First it was a Wi-Fi version of SlingPlayer mobile for the iPhone and now it is a 3G version of the video streaming device getting approval from AT&T…
Archive for February 4th, 2010
SlingPlayer Mobile 3G version approved for the iPhone
Fox’s Biz and Corp Dev Head Mike Lang Leaving For Entrepreneurial Life
Mike Lang, the EVP of biz dev and strategy at Fox, and one of the key forces behind putting the Hulu deal together, is leaving the company after six years, paidContent has learned and confirmed. His last day is tomorrow, and he is leaving to “look for new entrepreneurial opportunities,” according to an internal memo sent out by Tony Vinciquerra earlier today. From the memo: “Mike has recently informed us that he will be leaving the company to look for new entrepreneurial opportunities. Mike has been a valued member of our team and was instrumental in many of our acquisitions and partnerships over the last several years.”
Lang, who is based in Los Angeles, joined Fox in 2004, and was involved hands on in early days of Fox Interactive Media, including the acquisition of MySpace and IGN. Besides the formation of Hulu, Lang—a Disney (NYSE: DIS) vet— was also recently involved in bringing in Disney into the Hulu fold. No word on who, if anyone, will replace him at Fox, though it seems likely his responsibilities will be spread out through the current org. Update: As Peter points out, he was also close to Peter Chernin in News Corp (NYSE: NWS). and with the Chernin era over, seems like a logical move for him to move on.
Staci adds: My thought: it’s not so much that Chernin is gone as who replaced him. Chase Carey has been rearranging a lot of pieces on the Fox side—and he’s been phasing out the major dealmaking apparatus, making it a lot less interesting for those who excel at deals. He’s also been putting his own structure in place. Some execs have been in limbo for months; some are just realizing they’re there. Look for more departures.
Updated: Comcast-NBCU Hearings: Zucker Confronted About Hulu’s Boxee Block
Boxee’s inability to carry Hulu programming is a matter of Congress now, thanks to the proposed Comcast-NBCU deal. During this morning’s hearing at the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, NBC Universal (NYSE: GE) CEO Jeff Zucker and Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts were asked pointblank by subcommittee chair U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) about Hulu’s efforts to block Boxee from carrying its programming. Zucker said the decision was made by Hulu management because Boxee was using Hulu illegally without any business deal. “We have many distributors of Hulu content that we have legal distribution deals with so we don’t preclude distribution deals. He was asked about working with Boxee to make a deal and said, ‘We have always said that we’re open to negotiations.” (Watch the full video below; Boxee questioning starts about 40 minutes in.)
Zynga To Bring Its Games To Microsoft Properties
Zynga‘s social games—which are already played by upwards of 230 million people each month—are about to get even more reach. The company is bringing some of its titles to Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) properties, including MSN Games and, intriguingly, Windows Live Messenger. To start off, Zynga says that people will now be able to play its most popular title, FarmVille, on the MSN Games site. Other games will follow in the “coming months.”
The partnership is a shift for Zynga, which has largely focused on making its games available on social networking sites, like Facebook and MySpace, and, more recently, also on its own standalone gaming sites.
Google’s David Eun Jumps Ship To AOL As President of AOL Media & Studios
A major shocker … at least to me. David Eun is leaving Google (NSDQ: GOOG) to join former colleague Tim Armstrong at AOL (NYSE: AOL) as president of AOL Media and Studios, effective March 1. He replaces Bill Wilson as AOL’s chief content exec and will be responsible for the company’s more than 80 content sites, SEED.com, as well as recent acquisition StudioNow and AOL’s NYC and LA studios. Armstong told staff it was Wilson’s choice to step back. PaidContent has obtained the memo:
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