Mediagazer: American Prospect lays off some staff, returns to roots as an academic journal, say sources (Myles Tanzer/BuzzFeed)

3:30 PM ET, June 2, 2014

Top News:

Supreme Court rejects Risen's appeal to avoid being forced to testify and reveal his sources — Justices reject reporter's bid to protect source — WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday refused to get involved in the case of a reporter who has been ordered to testify at the trial …

Discussion: New York Times, Poynter, Reuters, @ap, Fortune, Gawker, Media Law Prof Blog, @ddknyt and Politico

Charlie Savage / New York Times:

Amid Moves on Shield Laws, Journalist Tells of a 2011 Subpoena Fight — WASHINGTON — A former Fox News journalist disclosed on Thursday that he had been subpoenaed in 2011 for notes and testimony identifying his confidential sources in a leak investigation, adding a new public chapter …

Xan Brooks / Guardian:

Oliver Stone to direct adaptation of Guardian journalist Luke Harding's book on Snowden — Edward Snowden NSA whistleblowing story to be filmed by Oliver Stone — Director of Platoon and JFK will direct a big budget adaptation of Guardian journalist Luke Harding's book about Snowden's role in exposing the NSA's surveillance culture

Discussion: gq-magazine.co.uk, Mediaite, The New York Observer, The Wrap, Politico, FishbowlNY, Variety, @ewenmacaskill, @drudge_report, @paullewis, New York Magazine, @timkarr, The Verge and Pressing Issues

Patrick Kingsley / Guardian:

Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef winds up TV show due to safety fears — Show was seen as a barometer for free speech in Egypt, but Youssef claims he is no longer safe to work — The television satirist seen as the barometer for free speech in post-revolutionary Egypt, Bassem Youssef …

Discussion: GlobalPost, Bloomberg, Washington Post, TIME, International Business Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC, Naharnet, The Straits Times, TheAustralian and Daily News Egypt

Max Fisher / Vox:

The real tragedy of Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef's censorship is he played a role in it — Egyptian political satirist Bassem Youssef, internationally celebrated as “Egypt's Jon Stewart” for his willingness to poke fun at his country's top leaders through years of turmoil …

The Inquirer:

Lewis Katz, co-owner of The Inquirer, dies in plane crash — Lewis Katz, 72, co-owner of The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Daily News and Philly.com, died Saturday night in the crash of a private jet at a Massachusetts airfield. — Katz's death was confirmed by Inquirer editor Bill Marimow …

Associated Press:
Gerry Lenfest says deal for control of Inquirer papers will proceed after death of Lewis Katz

Discussion: NewsWorks

Myles Tanzer / BuzzFeed:

American Prospect lays off some staff, returns to roots as an academic journal, say sources — American Prospect Mass Exodus Begins — The publication that created a pipeline of digital journalists is going back to its roots as an academic journal. “The ownership is saying they are preserving …

Discussion: @patcaldwell, @danagoldstein, @rachellarris, @buzzfeedben, @alyssarosenberg and @suzykhimm

Lucas Shaw / The Wrap:

Following Disney deal, Maker Studios laying off 10% of 380 staff — Maker Studios to Lay Off Staff After Disney Deal — Maker Studios will lay off about 10 percent of its staff of 380, according to individuals familiar with the large network of online video channels.

Discussion: Variety and Mashable

David Carr / New York Times:

Amazon Absorbing Price Fight Punches — Books, we are told, are relics that have reached their sell-by date, put out by an industry that is a desiccated shell of its former self. — Someone forgot to tell the book business that it was dead. Last Thursday afternoon …

Discussion: USA Today, The Atlantic Online, New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Awl, Vanity Fair, @publisherswkly, Consumerist, @laurahazardowen and @carr2n

Fergus Pitt / Tow Center for Digital Journalism:

Sensor journalism study recommends more reporting, access to data from publicly funded sensors — Sensors and Journalism, A Major Report — Today, the Tow Center is publishing a report about the uses, the opportunities and the risks of sensors and journalism.

Discussion: @jseiken and @digiphile

Tow Center for Digital Journalism:

User-generated content study shows varied standards of newsrooms, poor labeling and crediting — Tow Center Launches Amateur Footage: A Global Study of User-Generated Content in TV and Online News Output — Crediting is rare, there's a huge gulf in how senior managers and newsdesks talk …

Discussion: @elanazak, @cward1e, Kirk LaPointe's …, @azmatzahra and @markfrankel29

Lisa De Moraes / Deadline.com:

Study: Colbert Report viewers more informed about campaign financing than actual news viewers — Study: Stephen Colbert More Effective Than Journalists At Explaining Campaign Financing During Last Election Cycle — A new report warns just how much this country stands to lose …

Discussion: Mediaite, Politico, @absegel, US News, Splitsider and The Huffington Post