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Rovi Seeks to Jettison Online Video Unit

Company Acquired Movie Download Service With Sonic Solutions Deal in February 2011
By: Todd Spangler Jan 3 2013 - 6:21pm
Company Acquired Movie Download Service With Sonic Solutions Deal in February 2011

Rovi announced that it intends to sell its Rovi Entertainment Store business, which powers Best Buy’s CinemaNow online movie download service, citing its “ongoing strategic efforts to focus the company on growth opportunities related to its core enabling technologies and services.”

Judge Orders 'Aereokiller' to Stop Streaming Live TV

California District Court Rules Internet Service Illegally Retransmits Copyrighted Content
By: Todd Spangler Dec 28 2012 - 2:00pm
California District Court Rules Internet Service Illegally Retransmits Copyrighted Content

A federal judge in California issued a preliminary injunction Thursday ordering the “Aereokiller” service to stop streaming live TV feeds from ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC over the Internet -- finding that it represents illegal retransmission of copyrighted content.

Intel to Revisit Smart TVs With HP, Others: Report

Chipmaker Reportedly Working With PC Manufacturers on Connected TVs to Launch in 2013
By: Todd Spangler Dec 28 2012 - 9:41am
Chipmaker Reportedly Working With PC Manufacturers on Connected TVs to Launch in 2013

Intel is working with PC manufacturers Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Quanta Computer and Compal Electronics to launch smart TVs in 2013, Asian electronics trade magazine DigiTimes reported Friday, citing anonymous sources at component suppliers.

Intel and HP representatives declined to comment. Representatives from the other companies did not respond to requests for comment.

LG Revamps Google TV Lineup

Consumer-Electronics Maker to Launch Two New Models at CES 2013 Next Month
By: Todd Spangler Dec 27 2012 - 5:22pm
Consumer-Electronics Maker to Launch Two New Models at CES 2013 Next Month

Still hoping to gain traction with its Google TV products, LG Electronics will show off two revised TV models based on the Internet giant’s software platform at the 2013 International CES next month that the company says are easier to use and feature a sexier industrial design.

The new models, GA7900 and GA6400, are available in various sizes screen sizes. Both feature LG’s redesigned Magic Remote Qwerty to work with Google TV to “enhance the effectiveness” of voice search and the PrimeTime quick guide, according to LG.

Netflix Blames Xmas Eve Outage on Amazon's Cloud

Internet Streaming Service Restored on Tuesday
By: MCN Staff Dec 25 2012 - 11:56pm
Internet Streaming Service Restored on Tuesday

Netflix said its Internet streaming service for subscribers across the Americas region was knocked offline Dec. 24 -- before being restored Christmas morning -- because of problems with Amazon.com’s hosting services, according to reports.

Univision Launches UVideos on Kindle

Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD Tablets Can Access Univision Programming
By: George Winslow (Broadcasting & Cable) Dec 20 2012 - 3:01pm
Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD Tablets Can Access Univision Programming
 

In another sign that Amazon's Kindle is becoming an increasingly important platform for streaming TV programming, Univision Communications has launched its bilingual digital video network on Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD.

TBS Acquires SPT's 'Rules of Engagement'

Sitcom to Make Cable Premiere on Jan. 2
By: Paige Albiniak (Broadcasting & Cable) Dec 19 2012 - 11:08pm
Sitcom to Make Cable Premiere on Jan. 2

TBS has acquired Sony Pictures Television's Rules of Engagement for a January 2013 debut, SPT said Wednesday.

"We recently shot the 100th episode, which speaks to the ongoing appeal of this series and its cast," said John Weiser, SPT's president of U.S. distribution.

The show, which has been a utility player for CBS , also is cleared in broadcast syndication in 96% of the country, including on Tribune's WPIX New York, CBS' KCAL Los Angeles and Weigel's WCIU Chicago.

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Disney Lifts Kids 2-11 Crown from Nick in 2012

Viacom Net Held Top Spot in Key Demo for Last 17 years
By: Andrea Morabito (Broadcasting & Cable) Dec 19 2012 - 5:16pm
Viacom Net Held Top Spot in Key Demo for Last 17 years
 

Disney Channel says it will finish 2012 as the No. 1 network among kids 2 to 11, breaking Nickelodeon's 17-year stranglehold on the key total-day demographic. The network averaged 950,000 viewers in the demo, according to data from Nielsen, whose measurement year officially ends on Dec. 30.

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OpenTV Sues Netflix Over Patents

Interactive TV Vendor Claims Netflix Infringes Seven U.S. Patents
By: Todd Spangler Dec 19 2012 - 4:44pm
Interactive TV Vendor Claims Netflix Infringes Seven U.S. Patents

Interactive TV vendor OpenTV, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based Kudelski Group, filed a patent-infringement lawsuit Wednesday against Netflix, alleging that Netflix infringes seven U.S. patents owned by OpenTV that cover Internet video delivery.

Netflix declined to comment on the lawsuit.

FTC Unveils Updates to COPPA Rules

Legislators Relate Protecting Kids in Online Playgrounds to Child Protection Issues Raised by Newtown Shootings
By: John Eggerton Dec 19 2012 - 3:37pm
Legislators Relate Protecting Kids in Online Playgrounds to Child Protection Issues Raised by Newtown Shootings
 
Joined by interested legislators from both parties and both Houses, Federal Trade Commission chairman Jon Leibowitz unveiled the final version of the FTC's proposed changes and updates to its rules enforcing the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

Those include bringing geolocation, cookies (plug-ins) and behavioral targeting explicitly within the rules.

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