Video streaming service Twitch is rolling out a Discovery Feed to support growth opportunities for smaller streamers. That and other short-form video features were announced at TwitchCon Paris this past weekend. Though the platform’s primary business remains live-streaming, it wants to give creators a chance to promote their content in the native environment rather than on YouTube and TikTok, where most of the outreach has taken place to date. Like TikTok, the Twitch Discovery Feed is designed as a scrollable vertical feed that relies on algorithms to serve clips to users even when the creators aren’t live. Continue reading Twitch to Offer Short Videos, Discovery and Stories This Fall

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers announced it plans to provide administrative support for the Hollywood Post Alliance. The move is part of a larger plan to eventually combine the two organizations. SMPTE made the announcement yesterday during the Entertainment Technology in the Internet Age conference at Stanford University. A roadmap has been endorsed by both boards that will steer HPA toward consolidation within SMPTE as a separate affiliate organization. Continue reading SMPTE and HPA Announce New Move Toward Consolidation

Japanese gaming company Nintendo is poised to launch a new program for YouTube creators that will allow use of the company’s copyrighted material in online videos, and in certain situations, provide creators with a share of the advertising revenue. Nintendo has already been allowing its copyrighted material to appear in videos under “appropriate circumstances,” but the new affiliate program will share ad revenue with YouTube producers who “use the material more proactively.” Continue reading Nintendo Program to Share Ad Revenue with YouTube Creators

Television broadcasters, which are suing for an injunction to shut down Aereo, are also said to be considering back-up plans in case the Supreme Court rules in favor of the video startup. Options being considered range from lobbying Congress for legislative solutions to possibly transitioning from broadcast to cable transmission. Broadcasters such as ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC contend that Aereo is violating copyright law by capturing over-the-air signals and streaming them via the Web to paying customers. Continue reading TV Networks Consider Plan B Options if Court Sides with Aereo

In an effort to convince customers that pay TV is worth the cost, Verizon is expanding its live TV streaming options to allow FiOS subscribers to watch local CBS and Fox stations at home on mobile devices. The company is also adding 16 available-for-viewing cable channels to its out-of-home live TV streaming for a total of 25. Still, those channels do not include broadcast channels or many popular cable nets. Such multiplatform rights have proven difficult to for cable providers to obtain. Continue reading Verizon Expands In-Home Device Streaming with CBS and Fox

The Tribune Company has agreed to pay about $2.73 billion to acquire all 19 television stations from Local TV Holdings, which is owned by investment firm Oak Hill Capital Partners. Tribune, which already owns 23 local TV outlets and is looking to possibly sell some or all of its newspapers, will become one of the country’s largest station groups through the deal (and the biggest holder of Fox affiliates). The 19 stations cover areas from Scranton to Salt Lake City. Continue reading Tribune to Acquire 19 Local TV Stations in $2.7 Billion Deal