Know what's more childish than a cable news battle? A cable news blog battle! When it comes to chronicling America's most visible pundits, executive rank shake ups, and how talent spends their clothing allowances, there are really only a few players in the game. Beside all-things-media blogs like Jossip, TV news types log on to TVNewser, Chickaboomer, Inside Cable News, and Johnny Dollar. And just like the networks they cover, sometimes these blogs start attacking each other in print.

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PEACOCK SHAKE-UP TVNewser is reporting that NBC is going to close its Dallas and Chicago bureaus. Some staff members will move to the local owned and operated stations; Chicago will fall into the New York hub, Dallas will go to the Los Angeles hub. [TVNewser]

OFFICIALLY OVER As we speculated, CBS ended its fling with transparency and killed their ombudsman site Public Eye. [TVNewser]

Point: "A tipster tells us staffers at TV Guide have been told that there will be a mandatory 3pmET meeting today, where it will be announced that the print edition will be discontinued with the final issue being the Fall Preview. The tipster says TV Guide Channel and TV Guide.com will continue." [TVNewser]

Counterpoint: "The director of communications and PR at TV Guide has said that TV Newser's report on the September demise of the magazine was false. 'TV Guide magazine is alive and well,' she wrote. 'There was no mandatory meeting today; like most businesses, our offices closed at 1 pm for the holiday weekend. Everything is business as usual at TV Guide magazine as we are busy preparing for the new fall television season as well as our 5th annual after party celebrating the Emmys on September 16.'" [MBP]

Even with new editor Chris Ariens, TVNewser is still carrying the reputation of "NBC lapdog," at least to the Keith Olbermann pundits who put Claymates to shame in their enthusiasm. [Olbermann Watch]

In his New York Times debut, former TVNewser Brian Stelter turns his attention to Without Prejudice?, the Game Show Network's stab at combining our desire to win cash we didn't have to work for with our desire to point out the flaws of others from the comfort of a seated position. (Around Jossip HQ, the latter is practically our job description.)

It looks like a decent explanation about where the GSN channel is headed as it attempts to do something novel, like gain viewers, but honestly: It's still hard for us to imagine Stelter doing anything other than staring at a handful of TV screens waiting for Fox News' ticker to scroll "Osama" instead of "Obama."

• Michael Moore, chubby liberal nutjob or marketing genius?

• "Newspapers read like they're put out by terrified bureaucracies," writes Columbia Journalism Review. Um, that's because they are, says Dean Starkman (a.k.a. "Obvious Guy.")

• The new TVNewser reveals his top-secret identity! Oh no, wait—we already knew that.

• Jack Shafer fought Bill Keller, and Bill Keller won. Easily.

• Internet video advertising costs projected to reach an estimated 4.3 billion over the next four years, thanks in large part to CNN.

• WaPo praises Steve McPherson for having "great programming instincts" and a "low hooey threshold." Which explains why the guy can't stand Ben Silverman.

The college grad and newest NYT employee signs off from the blog that probably helped Mediabistro.com demand a bit more cash. Batter up, Chris Ariens.

"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.

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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.

When we started this little blog, we had big dreams of being in the magazine industry one day. Who knew that years later, we'd still be … working on this little blog. But that's not the future memoir of all media bloggers! Just look at Brian Stelter, the college grad behind TVNewser, who just signed on with the New York Times' media beat. Except now instead of posting emails from anonymous tipsters, he might have to, like, go out and verify stuff. Eww.

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• Mary-Kate Olsen is taking time out of her busy not-eating schedule to play a Christian fundamentalist on Weeds.

• If you scratch Tom Friedman's back, he'll totally return the favor with a "reach-around."

• Debbie Matenopoulos reminds us all why she was cast as the orignal "dumb blond" on The View.

• Nicole Kidman distracts her husband from his cocaine addiction by getting back in the saddles.

• NYT: "For the First Time, New York Links a Death to 9/11 Dust." Fortunately, Jerry Falwell's not around to attribute the blame to the Jews.

• TVNewser editor Brian Stelter graduates from college; fails to graduate from TVNewswer.

• According to Harper's Bazaar, two out of every three "chic" stylish women has had sexual relations with Gilles Bensimon.

• Charlie Rose is "Larry King for Mensa members." And the best place for presidents to give length one on one interviews without saying anything.

• NY Times shareholders demand a shake-up. When asked to elaborate, investors said they have no problem with "boring, elitist crap," just so long as it's turning a profit.

• Geraldo Rivera launches one-sided feud with TVNewser's editor, calling him a "pubescent rejectionist."

