Demands The White House declines to comment on the New York Times A1 story on CIA torture tapes, but is "formally requesting that NYT correct the sub-headline of this story," which states that the "White House Role Was Wider Than It Said." Isn't requesting correction a passive aggressive comment? [MediaBistro]
Pitch timely features for Tango, a lesser-known quarterly title covering love and relationships! Just make sure you do it fast. The last issue of its short-lived print edition is coming out in Winter 2007, at which point the mag will fold "transition" from "print to a principally digital platform."
At Tuesday night's Mediabistro dinner, Us Weekly EIC Janice Min didn't have advice for aspiring female journalists so much as understandable paranoia about dissension in the ranks.
Reports WWD: "Min told of discovering a Facebook group of her employees and wondering, 'Would they be bummed if I added myself to it?'* Because, as Min (correctly!) reasons, "part of any office is that you bond over who you hate." In which case, we can't think of a more tightknit group than the Wenner underlings.
*Spoiler: Yes!
Although we can’t always shake the nasty habit of writing in the royal we, occasionally one of our editors decides to shake off the cloak of anonymity to write a short, pithy statement long, rambling diatribe about a topic of their choice. Today, Debbie Newman is that editor.
After a long and somewhat confusing morning – spent predominantly browsing the internets while under the (still negligible) influence of non-drowsy cold medication – I stumbled onto an amazingly informative article in which WaPo's Howie "Story Stealer" Kurtz interviews Mediabistro founder Laurel "Suck It, I'm Rich" Touby about her extraordinary success. In the course of their discussion, Kurtz helpfully explains that Touby's website utilizes a newfangled technology called "blogging," which are, in Touby's case, "short real-time scooplets" written by media insiders, for media insiders, about media insiders.
Needless to say, my head is still spinning.*
From Mediabistro.com's FishbowlNY report on last night's Michael's book party:
Either Cindy Adams wrote this, or George Plimpton's family might be wondering what his corpse was doing at a book party.
Mediabistro founder, Laurel Touby pauses on the eve of the media site's 10th anniversary to take a long look back and nostalgically reflect on her ginormous $21 million windfall the vast number of life-altering moments and burning questions she's faced over the years.
Shall we add a job board or just have bulletin boards?
Do I work from home or raise capital so I can rent an office and hire people?
How do we ever get back to work after 9/11?
Charmin in the bathroom or the 100% recycled kind?
Decisions, decisions!! Meanwhile, Touby muses, "How could an innocent little cocktail party evolve into a web site and a business where hundreds of thousands of people find daily delight?" Oh, Laurel, if we knew the answer to that, we'd be out somewhere eating greasy food and talking about last night's boozefest strategizing at an important breakfast meeting with some hungover drinking buddies highly reputable business associates over a couple of Irish Coffees energy drinks.
The latest victim of misabbreviation gets properly chastised by an attentive Jossip tipster, who promptly emailed us with the subject-line "Girls Life Currently Hiring Asses; Boobs Need Not Apply." Touché. [Mediabistro]
Picked up a copy of the Village Voice lately? Based on their latest circulation estimates, we're guessing not. But you should! Lest you miss out on this wordy (and surprisingly entertaining) profile on Laurel Touby, sometimes-drunk and founder of the suddenly lucrative website, Mediabistro.com.
So, sit back, read and watch as Touby transforms from geek to almost-chic before your eyes. Marvel in her gradual transition from uninvited wannabe-journalist to frizzy-haired, boa-wearing sort-of journalist. Smile as Touby's own friends describe her as "not cool" and make fun of her snorting, chortle-laugh and Sally Jessy Raphael spectacles.
And cry as you realize that, even if you ditch your colored contacts for coke-bottle glasses, cultivate a Steve Urkel inspired laugh and start prancing around in a feathered boa, no one will ever turn around and offer you a check for $23 million.
