Archives

Report: Head of MySpace China Resigns

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 1:26pm.
New York - Luo Chan, the CEO of MySpace China, is resigning after just over a year on the job, The New York Times reports, citing people briefed on the matter. MySpace parent News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) announced plans last April to launch a version of the online social network in China. A spokeswoman for MySpace China declined to comment for the times on the reasons behind Chan's departure.

 

tags: Social Networking | MySpace | Moves | News Corp. |

Report: Universal to Help Finance Digital Cinema Deployment

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 1:24pm.
Los Angeles - GE's (NYSE: GE) Universal Pictures will join News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox and Viacom's Paramount Pictures in helping to finance the deployment of digital cinema projection systems in movie theaters, The Wall Street Journal reported. The deal with Digital Cinema Implementation Partners (DCIP) -- whose Regal Entertainment, Cinemark and AMC operate a combined 14,000 screens -- is expected to be announced this week, people close to the situation told The Journal.

 

tags: Digital Cinema | Movies | DCIP | Unviersal Pictures |

Zune Update to Add Wi-Fi Song Purchases, FM Tagging

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 1:23pm.
Redmond, Wash. - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) said on Monday that next week it will update its Zune media player software so that users can wirelessly download or stream songs from Wi-Fi hotspots, as well as tag and purchase songs directly from the built-in FM radio. Zune owners will also be able to log into the Zune Marketplace and find personalized music recommendations based on their own preferences. Microsoft further added 16GB and 120GB capacity Zunes, in addition to a range of new color schemes.

 

tags: Music | Microsoft | Zune |

MySpace, TheWB.com to Host "Sorority Forever" Web Series

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 1:21pm.
Los Angeles - News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) MySpace said on Monday that it has partnered with Warner Bros. Television Group to promote and co-host its new original Web series "Sorority Forever," created by director and producer McG ("Terminator Salvation," "The O.C."). Episodes of Sorority Forever, which debuted today and will be posted each weekday, will be made available exclusively on MySpaceTV and TheWB.com for 24 hours before being syndicated to TheWB.com's distribution partners. MySpace will also add a host of new branded channels for Warner Bros. shows to MySpaceTV, including "The O.C.," "Smallville," "Gilmore Girls" and "Growing Pains."

tags: Video | TV | MySpace | Webisodes | TheWB.com | Sorority Forever |

Judge: "Harry Potter Lexicon" Infringes Rowling's Copyrights

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 12:09pm.
New York - A federal judge on Monday sided with J.K. Rowling in a copyright suit filed by the "Harry Potter" author and Warner Bros. Entertainment (NYSE: TWX) against the creator of the "Harry Potter Lexicon," an online encyclopedia related to the novels that was due to be published in print form, the Associated Press reports. "I took no pleasure at all in bringing legal action and am delighted that this issue has been resolved favourably," Rowling said in a statement.
tags: Law | Lawsuits | Copyright | Fair Use | Publishing | Books | Harry Potter | J.K. Rowling | Harry Potter Lexicon |

CBS Sues NFL Players' Union Over Fantasy Football Licensing

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 11:40am.
Minneapolis - CBS (NYSE: CBS) last week filed a lawsuit against the NFL Players Association, asking a federal judge to clarify usage rights for the statistics used in fantasy football leagues, the Associated Press reported.
tags: Sports | Law | Lawsuits | Fantasy Sports | TV | NFL | CBS | NFL Players Association |

P2P Site Isohunt Sues Canadian Record Industry Association

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 11:38am.
Los Angeles - Canada-based BitTorrent tracker site Isohunt has filed suit against the Canadian Record Industry Association (CRIA), asking a judge to declare that its service does not infringe copyrights, TorrentFreak reports.
tags: Law | Lawsuits | P2P | Music | MPAA | Copyright | BitTorrent | CRIA | Isohunt |

HBOlab Taps Web Video Stars for Webisode Series "Hooking Up"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 10:21am.
Los Angeles - Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) digital production studio HBOlab is set to launch a new online series next month, "Hooking Up," which will feature a number of Internet celebrities, including "Lonelygirl15" Jessica Rose and video bloggers sxePhil and KevJumba, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
tags: Video | Advertising | TV | Time Warner | Webisodes | HBO | Lonelygirl15 | HBOlab | Hooking Up |

Analysis: Virtual Worlds Expo and Live! On Sunset

Authored by Jay Baage on September 8, 2008 - 9:57am.

Two signs of the changing face of media and entertainment struck me last week. First I attended the Virtual Worlds Expo at the LA Convention Center and then I happened to drop by a new store on Sunset Boulevard called "Live! On Sunset" in the building that used to house the Tower Records store.

tags: Games | Music | Disney | Retail | Virtual Worlds | Virtual Worlds Management | Live! on Sunset |

CBS Offers Live Stream of Rain-Delayed U.S. Open Final Today

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 9:44am.
New York - CBS (NYSE: CBS) has announced that it will make the rain-delayed U.S. Open tennis men's final match between Roger Federer and Andy Murray available via a free, live stream online in all territories PaidContent reports.
tags: Sports | Video | TV | CBS | Webcasting | U.S. Open |

RealNetworks' $49 RealDVD Saves DVDs to a PC Hard Drive

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 8:30am.
San Diego - RealNetworks (NASD: RNWK) on Monday introduced RealDVD, a $49 PC application that lets users save DVDs on a hard drive "without removing or altering the CSS encryption" anti-copying technology.
tags: Movies | DVD | RealNetworks | DRM | RealDVD |

Advertiser Trade Group Opposes Google-Yahoo Search Deal

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 8:14am.
Washington - The Association of National Advertisers (ANA), a trade group of more than 400 companies that collectively spend over $100 billion on marketing and advertising, announced over the weekend that it has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice opposing the search advertising partnership proposed by Google (NASD: GOOG) and Yahoo (NASD: YHOO). ANA members include Disney, IBM, Nokia, Verizon, GE, GM and Wal-Mart.
tags: Deals | Advertising | Law | Policy | Yahoo | Search | Google | Association of National Advertisers | DOF |

Association of National Advertisers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 8:13am.
Association of National Advertisers

Pay-TV Content Security Firm Verimatrix Gets Investment

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 7:32am.
San Diego - Verimatrix, a provider of software-based content security technology for pay-TV networks, said on Monday that it has received an additional investment from SunAmerica Ventures for its recently announced third round of funding, which was led by Goldman Sachs.
tags: Deals | Video | Piracy | TV | IPTV | Verimatrix | Investments | SunAmerica Ventures |

Online Sports Ad Network Sportgenic Secures $10 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 7:21am.
San Francisco - Sportgenic, an online advertising network for sports-related sites, announced on Monday that it has closed a $10 million second round of venture capital financing, led by Adams Street Partners.
tags: Deals | Sports | VC | Advertising | Greycroft Partners | Alsop Louie Partners | Adams Street Partners | KPG Ventures | Sportgenic |

BitGravity Gets $11.5 Million, Launches CDN for India's Tata

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 7:15am.
Burlingame, Calif. - BitGravity, a provider of content delivery network services for interactive broadcasting, announced on Monday that it has received an $11.5 million investment from Tata Communications, an India-based telecommunications firm.
tags: Deals | Video | India | Investments | CDN | BitGravity | Tata Communications |

Miniweb Lands $32 Million for Interactive TV Technology

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2008 - 7:06am.
London - Miniweb, a developer of interactive TV technology, announced on Monday that it has landed $32 million in new funding, led by Meritage Funds and DeGeorge Holdings III.
tags: Deals | VC | Advertising | TV | Interactive TV | Meritage Funds | Miniweb | DeGeorge Holdings III |