Video games on demand:
TBS offers GameTap
TV
networks keep trying to find ways to target those disappearing young
audiences, and TBS thinks it has the answer: video games. It’s called
GameTap, a new service from the Time Warner arm, a subscription broadband
network that combines gaming and programming. The new service is scheduled
to launch this fall and will bring to subscribers unlimited access to
hundreds of video games for a flat monthly rate of between $10
and $20. The library of games
will refresh weekly, adding five to 10 new titles, drawing from the licensed
catalog of more than 1,000 games from 17 publishers. TBS expects to add five
more publishers and at least 100 games before the service launches. Users
will need a broadband internet connection and five GB of free space to use
GameTap. Besides games, original programming on the service will
cross-promote Turner entities through coming attractions, interviews and
the like.
Turner parent Time Warner first got involved in gaming with its 1976
acquisition of Atari Corp.
Podcasting coming to San Francisco's airwaves
If
you always thought you could program a radio station better than the DJs,
here's your chance. On May 16 Infinity Broadcasting will convert San Francisco’s
1550 KYCY-AM to KYOURadio made up entirely of listener-submitted
content. Just like with podcasting, which allows listeners to download
audio content onto their MP3s such as radio shows, people can record
blocks of content to submit for consideration on the
KYOURadio.com web site. Approved podcasts will air simultaneously on the
site and on 1550-AM in San Francisco. Users who submit podcasts can also
include music from major record labels and Infinity will pick up the
licensing tab. This new radio format comes just as similar consumer
programming efforts are
being launched in other media. Al Gore’s Current cable news channel will
draw from user contributions, as will Open Media Network, a kind of
P2P-meets-TiVo for public broadcasters.
Choose
your own highlights with new ESPN360
"SportsCenter" never shows the highlights you want first?
Rejoice.
ESPN
has launched a new customizable broadband service, ESPN360, and will
offer it for free during its first week. The service has a mix
of internet and TV elements with ESPN-branded content from live
programming to behind-the-scenes looks to expert analysis.
All
of the content is customizable and can be watched on a variety of screen
sizes, from full-screen to a compact mode for viewing on just a small
portion of a user’s screen. Users can visit ESPN360.com to download the
application and try it for free through May 1. Content will include the
week’s Major League Baseball highlights, including in-progress updates
for the “Sunday Night Baseball” game between the New York Mets and
Washington Nationals; “NBA Shootaround” analysis of this year’s NBA
playoffs; daily “Pardon the Interruption” segments from Washington
Post columnists Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon; and live coverage of
the Firestone Japan Indy 300 on April 29 at midnight.
Dow Jones
expands Interest-Based Targeting
Dow
Jones web sites can now target visitors with advertisements based on past
behavior. On Wednesday the company announced Interest-Based Targeting, a
system where advertisers can reach those who show an interest in a
particular area of news coverage over time based on site-usage
characteristics. The system, powered by Revenue Science, is in use on Dow
Jones Online, Wall Street Journal Online, Barron’s Online and
MarketWatch. The company said Oracle is the first advertiser to use
IBT across Dow Jones Online.
|
