Top News:
Jacob Kastrenakes / The Verge:
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, CNNMoney, AdExchanger, Mashable, GeekWire, Engadget and Broadcasting & Cable
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Wendy Davis / MediaPost:
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
Lindsey Ellefson / Mediaite:
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:
@mlcalderone, Washington Post, TIME, The Huffington Post, TVNewser, GeekWire, @nytnickc, @mlcalderone, @arifleischer and @benmullin
Sprint:
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 — NEW YORK and OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Jan. 23, 2017 - Global music and entertainment platform TIDAL and Sprint (NYSE: S) …
RELATED:
Music Business Worldwide:
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:
TechCrunch, Rolling Stone, @mgsiegler, The Wrap, Variety, Forbes and The Verge
Ben Smith / New York Times:
In op-ed, BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith defends the site's decision to publish Trump dossier, arguing that the document was influencing key decision makers — Since BuzzFeed News published a 35-page dossier of unverified allegations about ties between President Donald J. Trump and Russia …
Discussion:
Mediaite, Washington Post, The Daily Caller, TheBlaze, @kzaleski, The Wrap, @hashtaggriswold, MediaFile, @buzzfeedben, @azi, @abeaujon, @dugaldmcg, @azi, @gershkuntzman, @pkafka, @aishagani, @tomnamako, @gabrielsherman and @benmullin
Katie Benner / New York Times:
Snapchat updates rules to restrict publishers from posting explicit or misleading images, and links to potentially fake news, says all content must be accurate — SAN FRANCISCO — On Snapchat last week, MTV published an article with the headline “Is this the thirstiest person on earth?”
Discussion:
Adweek, BuzzFeed, Snap Inc., The Verge, New York Magazine, Mashable, Engadget, The Next Web, Variety, Business Insider, SocialTimes, The Drum, @thebeff and Fortune
John Keefe:
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
Jon Swaine / The Guardian:
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
The Independent:
@POTUS tweets not signed “-DJT” are written by Dan Scavino, the WH director of social media who's previously used Twitter to circulate conspiracy theories — The man behind Donald Trump's official presidential tweets is a former golf caddy who has repeatedly promoted fake news stories …
Discussion:
@timmaughan, @peterwsinger, @tripgabriel, @independent, @attardmon, @ericgarland, @joyannreid and @clancyreports
Ken Doctor / Politico:
Tronc has acquired the Spanfeller Media Group for an undisclosed sum, gaining The Daily Meal and The Active Times — New year, same question: Is Tronc chairman Michael Ferro a seller or a buyer? For the moment, he's the latter, as the Tronc chairman has closed a deal to buy the Spanfeller Media Group …
Dylan Byers / CNNMoney:
Mark Halperin has left Bloomberg Politics, he notes to friends and associates in email — Veteran journalist Mark Halperin has left Bloomberg Politics. — “I am no longer with Bloomberg Politics,” Halperin wrote in an email to friends and associates on Monday.