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House Speaker Hastert Demands Retraction From ABC (WSJ)
The Justice Department is denying and House Speaker Dennis Hastert is demanding a retraction of an ABC News report alleging that he is under investigation by federal agents for his dealings with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Cheney May Be Called to Testify in Plame Leak Case (AP)
Vice President Dick Cheney could be called to testify in the perjury case against his former chief of staff, a special prosecutor said in a court filing Wednesday. He would be a logical government witness because he could authenticate notes he jotted on a July 6, 2003, New York Times opinion piece.

Howard Stern, CBS Settle Breach-of-Contract Suit (AP)
Lawyers on both sides of the suit say they have settled. CBS sued Stern in February, claiming that its former star radio shock jock breached his contract with the broadcast giant when he moved to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.

Three-Year-Old Martha Stewart Civil Case to Resume (NYT)
Contesting the insider trading accusations would help give Stewart the opportunity to not only clear her name but also to win back her title as chairwoman and chief executive of Martha Stewart Omnimedia. But if she loses, the burden will not be onerous.

Bush Names Conservative Mag Editor to Key Post (NY Sun)
In the latest of a series of major personnel changes at the White House, President Bush has tapped Karl Zinsmeister, who is concluding a 12-year tenure as editor in chief of the American Enterprise, to begin work next month overseeing all of the president's key domestic initiatives. FBNY: After tapping Fox's Tony Snow as press secretary, does this mean the White House has officially taken the "if you can't beat 'em, hire 'em" approach to its Cabinetry appointments?

Public Swoons as Celebs Spawn (WWD)
Not content to plop the swollen abdomens of Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, Katie Holmes and others on practically every regular issue, People is publishing a special called Celebrity Babies early next month. One million copies of the issue will be distributed on newsstands beginning June 8.

Idol Winner Chosen, Conspiracy Theories Out (WaPo)
Paul Farhi: Try as they might, some viewers can't seem to shake the suspicion that something's not quite pure on American Idol after the last note sounds and callers begin casting votes for their favorite singer.

Radio Station Goes 'All Snapple, All the Time' (NYT)
Beginning tomorrow and for 40 days, the Snapple line of teas, juice drinks, waters and other beverages sold by Cadbury Schweppes will be the sole sponsor of all programming and promotions on WFNX, a Boston FM station that also broadcasts through affiliates into Maine and New Hampshire.

If You Want To Be On a Vanity Fair Cover, You've Got to Dish (Page Six)
Insiders say Nicole Richie was supposed to have the cover this month, but despite confessing about her weight issues and letting a reporter talk to her shrink, she refused to discuss her feud with Paris Hilton — so she was replaced on the cover by Anderson Cooper.

Wintour Gives Devil Its Due (NYDN)
Fashionistas must have thought there was peyote in their popcorn Tuesday night when Vogue editrix Anna Wintour showed up at a VIP screening of The Devil Wears Prada. Could the imperious style queen have deigned to see the movie based on the book that had so mercilessly lampooned her?

Details 'Media Mavericks' Who Won't Be Seen at Michael's (NYP)
With the exception of a couple, most are names no one has heard of. Nick Grouf? Anyone? Details editor Dan Peres said that is the point. "One of the objectives was to try to compile a list of men and women who don't usually appear on these sorts of lists."

Critic to D.C. Journos: Stop Whining (Boston Phoenix)
Mark Jurkowitz: Regardless of how loud the grumbling grows about the hostile atmosphere between the Bush administration and the media, an adversarial relationship between journalists and whoever occupies the White House is, in many ways, the natural order of things.

Novel Idea: A Ratings System for Books (TONY)
All the recent hoopla in publishing could have been avoided with a rating system like the one Hollywood uses for movies.

Columbia Journalism Prof. James W. Carey Dies at 71 (Providence Journal)
Carey was most recently the CBS professor of international journalism at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. Dean of Students Blog: A tribute.