• Reuters bullpenner Ty Trippet explains why the news service may have put the lives of 21 South Korean hostages at risk because of a faulty report. ABC, who "confirmed" the report independently, also finds itself backtracking. (Did we mention it was the competition – the Associated Press – that jumped on this story?) [AP]
• Having got a look at Portfolio, it's time for Fortune EIC Andy Serwer to gloat. Then again, it's Jon Friedman's who's suggesting he start gloating, so nevermind. [MW]
• New-ish Elle creative director Joe Zee's biggest problem so far hasn't been how to handle the Lindsay Lohan September issue while the starlet deals with her cocaine bust — but how to get Gilles Bensimon off the masthead once and for all. [NYT]
• In the Manhattan Media-owned New York Press, there won't be any more tranny hooker ads. But there will be a Brooklyn edition! [NYO]
• Dylan Stableford has an exciting skateboard project to work on, which is why he's leaving Mediabistro's FishbowlNY. Perhaps Laurel Touby didn't offer any bonuses? Neal Ungerleider and Ron Mwangaguhunga – both with last names we're not sure how to pronounce – are taking over. (Announce-y type emails after the jump.)
"Please join me at Michael's Restaurant on Wednesday, July 25, in raising a toast to TVNewser's Brian Stelter, as he sets out to leave the confines of the blogosphere for the print world," writes Mediabistro.com founder Laurel Touby, who's not exactly having a bad week herself.
"But," Laurel continues, "every ending is a new beginning, and I've got some very exciting news to share. I'll be unveiling the next TVNewser - who will be taking the blog in new and exciting directions. Stay tuned — you'll have to be at the party to find out who it is (I'm inviting only 100 people, so you'll be among the first)!'
All of which would ordinarily be pretty damn exciting except for one small thing: we already know who the next TVNewser is.
Ever wondered how exactly to go from being borderline alchy to rich and semi-famous? Just do what Mediabistro.com founder Laurel Touby did: surround yourself with semi-successful media professionals who enjoy drunken benders as much as you do (we suggest the New York Post's Steve Dunleavy, or one of those perma-tipsy Rush & Molloy assistants) and then find a way to turn your appreciation for all things hard liquor into a profitable online venture!
Laurel Touby turned her popular cocktail parties into a high-traffic Web site for job-seeking media and creative professionals. Yesterday, she sold mediabistro.com, the company that sprang from those mixers, for $23 million. The Jupitermedia Corporation, an Internet research company that also sells photos and art, agreed to pay $20 million in cash and an additional $3 million over two years for the company.
As for our own career plans, we've got two wine coolers in the fridge and a half-empty (or is it half-full?) bottle of Absolut vodka in the freezer, and a six-pack of Rolling Rock. Which means, it's time to play 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire!'
Mediabistro.com's job listing for the next TVNewser editor, where Gail Shister is said to have applied: "If you've been reading TVNewser over the past few years, you'll recognize that there is an unparalleled opportunity to take the brand to the next level."
Translation: We think the thing is staid, yo.
Earlier this week, we told you the New York Times was tapping TVNewser editor (and 21 year-old Towson University graduate) Brian Stelter as its newest media reporter. Which means Stelter's old job is up for grabs, and Mediabistro hasn't wasted any time looking for his replacement. And, from the looks of it, the pool of applicants isn't exactly limited to undergraduates this time around.
According to HuffPo, the people who have already applied to be the new Newswer include "a famous TV columnist with umpteen years of experience," "an executive producer at MSNBC," "a senior producer at CBS" and "a former managing editor of Cablevision."
In related news, our contract is up later this year, and we're already fielding offers from a variety of potential replacements including multiple high school dropouts, a college student who's "a journalism major and with a minor in communications, and [has] always enjoyed the Perez Hilton site" and the guy who sells us our morning coffee.
That CBS producer fired for plagiarizing a WSJ item for Katie Couric's Notebook? She almost taught your class about online news writing. (At least it wasn't ethics.)
• The bad news: Pete Doherty admits he still smokes crack every day, and reveals he's engaged in prostitution to feed his habit. The good news: He only told Vogue Homme.
• Mediabistro was evidently so impressed with our inaugural "Press Release Parade" they were inspired to create a similar new feature only hours later!
