NBCU and News Corp, the conglomerates behind Hulu, have pulled all TV content from competitor TV.com. The recently relaunched site, which is owned by CBS, had a deal with the Hulu-founders when TV.com was owned by CNET, however, since CNET was purchased relationships have soured. TV.com is CBS's answer to HULU.
Yahoo is set to unveil search ads with pictures and video. The move brings a change of pace to the paid search ads business, which are usually just text and URL ads, ala Google AdWords. Yahoo's new venture, dubbed Rich Ads in Search, is a way of integrating the traditional banner ad with the popular search ad, as well as a way for Yahoo to try to catch up with Google in the search ad business.
CBS reported that its profits fell nearly 52% last quarter. While the company has been number one in ratings, a soft ad market has hindered its earnings. CEO Les Moonves is counting on syndication sales, cost cutting, and the Eye's high ratings to in order to boost its bottom line.
Comcast's
income for the fourth quarter of 2008 fell 32%. The loss is attributed to slow subscriber growth for its cable division, as well as telephone and broadband. In order to keep cash flow steady, Comcast will delay its stock-repurchase plan, which it expects to complete later this year.
In anticipation of its split with parent company Time Warner, Time Warner Cable has named Glenn Britt its new Chairman. Britt has been running TWC for a decade and has been at Time Warner for more than 30 years. TW CEO Jeff Bewkes will leave the company's board after the split is complete.
The New York Times stock now costs less than its famed Sunday paper. The Grey Lady's stock is trading at $3.77, while the Sunday edition of the Times costs $4.
Shelly Palmer is a consultant and the host of MediaBytes a daily show featuring news you can use about technology, media & entertainment. He is Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group LLC and the author of Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to Networked TV (2008, York House Press). Shelly is also President of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, NY (the organization that bestows the coveted Emmy® Awards). You can join the MediaBytes mailing list here. Shelly can be reached at shelly@palmer.net