TMZ/Time Warner/ Warner Bros

[Rainbowblue]

"Did TMZ Pay to Get Its Big Prince Death Scoop?"
Brian Flood | April 22, 2016

"Many news organizations have strict policies that prevent reporters from paying for information, at least partly because of ethical concerns. "Checkbook journalism" is thought to encourage sources to invent or embellish tips to get more money.

TMZ, run by legal journalist Harvey Levin, has a formidable record of entertainment-industry scoops — and a reputation for paying for them.

Last February, a lengthy New Yorker story detailed how "more than a hundred tips arrive every day" on the TMZ voicemail from people looking for cash payouts. The story even detailed how producers pay for scoops and help nervous tipsters follow through on leaks. An International Business Times story in 2014 reported that TMZ pays up to "several thousand dollars" for solid leads. A big video or photo can mean much more. Security footage of Solange Knowles attacking her brother-in-law Jay Z in an elevator is believed to have sold for $250,000.

Levin did not respond to an interview request; a TMZ rep likewise did not comment.

TMZ was on top of the Prince story ever since his private jet made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois, last Friday...
Levin's reporters, sensing something was wrong...
TMZ broke the story of Prince's death on Thursday well before any "mainstream" media outlets... it took an Associated Press report nearly 17 minutes later for the news to hit media outlets across the world.

The Prince reporting recalled 2009, when TMZ beat major news organizations in reporting the death of Michael Jackson.

A New York Times story  pointed out how TMZ was far ahead of rivals in scoops about the pop star's last hours. TMZ had sources everywhere, from ambulance drivers to paramedics."
http://www.thewrap.com/tmz-pay-prince-death-scoop/

[Rainbowblue]

(I wrote this for the old site but never posted it.)

I don't know what is going on.

Warner Brothers is a corporation.
Their interest is the business of amassing money and power.
Corporations were given legal person hood.

Corporations are 1's and 0's.
Corporations are not people of flesh and blood.

Corporations are run by people.
Corporations are not in the business of creativity. Corporations are in the business of profiting from the creativity of others.

It is doubtful in my point of view, that Warner Brothers is helping Prince with a death hoax. There has been no substantial evidence provided to support this theory.

It is doubtful in my point of view, that Warner Brothers killed Prince. There has been no substantial evidence provided to support this theory.

If this is a death hoax, and there has been a lot of evidence provided that it is, Prince would be the most likely person master minding the hoax.

If Prince is behind a death hoax, that would place him in control, evidently Warner Brothers is going along for the ride.

Warner Brother's interest is making
money.

Before Prince got his masters back, Warner Brothers received most of the money from the profits of Prince's back catalogue.
Prince didn't like that arrangement and protested it.

If Warner Brother's wanted to kill Prince, it would've been more logical and beneficial to the corporate interests (money and power). To do this before rather than after, giving Prince the opportunity to buy back his master recordings.

Prince owning his masters gives him control over his work. He then had Controlling interest over who can release the work, and how much money he receives etc.

It's conceivable that he may have been killed for revenge. Or made an example of to other artists. Yet there has not been enough circumstantial evidence provided to support that theory.

Warner Brother's and TMZ are owned by the same parent company Time Warner. TMZ and Time Warner doesn't seem to have any more information about the "death of Prince", than anyone else.

The death hoax more precisely the official report's connected to Prince's estate. Have thrown egg on TMZ and other news outlets several times throughout this hoax. For example TMZ stated resolutely, for weeks that Prince died of Percocet overdose. Later the press release from the medical examiner's Twitter stated the cause of Death was fentanyl. This Tweet seemed to go out with very precise timing. While TMZ was on the air reporting, LIVE.
This Just in, cause of Death fentanyl toxicity.
The whole TMZ staff looked genuinely shooked.
Are you sure it's Fentanyl and not Percocet?

I will have to post a video of this moment.

TMZ and all the other news outlets claimed they were getting inside information from Paisley Park, Prince's family and friends, medical practitioners who were on the scene and treated Prince, the sheriff's department, the medical examiner's office the list of their anonymous sources goes on and on, like this run on sentence

All of their information on a Percocet overdose was proven unsubstantiated.

It seemed as if someone was intentionally feeding the press bad information.

Perhaps Prince faked his death and his team is intentionally feeding the press bad information purposely.

