Mediagazer: New FCC chair Ajit Pai quietly removed a proposal to force pay-TV operators to open-source their set-top boxes from the FCC's agenda last week (Peter Kafka/Recode)

10:40 PM ET, January 31, 2017

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Joe Pompeo / Politico:

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Garett Sloane / Ad Age:

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Peter Kafka / Recode:

New FCC chair Ajit Pai quietly removed a proposal to force pay-TV operators to open-source their set-top boxes from the FCC's agenda last week — The cable guys win one, courtesy of a Trump appointee. — Looks like the cable guys won't have to open their boxes after all.

Discussion: Forbes, Home Media Magazine, TechCrunch, Radio & Television …, Variety and Broadcasting & Cable

David Shepardson / Reuters:

As FCC chairman, Ajit Pai says he plans to rollback unnecessary commission regulations but declined to comment on net neutrality or the AT&T-Time Warner merger — The new Republican chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai, vowed to pare back outdated commission regulations …

Discussion: Multichannel News

Benjamin Mullin / Poynter:

The New Yorker's website publishes 15 pieces a day, attracting 30M+ uniques in November 2016, up 155% year-on-year — Nick Thompson was on his way to the subway when he got an email from his boss, New Yorker Editor David Remnick. — The subject line? “Morning piece.”

Discussion: @lavrusik, @nxthompson, @hale_a, @nxthompson and @niemanlab

Joe Pompeo / Politico:

Sources: layoffs hitting the Wall Street Journal today, with cuts to bureaus in Asia and Europe — Layoffs hit The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. — Details were scant, but sources said the cuts were happening in Journal bureaus in Europe and Asia.

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Hamza Shaban / BuzzFeed:

Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos' company, Amazon, joins Washington State's lawsuit against Trump's Muslim ban — The attorney general of Washington state filed a lawsuit Monday challenging President Donald Trump's controversial immigration order, and he's counting two Washington-based companies …

Discussion: Business Insider, @amzam and @macloo

Oliver Darcy / Business Insider:
In internal memo, Fox execs James and Lachlan Murdoch say they're helping staff affected by the Muslim ban and note the company was founded by immigrants

Discussion: Media Matters for America, Bloomberg, AOL, @oliverdarcy, @reaganbattalion, @johnnyikon, @oliverdarcy and @davidfolkenflik

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:

Streaming media app Plex acquires news video startup Watchup, which will now be integrated into the Plex app, with an expected launch of Q2 2017 — In recent months, streaming media app Plex has expanded its focus from offering tools to organize and stream your home media collection of photos …

Discussion: Plex, AppleInsider, MacRumors, NetNewsCheck Latest, Variety, @farano and Cord Cutters News

Peter Sterne / Politico:

Kelly Bourdet named editor-in-chief of Gizmodo.com, replacing Katie Drummond, who was promoted to Gizmodo Media Group executive managing editor — Kelly Bourdet will be the next editor in chief of Gizmodo.com. Katie Drummond — the former Gizmodo.com editor in chief who was promoted …

Discussion: @itsdavidford, @kellybourdet, @katiedrumm, @adrjeffries and @petersterne

Todd Spangler / Variety:

WSJ: Facebook building video app for Apple TV and other set-top boxes as it ramps up its original programming efforts — Facebook is developing an app for set-top boxes including Apple TV, as a way to bring longer-form video content — and video ads — to big-screen TVs in consumers' living rooms, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Discussion: Fortune, VentureBeat, AppleInsider, Engadget, Business Insider, Wall Street Journal and The Verge

Erik Wemple / Washington Post:

How White House press secretary Sean Spicer continues to target CNN correspondent Jim Acosta and why it matters — Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, made a couple of compelling points last night at a George Washington University event on White House reporting.

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