Top News:
Sam Machkovech / Ars Technica:
YouTube stars Fine Brothers rescind plans to trademark terms and license assets related to their “react” videos after backlash — Fine Bros back down, rescind trademark claim on the word “react” — Claim was for “programs... in the field of observing, interviewing groups of people.”
Discussion:
Fine Brothers Ent., Variety, New York Magazine, Tech Insider, @lafond66, Techly, CraveOnline, Tech Times, @masterpj55, Gizmodo, Mashable, The Verge, The Next Web, Tech Times, The Drum and Polygon
Tatiana Siegel / Hollywood Reporter:
Studios reexamine strategy as Netflix and Amazon shift Sundance focus to streaming rights instead of theatrical release, buy 6 high-profile films each — Sundance Wrap: Why Netflix and Amazon Dominance Matters — The streaming giants scored a combined 12 high-profile acquisitions.
Dee Lockett / Vulture:
Recording Industry Association of America starts counting on-demand streaming audio and video toward certifying albums as gold or platinum sellers — The RIAA Finally Bows to Streaming, Making 17 Artists' Albums Go Gold and Platinum — This is huge. — Call it the Anti effect, or just call it getting hip to the times.
Discussion:
RIAA, RAIN News, Music Business Worldwide, CraveOnline, The Next Web, KarenCivil.com, Business Insider, International Business Times, Complex, NPR, Complex, Billboard and The Verge
Daniel Holloway / The Wrap:
Fox to cut spending on film, TV staff by $250M through voluntary buyouts — Fox Pursues $250 Million in TV, Film Staff Buyouts — Media giant 21st Century Fox is looking to cut spending on film and television staff by $250 million this year through buyouts.
Discussion:
Variety, Media & Entertainment, Broadcasting & Cable and Hollywood Reporter
Jeff Sonderman / American Press Institute:
American Press Institute paper on news as a product outlines best practices for the emerging role of product manager in news organizations — Best practices for product management in news organizations — News is a product. — Conceptually, that is a leap for people from traditional reporting and editing roles.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, @wloosen, @voxproduct and @raju
Alexandra Steigrad / WWD:
The American Society of Magazine Editors Crowns The Atlantic Magazine of the Year at Ellies — The magazine industry gathered Monday night for the 50th annual National Magazine Awards or “Ellies,” which were held at the Grand Hyatt in Midtown East in New York.
Discussion:
Adweek, FishbowlNY, Folio, Ad Age, Media Life Magazine, @asme1963, @mlcalderone, @alexismadrigal, @mollyesque, FishbowlDC and @joshuatopolsky
Amanda Connolly / The Next Web:
Instagram launches 28-part thriller series, Shield 5, posting 15-second clips daily — Instagram kicks off its very own 28-part thriller series — Instagram has made its first foray into the world of filmmaking, launching its very own 28-part thriller series.
Discussion:
@dangillmor, @richnewton, @petenonsense, CNET, EW.com, @loritodd, CraveOnline, BelfastTelegraph.co.uk, Digital Spy, Digital TV Europe, Look, Collider, @mathewi and The Express TribuneThe …
Janko Roettgers / Variety:
Fox Innovation Lab hosts two day summit for virtual and augmented reality experts — Fox Innovation Lab Explores Virtual and Augmented Reality with Two-Day Summit (Exclusive) — Around 80 virtual and augmented reality experts are congregating in Los Angeles Tuesday and Wednesday this week …
Agence France-Presse:
European Court of Human Rights rules news websites are not responsible for “insulting and rude” reader comments in case against Hungarian website — News sites not liable for ‘insulting and rude’ reader comments, says ECHR — Hungarian website argued that holding it liable …
Kate Goodacre / Digital Spy:
The BBC will keep the Olympics on free-to-air TV until 2024 after agreeing a rights partnership with Discovery — The BBC will keep the Olympics on free-to-air TV until 2024 after agreeing a rights partnership with Discovery — New agreement marks a sporting rights victory for the corporation.
Discussion:
The Independent, Broadcasting & Cable, Guardian, BBC Sport, Variety, Deadline, Engadget, Hollywood Reporter, Prolific North, News and Associated Press
Jeremy Barr / Ad Age:
Q4 ad revenue at digital media site Elite Daily, owned by Daily Mail's parent company, up 211% YoY, despite traffic plummeting — At Elite Daily, Traffic Is Down and Ad Revenue Is Up — Generally speaking, traffic is good for business. — But the digital media site Elite Daily …
Joshua Brustein / Bloomberg Business:
Most online publishers hesitate to take action against ad-blockers for fear of upsetting readers — Why Most Websites Look the Other Way on Ad Blockers — Online publishers rage against ad blockers, but they're not doing much about them yet. — Randall Rothenberg doesn't want anyone …
Discussion:
Broadcasting & Cable
Georg Szalai / Hollywood Reporter:
SiriusXM reports Q4 earnings of $135M; adds 2.28M new subs, highest growth since 2007 — The satellite radio company controlled by John Malone's Liberty Media added 2.28 million net new subs and continues to add 1.4 million in 2016. — Satellite radio giant SiriusXM Radio …
Discussion:
RAIN News, RTTNews, PR Newswire, Benzinga and @bevysmith