Oregon Media Insiders

As reported in the New York Times today, Meredith-owned stations are accepting product placement deals with various brands e.g. McDonald's iced coffee on the anchor desk.

Is it really a big deal though? I assume there are financial arrangements associated with some Good Day Oregon live shots.

According to Nielsen Online, OLive's unique audience jumped 63% from March to April, placing it in the top 30 newspaper websites in the nation in April.

A few weeks ago, it was reported that the Oregonian's circulation was down. Coincidence?

Interesting new blog entry from John Canzano and it has elicited quite a response. In it, he details an unsavory encounter with Mike Bellotti's (ex, current?) wife Colleen at the Oregon/USC game. He had written a story about the Belotti's son Luke and his two DUIIs and momma Bellotti was hopping mad about the article.

The O's John Canzano blogs today that ESPN has talked to former Portland sports personality Colin Cowherd about replacing Dan Patrick (who is leaving ESPN in August) on ESPN Radio's flagship afternoon radio show.

Canzano thinks it's Cowherd's gig if he wants it. There are certainly less controversial choices. You may remember Cowherd got into some trouble for encouraging his listeners to crash a blog a few months back.

Personally I think there are better choices. Cowherd is decent, but there is a big drop-off from the gravitas and credibility that Patrick brought to the show. Also, Cowherd's abrasive, frenetic style is vastly different from Patrick's easy-going manner.

This is a really interesting piece on msnbc.com about the various policies news organizations have regarding their employees donating to politicians and political groups.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113485/

Anyone know what their own policy is? A local treatment of this would be interesting. Anyone in the glass house willing to throw a stone?

NBC News has just become an integral part of the story in the Virginia Tech massacre. story here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18169776/

From strictly a news perspective, NBC News has the biggest exclusive news scoop in years. But given the horrific nature of the crime and the enormous news value, they have issues to discuss.

Should they show only material that has been OKed by authorities or make their own determination on what to show?

Given the enormous interest in the story, do they have an obligation to release any material to other news organizations or keep what they have and let authorities dole out to other news orgs? (which would obviously be a much slower process).

The latest in PAC's series on local TV sweeps is a stinging critique of KPTV's 10pm. It's here on Oregonlive.

Ouch! Whether you agree with him or not, the guy's got bwalls.

[edited for long url--L]