SMH appoints Peter Fray as publisher.

“Fairfax Media has appointed Peter Fray to the new role of publisher and editor-in-chief of The Sydney Morning Herald, effective immediately. Mr Fray will be reporting to the head of the Metropolitan Media division, Jack Matthews, Fairfax chief executive Greg Hywood said this afternoon.” — The Sydney Morning Herald

Today Tonight criticised for hospital quake ‘exclusive’.

“The Seven Network’s tabloid public affairs programme Today Tonight has been criticised for its interview with a survivor of the Christchurch earthquake, after it emerged that the interview had apparently been conducted without the consent of the hospital.” — The Spy Report

Salon.com sale talks collapse

“Merger talks between Salon.com, a pioneer in online news and opinion, and Newser.com, a news aggregation Web site founded by a journalist, Michael Wolff, have collapsed, according to people involved in the talks.” — New York Times

Spiegel magazine accuses rival Bild of pushing Germany further right.

“It is Europe’s biggest-selling newspaper, with a 3m daily circulation and 12 million readers. But according to one of its most powerful rivals, the German tabloid Bild is an ‘incendiary’ publication ‘which fulfils the role of a rightwing popular party Germany has never had’. — The Guardian

‘Stories start here’ is new positioning for Herald Sun.

“Melbourne’s Herald Sun launches a new brand campaign with the fresh positioning line: ‘Stories start here’. The first ad in the campaign, created by AJF Partnership, focuses on the News Ltd paper’s fantasy football game SuperCoach. — mUmBRELLA

Stories of Rocky Mountain News staff who left journalism after the paper closed.

“They’re working in construction and in restaurants, at universities and ad agencies. Some are retired. Others are students. And a few are unemployed. Here are a few themes that emerged in their reflections on life after the newspaper closed.” — TEMPLE TALK