All the News Google Algorithms Say Is Fit to Print
Date: 24 September 2002
By Saul Hansell
Saul Hansell
Google, rapidly growing online search engine, introduces service that uses its search algorithsm, but no human editors, to create news page that looks not much different from those of many news Web sites; site brings together headlines, and makes its automated news judgments, from information appearing on 4,000 sites; Google's news service is bound to become another issue in its stormy relationship with portals, especially Yahoo, that uses its search service; Google's co-founder-president Larry Page comments (M)
Full Article
AOL Time Warner and Disney Revive Talks on News Venture
Date: 25 September 2002
By David D. Kirkpatrick and Bill Carter
David
AOL Time Warner and Walt Disney Co revive long-running talks about combining their CNN and ABC News operations into joint venture in effort to cut costs; preliminary terms of deal call for two news divisions to merge into joint venture, two-third owned by AOL Time Warner and one-third owned by Disney; ownership stakes would not determine each side's degree of control over combined news organization's editorial content; issue has yet to be decided; both companies are more motivated to reach agreement than ever because they are suffering through prolonged downturn in advertising sales while under pressure from investors and credit-rating agencies to pay down their debts; discussions also take place at time when top executives of AOL Time Warner and Disney are under pressure from shareholders and directors to improve their results; photos (M)
Full Article
Arab TV Channel Prepares For a War in Its Backyard
Date: 24 September 2002
By Jane Perlez
Jane Perlez
Al Jazeera, Arab satellite television channel that has run taped interviews with Osama bin Laden and given sympathetic coverage to Palestinians, is well placed geographically to outpace Western networks on regional coverage of possible US military action against Iraq; has had permanent office in Baghdad since 1998, and was lone foreign broadcaster until Iraq recently readmitted Western television networks; chief editor Ibrahim Helal comments; photo (M)
Full Article
Panel to Evaluate Columbia U. School of Journalism
Date: 24 September 2002
By Karen W. Arenson
Karen Arenson
Columbia University's president Lee C Bollinger names nearly three dozen people to task force that will explore future of Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism and way future journalists should be taught (M)
Full Article
Programming Helps BSkyB Pull Ahead Of Rivals
Date: 25 September 2002
By Suzanne Kapner
Suzanne Kapner
Programming is helping British Sky Broadcasting pull ahead of pay television rivals at time when many of those operations are going under across Europe; among those who have given up in recent months is KirchPayTV, part of German media mogul Leo Kirch's crumbling empire; Vivendi Universal may sell Canal Plus operations outside of France and it appears close to deal to sell Italian pay TV unit Telepiu to News Corp of Rupert Murdoch, effectively handing control of that market to its archrival; Murdoch is chairman of BSky B (M)
Full Article
Justice Dept. Staff Said to Be Opposing Satellite TV Merger
Date: 24 September 2002
By Stephen Labaton
Stephen Labaton
Justice Dept staff urges federal government to reject as anticompetitive proposed $11.2 billion merger of largest satellite television broadcasters, DirecTV and EchoStar; say merger would reduce competition from three companies--two satellite providers and cable television company--to just two, while eliminating competition in rural areas not served by cable; satellite companies say deal should be approved since it is only way to compete effectively against increasingly large cable television companies, which control about 80 percent of subscription-TV market; argue that merger would enable combined company to be better at broadcasting local programming; rejection would be major victory for Rupert Murdoch, News Corp chairman who has sought unsuccessfully to buy DirecTV to fill important piece in media empire; would also reflect rare instance of opposition to corporate merger by Bush administration (M)
Full Article
Bure Is Hurt And Rangers Hold Breath
Date: 25 September 2002
By Jason Diamos
Jason Diamos
Hockey Notebook discusses condition of New York Rangers right wing Pavel Bure, who hurt knee in exhibition game; Rangers player Bobby Holik faces former team New Jersey Devils for first time in exhibition game; Detroit Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios tells media that Rangers paid too much to sign Holik; photo (M)
Full Article
HONEYWELL SAYS IT SETTLED ASBESTOS CLAIMS
Date: 24 September 2002
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Honeywell International settles asbestos claims brought against it in West Virginia, as trial begins in state court; terms of settlement and number of claims affected undisclosed; ExxonMobil, Owens-Illinois and Union Carbide unit of Dow Chemical are among other defendants in trial (S)
Full Article
WAL-MART REPORTS SLUGGISH SEPTEMBER SALES
Date: 24 September 2002
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Wal-Mart Stores Inc says sales in September will rise near lower end of its forecast; expects sales at stores open at least year to increase 4 percent to 6 percent in five weeks ended Oct 4 (S)
Full Article
BOEING TO BUY ALL OF PILOT TRAINING VENTURE
Date: 24 September 2002
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Boeing Co agrees to buy stake held by partner FlightSafety International in their joint venture to train pilots; financial terms undisclosed (S)
Full Article