FINAL CUTS: Q1 cable news ratings are in; harsh words for the NYT

Here's our list of headlines that managed to evade the full-on blog treatment today:

• The New York Times "needs to lose its bitterness and its self-righteousness and get back to business," writes Tom McGeveran. (Capital New York)

• First quarter 2011 cable ratings are in, and the flood of big international news stories helped boost CNN to second place in the demographic favored by advertisers. (TV Newser)

• Fox News, meanwhile, has been the most-watched news channel for nine years. (TV Newser)

• And MSNBC had its best quarter in two years. (TV Newser)

• Evaluating press freedoms in the Middle East. (Business Insider/The Wire)

• Turns out Fox News exec Bill Sammon didn't actually believe his own claims that President Obama was a Socialist. (Daily Beast)

• Jim Brady, late of washingtonpost.com and TBD.com, is the Journal Register Company's new digital head. (Journal Register Company)

• Deadline.com has poached USA Today's senior media reporter as the Hollywood industry site expands its media coverage. (Deadline.com)