Mediagazer: NZ media network pulls 500 radio ads touting Dotcom's new Mega service (Cyrus Farivar/Ars Technica)

4:35 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, New York Magazine, Hillicon Valley, Mashable!, Techdirt, TIME, TechPresident, Associated Press, The Daily Beast and CNET

Alexander Abad-Santos / The Atlantic Wire:
How Anonymous Got Westboro to Back Off Aaron Swartz's Funeral

Discussion: Fast Company, CNET, Forbes, Adweek, 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, ABCNEWS, BuzzFeed News, Stanford CIS Blog 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

John Herrman / BuzzFeed:

Want To Publish A Twitter Image Legally? Just Embed It. — A Manhattan judge has ruled against The Washington Post and the AFP for republishing a Twitter user's photos. But if the image had been inside an embedded Tweet, it may have been fine. A strange loophole. — posted about a half hour ago

Discussion: VentureBeat, @tone_def and CNET

Lisa O'Carroll / Guardian:
Twitter pictures put in spotlight following London helicopter crash

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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

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

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

Joel Mathis / The Philly Post:

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, Cision and Poynter

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 …

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, SlashGear, The Next Web, Pocket-lint and GeekWire

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 …

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

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Associated Press:

Fox hires Dennis Kucinich as analyst — NEW YORK (AP) — Former Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich has signed on as a regular contributor to Fox News Channel. — The former Ohio congressman unsuccessfully ran for president in 2004 and 2008, and recently ended his congressional career.

Discussion: TVNewser

Cyrus Farivar / Ars Technica:

NZ media network pulls 500 radio ads touting Dotcom's new Mega service — Three days before Mega's launch, colorful German blames music industry for loss. — With just three days to go before the much-touted launch of Mega, Kim Dotcom's latest business venture, a New Zealand media company …

Discussion: TorrentFreak

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:

Google wins $1 million worth of USA Today ads in Print Advertising competition — Google Creative Lab won a print-advertising contest run by USA Today. Publisher Larry Kramer tells The New York Times “he could see how people may consider it ‘hysterical,’” Stuart Elliott writes.

Discussion: New York Times and NetNewsCheck Latest