Top News:
Steven Perlberg / Wall Street Journal:
Source: Gawker Media is exploring strategic options, including potential sale — Digital media company in the middle of costly legal battle with professional wrestler Hulk Hogan — A judge denied Gawker's motion for a new trial and a reduction of the $140 million privacy invasion judgment awarded to wrestler Hulk Hogan in March.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, New York Times, New York Post, Politico, The Wrap, Recode, @mathewi, USA Today, Vanity Fair, Newsmax, CBS News, The Independent, CNBC, FishbowlNY, One America News Network, Reuters, @brianstelter, @markhall, @mattzeitlin, @perlberg and The Wrap
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Nick Denton / Gawker:
Nick Denton challenges Peter Thiel to a public debate in open letter, says decade-long campaign by Thiel is out of proportion, asks about ultimate intent — Nearly a decade ago, after you had opened up to friends and colleagues, a gay writer for Gawker shared an item with the readers of Valleywag …
Discussion:
Guardian, The Wrap, Mediaite, Alternet, @chriswarcraft, @mattdpearce, @joshsternberg, @csoghoian, @csoghoian, @mikeisaac, Hollywood Reporter, @oliyoung, @edmundlee, @thrmattbelloni, Fortune, @yaelwrites, @ryanchittum, @mathewi, @ftrain, @carneross, Talking Points Memo and The American Interest
Felix Salmon / Fusion:
If Peter Thiel's strategy against Gawker works, it may then be emulated by other billionaires against any media organization — Funding Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker? That's not cool. Actively going out to find potential plaintiffs who might have cases against Gawker and then giving them the money to bring those cases?
Discussion:
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Kara Swisher / Recode:
As Facebook courts publishers, the company and some of its directors decline to comment on board member Peter Thiel's funding of lawsuit against Gawker — And there will also likely be no action, either. — Here's a very good question swirling around Silicon Valley and the media universe today …
Discussion:
New York Times, Fast Company, Slate, @edmundlee and Fortune
Jack Shafer / Politico:
Questions about Peter Thiel's motives, secrecy, and position on Facebook's board amid lawsuit funding disclosure
Questions about Peter Thiel's motives, secrecy, and position on Facebook's board amid lawsuit funding disclosure
Discussion:
Forbes, Washington Post, Reveal, The Daily Caller, New York Times, @mcarney, Hot Air and RT
Andrew Ross Sorkin / New York Times:
Peter Thiel acknowledges he spent around $10M to fund a team of lawyers to help Gawker “victims” like Hulk Hogan sue the company, in act of “deterrence”
Peter Thiel acknowledges he spent around $10M to fund a team of lawyers to help Gawker “victims” like Hulk Hogan sue the company, in act of “deterrence”
Discussion:
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Kurt Wagner / Recode:
Twitter execs Jana Messerschmidt, head of business development, and Nathan Hubbard, head of media and commerce, are planning to leave the company — Jana Messerschmidt (business development) and Nathan Hubbard (media) are exiting. — Two top Twitter executives — Jana Messerschmidt …
Discussion:
BuzzFeed, Vanity Fair, @nathanchubbard, Fortune, USA Today, Variety, Consumerist, The Next Web, Engadget, Wall Street Journal, Marketing Land, INSIDER, Adweek and Fast Company
Lee Glendinning / Guardian:
Guardian takes down 13 articles and removes unverifiable information from others after checking freelancer Joseph Mayton's work, will review processes — After sources quoted in several stories denied speaking with a freelance reporter, Joseph Mayton, the Guardian has fact-checked all of his stories.
Discussion:
Mediaite, @mmasnick, Telegraph, @sameralatrush, @pmarca, @ggreenwald, @thekarami, @sandmonkey, iMediaEthics, @daviddebolt, @lee_glend and @lee_glend
Financial Times:
Sources: Apple had preliminary discussions about buying Time Warner last year as spending on original content set to increase — A top Apple executive raised the prospect of the iPhone maker buying Time Warner at a meeting with the owner of HBO, CNN and Warner Brothers, according to three people who were briefed on it.
Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:
GOP proposal would cut FCC budget by $69M and block enforcement of rules on net neutrality, data caps, and set-top boxes — Republicans use nation's budget to launch broad attack on FCC regulations. — House Republicans yesterday released a plan to slash the Federal Communications Commission's budget …
Discussion:
The U.S. House …, DSLreports, AppAdvice.com Latest, Techdirt, FierceCable, The Hill, Fast Company, TechCrunch and Engadget
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Politico to drop paywall on its media coverage, consolidate under a single hub, and add morning newsletter — Media junkies will soon have a new way to get their fix. Politico, the news outlet devoted to all things politics, is taking much of its media coverage out from behind a paywall …
Discussion:
Politico, @makejdm, Media Wire Daily, Newsmax, @joepompeo, Talking Biz News and FishbowlNY
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
Subjects in Under the Gun documentary object to deceptive editing; producer apologizes if anyone was offended, and Katie Couric stands by producer's statement — It looks as though Katie Couric stunned her interviewees. Knocked them out with a bombshell inquiry: “Let me ask you another question …
Discussion:
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SBNation:
SB Nation releases Vox Media review of Daniel Holtzclaw profile and vows to work on building and valuing staff diversity, among other changes — At SBNation.com, our goal is to produce thoughtful, informative, entertaining and high-quality sports coverage.
Discussion:
@bethelderkin, @margarita, @raju, @sueyres, @neilweinberg44, @johnwoodrowcox, @chrisgayomali and Vox Media
Wall Street Journal:
Viacom Director Presses for Access to Sumner Redstone — Lead independent director writes to mogul's attorney seeking face-to-face meeting — Viacom Inc.'s lead independent director wants to hear directly from Sumner Redstone about the chaos unfolding in his media empire but so far …
Discussion:
New York Times