Checkbook Journalism

TMZ Pays $62,500.00 to LAPD Source for Rihanna Photo...
There's a leak in TMZ.com chief Harvey Levin's ship of gossip. The Time Warner-owned gossip site paid $62,500 to get a police photo of singer Rihanna's facial injuries, TheMediaBuffet.com claims, citing a TMZ insider.
The release of the photo, taken in the course of a police investigation into Rihanna's alleged battering at the hands of boyfriend and fellow R&B star Chris Brown, set off a media-ethics firestorm and an internal LAPD investigation.

Jury Pool could be tainted, LAPD with egg on their face AGAIN...

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