Gawker's new managing editor, Gawker Media boss Nick Denton, at least for now

-ZOE It's not the first time Gawker Media owner Nick Denton has had to step up and take on an active roll on one of his blogs. He was most recently editor of his silicon valley gossip title Valleywag.com. Now Mr. Denton will take on the roll of managing editor of his flagship blog Gawker.com just until they find that someone to come in and run the website. Gawker over the years have been slowly moving from media gossip blog to traditional news site which apparently was not by mistake. Maggie Shnayerson, the associate editor of Gawker.com, said the transition from gossip blog to news-oriented site was a natural one. “If you own a business in an industry that changes every minute, you always have to look at what you’re doing,” she said. How long until they change their tag line from: "Gawker, daily Manhattan media news and gossip. Reporting live from the center of the universe" to something like "Gawker, daily news. Reporting live from the center of the universe" A Familiar Editor for Gawker [NYT]

Robert Scoble: You Brits don’t have serious newspapers

-ZOE S. Blogger Robert Scoble may as well tattoo a bull’s-eye on his back and walk around shirtless because he is one of those that just keeps digging himself deeper into a shit pit and don't have the shoes for it. A target of Silicon Valley gossip blog Valleywag.com , Scoble now has to deal with disgruntled readers in the UK who wants to rip him a new one for saying there are no serious newspapers in the UK. "Now that I'm over in London I get to see the media that Valleywag is patterned after. Over here they don't have really serious newspapers. That's what the BBC is for, after all. But every store sells these gossip papers that scream at you with huge type. They go for the most salacious of topics. Just like Valleywag does. After all, if Scoble picks his nose, that's more interesting than what Oracle announced in a press release this morning, right? Heh." Britain doesn't have "serious" newspapers, says Scoble [PDA]

Stiffies at S&P see major swallowing of blogs in the future

They reach large, loyal audiences, they're fairly cheap to run, and they can be lucrative. Media companies have their checkbooks ready. From Standard&Poor's Equity Research. From Standard&Poor's investing newsletter The OutlookFirst came social networks. Then virtual worlds. Now blogs are dazzling the eyes of major media publishers as the next takeover targets.Blogs--especially the big-name brands such as TechCrunch, Gawker, GigaOm, Boing Boing, and the Huffington Post--appear to have attractive business models. This is good news for traditional media companies that are being marginalized online and off, and are hoping to catch up to--and cash in on--a rapidly evolving Web 2.0 world. Over the years some blog owners like Nick Denton have stepped on talk about selling off their companies, but we all know the saying right? Money talks and if you're offer isn't sweet enough then fuck off! Who will lay on their back and spread em for the right price? The guys over at Sugar Inc already gave Jeff Zucker a taste. Blogs: The Next Takeover Target? [S&P]

Everyone has their own reason why Liz Spiers left the house she built with other people's money

-NEIL YOSHIDA Bet former Deadhorse Media boss Liz Spiers doesn't mind all the attention her departure from her blog empire is getting? Hell it could help her in the long run if the coverage is all favorable. When we got word that she was indeed done at Dead Horse Media, our first reaction was "WTF", and why? Of course there is more to her leaving other than the usual template reason she shared via an email to colleagues and friends and we will probably never know. But that hasn’t stopped the blogosphere from speculating about the real reason Ms. Spiers decided to leave, if she left on her own that is. Even some commenters have weighed in on why Spiers got off the horse. We want you to vote for the reason you think she left. As usual we’ll post the final results here a week from today. WHY DID LIZ SPIERS LEAVE DEAD HORSE MEDIA HER REVIEW OF PORTFOLIO ANGERED SOME POWERFUL PEOPLE THE SOLENGO CAPITAL BEEF TRAFFIC FOR THE BLOGS SUCK HER PARTNERS WERE DICKS A JOHN CARNEY Coup d'état IT WAS PART OF HER PLAN ALL ALONG THE FAILURE OF SUPERMOGUL.COM TOO MANY LAUNCHES TOO SOON DEAD HORSE RAN LOW ON CASH WHO GIVES A SHIT

