The FT reports on the front of its Companies & Markets section that a measure of Google’s ad clicks edged down in January from a year ago. It and the WSJ suggest this is evidence that consumers aren’t shopping as much these days, and tie that to the fact that Google stock tanked to its lowest point since May.

What do newspapers do if even big bad Google is in trouble? Unknowable, but in the mean time, we’d just like to draw your attention to the awesome photo Bloomberg has with its Google story. Original!

The WSJ’s hallowed page one has gotten awful newsy since Rupert Murdoch’s takeover, and that’s on full, unfortunate display today. Why would the WSJ front a news story about the New York Philharmonic getting a standing ovation in Pyongyang?

We’re sitting on our hands on this one. This story would’ve been better played on A3, if that.
The placement follows the FT’s inexplicable decision yesterday to front news that Eric Clapton would play a concert in the Hermit Kingdom.

That might be a questionable cover for Billboard, people.

Opening Bell is your guide to the top business stories of the day, but I can’t read everything out there. It’s 3 a.m., for Pete’s sake! If you’re an editor or reader who sees good work in local or regional papers—anything besides the WSJ, FT, NYT, and Bloomberg—send it my way at ryanchittum@gmail.com. )