Never one to boast, the ever-modest New York Daily News has issued an understated response to the latest circ figures which (according to the DN, who fails to provide the actual figures) conclusively demonstrate that the Mort Zuckerman owned tabloid has "strengthened its position as the true voice of New York." And that's not all!

For the stunning 16th year, the Daily News reigns as the largest circulated daily newspaper in the New York metropolitan area, in figures published by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC).

Proving that quality journalism will always win, the Daily News reclaimed its position as the fifth-largest newspaper in the country - reaffirming our belief that we provide the BEST local coverage of the world's greatest city.

And we couldn't agree more with their mode reasoning. If, however, the above writing is any indication of the quality journalism we can expect from the 16th annual circ leader, we'll be picking up the New York Post the next time we've got half hour to kill on public transportation.

Our lighthearted conjectures notwithstanding, it seems the Grey Lady is not, in fact, running for cover after Post editor Col Allan threw down the gauntlet yesterday by announcing that the New York Times is in Page Six Magazine's "gun sights."

Apparently, this all has to do with a sort-of boring fight about luxury advertising sales. And since boring is what the NYT does best, they were not about to be outdone. Quoth NYT Magazine's associate managing editor, Gerry Marzorati:

Publishing magazines that people — women in particular — want to read is not an easy thing when you've never done it before…So if, you know, I am in Mr. Allan's sights, I am not exactly running for cover.

Which is pretty much the Times' prim way of saying "Note to Col: Just because you happen to frequent the seedy underbelly of New York strip clubs doesn't mean you know anything about what women readers actually want."

Today's Rush & Molloy column proves the Daily News can't resist an opportunity to stick in a dig at the Post's (and Rupert Murdoch's) expense, even if that means stooping to defend divalicious jetsetter Maria Bartiromo in the process.

Fortunately, we love a good catfight! And there's nothing we enjoy more than watching two money-hemorrhaging tabloids duke it out over the arbitrary title of "Who Sold More Papers For Less Money This Year." [NYDN]

Recently, the NYP doubled its price to 50 cents, requiring buyers to part with not one but two shiny new quarters that would have been better spent on laundry. Now, however, they've reverted to selling their hardhitting journalistic coups at the bargain rate of 25 cents. Which, according to the Times, may have something to do with arch-rival New York Daily News. The Grey Lady investigates!

To recap New York City’s tabloid price war: the tabloid costing 25 cents went to 50, so the one at 50 went to 25, but it will return to 50 soon. And now, the one that just went to 50 has gone back to 25. Got that?

Makes perfect sense to us. Or, should we say "cents?"

The NYT pulls the rug out from underneath New York's much written about highly mysterious "Post vs. Daily News" rivalry!

In New York City, the Daily News and the Post have long sparred with promotions, games and articles belittling each other, in a contest that often seems as much a reflection of their executives' egos as any business strategy.

Wait, you mean all that back and forth cattiness is really just a pissing contest between the tabloids' two publishers?

Finally, it all makes sense!

Naturally, in light of Britney Baldgate, the tabs raced to chronicle this latest episode of Spears' descent into lunacy. But who did the better job?

Analysis:
the New York Daily News loses points for making the obligatory "Britney Wigs Out" joke, but gets props for including the helpful bullet points, (particularly the one that reads "experts say image in ruins.")

Conversely, the New York Post deserves ample credit for the far more original tag-line of "Brit buzzed after battle with mom" but shows a gross error in judgment by deciding to share the page with a story about mob intrigue and (gasp!) sports.

After the jump, our surprise winner for Best Britney Baldgate Coverage…

CONTINUED »

Another instance of a publicity flack doing double-duty.

From today's Rush & Molloy:

Robin Williams has played tennis since childhood and sees some changes in the game. "It's weird when you watch women's tennis now with all the grunting and shouting," the comic says in the March Tennis mag. "It's a bit like phone sex. You have to be careful not to get too excited."

From today's Page Six:

IT'S weird when you watch women's tennis now with all the grunting and shouting. It's a bit like phone sex. So you have to be very careful not to get too excited." - Robin Williams in Tennis magazine.

Tennis, anyone?

From last week's New York Post:

From today's New York Daily News:

Better watch out, Posties. Keep up that spotty fact-checking, and you'll soon be known as The New Yorker of tabloid news…

We just love a good, old-fashioned newspaper rivalry.

Which is why we were particularly delighted this morning to pick up the New York Post and find that they'd lambasted the Daily News for their unfair depiction of the innocent gossip pawn, Jared Paul Stern, the Page Sixer accused—and now cleared—of extorting billionaire Ron Burkle:

Daily News really can't be blamed for not having all the facts. The sad tabloid, whose circulation is dropping faster than a prom dress, purposefully misleads its readers when it covers The Post. Red-faced editors at the News were avoiding questions yesterday after claiming their paper had "first disclosed" details of the meetings between former Page Six contributor Jared Paul Stern and supermarket billionaire Ron Burkle, which led to a federal investigation of Stern that's now been dropped. The Post actually broke the story on its Web site on April 6, 2006, the day before the News published it. The News also took credit for revealing that "other Page Six employees had received free trips . . . from companies and personalities featured in the column." This is shameless hypocrisy in light of the fact that certain Daily News columnists are still suntanned from their junkets to the Raffles Canouan resort in the Grenadines; to Istanbul, Turkey; and Qatar on the Red Sea. Detailed queries to usually loquacious News Editor-in-Chief Martin Dunn weren't returned yesterday. Maybe he was freeloading on a beach somewhere.

Wow, you gotta admire the way the worked the phrase "dropping faster than a prom dress" in there. Anything that rings of childish name calling and schoolyard insults certainly rings dignified to us.

And never mind that the Post themselves suspended Stern as soon as initially rumors surfaced, only to officially fire him shortly thereafter. Also, never mind that while Stern isn't officially being charged with a crime, he's not exactly the poster-boy for journalistic ethics. (He may not have actually extorted funds from Burkle, but he seemed to have no problem with pocketing his money, either—supposedly for a joint "business venture," but more likely as a quid pro quo in exchange for "protecting" Burkle from bad press).

Anyhow, we're just amused to see the Post rush to Stern's defense, in time to get back on Stern's good side (before all the lawsuits begin!) and, of course, to knock their closest competitor. But they better hope they don't have any "freeloading" secrets to hide—because we just can't wait until Martin Dunn gets back from his all-expenses paid vacay to issue a scathing rebuttal.