Dan Gillmor: Blogs cover massacres better than traditional media

-LENN HINDSMANN Dan Gillmor points to the ‘blog-style’ coverage of today’s Virginia Tech shootings in the local Roanoke Times, saying ‘It’s the right format for this kind of event.’ With developments coming in every few minutes, I absolutely agree. Short text items, posting anything/everything as soon as it comes in, chronological presentation. In fact, why not go a step further, and do it in true blog format. Yeah this blog thing is really cool you know. But we don't know if we would say it's "The Right Format" for an event like The Virginia Tech Shootings. The right format at the time depends on the individual seeking news related to the event and how they want to take it in. Some like the raw blog format, some prefer the traditional breaking news report with looped video footage on television. Breaking news? Break out the blog! [I'm Simon Dickson]

Did you think Portfolio wouldn't have blogs? Shame on you

This just hit our inbox. The soon to be launched Portfolio.com will not surprisingly include three blogs covering the usual. Entertainment, Fashion & Finance CONTINUE... FELIX SALMON TO WRITE FINANCE NEWS BLOG TIM SWANSON TO WRITE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS BLOG LAUREN GOLDSTEIN CROWE TO WRITE FASHION NEWS BLOGFOR PORTFOLIO.COM Felix Salmon will join Portfolio.com as finance news blogger, Tim Swanson as entertainment news blogger, and Lauren Goldstein Crowe as fashion news blogger, it was announced today by Joanne Lipman, Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast Portfolio magazine. Their appointments are effective April 2007. As the finance news blogger for Portfolio.com, Felix Salmon will examine the personalities behind the big business deals and the power struggles that collectively drive the market. Prior to joining Portfolio.com, Mr. Salmon was a content strategist at Roubini Global Economics, where he wrote the popular finance blog, Economonitor, and was a member of the team responsible for redesigning and rebranding the rgemonitor.com website. Mr. Salmon also writes his own blog at felixsalmon.com. Previously, Mr. Salmon was a freelance journalist contributing to a variety of publications. He arrived in the United States in 1997 from England, where he worked at Euromoney magazine. He holds a master’s degree in the History of Art and Philosophy from Glasgow University and undergraduate degrees in the History of Art, Physics, and Mathematics from Dulwich College. Tim Swanson will take a look at the worlds of film, music, television, and the digital industry as the entertainment news blogger. Prior to joining Portfolio.com, Mr. Swanson worked as a staff reporter at Daily Variety and Variety before going to Premiere magazine, where he spent five years chronicling the collision of art and commerce, as well as writing and editing production stories, profiles, and business features. As chief of the West Coast bureau, he edited Premiere’s annual “Power List,” which ranks Hollywood’s most elite and influential players. In 2005, Mr. Swanson’s magazine article about the Oscar-nominated documentary Murderball led to his co-authoring Gimp, the critically-acclaimed memoir of quadriplegic rugby player Mark Zupan. Swanson’s next book, A Lifestyle Is a Terrible Thing to Waste, about HBO’s Entourage, will be published in the fall of 2007. Mr. Swanson holds a B.A. in English and Spanish literature from Willamette University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. As the fashion news blogger for Portfolio.com, Lauren Goldstein Crowe will write a mix of commentary on breaking news, analysis of the industry, and profiles of behind-the-scenes fashion influencers. Previously, Ms. Crowe was a senior writer at TIME magazine in London, where she covered fashion. Ms. Crowe also worked on the launch of TIME’s first-ever fashion supplement, TIME Style + Design. Prior to TIME, Ms. Crowe was a writer at Fortune magazine in New York, where she covered fashion and luxury goods. Ms. Crowe has a master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and undergraduate degrees in English and History from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Afternoon Wire: Blogs Edition

-Neil Yoshida The future of social media via social media club [SMC] Fox news shifts more to the left by hiring liberal former Democratic Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. as a political commentator? [FreePublic] More Viacom Youtube crap, only this time the alleged daughter of a Viacom exec strips in support of Youtube [MetaFilter] Both Fox and CBS are leaning on you for news now [TCO] Is Time Warner buying into itself again? [BloggingStocks] A sit down with Thomas J. Wallace, Editorial Director of Conde Nast Publications [TSC]

Funkybrownchickisms: When our DSL fucks up we just call our service provider and breath really hard on the phone

