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Anthony Bourdain, writer, chef, and TV host, has died by suicide at age 61 — Remembering the life of Anthony Bourdain — Programming note: CNN will air “Remembering Anthony Bourdain,” a special report on the life and legacy of the chef, storyteller and writer, tonight at 10 p.m. ET.
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DOJ seized years of phone and email records of NYT national security reporter Ali Watkins as part of an investigation into leaks of classified information — WASHINGTON — Federal law enforcement officials secretly seized years' worth of a New York Times reporter's phone and email records …
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The Trump administration's seizure of a reporter's phone and email records chills every serious reporter and follows a clear blueprint from the Obama era — It was never a question of “if.” — It was always a matter of “when.” — The seizure of a New York Times reporter's phone …
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Politico, Newser, @goforbaroque, The Daily Caller, The Gateway Pundit and Mediaite


Press advocates bash US government's seizure of years of email and phone data from NYT reporter Ali Watkins, covering time she worked at multiple outlets — The revelation that federal prosecutors seized years' worth of email and phone records from a New York Times reporter drew criticism …
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Former director of security for Senate Intelligence Committee, James A. Wolfe, is charged with lying to FBI about repeated contacts with three reporters — A former staff member of the Senate Intelligence Committee has been indicted and arrested on charges of making false statements …


Charles Krauthammer, Pulitzer-winning Washington Post political analyst and Fox News contributor, reveals he is in the final stages of losing battle with cancer — Charles Krauthammer, the beloved and brilliant Fox News Channel personality who gave up a pioneering career in psychiatry …
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Pixar co-founder John Lasseter, on leave since November following misconduct allegations, will not return to Disney but will have a consulting role through 2018 — LOS ANGELES — John Lasseter, the animation titan who has been on leave from the Walt Disney Company since November because of what he called …
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Sources: Spotify offers several hundred thousand dollar advances to music managers and indie acts for direct licensing, to earn 50% of revenue per stream — Spotify has offered advances to a number of managers and indie acts in exchange for licensing their music directly to the streaming service, sources tell Billboard.
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Recode, @coolterreynolds and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »


Ex-Tronc Chairman Ferro behind the delayed sale of LAT and San Diego Union Tribune to Patrick Soon-Shiong as Ferro pressures Soon-Shiong to buy all of Tronc — “Any would-be scenarios involving Tronc include odd tradeoffs, weird valuations, and questions of sheer feasibility."
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@mattdpearce


Verizon names CTO Hans Vestberg CEO effective August 1, 2018, replacing current CEO Lowell McAdam — Lowell McAdam is stepping down as CEO of Verizon Communications on Aug. 1, to be replaced by former Ericsson chief exec Hans Vestberg, the telco announced Friday.


Bad Robot, J.J. Abrams' media production company, to partner with Tencent to form a gaming company, Bad Robot Games, to make games for PC, console, and mobile — Bad Robot, the media production company headed by famed nostalgia-lord J.J. Abrams, is expanding into the games industry with help from Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent.
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Birth.Movies.Death, more at Techmeme »

Pew survey: American public broadcasting in good health as monthly sessions in the NPR apps, radio station memberships, and audiences for member stations rise — It was barely a year ago that PBS and NPR fans were worried about whether American public broadcasting might be about to disappear.
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