Mediagazer: Publicis, Omnicom Agree to Merge (Suzanne Vranica/Wall Street Journal)

8:20 PM ET, July 27, 2013

Top News:

Erin Griffith / PandoDaily:

Inside TimeSpace, the New York Times' new startup accelerator — Like many entrepreneurs, Tarikh Korula takes pride in the standard perks of entrepreneurship: He doesn't have a boss, a corporate cubicle, or a “real job.” It's been seven years since he's worked in what he calls a “proper midtown office.”

Discussion: @rajmalikdc, @durple, @_alastair, @_alastair, @tomweingarten, @rafat, @bydanielvictor and FishbowlNY

Andy Bull / Spundge:

Big media must be bold to thrive in the era of brand journalism — Everyone knows big media is in trouble. The newspaper industry appears to be in terminal decline, and traditional broadcasting fares little better. — But it doesn't have to be that way. Let me tell you a story from the golden age of mass media.

Thanks:@craigsilverman

Suzanne Vranica / Wall Street Journal:

Publicis, Omnicom Agree to Merge — Omnicom and Publicis, the world's second- and third-biggest advertising companies, have agreed to merge, people familiar with the situation said. — Omnicom Group Inc. and Publicis Groupe SA, the world's second- and third-biggest advertising companies …

Discussion: New York Times, AdAge, AllThingsD, Financial Times, Reuters, AdExchanger, Bloomberg, Deadline.com and Variety

Michael Calderone / The Huffington Post:

Al Jazeera America Promises To Stand Out In Cable News Market, But Concerns Loom — NEW YORK — Kate O'Brian, a 30-year ABC News veteran named president of Al Jazeera America this week, says the soon-to-be-launched network will stand out in today's cable news landscape.

Paul Farhi / Washington Post:

The Obama media pool lacks racial depth — When the first black president of the United States walked into the White House press room to talk about Trayvon Martin and the complexities of race in America last Friday, the people poised to convey his remarks to the world were overwhelmingly of one race — white.

Kara Swisher / AllThingsD:

Yahoo Plans Splashy New San Francisco Digs (And Dreams of Neon Billboard's Return) — According to multiple sources close to the situation, Yahoo is close to signing a lease for a splashy new San Francisco outpost to keep up with the fast growth of other Web companies that have opened high-profile offices here.

Discussion: VatorNews, Softpedia News and @benwitte

Amanda Erickson / Columbia Journalism Review:

In Azerbaijan, a journalist under siege — Khadija Ismayilova's fight against wrongdoings, “wherever they are” — It was supposed to be a punishment—220 hours plucking garbage off the streets of Baku, Azerbaijan. — Instead, journalist Khadija Ismayilova turned her community service assignment into an impromptu rally for change.

Jeff John Roberts / GigaOM:

Content owners warn Congress of “fair use creep,” draw ridicule — Groups representing the movie, music and photography industries testified before Congress on Thursday, and called on the government to consider changing laws to do more to address piracy and file-sharing.

Discussion: Techdirt, TorrentFreak, LAW.com, Creativity Tech, @thecyberlawyer and @jmarkockerbloom

Davin Hutchins / Mediashift:

‘Syria Stories’ Uses On-Demand Illustrations to Tell Personal Wartime Stories — Fewer than half of Middle East residents think it's safe to express political opinions online, according to a study by sponsor Northwestern University in Qatar. Explore the data on this interactive site and watch a recent MediaTwits chat about the study.

Daniel Leblanc / Globe and Mail:

Journalist Chrystia Freeland to seek Liberal nod for Toronto Centre — A senior editor at an international media organization will seek the Liberal nomination for the downtown Toronto riding vacated by Bob Rae. — Chrystia Freeland, a former manager and writer at The Globe and Mail …

Discussion: @zacbissonnette, @mickimaynard, @joshgreenman, @rachelsklar, @mipolitico, @nytfridge, @jbarro, @thelist, @mattyglesias, @jstanghini and @daveweigel

Associated Press:

Bradley Manning's defense attorney says soldier is a whistleblower who wanted to inform public — FORT MEADE, Md. — U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning is a whistleblower who wanted to inform the American public about the troubling things he saw in the war zone, and the soldier is willing to pay …

Discussion: Associated Press, @edpilkington, @edpilkington, @carwinb, Guardian, Wall Street Journal, RT, Reuters and Los Angeles Times

Jack Mirkinson / The Huffington Post:
Press Conditions In Bradley Manning Trial Compared To Libya

Discussion: @carwinb, Firedoglake, Techdirt and Boing Boing

Robert Channick / Chicago Tribune:

WBEZ president Torey Malatia resigns — Torey Malatia, the longtime general manager of public radio station WBEZ-FM 91.5, is resigning his post effective Friday. — He announced his decision in a joint statement issued by parent organization Chicago Public Media, where he served as president and CEO.

Discussion: @davidfolkenflik, Change of Subject, @billadairduke, @rsamer, @rsamer, @theboxfactory, @kairyssdal, @robertfeder and Current.org

Jim Romenesko:

Newspaper editor admits he's ‘in the way of progress’ and steps down — Kudos to Joe Butkiewicz for being refreshingly honest about his decision to resign as executive editor of the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: “In my old-fashioned way, I'm in the way of progress.”

Discussion: The Times-Tribune and The Huffington Post