Washington - In a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee's antitrust task force, Sirius Satellite Radio CEO Mel Karmazin on Wednesday told lawmakers that his company would be willing to cap -- and possibly lower -- subscription prices if regulators approve its $13 billion merger with XM Satellite Radio, according to published reports. [more..]

New York - Video rental giant Blockbuster is in advanced negotiations to acquire film download site Movielink for around $50 million in cash and stock, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. [more..]

New York - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive has begun settlement negotiations in a class-action lawsuit over the sexually explicit game content hidden in the code of its popular "Grand Theft Auto" title. [more..]

New York - Verizon Wireless on Thursday launched its live mobile TV service in around 20 markets in the Midwest and Western U.S., offering an initial selection of eight channels for $15 to $25 per month, the Associated Press reported. [more..]

Santa Monica, Calif. - Universal Music Group's Interscope Records announced on Thursday an agreement with director James Cameron, to use new digital technology co-developed by Cameron to produce 3D music videos, concerts, commercials and stage musicals. [more..]

Los Angeles - The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has launched a new website where those targeted with potential copyright infringement lawsuits for using file-sharing networks can apply for settlements at "a substantial discount," and even pay the fee online. [more..]

Las Vegas - Major players in the advertising industry have teamed with online auctions firm eBay to create an electronic exchange for the buying and selling of advertising on national cable TV. [more..]

Los Angeles - News Corp.'s Fox on Thursday announced plans to offer national Fox TV programming on the websites of the company's more than 200 local broadcast network affiliates, boosting traffic from local viewers seeking episodes of shows like "24," "Bones" and "Prison Break." [more..]

Shanghai, China - Chinese media firm Focus Media Holding Ltd. announced on Thursday that it will acquire Allyes, a China-based Internet advertising service company, for up to $300 million in cash and stock. [more..]

London - Richard Branson's Virgin Media U.K. pay-TV service announced on Thursday that it has stopped airing basic channels owned by rival News Corp.'s Sky service, after the companies failed to renegotiate a carriage agreement. [more..]

Seattle - Shelfari, an online social network for avid readers, announced that it has raised an undisclosed sum in its first round of venture capital, led by Amazon.com and several strategic angel investors. [more..]

Brooklyn, N.Y. - Outside.in, a site that aggregates "hyperlocal" websites and blogs for users, has raised $900,000 in its first round of financing, led by Union Square Ventures. [more..]

Emeryville, Calif. - Fliqz, a video-sharing site and provider of video hosting services, announced that it has raised $2.5 million in its second round of venture capital financing, led by Mohr Davidow Ventures. [more..]

San Francisco - Satirical newspaper The Onion plans to launch a new video news production arm in late March that will stream original clips each week produced by a 15-member production team, Wired News reported. The Onion News Network will offer satirical news stories spanning the past 75 years, as well as current events. Videos will be hosted on the company's site, but can also be freely embedded by bloggers and other sites. "We've been waiting for technology to catch up with our frighteningly advanced vision for the future of news," Sean Mills, president of Onion Inc., told Wired News. "That day has finally come." [more..]

Arlington, Va. - In one of its largest Web undertakings ever, PBS said on Thursday that it has launched a major new portal for teachers. The organization said PBS Teachers houses all of PBS's educational resources and services for pre-K-12 teachers. The site provides information on ways to use media and technology in the learning environment, including curriculum resources, video products and online professional development opportunities. "The breadth of content showcased on the site will be valuable to teachers of all grade levels and subject areas," said Mary Kadera, PBS's vice president of education. [more..]

Los Angeles - Electronic Arts announced on Thursday that it has made all music from its past and present video games available for purchase and download from Apple's iTunes Store. Visitors to the company's website can scan its list of tracks from games like "Madden NFL" and "Need for Speed," and be linked directly to iTunes to purchase every track featured, including exclusive mixes, non-album cuts and previously unavailable international tracks. In addition to songs, EA will also make game scores, ringtones and other content available on iTunes. [more..]

Orlando, Fla. - Sony Pictures International announced on Thursday that it has acquired the rights from Ripley Entertainment to distribute online and mobile clips of the TV show "Ripley's Believe It or Not." Sony will distribute both mobisodes and Internet episodes of both the 1980s version of the show hosted by Jack Palance, and the more recent version hosted by Dean Cain. [more..]

Chicago - Clear Channel Radio said on Thursday that it has teamed with cable TV provider Comcast and Music Choice to launch a music video countdown show hosted by local Chicago radio personalities. "Video 6 Pack" will be hosted by Crazy Howard McGee or Tony Sculfield, both of Clear Channel's WGCI-FM, and will be offered on Music Choice's free video-on-demand service for Chicago-area Comcast subscribers. [more..]

San Francisco - Dovetail, a site that distributes independent programming in high-definition and DVD-quality formats, said on Thursday it has partnered with indie music site RIOTTT to make performances from its "Captured: Online Music Festival" available for streaming and HD downloads on Dovetail. The 27-act festival in San Francisco last November showcased underground hip-hop and indie rock acts. [more..]

Agoura Hills, Calif. - THQ said on Thursday that it has signed an exclusive worldwide agreement with Games Workshop, to license to developer's "Warhammer 40,000" franchise through 2013. The deal expands on THQ's previous agreement for consoles and handhelds, adding mobile and online rights to the titles, as well as the same rights for Games Workshops' "Gorkamorka" and "Necromunda" titles. THQ also said its Austin-based Vigil Games studio is in development on the first massively multiplayer online title based on the Warhammer franchise. [more..]

San Mateo, Calif. - Former Electronic Arts developers Bart Besseling and Scott Orr -- also the founder of mobile games firm Sorrent -- on Thursday announced the launch of their new game publishing company, D2C Games. Funded by Rubicon Venture Partners and 755 Capital Partners, the San Mateo, Calif.-based company plans to sell games, as well as episodic digital comic books, direct to consumers. Upcoming releases include "Chalkboard Sports" and "Strange Cases," a multi-format collaboration with comic book writer Steve Niles set to launch as an episodic game in 2008. [more..]

Durham, N.C. - Funcom, a Norway-based online game developer, announced on Thursday that it has received a grant from the Norwegian Film Fund to help finance research and development of "Dreamfall Chapters," a new online-only sequel for the episodic PC game franchise. Funcom, whose other titles include "Anarchy Online," said it also received aid from the Norwegian Film Fund to develop the original "Dreamfall: The Longest Journey." [more..]

San Mateo, Calif. - Mobile game publisher Glu Mobile said on Thursday that it will publish a selection of mobile games and content on Nokia's forthcoming N-Gage mobile games platform. Included in the deal will be original Glu titles such as "Super K.O. Boxing" and "Ancient Empires," as well as mobile versions of titles from Atari, Microsoft, PlayFirst and PopCap Games. [more..]