According to an interview with the NYTimes, Microsoft’s Shane Kim seems to suggest a deal with Hulu may be in the works that will allow Xbox 360 owners to use the excellent video streaming service.
Their deal with Netflix, the company’s first streaming partner, is “just beginning to scratch the surface.” Kim also noted that they were looking to add a music service as well. (Most likely Zune, but you never know)
The interview, paraphrased says, “He argued that while there may be hundreds of video sites, most of the activity is concentrating on a handful of sites like Hulu and YouTube. So his first instinct is cut a handful of deals that integrate the Xbox more deeply into such sites.”
A deal would make great sense for both parties. Hulu would gain audience and advertising revenue and Microsoft would be able to turn their console into a very formidable video streaming hub.
Obviously there could be no deal at all in the works. We will keep you updated.
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Mixtape sites where you can share your music playlists are closing on extinction. RIAA drove Muxtape off in September and now the pressure from the lobbyists has made another mashup, Mixwit, to call it a day.
Mixwit was never sued by RIAA but it was just a matter of time. The service took the songs from the MP3 search engine Seeqpod, which would’ve led them into trouble with RIAA eventually.
Mixwit founder Michael Christoff was interviewed by TechCrunch, “we thought about continuing with mixwit as a company, but we could never get assurance that the future of mixwit would not be hurt by the perceived liabilities of its past so we decided it was time to to shut things down.”
There are a few mixtape sites still keep on rockin’, for example Mixaloo and Mixtube. Let us also hope that the upcoming music startups that consumers so much love won’t be haunted by the industry.
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Microsoft has announced that it has made deals with Sony BMG and MTV to add their content to its free MSN video service.
Currently the service has offerings from National Geographic and ITN but will now add shows such as “Pimp My Ride” and music videos.
The deal with Sony BMG will put exclusive videos, backstage footage, interviews, and tour info on MSN Video.
“The music industry is facing tough challenges and it is all now about becoming a music entertainment company rather than just a record company”, said Ulrich Jarkel, senior vice president, Digital and Business Development Sony BMG.
“The whole game has changed. We now have over 150 ways to access Justin Timberlake content for example.”
MTV has made similar deals in the recent past, giving users access to South Park, Pimp My Ride, Punk’d, Cribs and Soapbox.
“This is one of our most important partnerships”, said Gideon Bierer, senior vice president, Digital Media, MT, “we will be adding other MTV network brands in the future from channels such as Nickelodeon and Comedy Central”.
The service is available in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden and the US. It will launch in Belgium, Denmark and Norway later this year.
