Daily Marauder

ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA

FX, one of cable’s the most acclaimed producers of original programming on the web, is finally bringing full length episodes of its shows to its web site, reports B&C, including Hulu hit It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and new biker drama Sons of Anarchy. (Cynopsis 8/26)

Shelfari, a social network for bibliophiles, has been acquired by Amazon for an undisclosed amount. Amazon has been a longtime supporter of the Seattle based startup, having invested $1 million in the site in February 2007.  (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/25/amazon-aquires-shelfari-moves-to-corner-social-book-space 8/25)

Last March, Google began inviting a select number of publishers within its AdSense network to test a new hosted advertisement management tool called Google Ad Manager. The search company has now announced that the tool is out of beta and available to all publishers with AdSense accounts. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/26/google-fully-releases-its-hosted-ad-management-system 8/26)

Who is doing a better job of getting his message across on the Web: John McCain or Barack Obama? Conventional wisdom says that it is Obama, whose performance on the Web has been strong since the beginning. And conventional wisdom is still correct when it comes to blogs and social networks. But a new study by Attributor that is being released today shows that McCain is actually leading on mainstream news sites and catching up on blogs, especially as he and his supporters have been increasing their attacks on Obama. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/26/study-blogs-love-obama-news-sites-love-mccain-but-mccain-is-catching-up-by-going-negative 8/26)

In a first for a Viacom-owned basic-cable network, Nickelodeon has signed a deal with Amazon.com that will allow the online retailer to duplicate and deliver a large selection of the network’s content through a DVD-on-demand platform. The agreement, announced Monday, includes hits such asDrake & Joshp; Josh,” “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide” and “Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius.” Broadcasting & Cable (8/25)

MTV Networks’ mtvU has formed a partnership with online-search firm Zvents to create a new fraternity of Web sites spotlighting events and other happenings at 25 colleges and universities. Steven Friedman, general manager of mtvU, said the sites, which launch today, would be “encyclopedic” in their coverage and also would have robust potential for national and local advertisers. Mediaweek (8/26)

The RIAA shut down Muxtape but that doesn’t mean its memory won’t linger on the hearts of those who must share their love of the Hold Steady with the world. Enter OpenTape, an open source package that essentially recreates the Muxtape experience on a personal level. You simply download the application, unpack it on your web server, and then upload songs. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/26/muxtape-reborn-unofficially-as-opentape 8/26)

Building on the strategic partnership formed in March between Microsoft and Move Networks, the ubiquitous software giant will make an undisclosed investment in Web TV provider Move Networks. The fruits of the companies’ work together thus far are being showcased at this week’s Democratic National Convention, where Democrats are streaming coverage on their site using the duo’s technology. CNET (8/25)