Xbox Live to sport ESPN content

ESPN is the latest media company bringing its content to the mostly young male aud of Microsoft's Xbox Live.

Disney-owned sports net is bringing a broad array of sporting events and programming to the service, through which users can download video onto the Xbox 360 vidgame console.

Content going to Xbox Live includes college football and basketball games, Summer X Games, "The World Series of Poker" and videogame reality show "Madden Nation."

All of the programming also is available for download on Apple's iTunes. A small portion of the video, including NCAA games, will be available to download in high definition via Xbox Live, which is the only digital download service with high-def content.

"Establishing this relationship with Microsoft on Xbox 360 provides an innovative way to reach our target demographic," said Matt Murphy, senior veep of digital video distribution for Disney and ESPN Media Networks.

ESPN sibling the Walt Disney Studios started making its movies available for digital rental on Xbox Live this summer. Other media companies on the service include CBS, MTV Networks, New Line, Paramount and Warner Bros.

Google's Market Value Surpasses Media Giants

Google's stock price on Monday passed $600 for the first time, giving the company a market cap greater than the three biggest traditional media companies -- Time Warner, Disney and News Corp. -- combined.

ESPNU Scores More Fans, Via Time Warner Deal

ESPNU, the 2-year-old network launched in response to College Sports Television (CSTV), will double its distribution this month, thanks to a sprawling deal between parent company Disney and Time Warner Cable.

TWC will make the channel available on its digital basic tier to 10 million of its subscribers by Sept. 1, taking ESPNU's availability to 20 million homes in time for football season, when it promises 70 games.

The rollout includes homes in New York by Aug. 30 and Los Angeles by Aug. 31.

ESPNU also stands to gain TWC subscribers quickly, since its deal gives it promised distribution to all TWC customers with digital basic--and more customers from a lower basic tier are upgrading. So far, 68% of TWC's 14.6 million customers have digital basic.

ESPNU's distribution bump is an outgrowth of a broader deal with Disney that gave TWC the rights to carry its owned-and-operated ABC stations and other benefits, such as providing a Disney Channel subscription VOD offering. In exchange, Disney received promises for distribution for a slew of cable channels, including ESPNU. The deal also included a renegotiation of the sub fees TWC would pay Disney for carriage of ESPN and ESPN2.

ESPNU launched in some 3 million homes in 2005.

Where do media moguls go...?

As the media business goes through a generational shift, several former industry titans appear to be seeking a compass for their lives.

WHEN Michael D. Eisner left the Walt Disney Company after a shareholder revolt in 2005, the former chief executive was forced to rethink his life. Where once he had commanded a private plane to fly around the world, last year he pedaled around Italy on a bicycle. Instead of wielding the power to back the next “Pirates of the Caribbean,” today Mr. Eisner is financing a modest Web video series called “Prom Queen,” e-mailing his friends to remind them to watch.

While Viacom boss Tom Freston admits: "I'm trying to figure out what to do." Ex-Time Warner CEO Gerald Levin says: "I'm going to find myself."

New York Times has more.

Curious about what Media Bosses Earn...?

Data for publicly held companies reveals the fiscal 2006 compensation for media chieftains Rupert Murdoch, Bob Iger, Jeff Immelt and many others.

MinOnline has more.

Disney, Sprint Ink Deal for Entertainment, Kids’, News Content

Sprint customers will be able access full episodes of news and entertainment programming from ABC Entertainment, ABC News and Disney Channel on their mobile phones, either on demand or via streaming channels, via a new deal announced today.

The Disney-ABC Television Group and Sprint deal will see the content being delivered on demand and via three mobile channels, streaming continuous scheduled programming throughout the day. The deal includes on-demand, full-length episodes of ABC’s Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Lost and Ugly Betty, as well as a linear channel with content from Disney Channel.

Sprint is also the first carrier to provide ABC Mobile, a newly created linear mobile channel. ABC Mobile features a variety of full-length and short-form news and entertainment content, including full-length episodes of Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Lost and Ugly Betty.

Video-on-demand shows will be available the day after their television premiere. In general, customers will be able to access the four most recently televised episodes of each series. Beginning this fall, selected entertainment and news on-demand content and linear programming will include advertising.

The content is available via Sprint TV on Sprint's Power Vision devices. All of the content will be included in the Sprint Power Vision TV Pack, which costs an additional $20 per month. Alternatively, content from Disney Channel only, including the on-demand programs and linear channel, will be available as part of the Power Vision Access Pack, which costs an additional $15 per month.

WorldScreen has more.