• NBC execs are nostalgic for the days when people actually watched their television programming.

• Which may or may not explain why My Name Is Earl is bringing "new car smell" and eau de "obnoxious cologne" into your very own living room.

We love ourselves some TVNewser – we really do – but in case you ever have a hankering to make an argument – as Jon Friedman has, among others – that the cable TV industry "Bible" doesn't traffic in gossip and is more journalism than sensationalism, here's your counterpoint.

Update: For those who want to know, from a blog that does traffic in gossip – that would be – the anchman in the blind item is, we hear from an insider, Matt Lauer. (All alleged, of course.)

We get attacked regularly in our own comments. In fact, that's half the reason we continue to show up at Jossip HQ each morning. So we know how it feels for Brian Stetler – TVNewser blogger extraordinaire and someone we agree with Brian Williams when he says he's fond of the college senior – to get lampooned on his own terrirtory. Like he is on his BBS (that's "bulletin board system," we think) in a topic titled "stelter attacks ny post & olbermann watch."

The naysayers are accusing Stetler of being a "propaganda arm for MSNBC and [Keith] Olbermann himself. Something about the way he's apparently in awe of Olbermann and takes time to bash Keith's critics.

Here at Jossip, we're often accused of being a propaganda arm ourselves. We're working for Fox News when we harp on Tucker, Rita, and Alison. We're working for NBC News when we run items on CBS News' PR man Gil Schwartz. And when we tout Barbara Walters' get for ABC, we're, well, accused of being Disney's biggest mouthpiece.

So let us be clear: We are a propaganda arm. For you, you bitches. Its the tens of thousands of industry minions who read us everyday whose backs we've got. We've got no agenda, per se; a good story is a good story is a good story. So share them — about your company, or about your competitors. And if it checks out, or holds the slightest chance it might be true or entertaining to at least one person, we just might move on it.

Just nothing about Shanna Moakler. Seriously.

• OK! doing OK better.

• TVNewser's Brian Stetler is Jon Friedman's online journalist of the year. Because he, like, totally doesn't spread gossip.

• Virus attacks email inbox of skinny people everywhere.

• NYT promotes top execs, finds less room to pay for newsroom types.

• Rachel Sklar takes a moment away from her Joe Scarborough playdates to do online radio.

• CBS relaunching music label to cherry pick tracks for its shows.

The Times Julie Bosman checks in on the affable Brian Stelter of TVNewser. Required reporting? Quotes from the industry:

• "People from entry level to high and mighty check in on it." —NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams

• "The whole industry pays attention to his blog." —Jeffrey W. Schneider, ABC News senior VP

• “He was quite a celebrity.” —Jeremy Gaines, MSNBC spokesman

• “The biggest TV executives, the men and women who run the top networks, look at this kid’s Web site all the time." —Joe Scarborough, MSNBC host

• “He seems to be a trustworthy guy, a trustworthy source of information.” —Jeff Greenfield, CNN commentator

Oh, just blow the guy already.

TVNewser is on the scene at Peter Jennings' memorial service at Carnegie Hall and it's a veritable who's who of media types.

Ushers: Jon Banner, Bill Blakemore, Raymond Dunn, Jack Friedland, Christopher Islam, Harvey Loomis, Stu Schutzman, Tijs Bellarr Spruyt, Michael Clemente, Barrie Dunsmore, Joe Gluck, Mike Lee, Peter Osnos, and Tom Yellin.

Honor guard: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (La Gendarmerie Royale du Canada) NYPD Emerald Society Pipe & Drum Corps

"Total Praise"
Gates of Praise Choir

Welcome
Dr. Tim Johnson

"Farewell to Peter"
Natalie MacMaster
with Brad Davidge and Eddie Aaron

Reflections
Ted Koppel, Bob Iger, Tom Nagorski

Suite No. 1 in G Major, Allemande
Yo-Yo Ma

Reflections
David Westin, Todd Brewster, Morton Goldfein

Cape Breton Melody
Natalie MacMaster
with Mac Morin

Reflections
Alan Alda, Mary Brosnahan Sullivan, Charles Glass

A Fanfare For Peter
Jon Faddis, Wynton Marsalis and Clark Terry
with Todd Coolman, Lewis Nash and Eric Reed

Reflections
Chris Jennings and Elizabeth Jennings

"Slumber My Darling"
Allison Krauss, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor

"He's Got the Whole World in His Hands"
Gates of Praise Choir

It's just so lovely to watch TVNewser turn into Campbell Robertson for the afternoon.