India Uncut

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Monday, April 10, 2006

Commercialising editorial space

The Daily News reports:
A New York Post Page Six staffer solicited $220,000 from a high-profile billionaire in return for a year's "protection" against inaccurate and unflattering items about him in the gossip page, the Daily News has learned.

In two 90-minute meetings, characterized by a shocking breach of ethics, Jared Paul Stern, a fixture on the city's gossip scene who also edited Page Six The Magazine, asked for a series of payments from Ron Burkle, the managing partner of Yucaipa Cos., a conglomerate with interests in supermarkets, celebrity clothing lines, and media.

It was all a setup, a sting monitored by law enforcement, including the U.S. attorney's office and the FBI, who are now investigating the extortion attempt.
Yes, outrageous, and I'm delighted that the gentleman is question faces public disgrace. Many in the Times of India, of course, would be wondering what the fuss is all about -- after all, they sold the sanctity of editorial space ages ago.

(DN link via Fine On Media.)
amit varma, 11:46 PM| write to me | permalink | homepage

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