Olympics Online Coverage Still In Learning Curve

Network isn't laughing, even if everyone else is

(NEWSER) - Most people got a chuckle over the 1994 video of Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel struggling to understand that new Internet thing, but not everybody's laughing: NBC fired the employee who posted it, reports the All Things Digital blog . “The individual in question violated the company’s standards of conduct by repeatedly copying and distributing a variety of materials without permission," said a company statement. And that came after the Today show itself ran the clip when it became popular. Click for more at AOL News. More»

News Corp. talks subscription model; paywall unlikely

(NEWSER) - The days of free TV shows on Hulu are likely ending: A News Corp. exec says “it’s time to start getting paid for broadcast content online,” adding that “Hulu concurs with that.” Asked by Broadcasting & Cable what exactly that means, Chase Carey was vague: No timeline, but 2010 is likely; a paywall is not the answer; and a mobile version of the site is a potential moneymaker, as are Hulu-only TV previews. More»

Cable giant no fan of free site, and could soon own NBC's part of it

(NEWSER) - Comcast is no fan of Hulu's business model, and the cable giant could soon own a stake in the site—which means trouble for fans of using it to watch TV shows free. Comcast is in talks with NBC to pool their entertainment offerings in a joint venture that would include NBC’s various channels along with 30% of Hulu, the Los Angeles Times explains. Comcast would control the new company, and analysts think it would push Hulu to change. More»

Will head new company created with Barry Diller

(NEWSER) - Ben Silverman is leaving NBC Entertainment and hitting the Internet, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The division's co-chair—who may have jumped and may have been pushed—will partner with Barry Diller and IAC to create “a next generation enterprise that bridges the gap between traditional television and the Internet,” Diller announced today. Silverman is already in talks to get Ryan Seacrest involved, TMZ reports. More»

(NEWSER) - Record labels and the online radio industry have reached a deal on royalties that insiders think will allow the medium to survive, the New York Times reports. Larger sites like Pandora will pay the labels 25% of revenue or up to 14 cents for every song they stream—whichever is higher—and small sites will pay 12% to 14% of revenue. Prior to the deal, rates were set to hit 19 cents per song, and many so-called webcasters said they couldn't survive. More»