Howard Kurtz as an online-only writer: still a hack.

In your politically advantageous Thursday media column: Juan Williams speaks, Matt Taibbi is outgrowing his wild days, Tina Brown is rapidly approaching "feud" status with Newsweek, and a funny video, about Newsweek, on the internet.

Since the recession hit and print started dying in earnest, magazines have been...let's say, loosening their standards on the editorial-advertising divide. Now, in a bid to maintain relevance, the American Society of Magazine Editors has updated its ethical guidelines. HMMMM.

Penthouse Founder Bob Guccione has died of cancer. He was 79. Guccione was once one of America's richest men because he published a softcore porno mag where women actually showed their vaginas. Then the Internet happened. [Image via AP]

A group of Bostonians want to buy the Boston Globe. How quaint and Boston-like!

In your freewheeling Wednesday media column: Jon Meacham joins the promising field of book publishing, Tina Brown's talking about Newsweek, WSJ. magazine is coming out more frequently, and Matt Lauer, *spotted.*

College newspaper cartoon controversy alert! We consider it our solemn duty to keep you, the bored public, up-to-date on the very latest unfunny cartoons causing outrage among humorless college students across America. Today: girls are skanks! Dudes love rape! Amirite?

Have you ever heard of a micropayment site called Kachingle? Now you have, because the New York Times is suing them for copyright infringement over Kachingle's harmless little NYT-themed publicity stunt. Successful publicity stunt, we should say. [Techdirt]

As rumored and expected, Tribune Co. CEO Randy Michaels is said to be ready to step down this week, to be replaced with an executive committee. On Michaels' way out, we get to hear several more stories of his sexism!

Tribune CEO Randy Michaels: Still not fired or forced to resign! Not today, at least.

It's a question for the ages. Who's more smug: Biz Stone, the vegan, vodka-shilling Twitter co-founder, or Malcolm Gladwell, the New Yorker's wild-haired maker of memes? Stone today made the case against "smug... wrong... absurd" Gladwell, a known Twitter hater.

Last month, Bon Appetit editor Barbara Fairchild announced she was leaving the magazine (which is relocating to NYC). We hear that the new editor should be announced this week—and that there are three contenders.

In your cooling Tuesday media column: the Daily Beast-Newsweek fallout shakeout, the hero of the Enron story moves to Slate, Lou Dobbs reveals widespread stupidity, HuffPo's investigative demise confirmed.

Buffoonish human malaprop generator Lee Abrams resigned from his laughably lofty post at Tribune Co. last week in the wake of a poorly-timed email scandal. Now, Lee Abrams is coming to his own defense—via email!

The New York Times Co.'s revenues dropped about 3% in the third quarter, as rising digital ad revenue (+15%) failed to offset declining print ad revenue (-6%). Analysts are disappointed. This is the new normal, FYI.

The Huffington Post is poised to announce a merger of its investigative fund with the Center for Public Integrity tomorrow morning, a move that will effectively end the fund as it exists today, we hear.

Journo-heiress and ultimate narrator Emily Brill is bursting back upon the media scene in a major way! She's under assault by Harvard University! She has a new blockbuster work of journalism on the way! Come, marvel!

In your maverick Monday media column: conflict scandal at Reuters, J-school is worthless, media reporter play their roles, E&P cans its editors, and smart stories make the most money online, allegedly.

After much flirting, the rumored merger of Newsweek and The Daily Beast has reportedly been called off due to disagreements over who would control what. The truth is, nobody could figure out how the fuck it would have worked.

Saudi Prince Walid bin Talal is one of the biggest shareholders of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, owner of rabidly anti-"Ground Zero Mosque" Fox News. He's also a Muslim. Which side of the Prince's identity will win, do you think?