Philadelphia - Comcast (NASD: CMCSA), the nation's largest cable TV service and a leading provider of broadband access, has signed a deal to acquire social networking service Plaxo, according to a post on the Plaxo blog. While financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, TechCrunch reports that the purchase price was around $175 million.

San Bruno, Calif. - Google's (NASD: GOOG) YouTube has introduced a new advertising product called "buzz targeting," which allows advertisers to target videos that are expected to "go viral." The company created an algorithm that "determines which YouTube partner videos are quickly becoming popular on the site and about to go viral. The algorithm looks at several factors, such as acceleration of views, favorites, and ratings activity, and then allows advertisers to target their ads specifically to these videos on YouTube."

Los Angeles - Charter Communications (NASD: CHTR), a provider of cable TV services that also counts 2.7 million high-speed Internet customers, plans to test a targeted advertising system that would track some of its subscribers' Web surfing in order to serve them more tailored ads, according to BroadbandReports. The company has partnered with NebuAD to build subscriber behavioral profiles and then sell them to third-party ad networks.

San Antonio, Texas - Radio broadcaster Clear Channel (NYSE: CCU) has announced its sale to private equity firms Bain Capital Partners and Thomas H. Lee Partners, for $17.9 billion or $36 per share -- ending litigation between Clear Channel, the private equity firms and a consortium of banks funding the deal. The original value of the deal was $39.20 per share in October 2007, but the banks involved later got cold feet in light of the current credit climate, and the private equity firms sued to enforce the agreement.

London - U.K.-based major record label EMI, which under new owner, Guy Hands' Terra Firma, has already announced 1,500 to 2,000 layoffs at its recorded music division, now plans to eliminate an additional up to 1,000 positions, bringing the company's total headcount from around 4,500 to 2,000, The Telegraph reported, citing sources.

Cupertino, Calif. - Apple (NASD: AAPL) has signed deals with Singapore's Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) to launch the iPhone in Singapore, India, Philippines and Australia later this year. In related news, Apple said its online stores in the U.S. and U.K. are sold out of the iPhone -- although retail stores still hold stock -- likely an inventory sell-off making room for the expected launch of the next-generation iPhone.

London - In a sign that the companies may be resolving their dispute over TV show pricing at Apple's (NASD: AAPL) iTunes Store that led NBC (NYSE: GE) to remove its programs late last year, five NBC shows are now available for purchase from the U.K. version of the iTunes Store, Macworld.com reported. The series -- "Heroes," "House," "The Incredible Hulk," "Eureka" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" -- are all produced by Universal Media Studios, and notably feature variable pricing -- one of the sticking points in failed negotiations in the U.S.

New York - Apple (NASD: AAPL) will soon announce a new deal with Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) HBO that will bring TV episodes to its iTunes Store under a new, separate pricing structure from other partners, Portfolio.com reported, citing HBO employees involved in executing the agreement.

Bethpage, N.Y. - Cablevision (NYSE: CVC), a provider of cable TV and broadband services in the New York area, announced on Monday that it will acquire a 97% stake in Newsday Media Group from media company Tribune (NYSE: TXA) for $650 million. Tribune will retain a 3% stake in the company. Cablevision's winning bid beat out other suitors that included News Corp. (NYSE: NWS), which withdrew its $580 million bid on Saturday, and New York Daily News owner Mort Zuckerman.