Joost Goes Mostly Live 
By Sherri - (2) comments May 03, 2007



The long-awaited online television platform created by the guys behind Skype has officially gone mostly live. Joost is up and running with new content ready to go.

The company announced its official soft launch earlier this week. Current Beta testers are now free to invite their friends, but the service isn't quite ready for the world it seems.

It enters the online game with a number of content partners, including Warner Bros. Records, National Geographic and more. Within the month other partners will come onboard, including Turner Broadcasting, the National Hockey League, Sony Pictures Television and more.

"Partners like Turner, Hasbro, NHL, Sony Pictures Television and SI Swimsuit represent the quality and wide range of programming that Joost offers viewers,” said Yvette Alberdingk Thijm, executive vice president of content strategy and acquisition for Joost in a media release. “From compelling news magazines and cool animation to current and classic sports games, comedy and entertainment, the Joost platform is a destination for audiences looking for great programming, a flexible entertainment experience, and a community with which to share that experience. By marrying great content from all genres and compelling, interactive features, Joost is a truly unique way for consumers to watch videos online.”

With its broadcast quality and free viewing options, Joost may very well shape up to be a force to be reckoned with.

Related:
CBS Joins Joost
Joost Moving Forward

Labels: hasbro, joost, sony, turner

‘The King Of Queens’ Online Contest 
By Sherri - (0) comments April 09, 2007



Fans of “The King of Queens” will soon be able to vote on their favorite episodes from the past eight seasons of the comedy when Sony Pictures Television and Yahoo! TV roll out a contest that will lead up to the series finale May 14.

Starting April 16 and running through April 27, Yahoo! TV will have 12 of the most popular episodes from the series’ first eight years online along with show descriptions and clips. Fans will be able to pick their favorites. Voting will also be available via local network station's own web sites. On April 30, the votes will be revealed with the Top 5 episodes being named.

To sweeten the deal for fans, a random drawing of all online voters will offer a grand prize package of electronics from Newegg.com that offers a $4,500 shopping spree. Other prizes include fan packs that include a hat, T-shirt and mug.

SPT president John Weiser said in a press release, “‘The King of Queens’ has been enormously successful for us and our station partners since its syndication debut in September 2003. We wanted to create a powerful and unique May sweep promotion that supports the highly successful syndication run of “The King of Queens” as well as the network series finale on May 14 on CBS. Airing the pilot on the same day as the network finale will also remind audiences that, beginning in September, the only place you can see ‘The King of Queens’ will be in syndication.”

As the series ends May 14, CBS stations around the country will air the pilot episode to remind viewers how everything started.

Related:
CBS’ Innertube Scores With Viewer
‘Jericho’ Leaves Fans Wanting More

Labels: cbs, sony, the king of queens, yahoo tv

‘Gay Robot’ Scene Tops MySpace 
By Sherri - (0) comments March 09, 2007



The comedy pilot “Gay Robot” is drawing major attention on MySpace. A recent release of never-aired-footage from the pilot has received more than 300,000 views to date, putting the video on the top of the MySpace list.

Gay Robot’s MySpace page features a collection of clips, stills and more information about the show, which is based on the early works of Adam Sandler. Set at Alpha Tau Kappa (ATK) fraternity on the Central Illinois University campus, Gay Robot follows the story of a frat boy looking for love.

‘Gay Robot’ has amassed more than 22,000 friends and has had more than a million hits on its page. The show is a Happy Madison production and was created in association with Central Production and Sony Pictures Television.

A full copy of the pilot is available for free on BitTorrent.

Related:
MySpace Begins Selling "24"
Watch 'The OC’ On MySpace Before Your TV
Foul Called On MySpace Censorship

Labels: adam sandler, gay robot, myspace, sony

‘Blood: The Last Vampire’ Continues 
By Sherri - (0) comments March 05, 2007



Sony Pictures Television is touting the upcoming debut of “Blood +,” a new anime series based on “Blood: The Last Vampire.”

The series, set to premiere March 10 on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, takes place in modern day Okinawa. The show continues the story made famous in the full-length anime film.

It picks up with Saya Otonashi living a blissful life with an adoptive family, not remembering the past at all. She’s quite the happy high schooler, until a “chiropteran" attacks her and her brother. With old memories triggered, Saya realizes she is the only one who can beat the blood-sucking menace once and for all. With help from family and friends, she sets out to do just that, accepting her role as champion.

While the show will not initially air online, it does give one pause for how long that will remain the case. Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim has some of the most popular entries on the Xbox Live Marketplace and Sony’s expected to launch a video service for its PlayStation 3. This, of course, isn't precluding Adult Swim's own site, which offers some great online viewing action.

Will the show make it to the online realm? And, if so, will Sony hold it out to become one of its anchor shows on its own network?

It will be interesting to see.

In the meantime, anime fans can tune in on March 10 at 12:30 a.m. EST to check out the “Blood” continuation.

Related:
Xbox Mod Adds New Link For Downloads
Xbox 360 The Next IPTV Player?
Cartoon Network's Toonami Jetstream
ADV Opens Anime Download Store

Labels: adult swim, blood the last vampire, sony, xbox live