The ABC News division is making some news of its own by acknowledging they will no longer dole out license fees for photos or videos to potential newsmakers, in exchange for exclusive access to then later conduct interviews with them. The Daily Beast’s Howard Kurtz reports that after several “black eyes,” including paying Casey Anthony $200,000 for photos in 2008 before she was charged with murder of her daughter, ABC News president Ben Sherwood has decided against allowing the practice to be used in the future.

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Here is a lesson in how journalism (and really, life) works in 2009: the passenger on Northwest Flight 253 being billed as a hero for helping subdue Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab will tell you his story – but only if you pay him money. But Jasper Schuringa was already on CNN, you say? Well, CNN paid up. And Mediaite has the full story inside!