Stuff You Should Know

Discovery Pushes Its Podcasting Stars in Front of the Camera: How the “Stuff You Should Know” Guys Got on TV

A few years ago, Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant were unknown writers. Now they’re podcast big shots. Next year they could be cable TV stars.

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News Byte

Yep, Google’s in the Content Business. And Now It’s Fessing Up to Its Machinima Investment.

Like we told you earlier this month: Google has invested in Machinima, one of the most popular networks/channels on Google’s YouTube. Google — that’s Google Inc., not Google Ventures — now confirms that it led the $35 million round, along with previous investors Redpoint Ventures and MK Capital. My sources previously told me the deal would value Machinima at around $190 million.

News Byte

Spotify Launches in Australia

Spotify opened for business in Australia and New Zealand today. The move broadens the streaming music service’s reach as it raises a new round of funding that should value the company at $4 billion by the time it closes. Last month rival service MOG announced an Australian expansion but hasn’t launched yet.

News Byte

Carlyle Group Leads $100 Million Round for Video Service

Avail-TVN, a company that helps process and manage video for cable systems and other services, has raised $100 million in a round led by the Carlyle Group, along with previous investors including Columbia Capital, Valhalla Partners, Novak Biddle and Pioneer Ventures. Avail-TVN used $27 million of the round to buy UK-based On Demand Group, which provides video-on-demand services outside the U.S. Last year, it generated more than $200 million in revenue.

“Lazy Sunday 2”: “Saturday Night Live” Revives Big Media’s First Viral Video

Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell are older and healthier. And they would like a check from YouTube.
lazy sunday 2 excerpt

Just Married

IPO? No big deal. But now Mark Zuckerberg is getting serious.
zuckerberg married

GM Doesn’t Like Old Media, Either

Earlier this week, the car maker said it was bailing out of Facebook. Today, it’s the Super Bowl.
pt cruiser

Hear That?

That’s Mark Zuckerberg ringing a virtual bell in Palo Alto. FB shares will start trading around 11 am ET.
zuckerberg bell ring

Facebook Cheers On Mark Zuckerberg. Wall Street Gets Its Chance Soon.

A standing ovation for the boss.
facebook zuckerberg standing excerpt

Comcast Turns the Broadband Meter On, and Moves to Usage-Based Billing

Important for people who stream a whole lot of Internet video, or think they might one day.
meter

News Byte

Harvey Geller, Universal Music Group’s Top Lawyer, Is Out

Harvey Geller, Universal Music Group’s longtime lawyer, left the company earlier this week. A person familiar with Universal said Geller was now headed for another job but didn’t have other details. His name will be familiar to many digital-media companies, since he often led fierce and sustained battles against them on behalf of the world’s biggest music label.

Facebook Is Still Figuring It Out. Will Advertisers and Investors Wait Around?

Google Says Forced “Sharing” Is a Bug, Not a Feature

A Ray of Light for the New York Times

Ross Levinsohn’s Yahoo Plan: Back to the Future

Is YouTube’s Ad Pitch Working?

Adaptly Tries to Ride Facebook’s Ad Rise, With a $10.5 Million Round

AOL Offers Up an Earnings Beat, But a Disappointing Ad Number

Stalking the Elusive Cord-Cutter: Pay TV Grew Last Quarter (Again)

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Facebook bought the thing that is hardest to fake. It bought sincerity.

— Paul Ford, writing about FaceTagram in New York Magazine