Colbert on the O’Reilly Factor
Stephen Colbert stepped into the “no-spin zone” tonight to chat with his mentor, “Papa Bear” Bill O’Reilly.
Click through to watch the video.  It’s about 7 minutes long.

O’Reilly on Colbert Report
The much-hyped appearance happened tonight and Colbert did not disappoint. Colbert was positively giddy about “Papa Bear’s” visit and in the most ingratiating and fawning manner, let his “idol” have it.
Colbert’s show replays several times today and this evening on Comedy Central.  You can also watch the video online, if you can get past the limitations of MotherLoad.  I have a cable modem, but the stream is still pretty spotty.

MySpace hit with online predator suits
NEW YORK – Four families have sued News Corp. and its MySpace social-networking site after their underage daughters were sexually abused by adults they met on the site, lawyers for the families said Thursday.

YouTube For 911 Callers
In his annual State of the City speech yesterday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg stated that the city plans to equip 911-emergency call centers with instant cell phone photos and civilian video footage of crimes in progress . The New York Post likens it to YouTube, but for all the good Samaritans that have been popping up all over the city.
CNN also has the ability to take your videos.

User content won’t kill off old media
Predictions about the future of the media are as common as cut-price mince pies at this time of year. But some deserve more attention than others – few more so than the annual Media Predictions from consultants Deloitte.
Heh, heh, heh.  Sure it won’t.  We can hope that at the very least it becomes unnecessary for networks to pay millions of dollars a year for people with pretty heads to read the corporate news in front of a camera.

Eisner to Back UTA Channel
United Talent Agency and Veoh announced a partnership to create an online channel dedicated to scouting talent for possible representation. The deal, brokered by Veoh investor and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner and UTA’s Jeremy Zimmer, is a clear acknowledgement that the next generation of writing, directing, producing and acting stars are more likely to be discovered online.

Web is wonderful, but don’t write off newspapers
Barack Obama, the Democratic senator from Illinois, announced on Tuesday that he was setting up an ‘exploratory committee’ to see if he might stand as a US presidential candidate. It was the way that he announced it – through a website – that intrigued me. It shows that the web can be wonderful, but only if it works hand in hand with the steam-driven world. So don’t go writing off newspapers and television just yet.

Time Inc cuts almost 300 jobs as digital investment rises
NEW YORK – Time Inc is to cut almost 300 jobs as it restructures and prepares to expand its digital activities.

Burkle and Broad Join Chandlers in Making Tribune Bid
Tribune Co.’s largest shareholder offered to buy the struggling media conglomerate and spin off its broadcast division in a deal disclosed Thursday and valued at $7.6 billion. Details about other bids remained unclear, but it was reported that Southern California billionaires Eli Broad and Ron Burkle submitted a proposal that amounts to a recapitalization plan – short of a pure buyout offer. The Wall Street Journal reported that at least three groups submitted offers.

Bloomberg to Press: Write What You’re Told
Mayor Bloomberg’s press aides laid down some ground rules yesterday when announcing some new initiatives, and most of the media played along.

FTC Chairman Wants Marketers to Shape up
But Applauds Self-Regulation in Advertising to Kids in Diet-Themed ANA Keynote