This entire scenario began while he was alive, with reports of his being ill, AIDS, drugs, an emergency landing etc. Initially Prince and his camp went really hard trying to dispel the rumors. His Twitter posts, his riding his bike in public, his going to the record store,  to show he is healthy etc. Throwing a party at Paisley Park his speech

Perhaps Prince got upset about the rumors and decided to get some pay back. To just go with it.

Maybe Prince took control by faking his death and is removing himself from the system.

It is plausible some of those who make the corporate decisions are aware that Prince may have faked his death. The higher ups in corporate controlled media may be angry with him.

Spreading rumors that Prince was a drug addict and other negative stories be their only recourse.

Perhaps the press was  just lying. Making it all up.

But the autopsy report which although not an official Autopsy Report disproved much of the presses gossip.

The emergency landing, the hospital visit. This was all hearsay later the hospital made a statement that Prince was never there. The press had to change their stories several times just on that portion alone.

Much of the information reported after his death report was hear say. Nothing that could be proven. Such as reports of illicit drug use in the past etc.

As well as the news reports of death from complications due to AIDS.

These stories were all efforts to achieve confirmation on all the gossip the news reported about Prince in the months prior.

Tabloid fodder
The possible heirs just gossip

Many of the news companies are owned by Time Warner or Sony.

Those corporations are in the business of money. A death of Prince whether real or faked generates massive amounts of money. The majority of which goes to the corporations. They get paid for all those news reports. The more rumors and drama the more news reports, the more money is generated for the corporation. Warner Brothers as well as its partners are getting paid for the reprints of all those albums.

But Prince's estate is most likely reaping most of the proceeds from the album's he released independently. It is doubtful that Warner Brothers gets money from the album's made after he left them. Or from New releases from the vault.

So this being the case Warner Bros wouldn't have much motive for "helping" Prince fake his death.

WB would mostly get the revenue of re-releases of music prior to his leaving the company and going independent.

Most people no longer buy hard copies of music. The proceeds from his new releases would mostly go to his estate and Tidal. Since most listeners don't buy albums anymore most of the money for an artist or record company is made by touring and merchandising. Any new releases from Prince would mostly go to Tidal for streaming, with hard copies on Warner Bros. There isn't much money in hard copies of music. So Warner Bros would most likely expect Prince to tour. Especially after signing a new contract.

If Prince was no longer able to tour or just uninterested Warner Bros wouldn't be happy to lose out on their investment.
WB owns a lot of major media outlets and could've caused Problems for Prince if he refused to tour. Just as Sony used it's media resources to cause problems for Michael Jackson after he refused to tour.
(If the conglomerate can't make money from album sales, touring, licensing or merchandise they make money selling "tabloid gossip" about you. As long as the investors are happy...)

Just imagine if Prince kept releasing new music exclusively on Tidal and refused to tour. What would the back lash on TMZ be?

(What was the media reaction when he said he was ill and a cancelled/rescheduled a tour date?)

Little Richard was given all his masters and many royalties by Michael Jackson. Little Richard just had a media death hoax..and is being pressured to tour!

But now Little Richard owns his music he doesn't need to tour.

Because of Prince's fight for artists rights he was blacklisted to a degree from receiving radio play for music not released with a major label.

The industry wasn't making much money off of him. Prince owned himself.

Perhaps Prince is running game on Warner Brothers, the entertainment industry and the entire system.

If that is so and this is a hoax then everyone wins. But most of all Prince.

[MIRvmn]

Thank u for a great post Rainbowblue I'm convinced that he faked his death and ur right, everyone wins especially Prince .  Wether he did it together with WB or not they're definitely playing a part in this hoax.

[Julles83]

I am starting to think that everyone is in on it to a certain degree.
I mean why not?  Now, they can all do tributes and whatever and get paid!
Prince has his hands in what goes on,  I'm sure of it. He's probably getting paid too.
The whole thing with the scripture quote about lying down his life for his friends makes sense to me, he took himself out of the picture and is letting his friends have the spot light now.
Interesting.  Things change every day it seems.

[MIRvmn]

Yes I think that's possible, he did say in an interview in 2013 thats it not about him anymore so it seems like he had done everything and it was time to move on. And what he apparently said to Tyka two years ago "He said it a couple of years ago: 'I've done everything that I've come to do,'". He was ready to step away from the spotlight and Tyka probably meant that for two years she knew about his plans to retire

[Julles83]

I agree with you 100 percent! 
She knew, I think a lot of people did. Obviously they're not gonna tell us, but they sure are leaving clues for us to pick up on.
Prince has a way with words. There is a lot to be said about that.