London - CBS (NYSE: CBS) has given notorious Sweden-based file-sharing hub The Pirate Bay authorization to use the Last.fm API on its site, which will provide information on artists and songs to users searching the site for free downloads, The Register reports. A Last.fm spokesman told The Register that it will not seek to endorse The Pirate Bay, but has no control over who uses the API, and that to block The Pirate Bay wouldn't be "in the spirit" of the API.

New York - The Metropolitan Opera this announced a deal with cable VOD provider In Demand Networks, to offer all 8 performances from the series of high-definition broadcasts it is offering in movie theaters. Beginning in January, the series of HD broadcasts beamed to movie theaters will also be available to cable and satellite TV subscribers with In Demand within 30 days of their theatrical releases.

London - Digital music retailer 7digital said on Friday that its IndieStore.com service has partnered with Sub.tv to give artists who use the store the opportunity to record a live studio session that will be broadcast on Sub.tv and over the company's network of screens placed in 100 U.K. universities. One IndieStore.com artist each month will be invited to film a live session with Sub.tv.

New York - The Orchard, a digital distributor of independent music and video, said this week that it has signed a deal to distribute the catalog of Vee-Jay, a label that made early recordings of artists including Little Richard, Jimmy Reed, The Staple Singers and John Lee Hooker.

Tokyo - Sony's PlayStation 3 outsold rival Nintnedo's Wii console in Japan for the first time this month, Reuters reported, citing sales data compiled by Japan's Enterbrain.

New York - Viacom's (NYSE: VIA) MTV Networks has announced plans to make every episode of its Comedy Central network's "South Park" animated series available online for free streaming, Reuters reports.

Palo Alto, Calif. - Responding to user feedback and criticism from public policy groups including MoveOn.org, the Facebook online social network late on Thursday announced changes to its Beacon service, which will now require users to click "OK" before news of their recent purchases from partner retailers are announced to their friends on the service.

Motorola CEO Ed Zander will resign from his post at the end of the year, the company announced Friday.  Greg Brown, Motorola's chief operating officer and president, will take over as the company's CEO. Brown was also appointed to the Motorola board in July.  Zander, who has struggled to right the cell phone maker and successfully fought off a proxy fight with billionaire investor Carl Icahn earlier this year, will continue as board chairman until the end of his term next year.

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New York - A federal appeals court has overturned an agreement between freelance writers and publishers over compensation for works reproduced electronically, saying that the court has no jurisdiction in the matter, The New York Times reported.

Washington - Ending months of speculation, Google (NASD: GOOG) on Friday announced that it will take part in the Federal Communications Commission's upcoming wireless spectrum auction -- a move that could eventually put the company in position to begin offering wireless phone and Internet services.

London - Terra Firm, the private equity firm that acquired major record label EMI for $4.7 billion, is close to selling a 15% equity stake in the company for about $513 million, the Times Online reports.

New York - Online social network Facebook has received a $60 million investment from Li Ka-shing, the Hong Kong billionaire and chairman of network operator Hutchison Whampoa and Chinese portal Tom Online, AllThingsD reports. Li Ka-shing, who ranked 9th on Forbes' 2007 World's Billionaires list, also has an option to invest another $60 million in the company.

San Francisco - AdBrite, a provider of online advertising services, announced on Friday that it has raised $23 million in its third round of venture capital financing, from Sequoia Capital, DAG Ventures and Mitsui Ventures.

• Motorola CEO Ed Zander to step down (Reuters)

• So Google Will Bid For Spectrum. Will It Play To Win? (GigaOM)

• Impact by Hollywood writers' strike overestimated: economist (ContentAgenda)

• Media CEOs are Facebook and BlackBerry users (Reuters)

• AdBrite Takes In Another $23 Million (TechCrunch)

• U.S. slump casts pall over media, entertainment (Reuters)

• AOL, Netflix and the end of open access to research data (CNET)

• Sony adds VOD to PS3 (Variety)

• Analysis: new NBC deal with Netflix adds to confusing list of TV offerings (Ars Technica)

• Britney Spears Wants You to Direct Her Next Music Video (People)

MTV will launch the “Britney Spears Wants a Piece of You” contest on Monday, asking fans to create a new video for her single “Piece of Me” from the album Blackout. Using MTV’s Video Remixer, the network will release footage of Spears “including interviews, red-carpet appearances and performances.”