog, Washington Post and O'Reilly Radar

Jeff John Roberts / paidContent:

Google and publishers settle book scanning lawsuit — Google has reached a deal to end its long-running court fight with major publishings houses over the company's controversial decision to scan the world's library books. — In a joint statement released this morning …