Sony’s Grouper becomes Crackle, a “pathway to Hollywood”

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… Continue Reading

Roundup: Visible Measures, Searchles, suits, Jubii, Obama, Kleiner, more

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…. Continue Reading

Grouper’s ScreenBites gives you famous video/TV clips

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… Continue Reading

Finally, the video lawsuits come — prep for wider war?

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… Continue Reading