Top News:
Rosalind S. Helderman / Washington Post:
Longtime Steve Bannon backer Rebekah Mercer issues rebuke distancing family from Bannon, says she's committed to Breitbart News, where she holds minority stake — Stephen K. Bannon's main financial backer is formally cutting ties with the former Trump adviser.
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CNNMoney:
Publisher of Wolff book moves release date to Friday, starting at 9am ET, from previously scheduled Tuesday release date — The publisher of Michael Wolff's new book about President Trump is rushing it onto bookshelves. — “Due to unprecedented demand, we are moving the on-sale date …
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
Profile of Michael Wolff, who has been a columnist, media executive, and biographer of Rupert Murdoch, and who is accustomed to angering the Manhattan elite — Michael Wolff has, for years, been a prime piranha in the Manhattan media pond, using his caustic columns to tear into his lunchmates at Michael's …
Jack Shafer / Politico:
Trump fell for Michael Wolff's skill of sucking up to sources before he tears them down, a decade after Wolff did the same to Murdoch — The president should have known better. Michael Wolff does not mess around. — President Donald Trump could have saved himself a lot of grief if he …
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Washington Post:
Lawyer Charles Harder demands that publisher Henry Holt and Co. cease and desist from publication of Michael Wolff's book on Trump — President Trump on Wednesday castigated his former chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon as a self-aggrandizing political charlatan who has “lost his mind,” …
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Michael Wolff / British GQ:
Wolff book excerpt on the Ailes plans for a new conservative TV network and the media handlers closest to Trump, including Hope Hicks
Discussion:
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Oliver Darcy / CNNMoney:
Source: “hard push” exists to convince Breitbart CEO Larry Solov and Susie Breitbart to fire Steve Bannon; WH press secretary says firing should be considered
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John Santucci / ABC News:
Trump lawyer Charles Harder sends Steve Bannon a letter demanding he refrain from disparaging comments about Trump and his family, claims Bannon breached NDA
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Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Nielsen: 54% of all US music is now streamed, surpassing all formats for the first time; on demand audio hit 400B streams in 2017, up from 252B in 2016 — U.S. album sales declined in 2017 as streaming continues to grow, according to Nielsen's year-end music report released this week.
Discussion:
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Tony Romm / Recode:
FCC releases final text of the order overturning net neutrality and statements from Pai, O'Rielly and Carr in support and Rosenworcel and Clyburn in opposition — It's long! — Roughly a month after the Federal Communications Commission voted to scrap the U.S. government's net neutrality rules …
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Ben Rumsby / Telegraph:
Sources: Amazon considers bidding for UK streaming rights to Premier League matches for 2019-22 in next month's auction, as a possible challenge to Sky and BT — Amazon has held talks over the UK rights to the Premier League ahead of next month's auction, Telegraph Sport can reveal.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, CNBC, Light Reading, MacRumors and Pocket-lint
Sydney Ember / New York Times:
Newsroom employees at The Los Angeles Times were voting Thursday on forming a union that would represent about 380 staffers; results expected January 19 — Newsroom employees at The Los Angeles Times will cast ballots Thursday on whether to form a union, in what they believe …
Discussion:
@melbournecoal, @mattdpearce, @mattdpearce and Splinter
Billboard:
Sources: Jimmy Iovine to leave Apple Music in August, a time believed to coincide with the full vesting of his Apple stock — His planned departure is likely timed to his shares fully vesting, sources tell Billboard. — Look for Jimmy Iovine to leave Apple Music in August.
Discussion:
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Catherine Shu / TechCrunch:
Google invests undisclosed sum in Chinese game streaming firm Chushou, as it seeks ways to enter Chinese market, which has blocked its search engine since 2012 — Google has added Chinese mobile game live streaming platform Chushou to its list of investments in Asia.
Discussion:
Reuters, AndroidHeadlines.com, TechNode and Variety, more at Techmeme »
Juli Clover / MacRumors:
Spotify says it has 70M paying subscribers, up from 60M in late July 2017, as the company prepares for an IPO — Spotify today announced on Twitter that it has hit a new milestone, with the streaming music service reaching a total of 70 million paid subscribers.
Discussion:
VentureBeat, @spotify, The Verge, Forbes, Axios, TechCrunch, Fast Company and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
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