Combative letter heading to auction, thanks to "Roadshow"

A great-grandmother in Rockford, Ill., received a surprising appraisal from Antiques Roadshow and has decided to auction off her treasure: A antagonistic letter from crooner Frank Sinatra to rabble-rousing Chicago columnist Mike Royko, according to the Chicago Tribune. In the letter, Sinatra said the columnist was a "pimp," and suggested the two have a hair-pulling duel (Sinatra was upset at a Royko column that accused Ol' Blue Eyes of wearing a hairpiece). Vie Carlson purchased the letter back in 1976 for $400. At a Roadshow taping on July 11, appraiser Simeon Lipman told Carlson she might be able to get $15,000 or more for the letter, so she's selling it next spring through Freeman's Auctioneers in Philadelphia. The episode will air this coming February.

Former Microsoft sales exec to lead National Public Media

Stephen Moss, an online marketing executive with a background in print media, is the new president and c.e.o. of National Public Media, the New York-based corporate sponsorship firm representing public radio and television. He succeeds Bob Williams, who founded NPM's predecessor company National Public Broadcasting in 1997 and served as c.e.o. after its 2007 acquisition by NPR and Boston's WGBH. Moss joins NPM from Evri, a web technology company where he served as v.p. of business development. Previously, he was v.p. of sales for Microsoft, Inc., where he launched the MSN video service and led its rollout to major advertisers. "Steve is a collaborative and proven leader with superb talents in a highly desired space--at the intersection of media and technology--a critical ingredient to our long-term success," said NPR President Vivian Schiller. PBS bought a 10 percent stake in NPM early this year.

Sesame Workshop explores digital learning

The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, along with several partners, is sponsoring a Breakthrough Learning in a Digital Age forum today and Wednesday to develop ideas for using digital media in education. Participants will develop a plan to use new technologies to "revitalize a school system that has fallen behind," according to the center. If you'd like to listen in on the Web, you may register online.