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US media outlets were shut out of Trump meeting with Russia's Sergey Lavrov and Sergey Kislyak, while Russian state news agency TASS was allowed in — On Wednesday morning as controversy swirled over the president abruptly firing his FBI chief amid an investigation of possible ties between …
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@paleofuture, @kegill, CBS News, NPR, Mediaite, @shanegoldmacher, Washington Post, HuffPost, Washington Examiner, Talking Points Memo, The Hill, Fox News Insider, Business Insider, @rusembusa, CBS News, @markruffalo, @mviser, @jesselehrich, @hadas_gold, Axios, The Daily Caller, Mashable and New York Magazine


Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy says he'd be “very open” to hiring Bill O'Reilly, amid reports that he had been urged by WH insiders to recruit the fired Fox News host — Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy said he thinks “very highly” of former Fox News star Bill O'Reilly — who was recently fired amid …
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, @bungdan, Variety, @mlcalderone and @hadas_gold
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Sources: divorce affidavit of Bill O'Reilly's ex-wife details abuse incident after she caught him engaging in phone sex, a practice mentioned in Fox News cases — Bill O'Reilly's ex-wife swore in an affidavit that the disgraced Fox News host brutally assaulted her in their Long Island home …
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@tasneemn, @kmcdonovgh, AOL, HuffPost, @petersterne, New York Magazine, Washington Post and The Wrap


Facebook says it will now rank sites with “disruptive, shocking or malicious ads” lower in News Feed — Facebook will bury links to low-quality websites and refuse to carry ads pointing to them in a News Feed algorithm changeannounced today. Facebook defines a ‘low-quality site’ as one …
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Facebook, The Verge, Adweek, BuzzFeed, VentureBeat, AdExchanger, Recode, @joshconstine, @themediaisdying, @paul__armstrong and @idontlikewords, more at Techmeme »


Reporter released after being arrested in WV while he tried to ask questions of HHS Secretary Tom Price and Kellyanne Conway; police said he caused disturbance — CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A reporter was arrested Tuesday at the West Virginia Capitol for allegedly causing a disturbance …
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Committee to Protect …, @jake_zuckerman, Newser, The Wrap, Associated Press, @davidfolkenflik, Esquire, @maggienyt, @pns_news, New York Magazine, Rare, @rweingarten, @stevepasquale, @rweingarten, @sasha_a_fox, @muckrakery, @aclu_wv, Raw Story, Mediaite, HuffPost, @charlesornstein, @mikeelk, @indira_l, @aclu_wv, @rebeccaallen, WV MetroNews, Charleston Gazette-Mail, The Week, AOL, @aclu, @heykmenz, @jake_zuckerman, @danxoneil, @pns_news, @jake_zuckerman, @petersterne, @petersterne, @darrensands, @annasale, @aclu_wv, @kellyweill, @cpjamericas, @kelly_carlin, The Daily Dot and @amy_siskind


Time Inc.'s Q1: total revenue dips nearly 8% to $636M, net loss increases by $18M YoY to $28M; in earnings call, CEO blames media speculation around sale — Time Inc. on Wednesday slashed its dividend as the magazine publisher pushed ahead with a cost-cutting plan following its decision to not sell itself …
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Patch, profitable since 1/16, is now looking to create alliances with local media outlets, wants local news sites to migrate their content to Patch — Patch used to be a cautionary tale of the perils of solving the thorny problem of doing local news in digital media.
Discussion:
@matthewtbecker, @kurtgessler and @digiday


Sports Illustrated to debut OTT service this fall with live and on-demand programming covering analysis, documentaries, fantasy sports, and swimsuits — No live sports but analyses, documentaries, fantasy sports — and swimsuits — The biggest name in sports journalism will soon launch an OTT video service.


SEC filing: WSJ added 305K daily digital subscribers between March '16 and March '17; sources say 79% of subscribers are male, 88% are 50+, 70% make $100K+/year — In the Age of Trump, the Wall Street Journal has kept its head down. — It has not stressed the necessity of its journalism …
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@sarahmarshall, @jasongay and @dylanbyers
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News Corp beats targets with Q3 revenue of $1.98B, up 5% YoY; news and information division revenues up 3% to $1.26B
Discussion:
Publishers Lunch and News Corp


During WW2, the AP struck a deal with an SS officer to distribute pictures taken by Nazi photographers to US papers; the deal was approved by wartime censors — At the height of World War II, the Associated Press made secret arrangements with an SS officer to obtain pictures taken …
Discussion:
@marcslove, @rickklein, @markamesexiled, TVNewsCheck and Associated Press


Inside the feud between Sean Spicer and Politico's Alex Isenstadt beginning with Spicer's days at RNC — Spicer has a long-running feud with Politico's Alex Isenstadt dating back to his days at the RNC. Now the battle has spilled over into the White House.
Discussion:
@buzzfeedben, @ericgeller, @perlberg, @jmartnyt, @kfile and @moorehn


Days after being acquired by Sinclair, Tribune Media reports Q1 loss of $85.5M, with revenue falling 6% to $444M, and ad revenue dropping 9% to to $291.7M — The company, led by interim CEO Peter Kern, posts a 9 percent advertising revenue drop. — Tribune Media on Wednesday said it swung …
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Tribune Media, Reuters and Variety


Anne Morrissy Merick, a former TV producer who helped overturn Pentagon rules preventing women from covering combat during the Vietnam War, has died — Anne Morrissy Merick, who as a television field producer persuaded the Pentagon to overturn an edict that prevented women in the press corps …
Discussion:
@markthompson_dc, @majohnso, @nytsports, @nytmedia and @gillianatlaw


Hulu names Joel Stillerman, AMC's president of programming, as its chief content officer, with Hulu head of content Craig Erwich reporting to Stillerman — Hulu has named Joel Stillerman chief content officer, overseeing the company's overall content business and strategy.
Discussion:
The Wrap, New York Times, Deadline, Multichannel News, Hollywood Reporter and Los Angeles Times


NBCUniversal acquires majority stake in how-to crafts website Craftsy, which receives 2M active visitors a week, for an undisclosed sum — The website, known as a destnation for crafting enthusiasts, will join the NBCU Cable Entertainment portfolio. — NBCUniversal is getting a little crafty.