News Corp's English coverup

The UK-based tabloid "News of the World" is mixed up in a juicy scandal of its own making, one that involves hacking celebrity and government phones, payoffs, jailed journalists, a curiously stalled investigation, and conveniently forgetful executives. Ryan Chittum at Columbia Journalism Review offers a fascinating recount of the affair, which raises serious question about the ethics of Rubert Murdoch's UK media empire.

Taking it to the street

The Chicago Tribune is the latest newspaper to switch to a tabloid-format street edition in hopes of boosting newsstand sales. The tabloid Tribune will cost 75 cents a copy - which, coincidentally, is what the Los Angeles Times now charges for a paper off the rack.

The Tribune will continue delivery the traditional broadsheet to home subscribers. Given the negative connotations of 'tabloid journalism' in America, the move seems to designed to lower the risk that long-term subscribers will drop the paper.

There were reports in September that the OC Register was considering going tabloid - the publisher said he preferred to call it a "compact" newspaper. Not sure whatever happened to that.