06/19, 12:35pm
VCAST TV in San Francisco
Verizon today officially expanded its V CAST Mobile TV network to include key larger California cities. The FLO TV-based digital broadcasts are now available in San Francisco as well as Fresno and Sacramento further south. Channel selection should remain the same and provides a mix of both live and pre-recorded content from both kids' channels like NickToons and more mature content from CBS, Fox, NBC and others.
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05/28, 1:55pm
NBC Apple negotiations
NBC's CEO Jeff Zucker has shed more light on the network's negotiations with Apple over iTunes content, according to an interview with Kara Swisher at the All Things Digital conference. The relationship between the two companies has been shaky at best, with disagreements over the iTunes pricing policies.
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05/13, 2:15pm
VUDU Ad Backed Media
VUDU today signaled a partial change in direction with word that it will start offering ad-supported music and video through its service. Once limited to renting as well as selling movies and TV shows, the company is tapping Brightcove to provide ads for a free Sony music video service. It also plans to expand this to include other services but hasn't set out its plans to date, including whether or not it may extend this to TV and other long-form content.
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05/05, 10:35am
PrimeTime2Go BBerry Live
As previewed at CTIA, Quickplay today took its PrimeTime2Go mobile TV live for BlackBerry smartphones. The subscription service gives owners unlimited access to TV shows from multiple networks, including ABC, NBC and SciFi, and relies on a relatively transparent system to provide the videos; chosen episodes are downloaded in the background whenever the phone is on a Wi-Fi connection. Owners can also follow seasons and receive new episodes as soon as they're made available.
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04/20, 12:10pm
Wash gets ATSC Mobile TV
The outline the early launch plans for ATSC Mobile DTV, the first free over-the-air TV standard meant for portable devices in the US. Washington, DC will be the first city to get coverage and will be supported by 5 stations owned by CBS, Fox, Ion, NBC and PBS when service starts sometime in the late summer. About 39 percent of the US will be covered by the end of 2009 and should include major cities like Chicago, New York, San Francisco and several others.
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04/09, 1:00pm
Sony confirms Google talks
Sony has confirmed this week's earlier rumors that it is engaged in talks with YouTube on posting full-length movies on the free video service site, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. If the deal goes through, it would see the first major US studio to do so on a large scale, and the full-length films would be offered for viewing for free, likely supported by ad sales in the stream.
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03/27, 2:00pm
Disney Hulu Rumor
Multiple sources speaking with paidContent today claim that Disney is in "serious" talks with Hulu to bring TV shows to the web service. The media giant would bring over at least ABC's TV programming, such as Lost, and would potentially involve the Disney Channel and other networks that aren't heavily dependent on cable and satellite TV. In return, Disney would get an equity stake in the primarily NBC- and Fox-run venture.
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03/04, 4:40pm
ZillionTV Debut
A new device and matching service from a startup could offer serious competition in online video to larger rivals like Apple and Netflix. ZillionTV's self-titled service will give users a core networking device, known as the Z-bar, that would have no local video storage of its own and would instead stream movies and TV shows online. Rather than following the similarly network-based Roku's model of tying in existing services, however, ZillionTV will offer its own service and let users either buy or rent per title as well as download free, ad-subsidized versions. Viewers will also choose their preferences for ads to provide more relevant content.
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02/20, 2:50pm
Comcast TWC Online TV
Two US cable providers are looking to put their TV programming online in a bid to preserve their business, sources have reportedly told the Wall Street Journal. Comcast and Time Warner Cable are believed to have been in ongoing talks with content providers, such as NBC and Viacom, for a deal that would let subscribers to cable TV packages stream "much" of their available shows online on the web. The selection would be "well beyond" what free online services like Hulu offer.
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12/29, 3:05pm
Hulu to host music videos?
A new video-sharing website may be in the works, as the four major music labels -- Universal, Warner, EMI and Sony BMG -- are in preliminary talks for creating their own web portal, according to a weekend Financial Times report. Early last week, news came of the four labels planning to band together to create a site devoted to music videos and related content. More recently word has leaked of the three options the labels are considering, due to unhappiness with the ad revenue derived from the Google-owned YouTube. Under consideration is a premium service on YouTube, a totally new site, or a partnership with Hulu, the film and TV site jointly owned by News Corp. and NBC Universal.
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10/16, 9:55am
iTunes HD for four majors
Apple has announced that all four of the major basic-cable TV networks -- ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC -- are now selling shows at the iTunes Store. During the initial launch of HD programming on iTunes, most content was limited to NBC. ABC material in HD now includes the likes of Lost, Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives; CBS shows include various versions of CSI, plus NCIS and Numb3rs.
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09/19, 12:00pm
Apple: 1M NBC downloads
Over 1 million downloads of NBC programming have been made at the iTunes Store since September 9th, according to Apple. The return of the TV network to the US iTunes storefront was announced during Steve Jobs' keynote address that day, and followed months of absence due to a dispute over variable pricing. Apple relented for the sake of the UK iTunes Store, however, and a limited form of variable pricing is now in effect in the US, with HD shows costing a dollar extra and back-catalog episodes costing a dollar less. The scheme is not exclusive to NBC.
