In your ugly Thursday media column: a Chinese newspaper executive is brutally murdered, Sears pimps 'Good News,' John Norris picks up a new gig, and somebody's interested in the Boston Globe:

David Kao, a 49 year-old "marketing executive at World Journal, the largest Chinese-language daily newspaper in the United States," was beaten, strangled to death, and robbed by two teenagers in Queens last week. Police say the teens had specifically targeted Asians for robberies before. They stole $115 from his wallet and used his car for two days of joyriding before being caught. Terrible.

Esteemed journalistic enterprises Sears and AOL have teamed up to launch Good News Now, and internet news site that features happy news only, where they "count down the days, minutes and hours to the weekend." Do we not do that here, already?

Longtime 'VJ' (strange term, no?) John Norris was laid off from MTV late last year. Are you in withdrawal and seeking your John Norris fix? Well buck up: he will be blogging about the Northside (Williamsburg indie music) Festival for the L Magazine this week. That' John Norris, blogging for the L Magazine, about the indie music festival in Williamsburg. Pay him a visit.

Look, Intercontinental Real Estate Corp. is reportedly interested in buying the Boston Globe. Real estate and newspapers, two businesses that have something in common right now.