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YOUTUBE has added Insight, a new feature that tracks when and where videos are being watched. Insight breaks down views by both geography and time, giving video publishers some powerful new performance data. The tool has a number of practical applications, including market-testing TV ads to determine locations with high receptivity. Most importantly, it will provide more data on what makes a video popular on the top video-sharing site.
COMCAST and BITTORRENT will collaborate to make the P2P software run more smoothly on the Comcast network. Comcast will stop throttling traffic for all users of any specific application (such as BitTorrent) and focus only on users that consume a large amount of bandwidth. BitTorrent will also tweak its code to work more effectively on Comcast’s network. Comcast plans to have its new policies in place before the end of the year.
THE COMMUNITY BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION has filed a court action to prevent the marketing of DTV converter boxes that block analog signals. The federal coupon program currently only supports boxes that are all-digital, which means that most consumers who make the switch will be unable to access local low-power stations that are still broadcasting in analog. The CBA claims this violates the FCC’s 1962 all-channel receiver act and creates a major threat to its stations. The group asked the FCC to rule on the matter last year but has not received a response. The issue will now head to court.
WIDEORBIT has launched VoterVoter.com, a powerful new tool that allows ordinary citizens to purchase political advertising on television. Users can create their own video ads, use ones that others have uploaded or choose standard spots offered by VoterVoter. WideOrbit will place the ad based on the desired demographics and locations, taking the standard 15% cut. Purchases are not subject to FEC donation limits. The site launches today with a focus on the presidential election. However, WideOrbit plans to add support for congressional, state and local races.
VERIZON has asked the FCC to force cable operators to accept disconnect orders directly from a customer’s new video provider, just like they require for phone companies. Currently, cable operators will only accept disconnect orders directly from the customer, which Verizon says slows the process and hinders their ability to gain new customers for its FiOS TV service. The NCTA’s VP of communications called the request a “fairy tale complaint” and a “lame attempt” at seeking a regulatory handout.
MOTOROLA has officially decided to spin off its troubled mobile pone unit, creating a separate publicly traded company.
TAKE TWO rejected EA’s latest takeover bid.