Meerkat Planning New Features After Restrictions by Twitter

We recently reported that Life on Air’s new iOS app Meerkat was attracting a large number of Twitter users interested in broadcasting live, temporary video. Twitter has since restricted Meerkat from using some of its tools, including the ability to pull info about a user’s follower base (important to Meerkat users for locating their existing friends). Speaking at South By Southwest in Austin over the weekend, Life on Air CEO Ben Rubin said Twitter’s move has motivated him to speed up the development of new features for Meerkat. Continue reading Meerkat Planning New Features After Restrictions by Twitter

Apple is Planning to Launch its Internet TV Service This Fall

Details regarding Apple’s online TV service are becoming available as the company continues discussions with programmers. Insiders point to a slimmed-down bundle of about 25 channels from networks such as ABC, CBS and Fox to be offered this fall. As previously reported, the content would be available across Apple devices powered by iOS, including iPhones, iPads, and Apple TV. Some execs suggests the skinny bundle would run in the $30-$40 per month range. It streaming service is expected to be announced in June and launch in September. Continue reading Apple is Planning to Launch its Internet TV Service This Fall

SXSW Tackles Future of Television with Panels and Premieres

As part of its “Future of TV” series, the South by Southwest Festival is hosting a number of panels featuring filmmakers who recently produced content for online media. Morgan Spurlock is promoting a new show he created for AOL, and Dan Harmon will discuss “Community” and its move to Yahoo, while CNN and Hulu execs will tackle the evolving landscape of traditional TV and Internet video. Tech companies are investing in more original content while the shift in live TV is forcing media giants to offer more of their content online. Continue reading SXSW Tackles Future of Television with Panels and Premieres

Moonves Indicates Showtime Plans to Offer Streaming Service

Following HBO’s announcement that its new HBO Now streaming service will initially be available via Apple products in April, CBS President and CEO Les Moonves told an investor conference this week that Showtime would introduce its own standalone streaming service “in the not-too-distant future.” Speaking Wednesday in Palm Beach, Florida, Moonves noted that negotiations are currently underway with digital distributors and MVPDs. He added that discussions have accelerated in the wake of HBO’s announcement. Continue reading Moonves Indicates Showtime Plans to Offer Streaming Service

PlayStation Vue: Sony Readies Rollout of Internet TV Service

Sony is planning the nationwide launch of its PlayStation Vue online TV service to take place by the end of this year. Sony Computer Entertainment President Andrew House announced yesterday that commercial operation will kick-off within the next few weeks via invitation-only tests in Chicago, New York and Philadelphia. PlayStation Vue, the latest Internet service to target cord cutters, will compete with offerings such as Dish Network’s Sling TV and standalone network services from CBS, HBO and Nickelodeon. Continue reading PlayStation Vue: Sony Readies Rollout of Internet TV Service

Verizon and AwesomenessTV Announce New Streaming Service

Verizon announced its plans to rollout Internet TV channels featuring original content from teen-centric AwesomenessTV, the YouTube network owned by DreamWorks Animation. The companies announced yesterday that scripted and unscripted series will be geared toward teens and millennials. The multi-year deal will also include a DreamWorksTV channel that features live action and animated short-form content based on popular DreamWorks’ characters. The ATV network currently has 112 million subscribers on YouTube. Continue reading Verizon and AwesomenessTV Announce New Streaming Service

Streaming Video Subscribers Spend More Time Watching TV

Nielsen reports that about two in five U.S. households currently subscribe to streaming video services. According to the measurement company’s latest Total Audience Report, about 36 percent of households were Netflix subscribers in November. Netflix indicates it now has 40 million paid subscribers in the U.S. Following Netflix is Amazon Prime at 13 percent and Hulu Plus at 6.5 percent, explains the Nielsen study, which also shows that streaming service subscribers spend significantly more time viewing content. Continue reading Streaming Video Subscribers Spend More Time Watching TV

HBO to Test Simultaneous Global Airing of ‘Game of Thrones’

