British parliamentary scandal shows that old-fashioned scoops can still sell papers.

As The Daily Telegraph splashes tales of taxpayer-financed duck islands and moat-cleaning across its front pages, there is talk of a political revolution along the Thames. Some of the conventional wisdom of the news business has gone belly up, too.

One of the most interesting aspects of the scandal is the revelation that old-fashioned scoops can still sell papers. Many publishers have assumed that in the Internet era, “exclusives” stay that way for about three seconds, so they are not worth pursuing. Instead, they have shifted the emphasis of their papers toward analysis or opinion.

But The Telegraph’s exclusives, serialized like popular 19th century novels, have made a big difference at the newsstand. According to unaudited industry figures, The Daily Telegraph sold a cumulative total of about 900,000 additional copies in the first two weeks of its reports. On some days, its circulation jumped more than 10 percent from the official April level of about 818,000.

Newspaper Publishers Hold secret confab on charging for web content

Two dozen newspaper publishers, including representatives from the New York Times. Gannett, E. W. Scripps, Advance Publications, McClatchy, Hearst Newspapers, MediaNews Group, the Associated Press, Philadelphia Media Holdings, Lee Enterprises and Freedom Communications, quietly attended the Newspaper Association of America's annual meeting in Chicago this week to discuss ways of charging readers for online content. Called the "Models to Monetize Content" conference, the event was organized by the Newspaper Association of America, though it was not listed on its website.

Why so hush-hush? It's because they're worried about possible antitrust violations. Observers point out out that an industry gathering to discuss setting up paywalls could have the appearance of an illegal cartel. Newspapers would like an antitrust exemption to build up paywalls across their sites and fashion some industry guidelines.

Future of newspapers is digital: Murdoch

News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch says that the future of newspapers is digital, but it may be 10 to 15 years before readers go fully electronic.

Murdoch, in an interview with the News Corp.-owned Fox Business Network, also said that newspapers, faced with eroding print advertising revenue and circulation, are going to have to start charging readers on the Web.

The News Corp. chief said newspapers in the future will continue to make money "from our readers, from our advertisers (but) the newspapers may look very different.

"Instead of an analog paper printed on paper you may get it on a panel which would be mobile, which will receive the whole newspaper over the air, (and) be updated every hour or two," he said.

Conrad Black co-defendant John Boultbee granted bail pending U.S. Supreme Court decision

Boultbee will be released from jail after a Chicago court agreed to his request to be freed pending the outcome of a U.S. Supreme Court appeal. Judge Amy St. Eve has granted a motion asking the former chief financial officer and chartered accountant be released on a US$500,000 bond until the Supreme Court makes a decision. The motion was supported by U.S. prosecutors. Black's lawyers have also applied for bail.

Veteran CBC reporter Brian Stewart taking buyout; Sunday show victim of "news renewal"

Veteran CBC reporter Brian Stewart has announced he is taking the corporation's buyout package. Stewart, 67, says he will continue to pursue broadcasting interests. The Canadian Media Guild says more than 70 employees have taken retirement packages.

CBC announced that it is canceling "CBC News: Sunday" with Evan Solomon and Carole MacNeil as part of an ongoing "news renewal" program.