Daily Marauder

ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
To encourage customers who may prefer digital downloads vs. hard copies, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is shipping the DVD and Blu-ray of Pineapple Express with a code consumers can redeem on iTunes for a free digital copy of the film. While some previous SPHE titles have included digital copies playable on a PC or PSP, Pineapple Express marks the first release to include a download on iTunes, viewable on the ubiquitous iPod device. (Cynopsis 11/11)

Sesame Street is following young kids to digital platforms. The non-profit educational programmer announced new distribution points on iTunes, YouTube and Hulu: Twelve full-length episodes from Sesame Street’s record 35th season are now available on iTunes for $1.99/each; the show’s YouTube channel offers more than 100 clips; and a new channel on Hulu also offer 100+ clips including over 30 celebrity segments. In addition, the Workshop was awarded a Google Grant – a donation program awarding free AdWords advertising to select charitable organizations. When Google users search on keywords related to Sesame Workshop an ad will appear next to relevant search results. (Cynopsis 11/11)

“American Idol” producer FremantleMedia plans to produce programs to be shown exclusively on YouTube and to split the revenues with the Google video-sharing site. (Iwantmedia 11/11, http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE4A957620081110 11/10)

MGM entered into a deal with YouTube to stream full-length TV shows and films from its catalog in exchange for ad revenue generated from the content. The first of several planned channels is Impact, featuring action films that Comcast has been rotating on its VOD service including Bulletproof Monk, Ronin and The Magnificent Seven, along with vintage shows such as American Gladiators. Part of the appeal for MGM is to provide a repository users can upload copyrighted clips to, which the studio can, for once, benefit from financially. (Cynopsis 11/11)

With magazines, radio shows, online video and good-old TV, ESPN has done a masterly job of exporting its brand to as many media vehicles as possible. Now the company is stepping into the arena of original Web series with “Mayne Street,” which stars “SportsCenter” anchor Kenny Mayne. Advertising Age (11/10)

News Corp.’s MySpace has introduced Profile 2.0, allowing users to take control of several aspects of their presence on the online social network. A new drag-and-drop interface lets members rearrange entire profile modules in just about any way they please. (Iwantmedia 11/11, http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2008/11/10/myspace-launches-new-profile-options 11/10)

Facebook is testing a new ad format called “engagement ads” that blurs the line between marketing and social networking. The new ads prompt a user to do something within the ad. If the user completes the action, Facebook shares a notice about what the user has done with their “friends.” (Iwantmedia 11/11, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122637098500816351.html 11/11)

Google is adding voice and video chat to Gmail today, all in one fell swoop. When you are having an instant message conversation with someone over Gtalk, a video and voice option will appear (after you download this plugin). (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/11/google-adds-voice-and-video-chat-to-gmail 11/11)

When she wasn’t busy helping to elect a president or deciding on the fate of her syndicated show, Oprah found time to lend her name to a theOprahstore.com, a digital version of her outlet for Harpo Studios-branded apparel and other goodies. (Cynopsis 11/11)

London based uberVU is about to launch a discussion-tracking product that will aggregate comments, Twitters, FriendFeed comments, trackbacks and other information about any URL (like a blog post) on the Internet. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/11/backtype-to-clean-up-the-blogtwitterfriendfeed-conversation-mess 11/11)

Dish Network announced an agreement with INVIDI Technologies to use the company’s Advatar technology to deliver addressable, targeted national and local television advertising to subscribers. Dish’s more advanced receivers support targeted advertising delivery, dynamic commercial insertion and reporting on broadcast television and cable networks. (Cynopsis 11/11)

British Sky Broadcasting is launching a service that will allow people to pay for and watch its satellite television content online, even if they are not subscribers. Opening up the online service is said to underscore former CEO James Murdoch’s mantra that “content is king.” (Iwantmedia 11/11, http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/sky-to-offer-content-to-online-subscribers-483387 11/10)