Mediagazer: Layoffs at Star-Ledger, other Advance papers in N.J. (Andrew Beaujon/Poynter)

3:30 PM ET, January 16, 2013

Top News:

Darrell Issa Probing Prosecution Of Aaron Swartz, Internet Pioneer Who Killed Himself — WASHINGTON — House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) is investigating the Justice Department's prosecution of Aaron Swartz, the Internet activist who committed suicide on Friday …

Discussion: Guardian, Hillicon Valley, Mashable!, TIME, Techdirt, TechPresident, Associated Press, CNET and The Daily Beast

Alexander Abad-Santos / The Atlantic Wire:

How Anonymous Got Westboro to Back Off Aaron Swartz's Funeral — Fresh off their most recent spat over the Newtown shootings, the reviled hate group protestors at Westboro Baptist Church and the do-gooder hacktivists from Anonymous faced off over the ongoing Aaron Swartz suicide controversy on Tuesday …

Discussion: Fast Company, Forbes, Adweek, CNET, ReadWrite, Guardian, Softpedia News and WebProNews

Sandra Guy / Chicago Sun Times:
Aaron Swartz was ‘killed by government,’ father says at funeral

Discussion: CNET, Media Nation, Hillicon Valley, The Daily Beast, BuzzFeed News, Stanford CIS Blog, ABCNEWS and The Huffington Post

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:

Digital First newspaper to reduce print frequency — The Oneida (N.Y.) Daily Dispatch will print three days a week beginning next month, owner Digital First Media announced Wednesday. — As is customary with such announcements, DFM promises “expanded online, mobile and electronic offerings” for Daily Dispatch readers.

Discussion: Digital First Media, NetNewsCheck Latest and Connecticut Newsroom

Craig Silverman / Poynter:

Washington Post clarifies practices and standards for corrections — In an email to staff this morning, The Washington Post clarified its practices and standards for online corrections. The email was signed by three top editors, including Executive Editor Marty Baron …

Discussion: JIMROMENESKO.COM

Lisa O'Carroll / Guardian:

Twitter pictures put in spotlight following London helicopter crash — Issue of image copyright highlighted as major media outlets use photos taken by Twitter account holders and posted on site — The fatal helicopter crash in London on Wednesday morning once again put Twitter in the spotlight …

Erin Geiger Smith / Reuters:
News outlets improperly used photos posted to Twitter: judge

Discussion: VentureBeat, The Verge, Daily Dot, Plagiarism Today, UPROXX, WebProNews, Fast Company, Poynter, CNET, eMedia Vitals, Boing Boing and Mashable!

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:

Weekly World News erects paywall, ending debate forever — The Weekly World News will move its website behind a paywall, the company announced Wednesday. Listen up, information-needs-to-be-free types: When Bat Boy goes behind a paywall, there's nothing left to discuss.

Discussion: Weekly World News

Joe Flint / Los Angeles Times:

News Corp. may convert Fox Soccer into entertainment network — Fox Soccer may become an entertainment network. (Fox Sports ) — News Corp. is considering revamping its Fox Soccer cable channel into a general entertainment network, according to people briefed on the matter.

Discussion: EPL Talk

Dean Starkman / CJR:

Native ads' existential problem — L'affaire Atlantic/Scientology points up the format's built-in problems for news — The Atlantic's big mistake in the Scientololgy “debacle” has been variously described as: — 1. Running an ad in the first place for a strange and predatory money-obsessed cult …

Discussion: The Daily Dish, The New Republic and Guardian

Jack Shafer:
When advertorial bites back — At about noon today …

Discussion: Adweek, 10,000 Words, TechCrunch, JIMROMENESKO.COM, Business Week, New York Magazine and Daily Dot

Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch:

Amazon's European Netflix Competitor, LOVEFiLM, Signs TV Series Streaming Deal With NBCU — Another day, another content licensing agreement in the online streaming space. Amazon-owned LOVEFiLM, a European Netflix competitor, has signed a new streaming deal with NBCUniversal International TV Distribution …

Discussion: Home Media Magazine, Media Week, The Next Web, SlashGear, Pocket-lint and GeekWire

Lisa Campbell / The Bookseller:

Kobo claims 20% of global e-reading market — Kobo increased its global e-ink device sales by 150% in December, making it the “biggest month” for the company so far. — The Canada-based retailer said that contrary to suggestions that e-ink devices would decline in popularity over Christmas …

Joel Mathis / blogs.phillymag.com:

No One is Coming to Save Philadelphia Newspapers — These owners and these journalists will decide the fate of the Inky and Daily News. First they need a plan. Any plan at all. — Well, now we know: There will be no white knight to save Philadelphia's two major daily newspapers.

Discussion: Philly.com and Poynter

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:

Layoffs at Star-Ledger, other Advance papers in N.J. — Thirty-four employees of the (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger, including 18 full- and part-timers in the newsroom, will be laid off Wednesday, the paper's Ted Sherman and Kelly Heyboer report. — Publisher Richard Vezza …

Discussion: New Jersey Online, Erik Wemple and NetNewsCheck Latest

Erik Wemple / Washington Post:

How the New York Times scored its Journal News interviews — In the field of media reporting, Rupert Murdoch is a hot interview. Roger Ailes is a hot interview. Nate Silver is a hot interview. Over the past three weeks, though, a group of heretofore-anonymous editors and executives …