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SHELLY PALMER probes several issues surrounding digital rights. What are your rights as Digital Citizens of the United States? Do we have a national broadband policy? What is it? What should it be? Read about digital deficiency and how it may jeopardize our status as a “super power.”
MICROSOFT‘s “white space” device failed for a third time and now the FCC refuses to continue testing it. The device was intended to show that white space spectrum could bring Internet access to mobile devices without interfering with television signals. The tech industry is behind the initiative but Microsoft’s repeated failures have not been helping the cause.
YAHOO is launching Shine, a new site targeted at women in the 25 to 54 age bracket. Shine will offer content focused on parenting, relationships, food, beauty and more including exclusive content from Hearst, Rodale, Conde Nast and Time Inc. Shine will allow Yahoo sell advertising targeted directly to women, an online demographic it believes is currently under-served. It launches today.
SONY will launch PIX, a linear movie channel on AT&T’s forthcoming MediaFlo mobile TV service. PIX will feature classic movies from Columbia, TriStar, Screen Gems and Sony Classics. It will focus on familiar movies so that viewers can miss the beginning and stop watching whenever they feel like it. Sony Pictures Television will also announce a new mobile Jeopardy game for handheld users.
MICROSOFT has signed a deal with Hollywood producer and talent manager Peter Safran to create original video content for the Xbox. Safran and Company will create scripted shows that run under ten minutes and focus on genres that are popular with the Xbox audience. The ad-supported shows are expected to begin this fall, starting with Xbox exclusivity before expanding into other distribution channels. A company spokesperson said the deal is “the first of many.”
MTV NETWORKS will become the first Viacom property to embrace mobile ad-supported distribution. The network will place clips on mobile destination Mywaves.
AFTRA and SAG will negotiate with the AMPTP separately.
IAC won a court decision that will allow it to split into 5 companies.
NEWSPAPERS saw print ad revenue drop 9.4% in 2007, the biggest decline since at least 1950.