Yesterday it was news that the public option had died in the Senate healthcare bill. Today it's news that Senators think it's a good thing. Oh well. It was a nice idea. Back to poverty and sickness everyone!

John Koblin reports that Jennifer 8. Lee, New York Times Metro reporter, Twitter enthusiast, and master of the trend story, is taking a buyout. Shocking. Below, an internal staff memo that went out this afternoon honoring the Metro section's departed.

• The list of New York Times staffers accepting buyouts from the paper to leave has grown. And it includes Jenny 8. Lee, surprisingly). [Gawker, NYO]
• Television news: The Early Show has a new boss as of today; profits are up at CNBC; and Joy Behar's new show on HLN is doing pretty well in the ratings.
• Will Vevo, the new Hulu of music videos, succeed? That's up in the air, but it did host a glam launch party last night and traffic's been strong. [AdAge, CNET]
• Tavi, the 13-year-old blogger who's transfixed the fashion world, is writing a column for Harper's Bazaar; a bit of controversy has followed. [WWD, NYM]
• Great news! R. Kelly has signed a deal to pen his memoirs. [Vulture]
• Even better news: ABC has a reality show debuting in January that combines dating and romance with a "moving conveyor belt." It's about time! [Wrap]

In your miserable Wednesday media column: Luke Russert tries some politricks, the New York Times tells black people what to buy, Lachlan Murdoch sells out, Time Magazine is unafraid to take a bold listicle stand, and a new Gatecrasher columnist.

Added to our New York Times Buyout List: Sports reporter Joe Lapointe.

Good news, near-suicidal media executives: Expert forecasters say ad spending will rise next year! Two caveats: Print media will still plummet. And, the expert forecasters barely have any idea what they're doing.

Funny little thing that Tiger Woods would probably get a chuckle out of, if he wasn't in such a bad mood these days: The more we see Tiger's face on TV, the less we see him in TV commercials. Relief!

The public option is dead — even though some papers report the weasel words senators are using to hide this fact. And the Washington Post has the most hypocritical front page in recent memory.

The man who helps run Google News thinks all this antagonism with the print media is just silly. And says they get on great with Rupert Murdoch, despite that silly man's silly talk of removing his newspapers from their search.

He bragged about beating the system, and here's his chance: The Supreme Court will consider an appeal from imprisoned media mogul Conrad Black, who says a legal clause about "honest services" means he's innocent. Oh, and Enron's guy, too. [NYP]

Former New York Times editor Abe Rosenthal famously said, "I don't care if my reporters are fucking elephants, as long as they aren't covering the circus." Someone tell Raymond Hernandez, who covers Congress in D.C. while dating a congressional spokesperson.

• Goodbyes: After 53 years on the air, CBS has canceled As the World Turns; meanwhile, the Bonnie Hunt Show won't be renewed after this season.
• JuJu Chang will take over for Chris Cuomo on Good Morning America. [NYP]
• Vevo, which is hoping to become the Hulu of music videos and is owned by Universal Music and Sony Music, made its debut today. [NYT, Reuters]
• Advertising is picking up again at the New York Times. Surprise! [AP, NYT]
• Related: The number of people who accepted Times buyouts has topped 50; tech reporter Saul Hansell is leaving the paper for AOL. And the Times is working with Google on a plan to "change the way news is consumed online."
• Bryant Gumbel revealed on Live with Regis and Kelly this morning that he has lung cancer and had surgery to remove a tumor two months ago. [NYP]
• Random House announced plans today to restructure its Crown Publishing Group; the division's publisher, Jenny Frost, is leaving the company. [NYT]
• Daily Variety has hired LAT veteran Leo Wolinsky as its new editor. [Variety]
• Will James Cameron's Avatar achieve Titanic-like success? Not so much. [AP]

Because no one will pay money for a "newspaper" any more, newspaper companies are selling other crap, out of desperation. They all sell wine, for example. Now there is a new "Wall Street Journal Store." Let's peruse its fine offerings.

In your tremendous Tuesday media column: Dan Abrams is trying to take us on, bloggers now just as glorious as grizzled war reporters, Conde needs a PR person, and the New York Times Co. continues downward, dog.

Today, four prestigious magazine publishers, and News Corp, officially announced their new "digital storefront" for magazines and stuff. Buy it and put it on your E-reader! Are you sick of E-readers yet? You will be! And you'll be using one.

We've updated our New York Times Buyout List this morning with tips we received on three more veteran staffers taking buyouts: A photo editor, a sports writer, and another business reporter. If you know more, email us. [The List]

A Chicagoan is named as one of the people behind the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, and the late-breaking Tiger Woods story means the tabloids are behind.

• Diane Sawyer has confirmed that she will end her decade-long run as co-anchor of Good Morning America this week. Friday's her last day. [LAT]
• Meanwhile, Chris Cuomo's role at ABC is up in the air. He's denied rumors he plans to jump to NBC, and may end up as co-anchor of 20/20. [NYDN, prev]
• Today was the deadline for New York Times staffers to take the buyout package that was offered to employees last fall. A list of people expected to exit the paper in the near future is now making the rounds. [Gawker]
• NBC might be ranked fourth in the ratings, but Comcast says it has no plans to sell NBC Universal's broadcast TV business when it takes over. [AP]
• MTV's Jersey Shore is one of two new reality shows stirring up criticism; now Domino's Pizza has decided to pull its advertising from the show. [NYT, TVG]
• Oxygen is developing a new reality show with Russell Simmons that will "focus on the women in his life." That should be interesting. [THR]
• Is Nancy Grace responsible for pushing a woman to commit suicide? [AP]
• John Stossel is happier at Fox than he was at ABC, unsurprisingly. [TDB]
• The Blind Side surpassed New Moon at the box office this weekend. [MTV]

Today was the deadline for New York Times staffers to take the buyout package that was offered to everyone in October, as the paper seeks to cut 100 newsroom positions this year. The names we know, below. [UPDATED].

In your monstrous Monday media column: TWITTERTWITTERTWITTER, a German plan to save newspapers, the shockingly democratized Portfolio.com, and Chicago sports writer wars. TWITTERTWITTERTWITTER.