Facebook Cuts Google's 'Friend Connect' Out of API Program

Facebook has banned Google's Friend Connect from its API program, reports TechCrunch. The ban occurred mere days after the near-simultaneous launches of Facebook Connect and Google's Friend Connect. Both services enable users to sync profile information across all social networks. Facebook Chief Privacy Officer Chris Kelly told TechCrunch that the ban is a privacy issue, not a […]

Posted: Friday, May 16th, 2008

AP Launches iPhone-Ready Mobile News Network

The Associated Press (AP) Mobile News Network launched today. iPhone users may download an "optimized" version at the App Store. Built on Verve Wireless technology and comprised of over 100 news publishers, Mobile News Network topics include breaking news, sports, entertainment and business. The iPhone App enables users to sift through photo galleries and watch video coverage. […]

Posted: Monday, May 5th, 2008

AT&T Mobile TV Goes Live — Really, This Time — On Sunday

AT&T has announced it will launch its mobile TV initiative this Sunday. After a handful of delays, last March the company conservatively arranged a May debut. The service is available on LG Vu and the Samsung Access, across 58 markets including New York, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Chicago. Powered by Qualcomm's MediaFLO, the AT&T Mobile TV lineup includes […]

Posted: Friday, May 2nd, 2008

How-To: 10 Tips for Launching a Solid Podcast

Campaign studies by Podtrac and TNS found podcast advertising is three times as effective as "traditional" online advertising, and seven times more so than TV ads. In 2007, podcasts served 18.5 million users in the US — a figure projected to rise to 65 million by 2012 (eMarketer). These tips for launching an engaging podcast will help […]

Posted: Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

AP to Launch Ad-Supported Mobile News Network in Q2

The Associated Press (AP) is teaming with Verve Wireless, a wireless publishing platform, to power the public foray of its AP Mobile News Network. The service gives mobile users a central space for local, national and international news and is "tailored to smart phones," according to the AP. The beta program was announced just recently; it […]

Posted: Friday, April 25th, 2008

How-To: Using Twitter to Build Brand Integrity

Enterprise blogging has been lauded for its ability to "humanize" a company and make distant executives feel available to ground-floor customers. Twitter can serve the same purpose much more quickly. Twitter spearheads the "microblogging" trend, where people air thoughts and share information in real-time while observing a 140-character limit. Here are tips for getting the most […]

Posted: Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

Marchex Inks Liaisons with Panoply of Niche Review Sites

Online ad firm and local content publisher Marchex has closed partnerships with a number of niche location-based content sites, including Yelp, Frommer's, Priceline and Avvo. The relationships add over five million user reviews and ratings to the engorged Marchex network, bringing its total to eight million nationwide. Content will be integrated into the Marchex local network, […]

Posted: Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

BayTSP, NTT to Launch DIY Copyright Protection Technology for Online Video

BayTSP has formed a partnership with NTT that enables publishers to use video and audio fingerprinting technologies to learn whether their content is misused online, particularly on sites like Google Video, YouTube or Daily Motion. BayTSP provides content authentication technology; NTT's content recognition platform has not, up until this point, debuted in the US. NTT has provided […]

Posted: Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

CW: Sorry Mates, No Online 'Gossip Girl' for You

Against the gospel of bigger networks like NBCU and ABC, the CW has decided to stop streaming episodes of flagship show Gossip Girl online. Executives are concerned the show's online popularity may be contributing to its weakness on TV. For while Gossip Girl is among the most downloaded shows on iTunes and a strong generator of […]

Posted: Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Industry Buzz & Snippets: 4/22/08

Ad Networks and Analytics: Increased targeting, and reasonable prices (compared with direct buying), play roles in the growth of ad networks amidst a crippled US economy. The Travel Ad Network, which has several high-profile publisher partners, raised $15 million in its first big round of financing. IdentifiedHits is a new ad network on Facebook that does for […]

Posted: Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Industry Buzz & Snippets: 4/15/08

