Blog Tools
Edit your Blog
Build a Blog
RSS Feed
View Profile

«	December 2010					»

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

You are not logged in. Log in

Group One
Tripod Home
Tripod Build
Register Your Domain

Group Two
Lycos Home
Lycos Search
Lycos News

Biodun@bbcnews.com

Thursday, 9 December 2010

Pro-WikiLeaks cyber army gains strength; thousands join DDoS attacks
Topic: wikileaks, bbc news, biodun igin

Volunteers download attack tool, organizers recruit hacker botnets, say researchers

By Gregg Keizer

December 9, 2010 04:14 PM ET

Comments (76)

Recommended (50)

Computerworld - The retaliatory attacks by pro-WikiLeaks activists are growing in strength as hackers add botnets and thousands of people download an open-source attack tool, security researchers said today.

In recent days, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks have been launched against several sites, including those belonging to Amazon,MasterCard, PayPal and the Swiss payment transaction firm PostFinance, after each terminated WikiLeaks accounts or pulled the plug on services.

As of Thursday, WikiLeaks had posted the full text of more than 1,200 leaked U.S. State Department cables from its trove of over 250,000 messages.

Most of those participating in the attacks are using the LOIC (Low Orbit Ion Cannon) DDoS tool, said researchers with Imperva and Sophos.

Data breaches

More in Data Security

The open-source tool, which is sometimes classified as a legitimate network- and firewall-stress testing utility, is being downloaded at the rate of about 1,000 copies per hour, said Tal Be'ery, the Web research team lead at Imperva's Application Defense Center.

"Downloads have soared in the last two days," said Be'ery in an interview. As of 4 p.m. ET, more than 44,000 copies of LOIC had been downloaded from GitHub.

LOIC has become the DDoS tool of choice in the pro-WikiLeaks attacks because users can synchronize their copies with a master command-and-control server, which then coordinates and amplifies the attacks.

"If I download [LOIC] and voluntarily set the server information, the command-and-control server can control my copy of LOIC," said Be'ery. "The command-and-control server can then sync the attack, which makes it much more powerful because the DDoS attacks are occurring at the same time and hitting the same target."

Some will still want manually control LOIC, Be'ery said, calling those people "old school guys." But even then, the attacks are being coordinated.

"They're just syncing their attacks to the announcements made on Twitter and IRC (Internet Relay Channel)," Be'ery said, referring to the messages posted by several hacker groups, including Anonymous, which has been in the forefront of what's called "Operation Payback."

In a new step in the campaigns, botnets -- armies of already-compromised computers that hackers control remotely -- are now being recruited for the DDoS attacks, said Beth Jones, a senior threat researcher with Sophos. "Until now, the attacks have been done by volunteers who download LOIC," said Jones. "But now more groups are joining in with their botnets."

Be'ery said that Imperva had seen IRC chatter of at least one 100,000-PC botnet being thrown into the attacks.

"Operators of these attacks have repeatedly asked on IRC if someone can donate botnets," said Be'ery. "It looks like they feel the need for some more horsepower."

The fact that the organizers of Operation Payback are soliciting more firepower is a clue that they're not able to match the defenses erected by the sites they've targeted, said Be'ery. "They're having a bit of a problem. PayPal and others are doing good work to keep their sites alive, so they're after more machines and telling people [participating in the DDoS attacks] to do what they're told and focus on the targeted sites."

Sign up for the Computerworld Security newsletter

Comments (76) | Add yours

Recommended (50)

Dutch Arrest T

Posted by biginla at 11:38 PM GMT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: Protesters throw paint at Prince Charles' car...
Topic: prince charles, bbc news

by Emily Straton and Biodun Iginla, BBC News. Emily reported from London

Protesters throw paint and crack the window of a car carrying Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, but the couple are unharmed.

For more details: http://www.bbcnews.com

Posted by biginla at 11:21 PM GMT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

NEWSNIGHT - Thursday 9 December 2010 at 10.30pm on BBC 2
Topic: bbc 2, biodun iginla

============================================================
y============================================================------------------------------------------------------------
Presented by Kirsty Wark

by Biodun Iginla, BBC News------------------------------------------------------------

Today is a critical day for the future of university education in England.

It is set to be long remembered as the day the government trebled tuition fees foruniversities in England amidst protests by thousands of students in London and in other cities.

Many of the students are peaceful, but as I write I'm watching students and police clash in Parliament Square, and mounted police have just charged towards the protestors.

