Tom Bray, the unofficial spokesman for the special committee
overseeing the
Wall Street Journal's
editorial independence,
shed
a little more light on Robert Thomson's hire as managing editor. Bray told the
New York Observer that News Corp. sent
the group Thomson's name over a week ago. There may have been other candidates,
but “some things don't get to a vote,” he added. For his part, Thomson
says
he feels “privileged” to be the
Journal's
new top guy. The newspaper's largest union
responds
that it wasn't surprised by the hire. News Corp.
apologizes
to the special committee for pushing out former managing editor Marcus Brauchli
without its consent.
Also in the media
glare:
Publisher Katherine Weymouth is considering Newsweek's Jon Meacham, Washington Post columnist David
Ignatius, and Brauchli, among others, to replace Len Downie when he does resign
as Post executive editor.
The New York Times'
Frank Rich signs
on as an HBO creative consultant.
Former ABC correspondent Linda Douglass joins
Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) campaign.
People magazine bumps
up its deadline by 12 hours.
Judge ejects
the Chicago Tribune's sketch artist
from the R. Kelly child pornography trial.