Whirlwind week - catch up

Phew! What a week. With half the office out and my colleague burning up the stage at Ad:Tech, I haven't had a chance to post at all this week.

Not too much to report

AOL pays USD 850m for Bebo

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2008/tc20080313_479505.htm?chan=technology_technology+index+page_top+stories

Hard to really comment on this given it just happened and Bebo isn't really much of a player in the AU market. Wonder whether it will affect the sales relationship Bebo has with Y!7? It appears from the article everyone else didn't want to touch Bebo - Yahoo, Disney, MSN etc

Disgraced NY governor Elliot Spitzer's drop in call-girl is also a wannabe singer

http://valleywag.com/367548/call-girl-beats-barenaked-ladies-radiohead-singer

Check amiestreet.com

Doubleclick and Google merger is now approved

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2008/tc20080311_855889.htm?chan=search

Green light from the EU means Google can now officially enter another realm.

Disney CEO: join the digital revolution--or hire people who can.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=78382&Nid=40401&p=921280

Eisner replacement lays down the a directive for Disney to significantly grow digital revenues.

YouTube coming to TV - via Tivo

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/technology/13tivo.html?_r=2&ref=media&oref=login&oref=slogin

When it is introduced this year (the exact time has not been specified), the YouTube service will be available only to TiVo users who have up-to-date hardware — a Series 3 or HD set-top box — and a broadband connection. Sounds cool, will Seven roll it out locally? Wonder what is actually happening with Tivo here.

Carlton Draught launch Skytroop

http://www.skytroop.com

Lots of video placements, plus a YouTube homepage takeover.

AOL re-enters Australia

Out of nowhere AOL has surfaced in AU.

And the first thing you notice about the site is that it is an absolute unashamed rip off of the Yahoo!7 homepage.

I remember AOL's other 2 failed attempts in this market and assume the 2008 V3 won't be much different. There only strong property is tmz.com and that doesn't need a local mirror.

View the eerie homepage similarities.

http://www.aol.com.au/
http://www.yahoo7.com.au/