Tonight Newsnight devotes the whole programme to tuition fees, to the politics - theLiberal democrats who will abstain or vote against in line with their manifesto commitment, the protests - are they getting out of control at Parliament and are we witnessing the passion and anger
of the students or infiltration by agitators? And how have the police responded - have their tactics been well thought through?

And the biggest questions of all - what are universities for and who will they educate in the future?

The Newsnight studio will be filled with politicians, students and academics, and we'll have live reaction from a university campus as we try to make sense of the day and how it will change university education in the 21st Century.

Join me for all that at 10.30pm.
Kirsty

------------------------------------------------------------

To make changes or cancel your newsletter visit:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/email/newsnight

To sign up for other newsletters or the personalised BBC Daily E-mail visit:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/email

If you have an editorial related comment, e-mail mailto:newsnight@bbc.co.uk?subject=email

Problems with links? For help with this service visit:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/email/help

If you are experiencing technical difficulties not covered by the FAQs, e-mail
mailto:dailyemail@bbc.co.uk

Copyright BBC

Posted by biginla at 6:12 PM GMT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: British MPs back plans to increase tuition fees
Topic: uk tuition increase, bbc news

by Emily Straton and Biodun Iginla, BBC News Analysts. Emily reported from London

UK MPs back controversial plans to increase tuition fees in England to up to £9,000 a year - in a major test for the coalition government.

For more details: http://www.bbcnews.com

Posted by biginla at 6:03 PM GMT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Politics this week by Biodun Iginla, BBC News and The Economist
Topic: bbc news, biodun iginla, the eco

Dec 9th 2010
From The Economist print edition

Barack Obama reached a compromise on a series of legislative measures with Republicans in Congress that include keeping the Bush-era tax cuts for another two years and extending benefits for the unemployed. The White House presented the package as a boost to working- and middle-class families, but the deal infuriated many Democrats, who accused Mr Obama of breaking an election pledge to end the tax break for upper-income families. Mr Obama countered that a “purist position” brings “no victories for the American people”. See article

The last result from the mid-term elections in the House of Representatives was settled when a Republican challenger conceded to the Democratic incumbent in a close race on Long Island. This leaves the Republicans with a total net gain of 63 seats in the House.

The Senate voted to remove a federal judge from the bench in Louisiana, finding him guilty on a variety of corruption charges. It is the first time a judge has been thrown out of office in an impeachment trial for more than 20 years and only the eighth instance in American history.

Assange arraigned

Julian Assange, the public face of WikiLeaks, was arrested in London after Sweden issued a warrant for him to face allegations of sexual misconduct. Mr Assange’s lawyer said he detected “dark forces” (ie, America) at work, and promised that his client would fight any extradition attempts. In revenge, the websites of companies that have recently stopped providing services to the WikiLeaks organisation, such as MasterCard and Amazon, were attacked by hackers. See article

Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the eurogroup of finance ministers, and Giulio Tremonti, Italy’s finance minister, called for the creation of collective euro area “E-bonds” to help relieve pressure on indebted countries. But Germany made clear it wasn’t interested. A separate proposal from the IMF to expand the size of the euro area’s bail-out fund to cope with a possible rescue of Spain, was shot down by the finance ministers. See article

The Irish government won, just, the first in a series of parliamentary votes on an austerity budget that aims for €6 billion ($8 billion) in savings next year. The budget needs to be passed in order for funds to be released from the EU-IMF bail-out package for Ireland. See article

The EU said it would support Russia’s bid to join the World Trade Organisation. Russia is the world’s largest economy to remain outside the WTO.

Capping an awful year

In Haiti demonstrators set fire to the ruling party’s headquarters after the electoral council declared that the presidential election would go to a run-off between Mirlande Manigat, an academic, and Jude Célestin, the candidate of the unpopular outgoing government. That excluded Michel Martelly, a popular singer. The American embassy said the result was “inconsistent” with observations of the election and called on the council to respect the people’s will. See article

More than 80 prisoners were killed in a fire that broke out during a fight by rival gangs in an overcrowded jail in Santiago, Chile’scapital.

At least 100 people were feared dead after a mudslide buried homes in a poor suburb of Medellín in Colombia. In Venezuelaaround 30 people were killed and 100,000 made homeless as heavy rains caused flooding across much of the north of the country. The Panama Canal was closed to shipping for the first time in 21 years, because of flooding.

