Press Notes Tuesday, October 30, 2001 Circulation rises at most top U.S. newspapers
Newspapers treading lightly on ad rates
Portland daily closes up after 13 issues
MSNBC to make major cost cuts
MTV to lay off 450, 8 to 9 percent of workforce
Meredith Corp. reports 47 percent drop in earnings
Judge refuses to unseal Oklahoma City bombing files
Mercury News sues court for document access
Radio talk show host claims reporter’s privilege
Iowa courts to charge fee for some materials
Florida lawmakers urge moderation in restricting records
Auburn to stop electing newspaper editor
Arab countries may change news offerings
Canadian broadcasters are promised relief
Deputy Wall Street Journal editor is hospitalized
Mazzarella is named Stars and Stripes editor in chief
Deaths: Lee, Vanett, Gantner Monday, October 29, 2001 Echo Star reaches deal to buy DirecTV
Disney buys Fox Family Worldwide from News Corp.
Fisher Communications reveals deepening losses
Studio scraps segment on séances with WTC victims
SPJ: Anti-terrorist bill could restrict speech
USA Today stands by Rumsfeld headline
New Jersey officials pull some Web pages
Buffalo News gets powdery letter
U.K. to allow CNN to cover serial killer inquiry
Malaysian police free journalist and cameramen
Panama continues to file charges against journalists
Dominican Republic newspaper to fold
Mother fires son from SF Examiner publisher post
Deaths: M.W. Newman, Lisa Baird Friday, October 26, 2001 Florida Senate OKs secret meetings, may add exemptions
Czech prime minister threatens to bankrupt weekly
New Internet library holds over 10 billion Web pages
Second NBC employee likely has anthrax
Center to help journalists deal with trauma
Advertisers pull Post ads over anthrax cartoon
Cox cable net income falls 83 percent
Cox Interactive cuts 16 percent of staff
Primedia lays off workers as loss widens
N.Y. Observer owner sells Connecticut weekly
ABC suspends journalist for anthrax remarks
Money magazine publisher is replaced
Deaths: Stephen Clements, 34 Thursday, October 25, 2001 Ongoing news chopper ban frustrates media
Texas court abolishes ban on anonymous political ads
Pakistani journalist is beaten in New York
Small, midsized dailies shift focus after attacks
Powder used by Boston Globe is found harmless
Belo reports narrow third quarter loss
Taliban to try French reporter on spying charges
Opposition TV stations stir up unrest in Iran
Deaths: Gib Twyman, 57 Wednesday, October 24, 2001 NY Times closes mail room after receiving powder
Arrest of Japanese journalist is confirmed by Taliban
Reporter hands over unpublished notes to prosecutor
Settlement is reached in suit against Dallas station
Inter American Press criticizes AP subpoena
ABC.com lays off “significant'' number of staff
Newspaper publisher McClatchy’s profits fall 34 percent
Viacom revenues fall 7 percent
AT&T; shake-up may lead to cable-unit sale
Louisville paper to build $80 million production plant
School backs, then rejects journalist's censorship request
TV reporter is fired after sprinkling powder in newsroom
Hillard is named editor of The Morning Call Read past press notes here
Television reporter Jim Taricani was convicted of criminal contempt Thursday for not revealing to authorities the source of a video that he had received and reported on. The video had been sealed to prevent the public from seeing it. 

US District Court Judge Ernest Torres convicted Taricani, a reporter for WJAR-TV News in Providence, Rhode Island. The video in question showed the city's mayor, Vincent Cianci, taking a $1000 bribe. The official was subsequently convicted for corruption. During Cianci's trial, the court had ordered the video to be sealed. It was subsequently released to reporter Jim Taricani. Torres opined that the leak had been designed to prevent a fair trial and, as the video was sealed, the person who leaked it had broken the law.

Taricani's refusal to identify the leaker had been the basis for his conviction of civil contempt on March 16. A USD $1000 fine was to be issued every day until Taricani revealed his source. He has paid all fines, and was reimbursed by WJAR-TV News for all expenses. Torres suspended the fine, calling it ineffective.

Taricani defended his action, saying: "I made a promise to my source, which I intend to keep."

Prosecutions for not revealing sources are becoming an increasingly common occurrence. Eight journalists have been convicted in recent months. Speaking in an interview Wednesday, he said, "I'm proud to be a part of this effort with other reporters who are facing this same thing."

Sentencing is to take place December 9th. Torres has said Taricani will receive no more than six months due to ill health.