Good morning. Here are 10 media stories.
- Rick Berke leaves Politico: The publication’s executive editor resigned Sunday, citing “an acceptance by the three of us that the dynamics were just not there for us to function seamlessly.” The other two people in that “three of us” formulation, John Harris and Jim VandeHei, tell staffers “We have very big plans for expanding POLITICO here and elsewhere and need in place a leadership team that shares our vision, ambitions and full faith.” (HuffPost) | Erik Wemple passes on word of an awkward “Politico University” workshop in May, after Berke’s former boss Jill Abramson was fired: “Berke got a bit off-topic, putting forth his opinion that Abramson was an inept and insensitive manager. Some female staffers objected to that characterization, and the session blew up in awkward polemics about the internal politics of a competing outlet.” (WP) | “Rick Berke does not capitalize “Politico” in his resignation message. That’s a strategic difference right there” (@johnmcquaid)
- Benny Johnson gets a second chance: The former BuzzFeed reporter, fired for plagiarism in July, will be social media director at National Review. “Benny made a terrible mistake,” National Review Editor Rich Lowry tells Mike Allen. “But he has owned up to it and learned from it.” (Politico) | “#FF @RichLowry” (@bennyjohnson) | “‘God and Man at #YOLO'” (@sissenberg)
- Wealthy owners sought for DFM papers: “Newspaper Guild-represented staff at major newspapers including the Denver Post, San Jose Mercury News and St. Paul Pioneer Press are publishing ads online and in print seeking local, community-minded buyers for their newsrooms.” (Newspaper Guild) | Do you know anyone who’d like to mix a little ink into their blue blood? Contact TNG-CWA President Bernie Lunzer (bernie@newsguild.org) or TNG-CWA Acting Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens (sara@newsguild.org)
- Ben Smith on the death of the newspaper “bundle”: “[T]here are signs that the unbundling may be followed by a rebundling. … And so editors like me are wrestling with two questions: can we put the bundle back together? And should we?” (The Guardian) | FREEKY FLASHBACK: “If anything, BuzzFeed, with its massive traffic and fat wallet, has reengineered the ‘bundle’ so it can actually add news coverage in an advertising climate that’s caused other publications to get really good at subtraction.” (Poynter)
- Why won’t Bloomberg report on itself? The news organization’s “decision to not write about Mr. Bloomberg’s return to his company, and Mr. Bloomberg’s decision to speak with a rival news organization, displeased a number of Bloomberg’s journalists,” Ravi Somaiya writes. “To retreat on a newsworthy story in deference to your owners is bad policy,” Ann Marie Lipinski tells him. (NYT)
- Remembering Steven Sotloff: About 1,000 people gathered in Pinecrest, Florida, to remember the slain journalist. Sotloff “went to places we only read about in the headlines, sought out people, became their voice,” Rabbi Terry Bookman said in a eulogy. “And what a beautiful voice it was.” (Miami Herald) | Clips from his work at Central Florida Future (Central Florida Future) | Related: David Carr on the “mastery of medium and message” Sotloff’s murderers show in their video. “ISIS seems to understand that the same forces that carried the Ice Bucket Challenge’s message of uplift — the desire to be part of something, to be in the know — can be used to spread fear and terror as well.” (NYT)
- Chuck Todd debuts as “Meet the Press” host: “It will take more than a former bouncer with awesome tats to save ‘Meet the Press,'” Manuel Roig-Franzia writes. “But in a genre that sometimes has the feel of a wax museum, it’s a start.” (WP) | The show “isn’t going to be turned around in six days or six weeks,” Todd tells Brian Stelter. (CNN)
- Why did The Plain Dealer pull three top reporters from courts beat? “The reason bandied about the Plain Dealer newsroom in the wake of the announcements is that the stories written by [Rachel] Dissell, [John] Caniglia, and [Jim] McCarty were generating some of the highest traffic online. Since these three reporters still work for the union-employed Plain Dealer, NEOMG and NEOMG boss Chris Quinn could not take credit for the Internet traffic. By replacing his award-winning journos, Quinn can now claim the clicks for future court stories.” (Cleveland Scene)
- Ferguson Fellowship funded: $40,319 was pledged by 8:19 a.m. Monday, two days before the deadline. Two people took the $5,000 package, which includes a lunch at the Ferguson McDonald’s with Ryan J. Reilly and Ferguson Fellow Mariah Stewart. (Beacon Reader)
- Job moves, edited by Benjamin Mullin: Benny Johnson will be social media editor for National Review. Previously, he was viral politics editor at BuzzFeed. (Politico) | Joe Scarborough will be a contributor to “Meet the Press.” He is the host of “Morning Joe” on MSNBC. (The Hill) | Rebecca Adams is now a staff writer at The Huffington Post covering family and relationships. She was lifestyle editor there. (The Huffington Post) | Anna Orso is now a reporter and curator for Billy Penn. She was a reporter for the (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) Patriot-News. (Billy Penn) | Shari Levine is now executive vice president of current production for Bravo Media. She was senior vice president of current production there. (NBC Universal) | Adam Bryant is now a deputy science editor at The New York Times. He is a business writer there. (Poynter) | Howard Mittman is now publisher of GQ. Previously, he was publisher of Wired. (Condé Nast) | Chris Mitchell is now publisher of Vanity Fair. Previously, he was publisher at GQ. (Condé Nast) | Daniella Diaz is a web producer at Politico. Previously, she was a staff writer at The Monitor. (Politico) | Job of the day: The Center for Public Integrity is looking for a fellow. Get your résumés in! (Journalism Jobs) | Send Ben your job moves: bmullin@poynter.org
Suggestions? Criticisms? Would like me to send you this roundup each morning? Please email me: abeaujon@poynter.org.
