Daily Marauder

ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Netflix is testing a service that allows users to order high-definition movies from its Blu-ray library for a premium. Blu-ray discs cost 25% more than standard DVD titles, but offer superior definition. Netflix has not announced how much more a subscription including Blu-ray would cost, but Netflix subscribers report paying an additional $1 to $2 per month for the high-definition discs. InformationWeek (8/4)

Rocketboom, the daily video blog, is turning over its distribution and ad sales to Sony Pictures Television in return for a seven-figure guarantee plus a share of revenues. Rocketboom will be distributed on Sony’s Crackle video site, as well as across other Sony platforms such as the PS3, PSP, and Bravia I-Link TVs. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/05/rocketboom-inks-seven-figure-distribution-deal-with-sony 8/5)

Golf fans will be able to find plenty of complementary coverage of this weekend’s PGA Championship on PGA.com, produced by Turner Sports. The site will host 4 channels of content presented in a new wide-screen format (some 224% larger than the previous player,) including a simulcast of the TNT production. The Playercam follows two select groups during the first two days then one group during the weekend. (Cynopsis 8/5)

Tribune’s TV-themed news and listings service Zap2it has created a handy Olympics widget sponsored by Comcast you can post on your profile page to help keep track of what events are on what channel. (Cynopsis 8/5)

Sundance Channel unveiled its latest web series, the 13-part “Eco-Heroes,” hosted and created by environmental activist Majora Carter, host of The Green. In each two-minute webisode Majora interviews one person who has been an inspiration to her and her work. Sundance Channel will also air episodes of the series as an interstitial on Tuesday nights. (Cynopsis 8/5)

Interactive broadcast application provider Jacked completed an integration with Comcast’s Versus to provide complementary programming around the network’s NHL, College Football and NCAA basketball games. The Jacked SportsTop is an online app that synchronizes with live sportscasts allowing users to customize the interface with a variety of widgets including up-to-the-second stats, video highlights, news and interactive features such as live chat and trivia. (Cynopsis 8/5)

The syndicated entertainment news show “Entertainment Tonight” will provide content to the MSN Web portal in a new deal between Microsoft and CBS. As part of the deal, “ET” will begin 24-hour operations to provide round-the-clock updates. Currently, “ET” operates its own Web site, attracting of late a reported 1.7 million monthly unique users. Broadcasting & Cable (8/4)

Disney Interactive Media is acquiring the parenting advice site Raisingkids.co.uk. The site will be added to the Disney Online portfolio, which also includes the recently launched UKfamily.co.uk. Rasingkids claims more than 100,000 registered users. (Iwantmedia 8/5, http://www.nma.co.uk/Articles/39036/Disney+buys+parenting+advice+site.html 8/5)