La Monica: Media Biz

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Is BitTorrent the next big IPO?

12:12pm: The file sharing service, known for making it easy to illegally download videos, has made nice with Hollywood. Now is it wooing Wall Street? (more)

The problem with TV ads

Mar 21: Too many commercials attempt to be funny or entertaining. But aren't ads supposed to tell you something about a product? (more)

YouTube rivals: Thanks, Viacom!

Mar 14: Viacom's lawsuit against Google and YouTube could present an opportunity for smaller online video firms to make some noise. (more)

Despite satellite, 'old' radio still sings

Mar 7: While Wall Street focuses on the Sirius-XM deal, investors should look at traditional radio broadcasters, some of which are outperforming their high-tech brethren. (more)

Time to kiss and make up with YouTube

Feb 28: Big media companies should try and build their own online video sites. But they have to realize that YouTube can also be an important ally. (more)

And the Oscar goes to...who cares?

Feb 21: While Hollywood celebrates Oscar Sunday, studios need to remember that casting an award winner in a future film is not a guarantee of financial success. (more)

Old media isn't dead

Feb 14: There's no better time to pen an ode to TV, radio and print than on Valentine's Day. Sure, new media's sexy. But old media isn't going away. (more)

Steve Jobs vs. the music industry

Feb 7: Apple's CEO is boldly challenging the four big record labels to change their ways. Will they listen or is this just a PR move to get people to buy more iPods? (more)

CBS: 'Super' Sunday, so-so February

Jan 30: The Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears are a favorable Super Bowl match-up for CBS. Will that help the network attract more younger viewers? (more)

Google stock: Breaking the $500 barrier

Jan 24: The world's top search engine may face more of a threat from Yahoo! later this year, but analysts still think Google is a better bet. (more)

Do 'You' really matter?

Jan 17: User-generated content is all the rage right now. But the thought of 'You' controlling the media and marketing world is little more than breathless hype. (more)

'Idol' fatigue? Think again

Jan 10: News Corp.'s Fox is in fourth place, last among major networks. But with ratings monster 'American Idol' coming back, it could easily leap from worst to first. (more)

Let's all go to the movies - and markets

Jan 4: Multiplex owner Marquee Holdings has filed to go public, and so has in-theater advertising firm National CineMedia. Should investors buy a ticket to these stocks? (more)

Martha, and Marvel and Malone, oh my!

Dec 20: Media Biz hit the jackpot with its Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Marvel and Liberty Media stock picks. But we'd prefer to forget Live Nation, IMAX and XM. (more)

Will Rocky Balboa land a knockout punch?

Dec 13: The last Rocky movie was released 16 years ago. Here's another example of Hollywood's latest trend: trotting out old movie franchises to bank on nostalgia. (more)

Disney's Mel Gibson problem

Dec 8: 'Apocalypto' opens Friday, and despite the controversy over Gibson, Disney features him prominently in the film's marketing. (more)

Wall Street not yodeling for Yahoo

Dec 6: The struggling search company shook up its management team, but investors don't seem to like the moves. (more)

Disney's Mel Gibson problem

Nov 30: 'Apocalypto' hits theaters on Dec. 8. And despite the controversy surrounding Mel Gibson, Disney features him prominently in the film's marketing. (more)

'Turkeys' on a plane

Nov 22: Give thanks for things like Borat, 'Heroes,' and YouTube, but pass on the celebrity rants and flimsy football. (more)

Why "you" hate "Monday Night Football"

Nov 16: A rant about what's wrong with MNF led to a barrage of reader e-mails who also are sick of ESPN. But does the sports network care? (more)

Why I hate 'Monday Night Football'

Nov 15: Sure, ESPN is enjoying great ratings with MNF. But over-the-top plugs for ABC and annoying 'celebrity' interviews are starting to alienate fans. (more)

Blond, James Blond

Nov 8: Will Sony's gamble on a new actor in the iconic James Bond role turn "Casino Royale" into a huge hit? (more)

Selling out: Media's 'private' affair

Nov 1: Expect more big media companies to sell out to investment firms in the coming months. Who's most likely to get taken over? (more)

Napster wants to be a sellout

Oct 25: The online music service, once an industry renegade, is now looking for a deep-pocketed parent. Here's who might be interested in buying Napster. (more)

The mangled hand lawsuit: Readers riff

Oct 18: You had a lot to say about Emerson Electric's suit against NBC because of a scene in "Heroes" showing a hand getting chopped up in an InSinkErator. (more)

A mangled hand, a 'Heroes' suit, and NBC

Oct 17: Emerson Electric is suing NBC over a scene in "Heroes" featuring the company's garbage disposal. This may seem silly but something does smell funny on both sides. (more)

Do you like scary movies?

