With social media and user-generated content increasingly influencing mainstream news coverage, it was only a matter of time before that influence made its way over to entertainment news. Blogs like TMZ and Jezebel may attract tons of user comments—but they’re not crowd-sourcing the stories they cover. One site that’s trying…

Mobile game-maker Glu Mobile (NSDQ: GLUU) has announced the resignation of its President and CEO Greg Ballard. While the announcement comes suddenly, it may not be a surprise given that the San Mateo, Calif.-based has struggled to keep its stock price above a dollar and remain relevant in the new…

That was quick: The United States Olympic Committee announced this morning that it will launch a cable TV network devoted to Olympic and Paralympic Games next year, along with Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) who will carry it in its lineup. Comcast is an equity partner in the channel. And soon after…

It took a few weeks, but *Sony* CEO Sir Howard Stringer has responded to *Activision* CEO Bobby Kotick’s very public threat to stop making games for the PS3 if Sony (NYSE: SNE) didn’t slash the console’s price to boost sales: “He likes to make a lot of noise,” Stringer told…

ESPN (NYSE: DIS) is planning to revamp ESPNSoccernet and its other sports sites to coincide with the launch of its first European sports channel next month. The sports network won the rights to show 46 live English Premier League matches next season after Irish pay TV company Setanta went out…

Bertelsmann, who all but exited out of music business when it sold its portion in Sony (NYSE: SNE) BMG back to Sony last year, is back in it: it is ramping up its new-ish music rights/publishing venture BMG Rights Management in a deal with PE firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts &…

The latest ruling in a copyright case brought against Google (NSDQ: GOOG) and its YouTube subsidiary doesn’t move the needle much on the core issue but it means the bill should be lower if—and that’s still a big if—the company loses in court. The English Premier League started a class-action…

OK! Magazine has brokered a strategic partnership with entertainment-centric online media company Buzz Media—and the first fruit of the deal is the relaunched OKmagazine.com. The companies describe the new site, which Buzz Media redesigned and built, as a “joint venture;” Buzz Media CEO Tyler Goldman told us the deal included…

Updated: The Michael Jackson memorial service has come and gone, and some of the preliminary stats on online viewing, streaming and social media activity have come in. First up is Facebook, which reports that roughly one million users tuned in through its Live Stream box across CNN, E! Online, *MTV*…

After years of uncertainty, so-called “pureplay” internet broadcasters finally have a copyright deal that should give them enough breathing room to stay in business. The agreement announced today between the record labels and the online radio stations offers an alternative to the higher royalty payments imposed in 2007 by the…

*Yahoo* withdrew its lawsuit against the NFL Players Association, which had promised to reignite a battle over the rights to data used in fantasy sports leagues. In a one-page filing, attorneys for Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) said that they had dismissed their claims “voluntarily and without prejudice.” The document did not…

Financial details about ZeniMax Media’s acquisition of Quake-developer id Software were kept under wraps—but a new SEC filing reveals that ZeniMax raised $105 million in debt financing to facilitate the deal. We’re working on confirmation regarding where the funds came from.

It’s not just indie companies like ngmoco or Zynga trying to grab a slice of the mobile gaming market—TV networks like *Disney*, *ESPN* and Nickelodeon have all recently made aggressive moves into the space. Nickelodeon just launched the AddictingGames iNetwork, a mobile offshoot of its AddictingGames.com casual games portal. The…

Updated: -It’s not over ‘til it’s over, as the Chicago Sun-Times is saying a contract is close, but it’s nothing has been signed and sealed yet, meaning the Reuters item was a bit premature. The official word comes from Tribune rep Gary Weitman, who said that the company’s still in…

Jerry Kern, who took on the role of Playboy (NYSE: PLA) Enterprises’ interim CEO when Christie Hefner said she was leaving the company in December, is relinquishing his seat on the company’s board, Playboy announced. Last month, Kern handed off the CEO title to Scott Flanders, the former head of…

HBO has launched a new, video-heavy microsite that boasts hundreds of clips from shows like Entourage, Curb Your Enthusiasm and stand-up comedy specials. Called ComedyFetish.com, the site is designed to serve as a funnel to get viewers to buy their favorite series’ on DVD through BarnesandNoble.com (or as iTunes episodes).…

Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and cofounder of HDNet, offers running commentary on Blog Maverick. This post, which follows an earlier look at Free versus Freely Distributed, is published here with his permission. The problem with companies who have built their business around free is that it is…

A little Independence Day-themed news ... GGL Global Gaming, a social network and online gaming platform, has teamed up with Pro Vs GI Joe to launch Military Online Gaming (MOG), an online gaming network that gives U.S. military troops overseas a central hub where they can chat, play games together…

I’m sitting outside on a lovely Friday morning, sipping a cup of tea and catching up on the news. What’s wrong with this picture? It’s the final Friday of Wimbledon and I’m reduced to either watching a pirated feed from a place where the broadcasters value live sports or following…