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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
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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


Source: SNL has indefinitely suspended writer Katie Rich over a tweeted joke about Donald Trump's youngest child Barron, following online backlash — Katie Rich, a writer for “Saturday Night Live,” has been suspended from her position at that show following a widely criticized post …
Discussion:
Deadline, Gothamist, The Daily Caller, Washington Post, @laurengreenberg, @drgmlatulippe, @brianwcollins, @sgarrettpate, @thatbilloakley, @douthatnyt, @thesethhughes, @katmur23, @danharmon, @yashar, @mercurialblonde, @chriscaesar, @unitedsloth, @nataliesurely, @shelbyfero, Chicago Sun Times, Variety, New York Times, The Wrap, twitchy.com, HotNewHipHop.com, Refinery29, Vanity Fair, TheBlaze, Mashable and Just Jared


Netflix has acquired the rights to a documentary about the Hulk Hogan-Gawker case, that is currently being screened at Sundance — The streamer already landed the rights to docs ‘Casting JonBenet’ and ‘Chasing Coral.’ — Netflix has acquired worldwide rights to the documentary Nobody Speak …
Discussion:
@seyitaylor, @petersterne, The Verge and Variety


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 …
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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, The Guardian, Poynter, FishbowlDC, CNNMoney, Dan Rather, The Hill, AOL, CNN, TechCrunch, The FJP, Mashable, State & Capitol, @dangillmor, The Huffington Post, TVWeek.com, The Week, Newser, Boing Boing, Politicus USA, Mediaite, New York Times, Press Gazette, The Atlantic, Forbes, @albertocairo 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, Washington Post, TIME, Fortune, @mlcalderone, The Huffington Post, GeekWire, @nytnickc, @mlcalderone, @arifleischer and @benmullin


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:
TechCrunch, @jank0, @bmccandless and Engadget


Amazon offers to drop clauses from e-book contracts to settle EU antitrust probe and avoid heavy fine; publishers have a month to respond before EC decides — EU poised to publish settlement plan, will seek feedback — Amazon has agreed to change e-book contracts with publishers
Discussion:
New Europe, Fortune, Reuters and Bookseller News


On Monday, Trump dispatched aide Matthew Schuck - an ex-staff writer at right wing website Daily Surge - and a colleague, to the Voice of America's studios — The president dispatches two aides to the broadcasting agency that came under fire over the weekend for its Trump coverage.


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


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
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