Paris Hilton to be freed on Tuesday

Hotel heiress Paris Hilton will be released from jail June 26, after 24 days in custody, according to California authorities.

Hilton, areality TV show star, was sentenced June 3 to 45 days in jail for violating her probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced late Friday that the 26-year-old would be released Tuesday, but did not reveal a set time.

Authorities had predicted that Hilton would likely get time off for good behaviour, and because of crowded jail conditions.

Hilton was briefly freed on medical grounds earlier this month. Sheriff Lee Baca released her to electronically monitored house arrest on June 7, citing an undisclosed medical condition.

But she was sent back to jail by a court. At the time, the judge said she would have to serve her full sentence.

Baca must nowappear beforeLos Angeles County's board of supervisors, which is investigating whether her June 7 release amounted to preferential treatment.

Baca backed up his reason for early release by saying Hilton actually served more time than an average person would have under the same circumstances and that she was being turned into a "criminal justice football."

Networks deny payment for interview

Reports this week have focused on the battle for the first interview with Hilton.

The Hollywood Reporter, an industry paper,cited inside sources at ABC as saying the network had bid between $50,000 and$100,000US for a sit-down interview with the heiress, but thatthe bid was trumped by NBC's bid, which was "in a completely different galaxy."

Both network news departments said they do not pay for interviews. And on Thursday, the Hilton family issued a statement saying it had not requested any payment for an interview or related material.

The next day, ABC News revealed the Hilton family offered the interview to Barbara Walters, but that Walters and ABC News executive David Sloan turned it down.

NBC News said no interview had been arranged.

Hiltondid givea 10-minute telephone interview to TV and radio host Ryan Seacrest for E! Entertainment on Thursday.

Hilton saidher time in prison has made her "so much more grateful for everything that I have."