Oct 11: Hollywood is betting yes. Big media is investing in cable and broadband channels geared to fans of blood and gore. (more)

Sex doesn't sell

Sep 20: News Corp.'s MyNetworkTV, which airs hot young actors in sexy soap operas, is off to a rocky start. Does the network need to move beyond telenovelas? (more)

Why Comcast should buy Viacom

Sep 13: Remember Comcast's failed bid for Disney? Viacom could be the next best thing if Comcast wants to bulk up on content. (more)

NFL makes NBC "Must See TV" again

Sep 6: "Sunday Night Football" truly is the new "Monday Night Football" and pigskin fans could help lead an overall ratings revival at the Peacock Network. (more)

Extra! Extra! Tribune's a buy!

Aug 30: Even if shareholders don't pressure Tribune to spin-off its TV business or sell the company, analysts think the stock is worth a look. (more)

Beware the return of the Web Bubble

Aug 16: News Corp's acquisition of MySpace has worked out well so far. But other media giants should not overpay for social networking sites. (more)

Who needs Mad Mel and Cruisazy Tom?

Aug 9: Memo to Hollywood: Stop paying big bucks to controversial stars and focus more on stories and visual effects instead. (more)

Viacom: I want my LBO?

Aug 1: Shares of MTV parent have stumbled this year, sparking talk that Redstone should take the company private. (more)

XM faces the music

Jul 26: With shares of XM Satellite Radio sinking near a three-year low, is the company now a tempting takeover target? (more)

Time (Warner) goes by slowly

Jul 20: The world's largest media company remains stuck in an AOL-induced rut. Still, some big shareholders are keeping the faith...for now. (more)

Warner-EMI: A sad song

Jul 12: A merger between the two music giants could be bad news for both investors and consumers. (more)

Disney's high seas gamble pays off

Jul 5: The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' sequel broke box office records. That's good news for Disney, which has already committed to a third film for next summer. (more)

Superheroes and GOOOOOALS

Jun 27: A MediaBiz report card: Recommending Marvel and Univision was smart. Lionsgate and IMAX? Not so much. (more)

Time Warner needs a 'Super' hit

Jun 14: After a disastrous opening for "Poseidon," Time Warner (and its investors) should be rooting for a big comeback from the Man of Steel. (more)

All the Times that's fit to sell

Jun 21: The New York Times Co. has lots of history, but its future isn't promising. Now might be time to succumb to the publishing industry's urge to merge. (more)

Don't believe the MySpace hype

Jun 7: Yes, the social networking site is cool and rapidly growing...but it's not going to turn News Corp. into the next Google or Yahoo. (more)

CBS: Cheap Broadcasting Stock

May 31: Shares of CBS have struggled since the company began trading as a separate company. But it might be the best bet in the media sector. (more)

Give me Liberty ... times two

May 24: Investors are betting that the two tracking stocks for Liberty Media will both be winners as John Malone continues to shake up the entertainment world. (more)

Thumbs up for Netflix service...but not the stock

May 17: Netflix is a great company ... but with concerns about competition and users switching to lower priced plans, the stock looks too expensive. (more)

Da Vinci: Bucking the backlash

May 10: Could calls for a protest of "The Da Vinci Code" hurt the film's chances for big bucks at the box office? (more)

Media stocks ready for their close-up

May 2: Investors have taken a shine to Walt Disney and News Corp. As all the major media firms get set to report their latest results, will the rest of the sector perk up? (more)

It's Comcastic

Apr 26: The cable giant touts its VoIP and Internet offerings but shares of Comcast have been stuck in a rut. That may soon change. (more)

Is there an online video bubble?

Apr 18: Plenty of start-ups are hoping to cash in on the online video craze. Is there enough money to go around? (more)

Ringtones: The sound of money

Apr 12: The music industry may be in a state of flux but artists and record labels are hoping ringtones can help boost overall sales (more)

CBS: Kiss me Katie

Apr 4: Despite Katie Couric leaving NBC for CBS, her move may not have a big $ impact on either network. (more)

The Iron Chef stock

Mar 29: Wall Street is treating E.W. Scripps like a sleepy newspaper publisher. But it's a more sexy growth story thanks to cable channels like the Food Network. (more)

You can't spell IMAX without M&A

Mar 22: The maker of gigantic movie screens is searching for a buyer. Should Time Warner or Sony make a big bet on big screens? (more)

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