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Cynthia Littleton / Variety:
ViacomCBS to sell publisher Simon & Schuster to Bertelsmann, owner of Penguin Random House, for $2.175B in cash — Bertelsmann, owner of publishing giant Penguin Random House, was seen as a logical contender for Simon & Schuster. ViacomCBS announced its intent to sell the publishing arm …
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Michael Isikoff / Yahoo News:
Sources: Fox agreed to a 7-figure payout to Seth Rich's family in a deal made in time for Fox News President Jay Wallace and Sean Hannity to avoid depositions — WASHINGTON — Just as star anchor Sean Hannity and other high-profile Fox News figures were due to be deposed about their promotion …
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Newser, @cristianafarias, @bradmossesq, @janekleeb, @kimmasters, @jeremymbarr, @davidfolkenflik, @mikebutcher, @isikoff, @bgrueskin, @leablackmiami, @mikeisaac, The Week and Washington Post
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Gene Maddaus / Variety:
Fox News has settled a suit by the family of DNC staff member Seth Rich, over a 2017 story that claimed Rich had leaked DNC emails to WikiLeaks before his death — Fox News has settled a lawsuit filed by the family of Seth Rich, the former Democratic National Committee staffer who was at the center …
Armin Rosen / Tablet Magazine:
An in-depth look at how The Drudge Report changed over the past few years finds it may have become a conduit for ad fraud and some think Drudge left in 2017 — The Drudge Report has become a conformist shadow of its formerly bratty, oppositional self. Why?
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@benyt, @michaelsocolow, @oliverdarcy, @thestalwart, @jon_christian, @notjessewalker, @byronyork, @benfrumin, @caleweissman, @jerrydunleavy and @esotericcd
David Brown / The Times:
UK judge rules that Johnny Depp cannot appeal The Sun libel case and must pay £628,000 in legal costs to The Sun — Johnny Depp has been refused permission to appeal against the findings of a judge who ruled that he was a wife beater. — The actor has also been ordered to pay …
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, Bustle and @mygrindelwald
Keith J. Kelly / New York Post:
TheLi.st, a 10-year-old social network for women cofounded by Rachel Sklar and Glynnis MacNicol, has been sold to New Power Media, headed by Ann Shoket — TheLi.st — an oddly named, 10-year-old social network that has been linking successful women with up and comers — has been sold to New Power Media …
Discussion:
@batnib, @rachelsklar, @rachelsklar, @annshoket and @rachelsklar
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
Federal judge dismisses a lawsuit by a Norwegian reporter alleging antitrust violations by HFPA for denying membership to those who compete with its members — A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit that accused the Hollywood Foreign Press Association of using its clout to control the market for overseas entertainment coverage.
Discussion:
The Wrap and Hollywood Reporter
Amanda Meade / The Guardian:
Draft of Australia's news code now includes public broadcasters ABC and SBS, allowing them to recieve payments from Google and Facebook for using their content — Exclusive: Josh Frydenberg adds public broadcasters to code after they were initially excluded by Australia's competition regulator
Discussion:
@fabiochiusi, @benoquist, @rasmus_kleis, @withmeaa, @osbornep and @quentindempster
Eriq Gardner / Hollywood Reporter:
Actor Faizon Love is suing Universal Studios, claiming executives broke promises after Love was omitted from the international poster for 2009's Couples Retreat — Faizon Love was whitewashed from the international marketing for ‘Couples Retreat.’ More than a decade after getting an apology, the actor is suing over what he didn't get.
Discussion:
Variety, @zernerlaw and @eriqgardner
Kerry Flynn / CNN:
HuffPost staffers worry BuzzFeed may not do much to improve HuffPost's diversity problem, as some BuzzFeed staffers say Peretti is all talk, not enough action — New York (CNN Business)About an hour after the news that BuzzFeed is acquiring HuffPost first broke, BuzzFeed chief Jonah Peretti held …
Michael Kozlowski / Goodereader:
Audible will pay royalties for titles returned more than 7 days from purchase starting Jan. 1; Audible currently deducts royalties for returns within 365 days — Audible has a return policy, where people can return audiobooks and get a credit refund, within 365 days.
Discussion:
@marypcbuk and Bookseller News
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
UK publisher Future is acquiring GoCo Group, owner of price comparison site Go Compare, for £594M, and says it had pre-tax profit of £52M in 2020, up 309% YoY — Specialist publisher Future has revealed it tripled its pre-tax profits for the second year in a row as it announced plans …
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