Mediagazer: Beyoncé, cute kittens or relentless tragedy? Is good news really news at all? (Charlie Beckett/Guardian)

9:00 PM ET, February 2, 2015

Top News:

Al-Jazeera journalist Fahmy's release from Egypt jail ‘imminent’ — Ottawa (AFP) - Egyptian-Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy's release from an Egyptian jail is “imminent,” Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Monday, a day after an Al-Jazeera colleague was freed.

Discussion: Canadian Press, BBC, AM 1150, @katz and Mada Masr

Mark Colvin / Guardian:
In the end, Peter Greste became an irritant for the Egyptian government

Discussion: Guardian

@skynewsbreak:
Freed al Jazeera journalist Peter #Greste says his release is a “step forward” and hopes his colleagues will be released

Discussion: BBC

Guardian:

News Corp won't be prosecuted in US in relation to phone hacking — News Corp has been notified it will not face charges in the US in relation to phone hacking and payments to public officials by US authorities — Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation will not face any charges in the US …

Discussion: Capital New York, Broadcasting & Cable, The Wrap, Reuters, Bloomberg Business, Variety, Hollywood Reporter and Telegraph

Steve Lohr / New York Times:

In Net Neutrality Push, F.C.C. Is Expected to Propose Regulating the Internet as a Utility — The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission this week is widely expected to propose regulating Internet service like a public utility, a move certain to unleash another round of intense debate …

Discussion: Politico, Wall Street Journal, TIME, AppleInsider, Business Insider, Re/code, Engadget, Guardian, The Verge, MacRumors, Gizmodo, @nancyscola and @alexjamesfitz

Ravi Somaiya / New York Times:

After Turmoil, The New Republic Re-emerges on Newsstands — The New Republic is a small magazine that set off a big commotion. — Late last year the magazine's owner, Chris Hughes, decided to replace Franklin Foer, a former top editor whom Mr. Hughes had lured back to run the magazine in 2012.

Discussion: Associated Press, FishbowlNY, @jamilsmith, @joepompeo, @heerjeet, @jayrosen_nyu and @gabrielsnyder

Carol Morello / Washington Post:

Hard-line judge reportedly assigned case of Post reporter Jason Rezaian, jailed in Iran — An Iranian judge known as the “hanging judge” for his harsh sentencing practices has been named to hear the case of a Washington Post reporter who has been imprisoned in Tehran for more than half a year, a human rights group said Saturday.

Discussion: International Campaign …, Associated Press and @anniegowen

Carol Morello / Washington Post:
Family of Post reporter held in Iran issues statement

Discussion: @erin_pelton, Poynter, The Huffington Post, @lrozen and @jeffreygoldberg

Claudia Koerner / BuzzFeed:

Super Bowl XLIX was the most watched US TV show ever with 114.4M viewers — This Year's Super Bowl Was The Most Watch Thing On American T.V. — Ever — The NBC broadcast of Super Bowl XLIX was the most watched show in U.S. television history, with 114.4 million viewers. — Andrew Weber/Usa Today Sports

Discussion: ProFootballTalk, Super Bowl XLIX Ad Meter, NetNewsCheck Latest, The New York Observer, TechCrunch, Forbes, The Wrap, The Huffington Post, Variety, Associated Press, Aljazeera, Mediaite, Los Angeles Times, @lt, Forbes, AdAge and @bryanwesttv

Martin Beck / Marketing Land:
Hashtags featured in 50% of Super Bowl ads; 4 Facebook mentions, 3 Twitter, 1 Snapchat

Discussion: Deadline, Multichannel News, /Film, GalleyCat, SocialTimes, Mashable, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, The Next Web, @learmonth and @dannysullivan

Ken Doctor / Capital New York:

The New York Times continues its search for a digital chief, announcement not expected soon — Times digital chief search hits a bump — On The New York Times Company's annual earnings conference call tomorrow, expect few surprises: 2014's four quarters won't be markedly different from 2013's …

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable and NetNewsCheck Latest

Charlie Beckett / Guardian:

Beyoncé, cute kittens or relentless tragedy? Is good news really news at all? — As the industry ponders the number of gloomy stories, our relationship with news seems to be changing — Back in the early 1990s, the then BBC newsreader Martyn Lewis suggested in a speech …

Discussion: Polis

Ewen MacAskill / Guardian:

British army creates team of Facebook warriors — Soldiers familiar with social media sought for 77th Brigade, which will be responsible for ‘non-lethal warfare’ — The British army is creating a special force of Facebook warriors, skilled in psychological operations and use of social media …

Discussion: Ubergizmo and Gizmodo

Kyle Orland / Ars Technica:

Sony sells its Everquest-making arm; games will expand to Xbox and mobile — Surprise: Private investment firm buys out Sony Online Entertainment. — In a surprise move announced this afternoon, investment management firm Columbus Nova announced it has purchased Sony Online Entertainment …

Discussion: Forbes, canada.com, Variety, The Verge and Polygon

Ilya Khrennikov / Bloomberg Business:

Spotify cancels Russian launch because of economic crisis, political situation, and new laws restricting Internet — Spotify Drops Russia Start on Slowing Economy, Web Rules — Don't Miss Out — (Bloomberg) — Spotify Ltd., the music-streaming service seeking new funding for its expansion …

Discussion: TASS and The Independent

Barrett Brown / The Daily Beast:

My Post Cyberpunk Indentured Servitude — Journalist Barrett Brown looks back in anger at the government's trumped up charges against him as he starts a 63 month prison sentence. — Not long ago I was a mild-mannered freelance journalist, activist, and satirist, contributing to outlets like the Guardian and Vanity Fair.

Discussion: @timbray