-Shomari Hines **Funkybrownchickisms is a sporadic feature that just happened on its own. Sometimes its not media related but we can all sometimes relate to her frustrations, likes and dislikes. Not having Internet connection is like being locked in a cold dark hole away from the world and life as we all know it today. Can you imagine a week without Internet connection........wait take a minute to think about that..........................finished OK. No No, you don't have to tell us what your answer is because we already know, you would ended up in a mental institution or cyber rehab or something. We remember a few months ago when our Internet connection was down for half a day, and all the Starbucks coffee could not offset the fact that we were disconnected from the world. We've all called the customer service department of our service providers only to be bullshitted and talked down to. The Funkybrownchick vents, and shares with us the hell she went through when her Internet service went down and how the whole "customer is always right" policy seems to have went down the toilet. Everyone has their breaking point. And, I know that I've clearly reached mine as I walk along 45th street near Lexington Avenue screaming into my phone, "THIS IS BULLSHIT!!! I'M GONNA REACH THROUGH THIS FUCKING PHONE AND FUCKING KILL SOMEONE!!!" The Customer Wants to Kick Your Ass [FBC]

Gawker, now lite on media and heavy on socialites, and lifestyle

-Shomari Hines Nick Denton is rapidly changing the content of his flagship title Gawker.com. A couple weeks ago the site started posting on weekends covering the weekend papers and lifestyle. Now the site will publish after hours during the week for those Gawkerites who can't get enough covering the same thing. Over the years the site has slowly cut back on its media industry focus and went heavy on the New York City lifestyle, covering socialites and the parties/events they frequent. The site's core media coverage is now rolled up into their Media Bubble posting which is usually in the mornings. However there is the occasional posting on happenings within the offices of media companies like MTV and others via tips from die hard Gawker loyalists. The site is a mix of Time Out New York and New York Magazine. Perhaps its time to change the tag line which reads "daily Manhattan media news and gossip. Reporting live from the center of the universe".

Truth in Advertising online dating edition

-Shomari Hines One of our favorite blogs called funkybrownchick isn't really media focused but it does touch on some stuff that some of us deal with daily and the media industry can actually learn from it. For example, the post we're posting about is something Madison Ave and their clients can take points from. You should look like your fucking photo!!!! I mean it. You know, the whole point of PHOTOGRAPHY is that it captures your image, a picture of you. And by "YOU", I mean YOU **TODAY** -- not you 8 years ago. Sheesh! One of the really hard things about online dating is that you never really know *who* the person on the other side of your computer screen is. Anyone can represent themselves to be anything online (... just ask the 24 year-old dropout who posed as an online editor for Wikipedia). Truth in advertising. As you probably already know, the fed's "Truth in Advertising" regulations stipulate that: -Advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive -Advertisers must have evidence to back up their claims -Advertisements cannot be unfair. Truth in Advertising [FBC]

Say hello! to the all new FHMonline before you say goodbye

It didn't take long at all for FHM to come back as an online only magazine with more of the same same. However the folks at Jossip couldn't be more happy about the launch. from Jossip: The annoying little brother to Maxim and Stuff, FHM disappeared not long ago, which left us—and, undoubtedly, you—with a gaping hole in our hearts that could only be described as "skimpily-clad bikini babe withdrawal." Well, chin up, sirs! Because FHM is back, and the crappy online version is completely reminiscent of its crappy print predecessor. And while we missed their online launch party, hosted by Bam "I Banged Jessica Simpson" Margera, we're nonetheless beside ourselves in breathless anticipation of chicks in short shorts...with the possibility of MORE chicks in short shorts to come. FHM Magazine Didn't Die; It Just Folded, Then Reemerged As A Crappy Digital Shell Of Its Crappy Original Self [Jossip]

Forbes names their top internet stars, but should issue amber alert for missing bloggers

Forbes in all its list loving ways, revealed their "Web Celeb 25". Some of the so called web celebs we know and some had us like "Who the hell is this". Anyway they are on the list for a reason right?. Some names we do know made this list but we have to say that Forbes overlooked some notable 'Web Celebs" probably much to the missing notables pleasure, but hey, you gotta give credit where its due. Of course the usuals made the list like Perez Hilton, who goes after celebs on his blog as a vehicle to eventually befriend them. Jason Calacanis and Michael Arrington was also present on the list. Now back to the missing. We were shocked to only see one blogger out of the Gawker camp make the list and its Defamer's Mark Lasanti. We thought even the big head himself Nick Denton would have made the list. Another blogger missing was our friend in our heads, Liz Spiers with all her adorableness. What the f?ck Forbes? The Web Celeb 25 [Forbes]