Back to the drawing board

American officials said that direct talks between Israelis andPalestinians, stalled since September, would not resume. The statement seemed to mark the end of the latest American attempt to forge a deal leading to the creation of a Palestinian state. Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, was expected to present new ideas soon. See article

After a meeting in Geneva with representatives of the governments of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, Iran’s government agreed to meet for more talks on its nuclear programme in Istanbul in January. But Iran’s chief negotiator, Saeed Jalili, said he would not discuss suspending uranium enrichment.

After a second round of voting that was boycotted by the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s main opposition, the ruling National Democratic Party won 83% of parliamentary seats in a general election, with most of the rest going to “independents” expected to back the government.

In Israel a forest fire that raged for several days in the hills above Haifa, the country’s third city, killed 42 people, 36 of them trainee prison guards trapped in a bus. Some Israelis hoped that the firefighting help given by Turkey might lead to a thaw in the two countries’ recently frosty relations.

The incumbent president of Côte d’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo, refused to cede power after his defeat in a run-off poll by a margin of eight percentage points, according to the country’s electoral commission, at the hands of Alassane Ouattara, a former IMF man. As a renewal of civil strife beckoned, an array of governments and international bodies, including the African Union, the UN, the EU and America, told the loser to go. See article

Spoil sports

At least 19 countries, including China, declined invitations to attend the award ceremony for the Nobel peace prize in Oslo on December 10th. China called the prize, given this year to a jailed Chinese dissident, Liu Xiaobo, “interference by a few clowns”.

France signed deals worth $20 billion during a trip by President Nicolas Sarkozy to India. They included an agreement to build two nuclear reactors, worth a total of $10 billion, in Maharashtra state.

South Korea’s navy staged firing exercises with live ammunition around the country’s coast, ignoring North Korea’s accusation that the South was trying to “start a war”. In Washington the foreign ministers of Japan, South Korea and the United States said North Korea’s “belligerent” behaviour threatened all three countries. See article

South Korea resolved its differences with the United States on a long-awaited free-trade agreement, which both sides described as a “win-win” deal. It now heads to the American Congress and the Korean parliament for ratification. See article

Posted by biginla at 5:43 PM GMT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Three-way split
Topic: global economy, bbc news

The world economy

by Biodun Iginla, BBC News and The Economist

America, the euro zone and the emerging world are heading in different directions

Dec 9th 2010 | from PRINT EDITION

THIS year has turned out to be a surprisingly good one for the world economy. Global output has probably risen by close to 5%, well above its trend rate and a lot faster than forecasters were expecting 12 months ago. Most of the dangers that frightened financial markets during the year have failed to materialise. China’s economy has not suffered a hard landing. America’s mid-year slowdown did not become a double-dip recession. Granted, the troubles of the euro area’s peripheral economies have proved all too real. Yet the euro zone as a whole has grown at a decent rate for an ageing continent, thanks to oomph from Germany, the fastest-growing big rich economy in 2010.

The question now is whether 2011 will follow the same pattern. Many people seem to think so. Consumer and business confidence is rising in most parts of the world; global manufacturing is accelerating; and financial markets are buoyant. The MSCI index of global share prices has climbed by 20% since early July. Investors today are shrugging off news far more ominous than that which rattled them earlier this year, from the soaring debt yields in the euro zone’s periphery to news of rising inflation in China.

Earlier this year investors were too pessimistic. Now their breezy confidence seems misplaced. To oversimplify a little, the performance of the world economy in 2011 depends on what happens in three places: the big emerging markets, the euro area and America. (Yes, Japan is still an economic heavyweight, but it is less likely to yield surprises.) These big three are heading in very different directions, with very different growth prospects and contradictory policy choices. Some of this divergence is inevitable: even to the casual observer, India’s economy has always been rather different from America’s. But new splits are opening up, especially in the rich world, and with them come ever more chances for friction.

On the rise, on the edge, on the never-never

Begin with the big emerging markets, by far the biggest contributors to global growth this year. From Shenzhen to São Paulo these economies have been on a tear. Spare capacity has been used up. Where it can, foreign capital is pouring in. Isolated worries about asset bubbles have been replaced by a fear of broader overheating. China is the prime example (see article) but by no means alone. With Brazilian shops packed with shoppers, inflation there has surged above 5% and imports in November were 44% higher than the previous year.

