A Change Of Seasons: To paraphrase an REM song: "It's the end of mass marketing as we know it and we feel fine." Two different events of the past week really drove that home to me.

Other People's Riffs For June 13: This Week's Argument For Legal Reform: The Rosie O'Donnell Show was sued for $3 million on Wednesday by a 71-year-old widow who alleges she was hit in the mouth by a hard rubber ball while attending a taping of the defunct television program. Lucille DeBellis of Hartsdale, N.

Working Hard For The Money: Ask anybody that sells for a magazine. Business is tough.

And If I'm Elected: Last week the FCC rulings got blown away by The New York Times resignations. I'm not quite willing to let go of the issue yet.

Other People's Riffs For June 6: Amazing Journalistic Insight of the Week: On Wednesday, June 4, just a day before The New York Times cleaned house, I wrote in this column: "Don't tell anyone, but I think the Jayson Blair/New York Times deconstruction may be ebbing." Now Please Excuse Me, I Have to Go Work On My Book: In an interview in Newsday today, Blair said: "I was staring at the picture (of Raines and Boyd) and I just felt sadness.

The Waiting Ain't The Hardest Part: So much for waiting to see whether the FCC rules will stand the test of potential court and congressional challenge. Editor and Publisher reported yesterday that William Dean Singleton's MediaNews Group Inc.

Taking Stock: Seems to me that we're at one of those times in business where we're at a break in the action. Time to take stock of where we are and where we're going.

My FCC Take: This may sound to you like twisted logic, but I think Clear Channel comes out of yesterday's FCC ruling this as the hot company. Here's why it might seem twisted.