CBS News: Is the Future of News Newser?

Real estate a major factor in sale of 71 papers last year

(NEWSER) - Despite plunging revenue and circulation figures, plenty of people in America are still buying daily newspapers—lock, stock, and valuable headquarters. Some 71 daily papers were sold last year, and while some investors see buying a paper as a civic duty, others view it as a way to turn a quick profit, especially since newspapers tend to own large buildings in prime downtown locations, the New York Times finds. More»

Won't publish engagement announcement

(NEWSER) - When Cody Renegar got engaged to his partner, he wanted to shout it from the rooftops—or at least announce it in his hometown paper. No dice, said the Northwest Arkansas Times. "There's a certain amount of validation that comes with putting it in the paper. You know, you grow up with that, you see this, you love to look at these beautiful photos of couples," he tells KNWA . But the Times told Renegar, who is planning a big wedding in June, that the paper only runs engagement announcements for marriages that the state legally recognizes—ie, not gay marriages. More»

News Corp CEO deletes tweet about British holidays

(NEWSER) - Rupert Murdoch's big Twitter debut hasn't gone too smoothly, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The chief executive of News Corporation joined Twitter less than 48 hours ago and started with a message that he quickly deleted: "Maybe Brits have too many holidays for broke country!"—which he wrote while holidaying in the Caribbean. His wife, who also seems to have joined Twitter , reacted with: "RUPERT!! delete tweet!!" More»

At $200M, purchase not about investing

(NEWSER) - Warren Buffett makes news for his multi-billion-dollar investments, not a piddly $200 million—but Buffett surprised many people when he announced yesterday he was spending that to buy his hometown newspaper, the Omaha World-Herald, reports Bloomberg . The billionaire slammed the newspaper industry two years ago, saying it had the "potential for unending losses," and that he would never buy one "at any price." But now Buffett seems to have changed his tune: “I wouldn't do this if I thought this was doomed to some sort of extinction,” he said, according to the Omaha World-Herald . More»

Co-founder is one of 4 staffers let go

(NEWSER) - Slate co-founder Jack Shafer, who has been with the online magazine since before its official launch in 1996, is being laid off, it was announced yesterday. The media critic is one of four staff members being let go; Timothy Noah , June Thomas , and Juliet Lapidos are the others, reports the Washington Post . (The Washington Post Co. bought Slate in 2004 from Microsoft.) Some reactions:

• "If you weren't reading [Jack, Tim, June, and Juliet's] stuff, you're in luck—it'll be online 'til the Internet dies," writes Slate colleague David Weigel. "If you write, you should study it, because these people think and write circles around most everyone in the job-formerly-known-as-the-Life-of-Kings."