Mediagazer: Does aiding WikiLeaks equal aiding Al Qaeda? (Josh Gerstein/Politico)

6:00 PM ET, January 8, 2013

Top News:

Reuters gutting web infrastructure for ‘Reuters Next,’ its big online retooling — Over the past few years, the media arm of Thomson Reuters has been trying to polish its 160-year-old brand to a more contemporary sheen by recruiting A-list journalists and pundits and expanding into areas like blogging, Internet TV and magazines.

Discussion: Talking Biz News

Josh Gerstein / Politico:

Does aiding WikiLeaks equal aiding Al Qaeda? — Prosecutors and lawyers for alleged WikiLeaks source Pfc. Bradley Manning were back in court Tuesday, sparring over one of the central questions in his case: does giving sensitive government information to the media equate to aiding Al Qaeda?

Discussion: Guardian, Wired, rt.com, U.S. News, Techdirt, Associated Press and The Independent

Associated Press:

Judge reduces possible sentence for soldier accused of sending secret information to WikiLeaks — FORT MEADE, Md. — A military judge on Tuesday reduced the potential sentence for an Army private accused of sending reams of classified documents to the WikiLeaks website.

Discussion: Fast Company

New York Times:

Faceoff in Chinese City Over Censorship of Newspaper — GUANGZHOU, China — Protests over censorship at one of China's most liberal newspapers descended into ideological confrontation on Tuesday, pitting advocates of free speech against supporters of Communist Party control who wielded red flags and portraits of Mao Zedong.

Discussion: Prof Chris Daly's Blog, BBC, DealBook, The Week, The New Yorker Blog, Agence France Presse, The Independent, Corporate Intelligence, Telegraph, China Real Time Report, Los Angeles Times, Channel 4, Quartz, Guardian, Business Week and TIME

Jeff John Roberts / GigaOM:

Aereo will take its TV distruption to 22 new cities this spring — Aereo, which offers a way for people to watch and save TV shows on their mobile devices, has so far been available only in New York City. Now, Aereo is undertaking a rapid roll-out that will take it to over 90 million consumers in 22 new cities.

Discussion: AllThingsD, Market Wire, VentureBeat, Media & Entertainment, Radio & Television …, The Wrap, TechCrunch, Home Media Magazine, Cable Television News, NetNewsCheck Latest, Betabeat, Hillicon Valley, Adweek, Reuters, Mashable!, NYT Bits and The Next Web

John Letzing / SmartMoney.com:

AOL Says One Out of Nine Patch Sites Profitable — AOL Inc. (AOL) CEO Tim Armstrong said Monday about 100 of the company's 900 Patch sites are now profitable, as the Internet media firm seeks to use its costly local online news network to help fuel an ongoing turnaround effort.

Discussion: Business Insider and Noted

Erik Wemple:

Gawker publishes N.Y.C. gun-permit holders — The past three weeks have seen a rash of claims that gun permit holders in Rockland and Westchester counties in New York state are now in danger because the Journal News published their names and addresses. — To which, Gawker says nonsense.

Discussion: Gawker, Poynter, CNYcentral.com and Pressing Issues

Jim Romenesko:

Washington Post to start doing polling work for outside clients — Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron tells his staff this morning that the paper's polling operation will become an independent polling group of Washington Post Media so it can start doing work for outside clients and “grow a new business for the company.”

Discussion: Capital New York and mediabistro.com

Josh Halliday / Guardian:

Leveson data protection plans ‘could have chilling effect on journalism’ — Information commissioner Christopher Graham says there are ‘legitimate concerns’ about impact of proposals on journalism — Lord Justice Leveson's proposals for tougher data protection laws could have a …

Discussion: ico.gov.uk, @coreypein and Kirk LaPointe's …

Guardian:

Appointment of new Times editor delayed due to ‘logistical difficulties’ — Sunday Times editor John Witherow expected to replace James Harding, pending meeting with independent directors — Difficulties in getting the independent directors of the Times and Sunday Times together in one room …

Margaret Sullivan / The Public Editor's Journal:

It's a generally accepted rule in journalism that if you're involved in a newsworthy situation, you shouldn't cover it. Most of the time that makes excellent sense. — The Times made an exception to that rule on Sunday with Scott Shane's riveting piece on John C. Kiriakou …

Discussion: Pressing Issues

James Poniewozik / TIME:

Reality TV Journalism: Alex Jones Shoots Off His Mouth on Piers Morgan — His eye-popping CNN interview with radio host Alex Jones Monday night combined two of Piers Morgan's great passions: gun-control policy and things that bring notoriety to Piers Morgan.

Discussion: Politico, RealClearPolitics Video Log, Slate, Mediaite and Guardian