MediaBytes

GOOGLE will shutdown the paid portion of its Google Video service on August 15. The service has offered paid downloads for the past 19 months, but will now shift its focus to ad-supported video. When the service shuts down on Wednesday, purchased downloads will completely stop working, leaving consumers with worthless, unplayable DRM-ed files. TV Continue Reading →

OMNICOM‘s ZIMMERMAN ADVERTISING has added the Z-Media Exchange to its “virtual advertising agency” concept. The virtual exchange will allow local businesses to purchase radio and TV spots. Agency executives will be able to view a market’s inventory, and make an offer. The exchange is a Zimmerman-branded version of the SoftWave Media Exchange. UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP Continue Reading →

THE TELEVISION BUREAU OF ADVERTISING announced that ePort is set to launch this November. ePort is the open-standard electronic exchange for buyers and sellers of TV spots, supported by CBS Television Stations, E.W. Scripps, Gannett Broadcasting, NBCU Stations, and several other broadcasters. The full suite of online transactions will be available in March 2008. FACEBOOK Continue Reading →

NBCU plans to launch DIDJA.com early next year. The site is an on-demand advertising site, and will offer an archive of TV commercials,, movie trailers, and other branded content. It will offer brand-specific channels, featuring all commercials by one company. NBCU is hoping advertisers will eventually pay for prominent placement on the site. ESPN plans Continue Reading →

MTV NETWORKS has signed a deal to use TNS Media Research‘s audience measurement service in Los Angeles. The service offers second-by-second audience data, using information collected from 300,000 Charter Communications boxes. Nielsen is working on a similar offering. MUSIC PUBLISHERS have joined a copyright infringement lawsuit against YOUTUBE. YouTube has signed licensing agreements with all Continue Reading →

SLIDE INC. will make ads available to its widgets, starting today.  Slide is the #1 online widget maker, and will make the ads “user-initiated” — meaning, site publishers can decide if they want to turn on the widgets ads.  The company is hoping that users will actually like having ads in their widgets.  For the model to Continue Reading →

OXYGEN MEDIA has sold the first ads through the Online Media Exchange to Intel. A dozen networks registered for the eBay system in time to consider Intel’s slot request. However, there were no other bidders. This was Intel’s first ad purchase on Oxygen. YAHOO has pledged to challenge YOUTUBE‘s dominance in online video. Yahoo will Continue Reading →

GOOGLE is reportedly courting wireless operators to carry handsets customized for Google products. The search leader has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the cellphone project and developed prototype phones. The phones are said to feature all Google mobile applications and a sophisticated new web browser. The company is not seeking an exclusive provider, Continue Reading →

THE FCC approved the “open access” provision for the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction, which will allow consumers to use any compatible wireless device on 22 of the 62 available megahertz. However, the Commission will not require licensees to resell spectrum to other service providers. The auction will take place before January 28, 2008, and Continue Reading →

VIDMETRIX has launched its own multi-site video uploader. The tool will allow video publishers to automatically distribute their content to seven video-sharing sites: YouTube, MySpace, Metacafe, Google, Yahoo, Revver, and Veoh. Tubemogul, which announced a multi-site uploader last week, is adding 3 new distribution sites to its service today, bringing its total reach to 9 Continue Reading →