Why Did ABC Pay News Corp. $1M Kill Fee For O.J. Book Interview If Book Was Killed Anyway?

Another bizarre twist in the ever-undulating O.J. book debacle. Newsweek reports that ABC paid Rupert Murdoch‘s News Corp. a $1 million “kill fee” after the network decided not to conduct a Barbara Walters interview with O.J. Simpson tied to the publication of the book, which, as the world knows, was killed anyway.

People in both camps said that ABC paid the kill fee either to avoid embarrassing press leaks about the dealings or to maintain cordial relations with the feisty Regan, who has a knack for cultivating authors from tabloid headlines. A non-disclosure agreement was signed by all of the parties, including Walters, according to sources at both News Corp. and ABC.

Second question: Why would Walters sign a non-disclosure agreement if she wasn’t sure she’d do it? And if Walters has read at least part of the book, why not break her non-disclosure agreement and tell the world what’s in the book? Remember: She’s Barbara Walters.

FishbowlNY’s O.J. Book Coverage:

Did Fox Try To Buy Brown Family’s Silence On O.J.? Company Says No

Daily News Uses O.J. Book Slashing To Go For Rupert Murdoch’s Jugular

MSNBC Goes With New York Post-Style O.J. Headline

O.J. Book Killed; Murdoch: ‘This Was An Ill-Considered Project’

O.J.’s Killer Book Deal

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