Cheap money is often the problem. Though the slump of 2009 is a distant memory, monetary conditions are still extraordinarily loose, thanks, in many places, to efforts to hold down currencies (again, China leads in this respect). This combination is unsustainable. To stop prices accelerating, most emerging economies will need tighter policies next year. If they do too much, their growth could slow sharply. If they do too little, they invite higher inflation and a bigger tightening later. Either way, the chances of a macroeconomic shock emanating from the emerging world are rising steeply.

The euro area is another obvious source of stress, this time financial as well as macroeconomic. In the short term growth will surely slow, if only because of government spending cuts. In core countries, notably Germany, this fiscal consolidation is voluntary, even masochistic. The embattled economies on the periphery, such as Ireland, Portugal and Greece, have less choice and a grim future. Empirical evidence suggests that countries in a currency union are unlikely to be able to improve their competitiveness quickly by screwing down wages and prices (see article). Worse, the financial consequences of a shift to a world where a euro-area country can go bust are only just becoming clear. Not only do too many euro-zone governments owe too much, but Europe’s entire banking model, which is based on thorough integration across borders, may need revisiting (see article). These difficulties would tax the most enlightened policymakers. The euro zone’s political leaders, alas, are a fractious and underwhelming lot. An even bigger mess seems all but certain in 2011.

Reach for the stretch pants, Barack

America’s economy, too, will shift, but in a different direction. Unlike Europe’s, America’s macroeconomic policy mix has just moved decisively away from austerity. The tax-cut agreement reached on December 7th by Barack Obama and congressional Republicans was far bigger than expected. Not only did it extend George Bush’s expiring tax breaks for two years, but it also added more than 2% of GDP in new breaks for 2011 (seearticle). When this is coupled with the continued bond-buying of the Federal Reserve, America is injecting itself with another dose of stimulus steroids just when Europe is checking into rehab and enduring cold turkey.

The result of this could be that American output grows by as much as 4% next year. That is nicely above trend and enough to reduce unemployment, although not quickly. But America’s politicians are taking a risk, too. Even though their country’s long-term budget outlook is famously dire, Mr Obama and the Republicans did not even try to find an agreement on medium-term fiscal consolidation this week. Various proposals to fix the deficit look set to gather dust (see article). Bondholders, who have been very forgiving of the printer of the world’s chief reserve currency, greeted the tax deal by selling Treasuries. Some investors, no doubt, see faster growth on the way; but a growing number are worried about the size of America’s fiscal hole. If those worries take hold, the United States could even see a bond-market bust in 2011.

How much does this parting of the ways matter? The divergence between the world’s big three will compound the risks in each one. America’s loose monetary policy and concerns about sovereign defaults in the euro zone will encourage capital to flow to emerging economies, making the latter’s central banks reluctant to raise interest rates and dampen down inflation. Over the next five years emerging economies are expected to account for over 50% of global growth but only 13% of the increase in net global public debt. Rather than rebalancing, the world economy in the immediate future will skew even more between a debt-ridden West and thrifty East.

The West avoided depression in part because Europe and America worked together and shared a similar economic philosophy. Now both are obsessed with internal problems and have adopted wholly opposite strategies for dealing with them. That bodes ill for international co-operation. Policymakers in Brussels will hardly focus on another trade round when a euro member is about to go bust. And it bodes ill for financial markets, since neither Europe’s sticking-plaster approach to the euro nor America’s “jam today, God knows what tomorrow” tactic with the deficit are sustainable.

Of course, it does not have to be this way. Now they have splurged the cash, Mr Obama and Congress could move on to a medium-term plan to reduce the deficit. Europe’s feuding leaders could hash out a deal to put the single currency and the zone’s banking system on a sustainable footing. And the big emerging economies could allow their currencies to rise. But don’t bet on it. A more divided world economy could make 2011 a year of damaging shocks.

from PRINT EDITION | Leaders

Readers' comments

The Economist welcomes your views.

View all comments (6)Add your comment

Posted by biginla at 5:10 PM GMT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Plane diverted because of unruly passenger
Topic: airport security, bbc news, biod

by Rochelle van Amber for the BBC's Biodun Iginla

Published: Dec. 9, 2010 at 1:20 AM

Article

Listen

Comments

Share3

ALBUQUERQUE, Dec. 9 -- A Continental Airlines flight from Houston to San Jose, Calif., was diverted to Albuquerque when a passenger became disruptive, officials said.

The passenger was removed from Flight 1576, CNN reported Wednesday. He was held for questioning at the Albuquerque airport.

Frank Fisher, an FBI spokesman, said the man had not been charged Wednesday afternoon. He gave few details about the incident and did not identify the passenger.