• America's Next Top Model reminds us that they live and die for fashion.
• Nielsen president Robert Krakoff died unexpectedly last night, escaping any 'splaining about getting dumped by Fox.
• In spite of Angelina Jolie's best efforts to even the playing field, today's NYT reveals NYC is dominated by rich white toddlers.
• No question Beyonce's a lot hotter now than she used to be. But is it a case of awkward adolescence or Dr. 90210?
The rumors started a while back … and now Ad Age confirms the whispers. Media news staple Mediabistro is officially on the block. The job searching, news feeding, fishbowling site is asking for 3-4 times its revenue … though, nobody knows exactly what that revenue is. (We're guessing closer to the $5 million range than the $8 mil. $32 million just seems a tad high.)
While we, too, would like to more about who's thinking of buying the site — guesses were Haymarket Media (of PRWeek), Monster.com or Vault. (Ad Age points out that Crain was browsing, but wasn't really feelin' it. The entire article, instead, is about Mediabistro founder and CEO Laurel Touby.
… the site is probably best known for founder-CEO Laurel Touby — or at least the brightly-colored boas she wears to Mediabistro's frequent networking parties across the country.
Thanks in no small part to journalists' insatiable desire to mix, mingle and consume news about their own, Ms. Touby has become a fixture in the blogging world, even if the digerati's glare hasn't always been kind. In floating a rumor of a potential sale in June, it wrote: "Honestly, who would be dumb enough to buy Mediabistro? It's all a big mystery; if you've heard anything, let us know."
Well, sounds like whoever is wrapping this September deal is smart enough not to make business decisions based on a Gawker dis of Laurel Touby. All that remains to be seen is who these new folks are, and if they keep the 'bistro's chef on board. (Oh, and PS: "Digerati??" Nat, you're killing us.)
For Sale: Mediabistro [Nat Ives, Matthew Creamer, Ad Age]
If you know nothing about Mediabistro, you at least know this: First, you will find at least one job through the site; second, their "How to Pitch" series is code for "How to Keep Mediabistro Afloat"; and third, Laurel Touby loves her boas.
What you may not know, however, is how they're producing any content on their own.
Sure, they've got their underpaid bloggers at the Fishbowl twins, GalleyCat, and a couple other cutesy titled streams of consciousness. But their features – like David Hirschman's "Don't Bother Writing For Print" and Greg Lindsay's "Credit Where It's Due: Online" – aren't exactly paid items.
Turns out it's $49 Avant Guild memberships and health insurance that are the real commodity. We hear from inside the 'bistro, writers like Lindsay are under contract to meet a specific annual word count (say, 30,000?) in order to receive comp'd health benefits. Turns out that in the case of Greg, he hasn't been holding up his end of the bargain, which is why you're currently seeing him spit on FishbowlNY after he and honcho Touby agreed the ex-WWDer's blog items would contribute to his feature word count. Now Greg can continue plucking around town on assignment for Business 2.0 without worrying about being hit by a cab (just Nick Denton).
Meanwhile, other writers aren't being paid even $.20/word for their feature items — they're being compensated with $49 annual AvantGuild logins, which means unlimited Revolving Door access!
As you'd imagine, nobody (including incoming editorial director Dorian Benkoil as well as Lindsay) was willing to speak on the record about the matter, and Laurel Touby has yet to respond to inquiries.
So why such a big deal? Don't get us wrong: free health insurance rocks our socks off. In fact, we're quite certain our own writers would enjoy the possibilities. But isn't Mediabistro the biggest cheerleader for writers getting paid with actual cash? Why yes, yes it is. (Unless you're Liz Spiers.)
As Rachel Sklar jumps out of the Fishbowl for a taste of oxygen – and, inexplicably, Greg Lindsay finds himself with the want and the time to fill in – she's taken a detour from her usual tasteful gossip rounds for actual sit downs with some major media players. Frank Rich on showtunes? Love it.
