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Associated Press:
Sources: National Enquirer owner paid former Trump doorman $30K for rumor that Trump had illegitimate child; contract had $1M fine if rumor disclosed elsewhere — NEW YORK (AP) — Eight months before the company that owns the National Enquirer paid $150,000 to a former Playboy Playmate …
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New York Times:
Probe of Trump's lawyer examines ties with David Pecker, head of American Media Inc., and raises questions about First Amendment and company's political role — President Trump has long had ties to the nation's major media players. But his connections with the country's largest tabloid publisher …
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Mashable, @tedlieu, @williampeace81, @twpolk, @twpolk, @jimrutenberg, @brianstelter and Mediaite
New York Times:
Sources: warrant for Trump lawyer sought records about Access Hollywood tape and role of National Enquirer publisher in silencing women who claim Trump affairs — The F.B.I. agents who raided the office and hotel of President Trump's lawyer on Monday were seeking all records related to the …
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Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:
As executives leave Univision's Fusion Media Group, staffers worry about looming budget cuts and possibly new owners — Two years after its splashy acquisition of the former Gawker sites, Isaac Lee's Fusion Media Group is careening into a new era of belt-tightening and downsizing.
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Maxwell Tani / The Daily Beast:
On Tuesday, Gizmodo Media Group staff had heated 90-minute meeting with Univision's Head of Digital Media Sameer Deen who disclosed that Fusion isn't profitable — Univision's head of digital media received a frosty welcome during his first meeting with Gizmodo Media Group …
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Digiday
Daniel Boffey / The Guardian:
European Commission says it could scrap voluntary code of conduct on removal of online hate speech in favor of legislation and sanctions — Commissioner says voluntary code could be scrapped in favour of legislation and sanctions … A loss of trust in Facebook in the light …
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Gizmodo
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Davey Alba / BuzzFeed:
Answering lawmakers, Zuckerberg repeatedly relied on the promise of AI to weed out undesirable content, a defense that lets Facebook avoid responsibility — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies in a Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees joint hearing regarding the company's use and protection of user data.
Chris Welch / The Verge:
First look at ESPN+, the $4.99 per month direct-to-consumer streaming service, launching today within a redesigned ESPN app on iOS and Android — Today is the debut of ESPN+, a $4.99 direct-to-consumer subscription video service that offers a little bit of MLB and NHL action with a lot …
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Variety, TechCrunch, Multichannel News and Axios, more at Techmeme »
Ramin Setoodeh / Variety:
Ted Sarandos says Netflix won't screen its movies at Cannes Film Festival following rule that bans films without French theater distribution from prizes — Ted Sarandos says Netflix won't be going to Cannes this year. — In an exclusive interview with Variety, Netflix's chief content officer …
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Paul Sandle / Reuters:
The UK's takeover regulator has ruled that Disney must make an offer to buy Sky in its entirety if its acquisition of 21st Century Fox succeeds — LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's takeover regulator ruled on Thursday that Walt Disney (DIS.N) must make an offer for the whole of Sky if it succeeds …
CNNMoney:
The government's star witness in its AT&T lawsuit, economist Carl Shapiro, took the stand on Weds to argue that AT&T-Time Warner deal would be bad for consumers — The government's star witness in its suit to stop AT&T's proposed purchase of Time Warner took the stand in a marathon court session Wednesday.
Crain's Cleveland Business:
GateHouse Media has acquired the Akron Beacon Journal and its website, Ohio.com, from Black Press Group for $16M; Black Press paid $165M for the paper in 2006 — GateHouse Media has purchased the Akron Beacon Journal and its website, Ohio.com, from Black Press Group Ltd. for $16 million …
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