Mediagazer: In suburban D.C., a network of hyperlocal news sites expands and bets on local advertising (Caroline O'Donovan/Nieman Journalism Lab)

9:40 AM ET, December 10, 2013

Top News:

Marcella Bombardieri / The Boston Globe:

New York Times columnist David Carr to join Boston University faculty — Times columnist to join BU faculty — Boston University has landed star New York Times media columnist David Carr to fill a new endowed chair dedicated to exploring creative business models to support journalism in the digital era.

Discussion: Poynter, FishbowlNY, Capital New York, @jayrosen_nyu, @jbenton, @jenniferpreston, @melissaadan_, @jeffjarvis, @hblodget, @brianstelter, @dankennedy_nu, @craigsilverman and @cynthianeedham

New York Times:

If a Story Is Viral, Truth May Be Taking a Beating — Truth has never been an essential ingredient of viral content on the Internet. But in the stepped-up competition for readers, digital news sites are increasingly blurring the line between fact and fiction, and saying that it is all part …

Discussion: @rga, @juliewestfall, @kevglobal, @adriennelaf, @flemingsean, @jswatz, @magicofpi, @saramorrison, @anttiisokangas, @marcsettle and @pkafka

J.K. Trotter / Gawker:

Fox News Paid Fired Executive $8 Million to Keep Quiet — Roger Ailes' secrets command a heavy price. Last week, the New York Times reported that Fox News had reached an out-of-court settlement with Brian Lewis, the former Roger Ailes aide who was abruptly fired in late July.

Discussion: FishbowlNY, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, Erik Wemple, @will_bunch, Variety, @gabrielsnyder, @stevesilberman, PRNewser, @dangillmor, @dylanbyers and The Huffington Post

Oliver Laughland / Guardian:

Murdoch is evil: the message hidden in a children's puzzle in one of his papers — Third line down says LIVESIHCODRUM (read it backwards) as puzzlemaster has a laugh at paymaster's expense — Harry the Dog's weekly kids' word search in Sydney's Sunday Telegraph tabloid

Discussion: Sydney Morning Herald, Gawker, Business Insider, The Standard, Junkee and mUmBRELLA

Lyra McKee / The Muckraker:

Matter had over 10K paying readers but paywall wasn't right model, says co-founder — In 2012, tech journalists Bobbie Johnson and Jim Giles raised over $140,000 on crowdfunding site Kickstarter for their new publication, Matter. The idea was simple: a digital publishing house that produced in-depth …

Discussion: @petersterne, @niemanlab and @jayrosen_nyu

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Swisher/Mossberg venture, “Revere Digital”, plans to announce another partner January 2 — NBCUniversal Buys Stake in AllThingsD, Which Is Set to Get New Name: Report — Tech-news venture founded by two former WSJ editors to be renamed ‘Revere Digital,’ according to Bloomberg report

Discussion: @fmanjoo, @qhardy and Deadline.com

Bloomberg:
AllThingsD Editors Are Said to Complete NBCUniversal Deal

Discussion: Capital New York, PandoDaily, @hriefs, Politico, Talking Biz News, bizjournals, Betabeat, @bloombergnews, @crayton_h, @markgurman and @jyarow

Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:

Scripps Buys Newsy For $35M To Expand From TV And Newspapers To Digital Video — Another exit for a new media startup into the arms of the old media industry: E.W. Scripps, the storied owner of 19 local television stations and daily newspapers in 13 markets across the U.S. …

Discussion: The E.W. Scripps Company, Folio, Variety, Gigaom, @stlarchangels, @davidherzog, @newsyvideos, Lost Remote, @zachtoombs, @michaelroston, @laurenzima, StartupBook, MediaPost, NetNewsCheck Latest, Poynter, @wadefoster, The Commercial Appeal and TVSpy, Thanks:@steverubel

Guardian:

International bill of digital rights: call from 500 writers around the world — In a petition to the United Nations, a group of authors agree that democratic rights must apply in virtual as in real space — • State surveillance of personal data is theft, say world's leading authors

Discussion: BBC, The Huffington Post, @poetryarchive, presstv.ir, The Dawn News, The Week UK, The Irish Times, The Australian, Bookseller news and Guardian

Jeff John Roberts / Gigaom:

The persecution of Apple: is the ebook investigation out of control? — Fresh controversy over Apple's role in an alleged ebook conspiracy raises questions about the judge's handling of the case, and even led the Wall Street Journal to say she is a “disgrace” and call for her removal.

Discussion: Melville House Books

Darren Boyle / Press Gazette:

Linux Voice secures £90,000 crowdfunded launch target — The editorial team behind a new computer magazine are busily working on the first edition having secured £90,000 investment on the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform. — Linux Voice is being launched by the former editorial team …

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:

Jeffrey Rothfeder out as editor of International Business Times — Jeffrey Rothfeder, editor-in-chief of The International Business Times, is leaving leave the budding business news website next month, Capital has learned. — Sources familiar with the matter said Rothfeder will be out as of the end …

Discussion: Talking Biz News

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:

Layoffs ahead at Time Inc. — Time Inc. staffers were informed today that layoffs lie ahead in the New Year, Capital has learned. — The publishing giant has implemented cuts in recent years while aiming to rein in costs. Just under a year ago, 500 jobs were slashed from the company …

Discussion: Adweek, AdAge, @tmcgev and The Huffington Post

Caroline O'Donovan / Nieman Journalism Lab:

In suburban D.C., a network of hyperlocal news sites expands and bets on local advertising — When the Curbed network of websites — local outlets focused on dining, real estate, and fashion — was bought by Vox Media last month for around $20 or $30 million, Digiday's Josh Sternberg asked …

Discussion: Street Fight

Agence France Presse:

Two Spanish journalists held by Al-Qaeda-linked group in Syria — Madrid (AFP) - A radical group linked to Al-Qaeda kidnapped two Spanish journalists reporting in Syria in September and is holding them captive, El Mundo newspaper reported on Tuesday. — El Mundo correspondent Javier Espinosa …

Discussion: Guardian, @patrickgaley, @antderosa, @estheralvarado, @manulucas77, @jcstearns, @erinmcunningham, @syrianpost, La Prensa, @lizsly, @leloveluck and @inigogilmore

Dave McNary / Variety:

Netflix Picks Up Mitt Romney Documentary — Streaming service will run ‘Mitt’ soon after Sundance preem — Ramping up its documentary business, Netflix has acquired theatrical and TV rights to the Mitt Romney documentary “Mitt” with plans to air it exclusively on Jan. 24.

Discussion: The Wrap, Deadline.com, Post Politics, The Verge, Los Angeles Times and The Huffington Post