Fresh radio ratings have 2GB on top. 2GB is still the leader in the Sydney radio market and Alan Jones (now on sick leave) is still the king of breakfast. Both lifted their shares in the latest radio ratings survey: 2GB went up 0.7 to 12.3 (11.6 in the last survey), while breakfast rose to a 14.6 share from 13.8).

ABC Local radio’s 702 fell (it was the big improver last ratings) but still remains second with an overall share of 10.3 (down from 10.6). Breakfast with Adam Spencer fell 0.1 to 12.1, which is a strong effort. Mornings with Deborah Cameron, which was the big surprise last survey, saw another gain, hitting 10.1 from 9.4. That’s better than the more high profile Virginia Trioli and Sally Loane managed in their times in the tough shift. 702 Afternoons hit double digit figures at 10.1, but Richard Glover shed 0.9 to 10.9. But Glover is still the most listened to talk drive host in the market.

Fairfax’s 2UE rose 0.5 to 7.6 overall, but breakfast with Mike Carlton and Sandy Aloisi continues to ease, dropping 0.4 to a 6.5 share. Two Day FM added 0.6 overall to a 10.1% share, just behind 702.

In Melbourne, 3AW remained in top place for Fairfax Media with a 16.6 share, down 0.2. 3AW breakfast jumped to a 21.3 share (up a strong 1.2), but mornings with Neil Mitchell fell 0.6 to 17.7. ABC Local radio’s 774 lost badly in the survey, shedding 1.3 to an overall share of 10.2. It suffered big losses in breakfast and mornings, unlike its Sydney counterpart. — Glenn Dyer

No more storefont at The Age: It’s official. If you want The Age don’t bother trying to buy a copy at the paper’s Spencer St offices. The Age Shop has been closed. Two people given two weeks notice to pack their bags. Want to buy The Age Good Food Guide? Want some Fairfax books by Age journos or your favourite pic directly over the counter? Don’t bother. What’s next, Age employees are asking. Indian call centres for Age classies? — anonymous Crikey tipster

Rove needs a sub-editor. I’m assuming that the people at Rove meant to say that Miranda Kerr and Dave Hughes (tongue in cheek for him) are 2 of Australia’s “sexiest” people… — Adam

So does AP (but we’re kinda glad they don’t).

— via Wonkette.

Tabloids have a bet each way on Veronicas story. The news that homegrown poppet Jess Origliasso, of The Veronicas, appears t-pless in a photo ‘leaked’ onto the internet was a gift for the likes of The Daily Tele, Herald Sun, Courier-Mail and NineMSN. It was also a gift for hardcore p-rn site fleshbot.com, with all of the above outlets listing the NSFW: Not Safe For Work (only the Courier-Mail gave this warning – thanks Courier-Mail!) p-rn site as the place to see the “raunchy pictures”. No need for curious readers of any age to even trouble themselves with a Google search…

Fleshbot is part of the Gawker Media stable and prides itself on being “pure filth”. And they’re loving the extra online traffic from Australia as a result of their website address being so helpfully provided. Reading the international p-rn site (insert “I only read it for the articles/research purposes” excuse here…) it becomes apparent the site is rather tongue in cheek. But it is full on and is definitely NSFW (be warned!) so it’s troubling that it’s being referenced so gratuitously.

After the initial negative “VERONICAS P-RN STORM”-type coverage the Aussie tabloids have softened their approach somewhat in reporting on Jess’s love for her new girlfriend and “betrayal” by an ex-boyfriend who allegedly sold the photographs. Wonder how Jess feels about the “betrayal” by the local press in directing readers straight to the p-rn website though?

In a new twist, some have now even begun speculating that the whole hullabaloo is merely a well-timed publicity stunt for the upcoming release of The Veronicas’ latest album. Ironically, such speculation gives publicity to the upcoming release of The Veronicas latest album … (Of course, it could be argued that Crikey is giving even more publicity to the US p-rn site but since it’s adults only here I’m assuming Crikey subscribers are a more discerning, incorruptible lot).

Wonder whether any of the same tabloids who condemned Sam Newman for his recent inappropriate Footy Show comments actually investigated the US p-rn site’s content before taking the editorial decision to basically advertise hardcore smut? — Neil Walker

Even journos fell for Olympics ticketing ruse. ForbesTraveler.com story published in February referred to the Web site beijingticketing.com as a ticket resource for travelers visiting Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The International Olympic Committee and the U.S. Olympic Committee have since filed a lawsuit against beijingticketing.com and other ticket-selling Web sites, claiming they were deceitful. In a statement, the USOC said consumers who have made purchases “have not received any tickets, despite numerous phone calls and e-mails,” the Associated Press reported. — Regret the Error

LA Times is the Amy Winehouse of newspapers. I’m beginning to think the Los Angeles Times should just rechristen itself the Groundhog Day Times — after the Bill Murray movie — and be done with it. Of course, many daily newspapers are getting more than a little redundant right now in their eye-glazing desperation, but the Times has been extra special. (Let’s cut the budget. Let’s force out the editor who won’t make further cuts. Repeat. Repeat again …) On the business side, it’s become the Amy Winehouse of newspapers — stumbling over and over and over, and so publicly, that screwed-up-ness has become the key narrative thread. As with Winehouse, the intrinsic screwed-up-ness now pretty much overshadows all other factors, such as talent (and the Times, which has won more than a dozen Pulitzer Prizes since 2000, still has a lot of it, downsizing notwithstanding). — Simon Dumenco, AdAge

The art of the perfect cover. The cover is the most important and only promotional tool a magazine has to sell itself at the newsstand. Yet, how many covers look alike? Or seem like last week’s or last month’s issue? To garner attention at any newsstand, covers need to stand out. Yet, too few editors and art directors do it right. In my career as a magazine executive and consultant, here are eight pieces of advice that I have given and received to increase newsstand sales:

1. The more time spent working, planning, and strategizing on a cover, the better it will be. Too many editors put their covers together at the last moment. Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Kate White, who will celebrate her 10th anniversary in August, plans her covers a year in advance.

2. A cover-line strategy. First you must test cover lines on-line against a newsstand buyer reader panel on a constant basis. Remember that research supports a creative process; it should never replace it. Consumer research is directional not dictatorial. You need a mix of topics, so don’t always go with the lines that score best. The goal is to pull in more occasional buyers and new buyers.

Steve Blacker, MinOnline via Mediabistro