The plane landed in Albuquerque at 9:30 a.m. local time, Daniel Giron, an airport spokesman said. It took off an hour later for Houston.

© 2010 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints

Posted by biginla at 4:58 PM GMT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

A message from Bill Clinton--"Slick Willy" or "Bubba"
Topic: bill clinton, Earth day, biodun

Dear Biodun:

Please find below a message from the William J. Clinton Foundation. They have important information to share with you. Thank you.

Newsmax.com

Dear Newsmax Reader,

When I left office in 2001, I knew my work wasn't done yet. Poverty, malnutrition, climate change, and so many other problems, both here and abroad, were still calling out for solutions.

We wasted no time in bringing together governments, businesses, and other organizations to identify low-cost, high-impact solutions for some of the world's most pressing challenges.

And I'm simply amazed at the breadth of work we've been able to take on and the lives we've been able to touch -- from energy efficient cities with lower carbon emissions to ongoing relief and recovery efforts in Haiti, our work is having a real impact.

I recorded this short video to share my story and my reasons for doing this work. I hope it inspires you to recommit yourself to helping others this holiday season.

Our work has expanded in numerous directions since our earliest efforts negotiating access to life-saving HIV/AIDS medicines for millions who previously couldn't afford them. But everything we do relies on cost-effective, long-lasting solutions.

And don't doubt it for a second -- our plans for 2011 are as ambitious as ever. We want to provide cataract surgeries to thousands more Peruvians, help expand sustainable farming businesses inRwanda, and give entrepreneurs here in the United States the tools they need to thrive -- just to name a few. I hope you'll join me in helping achieve these goals. With your help, we'll continue our work to improve lives and -- better yet -- break the cycle of hopelessness that so often accompanies life-long poverty.

You and I both know that the biggest changes begin with the smallest steps. Find out how you can be part of our work.

I hope you'll take a minute to think about the impact you want to make in 2011 -- then make a contribution.

Have a happy holiday season,

President Bill Clinton

P.S. As a sign of our gratitude, we'll also send you a free, oversized ceramic mug if you donate more than $25. I hope this mug, named after my book about our work and the work of other good nongovernmental organizations, businesses, and individuals, Giving: Each of Us Can Change the World, reminds you of the role you're playing as a Clinton Foundation donor.

The Clinton Foundation seeks to address some of the world's more pressing challenges -- from global climate change to extreme poverty -- through collaborative and systematic effort.

William J. Clinton Foundation • 55 West 125th St. • New York, NY 10027

Posted by biginla at 3:51 PM GMT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Facebook and Twitter slam door on WikiLeaks avengers
Topic: wikileaks, bbc news, biodun igin

By Jolie O'Dell for the BBC's Biodun Iginla

December 9, 2010 -- Updated 1311 GMT (2111 HKT) | Filed under: Web

WikiLeaks' supporters have been causing trouble online.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Facebook, Twitter try to shut down some WikiLeaks avenger pages
WikiLeaks supporters have been conducting cyber attacks on major websites

RELATED TOPICS

(Mashable) -- Both Facebook and Twitter have closed accounts corresponding to Anonymous, a formerly 4chan-linked group organizing a string of DDoS attacks on organizations that refuse to work with WikiLeaks.

We realize that first sentence is quite a brainful; let's break down the drama for newcomers to this saga of politics and technology.

WikiLeaks is a controversial (to say the least) whistleblower site. WikiLeaks recently drew the particular ire of the U.S. government after releasing a whopping 250,000 cables from American embassies and diplomats; the cables were first released to news organizations and more than a thousand were then published directly to the WikiLeaks site. Some of those leaked documents didn't have proper redactions and may have exposed active government operatives to danger.

Due to political pressure and citing TOS violations, organizations from Paypal to Amazon Web Services began denying service to WikiLeaks. That's when things got interesting.

A loosely organized consortium of hackers that would be Anonymous who felt these anti-WikiLeaks actions were wrong decided to put some pressure on MasterCard et al. themselves by executing DDoS attacks on the websites of the offending institutions. Dubbing their initiative "Operation Payback," Anonymous has succeeded in taking down all or part of the websites of Visa, MasterCard, PayPal (which has since released funds to WikiLeaks) and Swiss bank PostFinance. The group even went after U.S. politicians who had made negative or even threatening remarks about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, including Sarah Palin and Sen. Joe Lieberman.

Anonymous also set up Facebook and Twitter accounts promoting awareness of their mission and links to tools to carry out the DDoSs.

