If you are having trouble viewing our video player, check out MediaBytes on YouTube.
Despite the extortion scandal, advertisers on the The Late Show with David Letterman have not abandoned the show. While some had feared that wholesome, family brands may move away from the late show, Disney, the premier family oriented company in the US, has continued to air ads this week, despite the apologies and explanations of Letterman’s affair. With Letterman dominating the late night ratings game, it goes to show that advertisers will always go where the audience is, despite obstacles and allegations.
Amazon cut the price of the Kindle again, this time by $40. The company also introduced an International model that will work in 100 countries. Amazon hopes new pricing and International connectivity will make the Kindle very competitive to rival eReaders worldwide.
Dell announced that it will produce a Google Android-based smart phone exclusively for AT&T. Dell hopes the have the phone available in early 2010. The move is a major victory for Google, as smart phones running on its Android operating system are now available on all four major wireless networks in the US.
According to his attorney, Levi Johnston is going to pose nude for Playgirl. Who is Levi Johnston? He is 19 year-old the father of Sara Palin’s grandchild. What would possess me to include this story in MediaBytes? What’s more reflective of the state of the media business, the DOJ postponing Google’s Book settlement hearing or an accidentally famous for 15 minutes, ne’er-do-well trying for another 15?
The Justice Department has begun an investigation into IBM’s mainframe computer market. The DOJ believes that IBM may have manipulated its monopoly over the large computer hardware market by blocking competitors from licensing IBM software. The complaint, which follows a complaint by T3 in Europe, was filed by the Computer an Communications Industry Association, of which Google and Oracle both support.