Mediagazer: Cartoon Network Launches Micro-Network for Smartphones (Exclusive) (Todd Spangler/Variety)

1:10 PM ET, October 9, 2014

Top News:

NBC Wanted to Hire Jon Stewart As Host of Meet the Press — “They were ready to back the Brink's truck up,” one source said — 2.4k — This Sunday marks Chuck Todd's one-month anniversary in the anchor chair at Meet the Press. Despite an opening-week ratings spike from his exclusive sit …

James Poniewozik / TIME:

Could Jon Stewart Have Put Sunday Morning Shows Out of Their Misery? — He reportedly turned down an offer to host Meet the Press. If so, too bad for NBC—but probably best for him — According to New York Magazine, before NBC hired Chuck Todd to take over Meet the Press …

Discussion: @antderosa, @jayrosen_nyu and The Week

Claire Suddath / Businessweek:

The Weather Channel's Secret: Less Weather, More Clickbait — The writers and editors at the Weather Channel's weather.com don't often talk about the weather. They're not meteorologists. They don't mention the forecast or debate whether New York's overcast sky means it's going to rain.

Discussion: TVNewser, @jyarow, @ryanchittum, @tyrangiel and The Huffington Post

Kara Swisher / Re/code:

Twitter News Head Vivian Schiller Out in Media Unit Consolidation — Vivian Schiller, the high-profile NBC and NPR exec who Twitter hired to run its news unit, is leaving the company as part of a consolidation. Adam Sharp will now be in charge of both news and politics at the social messaging company .

Dana Milbank / Washington Post:

At National Press Club, the press is shut out — I'd like to tell you what Robert Ford, former U.S. ambassador to Syria, said at the National Press Club on Wednesday about recent developments in the war against the Islamic State. The diplomat, who resigned in protest earlier this year because he found it …

Discussion: @vipalmonga, @peterwsinger and @mlcalderone

Nicole Levy / Capital New York:

At Condé Nast Entertainment, marketing digital video costs as much as making it — Every fall, when broadcast and cable networks premiere a new lineup of television shows, they aren't just investing in the production of pilot episodes—they're also spending millions to market …

Ben Sisario / New York Times:

Music Industry Pushes for New York Tax Credits Like Film Industry's — Can a tax subsidy revive New York's music business? — A group of music industry figures, worried about the flight of music production and related jobs from New York to states like Texas and Tennessee …

Discussion: Billboard, FDRMX and NCPR Daily News

Mark Sweney / Guardian:

Ex-News Corp lobbyist Frédéric Michel to work for Sky Italia — Lobbyist's close relationship with culture secretary Jeremy Hunt and his special adviser sparked controversy at Leveson inquiry — Frédéric Michel, the former News Corporation lobbyist whose emails …

Discussion: Poynter

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Amazon Studios Wants Big Comedies, Ready to Pay $4 Million for Pilots: Sources — Amazon Studios, its appetite whetted for half-hour comedies, is now looking to fund a big-budget, high-profile laffer to anchor its next wave of original series — and rival Netflix for attention-grabbing properties.

Discussion: Digital Spy

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Hispanic Digital-Media Company ‘Latin Everywhere’ Formed via GoTV, Latin Anywhere Merger — GoTV, the Spanish-language digital entertainment company headed by Jorge Granier, has merged with Rich Hull's Latin Anywhere to form Latin Everywhere, which brings together digital rights …

Discussion: ScreenDaily and Hollywood Reporter

Mark Sweney / Guardian:

Last.fm made loss of £2.1m last year — CBS-owned online music service's revenues slumped more than 20% and staff numbers fell from 61 to 35 — Last.fm has moved to a collaboration model — CBS-owned online music service Last.fm made a loss of £2.1m last year …

Discussion: Complete Music Update

Mark Sweney / Guardian:

Hearst UK sees pre-tax profits fall by more than a quarter — Average print and digital circulation of magazine publisher behind Cosmopolitan, Men's Health and Esquire down by 8.4% — Hearst UK, the magazine publisher behind Cosmopolitan, managed to increase operating profit despite a drop in circulation.