media deathwatch

Media Is Tired and Pretending This Isn’t Happening

Today Media tries to cling to the ideals of its early days, when it was all about the content, not the money. It’s even trying to sell you a new magazine! Just humor Media, okay? Only a few more hours until Media will take a break for the weekend.

• Whoa, someone is angry! Scott Crystal, CEO and president of TV Guide, thinks “The ASME guidelines need to be blown up,” referring to the organization’s guidelines for “editorial integrity,” specifically the decree that covers are for editorial material only. ASME’s chief executive, Sid Holt, responded, “ASME’s not telling anybody how to run his or her business. If Scott wants to put an ad on the cover of TV Guide, that’s his decision.” [Folio]

• San Francisco–based home magazine Dwell is helping to launch a new travel magazine and website called Afar. Have we been missing out on a huge recession market in this shrinking industry for $5 magazines about trips no one can afford? [Folio]

• Is Obama planning to kill media? The chatty President of Change plans to take to your televisions — during prime time — several times over the next few weeks to promote his stimulus package. Broadcasters fear they could lose $9 million on his first appearance. [HuffPo]

• Since the latest layoffs at The Wall Street Journal extended to the paper’s library, reporters will now have to do all of their research alone. Hey, wasn’t Laura Bush a librarian? Maybe she would be interested in a little pro bono library work. Maybe? [FishbowlNY/Mediabistro ]

• Breaking: This year’s graduating class of wide-eyed young journalists is afraid they won’t get jobs in media. Really, NPR? [Romenesko]

Media Is Tired and Pretending This Isn’t Happening