Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
No more ad-free episodes of “The Office” for $1.99 each. As promised, NBC is removing all its content from the iTunes Store after its contract with Apple expired. Its shows will also be available on other platforms, including Hulu.com, the joint venture with News Corp. (http://apple20.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2007/12/03/nbc-pulls-its-tv-shows-from-apple-itunes/ 12/3)
Mourn the loss. NBC used to live right below National Geographic on the iTunes UI. I’m humming a dirge at my desk as we speak. Anyone want to make a bet on whether NBC returns to iTunes?
News Corp.’s MySpace is starting a program allowing musicians to choose a studio and select songs to perform. MySpace will show and sell videos of the performance. It could be perceived as an Internet variation of the series “MTV Unplugged,” but with a revenue stream built in. (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/technology/04myspace.html?_r=1&oref=slogin 12/4)
Currently, the only artist available on the site is James Blunt. Users can watch interviews and listen to live in-studio recordings. 5 tracks are currently available for purchase through a partnership with Lala.com. An interesting start but I’d love to see this be a bit more interactive somewhat akin to what happens in the Myspace.com political debate series. In this case, users could have the chance to additional pose their own questions to their favorite artists. Not: Instant chats. Hot: interactive video.
Last night, John McCain participated in the MySpace/MTV Presidential Dialogue series. The interactive debate was held Monday, Dec. 3 at 7 pm ET.
News Corp.’s Twentieth Century Fox studio is in talks with Apple to distribute new and back catalog movies via iTunes, reports Pali Capital’s Rich Greenfield, with a deal expected to be concluded by early next year. So far Disney is the only major Hollywood studio to utilize the platform for day and date releases with Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM distributing some catalog titles.
Six weeks after rolling out a preliminary version of NBC Universal’s Web video portal, company CEO Jeff Zucker describes the response to Hulu.com so far as “fantastic.” He adds: “Advertisers tell us they’re looking for a place to have commercials run in a safe environment.” (http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=72040 12/4)
AOL has relaunched its African American-themed Black Voices site with an increased focus on news, editorial content and community features. The site ranked #1 among Black-targeted sites in terms of unique users in October, according to ComScore Media Metrix, averaging 4.3 million uniques for the month.
News Corp. is said to be acquiring Beliefnet.com, a spirituality-based Web site that attracts some 3 million unique visitors a month. Beliefnet last month launched a beta social networking portal aimed at religious devotees, spiritual leaders and faith-based groups. (http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/breaking_news/news_corp_buys_beliefnetcom_72137.asp 12/3)
Disney’s Internet division is acquiring iParenting Media, in a deal intended to add to its line-up of family-targeted Web sites. IParenting.com offers articles, message boards and product reviews. “IParenting has built a strong, trusted reputation,” says Paul Yanover of Disney Online. (http://www.smartmoney.com/bn/ON/index.cfm?story=ON-20071204-000200-0631 12/4)
CBS signed a deal with Delivery Agent to make show-related merchandise worn or used by characters in CBS primetime shows available on SeenON.com. “Shopisodes” for CSI, CSI Miami, Amazing Race, How I Met Your Mother and Survivor: China are planned. Video clips enable the user to click directly on products that can then be purchased directly from the site. CBS has also completed a redesign of its retail site CBSstore.com.
ESPN is announcing plans for new Web sites that will broadcast sporting events and game scores. ESPN360.com allows users to watch six different sporting events at the same time. The new ScoreCenter.com plans to offer 23 different sports scores by mid-2008. (http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071203/walt_disney_conference.html 12/3)
New developments on the digital music scene — including a recent one-year download promotion deal between Pepsi and Amazon and Wal-Mart’s requirement that major labels supply the company’s Web site with MP3s — is putting pressure on Warner Music Group and Sony BMG Music Entertainment to hop on the MP3 bandwagon. Universal Music Group began allowing the sale of a majority of its catalog in MP3s in August, and sources say the powerhouse company will likely embrace the format permanently. (Yahoo! 12/3)
Cross platform communications and marketing firm Real Time Matrix introduced a new online marketing tool called Vortex, linking brands with relevant content via a customizable desktop console. The player embeds video, audio or text based ads alongside news, sports, entertainment and lifestyle content. Major League Soccer and Social Media Today have deployed the tool so far.
Correction from yesterday:
Facebook received $60 million in investment capital from Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, according to The Wall Street Journal’s All Things D blog. Li is making the investment from an entity separate from Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd. and Hutchinson Whampoa Ltd., two of Asia’s largest holding companies.
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