Top News:

PR agency claiming to represent the owner, now demands $10K for South Carolina shooting video, sending news organizations cease and desist letters — Fee to Be Charged for Video of South Carolina Shooting, Publicist Says — NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — The video of a North Charleston police officer shooting …


Some Gawker editorial staff in early stages of trying to unionize — Why We've Decided to Organize — Some of us on the Gawker Media editorial staff have decided to try to unionize. Here's a brief explanation. — I will say first of all that I'd prefer not to be writing this story yet …
Discussion:
FishbowlNY, Reynolds Center, Washington Post, New York Post, bookforum.com, New York Times, @girlonetrack, @tcarmody, @caseynewton, @susie_c, @paulcarr, WWD, @adamweinstein, @laura_nelson, CNBC, @michaelroston, The New York Observer, @glennf, @kstoeffel, @dorseyshaw and The Huffington Post
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Gawker CEO Nick Denton reacts to union talk: “Successful capitalist enterprises tend to provide good working conditions” — Nick Denton ‘intensely relaxed’ by Gawker's union drive — On Thursday afternoon, Gawker senior writer Hamilton Nolan announced that Gawker's editorial staff had decided to try to form a union.
Discussion:
@petersterne


Verizon offering FiOS TV packages with mix-and-match channel packs that viewers can swap out each month; plans start at $54.99 — Verizon's New Pay TV Pitch Isn't A La Carte TV. But It's Getting Closer. — People who say they hate paying for cable TV often say they only want to pay …
Discussion:
Media & Entertainment, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Multichannel News, bizjournals, SlashGear and @pkafka


The details of Engel's kidnapping story raise more difficult questions for NBC News — Rieder: Syria story means more trouble for NBC News — The last thing NBC News needs is another serious problem. But it looks like it's got one. — It's bad enough that the network has to figure …
Discussion:
The Intercept, Poynter, The Daily Beast, @xeni, @thelemniscat, The Huffington Post, Deadline, Los Angeles Times and Talking Points Memo
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Vanity Fair Updates Article by NBC Reporter Engel
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Huffington Post, Daily Mail and New York Times


Operation Elveden: more journalists cleared of paying public officials — The Sun's Tom Wells, Neil Millard and Brandon Malinsky, and former Daily Mirror reporter Graham Brough not guilty of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office — More journalists have been cleared …
Discussion:
London Evening Standard, Telegraph and BBC


Chinese journalist Gao Yu jailed for 7 years for leaking state secrets — The 71-year-old journalist was detained before the 25th anniversary of the suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. — Beijing: A respected veteran Chinese journalist has been sentenced to seven years jail …


Court-appointed monitor in ebooks antitrust case says Apple's cooperation has sharply declined — Apple cooperation with antitrust monitor down ‘sharply’: report — (Reuters) - Apple Inc's cooperation with a court-appointed monitor has “sharply declined” as he reviews …


New York Daily News continues sale talks with supermarket magnate John Catsimatidis and media magnate James Dolan, aiming for price above $150M — Daily News in second-round talks with Dolan, Catsimatidis — The sale of Mort Zuckerman's Daily News appears to be advancing as the paper meets with its suitors.


The Guardian, Times, Daily Mail and others launch legal challenge to reporting restrictions imposed on terrorism trial — Erol Incedal trial: media groups dispute refusal to lift reporting restrictions — The Guardian, Times, Daily Mail and others launch challenge to restrictions …
Discussion:
Lebanon Daily Star and Guardian


NUJ condemns Express owner Richard Desmond's £1.3m Ukip donation — The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has criticised Daily and Sunday Express owner Richard Desmond for his £1.3m Ukip donation, asserting that he is abusing his position as the owner of the newspaper titles and failing to properly pay his staff.
Discussion:
Guardian, Guardian and Press Gazette


Hollywood's Child 44 pulled in Russia after falling foul of culture ministry — Fears of censorship in Russia as Ridley Scott film about serial killer, starring Gary Oldman, withdrawn over ‘distortion of facts and interpretation of events’ — A Hollywood film about a Soviet serial killer …
Discussion:
Uatoday.tv, Featured Articles and RT


Verizon's video service for wireless customers likely won't have top college games or pro sports, based on current deals — Sports Fans May Not Get What They Want With Verizon's New Video Service — Verizon has announced more programming for the video service it will roll out this year for its wireless customers.
Discussion:
Consumerist
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Verizon Inks Internet TV Pacts with ESPN, CBS Sports and Others for College Sports
Discussion:
StreetInsider.com