YouTube to Change Focus

Looks like YouTube feels they've mastered the short-form content market and now they want to go head-to-head with Hulu in the long-format arena. It makes sense for YouTube to grow as a company and right now there is money in long-format content.

Also, as an audience, we are very finicky and our attention will always be drawn to something new and shiney. So as YouTube gives us yet another reason to go to their site, lets just hope it is as entertaining as their current content. 

To read more on the new focus at YouTube, hop over to Broadcasting and Cable.

CenturyTel and EMBARQ Merger Approved By FCC

CenturyTel and Embarq Corporation announced last week that CenturyTel's pending acquisition of EMBARQ has received approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The merger now has received all necessary approvals, and the companies expect the merger to be effective on July 1, 2009.

“The FCC’s approval is a significant and exciting milestone toward completing the merger,” said Glen F. Post III, CenturyTel's chairman and chief executive officer. “It has been a rigorous review process and we are pleased to have the FCC’s approval and recognition that the combination of CenturyTel and EMBARQ offers many benefits to our customers and the communities we serve.”

“We have committed to the FCC that we will remain focused on infrastructure development and broadband deployment after completion of the merger,” said Tom Gerke, EMBARQ's chief executive officer. “Our combined company is committed to investing in our communities and providing our customers high-quality, reliable communications and expanded broadband services.”

We will keep an eye out for how this will affect current customers and ordering service from the combined company moving forward.

Comcast and Time Warner Partner to Put Cable TV Content Online

Time Warner recently announced that it is partnering with Comcast to distribute its television content online. The agreement between the companies will make it possible for Comcast customers to access programming from Turner Broadcasting’s entertainment networks free online and on demand.  In addition, Comcast announced it will begin a national technical trial of its “On Demand Online” service in July carrying programming from Time Warner’s Turner networks TNT and TBS.

"We have been working for a year to bring more TV and movie content to our customers online and we are thrilled that Time Warner is joining us in our national technical trial," said Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and CEO of Comcast. "Ultimately, our goal is to make TV content available to our customers on all platforms.”

The On Demand Online technical trial will deliver more TNT and TBS programming online, free of charge to Comcast video customers, than what had previously been made available. Comcast customers in the trial will be able to access TNT programming like The Closer and Saving Grace, as well as the TBS line-up including Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns and My Boys. The shows will be initially accessible on Comcast.net, Fancast.com and will soon be available on TNT.tv and TBS.com.

The only catch is that customers must first prove they have cable or satellite service before accessing the content and a high-speed Internet connection is recommend for the best viewing experience.

For more, check out Time Warner, Comcast test approach to more TV on Web.

American Women Choose Apple as Top Tech Brand

According to the results of Women & Digital Life, a study by Solutions Research Group Consultants Inc., Apple is the top technology brand among American women, followed by Sony, Microsoft, Dell and HP. The study asked the open-ended question "which technology brand or company do you admire the most?" Twenty percent of women who responded mentioned Apple. Sony came in second with 14%, Microsoft was third with just over 10%, followed by Dell at 10% and HP at 6%.

Other brands mentioned in the top 20 included Verizon, Google, LG, Nintendo, Samsung, Gateway, AT&T, Panasonic, GE, IBM, BlackBerry and Comcast.

Women are an increasingly important market for technology brands – in fact, an estimated 45 million women in the U.S. bought a digital product in the last six months.

“As women close the gender-gap in technology use, being top-of-mind is more important than before” said Donna Hall, co-director of the Women & Digital Life study. “Teens and young women influence their parents’ choices while moms make choices for themselves and their children, suggesting strong potential for additional Apple products in the home.”

This is the second in a series of releases from the Women & Digital Life study which is based on in-depth interviews and explores how women navigate in the age of broadband, mobile and social media.

For more information on the study, check out SRG's Digital Life in America.

Verizon to Shed Landlines in 14 States

As part of Verizon Communications’ strategy to focus on wireless, broadband and FiOS fiber-optic services, they will sell their predominantly rural landlines across 14 states to Frontier Communications. This translates to the sale and transfer of 4.5 million landlines and related assets.

The big winners in this transaction will be stockholders and Frontier. All-in-all, Verizon stockholders will receive a total value of $8.6 billion and Frontier will become the largest operator of rural communications services across the U.S.

The states affected will be Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, West Virgina, Wisconsin and some parts of California. The time line given by Verizon for the full transfer of all assets is 12 months.

For more information regarding this transaction and how it may affect you as a current Verizon customer, visit CNET News and Verizon Investor Relations.

