Why Are All the Journalists on Twitter Today?

Generally, the top 10 Trending Topics on Twitter are overwhelmingly ridiculous things that are either stupid viral phrases to let people say what they hate or like about something, or they are obvious marketing ploys to get people to spread the word about some worthless product or service.

But right now, three of the top 10 are all related to the news (see item) about Nielsen closing Editor & Publisher magazine and its sister title Kirkus Reviews: "Editor & Publisher," "E&P," and "Kirkus Reviews" are all on the list. Now, those are all things that the average American -- much less the average Twitter user -- has never heard of.

There are trillions of people on Twitter these days. So how did these three topics happen to get so popular on the service this morning? Have so many editors and publishers and writers been laid off that they have nothing to do but tweet day-in, day-out, and they've finally formed a critical mass on Twitter?

Nielsen Cancels Editor & Publisher Magazine

Wow. Nielsen Business Media is reporting that it is putting an end to the venerable industry publication Editor & Publisher. This magazine served the journalism industry for more than a century.

The change comes as Nielsen also sells eight of its brands to e5 Global Media Holdings, a company formed by Pluribus Capital Management and Guggenheim Partners. Nielsen will be unloading Adweek, Brandweek, Mediaweek, The Clio Awards, Backstage, Billboard, Film Journal International and The Hollywood Reporter. Nielsen says that e5 will also acquire its Film Expo business (the trade shows ShoWest, ShowEast, Cinema Expo International and CineAsia).