Video: Slick New Viewing Guide Clicker.TV Gets Star Turn At Google I/O
For the second week, one of the most interesting new content apps I’ve seen isn’t actually content — it’s about how to reach the video cont… Read more »
Playdom’s Latest Acquisition: Acclaim Games
Playdom continues to spend the $43 million it raised in its first round of funding in November: The social game maker is buying Acclaim Game… Read more »
Spotify Halves Subscription Cost As Competitors Gather
photo: Spotify
Spotify is slashing the cost of its advert-free music streaming in Europe, in a bid to win more paying customers besides just mobile users.… Read more »
FCC’s Genachowski: We’re At The ‘Pre-Beginning’ With Third Way
Facing a tough crowd at the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) Theater in LA this morning, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski tried to convince cablers his week… Read more »
Why Comcast’s ‘Xfinity Remote’ Could Be More Than Just Another App
I like to think I’m past the point of raving about something just because it is an app — and I’m not planning to rave here about the still-… Read more »
Comcast’s Roberts Demos New ‘Xfinity Remote’ App
Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) is prepping an Xfinity Remote app that will connect with subscribers set-top box. Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts showe… Read more »
Brian Roberts’ Regret: Didn’t Go For Content Early Enough
A couple of decades ago, John Hendricks offered Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) serious equity in the new Discovery channel. The cable operator said n… Read more »
Updated: Playboy Plans Free, Safe-For-Work Site
Playboy (NYSE: PLA) is planning a mix of new sites that it hopes will appeal to a variety of readers and advertisers, company execs said dur… Read more »
Playboy Slims Losses On Cost Cuts, As Rev Declines Continue
No one expected that Playboy (NYSE: PLA) CEO Scott Flanders would have an easy time in his first year on the job. But the media company appe… Read more »
Playboy Hires Peacock Equity’s Paul Lee To Head Digital Ventures
Although talks of selling Playboy Enterprises (NYSE: PLA) has cooled over the past few months, it looks like the company is looking at doing… Read more »
Comcast’s Roberts: Q1 ‘Real Turnaround’ In Advertising; Hopeful’ About NBCU
photo: Comcast
For the first time in two years, Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) is reporting a positive quarter for advertising. “We’re not entirely out of the woods… Read more »
Spotify Targets iTunes, All-Comers With Social And MP3 Features
Spotify spent most of its first year saying it would refrain from adding “social” features and concentrate on just serving music. But the ic… Read more »
FCC Stops The Comcast-NBCU Clock, Wants More Info; Opponents Get More Time
photo: Corbis / Tetra
Critics of the NBC Universal-Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) merger who wanted the Federal Communications Commission to extend the response deadline p… Read more »
Comcast COO Burke Snags $34 Million In 2009 Compensation
photo: Corbis
Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) COO Steve Burke, who will assume responsibility for running the Philadelphia MSO’s vast content assets after its NBC U… Read more »
Updated: Court’s Ruling Puts Net Neutrality In Jeopardy
photo: AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac
A federal court has determined that the FCC does not have the authority to enforce so-called net neutrality rules, which requires broadband… Read more »
Playdom Buys Three Melons To Expand Abroad
Social gaming startup Playdom is continuing with its shopping spree, making its fifth investment since raising $43 million in a first round… Read more »
Long-Time Plaxo CEO Golub Leaves
Ben Golub, the long-time CEO of Plaxo who oversaw the social networker’s sale to Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) two years ago, is leaving the company… Read more »
Blockbuster To Get New Warner Bros DVDs Four Weeks Before Netflix/Redbox
This surely isn’t the four weeks of Advent, but nevermind, at least Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) gets some breathing space it desperately needs.… Read more »
Brian Roberts: Comcast Won’t Discriminate Against Competitor’s Web Programming
Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) Chairman Brian Roberts and NBCU President Jeff Zucker have responded to a host of follow-up questions from Senate Judi… Read more »
Comcast Buys A Blog To Add To Its List of Philadelphia Sports Properties
photo: Corbis / Richard Cummins
Comcast’s domination of sports in its headquarters city of Philadelphia now extends to the local sports blogosphere. Regional sports network… Read more »
