More news to report from the media front: Political websites are closing down and everyone from Men’s Journal to the Christian Science Monitor is laying off staffers. But Bono is writing for the Times now. A sign of hope? Er, up to you. Sadly, you know the drill.
• The Jared Kushner–owned Politicker network has shut down its New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania–based political news websites. [FishbowlNY/Mediabistro]
• More major cuts at Wenner Media, home of Us Weekly and Men’s Journal, have taken the jobs of production, sales, and marketing staffers. Wenner, however, has been on a prolonged ski trip. [NYP]
• “Yes, we all know it’s brutal out there,” writes Boston Globe publisher Steve Ainsley. “But, have faith in our abilities and our mission. To put it in sloganese — we’ve got to believe to succeed. We are going to succeed.” Well, shaky as that manifesto actually sounds, we support any publisher that uses the term “sloganese.” [Don’t Quote Me/Boston Phoenix]
• American Media, publishing home of the National Enquirer, is attempting to avoid bankruptcy by handing the company over to bondholders. [NYP]
• Other debatable media statements today: “Bono is a great addition to our op-ed line-up,” says Times editorial page editor Andrew Rosenthal, on the rock-star-cum-columnist. Bono begins his career at the financially troubled newspaper in this week’s Sunday edition. [Romenesko]
• Men’s Vogue, still set for a two-issue-per-year run, will be placed neatly on the back of the Vogue that people actually buy. [Cut]
• The Christian Science Monitor is cutting 7 percent from its 90-person editorial staff. [Boston Globe]
• The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is for sale. Again, we ask: any takers? [Seattle Times]
