Hellgate Network

SHELLY PALMER probes several issues surrounding digital rights. What are your rights as Digital Citizens of the United States? Do we have a national broadband policy? What is it? What should it be? Read about digital deficiency and how it may jeopardize our status as a “super power.”

MICROSOFT’s “white space” device failed for a third time and now the FCC refuses to continue testing it. The device was intended to show that white space spectrum could bring Internet access to mobile devices without interfering with television signals. The tech industry is behind the initiative but Microsoft’s repeated failures have not been helping the cause.

YAHOO is launching Shine, a new site targeted at women in the 25 to 54 age bracket. Shine will offer content focused on parenting, relationships, food, beauty and more including exclusive content from Hearst, Rodale, Conde Nast and Time Inc. Shine will allow Yahoo sell advertising targeted directly to women, an online demographic it believes is currently under-served. It launches today.

SONY will launch PIX, a linear movie channel on AT&T’s forthcoming MediaFlo mobile TV service. PIX will feature classic movies from Columbia, TriStar, Screen Gems and Sony Classics. It will focus on familiar movies so that viewers can miss the beginning and stop watching whenever they feel like it. Sony Pictures Television will also announce a new mobile Jeopardy game for handheld users.

MICROSOFT has signed a deal with Hollywood producer and talent manager Peter Safran to create original video content for the Xbox. Safran and Company will create scripted shows that run under ten minutes and focus on genres that are popular with the Xbox audience. The ad-supported shows are expected to begin this fall, starting with Xbox exclusivity before expanding into other distribution channels. A company spokesperson said the deal is “the first of many.”

MTV NETWORKS will become the first Viacom property to embrace mobile ad-supported distribution. The network will place clips on mobile destination Mywaves.

AFTRA and SAG will negotiate with the AMPTP separately.

IAC won a court decision that will allow it to split into 5 companies.

NEWSPAPERS saw print ad revenue drop 9.4% in 2007, the biggest decline since at least 1950.

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COMCAST plans an imminent release of the first system that allows television ads to be targeted to the individual household level. The system will reportedly be deployed this June to over 100,000 homes in Baltimore. The technology is being developed by INVIDI, a company that has recently seen major investments from WPP, Motorola and others. One thing is certain: this June, the privacy police will be working overtime in Baltimore.

AT&T will launch a live mobile TV service based on Qualcomm’s MediaFlo in May. The service will offer eight channels with full-length content from Comedy Central ESPN, MTV, FOX, NBC, Nickelodeon and more. Two handsets will be supported at launch, LG’s Vu and Samsung’s Access. If you live outside a major metropolitan area, however, you may not be covered by the new service. The MediaFlo network won’t be fully deployed until February 2009, when analog TV shuts down and Qualcomm takes full possession of its spectrum.

GOOGLE is seeing continued decline in clicks on search advertisements, according to new data from comScore. During February, Google saw ad clicks fall 3% from January’s totals. That marks two consecutive months of decline. Google maintains that clicks aren’t the sole indicator of business success but Wall Street isn’t buying it. The company’s stock has fallen 40% since November. I’ve got a different question. How accurate are ComScore’s numbers and are they third party verified?

MTV.COM drew major traffic on Tuesday, serving up 1.8 million streams of a new episode of The Hills. The episode drew 4.8 million viewers when it premiered on MTV the night before. The online blockbuster comes at a fortuitous time for the network. MTV will host an upfront on May 8th, during which it will focus on its multi-platform capabilities.

THE FCC released the details of a plan that will allow satellite TV providers to phase in their support for local HD channels between 2009 and 2013.

WARNER MUSIC is hoping to tax your Internet access bill in exchange for unlimited music. Saying the music industry has become “one big tip jar,” Jim Griffen, Warner’s new digital guy, wants everyone to pay into a pool of money to save the industry. I see, the industry can’t get enough voluntary subscriptions, so they’re going to try to make everyone pay. Good luck with that.

CBS has begun testing online HD streaming using clips from “CSI,” “How I Met Your Mother” and other network shows. Clips are currently offered in 480p, with plans to offer 720p and 1080p soon. There are no full length shows posted yet.

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