OFF BEAT: And we thought they would have appreciated it

An Off Beat post is something we go through sporadically where we read something that we have to comment on because of the level of stupidity or we just feel like sharing our thoughts about it. It’s usually never associated with what we usually cover but never the less it has some tie in with the media industry. Elizabeth Spiers launched her first consumer blog today, fashionista.com. In usual obligation to the founding editor, Gawker posted their opinions on the site and based on what we read they (Gawker's editors) love it. Unfortunately Gawker's readers don't feel the same and had some not so nice things to say about their Founding editor's new launch. Hey Liz they do have some good point but who are they. We love it..........not that you give a shit. Here are some of the things Gawker readers had to say about Fashionista.com after the click. READ MORE... BALK GODDAMNIT, DO A POST ON WILD TURKEY OR SOMETHING! I just hope you're being paid enough for this to afford baby-wipes and toothpicks... you know, to get the skid marks off your nose and the curlies from betwixt your teeth. I'm sorry, but don't the Fast Food Nation ads that populate the site seem extremely off-base to you? please tell me this is a joke. and that you won't let this keep you from doing girlyGawker, or whatever you've decided to call it. (I hope something else, because that is just not a good name.) it's just not a good blog. are you being paid? Here here. What the fuck is this? Lindsayism? Where's Kruckoff? it's okay, but no way gay enough The content is good but the site is really reader-unfriendly. And ugly. But I'm on board, let's bully them into a redesign. And Ms. Spiers' response: No bullying necessary. I wanted to get the site launched so we used our usual layout, but ultimately it needs a different look. My primary freelance designer is already working on a lot of stuff for us, so I'm looking for additional design help, if anyone knows anyone... Wait.....you didn't think she lost her Gawker posting privileges did you?

Headline Screenshot: Liz Spiers to tell your girl whats hot and whats not

Our Friend in our head, Elizabeth Spiers and company is about to enter the fashion world with her latest blog launch, reportedly titled Fashionista.com edited by Faran Krentcil. Hey Liz we always look forward to your launches even though you say launches aren't that fun. And we're feeling the decoy site you had up for a bit. BLOG EXPANSION [NYP]

OFF BEAT: We can't believe we're doing this, but Memo Pad analyzes Perez Hilton's daily traffic

Celeb blogger Mario Lavandeira, aka Perez Hilton is not only known for his amateur art work on celeb photos and hosting parties, he is also known for talking about his website's traffic. He says that his site gets more visitors (3.97 million) in a day than print celebrity rags has readers in a week. However Memo Pad attempts to drill holes into that claim. Well, it depends on how you define "readers." The statement is true only if one were to count them by paid circulation (and assume that the nearly 4 million high is typical — or even accurate). People's paid circulation adds up to 3.8 million, but that's hardly an indication of the magazine's overall readership. MRI numbers are a more common, if relatively unscientific, method of counting how many people actually read a magazine, since its polls count those who say they saw an issue, not just subscribers or newsstand buyers. Even if perezhilton.com were to receive 4 million hits a day, it still wouldn't dent People's most recent MRI figure of 41.5 million. (Star's MRI readership is 10.5 million, while Us Weekly is at just over 11 million, spokeswomen for the magazines said). Count The Ways ... Digital Facelift ... Ride The Wave [Memo Pad]

Morning Wire: The Times recycles, King Rupert takes Italy and more...

And now the morning's worthy media news: New York Times takes left overs When short on news, not to worry, all you have to do is recycle Sunday's news from another paper. Just add a funny photo of the subject, and add a snazzy new headline and boom! you got yourself refreshed weekend news for Monday. The NY Times seem to have ran with the same story published Sunday by International Herald Tribune on Viacom grandpa Sumner Redstone's Midway Games battle. King Rupe's invasion As if News Corp isn't providing news and entertainment for enough eyes, King Rupert and company are getting even more in Italy. For those keeping score in the duel between the one-time friends and now competing media barons Rupert Murdoch and Silvio Berlusconi: Mr. Murdoch is slightly ahead on points, but Mr. Berlusconi might still pack a punch. Who said bloggers weren't journalists? Many bloggers describe themselves as journalists. Last week Charles LeBlanc, a rooming house resident who lives on social assistance in Fredericton, New Brunswick, received a court decision establishing his journalistic credentials. The confirmation came last Friday when a judge dismissed charges against Mr. LeBlanc of obstructing a police officer.