@ SxSWi: Spotify CEO Ek Says Spotify Passes 320,000 Paid Subs But Mum On U.S. Date
photo: Spotify
If you were hoping that Spotify CEO Daniel Ek would use his South by Southwest Interactive keynote to announce a launch date for the U.S., n… Read more »
Playdom Buys ‘Super Farkle’ Developer Offbeat Creations
Playdom, which said it would use some of its recent $43 million funding round for acquisitions, is following through on that pledge. The soc… Read more »
Rovi Pulls Out Of GuideWorks Venture With Comcast
Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) has become the sole owner of interactive program guide firm GuideWorks, as Rovi announced Monday that it has exited th… Read more »
Comcast’s iPhone App Now Lets You Record On-The-Go; BlackBerry App Next
Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) has updated its mobile application for the iPhone and iPod Touch to enable customers to update their DVR settings remo… Read more »
Cablevision Sees Alternative Path To Entering The Wireless Market
Cable operators are looking for ways to enter the wireless business as consumers disconnect their landline phones in favor of cell phones, a… Read more »
Updated: NBC Likely To Make Men’s USA-FIN Hockey Semi Open Access Online
photo: NBCOlympics.com
U.S. hockey fans needed a pay video subscription to watch the USA-CAN women’s gold medal game online but the men’s victory over Switzerland… Read more »
Sony’s Hesse More Positive on Spotify’s US Chances
photo: Flickr/ TheStalwart
At the Digital Music Forum East in New York today, Thomas Hesse, President of Global Digital Bus., US Sales & Corp. Strategy at Sony (NYSE:… Read more »
Spotify Reportedly Raises New Funding From Founders Fund For U.S. Expansion
photo: Spotify
Spotify has reportedly raised further venture funding from Facebook and Friendster backer Founders Fund, for U.S. expansion. The company won… Read more »
Warner Bros Takes Control Of Batman Game Maker Rocksteady
Already an investor in TT Games, Snowblind Studios and Midway Games assets, Warner Bros. (NYSE: TWX) Home Entertainment is buying further in… Read more »
Redbox Drops Warner Bros. Lawsuit; Accepts Extended DVD Window
photo: Eddie Does Japan
Redbox has ended its lawsuit against Warner Brothers Home Entertainment and will give in to the Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) unit’s demands for a… Read more »
TidalTV Completes $16 Million Second Round Funding With Comcast Backing
Video ad network TidalTV has completed the $16 million second round funding it initiated last fall, Mediapost reports. As we reported in Oct… Read more »
The Key To Making Free Music Services Work
photo: Flickr/BL1961
In a previous post I explained how free music services such as Spotify were making premium rental services such as Rhapsody and Napster incr… Read more »
Comcast-NBCU: Zucker, Roberts Grilled By Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Over Merger
If the grilling of Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) and NBC top execs is any indication, the merger of the two companies faces an uphill battle in the… Read more »
Updated: Comcast-NBCU Hearings: Zucker Confronted About Hulu’s Boxee Block
photo: AP Images
Boxee’s inability to carry Hulu programming is a matter of Congress now, thanks to the proposed Comcast-NBCU deal. During this morning’s hea… Read more »
From Here To Xfinity: Comcast Rebranding Starts Next Week
photo: AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac
Next week, Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) starts the tricky task of splitting in two: keeping its corporate brand intact while creating an entirely n… Read more »
Comcast-NBCU: How To Follow The Feb. 4 Hearings
Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) and NBC Universal (NYSE: GE) execs head to the Hill Thursday for what promises to be a long — and probably repetitive… Read more »
Comcast-NBCU: What Will Roberts, Zucker Tell Congress? Keep Reading
Congressional hearings have two parts: written testimony and the Q&A that all too often sounds like it is scripted. While the companies aren… Read more »
Democrats Tee Up Comcast/NBCU Concerns
In Thursday’s (Feb. 4) hearing, the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Communications & Internet Subcommittee will be looking at a merged C… Read more »
Eyeing Growth, ThePlatform Launches A New Video Management Platform
Comcast-owned white label video service ThePlatform is launching what it is describing as the biggest overhaul of its video management syste… Read more »
Comcast-NBC Universal Pitch Deal To FCC
With a lengthy pitch on the public interest value of creating a new content-focused joint venture that will boost quantity, quality, diversi… Read more »