The group's Facebook account was closed first; shortly thereafter, according to some reports, Anonymous began leaking what it claimed were MasterCard credit card numbers to its Twitter account. The Twitter account was shut down in short order, as well.

Since DDoS attacks aren't exactly legal, and a group organizing and promoting DDoS attacks on major financial and tech institutions isn't exactly legal, either, it's no surprise that Facebook and Twitter have swiftly shut the accounts down.

However, WikiLeaks's own Twitter and Facebook accounts remain operational.

Of course, Anonymous is expected to keep creating new accounts as quickly as Facebook and Twitter squash them; it's a bit like Whack-a-Mole or doing battle with a hydra, in that sense. Fighting Anonymous is a task we wouldn't wish on anyone.

Posted by biginla at 3:09 PM GMT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

MediaBistro News Feed by Biodun Iginla, BBC News and MediaBistro
Topic: media, mediabistro, bbc news

Morning Media Newsfeed

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Swing by our eBook Summit in NYC next week & hear from Ken Auletta (The New Yorker), Douglas Rushkoff (Author), David Gaspin (Condé Nast), Nina Lassam (Wattpad), and more.

new from mediabistro.com

How to Pitch: EatingWell AvantGuild
A personal connection to a food or cuisine is a recipe for success at this healthy eating pub.

Create Your Own Website Using Wordpress - December 11 in New York
Learn to make your own basic web page on a Mac. learn more

Click here to receive mediabistro.com's Morning Media Newsfeed via email.

To Trend Or Not To Trend…(Twitter Blog)
Since Twitter first introduced the Trends feature in the summer of 2008, one frequently asked question has been, "Why isn't X trending?" This week, people are wondering about WikiLeaks, with some asking if Twitter has blocked "wikileaks," "cablegate," or other related topics from appearing in the list of top Trends. The answer: Absolutely not. In fact, some of these terms have previously trended either worldwide or in specific locations.Guardian: So what makes a trend a Trend? A "dramatic increase" in the volume of Tweets about a certain topic. It remains to be seen whether that explanation will satisfy the groups that have been grumbling at the lack of visibility for WikiLeaks in Twitter's Trends. Meanwhile, the anonymous group that has been targeting WikiLeaks antagonists was kicked off Twitter and Facebook, only to reappear, at least on Twitter, under a new name.

NYT Reporter Defends Publishing WikiLeaks Cables (NPR)
Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, has suggested that The New York Times should be investigated for publishing classified diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks. On yesterday'sFresh Air, David Sanger, chief Washington correspondent for the Times, responded to Lieberman's remarks and explained why the newspaper decided to publish the cables.

As Fox News Channel Enters New Round Of Carriage Negotiations, It Sets Its Sights On…ESPN? (TVNewser)
Fox News Channel has moved beyond CNN and MSNBC and has its sights set on a new target…ESPN. News Corp. chief operating officer Chase Carey compared Fox News with ESPN several times during the UBS Media & Communications Conference yesterday, arguing that it is as much of a "must-carry" as the sports network. Carey also confirmed that Fox News was entering into a new round of carriage negotiations with some cable operators.

Managing the media mix is essential. Because now every company is a media company.

Virtually all organizations rely on the expertise of their graphic communications managers to develop strategies and lead successful initiatives. The NYU-SCPS Master’s in Graphic Communications Management and Technology offers rigorous and unique curricula focused on preparing innovative media managers for this global industry. Come join our community – and network with students, alumni, industry leaders, and board members in this rapidly expanding field.

Visit http://www.scps.nyu.edu.

New York Post Political Editor Quits After Fight With Tyrant Boss (Gawker)
Gregg Birnbaum was the well-liked political editor of the New York Post, a 17-year veteran of the paper, until Tuesday, when he left abruptly. The reason, some say: He got sick of NYP chief Col Allan's obnoxious behavior. Sources say Birnbaum got into a huge argument Monday night with Allan, the paper's editor. After the curse-filled blowup -- which apparently had something to do with coverage of President Barack Obama's tax plan -- Birnbaum left the office, for good.

Did Oprah's Team Object To Washington Post TV Critic? (Yahoo! / The Cutline)
The Washington Post has a long tradition of profiling Kennedy Center Honors winners. This past weekend, the Post rolled out features on honorees, including Oprah Winfrey. Writer Robin Givhan penned the Winfrey profile, but the Postfirst assigned it to television critic Hank Stuever. Newspapers may swap out an assignment from one reporter to another for various reasons, but according to a newsroom source, the change was prompted by an objection from Winfrey's representatives.

