Rupert Murdoch’s pay falls; One Direction doc likely to win weekend

After the coffee. Before becoming way overexposed.

The Skinny: I’m on a standup comedy kick right now, with Maria Bamford’s new album playing on Spotify as I write this. Friday’s headlines include box offices previews and the return of cigarette commercials to the airwaves. Just kidding, they’re eCigs. Joe is back next week, folks.

Daily Dose: ESPN, Twitter and Verizon wireless are teaming up to bring even more college football to social media by embedding highlight videos into tweets from the sports broadcasters’ college football accounts. The highlights will include eight-second Verizon Wireless ads.

PHOTOS: Cable versus broadcast ratings

OMG, 1D!: A quick word for the uninitiated. One Direction, a U.K. pop boy band that was formed on the reality show “The X Factor,” are unfathomably popular with young girls. 1D recently played a show in L.A. that produced some amusing photos of concert-goers’ dads. They’ll also probably have the biggest movie of the Labor Day weekend with “One Direction: This Is Us,” according to box office previews from the Los Angeles Times and Variety.

Poor guy: Rupert Murdoch’s annual compensation dropped 3.7% to $28.9 million last fiscal year. The mogul, who just closed his purchase of Moraga Vineyards for $28.8 million, made $30 million in the previous year and $33.3 million the year before that. More from Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.

Lighting up: The tobacco company Reynolds American is making commercials for TV again, but only for its electronic cigarettes. Blu eCigs are getting into the ad game too, which leaves the question, who’s going to be the Joe Camel of e-cigarettes? The New York Times rolls up the issues.

PHOTOS: Hollywood Backlot moments

Tell us what you really think: Through all the media coverage of the to-bomb-or-not-to-bomb Syria coverage, one of the most striking headlines appeared on the cover of the Economist, revealed yesterday. The cover features a photo of Bashar Assad with the words “Hit him hard.” Really subtle, right?

Inside the Los Angeles Times: One Direction dominates our Calendar section today. Amy Kaufman gives a behind the scenes look at the band. Mark Olsen reviews “This Is Us.”

Follow me on Twitter. Breaking the Fix since 2013. @rfaughnder