Mediagazer: UN investigation into Julian Assange detention to report findings Friday, may rule he is being held in UK illegally (Press Association)

7:50 AM ET, February 2, 2016

Top News:

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, The Next Web, Music Business Worldwide, International Business Times, Complex, Complex, Billboard, Wall Street Journal, NPR, The Verge and Business Insider

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., Techly, The Drum, Gizmodo, The Verge, The Next Web, Mashable, Tech Times and Polygon

Brandt Ranj / Business Insider:

Sesame Street partners with a VC, will invest up to $1 million in a bunch of startups — It has already been a big year for Sesame Street, which as of January is brought to you by the letters H, B, and O. — But the well-known children's program is now adding something new and seemingly odd to the mix: venture capital.

Discussion: Fast Company, TechCrunch, Wired, @a33or45, @brooke, @psyoko, @paperkary, Fortune, @collabfund, The Next Web and The Verge

Facebook:

Facebook says it's now using feedback from user surveys in News Feed when selecting stories, warns some Pages will lose referral traffic — News Feed FYI: Using Qualitative Feedback to Show Relevant Stories — The goal of News Feed is to show you the stories that matter most to you.

Discussion: Ad Age, The Drum, @mikeisaac, Adweek, Tech Times, GeekWire, Engadget, Tech Insider, Mashable, VentureBeat, ZDNet, @rasmus_kleis, SlashGear, SocialTimes, The Next Web, @gaberivera, @kevinroose and TechCrunch

Wall Street Journal:

Sources: Time Warner urges Hulu to remove current-season episodes from the service amid renewed talks, seeks 25% stake — Time Warner Talks With Hulu Zero In on Current Seasons — Media giant says the availability of these shows contributes to people ‘cutting the cord’

Discussion: BGR, FierceCable, Consumerist, Home Media Magazine and @jbflint

Douglas MacMillan / Wall Street Journal:

Sources: Yahoo's Marissa Mayer to unveil cost-cutting plan that includes up to 15% staff reduction, closure of some units — Yahoo's Marissa Mayer to Unveil Cost-Cutting Plan — Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer is expected to unveil a plan on Tuesday aimed at slashing the Internet company's costs …

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, Fast Company, Business Insider, CNNMoney, USA Today, Variety, Deadline and @binarybits

Georg Szalai / Hollywood Reporter:

21st Century Fox Looks to Save $250M in Voluntary Film, TV Staff Resignations — The entertainment conglomerate is looking to reduce costs and recalibrate the businesses. — 21st Century Fox is offering voluntary resignations to staff at its film and TV networks units to reduce $250 million …

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable, Variety, The Wrap, Wall Street Journal, Ad Age and Reuters

Lucia Moses / Digiday:

BuzzFeed clients increasingly seek proof that distributed and native ads work; sources say the news organization missed revenue growth goal last year — With a bet on a platform strategy, BuzzFeed faces business challenges — BuzzFeed has mastered the art of distributed publishing …

Discussion: @karaswisher, @mathewi, @digitalshields, @pkafka, @lpolgreen, @gmoreira001 and mUmBRELLA

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: @asme1963, @mlcalderone, @joshuatopolsky, @mollyesque, @alexismadrigal and FishbowlDC

Press Association:

UN investigation into Julian Assange detention to report findings Friday, may rule he is being held in UK illegally — United Nations panel could rule in favour of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange — Julian Assange has been in the Ecuadorean embassy in London for more than three years.

Discussion: Justice for Assange, Sputnik International and globalnews.ca

Joseph Lichterman / Nieman Lab:

The sun never sets on The Times: How and why the British paper built its new weekly international app — Most Thursday mornings start the same way for Seth Jacobson, the editor in charge of The Times of London Weekly, a new app aimed at readers outside the U.K.

Discussion: @tomstandage

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 …