Gigaom
Netflix made a peering agreement with Comcast in February, guaranteeing slow-downs in Comcast's network, but also setting a precedent for content providers to pay ISPs for speed. But Netflix is getting its money's worth, according to its own speed index data.
OppTrends
Netflix customers have been targeted by scammers who direct users to a phony Website, where the criminals can siphon off credit card information.
FierceOnlineVideo.com
David Bank, RBC Capital Markets analyst, doubts studies that say online video advertising will overtake TV ads within the next few years. Television still has much greater reach than online video, he argues.
The Hill
Many news organizations and privacy rights groups are urging a federal appeals court to keep the inflammatory anti-Muslim video “Innocence of Muslims” on the Internet. The groups are protesting the court’s 2-1 February decision ordering YouTube to take the video offline. An actress in the video sued to take the video down after receiving death threats. She claims she was told she would be in an adventure film called “Desert Warrior,” and her voice was later dubbed over so that she seemed be blaspheming Islam.
CelebStoner
In this new Hulu series, Tyler Labine plays Kevin Pacalioglu, a slovenly clairvoyant who smokes pot with his dealer, Roofie (Brandon T. Jackson), and takes mushrooms to help him figure out his next moves.
Republican American (Waterbury, Conn.)
Roku's new $50 Streaming Stick is a bargain, but it has a disappointing search mechanism. On the plus side, it offers lots of channels.
The New York Times
Yahoo wants to get into the business of longer-form content, and the Wall Street Journal says, has eyed more than 100 projects that are shovel-ready to go. But finding truly worthy projects is harder than that.
c21
Charlotte Koh, head of development for Hulu’s original series, is leaving after three years. Her departure comes after Hulu
last month hired Craig Erwich, previously with Warner Horizon Television, as senior VP and head of content.
TVNewsCheck
La Presse +, an iPad-only app from Montreal’s
La Presse newspaper is the result of a $36 million investment, that includes 100 new staffers ranging from programmers and developers to a small fleet of videographers among them. Engagement? The paper says readers spend up an average 45 per day looking at it.
Mediabistro
A Chicago high school student asked Netflix if it would take him to the prom if he got 1,000 supportive Tweeters. They said yes. He got the tweets, and so they provided a cool vintage convertible and driver, and a James Bond-worthy tux. He already had the girl friend. The inevitable video is now paying Netflix back.