Only a few years into its majority ownership of the Dig, Metrocorp Inc. and the paper have decided to part ways, the Herald reports. Metrocorp, which is also the publisher of Boston magazine, will sell the Dig back to founder Jeff Lawrence (pictured). "We never got a clear feeling that it was part of our DNA," says Metrocorp president David Lipson. "The Dig emerges independent with a higher circulation and greater recognition in the market, but also with more overhead, and without Metrocorp bankrolling the costs," the Herald notes. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. "Let's just say I'm not nearly as liquid a man as I was previously," Lawrence says.

Continue ReadingWeekly Dig Founder to Buy Back Paper from Magazine Publisher

Amy Biegelsen (Style Weekly), Sarah Fenske (Phoenix New Times), April Jimenez (Long Island Press), Jared Jacang Maher (Westword), Mara Shalhoup (Creative Loafing Atlanta), Todd Spivak (Houston Press) and Emily Witt (Miami New Times) are all up for the awards, given to three journalists under the age of 35. The winners, who each receive a $10,000 prize, will be announced June 5.

Continue ReadingSeven Alt-Weekly Writers are Livingston Award Finalists

Almost every major news outlet now invests in buying search keywords through online auctions, according to the Wall Street Journal. The practice has received renewed attention in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, with search terms like "Virginia Tech shooting" and "Virginia Tech massacre" climbing to a cost of $5 per click before settling in at less than 10 cents per click the week after. The Journal also reports that some news organizations are buying search keywords to highlight features on their sites that produce more revenue, like video.

Continue ReadingSEM Costs Explode for Newspapers