Top News:


WSJ: National Enquirer, published by longtime Trump friend David Pecker, paid Playboy model $150K for the story of her affair with Trump, then didn't publish it — It's time to revive the debate over whether we have to take the National Enquirer seriously because one time they were right about John Edwards' affair.


Fox News anchor Bret Baier apologizes for saying an indictment was likely in Clinton Foundation investigation: “it was a mistake, and for that I am sorry” — Fox News reporter and anchor Bret Baier, who hosts “Special Report” on the cable channel, apologized Friday for reporting …
Discussion:
Media Matters for America, @adamgoldmannyt, Vox, Washington Post, @nxthompson, Media Matters for America, Fortune, @jayrosen_nyu, @blakehounshell, @attackerman, @mmflint, New York Times, New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, @westwingreport, @jayrosen_nyu, AOL, New Urban Legends, @lexalexander, iMediaEthics, The Daily Dot, @andrewkirell, @dylanbyers, @aodespair, @pat_garofalo and Business Insider


How Trump used cable TV, social media, right-wing blogs, and radio to create an alternative information pipeline and neutralize established media — He made himself the biggest news story since 9/11, and almost neutered the press in the process. — No matter who claims the presidency on November 8 …
Discussion:
Baltimore Sun, @brianstelter, @jackshafer, @polioptics, @stansundel, @jackshafer, @noah715, @lauraelizdavis, @lelandp_fitz, @peterjukes, @tlleopold, @lenedgerly and @mlcalderone


Jury finds that Rolling Stone, its parent company Wenner Media, and writer Sabrina Rubin Erdley defamed UVA dean Nicole Eramo in discredited rape story — CHARLOTTESVILLE — A federal court jury decided Friday that a Rolling Stone journalist defamed a former University of Virginia associate dean …
Discussion:
@jonathanwpeters, New York Times, CNNMoney, USA TODAY College, @nytimes, @cgasparino, @jimlaporta, iMediaEthics, Newser, Hit & Run, Business Insider, @coreyhutchins, C-VILLE Weekly, Fast Company, FishbowlNY, New York Magazine, @kimzetter, Fortune, @davidfolkenflik, @jdisis, @ahlondontx, @j_arthur_bloom and @andrewgiambrone


Media's dependency on campaign coverage, which has generated new traffic records, masks downward trends the industry will have to face after the election — Thanks to Donald Trump, the news media has enjoyed a feast of public attention for the past year or more. But a crash diet could be just around the corner.
Discussion:
@ezraklein, BGR and Columbia Journalism Review


As opinions shift, a new wave of cannabis-focused sites seeks more advertisers willing to do business — There's money in marijuana, but is there money in marijuana coverage? (Yes, yes there is.) — For three years, The Cannabist, a promising digital project from the struggling Denver Post …


HBO cancels Bill Simmons' talk show Any Given Wednesday after four months, will remain a minority investor in Bill Simmons Media — “We loved making that show, but unfortunately it never resonated with audiences like we hoped. And that's on me." — Bill Simmons' weekly HBO show ending …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, @dkthomp, @gadyepstein, @tatianasiegel27, Bleacher Report, Mashable, @thrmattbelloni, @awallenstein, @sarahlellison and @pkafka


NFL Films is producing an exclusive nine-part VR video series for YouTube and Google's Daydream about life in and around the NFL, to debut November 24 — The videos will be available on YouTube and Google's new VR headset, Daydream. — If anything can bring virtual reality into the mainstream, it's NFL football, right?
Discussion:
TechCrunch


Review of Tim Wu's Attention Merchants: an elegant survey of media's annexation of human consciousness through propaganda, TV commercials, social media, more — Does anyone remember when Rolling Rock beer ran a campaign on highway billboards back in 2008, promising that the company would project its logo onto the next full moon?


The Onion has struggled to produce funny headlines throughout the 2016 campaign, the rhetoric of which has been so hyperbolic as to be virtually beyond satire — Chicago — Now that it's almost over and we're all thoroughly miserable, is there anything funny left to say about this dreadful election?
Discussion:
@jenstar and @lisawritesbooks


Facebook Trending section included a dubious story on Friday about lawyer paying $500K to a Trump accuser, sourced from sites well known to spread false rumors — A highly suspect story about Gloria Allred and Donald Trump was trending on Facebook on Friday — the latest example …
Discussion:
@jbenton, @alex, New York Magazine, @mathewi, @mantzarlis, @mantzarlis, @brianstelter and The FJP

Nielsen sticks by its estimate that ESPN channels lost over 600K subscribers last month, following pushback from ESPN — Nielsen on Friday told ESPN that it will not revise data that showed ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU lost more than 600,000 homes from its distribution footprint last month.