Time Warner Takes a Shot at Netflix

Time Warner Takes A Shot At Netflix
nytimes.com: Now many of the companies that make the shows and movies that Netflix delivers to mailboxes, computer screens and televisions -- companies whose stocks have not enjoyed the same frothy rise, and whose chief executives have not won the same accolades -- are pushing back, arguing that the company is overhyped, and vowing to charge much more to license their content. Read the whole story: nytimes.com Get HuffPost Technology On Twitter and Facebook! Know something we d...

The Christmas tree and the TV set: If they were made for each other, why keep them apart?
Christmas is watched on television at least as much as it actually lived, if not more. This Story Robin Givhan on holiday windows, wish lists and the beauty of crass Consumerism The Christmas Tree and the TV set: If they were made for each other, why keep them apart? The power of the small: Classical music's Christmas Spirit 10 Christmas albums to love 'A Charlie Brown Christmas': Schulz, collaborators took a risk, made a tradition Christmas playlist: Yes, Virginia, there are rockin' holiday ...

The Netflix Conundrum
It's a classic case of killing the golden goose. Upset by the success of Netflix, media giant Time Warner is trying to set a trap by provoking them in the press. An industry that is famous for its sharp business deals is crying foul and having the equivalent of a PR tantrum in response to Netflix and their recent deal with Starz. Industry leaders are surprised by the outcome, which also publicly acknowledges a drop in cable subscribers and premium add-ons for television service possibly due to t...

Weekly Chartoporn, And Why Goldman's Clients Are Not Too Happy With The Firm's Forecast
Of course, there are many critics of the Fed who say the second round of Quantitative Easing is wrong and even harmful. "The failure of QE2 doesn't worry me. It's the success that worries me," says Vitaliy Katsenelson of Investment Management Associates. A few things on my mind. Every banksta down on Wall Street Liked CDOs a lot...-- But the Grinch, who lived in a Greenwich trailer, Did NOT! View your shopping cart. In addition to his traditional weekly chartporn, Goldman's recently promoted pa...

For Those of You Hungry for Pomplamoose News
Here is a trifecta. It is a news nugget that (a) features the blog-war - provoking indie duo, while (b) supporting a worthy Christmas-themed cause; and (c) offering yet another wrinkle on the endless "future of the press in a digital age" theme. How could I resist? These strands come together in a front page story in the print edition of today's SF Chronicle, that the Pomplamoose singing group is supporting a book drive for several public schools in Richmond, in SF's East Bay. For a list of the ...

Media Mostly Ignore Democrat Saying 'F--k the President'
As NewsBusters previously reported, the three broadcast networks completely ignored the revelation that an unknown Democrat said "F--k the President" during a heated meeting of the House Democratic Caucus Thursday. John Roberts: Eighteen minutes after the hour. President Obama's Tax Cut deals got members of his own party livid. To give you an idea of just how high frustrations have boiled over here, multiple reports this morning that one Democrat uttered the "f" word and ...

How Netflix CEO Hastings stays agile
Yahoo (YHOO) has reportedly begun the layoffs that I wrote about on Postcards last week. Meanwhile, the Silicon Valley company that's dominating the news is Netflix (NFLX). Founder-CEO Reed Hastings is Fortune's Businessperson of the Year. In the past three weeks since we put him on the cover, the war of words over his power -- and his level of threat to the media giants' steady profit streams -- rises daily. Jeff Bewkes, the CEO of Time Warner, which owns Fortune, quips about Netflix in the New...

Carlyle Group CFO Leaves Company as it Plans IPO
Peter Nachtwey, CFO of Carlyle Group, is leaving the Private Equity company as it plans an IPO. "Pete decided to pursue a great new opportunity for him, which we understand will be announced soon," Carlyle spokesman Christopher Ullman said, according to Bloomberg News. "We thank him for his service to Carlyle and wish him continued success." Glenn Youngkin will take on the position of interim CFO. Carlyle is planning an initial share sale to build permanent capital after seeing appetite for p...

