Communications-related Headlines for 9/5/97

Merger: Fox Buys the Dodgers
NYT: Fox Group Agrees to Buy the Dodgers
WP: Murdoch Agrees to Buy Dodgers

Privacy
WP: Social Security Urged to Delay Internet Access

Campaign Finance Reform
WP: "Hard" and "Soft" Money: A Crucial, Sometimes Fine Line

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* Merger: Fox and Dodgers *
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Title: Fox Group Agrees to Buy the Dodgers
Source: New York Times (A1/C21)
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/sports/bbn-dodgers-sale.html
Author: Richard Sandomir
Issue: Mergers
Description: Peter O'Malley has agreed in principle to sell the Los Angeles
Dodgers to Fox Group. The price tag has been reported at $350 million -- the
highest ever paid for an American sports franchise. The sale must be
approved by three-quarters of the National League and a majority of American
League owners. Fox competes with the Chicago Tribune Company, owner of the
Chicago Cubs, and Time Warner's Ted Turner, owner of the braves. The Dodgers
already provide programming for Fox Sports West and this deal would mean
that Fox will never lose TV rights to a competitor.

Title: Murdoch Agrees to Buy Dodgers
Source: Washington Post (C1)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-09/05/183l-090597-idx.html
Author: Paul Farhi
Issue: Mergers
Description: Rupert Murdoch's News Corp will purchase the Los Angeles
Dodgers, Dodger Stadium and surrounding land in downtown LA for $350
million. The Dodgers will become part of News Corps corporate empire which
includes cable and broadcast TV properties and other sports holdings. This
sale dwarfs other sports purchases like Peter Angelos' $173 million deal for
the Baltimore Orioles in 1993 and Jerry Jones' $130 million deal for the
Dallas Cowboys in 1989. Baseball owners will vote on approval of the sale at
meetings Sept 16-18 in Atlanta.

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* Privacy *
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Title: Social Security Urged to Delay Internet Access
Source: Washington Post (A15)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-09/05/132l-090597-idx.html
Author: Judith Havemann
Issue: Privacy
Description: Members of Congress are asking the Social Service
Administration to delay opening its revised website until after a new,
permanent commissioner is named and hearings are held so that Congress can
be involved and "this program can earn the support of the American people."
Although the new site will require computer users to email the SSA to
"unlock" data before it is accessible on the Web, Rep Jim Bunning (R-KY) and
others are not convinced that their are enough safeguards.

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* Campaign Finance Reform *
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Title: "Hard" and "Soft" Money: A Crucial, Sometimes Fine Line
Source: Washington Post (A16)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-09/05/100l-090597-idx.html
Author: Ruth Marcus
Issue: Campaign Finance Reform
Description: If someone is not familiar with the terms "hard" and "soft"
money, discussions over their differences may seem like "the most niggling
of technicalities." But the distinction made a big difference to the
Democratic Party in the 1996 election -- and it could make a big difference
in the political future of Al Gore. Hard up for cash, the Democratic Party
split some large donations into soft and hard money donations without
notifying donors or (possibly) Vice President Gore. If the money Vice
President Gore had raised remained "soft," everything was legal. But if he
used federal offices to raise "hard" money, there could be trouble. [To help
chart the campaign finance maze, visit Destination Democracy
http://www.destinationdemocracy.org/intro.html]
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