MEDIA MADHOUSE: IS REUTERS THE NEXT STOP ON THE MERGER EXPRESS?

The NY Times reports on an emerging billion dollar challenge to Bloomberg

OTTAWA, May 8 — Thomson, the Canadian electronic information company, sketched out the broad details of its $17.5 billion offer for the Reuters Group, the financial and general news service on Tuesday.

Although the bid was expected, the announcement did contain one surprise: the current chief executive of Reuters, Thomas Glocer, would head the combined operation, which would be called Thomson-Reuters. Richard J. Harrington, Thomson’s chief executive, plans to retire if and when the transaction closes, the two companies said in a statement.

The Thomson family of Toronto, along with other shareholders of the corporation that bears their name, would be in firm control of any new company.

Report: WSJ Editors Held Story of Murdoch Bid

Some Wall Street Journal editors knew that News Corp. was making a $5 billion bid for the paper’s parent, Dow Jones & Co., at least a week before the news broke elsewhere, but they did not publish it, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

The Times said that while no one has suggested that anyone at Dow Jones traded on the information, questions of who knew about the offer ahead of a formal
announcement could become an issue for securities regulators looking into unusual trading in options to buy Dow Jones stock in advance of the news.

GET POLITICAL: MURDOCH’s PLAN FOR WSJ

HAMAS ACCUSED OF USING MICKEY MOUSE TYPE FIGURE TO INCITE

Agiant black-and-white rodent — named “Farfour,” or “butterfly,” but unmistakably a Mickey ripoff — does his high-pitched preaching against the U.S. and Israel on a children’s show run each Friday on Al-Aqsa TV, a station run by Hamas. The militant group, sworn to Israel’s destruction, shares power in the Palestinian government.
“You and I are laying the foundation for a world led by Islamists,” Farfour squeaked on a recent episode of the show, which is titled, “Tomorrow’s Pioneers.”

“We will return the Islamic community to its former greatness, and liberate Jerusalem, God willing, liberate Iraq, God willing, and liberate all the countries of the Muslims invaded by the murderers.”

Iran orders all TV drama to feature prayer

The conservative head of Iran’s state-run television has said all homegrown drama programmes should feature scenes showing characters praying or they will be denied airtime, the ILNA news agency reported on Monday.

“In the current year, television productions that do not have prayer scenes will not be allowed to air,” said Ezatollah Zarghami, who is appointed by the
supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The new directive appears to apply to drama series and television films but it is not clear whether it also includes programmes such as game shows and sitcoms.

CRAIG OF CRAIG’S LIST TO PUBLISHERS: EMULATE STEWART, COLBERT

CASHING IN DEPARTMENT

“Nappy Headed Ho’s” Movie May Fund Imus Retirement

$1 From Each DVD to be Donated to Imus

Glendale, CA – Adult video company Kick Ass Pictures today announced that it is releasing a movie called Nappy Headed Ho’s, and that $1 from each DVD sold will be donated to a retirement fund for radio personality Don Imus. Pre-sales and more information about the movie can be found at web site nappydvd.com.

“We see this as a free speech issue,” stated Kick Ass president Mark Kulkis. “As an adult media company, we’re especially defensive of free speech. Don Imus is a loudmouth and perhaps a bigot. However, CBS Radio was hypocritical in hiring Imus to be blunt and outspoken, then firing him for the same reason. Fellow broadcast personalities Ann Coulter and Pat Robertson spew anti-gay slurs, yet they are not fired by their networks.”

ALCOHOL MADE HIM DO IT

The Chairman of HBO was arrested and accused of assaulting his girlfriend after a prize fight in Las Vegas. Now, TV week reports:

Las Vegas — HBO chairman and CEO Chris Albrecht took a leave of absence, beginning Tuesday, in order to seek counseling from Alcoholics Anonymous, the executive said in a memo to co-workers.

At least he is seeking help—hopefully, not just to spin the story. If people admit they need help, thats the first step.