FRIDAY'S LINKS: U.S. Papers Close Canada Bureaus, 'South Florida Sun-Sentinel' Buyouts, Pundits 'Lazy'

By: E&P Staff In today's links, Eric Alterman doesn't have a very high opinon of punditocracy, thoughts on newspaper blogs, and new leadership for Wall Street Journal's Money & Investing section.

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-- The Nation: To put it bluntly, most MSM pundits are lazy, ill informed and in thrall to the specious arguments of the powerful people they are supposed to critique, writes Eric Alterman.

-- The Rake: Par Ridder showing interest in moving to the Star Tribune eight months ago -- last August -- long before former publisher J. Keith Moyer stepped down.

-- CJR Daily: The Wall Street Journal's Money & Investing section is getting some new leadership.

-- Wall Street Journal: Dow Jones & Co. has come under scrutiny for allowing a Silicon Valley reporter to invest in a Web concern that deals with Internet start-ups.

-- Agora Vox: Fundamentally, most reporters writing blogs are doing so because they have to do it; not because they want to do it. As a result, these blogs lack passion and enthusiasm, writes Mark Evans.

-- Eat the Press: Fare thee well, North Country -- Last U.S. paper to close Canadian bureau.

-- Broward-Palm Beach New Times: Eighteen South Florida Sun-Sentinel vets have taken a buyout offer.