Daily Marauder

ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA

 Bebo is overtaking MySpace as the leading U.K. online social network, as young people increasingly shun the Rupert Murdoch-owned site. After News Corp. took over MySpace, the average age of the site’s users went up. “It seems to be losing its youth appeal.” (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/08/16/cnbebo116.xml 8/16

)Bebo (Kate Modern’s Profile)

MySpace (Beck’s Profile)

New Yorker magazine has partnered with online animation producer and syndicator Ring Tales to convert some of its classic cartoons into short animation reels. The site is adding a new one every third day or so, and users can subscribe to them as podcasts.LOVE New Yorker cartoons and now that I can find animated versions, love them even more.  Check out one of my favorites available on the site below.

Casual Tieday

Google is working toward digitizing patient health records as a way to empower individuals by giving them direct access to their own health information online, according to The New York Times. Microsoft, whose acquisitions this year included a start-up called medical record search and retrieval service Medstory, has similar goals.

MTV Networks’ Logo acquired Downelink.com, a leading social networking service for the LGBT community with more than 400,000 members. Logo has acquired several LGBT entertainment-themed sites since launching including Happiestgaycouple.com, visiblevote08.com, NewNowNext.com and 365gay.com. (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3id91feee4bbb8d44065c25d7cf9c254a3 8/16)

Former CEO of PlanetOut and founder of Gay.com Mark Elderkin launched the Gay Ad Network, a group of over two dozen gay-themed web publishers representing more than 200 affiliated websites. The network’s goal is to offer advertisers an easy way to buy across multiple gay sites including local and national gay newspapers, magazines and popular gay social networking services.

Digital creative shop Creative Bubble collaborated with Time Warner Cable to develop two spots for the MSO’s Movies on Demand service. The on-air promotions for Norbit and 300 make extensive use of 3D graphics, utilizing Cinema4D and Adobe After Effects software suites.

Hollywood execs Robert Tercek and Matt Edelman are launching PeopleJam.com, a site aiming to “help people improve their lives,” backed by former AOL Time Warner exec Robert Pittman and TiVo chief Tom Rogers. The site will offer original video and social networking tools. (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117970309.html?categoryid=1238&cs=1 8/15)

Time Warner’s AOL is launching a destination site for its video search engine Truveo. After spending years as a business that powers the backend of other video sites, Truveo will aim to attract consumer traffic — and advertising — through its own portal. (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117970310.html?categoryid=20&cs=1 8/15) 

NBC is launching NBCOlympics.com, its Web site for the Beijing Olympics next year. Content currently includes pre-Olympic news, blogs and video. The site is expected to be a revenue generator with sponsors including a digital component in their deals. (http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=65851 8/16)

Less than four weeks until the Sept. 10 launch of the television show based on celebrity-news site TMZ.com, co-executive producer Bryn Friedman is being let go, starting rumors that the start-up program could be in trouble. One insider says: “There is no show and no set.” (http://www.nypost.com/seven/08162007/gossip/pagesix/firing_rattles_tmz_start_up_pagesix_.htm 8/16)