Ad Networks and Analytics: comScore said AOL's Platform-A was the top-ranked ad network in March, reaching nine out of 10 online users by combining myriad niche verticals. Ad targeting shop Visible World raised $25 million to expand operations. WidgeBucks is now the first widget network operator big enough to be counted by comScore. Agencies and Executives: Former Interpublic and MTV […]

Posted: Tuesday, April 15th, 2008

AnswersTV to Port Health Content to AP Video Site

AnswersTV, which provides original health programming online, will be syndicating health content to AP's OVN. The shows will be distributed to almost 2,000 online video affiliates. The relationship is an exclusive one. AP expects affiliates will use the programming to augment health-oriented site content. A recent study observed a disparity exists between what consumers want, and actually […]

Posted: Monday, April 14th, 2008

Yahoo and MLB Sign Ad, Distribution Deal

Yahoo has made an agreement to sell ads and distribute video for Major League Baseball. Yahoo shall sell the ad space in games streamed online during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Considering the number of games shown on MLB.TV, the deal adds significantly to Yahoo's available video inventory. Yahoo will also distribute over 2,400 games live and […]

Posted: Friday, April 11th, 2008

Digital Media Screens in Quick-Service Restaurants Get Attention

Millions of US adults visit quick-service restaurants each month, and they constitute a prime audience for in-store digital media, according to an Indoor Direct study conducted by Arbitron at Wendy's, Denny's, Hardee's, Arby's, and CiCi's Pizza stores, writes MarketingCharts. Nearly 100 million people - about 42 percent of the US adult population - visit at […]

Posted: Thursday, April 10th, 2008

AOL to Serve ESPN Content on Video, Sports Pages

As the result of a freshly-inked relationship, AOL Video and AOL Sports shall now serve ESPN video content. These will include game highlights, sporting events coverage and ESPN's original online programming. According to ESPN, users on ESPN.com watched videos in over 1.2 billion instances in 2007, a 54 percent increase over '06, reports MediaPost. AOL will be […]

Posted: Tuesday, April 8th, 2008

Niche Content, Ad Opportunities Open to Pringo Social Networks

Content syndication platform Mochila has just formed its first social networking relationship, with white label platform Pringo. Pringo is not itself a social network. Like its more casual rival Ning, it enables businesses or groups to create their own online communities. Mochila shall integrate its marketplace interface onto Pringo, so social network admins can search for […]

Posted: Tuesday, April 8th, 2008

Music Streaming Service imeem Buys Indie DRM Firm SNOCAP

Music streaming firm imeem has acquired SNOCAP, a DRM technology company. "imeem shares SNOCAP's focus on enabling artists to promote their music in new ways," said CEO Rusty Rueff. SNOCAP created its own content ID platform and digital registry, enabling unsigned and independent artists and labels to control the online distribution of their music. Its registry includes […]

Posted: Monday, April 7th, 2008

Paramount Film Icons Invade vMTV, There.com

The VooZoo app is spreading from Facebook — where it launched last month — to There.com and vMTV, a virtual world owned by MTV Networks. The app debuted on Facebook last month and boasts 74 daily active users. It enables them to channel Paramount film stars in the form of "Voohoos": video one-liners from films, which […]

Posted: Friday, April 4th, 2008

600 YouTube Users See Footage of Gang Rape

This week YouTube suffered reprimands from MPs after failing to remove footage of a gang rape. VP and General Counsel Kent Walker of Google attributed the mishap to "human error," according to the Guardian. "Our reviewers review a lot of material and in some cases simply just make a mistake," he said. The rape was viewed […]

Posted: Thursday, April 3rd, 2008

Your Nightlife: Now Available on Directory Assistance

V-ENABLE, the provider of FreeMobile411, has formed a partnership with buzzd, a location-based mobile entertainment service. buzzd provides real-time information about bars, clubs and restaurants in a given area. The liaison shall bring buzzd content to V-ENABLE's FreeMobile411 service, which is available on MetroPCS and Alltel. buzzd content includes listings from CitySearch, Flavorpill and Time Out, as […]

Posted: Thursday, April 3rd, 2008