Tom Curley (Credit: Richard Drew)

Associated Press CEO Tom Curley, who recently announced that he’ll be retiring this year, discussed challenges facing news outlets — from revenue streams to increased opinions in many newsrooms — and other media matters in an Q-and-A with Joe Strupp.

The 63-year-old Curley told the former Editor & Publisher reporter — now at Media Matters for America — that he has no set date to leave his post and has no definite plans for his future.

What brought this retirement decision about?
Normal transition. When the odometer hits a certain point, you have to consider it and the time seems right. We’re at a stable place, contract, long term contracts are set, all of our major technology will roll out.

What has been the biggest change in media in during your nine years atop AP?
It’s easy to describe the transition from the old broadcast model of many to one to increasingly personalization of media from one to many to many to one, that is the change that we all have to address, increasing customization.

What has seen the most relevant impact? Internet? Cable? Radio?
Customization affects all media platforms, the digital shift obviously enables that, but even the digital players that don’t allow for customization are losing ground. So it’s about personalization. Read More

Doctored? I don’t know. [Update: It wasn't]

This above image from the Nampa-based Idaho Press-Tribune was sent to me by an Idaho TV journalist who writes: “This dropped on to our Facebook page today… it’s legit. It’s a spadea wrap… clearly wasn’t too carefully laid out.” || UPDATE: “That was not Photoshopped,” managing editor Vickie Holbrook tells me this morning. Albertsons complained about the headline/ad placement, she says, and the paper is making changes so something like this doesn’t happen again. From now on, ad wraps will cover all front-page news content.

Tribune’s monthly operating report filed with the bankruptcy court last week says the company’s bill for professional fees since its 2008 Chapter 11 filing now totals $212.9 million, with another $17.8 million on lawyers’ expenses, reports Crain’s Lynne Marek. (The fees totaled $157 million last May, according to a Wall Street Journal story from that month.) Crain’s reports today:

Tribune’s financial results appear to be improving. The monthly operating report filed on Jan. 24 shows the Chicago-based company increased its cash balance to $2.05 billion as of Dec. 25 from $1.78 billion a year earlier.

Net income also rose at year-end, to $62.1 million from Nov. 21 through Dec. 25, vs. $43.3 million for roughly the same period in 2010, the report said. Revenue for the five-week period was flat, at $330.6 million.

* Tribune’s bankruptcy bill is $231 million and counting
* May 2011: Tribune bankrupcy fees hit $150 million
* March 2010: Lawyers in Tribune case warned about charging more than $1,000/hour

Marshall D. Logan

Marshall David Logan is accused of calling 311 and claiming a bomb had been placed in the KLRU public television studios on the University of Texas campus. Police questioned Logan after learning his number was used to make the threat. He admitted to making the call and claimed that bomb was in a piece of meat, reports KXAN.com.
* Austin man arrested in bomb-in-meat call to TV station

These ads have been circulating on Facebook in recent days, but Charles Apple points out in comments that he wrote about them in 2010. (Update: Adweek did too.)

Philadelphia Media Network CEO Greg Osberg has responded to the New York Post story about Alden Global selling its stake in the Inquirer and Daily News. “A single minority owner does not have the right to sell the entire company, only their percentage of ownership,” he writes.

From: Osberg, Greg
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 2:19 PM
To: All Philly.com Employees; All PMN Employees
Subject: Update

In yesterday’s NY Post there was an article on Alden Global, one of our minority owners. The article discusses some of Alden’s current media investments and speculates what they may be doing in the future. As one of Philadelphia Media Network’s minority shareholders, Alden and other shareholders, have the right to increase or decrease their ownership stake with existing shareholders, or new shareholders at anytime. This type of activity has been taking place since PMN was created in October 2010. A single minority owner does not have the right to sell the entire company, only their percentage of ownership.

If you have any questions on this article, your departmental leaders have been briefed and they are prepared to meet with you. Please stay focused on the tasks at hand so we can achieve our 2012 goals.

Thank you,

Greg

* Earlier: Bosses at Philly papers silent on New York Post report

“I think it is fair to say that, among our crowd, the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of The Penn Stater was the most anticipated university magazine edition in many years.” - editor of a blog that covers university magazines

* Once in a Career

Political Fiber, which launches Wednesday, will have news “designed to engage students in both the production and consumption of serious [political] issues coverage,” says a press release. Several recent University of Kansas graduates and current students have been hired to work on the site, along with faculty advisor Pam Fine.

Fine said she was inspired by two goals: to teach and inspire journalism students to do serious public affairs coverage, and second, to help build the demand for it, especially in young adults. She said a media study from Northwestern University in 2008 found an unmet need among college students for political coverage that was specifically geared toward them.

* University of Kansas launches site with political news for students