“Three separate media organizations were interested but got cold feet at the last minute, DeRogatis said. Each one, after investing months of work, backed away from the story that used named sources and documents to describe how women near Atlanta and Chicago were held as if in a cult, according to what parents and others had told police.” Why did several publications decide not to publish that R. Kelly “cult” story. Its author explains: “Gawker came up in a lot of those conversations.” From WaPo: That R. Kelly ‘cult’ story almost never ran. Thank Hulk Hogan for that.

+ Reminder: For an excellent overview of the Hogan/Gawker case, and what it means for a free press, don’t miss Nobody Speak on Netflix.