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09/11, 4:20pm
Apple refutes concession
Apple did not make any concessions to NBC in order to get the network back on iTunes, says Apple's vice president for the iTunes Store. Eddy Cue refutes claims from NBC digital head JB Perrette, who on Tuesday suggested that Apple tailored its new pricing specifically to lure NBC. "Frankly, ever since we dropped our relationship with Apple last fall, they have made a gradual progression culminating in [Tuesday's announcement]," Perrette added.
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09/09, 3:55pm
Apple/NBC iTunes deal
Both NBC and Apple have made concessions in the former's return to the US iTunes Store, observers note. The first of these may be variable pricing, such as a higher cost for HD versions of TV shows. Apple is charging $2.99 per HD episode, instead of the standard rate of $1.99; it is not known if this was the result of pressure from NBC however, as Apple has long charged $1 more for HD movie rentals on an Apple TV. What is known is that back-catalog shows -- such as Miami Vice and The A-Team -- are being priced at 99 cents, whereas Apple's original deal with NBC would have called for the regular rate.
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09/09, 1:40pm
iTunes 8 announced
Apple has announced the release of iTunes 8, the latest version of its music software for Macs and PCs. Features in the new software include "Genius" playlists, which automatically match songs thought to go together. iTunes can also recommend tracks to buy via a sidebar, and recommendations will be based on anonymous uploads of user data, meant to gradually improve the accuracy of what shoppers are offered in the future.
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07/14, 2:35pm
Xbox 360 Netflix
Microsoft today preceded E3 by announcing two major deals for movie viewing on the Xbox 360. The company has struck an anticipated deal with Netflix that will let subscribers to an Xbox Live Gold membership watch movies online for free, effectively giving them a movie subscription service along with the gaming that already comes with Live. Microsoft expects the Netflix feature to come along with a major redesign of the Xbox 360 interface (shown) and notes that the interface's new Community channel will let parties, or gatherings of friends, share their Netflix queues with each other.
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06/09, 4:20pm
SanDisk closes Fanfare
Storage and music player maker SanDisk has officially closed Fanfare, the company's online video service. The service is actually said to have stopped following the end of a beta period on May 15th this year, but due to low participation and a lack of public announcements, this fact has generally gone unnoticed. "We thank you for your participation and interest," reads a brief statement on SanDisk's website.
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05/20, 1:15pm
NBC on Vista TV recording
Recent interference with Vista Media Center recording was accidental, NBC says. TV viewers last week reported being unable to record episodes of American Gladiators and Medium, and instead receiving messages saying that DRM restrictions had been enabled. This triggered a number of of online complaints, including concerns that NBC was attempting to deter the use of DVRs, which allow people to skip unwanted advertising and other distractions.
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05/13, 8:55am
HBO launches on iTunes US
Beating yesterday's predictions by Portfolio, HBO has already launched its programming (iTunes link) on the US iTunes Store. Six TV shows are presently available, including The Wire, The Sopranos, Rome, Deadwood, Flight of the Conchords and Sex and the City. Listings for the shows further confirm that while most episodes are priced at the standard iTunes rate of $1.99, those for Rome, Deadwood and The Sopranos are $2.99 each, marking the first time Apple has allowed variable pricing for TV shows in the US.
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05/08, 10:00am
NBC iPhone/Touch streaming
Owners of an iPhone or iPod touch can now stream episodes of select NBC TV shows, observers note. By visiting nbc.com, users can gain access to complete episodes of 30 Rock or The Office, presented free of advertising and in an unprotected QuickTime format. The video quality is extremely rough, however, and at least one publication has reported iPhone lockups.
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05/07, 4:35pm
NBC wants Zune Copy Filter
(Updated with Microsoft comment) NBC Universal today revealed in a discussion with the New York Times that Microsoft is working to implement an anti-piracy filter into its Zune media players. While not outlining the amount of progress, the studio's digital chief J. B. Perrette says that Microsoft has agreed to work on a "cop" that would check the legitimacy of videos loaded on the device; those deemed illegal would refuse to play. The implementation would function similarly to automatic blocks being tried at YouTube and other sites, which are claimed to stop easy bootlegging by checking such data as the title or basic track information.
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05/06, 10:50am
iTunes UK & NBC/Universal
The UK iTunes Store has added a variety of TV shows from NBC/Universal (iTunes link) in spite of their absence from iTunes in the US. Selection is currently limited, but incorporates seasons of Heroes, House, Eureka, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and The Incredible Hulk. Unlike the standard iTunes pricing model, notably, which is consistent across all shows, active shows at the UK store (such as Heroes) are being priced at £1.89 per episode, while defunct ones have a separate rate of only £1.19.