OBPA finance chief resigns for private-sector job
OGDENSBURG — The chief financial officer of the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority said Monday that he's stepping down from his position to take a job in the Private Sector. "It's just personal reasons," said Mark T. Mashaw, who has served in the position for more than five years. "I'll just leave it at that. It's an advancement, in my mind, career-wise." Mr. Mashaw informed OBPA officials Dec. 6 that his last day would be Dec. 31, he said. He is a certified public acco...

Embraer launches defense, security unit
Published: Dec. 13, 2010 at 9:43 AM SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS, Brazil, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Brazilian Aircraft manufacturer Embraer SA has announced the launch of a defense and security division for the national and export market. "Brazil has a growing relevant role on the global geopolitical scenario and has established a long-term vision for strengthening its defense industry," said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer president and Chief Executive Officer. "Embraer, with its technological-industrial capabi...

Comcast to Combine Internet, Television
(Wall Street Journal) - Comcast Corp. is testing out a new service that knits together television and the Internet, revamping its offering as rivals threaten to undermine its business, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday. The Philadelphia-based cable giant is running a small test of the system in Augusta, Ga., according to people familiar with the matter, who said the company could begin making it available to customers in 2011. Under the test, which is known to participants as "Spectrum" an...

GE to buy UK oil pipemaker Wellstream for $1.3 billion
LONDON (Reuters) – General Electric Co (GE.N) has agreed to buy British Oil Drilling pipe-maker Wellstream Holdings Plc (WSML.L) for 800 million pounds ($1.3 billion), as GE continues its push into the Offshore Oil services industry. The deal is the latest in a series of GE buys in the oil services sector in recent years and shows that, despite the BP (BP.L) Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico this summer, the industry expects deep water drilling to continue apace. The acquisition would ...

10% Unemployment, Yet Every Startup in NYC is Struggling to Hire
Unemployment stands at just under 10%, and even more striking, amongst College Graduates it's 5%, the highest level since 1970, when records began to be kept. (So it's potentially the highest level since even further back.) Despite all this Unemployment, every startup I know needs to hire not only engineers, but also sales and operations team members. And this is not just bubble seed startup dollars at work. Most of this hiring demand, at least that I'm aware off, is Series A, B, and C startups ...

Banks Gave Heavily To Scott Brown As He Watered Down Financial Reform
When negotiations over the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform law reached their final stages, Democrats were desperate to find a few Republican votes to overcome a Filibuster in the Senate. Ultimately, three Republicans senators — Sens. Scott Brown (R-MA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Susan Collins (R-ME) — supported the Dodd-Frank Legislation. But before he gave his approval, Brown extracted a few concessions. First, he forced Democrats to strip from a bill a Bank Tax that would have raised...

Stylish Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas needs every edge
In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas... LAS VEGAS (AP) - The last major Las Vegas resort approved before the Great Recession will have to lure thousands of gamblers from established neighbors to survive after it opens Wednesday. The $3.9 billion Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, built by a German Investment Bank after its original developer defaulted, may have the hippest-ever TV commercials: Over a garage rock soundtrack with a jazzy interlude, guests with crafty s...

Van Hollen To White House: We're Not Bluffing On Estate Tax
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), the incoming ranking member of the House Budget Committee and one of the chief negotiators of a deal to resolve the expiring Bush Tax Cuts, warned on Friday that the White House would be wrong to assume that Democratic frustration with the framework is just letting off steam. Lawmakers, the Maryland Democrat insisted, are serious about efforts to tinker with the deal the president reached with Republicans. Moreover, they felt that there was plenty o...

Regulators Concerned About What Comcast-NBC Merger Means For The Internet
Here's hoping Waxman manages to plug up the worst Loopholes before this deal gets rammed through, because they're right: the future of the Internet will be greatly affected by this Merger. Is there no merger too large that the Justice Department won't rubberstamp? .Although there has been a lot of talk in media circles about what Comcast's ownership of NBC Universal would mean for viewers' choice of news and entertainment, the two branches of the Federal Government reviewing the merger — ...

