Government May Sue Google to Block ITA Deal

After six months of waiting for approval, Google invoked a law that requires the government to decide on its proposed acquisition of ITA within 30 days. Department of Justice lawyers are readying legal papers just in case.

News Byte

For One Company, Facebook Sharing Beats Twitter, LinkedIn and Email

What kind of social sharing is most valuable to a business? Well, ticket sales start-up Eventbrite measured the additional ticket revenue it generates through various social sites, and reports today that a link shared via Twitter nets the company 43 cents, while LinkedIn brings in 90 cents and its own “e-mail friends” app generates $2.34. Facebook, the most valuable share, generates $2.52.

TicketFly Rounds Up $3 Million to Fight Ticketmaster

Average concertgoers go to two shows a year, and there’s a very good chance some of the money they spend on those shows goes to Ticketmaster, which dominates the ticketing business. So here’s a company that wants a piece of that: TicketFly, a New York-based start-up that wants to–gasp!–use the Web to update the archaic business.

Ticketmaster-Live Nation Merger Gets Conditional Thumbs Up From DOJ (Plus D7 Video With TKTM CEO Azoff)

While many thought it would not sail through regulatory scrutiny easily, and it has taken a year, the merger of two entertainment industry giants–Ticketmaster and Live Nation–can go forward as long as a certain set of conditions is met, the Department of Justice said. And while DOJ’s antitrust head, Christine Varney, told reporters today that she warned the two companies that the federal government was prepared to litigate if necessary, it–well–did not. Now, the combined company will be able to do everything from selling tickets to booking artists to selling their T-shirts and more. Does this concentration of power mean ticket prices will go up for consumers?

Don't Miss the Annual GadgetFest at Churchill Club Thursday, Featuring Facebook Celeb Geeks

This Thursday, my All Things Digital partner, Walt Mossberg, and I are hosting–for the seventh year running–the annual “What’s Hot and What’s Not in Personal Technology” program for the Churchill Club. This year, our guest “tech geek” celebs–drawn from the gadget-mad players of Silicon Valley–are Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Mike Schroepfer, the social networking site’s VP of Engineering. Let the gadgeting begin!
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Does This Mean We Can Expect a Live Nation “iTunes Convenience Fee”?

This year, Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter, will put on some 22,000 live shows–each one attended by carping about the asinine “convenience” and “courtesy” charges the company likes to tack on to ticket purchases. But much as concertgoers might loathe the idea of giving Live Nation even more of their money, they may soon do so. Because beginning today, the company is offering exclusive audio and video recordings of some of its events through iTunes.
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The Boss Says No: Bruce Springsteen Already Campaigning Against Ticketmaster-Live Nation Deal

The Ticketmaster-Live Nation deal isn’t official yet, but it’s already garnering plenty of opponents. The real question: Who’s going to come out in favor of a deal that helps one of the country’s most disliked companies?