Broadband for All Americans Part of Stimulus Package

The Federal Communications Committee has been tasked with proposing a plan for all Americans to have broadband access as part of President Obama’s economic stimulus package. This plan must be delivered to Congress by February 17, 2010 and take into consideration key opportunities such as how to reach all Americans with broadband service, how to maximize use of current broadband infrastructure and methods for broadband to increase consumer and economic activities.

Cable companies and telcos will receive portions of the stimulus package and it’s likely that unserved and underserved populations will be primary recipients of individual funds. To stay abreast with progress on this initiative, visit FCC.

Common Sense Media Looking for Parents, Educators, and Teens for New Research

Common Sense Media recently announced that is looking for 200 parents, educators, and teens to participate in 2009 Focus Dialogues, a new research project focused on the ethical issues facing young people in their digital lives.

In partnership with Global Kids and Harvard Project Zero's Good Play Project, the project aims to promote understanding of how young people are changing as a result of this new digital age so that both adults and teens can get the most out of the digital world, while learning to deal effectively with the parts of it that can be difficult.

Are you:
- A parent trying to figure out more about your teen's online life?

- An educator trying to get students to think about the choices they make online?

- A teen trying to get your parents to understand why Facebook is important?

If so, Common Sense Media wants five minutes out of your day for three weeks in April!

Visit Commone Sense Media for more information on how you can participate.

Dial-Up Makes a Come Back

Just when you thought dial-up had gone the way of the dinosaurs, it makes a steady come back. Who would have thought that dial-up Internet service could compete with DSL, high-speed and satellite Internet connections.

Well it turns out the economy is bringing back dial-up. In times of a recession, budgeting, economizing, down-sizing and saving money, consumers are starting to question the need for speed.

I mean if you're into gaming and downloading movies and tv shows then going back to dial-up is definitely not for you. But, if you're looking into cutting back on spending and you just check e-mail and occasionally surf the Web, then going to an economical dial-up connection is definitely the way to go.

To read more on this topic, read the article Postponing Dial-Up's Demise, that I found on The Wall Street Journal Web site.

Bundling 101

If the economy has got you down and you are looking to cut costs around the house, one of the first places you will probably look will be home services like TV, high-speed Internet and phone service. Before you give up your beloved movie channels or downgrade to dial-up, considering bundling your home services to save.

Here are some points to consider before shopping for bundled services:

Know Your Options
Find out what companies service your area. While most households only have one cable company available, don't forget to investigate telcom companies like AT&T and Verizon. These companies either offer their own options or bundle their services with satellite providers.

Become a Bundle Expert
Knowing what to look for can help save you even more. With most providers, signing up for more services equals more savings. In addition to TV, Internet and phone service, bundles also have the option of integrated services like caller ID on your TV screen, which is offered with some phone and cable packages. In addition, triple-play offers often come with more extras, such as free installation and free premium channels. Plus, you are more likely to be guaranteed low rates for a longer period of time with triple-play than when subscribing to services one at a time.

It's All in the Details
Before you make a choice, weigh your options! Don't choose one company over another strictly based on price. If you aren't getting the features or channels that you want, it might not be worth it to save a few dollars a month, especially if you have to pay a fee to cancel your service when you realize you are unhappy with it. Find out which TV providers carry programming you really want. Check your budget and see how much you spend going out to the movies. It may be more cost effective to upgrade your premium movie package and cut back on your theater time! Also, keep in mind that fiber and satellite usually have a termination fees but cable rarely charge them.

These are just a few of the important things you should consider when choosing to bundle your home services. Check out WhiteFence.com Bundled Services section to see what's available in your area to get started.

Fiber-Optic Providers Are Leading Choices for Internet, TV, and Phone Service Bundles

According to a recent report released by Consumer Reports, people looking to cut costs without sacrificing satisfaction for Internet, television, and telephone service should consider bundling with Verizon FiOS or AT&T U-verse. 

The magazine found that Intense competition for cable and satellite customers between AT&T U-verse and Verizon FiOS high-speed fiber providers has driven down rates for bundled services. Bundles of the three services have dropped in price by up to 20 percent in the last year, to as low as $80 a month.

The survey also reveals that subscribers were very satisfied with services from the top telecom providers. Consumer Reports readers scores for Internet, phone, and TV, found that Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse were the most consistently satisfying providers.

For more information on the survey, pick up the February issue of Consumer Reports from your newsstand or visit consumerreports.org.