TV

Sony to Launch Online Entertainment Store in 2010

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 20, 2009 - 11:23am.
Tokyo - Sony (NYSE: SNE) announced plans on Friday to launch a new online store next year that will sell books, music and movies next year, and deliver content to networked televisions and other devices. The company did not provide many details about the "Sony Online Service," as it is tentatively being called, but is expected to be positioned as a competitor to Apple's iTunes Store.

The Pirate Bay Permanently Shutters File-Sharing Tracker

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 17, 2009 - 8:41am.
Stockholm, Sweden - Marking "the end of an era," the operators of file-sharing hub The Pirate Bay on Tuesday shut down their BitTorrent tracker, which grew over six years to become the largest hub for finding copyrighted materials for download in the world, TorrentFreak reported. "Now that the decentralized system for finding peers is so well developed, TPB has decided that there is no need to run a tracker anymore, so it will remain down! It's the end of an era, but the era is no longer up2date," the Pirate Bay wrote on its blog. "We have put a server in a museum already, and now the tracking can be put there as well."

YouTube Direct Aims to Connect Citizens, Journalists

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 17, 2009 - 12:28pm.
San Bruno, Calif. - Google's (NASD: GOOG) YouTube on Tuesday introduced YouTube Direct, a new application that aims to place citizen journalism videos in front of media organizations for potential rebroadcast. Users can upload newsworthy videos directly to the application. YouTube said outlets including ABC News, Huffington Post, NPR, Politico and the Washington Post are already using the application to source news video.

Cox, NBC Universal Trial Dynamic VOD Ads

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 17, 2009 - 12:27pm.
Atlanta - Cable TV provider Cox Communications and NBC Universal (NYSE: GE) on Tuesday announced a trial of dynamic advertising on Cox's video-on-demand service. The trial will see different ads rotated into on-demand prime-time programs including NBC's "The Office" and USA's "Monk." Up to four ads or promos will be served to viewers at the beginning, as well as within the program.

PBS, NPR Stations Debut Forum Network Lecture Site

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 17, 2009 - 12:26pm.
Boston - PBS, NPR and WGBH on Tuesday re-launched the Forum Network, a national digital media lecture service and website that provides free educational content featuring thinkers, scientists, policymakers, artists, authors and community leaders. The site began as part of Boston's WGBH, but through funding from PBS, NPR, CPB and the Lowell Institute, was re-launched as a national platform.

tags: Video | TV | PBS | NPR | CPB | WGBH | Forum Network |

YouTube Inks Deal to Add Univision Spanish-language Content

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 16, 2009 - 1:20pm.
San Bruno, Calif. - Google's (NASD: GOOG) YouTube on Monday announced an agreement to add content from U.S. Spanish-language broadcaster Univision to its site. The deal includes full-length content from Univision's three networks -- Univision, TeleFutura and Galavision -- as well as footage from celebrity interviews and special events.

tags: Video | TV | Univision | Google | YouTube |

Report: Despite Economy, Entertainment Subscriptions Hold Up

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 16, 2009 - 12:48pm.
Port Washington, N.Y. - While fewer Americans subscribe to newspapers and magazines, the subscription model continues to either maintain popularity or grow in areas including television, music, games and mobile services, according to a report from market research firm NPD Group.

Microsoft to Launch Zune Brand Outside U.S. Next Year

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 16, 2009 - 12:22pm.
London - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) plans to launch its Zune entertainment distribution brand outside the U.S. next year, the Financial Times reported.
tags: Video | TV | Music | Microsoft | Movies | Retail | Zune |

NBC Universal Among Authors of Verizon Copyright Letters

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 16, 2009 - 12:05pm.
San Francisco - NBC Universal (NYSE: GE) is among the studios on whose behalf Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is sending its ISP subscribers notices that they are suspected of violating copyrights on filesharing networks, CNET News.com reported, citing multiple unnamed sources. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) was reported last week to have engaged Verizon to deliver copyright letters on its behalf; an undisclosed number of other studios and copyright owners have made similar requests.

