Words similar to gossip

Example sentences for: gossip

How can you use “gossip” in a sentence? Here are some example sentences to help you improve your vocabulary:

The Hollywood production attracted the attention of the international media, who came looking for gossip about the torrid romances of the film’s legendary stars.
Fast now admits to recycling gossip, "This was a story told to me at a dinner party.
According to the New York Post and online gossip sites, Brown is steamed that the magazine went to press before John F. Kennedy Jr.'s plane crashed, thus missing the biggest story of the moment.
Although some donkey carts and bicycles occasionally impinge on the tranquillity of the main street, the townsfolk have plenty of time to stand around and gossip.
I guess my question is: How do I distinguish "sanctioned" gossip from regular old slander?