What's Next For NBC's Jeff Zucker? Maybe Private Equity (WSJ)
Add one more item to the list of possible next acts for departing NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker: joining a private-equity firm. Zucker has been approached by several, according to people familiar with the matter. Which ones couldn't be learned, but the people said the idea is one of many the executive is considering. Zucker is slated to step down when his TV and film company is taken over by cable giant Comcast sometime before early next year, pending regulatory approval.

mediabistro.com featured jobs

Associate Producer - Book TV
C-SPAN
Washington, DC

Editor
Walnut Patch
Walnut, CA

Public Relations Manager
Redfin Corporation
Seattle, WA

News Corp. COO: Please Don't Associate Us With Our Newspapers (Forbes)
For News Corp. president and chief operating officer Chase Carey, newspapers are like an albatross around the neck. Interviewed at the UBS Media & Communications Conference, Carey was asked what News Corp. could do to improve its stock price. "We're overly identified with the publishing business," Carey said. "Some of the concerns that exist around publishing, we get widely associated with…The publishing business has had too wide a profile."

Bonnier Revs Up Roadtrip (Mediaweek)
Joining the likes of News Corp.'s forthcoming tablet newspaper, The Daily, and Richard Branson's iPad-only magazine, Project, Bonnier has created Roadtrip, a made-for-the-tablet publication. The new form shows how publishers are experimenting on the iPad as they try to figure out how to make money off the tablet. Bonnier is now looking at creating products that aren't merely enhanced versions of its magazines.

McClatchy CEO: Death Of Newspaper Classifieds Greatly Exaggerated(Poynter)
If there is a consensus truism about the decline of the newspaper industry, it is that the slow death of a once-lucrative print classified franchise is the biggest culprit. Not so fast, McClatchy CEO Gary Pruitt told investors and analysts Wednesday morning at the annual UBS Media & Communications Conference in New York. Classifieds are recovering faster than other segments of the company's advertising base, Pruitt said, and should be a healthy business for years to come.

mediabistro.com course

Mediabistro Copy Editing Certificate Program

Become a professional copy editor certified by the industry leader in media education.

"The Copy Editing Certificate Program helped me a lot. I recommend it to others because there are great tips and best practices that all editors and non-editors should know about. The classes are great refreshers for someone like me who edits and proofreads marketing materials." -- Yvette Bigornia

Learn more

FCC Planning To Enter Retrans Debate (Mediaweek)
The Federal Communications Commission is planning to open up a proceeding on retransmission-consent negotiation rules, governing how broadcasters and cable companies determine value for signal clearances. There is no timetable for when the FCC could put the notice of proposed rule making on its agenda. It has previously avoided taking on the retransmission-consent rules established by Congress in the 1992 Cable Act.

Seth Meyers To Headline WHCA Dinner (Politico)
One of Washington's most anticipated social events each year is the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner and, in the months before it happens, everyone starts to wonder who the night's headliner will be. Well, the cat is out of the bag for 2011: The next headliner will be Seth Meyers, head writer and cast member of Saturday Night Live. Recently, he hosted the 2008 and 2009 Webby Awards and the 2010 ESPY Awards on ESPN (he's set to host again in 2011).

CBS Interactive Head Neil Ashe Stepping Down (AllThingsD)
Neil Ashe, president of CBS Interactive, is stepping down from his post. "Looking out into 2011, we are working on a relaxed time frame to name a successor to his post, as he embarks on his next great thing," said a spokesman. It is not clear where Ashe is headed, nor who his replacement will be. But an exec close to the situation said Zander Lurie, senior vice president of strategic development, who has worked closely with Ashe at CNET and CBS, will take on a bigger role. AdAge: In addition to an external search, internal candidates to succeed Ashe include Lurie, another longtime CNET executive, and Anthony Soohoo, who heads the entertainment division, including distribution for CBS television on the Web.

mediabistro.com event

Digital Privacy Forum
January 20, 2011 | New York City

Learn to manage information, user expectations, and government interaction in the hotly debated field of online privacy. Register early and save!

Pulitzer Board Announces Changes For 2011 Competition (Poynter / Romenesko)
The rules for 12 of the 14 categories in the Pulitzer journalism prize contest now state explicitly that entries may use any available journalistic tool, including text reporting, videos, databases, multimedia, or interactive presentations. The changes recognize the growing importance of visual storytelling using video and other multimedia formats and the board's ongoing intention to honor the best journalism from eligible news organizations, regardless of format.

