Mediagazer: Google rebrands AdWords as Google Ads, consolidates enterprise tools as Google Marketing Platform, and unifies publisher monetization tools as Google Ad Manager (Sridhar Ramaswamy/The Keyword)

Sources: ex-Fox News Co-President Bill Shine was offered role of White House Communications Director by Trump, announcement expected soon — WASHINGTON — Bill Shine, a former Fox News executive who was close to Roger E. Ailes, the network's ousted chairman, is expected to be offered the job …

Discussion: @johnrobertsfox, Politico, The Wrap, Mediaite, TVNewser, Deadline, @jeffyoung, @ikea_monkey_89, @shoq, @reformedbroker, @helenkennedy, @aaronblake, @elianayjohnson, @jackohman, @pamela_vogel, @deliacabe, @aterkel, @digby56, @jkarsh, Fortune and The Daily Caller

Will Oremus / Slate:

Following changes to Facebook News Feed, Slate's traffic dropped 87% from 28M in January 2017 to 4M in May 2018 — The social giant is retreating from the news business. It's been a painful transition for publications that had come to depend on it—including Slate.

Discussion: @willoremus, Nieman Lab, @willoremus, @jhweissmann, @jandrewpotter, @ericboehlert, @steverubel, @jon_fischer, @willoremus, @laurahazardowen, @mattnavarra and @trevortimm

The Wrap:

Walt Disney Co. has won approval from the US Department of Justice in its $71.3B acquisition of Fox's film and TV entertainment assets — Walt Disney Co. has won approval from the U.S. Department of Justice in its $71.3 billion acquisition of Fox's film and TV entertainment assets, the company announced Wednesday.

Discussion: Ad Age and Broadcasting & Cable

Source: Comcast is exploring tie-ups with private equity firms or strategic partners to get access to capital in case bids for Fox assets reach $90B — Company looks to private-equity investors, strategic partners — Comcast Corp. CMCSA -1.03% is exploring tie-ups with private-equity investors …

Discussion: Adweek, Variety, TVWeek.com, The Verge, FierceCable, @wsj, @marvelousrealm and Broadcasting & Cable

Lucia Moses / Digiday:

The Daily Beast launches a membership program, Beast Inside, priced at $100/year, offering readers access to a newsletter, podcast, crime series, more — The Daily Beast is creating a membership program, becoming the latest example of a publication to try to drum up new revenue from readers.

Discussion: Axios, Adweek and The Daily Beast

Brian Stelter / CNNMoney:

Ocasio-Cortez's win took mainstream publications like the NYT by surprise but progressive outlets like The Intercept had been covering the race for months — See moment Ocasio-Cortez realized victory — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a brand new name to most voters.

Discussion: @andreagonram

Sridhar Ramaswamy / The Keyword:

Google rebrands AdWords as Google Ads, consolidates enterprise tools as Google Marketing Platform, and unifies publisher monetization tools as Google Ad Manager — We launched AdWords nearly 18 years ago with a simple goal—to make it easier for people to connect online with businesses.

Discussion: AdExchanger, The Keyword, Fast Company, TechCrunch, Variety, Search Engine Land, MediaPost, Android Police, Fortune, The Keyword, MediaNama, Mumbrella, Ad Age, Digiday and The Keyword, more at Techmeme »

Davis Richardson / The New York Observer:

When asked for comment on stories, Milo tells reporters he can't wait for “vigilante squads to start gunning journalists down on sight” — Milo Yiannopoulos has started issuing reporters threatening messages when asked to comment for stories. — “I can't wait for the vigilante squads …

Discussion: @simonfrcox, @justinhendrix, @oneunderscore__, @christinawilkie, @recursion_agent, @mollyjongfast, @adamcbest, @pastryplate, @anne_deactress, @kachelme1, Fortune, The Daily Beast, Contemptor and Mediaite

Chris Roush / Talking Biz News:

Business Insider Senior Correspondent Steve Kovach is joining CNBC as technology editor — CNBC.com managing editor Jeffrey McCracken sent out the following announcement on Wednesday morning:

Discussion: @jillianiles, @oliverdarcy and @stevekovach

Tony Romm / Washington Post:

Sources: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey dined with and consulted Ted Cruz, Mercedes Schlapp, Sean Hannity, and others to assuage complaints of liberal bias — Twitter and Facebook are scrambling to assuage conservative leaders who have sounded alarms — and sought to rile voters …

Discussion: Engadget, @jamespmanley, @anildash, @robrousseau, @ashleyfeinberg, @tiberiusrings, @jerweber and @jonfavs, more at Techmeme »

Lucia Moses / Digiday:

Facebook says users who saw subscription offers from news publishers inside Instant Articles were 17% more likely to subscribe than those who saw mobile links — Eight months after Facebook started testing subscription sales within news publishers' Instant Articles pages …

Discussion: @lmoses

Dan Taylor-Watt / About the BBC:

BBC Sounds, an app which brings together BBC radio, music, and podcasts into one place, is now available from Apple, Google, and Amazon app stores — Head, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sounds — Over the past year or so we've talked a lot about how we need to reinvent the BBC for a new generation.

Discussion: Engadget, WIRED UK, Daily Mail, Pocket-lint, gizmodo, Android Police, TechRadar.com, RAIN News and MacRumors

Elizabeth Dwoskin / Washington Post:

A look at Facebook's struggle with differentiating between legitimate political campaigns and disinformation ahead of the Mexican election next week — — This spring, a doctored image claiming that the wife of the leading Mexican presidential candidate was the granddaughter …

Discussion: @owillis, @kevinroose, @cyrilsam, @sumannaishadham, @lizzadwoskin, @lizzadwoskin and Engadget