Top News:
Joe Pompeo / Politico:
BuzzFeed EIC Ben Smith criticizes CNN for not defending Andrew Kaczynski, says along with recent resignations of three reporters, it sends a “terrible signal” — A CNN REBUKE FROM BEN SMITH - We were emailing yesterday and he had some thoughts on the latest CNN debacle …
RELATED:

Senator Amy Klobuchar asks AG Jeff Sessions whether White House contacted his office about AT&T/Time Warner deal, says any interference is unacceptable — If the White House interfered with the AT&T-Time Warner merger, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said, it would violate the First Amendment.
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, Variety and Washington Post

Sources: a CNN executive vice president, Rick Davis, wrote the line that caused a furor in Andrew Kaczynski's CNN/Trump video story to explain sourcing decision
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Slate, Engadget, Salon, Motherboard, @ggreenwald, sandiegouniontribune.com, MediaFile and @max_fisher
Michael Calderone / HuffPost:
Report: White House won't support pending AT&T-Time Warner merger if Zucker remains president of CNN, according to a source
Report: White House won't support pending AT&T-Time Warner merger if Zucker remains president of CNN, according to a source
Discussion:
The Hill, New York Times, Fortune, @joeberkowitz, The Week, @jayrosen_nyu, @aynrandpaulryan, @totalbiscuit, @brianstelter and Washington Post
Lloyd Grove / The Daily Beast:
Amid campaign against CNN, staffers worry as anchors and top executives face threats and harassing messages; Andrew Kaczynski's family received about 50 calls
Amid campaign against CNN, staffers worry as anchors and top executives face threats and harassing messages; Andrew Kaczynski's family received about 50 calls
Discussion:
New York Times, AOL, DSLreports, Talking New Media, @abbydphillip, The Gateway Pundit, @yipe and Mediaite

Baltimore Sun Media Group, owned by Tronc, plans to close 40-year-old City Paper later this year — The Baltimore Sun Media Group plans to close City Paper later this year. No official end date has been announced for the alt-weekly, now in its 40th year.
Discussion:
wbal.com, @notrivia and Talking New Media

Rachel Maddow warns other media that her show received a tip with a bogus document about Trump-Russia, in what she thinks was an effort to discredit her — It wouldn't have been the first time that a major media organization had reported a stunning development that turned out to be untrue.
Discussion:
The Intercept, The Wrap, @csmcdaniel, The Daily Caller, @benjaminwittes, @andymschneider, @paulmd199, @benjaminwittes, emptywheel, Salon, HuffPost, The Daily Caller, TVNewser and YouTube

Milo Yiannopoulos says he is suing Simon & Schuster for breach of contract after publisher canceled book deal; publisher dismisses suit as publicity stunt — NEW YORK (AP) — Polarizing right-wing writer Milo Yiannopoulos filed a $10 million lawsuit against a New York publishing company on Friday over a canceled book deal.

AP Washington Bureau Chief Julie Pace says undermining the press is central to Trump's agenda; NYT's WH correspondent says journos could be physically attacked — Two veteran White House correspondents, Peter Baker and Julie Pace, on what it's like covering a president like none other.
Discussion:
@michaelkruse

Sources: Chicago Sun-Times owner Wrapports is prepared to close the newspaper if plan to sell to Eisendrath falls through and then DoJ contests a sale to Tronc — The owners of the Chicago Sun-Times are prepared to shut down the paper if a deal with an investor group falls through …

Founders of VerySmartBrothas.com, Damon Young and Panama Jackson, fold their indie site into Gizmodo Media Group's The Root, will become senior editors — Young says Gizmodo Media Group was among a number of recent suitors — Damon Young decided to have some fun with the format …
Discussion:
VSB, Fusion Media Group, Bulletin | BLAVITY and The Root

The Economist is using its subscription and registration data to sell targeted ad campaigns, on-and-off Economist properties — The Economist prizes its high-quality environment, but that doesn't mean it's against audience targeting. — The publisher is tapping into its subscriptions data …

Fusion Media Group announces it is rebranding as Splinter, will launch SplinterNews.com on July 24, will focus on news and political commentary — Fusion Media Group announced Friday that their digital publication FUSION will relaunch as “Splinter” (splinternews.com) on Monday, July 24.

SB Nation removed a post written by an editor, that alluded to a Boston Celtics player coming “out of the closet” but won't confirm if the editor was fired — On Tuesday night, the editor of SLC Dunk, SB Nation's Utah Jazz blog, posted an article about Gordon Hayward signing with the Boston Celtics.

Univision says it will fight the defamation suit brought by Charles Harder for a Deadspin post about Randall Busack of Pregame.com — Univision Communications Inc. said it will fight a new defamation lawsuit, guided by Hulk Hogan's lawyer, over a Deadspin story the company acquired last year …
Discussion:
@john_mehaffey and @itsdavidford

In a series of tweets sent on Friday, Fox Business anchor Charles Payne vehemently denies sexual harassment allegations against him, calls them “an ugly lie” — Fox Business anchor Charles Payne took to Twitter Friday morning to respond to explosive allegations of sexual harassment recently leveled against him.
Discussion:
The Wrap, AOL and Media Matters for America
RELATED: