MediaBytes

TIVO will allow users to order and download digital movies and TV shows directly from their television sets, starting today. The new “Buy on TV” functionality connects TiVo DVR’s directly to the Amazon Unbox download service. The TiVo-Amazon partnership formerly required users to log onto Unbox.com to initiate downloads. NIELSEN/NETRATINGS will officially announce its transition Continue Reading →

 GOOGLE is working on a “next generation” social-networking site called SocialStream. SocialStream aggregates many different online networks, allowing a user to manage their many online affiliations. The service has the ability to post photos and comments to multiple blogs and photo-sharing sites with one click. SocialStream is part of a Google-sponsored project at Carnegie Continue Reading →

MICROSOFT has unveiled LiveStation, a peer-to-peer television broadcasting application. Built on the Silverlight platform, LiveStation will offer a major feature that Joost currently lacks: live TV. Microsoft is testing the application now, and a final version is due this October. NBC may stop creating original programming for Friday evenings, according to co-chairman Marc Graboff. In Continue Reading →

APPLE is on the verge of partnering with Telefónica’s O2 to bring the iPhone to the UK. The phone will operate on O2’s 2.5G network, not the faster 3G standard. Reports circled earlier this week claiming that Apple will partner with Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile to release the phone in Germany. CABLE PROVIDERS are preparing to Continue Reading →

LG is partnering with YOUTUBE to bring full YouTube services to its handsets. Users will be able to record and upload short films directly to the site, as well as view content from YouTube’s vast library of videos. The YouTube-enabled phones will be available by the end of the year. eMARKETER estimates that ad-spending on Continue Reading →

NBC UNIVERSAL will shutdown NBBC, and merge its intended features into “NewSite,” the tentitive name for the new venture with News Corp. NBBC allowed content owners to upload videos for web syndication, and was expected to launch later this year. It had signed around 150 partners, including A&E and CNET. However, NBCU contacted the partners Continue Reading →

YAHOO will announce Yahoo Smart Ads today. Smart Ads will utilize behavioral targeting to create more relevant advertisements. Using the new technology, ads will be created on the spot, utilizing several known factors about a user — including recently-visited sites, location, age, and income. THE FCC issued waivers for the July 1st ban on integrated Continue Reading →

NEWS CORP. and NBCU announced that Jason Kilar would be CEO of their joint venture into online video. During a conference call, News Corp. COO Peter Chernin backed off claims of a September release for the still-unnamed service, saying it “might not happen” in September. JAMAN, a P2P movie download company that focuses on indie Continue Reading →

 TUBEMOGUL, a video analytics company, has conducted a fascinating study of video sites to determine how viewers are counted. YouTube, Yahoo Video, and Metacafe were found to have strict counting requirements – generally requiring long views, and often ignoring multiple views from the same computer. AOL, MySpace, and Revver were found to have much Continue Reading →

MYSPACE will roll out MySpace TV this Thursday. The site will mix user-generated and professional video content. It will accept amateur uploads and feature programs owned by News Corp., as well as the Sony Minisode Network. The site will make it easy for MySpace users to integrate videos from MySpace TV with MySpace profiles and Continue Reading →