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Cable industry execs claim they don’t fear Netflix
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Home Entertainment
Cable executives on Tuesday downplayed the impact of Netflix on their businesses, arguing that it is simply another provider in a crowded market, though they were forced to acknowledge that consumers are no longer satisfied with just a cable box and a remote.
Execs from Time Warner, Viacom, Comcast, Cox, and News Corp. sat down this morning for a panel discussion at The Cable Show in Chicago. When asked about Netflix's recent decision to air original content, Philippe Dauman, president and CEO at Viacom, warned that "it's not easy to get into the content business; it's a tough exercise."
"That's not really their fundamental business," Dauman said of Netflix. Viacom, on the other hand, is "100 percent focused on content," he said. Netflix is just one cog in the content wheel, he said, pointing to the "incremental money" Viacom has made by repurposing its older shows, like "Beavis and Butthead," on Web-based services like Netflix.
Click to continue reading Cable industry execs claim they don’t fear Netflix
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Time Warner removes Fox, Viacom, and Discovery channels from iPad App
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Home Entertainment, Software
Amidst a controversy over streaming rights, Time Warner Cable has agreed to remove content from Fox Cable Networks, Viacom, and Discovery from its iPad app.
All three networks were "willing to threaten to sue over it," Jeff Simmermon, director of digital communications at Time Warner Cable, wrote in a blog post, so Time Warner has pulled the networks from its iPad streaming for the time being.
Specifically, Time Warner will remove streaming access to 11 channels: Animal Planet, BET, CMT, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, FX, MTV, National Geographic, Nickelodeon, Spike, and VH1.
Time Warner still maintains that it has "every right" to stream content from these channels via its iPad app, but said it will focus its iPad efforts "on those enlightened programmers who understand the benefit and importance of allowing our subscribers - and their viewers - to watch their programming on any screen in their homes."
Click to continue reading Time Warner removes Fox, Viacom, and Discovery channels from iPad App
Viacom Purchases Ninja Turtles For $60 Million
Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Independent
Someone break the pizza out—we’re having a party with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
Media conglomerate Viacom (which owns Nickelodeon, MTV, Paramount) recently purchased the rights to the crime-fighting crew for a cool $60 million. Previously owned by Mirage Studios and 4Kids Networks, $10 million of the payment went to terminating the rights 4Kids currently has, which was set to naturally expire in 2012 (because Viacom doesn’t quite have the patience to wait three more years).
Inking the expensive deal comes 25 years after creators Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman (Mirage Studios) self-published the very first TMNT comic. Cowabunga!
To justify the price tag, Viacom plans for an upcoming 2012 film, as well as an accompanying CGI television series. Oh those businessmen—they’re so savvy.
Read More 
| Bleeding Cool
YouTube Unveils Copyright Protection Plan
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Google, Home Entertainment, Internet, Movies, Music
YouTube has finally released the means to automatically remove copyrighted clips. Although it has been eliminating most of those videos per request, the site is hoping that this will have a more positive impact on complaints such as Viacom’s suit against them. Working with its parent Google, the technology also allows companies to sell ads on their material if they will allow them to remain on YouTube. Unfortunately, the method of copyright protection requires copies of the videos that need protecting to be given to YouTube for comparison. This certainly doesn’t appear to be the solution that the studios desire and we suspect that YouTube will have to go back to the drawing board on this one.
Read More | ABC
MTV to Invest $500 Million in Games Division
Posted by Steve Van Neil Categories: Corporate News, Culture, Music
Look no further for proof that the video game business is big business indeed. Media giant MTV has announced that it is sinking over a half billion dollars into the video game industry over the next two years.
“As we take our brands narrow and deep to serve our targeted, niche audiences, we’re putting well over $500 million behind building our games business across all of the brands in our portfolio,” explained MTV chairman and chief executive Judy McGrath.
MTV is set to make a big splash this fall when Rock Band is released. MTV/Viacom recently purchased Rock Band and Guitar Hero developer Harmonix, so the success of the game will greatly impact any of the network’s future gaming endeavors. In addition to the Harmonix acquisition, MTV/Viacom has snapped up Xfire and GameTrailers, quietly making itself a major player in the gaming scene.
Read More | GameDaily
Viacom Sues YouTube for $1 Billion
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Google, Internet, Videos
In the continuing struggle with YouTube, Viacom, which is owned by Google, has taken YouTube to court for the astounding sum of $1 billion. Viacom claims that the site has shown 160,000 of its videos without express permission.
“Their business model, which is based on building traffic and selling advertising off of unlicensed content, is clearly illegal and is in obvious conflict with copyright laws,” Viacom said.
We’re thinking that this may be the first in a long series of lawsuits to get YouTube to respect the legal rights of copywritten material. The list will probably include such companies as GE and NBC. News Corp and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban have already begun legal proceedings against the media giant.
Read More | MSN
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