The fifth season of HBO’s global hit series, “Game of Thrones” is slated to premiere in the U.S. on April 12. This time around, however, the cable network plans to broadcast the series simultaneously worldwide in an effort to combat piracy. When episodes air at 9:00 pm in New York, they will also air at 2:00 am in London and 9:00 am in Hong Kong. While the international air times may seem unusual, HBO hopes they will curtail the number of illegal downloads of what has become the most-pirated TV show in the world. Continue reading HBO to Test Simultaneous Global Airing of ‘Game of Thrones’

Percentage of Mobile-Only Shoppers at Top Retailers Increases

According to comScore, 10 percent of Internet users in the U.S. only go online via smartphones and tablets. The measurement firm further notes that 13 percent of users accessing retail apps and sites do so via mobile devices only. Interestingly, the number of mobile-only shoppers at the top 10 retailers exceeds 50 percent in some cases. During January, for example, comScore reports the following percentages for mobile-only shoppers at top retailers: 51 percent at Walmart, 59 percent at Apple, and 53 percent at Target. Continue reading Percentage of Mobile-Only Shoppers at Top Retailers Increases

HBO to Launch Streaming Service Next Month on Apple Devices

During yesterday’s Apple product event in San Francisco, HBO announced it plans to launch its much-anticipated “HBO Now” Internet streaming service in April, initially on Apple devices (the exclusivity is scheduled for three months). The new service, which does not require a traditional TV subscription, will run $14.99 per month. Its debut will coincide with the new season of HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” HBO Now subscribers will have access to all of the cable network’s original programming in addition to its movie offerings. Continue reading HBO to Launch Streaming Service Next Month on Apple Devices

YouTube Fends Off New Competition for Premium Video Deals

YouTube is facing growing competition from companies such as Snapchat, Facebook and streaming newcomer Vessel for television programming provided by media giants such as Viacom, NBCUniversal and Time Warner. The competition wants to undercut YouTube’s share of big media programming by offering content suppliers more lucrative returns of ad revenue. Despite the offers, some media companies remain hesitant due to the demands of YouTube’s competitors.   Continue reading YouTube Fends Off New Competition for Premium Video Deals

Apple to Unveil New Watch, Beats Music Service and Apple TV

Apple has scheduled two upcoming events during which the company is expected to share more about the release of some of the year’s most anticipated products, including the relaunch of Beats Music, a new Apple TV set-top, and the Apple Watch. The company will introduce the remake of Beats Music, a streaming music service with curated playlists, at an event in June. Meanwhile, today’s “Spring Forward” event will likely feature the long awaited Apple Watch and its Watchkit applications. Continue reading Apple to Unveil New Watch, Beats Music Service and Apple TV

ASCAP Turns to Streaming Services for Collection of Royalties

ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) reported having its best year to date in 2014. The not-for-profit performance-rights organization, which collects royalties on behalf of over 500,000 musical artists and more than 10 million songs, collected a little over $1 billion in revenue for 2014. ASCAP said that it had improved its efforts in identifying songs being played via streaming services and in return created opportunities to pay more artists for their work. Continue reading ASCAP Turns to Streaming Services for Collection of Royalties

HBO Negotiating to Launch its Streaming Service on Apple TV

Apple is in talks with HBO to become a launch partner for the HBO Now streaming service. Apple TV may join Roku, Xbox, PlayStation, and Amazon in distributing streaming content from HBO’s catalog of television series and movies. HBO Now is set to debut in April, just in time for the season premiere of its popular series “Game of Thrones.” The streaming service will mark the first time that viewers will be able to subscribe directly to HBO, instead of through a pay TV service. Continue reading HBO Negotiating to Launch its Streaming Service on Apple TV

Nvidia Unveils Set-Top for 4K Movie and Video Game Streaming

Nvidia, a company best known for its graphics chips, has plans to launch a new set-top box with significant processing power and Ultra HD resolution. The $199 console, known as the Nvidia Shield, runs on the powerful new Tegra X1 processor and Android software. The Shield was designed to deliver streaming video games through Grid, described as a “Netflix of videogames.” Consumers will also be able to stream 4K video from Netflix, YouTube, and the Android TV version of Google Play. Continue reading Nvidia Unveils Set-Top for 4K Movie and Video Game Streaming