Today's media stories from the papers

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*Top stories on MediaGuardian*

Brooks severance deal worth 'about £7m'
Payoff package for the former News International executive is far in excess of the £1.7m speculated on after her departure

Boyle jokes played in court in libel action
Jury shown clips from Channel 4 show as comedian sues Mirror Group Newspapers over story describing him as a racist

Lyons acquires Big Pictures's assets
'Mr Paparazzi' named as shareholder in firm which has bought photo agency

*Today's featured media jobs*

Guardian News & Media - Content Producer - Media & Technology
London/permanent/full time

Local Government Association - Media Relations Assistant
London/permanent/full time

Travelzoo - Marketing Executive
London/permanent/full time

For more jobs, career advice and workplace news visit guardianjobs.co.uk

*Today's headlines*

*The Guardian*

Media comes under threat from Taliban militants. P3
Rebekah Brooks received "about £7m" in News International payoff. P6
BBC boss to face MPs over Savile affair. P11
Skydive watched by 8m on YouTube. P18
Analysis: Dan Sabbagh on Trinity Mirror. P20
Google braced for privacy and antitrust moves in EU and US. P21
Has Homeland lost the plot? G2, P3
How we made Play School. G2, P19

*The Independent*

Emails between Rebekah Brooks and David Cameron withheld by Leveson. P1, P5
Maria Miller fans flames of BBC Savile row. P8
Journalists fear Savile affair will undermine news coverage. P8
Frankie Boyle sues over "racist" claims. P20
New Trinity Mirror chief admits "neglect" of digital. P48

*i*

Cameron emails to Brooks were withheld from Leveson. P4
Decision due on extradition of computer-hacker Gary McKinnon. P9
Frankie Boyle sues over "racist' claims. P17
X Factor beats Strictly in ratings battle on Sunday. P17
Microsoft makes push into online music. P41
New Trinity Mirror chief admits "neglect" of digital. P43

*Daily Telegraph*

Conrad Black to appear on Have I Got News for You. P2
Ed Miliband demands independent Savile inquiry. P9
Great British Bake Off final. P21
Gillian Reynolds on radio. P32
Murdoch faces investor fury at News Corp AGM. B3
Trinity Mirror merges newspaper operations. B3
Harry Potter films stuck at BSkyB for Christmas. B3
Financial Times conducted "inadequate" investigation into sacking of employee, a tribunal hears. B3

*The Times*

MPs to question BBC boss on decision to drop Savile report. P1
We're not snooping but we need internet checks to protect you, says crime fighter. P5
iPhone 5 lifts numbers. P38
Google privacy fear. P38

*Financial Times*

Rebekah Brooks received £7m payoff after quitting News International. P1
Political pressure builds on BBC over Savile abuse. P4
More than 8m people watched Felix Baumgartner on YouTube. P18
Rupert Murdoch hopes for more peaceful annual meeting. P19
Simon Fox announces plans to merge all Trinity titles. P24
YouGov social media focus pays off. P24

*Wall Street Journal Europe*

When deepest of secrets get outed on Facebook. P14
How the internet saved the novel. P18
Clear Channel boss on making radio cool again. P23
On Wikipedia, some editors won't let it be. P31

*Daily Mail*

Strictly Come Dancing latest. P7
MPs' anger as minister rules out Jimmy Savile inquiry. P8
Twitter intrudes on romantic meals out. P11
Richard Littlejohn on Savile. P17
Craig Brown on Savile. P18
Who is the most fabulous Baker Boy? P23

*Daily Express*

Another TV star accused of abuse. P5
MPs attached BBC over ditched probe. P5
Mirror boss in shake-up. P44

*The Sun*

Editorial: Question time for the BBC over Savile. P6
Top of the Pops staff accused of child abuse. P8
Skins to return with three specials. TVBiz, P4

*Daily Mirror*

Jimmy Savile's girls only parties at Broadmoor. P6
Fury over no Savile probe. P7
Dave Lee Travis: I'd welcome a police quiz. P7
Amy will not be returning to Doctor Who. P9
Editorial: BBC's duty over Savile scandal. P10
Frankie Boyle suing Mirror over "racist" line. P11
Xbox bid to beat iTunes. P27
Interview: Emmerdale star Sian Reese-Williams. P29

*Daily Star*

Jeremy Clarkson naming and shaming bad drivers on Twitter. P3
DJ faces groping claims. P7
Frankie Boyle sues the Daily Mirror. P9

*And finally ...*

It was the Blackadder sequel that never was – a big-screen spin-off featuring Rowan Atkinson playing the illegitimate son of Elizabeth II. Tony Robinson, who played Baldrick, revealed Blackadder would have been in a 1960s rock band featuring a drummer with no hair called Bald Rick, reports The Times. But it never happened, possibly because of the atmosphere of chaos that Robinson described surrounding the show in which the stars would routinely rewrite the scripts. "We would never do rehearsals, we would just discuss the text," said Robinson. "Other actors hated working with us because they thought we were really unprofessional. Which was true." The Times, P19

*Also on MediaGuardian.co.uk today*

Entwistle to speak to MPs about Savile scandal
BBC director general is expected to answer questions in front of a House of Commons committee next week

Sexist stereotypes 'dominate the front pages'
Study reveals 78% of front-page articles are written by men, and 84% of those quoted or mentioned are male

Local TV network plan could be hit by signal black spots
Large areas of south London and regions very close to Oxford could be affected by coverage issues

Michael Bolton to play version of himself in US sitcom
Bolton to follow example of Matt LeBlanc and James Van Der Beek in Michael Bolton's Daughter Is Destroying My Life

Xbox Music: Microsoft launches challenger to Apple's iTunes
Cloud-based offering will allow users to synchronise across multiple devices including PCs, tablets and smartphones

Google 'to be told by EU to unravel privacy policy'
French data protection commissioner's ruling that web giant must separate user data could have global impact, say sources

Hugo Chávez accused of spying on rival in runup to presidential election
Venezuelan secret service agents tracked Henrique Capriles and family, leaked documents allegedly show

Jimmy Savile questioned by his BBC boss
Former Radio 1 controller Derek Chinnery says at the time he accepted presenter's denial over rumours about private life

Microsoft, Apple and Samsung to launch Christmas advertising blitz
Analysts say digital giants' advertising spend will be on a scale not seen 'outside presidential elections'

Radio 4 to embrace online future by unlocking its past
BBC Radio 4 aims to 'break out of schedule' by making historic content available on demand – starting with 920 episodes of Alistair Cooke's Letter from America



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