Universal Music Pulls Music Videos From MTV Websites
New York – Music videos from Universal Music Group artists
are being pulled from websites operated by Viacom’s (NYSE: VIA) MTV, after the parties
failed to reach a new licensing agreement, CNET News.com reported. "MTVN
has been unwilling to negotiate a fair syndication deal with Vevo to carry our
artists’ videos and consequently our videos will not be shown on their online
properties," a Universal Music spokesperson told CNET.
MTV confirmed the
situation. "During our recent discussions with Vevo, we were unable to
reach a fair and equitable agreement for rights to stream UMG artists’ music
video," the company told CNET.
"As a result, UMG has elected to pull
their music videos from our Web sites. We are disappointed by this move and
sincerely hope that UMG will work with us toward a fair resolution."
Related Links:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20012917-261.html
Report: Mobile Video Revenues to Hit $1.34 Billion by 2014
Los Angeles – Revenue from mobile video services is expected
to grow from a projected $548 million this year to $1.34 billion in 2014,
according to a report from market research firm eMarketer.
The firm expects 24
million Americans will watch video on mobile devices this year.
Mobile video
revenue includes advertising, paid downloads and subscription services.
Ad-supported mobile video is expected to generate $35.1 million this year, but
will grow at a compound annual growth rte of 60% between 2009 and 2014.
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2cddeso
(Mediaweek)
Yoko Ono: "Don't Hold Your Breath" on Beatles Coming to iTunes
Los Angeles – There still exist complications in bringing
the Beatles’ catalog to Apple’s (NASD: AAPL) iTunes Store, Yoko Ono told Reuters this week during
an interview about the forthcoming documentary "LENNONNYC."
Ono said
that she and Paul McCartney, Ringo star and Olivia Harrison are in agreement
over the final sticking points in negotiations with Apple.
"[Apple CEO]
Steve Jobs has his own idea and he’s a brilliant guy," Ono told Reuters.
"There’s
just an element that we’re not very happy about, as people. We are holding out.
Don’t hold your breath … for anything."
Related Links:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100806/en_nm/us_beatles
Viacom to Produce TV Movie Based on YouTube Star "Fred"
New York – Viacom’s (NYSE: VIA) Nickelodeon children’s network will
produce a TV movie based on "Fred," an online video star on Google’s (NASD: GOOG)
YouTube whose channel on the site counts over 1.9 million subscribers, All
Things D reported.
The character of Fred was created by teenager Lucas
Cruikshank, and his zany videos appeal to younger audiences.
The link between
Viacom and YouTube is interesting to note, given the pending appeal in Viacom’s
$1 billion copyright infringement suit against the company.
All Things D points
out that the film’s trailer is not available on YouTube, but can only be viewed
on a Viacom-owned site.
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/26prpun
(All Things D)
Reports: Apple in Talks to Buy Chinese Game Developer
Cupertino, Calif. – Apple (NASD: AAPL) is in talks to acquire Chinese
online game developer Handseeing, an executive with the company told Reuters.
"We should have a decision in about one or two months," Tian Bo,
vice-president for operations at Handseeing, told Reuters. "They’re still
talking about it and it’s not quite settled yet right now."
Apple declined
to comment for Reuters.
Handseeing develops online games that integrate Chinese
folklore.
Tian added that the deal — if realized — would represent Apple’s
first acquisition in China.
It could signal either Apple’s intention to delve
further into either China or the gaming sector.
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2e9v7xb
Social Games Firm Zynga Acquires Japanese Developer Unoh
San Francisco – Social games publisher Zynga announced on
Friday that it has acquired Tokyo-based Unoh, also a developer of social games.
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Unoh, which was founded
in 2001, will become part of the mobile product efforts of Zynga Japan, a new
joint venture announced recently between Zynga and Japan’s Softbank.
Zynga
Japan plans to localize Zynga’s games and develop new games targeted at the
Japanese market.
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2ccd3ck
StatSheet Gets $1.3 Million for Sports Data Visualization Platform
Durham, N.C. – StatSheet, a provider of online sports data
visualization technology, has raised $1.3 million in its first round of venture
capital financing, led by Valhalla Partners.
IDEA Fund Partners and other
investors also participated in the round.
Durham, N.C.-based StatSheet’s
platform lets sports fans access in-depth analysis and data on hundreds of
teams and thousands of players, across decades of sports events, and create
custom charts and graphs.
The company next plans to roll out a network of
team-specific sites powered by a central automated publishing system.
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2bh64gz
Third Trial of File-Swapper Jammie Thomas Set for Oct. 4
Duluth, Minn. – A federal judge has set a date of Oct. 4 to
begin a third trial for convicted file-swapper Jammie Thomas-Rassett, following
the breakdown of mediation talks on copyright infringement damages with the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Duluth News Tribune
reported. The judge previously reduced a $1.92 million jury verdict against
Thomas-Rassett to $54,000, and then ordered the parties into the mediation on
damages, which both sides told the judge was unsuccessful.
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2fufezc
DISH Network Offers DVR Remote Access App for iPad
Englewood, Colo. – DISH Network (NASD: DISH) on Thursday released a free
app for Apple’s iPad that enables users to program their digital video
recorders remotely. Users can schedule DVR recordings on multiple receivers,
delete timers, browse and search nine days of shows, and manage their DVR
libraries by setting recording priorities, resolving recording conflicts and
deleting programs they have already watched.
