Battle has broken out among the men's glossies as Esquire's new editor, Alex Bilmes, formerly GQ features editor, throws down the gauntlet for his old boss Dylan Jones, editor of GQ for 12 years. Bilmes's first issue is out tomorrow and features a raft of new columnists including "agony uncle" AA Gill, food editor Tom Parker Bowles and editor-at-large Giles Coren - all listed as GQ contributing editors as recently as last month.
* BSkyB shares hit a nine-year high of 849p this week as a tug-of-war between News Corp and independent shareholders looms over the takeover price. News Corp bosses, who offered 700p when they began their efforts last June, are sure to be quizzed about the Sky deal by analysts tonight as the media giant announces third-quarter results. Will questions also be raised about the News of the World phone-hacking scandal since last month's arrests of two journalists? Boss Rupert Murdoch missed the last results call in February as he was launching News Corp's iPad newspaper, The Daily.
* All eyes are on Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt as he must give final approval for the Sky deal before the negotiations on price can begin. That's not expected until after tomorrow's AV and council votes. Hunt's people insist there's no delay - even though a decision was due "just after the parliamentary recess" on April 26. Still, he cannot be accused of burying news during royal wedding week or while the Commons was not sitting. It's worth noting the Lib-Dems, who are less enthusiastic than the Tories about Murdoch buying Sky, could be in a far weaker position after Thursday as they face electoral meltdown.
* Much has been made of the fact that new BBC director of Vision George Entwistle, in charge of all its TV channels, will earn £270,000 - nearly half predecessor Jana Bennett's package - as austerity bites. A decade ago, Mark Thompson, now Director-General, held the same job. His package? £272,000. Which shows BBC pay has been too high for a long time.
* The Sunday Times is delighted its March 6 front-page story that Kate Middleton's wedding dress was
being designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen was spot-on. Back then, Burton and McQueen chief executive Jonathan Akeroyd insisted she wasn't doing the dress. "This was a lie," the paper says now. Proof of the old maxim "never believe anything until it has been officially denied".
* ITV was widely regarded as having livelier royal wedding coverage than the BBC - despite ITV co-presenter Phillip Schofield not being a newsman - and it comes as the X Factor broadcaster is investing again in regional news. ITV Wales, under attack for poor coverage a year ago, has organised a live TV debate between the leaders of the Cardiff parties and added 10 hours of extra programming. ITV chairman Archie Norman, keen to ease regulation, knows how to win over politicians - give 'em air-time.
* Diary clash: ITV announced months ago that it was hosting its annual general meeting next Wednesday in Westminster. Now Channel 4 bosses David Abraham and Lord Burns have chosen almost exactly the same time on the same day to unveil their annual report and field questions at Tate Modern.
