For the Record

OANN Reporter Tied to Sputnik:

According to Kevin Poulsen of The Daily Beast, One America News Network political reporter Kristian Rouz has been moonlighting as a writer for Sputnik, the "Kremlin-owned news wire" implicated in Russia’s 2016 election-interference operation by a U.S. intelligence community assessment. Rouz emigrated to the United States from Russia in 2015 after earning a master's degree in international relations from Moscow's Higher School of Economics.

News Outlet as Tech Platform:

A 2014 Forbes.com article that highlighted Jeffrey Epstein's science philanthropy was ghostwritten by a PR firm and attributed to Drew Hendricks, one of more than 2,000 people who became contributors to the site in the early 2010s as part of a revenue-driven open-door policy. The article was removed from the site following Epstein's indictment on sex trafficking charges earlier this month. "If Facebook and Google hadn't eaten the digital ad market and scale still held the promise of big bucks, I'd wager these outlets would still be letting people publish Jeffrey Epstein panegyrics," said Joshua Benton of NiemanLab.

Baron's Future:

Washington Post Executive Editor Marty Baron confirmed to Politico's Michael Calderone that he is "definitely staying through the 2020 election" but has "made no decision beyond that." Baron, who is 64, reiterated that he has "committed to giving plenty of notice when I do decide it is time to retire."

Proposed Covert Agent Secrecy Law Hostile to Press Freedom:

According to Gabe Rottman, director of the Reporters Committee's Technology and Press Freedom Project, a proposed expansion of the 1982 Intelligence Identities Protection Act would "criminalize the disclosure of the identity of an officer or agent in perpetuity, after they retire and even after they die, by maintaining the classification of their identity." As violation referrals to the Department of Justice are at the discretion of the intelligence community, the amended law could facilitate the punishment of "'bad' disclosures while insulating disclosures that make the agencies look good." 

Ebony Photo Auction Continues:

According to Tribune News Service, an auction "to sell bankrupt Johnson Publishing’s historic Ebony photo archives has been continued until Monday after producing 'multiple bidders' but no clear winner." The participants, who were required to offer a minimum qualifying bid of $12.5 million, have not been disclosed. The archive includes Moneta Sleet Jr.'s 1969 Feature Photography Prize-winning photograph of Coretta Scott and Bernice King at Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral. Johnson Publishing, whose properties include Ebony and Jet, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in April. 

Farmers on YouTube:

Several younger farmers have taken to YouTube to report on their profession amid declining revenues and confusion about what their job actually entails. According to Minnesota corn and soybean farmer Zach Johnson, who has quintupled his earnings on the platform, "People have become so disconnected from agriculture. They're curious about where their food comes from, and who the people that grow their food are. We have a really good opportunity to talk to people, discuss those things and show them why we do the things that we do."

Carmody Search Warrant Struck Down:

San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Rochelle East has barred investigators from using any evidence obtained using a search warrant against freelance journalist Bryan Carmody. Carmody's apartment was raided on May 11 by the San Francisco Police Department as part of its investigation of the leak of a police report concerning the death of Jeff Adachi, a public defender.

BuzzFeed Recognizes Union:

BuzzFeed recognized a union formed by its news division Friday, ending an impasse that included months of negotiations and a walkout. "We’re excited to share that we have reached a voluntary recognition agreement with BuzzFeed," the union said. "On Tuesday, a third party will conduct a card check. Once that’s completed, our union will be certified."

Compass Experiment Launches Youngstown News Site:

The McClatchy/Google-funded Compass Experiment partnership has announced the launch of a Youngstown, Ohio-based news site with four local journalists and a business staffer. "Some of the national narrative around Youngstown is the population is declining, they've had so much economic turmoil over the years, and this is not worth the risk for a big company to go in there," said Mandy Jenkins, a graduate of nearby Kent State University and general manager of the Compass Experiment. Since the Youngstown Vindicator announced its August 31 closure last month, ProPublica has committed a staffer from its Local Reporting Network to the city, while The Business Journal of Youngstown will offer expanded coverage of local news.

Gannett, GateHouse Set to Merge:

According to USA Today, Gannett "is reportedly in advanced talks to combine with rival newspaper chain GateHouse Media." The McLean, Va.-based chain recently surmounted a hostile takeover attempt from hedge fund-owned MNG Enterprises and considered a merger offer from Tribune Publishing. GateHouse, which is owned by a subsidiary of Japanese technology company SoftBank, publishes more than 150 newspapers, including the Austin American-Statesman and The Oklahoman.