Studios to stop production deals

Plans to suspend scores of long-term contracts with television production companies, as early as today, "underscores just how hostile their relationship has become with the writers who supply them with a steady stream of TV programs." TV shows are also being put on ice all over town. LAT

Writers not happy with Variety's coverage

Biased toward the producers on the strike, say WGA members. But Tim Gray, an editor at Variety, says "Our coverage has been comprehensive and very fair. We’re covering every perspective here and we think we’re objective." NYO

Book-to-movie deals in jeopardy

Publishing industry is watching the strike warily, as force majeure letters go out threatening cancellations. LAT

Taxis in L.A. might as well be gypsies

About half the taxis that Joel Grover took cheated on the fare by having the meter run faster, add more than the allowed 20 cents per click, or just disregard the flat-rate to LAX. In some cases the fares more than doubled. Cabs registered in West Hollywood were the worst. NBC4

That's dedication

Los Angeles County's child welfare workers spent thousands of dollars in gift cards and entertainment tickets earmarked for foster children to buy themselves meals and attend musical events, according to an audit released Tuesday. Instead of taking children to see Wicked, the staffers went themselves. LAT

New look at LATimes.com

Design tweaks, new colors and a a new listing for blogs in the left-hand navigation rail. They've also added easy navigation to columnists on the Local News page, but oddly, Sandy Banks is omitted. No mention of the changes yet from the editor, who hasn't posted to her blog since Sept. 25. LAT.com

Gehry sued in Boston

MIT filed a negligence lawsuit against architect Frank Gehry, alleging that flaws in his design of the $300 million Stata Center in Cambridge, resulted in leaks, cracked masonry and mold. Boston Globe

USC still embraces O.J. Simpson

Political consultant and blogger Scott Schmidt argues that it's time for USC to stop honoring Simpson in its athletic hall of fame. LAT

New gig for citizen journalism advocate

Dan Gillmor, author and former San Jose Mercury News columnist, starts Jan. 1 as founding director of the Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State. Release

News Corp vetoes John Carroll

The former L.A. Times editor had been put forth for a seat on the board. Nix, said Rupert Murdoch's side. WSJ