Viacom and Amazon announced a multiyear deal earlier this week that will provide Amazon with exclusive rights to Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows aimed at children and preschoolers. The agreement, estimated to be worth several hundred million dollars, also includes content from Viacom networks MTV and Comedy Central. The deal with Amazon was inked after Netflix and Viacom failed to renew their licensing agreement. Continue reading Netflix Competitor Amazon Nabs Exclusive Deal with Viacom

Verizon Wireless will pay the National Football League a reported $1 billion over four years for the rights to make additional football games available on its customers’ smartphones. In a significant move for the mobile industry, the NFL will begin to show Sunday afternoon games on Verizon Wireless phones next year. Select Sunday, Monday and Thursday night games are already available on Verizon phones, but there are typically 10-12 games scheduled on a Sunday afternoon. Continue reading Verizon to Stream Sunday Afternoon NFL Games to Phones

Intel and Samsung announced a partnership this week that will allow Samsung TV owners to stream movies directly from PCs running Intel’s latest processors. The companies are teaming to integrate Intel’s Wireless Display technology directly into Samsung’s TVs, which will eliminate the need for a separate receiver to play media content on TVs streamed from a PC. The technology is expected to reach consumers by the end of this year. Continue reading Streaming Movies from Intel-based Laptops to Samsung TVs

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ “Entertainment & Media Outlook 2013-2017” report, consumer spending on mobile Internet access will surpass spending on home broadband connections this year. Combined spending is projected to grow from $91 billion in 2012 to $153.3 billion in 2017. The report also predicts that 87 percent of the U.S. population (286.7 million people) will have mobile Internet devices within four years. Continue reading Mobile Net Spending to Exceed Home Broadband for First Time

Multiplatform video service provider Vubiquity and DVR pioneer TiVo announced a partnership yesterday that will integrate Vubiquity’s AnyVU Streaming service with the TiVo user experience. AnyVU Streaming is an end-to-end multiplatform video solution that enables service providers to launch TV Everywhere services. The TiVo user interface will allow for integration of Vubiquity’s subscription movie package ViewNow on any device. Continue reading AnyVU: Vubiquity and TiVo Partner on TV Everywhere Solution

Software firm Youtoo Technologies announced that it has integrated its interactive video technology into “OK! TV,” a nationally syndicated half-hour news and entertainment magazine show co-produced by American Media and Unconventional Partners that will debut on September 9. Integrating Youtoo’s technology will enable the audience to directly interact with the show through online video and social and mobile apps. Continue reading Pop Culture and Lifestyle Show to Feature Viewer Interaction

Samsung won a largely unexpected legal victory against Apple yesterday that could potentially stop the sale of early model iPhones and iPads. The U.S. International Trade Commission, which has jurisdiction over certain trade practices, ruled that Apple violated a Samsung patent related to tech used to send data over wireless networks. Devices in question include the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 3G, iPad 2 3G and iPad 3 (the more current iPhone 5 and fourth-generation iPad were unaffected). Continue reading ITC Ruling Favors Samsung, Could Impact Apple Products

Goldman Sachs recently reported that TV ratings have dropped by 50 percent over the last ten years, “the sharpest pace on record.” Ratings in the coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic fell by 17 percent last winter compared with the previous year. Since 2004, studies have suggested that TV viewing would be one of the first leisure activities to be impacted by the Internet. However, while TV remains the dominant medium, digital natives are also turning to new forms of entertainment. Continue reading Will Tumblr and Twitter Define the Future of Television?

Walt Disney Studios is planning to launch a new website on June 11 designed to simplify the process of accessing digital versions of movies purchased on Blu-ray Disc or DVD. The Disney Digital Copy Plus website intends to streamline digital delivery for consumers by eliminating the cumbersome “digital copy” process. The site will debut on the same day that the studio’s “Oz the Great and Powerful” is released on disc. Continue reading Disney to Launch New Digital Copy Plus Website Next Week

The majority of television content viewed on mobile devices is accessed through Netflix and Hulu Plus, rather than via networks or pay TV providers, suggests a new study commissioned by the Council for Research Excellence (funded by Nielsen). About 64 percent of shows watched on smartphones and 54 percent on tablets were accessed through online video-subscription services, while broadcast and cable websites and apps only accounted for 26 percent of TV viewed on mobile devices. Continue reading Netflix and Hulu Plus Most Popular with Mobile TV Viewers

Mozilla is teaming up with major phone manufacturers as part of a plan to offer sub-$50 smartphones in emerging markets. The company is looking at international regions with growth potential as the global market for smartphones continues to take off. Mozilla is also pushing for more mobile devices to run its Firefox operating system, which it is pitching as an alternative to dominant systems from Google and Apple. Continue reading Mozilla Planning Affordable Smartphones for Firefox Adoption

Ericsson released a new mobility report yesterday that suggests video traffic is growing on mobile networks by 60 percent annually and overall data traffic is predicted to grow 12-fold by the end of 2018. The report notes that global smartphone subscriptions reached 1.2 billion in 2012, a number expected to approach 4.5 billion by 2018. Additionally, Ericsson anticipates 60 percent of the world’s population will be covered by LTE in 2018. Continue reading Ericsson Mobility Report: LTE and Mobile Video Drive Growth

CBS announced on Friday that it has wholly acquired TV Guide Digital, whose assets include TVGuide.com and TV Guide Mobile applications. CBS purchased the remaining 50 percent of TV Guide’s digital assets from Lionsgate (although terms have not yet been disclosed). The site and apps will join the growing collection of CBS Interactive properties, where the digital group hopes they will help attract a larger audience in addition to advertisers. Continue reading CBS Beefs Up its Portfolio with Acquisition of TV Guide Digital

TV networks are producing second screen content related to their original programming in an effort to attract viewers who are increasingly turning to their smartphones, tablets and laptops. The content — which typically includes videos, photos, games and trivia — is intended for viewers who multitask with their mobile devices. According to Nielsen, more than 40 percent of American consumers use their phones or tablets each day as they watch TV. Continue reading Networks Develop New Strategies for Second Screen Content

It’s that time of year again. Internet analyst Mary Meeker, general partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, presented her annual Internet Trends report in California yesterday. Speaking at the D: All Things Digital conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, Meeker noted there are now 2.4 billion worldwide Internet users. Mobile usage is rapidly expanding, while the Internet is becoming more social and content rich. In the future we should anticipate wearable computing devices, connected cars, drones and other new platforms. Continue reading D11 Conference: Mary Meeker Presents Internet Trends Report