Top News:


President Trump designates net neutrality opponent Ajit Pai as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission — Donald Trump has elevated Ajit Pai to chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, giving control over the agency to a reliable conservative who's been opposed to pretty …
Discussion:
@ajitpaifcc, The Next Web, Mashable, CNNMoney, AdExchanger, GeekWire, Engadget and Broadcasting & Cable
RELATED:

News Media Alliance praises Trump's pick for FCC chair, Ajit Pai, as an “avid supporter of the news media industry” — News of Republican Ajit Pai's elevation to chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has alarmed many consumer advocates.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Broadcasting & Cable and ZDNet


Congressman Lamar Smith advises public to get their information directly from the President and not the press as it might be only way to get “unvarnished truth” — Republicans on Capitol Hill are coming to the Trump administration's defense after the new president declared …
RELATED:

Trump wants a flat-out war with media for political purposes, but journalists should reject the bait, responding by doing their jobs fairly and fearlessly
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Fortune, LA Observed, Poynter, FishbowlDC, Dan Rather, CNNMoney, The Hill, The Guardian, AOL, CNN, TechCrunch, The FJP, Mashable, State & Capitol, New York Times, The Huffington Post, @dangillmor, TVWeek.com, The Week, Newser, Boing Boing, Politicus USA, Mediaite, Press Gazette, The Atlantic, Forbes, @albertocairo, Politico and @apstamm

Sean Spicer says the White House will designate four “Skype seats” in the briefing room later this week to allow journalists outside DC more access — During the first press briefing in Donald Trump's White House, Press Secretary Sean Spicer mentioned a new initiative called “Skype Seats.”
Discussion:
Politico, @mlcalderone, Fortune, Washington Post, TIME, The Huffington Post, GeekWire, @nytnickc, @mlcalderone, @arifleischer and @benmullin


Sources: Sprint's 33% stake in TIDAL cost $200M, valuing TIDAL at $600M — Well, well, well. — Less than a day after MBW ruminated on whether TIDAL would be able to secure some outside help with its funding - and survive without it - a major development has been confirmed.
Discussion:
@mgsiegler, Rolling Stone, The Wrap, Variety, Forbes and TechCrunch
RELATED:

Sprint buys 33% of Jay Z's TIDAL streaming music service, “will make TIDAL available” to its 45M customers; Jay Z and the artist-owners will still run TIDAL
Discussion:
Billboard, eMarketer and Newsroom Posts, VideoInk - Medium, The Verge, InvestorPlace, CNNMoney, @ccarella, RAIN News, MacRumors, Music Business Worldwide, AppAdvice.com Latest, New York Times, Engadget, @musicbizworld, @marceloclaure, @jherskowitz, The Next Web, VentureBeat, 9to5Mac and FishbowlNY


Verizon laid off 155 employees from its mobile streaming service Go90; sources say Vessel team, acquired in October, will rebuild the service — Team from acquisition Vessel charged with app rebuild — Verizon's mobile streaming service Go90 is about to get a hard reset …
Discussion:
Engadget, @jank0 and @bmccandless


Vocativ reporter Evan Engel and RT America journalist Alex Rubinstein charged with felonies after being arrested while covering unrest during inauguration — Two journalists who were arrested while covering the unrest in Washington DC surrounding Donald Trump's inauguration last Friday …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller


Sources: Guardian considering becoming a tabloid and outsourcing printing to rival Rupert Murdoch's News UK to cut costs — Britain's Guardian newspaper is considering becoming a tabloid and outsourcing printing to a rival such as Rupert Murdoch's News UK as one of a series of options to cut costs, sources told Reuters.
Discussion:
Press Gazette and City A.M.


Hearst buys The Pioneer Group, a Michigan-based owner of local newspapers and digital sites, for an undisclosed sum — The acquisition expands Hearst's footprint in Michigan's local newspaper market. — Hearst Tower — Hearst said Monday that it has acquired the business operations …
Discussion:
Media Wire Daily

John Keefe leaves WNYC's data news team for a new role building bots and apps in the new Quartz Bot Studio — It's been an amazing run. — For nearly 16 years I've been at radio station WNYC, working with dedicated, talented people to inform New Yorkers every day and to help them navigate elections …
Discussion:
@katehinds and @jkeefe


Yahoo delays closing Verizon deal until Q2 due to “work required to meet closing conditions”, beats on Q4 earnings with $1.47B in revenue vs. $1.38B expected — Yahoo addresses user engagement after security breach disclosure — Despite better-than-expected financial performance …
Discussion:
Business Insider, InvestorPlace, Recode, USA Today, Variety, Mercury News, Associated Press, PCWorld, BBC, Wall Street Journal, Reuters and VentureBeat


Time Inc. to acquire automated ad buying platform Adelphic Inc., to offer marketers the ability to directly buy advertising that targets specific consumers — Move is intended to give advertisers self-service capabilities for data-driven buying — Magazine publisher Time Inc. said it has agreed …


New York Times Deputy Tech Editor Quentin Hardy leaving to become the head of editorial for Google Cloud — He announced on Twitter Monday that he will be head of editorial for Google Cloud. — New York Times deputy tech editor Quentin Hardy is heading to Google.
Discussion:
Reynolds Center and The Drum