Yahoo! Overhauls Its Local Pages; Downplays Business Reviews(paidContent)
Yahoo! is overhauling the look and much of the content of its local pages. The "new Yahoo! Local," which is beginning to roll out in a handful of select markets, replaces pages that were previously dominated with photo-heavy capsules featuring business reviews, nearby events, and maps, with a single, long list of local news, deals, and events. While the previous Yahoo! Local pages were largely focused on cities, there are also now pages for specific neighborhoods.

Mark Zuckerberg To Donate Most Of His Wealth To Charity (Mashable)
At only 26, Mark Zuckerberg is one of the world's youngest billionaires, but he's not keeping it all for himself. By signing onto Bill Gates' and Warren Buffet's initiative called the "Giving Pledge," Zuckerberg agreed to give most of his wealth to charity. "People wait until late in their career to give back. But why wait when there is so much to be done? With a generation of younger folks who have thrived on the success of their companies, there is a big opportunity for many of us to give back earlier in our lifetime and see the impact of our philanthropic efforts," he said.

mediabistro.com course

How to Turn Your Blog Into a Profitable Business

6-Session Self-Paced Course

A blog can help you promote yourself and the services you offer. Now it's time to expand your online presence into a revenue-generating business all its own. This hands-on course will show you how to manage your brand, promote your blog, and attract advertisers.

Learn more

mediabistro.com's blogs:

WebNewser: News Corp.'s The Daily Won't Be Out in 2010
SportsNewser: Train Conductor Chooses Family Over NFL
eBookNewser: Author Seth Godin Launches Imprint With Amazon
TVNewser: Glenn Beck, Jon Stewart on TIME Person of the Year List
PRNewser: Police Believe They Have the Gun That Killed Chasen
FishbowlDC: Shakeups at The New Republic
FishbowlLA: The Life of an Unemployed 58-Year-Old
FishbowlNY: NYT's Andrew Ross Sorkin: 'Persistence over talent wins every day'
GalleyCat: Why I Read Hashtag Makes National Twitter Trend
MediaJobsDaily: Alexandra Nicholson To Leave USA TODAY; Open Jobs!
UnBeige: Artist Ai Weiwei Denied Flight to South Korea, Learns He's Unable to Leave China
AgencySpy: HBO Doesn't Want You to Be a Cheap Bastard this Xmas
ThinkMobile: Google Chrome OS Notebooks: Would Have Been a Huge Hit in 2009. But, 2011?
AllTwitter: It's Never too Early to Start Your Taxes: Follow the IRS on Twitter
AllFacebook: Number Game Spreads Virally On Facebook
SocialTimes: Obama Latest Viral Sensation Thanks to Tonight Show Spoof

Advertise on Our Blog Network

mediabistro.com tweets:

• 24 Ways To Feed The Blog Beast http://bit.ly/e5yN0T (via@MarkRaganCEO) — @10000Words
• Can't celebrate the holidays with your loved ones? probably the best present ever https://hugegram.com/ — @AllNick
• Cell Use by Pregnant Women Related to Their Children's Misbehavior? Let's Not Confuse Correlation With Causationhttp://mbist.ro/hkXAVh — @mobilecontent
• "I never saw him draw a line I didn’t think was delightful." -Hedda Sterne on Saul Steinberg, her late husband — @UnBeige
• Piers Morgan's Brit Bash @piersmorgan http://mbist.ro/gUGgqU @cnn —@TVNewser

Follow mbtweets on Twitter @mbtweetfeed

Click here to see all our newsfeeds, including this email, and here to get RSS feeds for updates throughout the day.

Morning Media Newsfeed Needs You! Send us your story tips, job changes, insider gossip, and all that other good stuff: tips@mediabistro.com

More than 160,000 people in the media business read this email every day. To learn about advertising or other creative partnerships, contact Dave Arganbright at (212) 547-7931 or via email.

You are receiving this email at biginla@yahoo.com because you subscribed at mediabistro.com for our Morning Media Newsfeed service. Please add mailer@email.mediabistro.com to your Address Book to ensure delivery of this email (how do I do this?).
Stop Receiving this Email | Start Receiving this Email | Send Feedback

mediabistro.com
475 Park Avenue South | New York | NY | 10016
mediabistro.com is a division of WebM

Posted by biginla at 2:56 PM GMT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Newer | Latest | Older