Sezmi Raises $25 Million, Launches Personalized TV Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 16, 2009 - 9:45am.
Belmont, Calif. - Sezmi, the developer of a TV service that combines traditional TV content, movies and Internet video, announced on Monday that it has raised $25 million in new funding, and launched a pilot of its service in Los Angeles.

Qualcomm's FLO TV Ships Personal Television Device

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 13, 2009 - 11:34am.
San Diego - Qualcomm's (NASD: QCOM) FLO TV unit on Friday began selling its new FLO TV Personal Television device, which features a 3.5-inch screen and delivers live and time-shifted TV programming on the go. The device is selling for $249, which includes a six-month subscription to FLO TV programming, at stores including Best Buy, RadioShack and Amazon.com.

Boxee to Release Branded Set-top Box in 2010

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 12, 2009 - 11:05am.
New York - Boxee, a developer of set-top box software that can deliver Web video and audio content to a television, plans to launch its own Boxee-branded set-top box. The company said in a blog post that it plans to show mockups of the box at an event in New York on Dec. 7, while telling PaidContent that it hopes to launch the device in the first half of 2010.

tags: Video | TV | Boxee |

Yidio Gets Angel Funding for Online Video Index

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 12, 2009 - 8:20am.
San Diego - Yidio, an aggregator of online video that claims a library of over 300,000 TV episodes and 30,000 movies, announced on Thursday that it has raised in the neighborhood of $500,000 in angel funding, NewTeeVee reported.
tags: Deals | VC | Video | TV | Movies | Alan Warms | Yidio |

NBA TV Companion Application to Offer Real-Time Web Extras

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 11, 2009 - 2:37pm.
Los Angeles - The National Basketball Association (NBA) has introduced a new two-screen interactive TV application, designed for fans watching live NBA games on TV who are interested in additional real-time content on their computers. The NBA TV Companion will offer real-time stats; breaking news; play-by-play analysis; and 3D shot charts. Other features include social networking integration; live chat with fans, personnel and on-air talent; and special halftime and postgame reports. The NBA said it will offer versions of the application for every team and every national broadcaster.

Current Media Lays Off 80, Shifts to More Outsourced Content

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 11, 2009 - 10:04am.
San Francisco - Current Media, the pay-TV and Web video news outlet co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore, announced on Wednesday that it has laid off 80 employees, and will shift away from short-form and daily in-house production to "proven 30-60 minute formats from a multitude of sources, including acquisitions, co-productions, outside studios, as well as Current developed and produced content." San Francisco-based Current said in a statement that the layoffs did not result from a need to cut costs, as the company "will have its most profitable year," but are about "re-allocating resources in order to put further emphasis on areas of the business believed to best position Current Media for continued long-term growth."

Discovery Launches Online News Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 9, 2009 - 11:48am.
Silver Spring, Md. - Cable TV programmer Discovery Communications said on Monday that it has launched a dedicated website for its Discovery News service at DiscoveryNews.com. The company also has launched a Discovery News App for the iPhone and iPod touch. Discovery News produces breaking news, in-depth coverage and analysis of developments in technology, space and earth sciences.

WSJ: Comcast, GE Agree on $30 Billion NBCU Valuation

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 9, 2009 - 8:55am.
New York - Comcast (NASD: CMCSA), the nation's largest cable TV provider, has agreed with General Electric (NYSE: GE) on a valuation of $30 billion for NBC Universal, the film and television company it is seeking to acquire, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The sources told The Journal that the two companies "are now ironing out the final details of an agreement...which could come as early as the end of this week."

Sling Media Founder Backs Web TV Index Clicker

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 5, 2009 - 8:40am.
Los Angeles - Clicker, an index of TV shows and other video available online, has received an investment from Sling Media founder and former CEO Blake Krikorian, who has also taken a seat on the company's board.

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Hulu Provides Schedule of Upcoming TV Episode Releases

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 3, 2009 - 10:31am.
Los Angeles - Hulu, the online video joint venture between News Corp. (NYSE: NWS), NBC Universal (NYSE: GE) and Disney (NYSE: DIS), has launched a new feature that will let users know when new episodes of TV shows are scheduled to become available on the site. The new Coming Soon feature will offer a weekly schedule of when shows from ABC, NBC ad Fox are slated to go live on Hulu after their broadcast premieres.