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05/06, 7:25am
Zune TV Shows
Microsoft this morning gave the Zune its first true video service. The version 2.5 update to the Zune software now lets users buy TV shows from the Zune Marketplace and allows them to choose from over 800 episodes from various shows and TV networks, including former iTunes supporter NBC Universal. Shows are sorted not only by network but also by genre, allowing users to browse animation or dramas regardless of the provider. Each show is priced equally to shows from its Apple rival at 160 Microsoft points ($1.99 in the US) but doesn't qualify for the unlimited-access Zune Pass.
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04/18, 10:35am
Hulu Mobile Talk
NBC's Hulu TV streaming service is likely to expand beyond its web-only presence of today, the service's CEO Jason Kilar said this week at the NAB video production expo. While not committing to any one format, the company head explains that cellphones and "anything connected to the Internet" would be an ideal platform for the feature, which allows users to stream (but not download) episodes of NBC and Fox shows.
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04/16, 7:30pm
NBC reconsiders iTunes
NBC is again considering distribution of its TV shows through the iTunes store, pending a more rigid anti-piracy stance. According to CNET, George Kliavkoff, chief digital officer for NBC Universal, says that digital piracy hurts the company to the point where it is not viable to distribute its content digitally. The statement comes after NBC Universal pulled shows such as Heroes and The Office from iTunes over a pricing dispute between itself and Apple.
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03/11, 9:50am
Hulu Public Tomorrow
The Fox and NBC-Universal joint project Hulu will leave its private beta stage tomorrow, the companies revealed on Tuesday. The web-based service will soon allow all US residents with high-speed Internet access to stream TV shows and movies over Flash for free through dynamic ads that appear at key segments; in a new version, users can even pick which ads they see, Hulu's operators note. On its official debut, the service will also add TV shows produced by Warner Bros. and will have both NBA and NHL highlight reels as well as full-length historical NCAA basketball games.
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02/12, 11:55am
NBC: Apple hurting albums
Album sales have declined rapidly in recent years, and Apple bears a large responsibility, NBC claims. The TV network notes that although R&B singer Alicia Keys debuted her new album at the top of the Billboard album charts last week, this amounted to only 61,000 or so discs, nearly the lowest amount for a number-one album in Billboard history. Album sales fell 15 percent as a whole in 2007, the sixth annual decrease since 2000; artists who were once able to sell 10 to 15 million copies of an album may now be fortunate to reach 1 million.
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01/21, 9:15am
NBC Apple Warm Up
NBC Universal may be making conciliatory gestures to Apple as part of an effort to revitalize its business, according to a new report by the Financial Times (free trial or paid subscription required). In addition to cutting back on pilot TV shows and other practices that hurt the studio's costs, the network is said to have "patched up relations" with its momentary rival, which it accused of delivering pennies per sale for iTunes video sales, providing just $15 million over the last 12 months of NBC's time on the Apple-run store.
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12/11, 11:35am
NBC on SanDisk Fanfare
NBC today announced that it would bring its TV shows to SanDisk's recently unveiled Fanfare video service, significantly expanding the beta-stage video download site's catalog beyond existing offerings from CBS, Showtime, and similar networks. The deal will land much of the content from NBC's main station, including 30 Rock and Heroes; affiliated channels such as Bravo and USA Network will also be available. Fanfare allows viewing on the computer but is primarily designed to pair up with SanDisk's Sansa TakeTV, which serves as a transportable video player for TVs and is hte only device so far that will play Fanfare content.
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12/06, 5:40pm
Internet video habits
The number of Internet users regularly watching video online has finally risen above the halfway mark, suggests a new survey by the research group Horowitz Associates. Whereas 45 percent watched video weekly in 2006, and 71 percent watched monthly, these figures have jumped to 61 and 86 percent in 2007, respectively. 27 percent of Internet users are also said to have a cellphone or media player with video abilities, such as an iPod; of these though, only 35 percent watch video weekly, while 62 percent do so monthly.
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12/06, 10:40am
Report: Apple needs NBC
Apple needs to work hard towards getting NBC videos back on iTunes, argues a recent report by Forrester Research. Firm analyst James McQuivey claims that when NBC videos dropped from iTunes this past weekend, he warned Apple executives that there was too much at stake. "Don't let the Macgeeks posting angry blogs against NBC fool you," McQuivey's report reads, "The loser here is Apple, which relies on NBC Universal to deliver 30 [percent] of video download sales. Any supposed backlash against NBC will not materialize because NBC has made its content available, for free, on NBC.com and six other major portals sites."
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12/03, 10:25am
NBC videos leave iTunes
As promised, NBC Universal's videos were this weekend pulled from the iTunes Store, leaving the site's video content considerably diminished. Material from the TV network and its affiliated companies once accounted for 40 percent of all video on iTunes, and included some of the most popular downloads, such as Battlestar Galactica and The Office, the latter of which was even featured in an iPhone keynote by Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
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