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A major regional newspaper publisher, the Observer Standard Media Group, is reported to have gone into administration. According to the Birmingham Post, staff have been told the group is looking for a buyer for its titles, which include 20 local weeklies and five magazines.The family-run company, the 14th largest regional newspaper publisher in the UK and one of the country's largest freesheet distributors, publishes well over 500,000 local papers a week across Warwickshire, Worcestershire, West Midlands and Gloucestershire.It was founded 20 years ago by Chris Bullivant with the launch of the Leamington Spa Observer. Its other titles include the Redditch Standard and Solihull Observer. Bullivant is chairman, his wife Pat is deputy chairman, and his son Chris is managing director.Two years ago Bullivant announced that he was planning to bid for Trinity Mirror's Midlands titles, including the Birmingham Post and the Birmingham Mail.He later claimed that Trinity Mirror had forced him out

Legit News: Musical revue bows April 24 -- Center Theater Group has announced casting for its production of 'Ain't Misbehavin',' the Fats Waller musical revue that bows April 24 at the Ahmanson.

The New York Times has sold its landmark headquarters for $225 million in a deal that will see it leaseback the office space for a starting rent of $24 million a year, the media conglomerate announced Monday.

Center Theatre Group announces the casting for one of Broadway's most beloved musicals, the irresistible, toe-tapping, finger-snapping Tony Award-winning revue 'Ain't Misbehavin',' The Fats Waller Musical Show, opening April 24, 2009, at the Ahmanson Theatre. Previews begin April 18 and performances continue through May 31.

Film Festivals: 'Adam' to open, 'Deal is a Deal' to debut -- The Method Fest has announced its slate of pics for this year's edition, with 'Adam,' starring Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne, set to open the event.

'The Madison Repertory Theatre has officially closed its doors. 'We are not going to be producing theater again,' said artistic director Trevin Gay. Friday was his last day on the job. Madison's premiere professional theater company since 1987 first announced dire financial trouble at the end of January. The Rep canceled the remainder of its season and did not renew space in Overture Center at the Playhouse.'...

Michael Donald Edwards, Asolo Repertory Theatre's producing artistic director, announced today his selections for the 2009-2010 season of plays, his fourth season with the company. Asolo Rep's 51ST season kicks off in October with CONTACT, an exciting new musical produced by Asolo Rep in collaboration with the Sarasota Ballet. Other titles on the schedule are THE PERFUME SHOP, SEARCHING FOR EDEN: THE DIARIES OF ADAM AND EVE, THE LIFE OF GALILEO, HEARTS, MANAGING MAXINE, DANCING BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS: THE GINGER MUSICAL, and THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan is to take a voluntary pay cut of up to 35% as part of the broadcaster's bid to slash costs.MediaGuardian.co.uk revealed today that Duncan and his director of television and content Kevin Lygo - among the highest-paid executives in British television - had volunteered to take cuts to their pay after waiving their bonus entitlement for 2008 of up to 30% of their salaries. Lygo's pay will be cut by up to 25%.Duncan's current package amounts to £895,000, made up of a basic salary of £670,000 a year and £225,000 from a long-term incentive plan. His new package will be less than £600,000. Duncan will forgo half of his incentive plan payment of £450,000, due in July. He has also agreed that the incentive plan will not be renewed.Lygo's current basic salary stands at £772,000 but after his cut he will take home £575,000 this year.The move comes after Channel 4 announced it would be cutting its staff numbers by a third and freezing the pay for those left.A

SAN FRANCISCO -- It is early on Sunday morning on March 1, the last day of the comic/TV/movie convention called WonderCon. Four of the cast members from NBC's 'Chuck' -- Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez and Adam Baldwin -- are spending their day at the convention. This is just the latest in a long list of special appearances. Read comments

Arvada Center Calendar of Events--April 2009(All events, unless otherwise stated, take place at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, CO 80003)THEATEREvitaAndrew Lloyd Webber's music swoons in heartfelt fashion in Evita--a larger-than-life modern musical that audiences worldwide adore.