But, by and far, our favorite in Rachel's series of send offs (well, of the two) is with Men's Health editor (and editor's letter photo punching bag) David Zinczenko, for who we hold a special place in our heart (we bought on on eBay) if only for his totally platonic friendship with Dan Abrams, who we're certain refer to each other as "brah." And given Rachel's willingness to slap David with the reality of his book being nearly as gay as Details means we're going to miss her that much more.
Of Nipple and Ripple: Eric Bana, shirts; Adrien Brody, skins. How do you decide which coverboys go topless? Will there ever be topless men on the cover of Best Life? If so, will you send it to me?
Some celebs feel that going shirtless is the right thing for them at that point in their careers–Adrien Brody, for example, was showing off how his hard work made him worthy of heading up an adventure flick [December 2005 issue for King Kong]. Bana [Jan/Feb 2006 for Munich] was in a solemn historical drama, so he didn't want to equate Munich with his abs. As for Best Life, I think [Editor] Steve Perrine and his team have created a very different aesthetic with a very different message, and sell-through is climbing rapidly. So, keep your shirt on.
At the MPA event, Jon Stewart asked: "Why is your magazine so gay?" Everyone howled, because, well, there are hot, shirtless guys on the cover often. Do you think of gay/straight appeal when you're considering content? Is that something you even think about? Since you bill Men's Health as a full lifstyle brand (trifecta: health/career/relationships) how do you address the gay/straight readership?
We're a magazine about health, nutrition, fitness, relationships, fashion, technology, career — last I heard, gay men and straight men were both interested in that kind of info. The reality is, straight or gay, American or European, white or black or Hispanic, men are just a lot more similar than they are different. We all have the same core concerns, dreams, fears, ambitions. As far as the covers are concerned, I dunno. Nobody ever calls Cosmo or Glamour or Shape a lesbian magazine, even though the women on the covers are often exposing a lot of skin. So come on: Why the double standard?
Ya know, Zinczenko's right. We don't call Shape or Self or their like lezzie mags even though they routinely feature fitness models in Lycra, offer sex tips that don't involve men, and use the word "lipstick" far too often for it not to mean "lipstick lesbian." So in honor of Rachel's departure and David's abs, we're gonna do it: Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Shape, Self, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Redbook, O, Jane, and Vanidades: You're all big dykes.
Whew. We feel much better.
David Zinczenko is Living His Best Life (or, Of Edit, Abs and Ice Cream) [FisbowlNY]
• Conde Nast's chomp down of Fairchild sent Mary Burner running before she was swallowed whole. [Ad Age]
• At last, news about an editor! Larry Hackette fills Martha Nelson's role as managing editor at People. [WWD]
• Small news: the president of Nickelodeon quits. Big news: where the hell is Jon-Jon? [Market Watch]
• Elizabeth Vargas was a little nervous before popping her prime time cherry. [Philadelphia Inquirer]
• Our head is spinning with all this Mort Zuckerman nonsense. We have pregnancy tests and law suits to think about people! We'll let mediabistro take care of this one, ok? [Fishbowl NY]
• Arianna Huffington tells Anderson Cooper to suck it up and stop acting like a little bitch. [HuffPo]
• In an attempt to keep them up with the rest of civilization, ABC takes pity on the West Coast. California finally gets a live nightly news program, which will air in the early evening. [CS Monitor]
• Peter Rubin once told us that to get a job at GQ, all we needed to know was the difference between Sauza and Don Julio. Too bad all those margaritas won't get us $28 grand on Jeopardy! [Fishbowl NY]
• From the Happy News Website to surviving a bullet to the skull, Fox knows how it to spin it. Spin it real good. [TV Newser]
• So, we can't wait to see how Fox spins this Penny Crone pink slip story. [NYDN]
• Well, they may not be too good at picking up trends, or reporting, but the New York Times sure knows how to wax poetic. At least they were honest about the lying part. [NYT]
• Even though you're probably not these photos, check just to make sure. If you are in them, you'll need a lie quick. Such as: "The only reason I went to that loser Mediabistro event in the first place is because I heard that hot guy from New York magazine would be there." See, everyone can relate to that. [Fishbowl]
Editorial Director
