Sony’s Grouper becomes Crackle, a “pathway to Hollywood”
The online video site formerly known as Grouper — the one purchased by Sony for $65 million last August — has a new name and a new direction.
Now Crackle, it will be a Sony Pictures-backed online talent studio (our previous coverage here).
The hope is that in between Hollywood and YouTube, there is an opportunity to bring together nascent actors and film-makers and turn them into tomorrow’s silver-screen stars. A “pathway to Hollywood,” according to Crackle/Grouper… Continue Reading
Roundup: Visible Measures, Searchles, suits, Jubii, Obama, Kleiner, more
The latest action:
Grouper sends “cease & desist” letter to Searchles, but it may backfire — Grouper, the online video sharing site now owned by Sony, sends a C&D letter to Searchles to demand it stop taking Grouper videos and placing them in Searchles’ own player skin. Grouper says the practice removes things like copyright protection technology, as well as buttons such as “flag as inappropriate.” The controversy is recorded at Searchles’ blog, which, incidentally, provides a… Continue Reading
Grouper’s ScreenBites gives you famous video/TV clips
Grouper has just released a bunch of 30-second or so clips of famous film and TV content from the library of its new owner, Sony.
It has released the first 100 of these clips under a separate channel, called ScreenBites. This is something that Grouper can do now that is owned by a studio.
This a great idea, because there are always scenes or lines you remember and carry with you in life, but which are… Continue Reading
Finally, the video lawsuits come — prep for wider war?
Universal Music Group, whose artists include U2, Mary J Blige and Mariah Carey has finally made good on its threat to sue — filing against online video sharing sites Grouper and Bolt for allowing users to swap pirated versions of its musicians’ videos.
These companies are smaller than YouTube, and thus are easier targets for Universal, which might be seeking to use these cases as precedents for a wider fight– regardless of any short-term licensing agreements… Continue Reading