China times out magazine. As China prepares to host the 2008 summer Olympics, a government agency has banned this month’s English-language version of Time Out Beijing. China’s General Administration of Press and Publications — known for its strict media guidelines — banned the June issue of the magazine, according to a report in the Times of London . Editor Tom Pattinson told the newspaper the reason was that the magazine lacks a required printing permit. He pointed, however, to the suspicious timing of the ban — two months before the Summer Games this August. — Folio

Mixed messages on eBay payment changes. In the blue corner we have eBay, which was hoping to introduce its controversial new payment arrangements yesterday. In effect, eBay wanted to all transactions payable viable eBay online payments service PayPal. Below is the message sent out to eBayers explaining the one month delay, the wording suggesting the changes will go ahead. But will they? In the red corner we have the ACCC, which on 12 June raised concerns over the impact on anti-competitiveness of the move. ACCC Chairman Graham Samuel said: “PayPal currently competes with a range of other providers to supply online payment services to users of online marketplaces. If the notified conduct is allowed to go ahead, there will be no competition for the supply of such services to buyers and sellers using eBay … Given eBay’s position as Australia’s leading online marketplace, the notified conduct will substantially reduce competition to supply online payment services to users of online marketplaces more generally.” Now “eBay and interested parties … have time to lodge submissions in response to the draft notice, before the ACCC decides whether to issue a final notice revoking the notification.” The ACCC will release its decision “soon”. Stay tuned.

The female friendly Cairns Post . An anonymous tipster writes : Surely the editor of the Cairns Post needs to discipline his columnist Gavin King after this piece of offensive commentary was published today..:

Women should play it safe
Gavin King
Saturday, June 14, 2008

IF a woman drinks to excess during a night out on the town, is she partly to blame for being raped or assaulted? As uncomfortable and difficult as this question is, the answer surely is yes.

If you can be bothered reading the rest it’s here.

NSW politics gets reptilian.

Last night’s TV ratings
The Winners: Seven’s Australia’s Got Talent averaged 1.593 million. Ten’s fresh episode of NCIS was second with 1.571 million (and first at 8.30pm). Seven News was third with 1.514 million. Today Tonight was next with 1.419 million and All Saints was 5th with 1.380 million at 8.30pm. Ten’s repeat of NCIS was next with an average 1.363 million at 9.30pm. A Current Affair was 7th with 1.248 million and the 7pm ABC News was 8th with 1.245 million. Two and a Half Men averaged 1.215 million for the 7pm repeat and Home and Away averaged 1.208 million at 7pm for Seven. 11th was Nine News with 1.181 million, the fresh Simpsons episode at 7.30pm averaged 1.131 million in 12th and next was Nine’s 7.30pm program, 10 to 1 with 1.126 million. The other Simpsons episode averaged 1.107 million in 14th and Seven’s Medical Emergency averaged 1.040 million in 15th spot. Last in the million viewer list was  Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares at 8.30pm with 1.032 million.

The Losers:  Nine. The Gordon Ramsay bandwagon is slowly falling behind the pack and very soon he will join SuperNanny as a brief ratings event on TV. Ramsay’s figures have slipped from top finishes on the most watched list, to 16th and last among the million viewer programs. Ramsay is still solid with the 25 to 54 group, but Ten’s NCIS was the program of choice last night in the same timeslot and flogged Gordie. Gordie’s program is now predictable and all those F-words bore viewers, even though last night’s final episode was one of the better ones for a bit of chef drama. Big Brother, 850,000. Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune, 592,000. Seeing Seven News beat Nine News by more than 400,000 viewers nationally, isn’t it time to slip Antiques Roadshow back into the 5.30pm timeslot? Or reactivate Temptation and run it there?

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally and in every market but Melbourne. Today Tonight won everywhere bar Melbourne. The ABC 7pm news beat Nine in Sydney (with a low 283,000 into third with 372,000 viewers, a big win!). In Melbourne the 7pm ABC News beat Seven into second, 378,000 vs. 360,000. Ten News averaged 818,000, the late News/ Sports Tonight, 528,000. The 7.30 Report, 922,000; Lateline, 240,000, Lateline Business, 119,000. Nightline on Nine, 182,000. SBS News at 6.30pm, 183,000, Insight at 7.30pm, 282,000, the late News, 171,000. 7am Sunrise 354,000, 7am Today, 272,000.

The Stats: Seven won 6pm to midnight All People with 30.9% (29.7% a week ago) from Ten with 26.1% (unchanged), from Nine with 23.3% (24.5%), the ABC with 15.4% (14.3%) and SBS with 4.3%. Ten says it won the commercial share battle from 6pm to 10.30pm in 16 to 39, 25 to 54 and 18 to 49s. Seven won all five metro markets and now leads the week 29.1% to 27.4%. In regional areas, a similar result with Prime/7Qld winning with 33.6% from Southern Cross (Ten) with 26.2%, WIN/NBN with 22.8%, the ABC with 12.1% and SBS with 5.4%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: Nine finished third for the second Tuesday in a row. It meant Ten lifted to second and the ABC fell back to fourth and Seven went ahead in the week and will win the week. Nine next week has a two part special on Schapelle Corby on Sunday and Tuesday nights. Nine is facing a few holes that it will find hard to plug. Ten is weak for much of the week (except Tuesday nights) because Big Brother is underperforming and some of Ten’s other shows are struggling. So the road is clear for Seven to rebuild its share across the demos with clever and consistent programming into September. Tonight it’s Spicks and Specks and The Gruen Transfer from 8.30pm to 9.30pm that will upset the commercial networks. Nine has Cold Case and the solid Missing Persons Unit, Ten has Rules of Engagement and Back To You and a repeat of House. Seven has Ugly Betty and Criminal Minds.

Source: OzTAM, TV Networks reports