NBC-owned KNTV in San Francisco last week launched a Web-exclusive newscast. The webcasts range from 90 to 120 seconds and include national, local and international news. The station offers them Monday through Friday at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. The station will rotate anchors, reporters and other staffers to helm the webcasts and will break stories on the Web site as they develop during the day. Stories also air on the station’s news broadcasts.



Czech Firm Targets Local Stations

Prague, Czech Republic-based mobile technology company U-Turn said it is preparing to enter the U.S. market next month by targeting local TV stations for content. U-Turn said it plans to offer video from stations in several markets later this year. Mobile phone users with Web-enabled phones would be able to access the ad-supported video content, said Izzy Abass, president of North American operations for the company. “If someone pulls up ski conditions, a Vail resort could run a banner ad,” he said, adding that commercials would likely be in the three- to five-second range. The content will be offered on a download or on-demand basis rather than via a live stream of a channel.



AgileTV, SeaChange Partner

AgileTV, aiming to make a mark with its voice-activated remote control, has formed a partnership with video-on-demand provider SeaChange that lets consumers search through VOD content by speaking into the remote. The technology is available to cable operators using SeaChange’s VOD systems on Motorola set-top boxes. Users can also search through DVR content or traditional linear content. Consumers search by saying the name of the show, genre, program, network, actor or even sports team, SeaChange said.



CourtTV on Jackson Trial Alert

CourtTV is offering free wireless alerts during the Michael Jackson trial via a partnership with GoldPocket Interactive. Viewers can sign up on courttvmobile.com to receive daily alerts or a verdict alert. During the Scott Peterson trial last year, nearly 200,000 people signed up for the verdict watch via their cellphones.



Disney Buys British Gaming Firm

The Walt Disney Co. said last week it has acquired British interactive TV gaming company Minds Eye Productions for an undisclosed sum. Disney looks to build on its initial foray into interactive gaming last August, when it launched its first interactive TV game on British satellite service Sky. Based in Milton Keynes, England, Minds Eye has around 20 employees and has developed interactive TV versions of games such as Monopoly.