In surprise, RNC head Steele seeks another term
WASHINGTON — Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele launched a fight to keep his job Monday, stunning many in the party who had expected him to step aside. His decision means Republicans will be debating the record of their first African-American chairman next month at the moment the new GOP-controlled House is being sworn in. Steele and Republican congressional leaders have been at odds in the past and a bruising internecine fight could become an unwelcome distraction. Nea...

Sarah Palin's Haiti trip: Fox exclusive & tour security sparks media resentment
Even though AFP points out that Sarah Palin' s  low profile visit to Haiti, "was tightly controlled for security reasons ," Mainstream Media  reporting  reflects  resentment for lack of access to Palin. The Associated Press reports the Franklin Graham mercy mission to Haiti , in which  photos show that gifts for Children were  hand delivered, as "tightly stage managed" with "access on her tour solely to the U.S. Cable Network Fox News.  "The visit comes as Hait...

Sarah Palin visits Haiti under tight guard
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin began a tightly stage-managed visit to Haiti on Saturday in which she visited Cholera clinics while avoiding crowds and the press. The 2008 vice Presidential Candidate was a guest of Rev. Franklin Graham, whose aid group works in the impoverished country. Haiti is facing a brutal Cholera epidemic while struggling with an electoral crisis and reconstruction from the January Earthquake. Palin, who traveled in part by Helicopter, pro...

Palin visits Haiti's cholera epidemic victims
Sarah Palin has embarked on a tightly stage-managed visit to Haiti, visiting Cholera clinics but avoiding crowds and the press. Ms Palin, who travelled in part by Helicopter, provided access solely to the US Cable Network Fox News. No Haitians interviewed had heard of Ms Palin, but when told she is a US politician, they said her visit was welcome. "It would be good if she came, because we could tell her that we need medicine and jobs," said Roseline Frederique, 21, a Cholera patient. ...

Palin in Haiti
The AP: Sarah Palin began a tightly managed visit to Haiti on Saturday in which she visited Cholera clinics while avoiding crowds and the press. ....Palin, who traveled in part by Helicopter, provided access on her tour solely to the U.S. Cable Network Fox News.... "I've really enjoyed meeting this community. They are so full of joy," Palin was quoted as saying on the organization's website. "We are so fortunate in America, and we are responsible for helping those less fortunate." ...

Sarah Palin visits Haiti under tight guard
Port-au-Prince, Haiti — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin began a tightly stage-managed visit to Haiti on Saturday in which she visited Cholera clinics while avoiding crowds and the press. The 2008 vice Presidential Candidate was a guest of Rev. Franklin Graham, whose aid group works in the impoverished country. Haiti is facing a brutal Cholera epidemic while struggling with an electoral crisis and reconstruction from the January Earthquake. Palin, who traveled in part by Helicopter, provide...

Political Scene
Supreme Court Kagan: 'Steep learning curve' on High Court Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan says she is facing a "steep learning curve" in her first months on the bench as she drafts her first opinions and tries to acclimate to life as a judge. In her first interview since joining the court in August, Justice Kagan told the C-SPAN Cable Network that she will not have to sit out many more cases because of her previous work for the Obama Administration. Justice Kagan has taken herself out of mo...

Former Equinox Consulting Corporation President Ralph Roam Joins PwC as Principal in the Firm's Capital Projects & Infrastru
NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- PwC US announced today that Ralph Roam, former owner and President of Equinox Consulting Corporation (Equinox), along with 26 former Equinox consultants, has joined PwC.  Roam has joined PwC as a principal in the firm's Capital Projects & Infrastructure (CP&I) practice, within the firm's U.S. Advisory business. He brings significant management consulting experience, focused on large scale capital projects.  The 26 senior consultants bring...