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• Jim Cramer plays pussycat on 'The Daily Show'

  Posted Mar 13 2009, 08:38 AM by Charley Blaine
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  Filed under: investing, television, Investment Banking, stock market, Bear Stearns
  Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money

  

  Before CNBC's "Mad Money" Jim Cramer went on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" Thursday night, he pounded on pie dough with a roller during a visit with domestic diva Martha Stewart.

  "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart got into fighting trim with pop quizzes on the definitions of various financial terms, like price-earnings ratios and Tier 1 Capital.

  But when Cramer actually appeared on the show, he was as gentle as, well, a kitten.   Read More...

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• Spiraling DVD sales worry Hollywood

  Posted Feb 20 2009, 02:14 AM by Kim Peterson
  Rating:
  Filed under: Viacom, television, Time Warner, Disney, Kim Peterson
  Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money

  DVD sales are slowing down, and that's got Hollywood pretty nervous.

  People have filled out their home video libraries, reports The Wrap. That's one of the reasons that DVD rentals and sales dropped to $21.6 billion last year from a peak of $24.1 billion in 2006.

  The entertainment industry was hoping that high-definition discs would pick up the slack, but folks aren't rushing to buy a $25 Blu-ray movie in this economy. And who can blame those who sunk money into the now-failed HD-DVD format for laying low for a while?

  DVD sales woes are hurting the bottom line at companies like Viacom (VIA), which saw home entertainment   Read More...

  Discuss ( 15 comments) 3,766 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Couch potato investing

  Posted Jul 09 2008, 09:57 AM by Minyanville
  Rating:
  Filed under: News Corp., television, Comcast, Todd Harrison
  Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money

  What is America doing with its free time? Judging from the expanding waistlines we aren’t outside too much. The truth is Americans are becoming larger house potatoes and that trend doesn’t seem to be letting up. The weird thing is this is a very obvious trend but making money off it hasn’t been as obvious or easy. Just think: all the weight loss stocks have been under immense pressure and all the media stocks have been trading as if the entire industry is facing the challenges of newspapers.

  With that in mind there has to be something in the media space worth investing in, right? Well there are a few ways to look at the space. First of all there's the so-called new media consisting of the Internet and satellite radio. Then there's the old school media of celestial television, radio and newspapers. Money is being spent to reach us couch potatoes.   Read More...

  Discuss (no comments) 3,583 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• TV writers' strike affecting online video?

  Posted Jan 10 2008, 12:26 PM by Kim Peterson
  Filed under: Google, television
  Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money

  I don't buy the idea that the television writers' strike is benefiting online video sites such as Google's YouTube. Yes, the lack of programming on TV is probably sending more people to the Internet. And maybe those people are watching more YouTube while online.

  But there's no direct correlation. People aren't saying, "Oh, there's no 'Ugly Betty' on tonight. Let's watch talking cats and waterbed pranks to fill the void."

  The number of people watching YouTube has increased over the past year, according to a report out yesterday by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. (See PDF of report here). Half of Internet users have visited a video-sharing site. Blame the BBC for connecting that to the writers' strike. The BBC says that Nielsen Online has noted people turning to online video during the writers' strike. But in the same article, a Nielsen analyst simply says the strike "could be a possible factor" in the growth of online video.   Read More...

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• Dollar's decline is magical for Disney

  Posted Oct 31 2007, 12:10 PM by Robert Walberg
  Rating:
  Filed under: television, Disney, Travel
  Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money

  Thanks to another rate cut from the Fed, America is on sale, and one of the biggest beneficiaries is likely to be Walt Disney & Co.

  Lower interest rates mean additional downward pressure on the already battered dollar, which makes travel to the United States a bargain for foreigners.  Where are those tourists likely to visit when they come flush with euros and yen?  You guessed it -- Disney. Las Vegas might see some increased tourism, as will major metropolitan areas like New York and Chicago, but you can bet your devalued dollar that the Magic Kingdom will be a top destination.

  Not only will Disney's theme parks draw more foreigners, but Americans unable to afford trips to Paris, Rome or Tokyo because of the shrinking dollar are also likely to stay in the U.S.  That's right mom and dad, this is the year to suck it up and take the kiddies to Disney.  Parents check out the Disney blog for travel ideas and plans for navigating the parks.   Read More...

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• EchoStar buys Sling: $380 million well spent

  Posted Sep 25 2007, 08:33 AM by Kim Peterson
  Rating:
  Filed under: Cisco, television, EchoStar
  Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money

  EchoStar, the satellite company that runs the DISH Network, is buying Sling Media for $380 million. Former Sling VP Jeremy Toeman says the deal is a win-win for both sides, and I agree.

  I really didn't get Sling until execs actually demoed the company's signature product, the Slingbox (pictured), for me. The device connects to your TV and then can send the video to a computer over the Internet. The value here is for the traveler. If you're in a Singapore hotel room and you really, really want to catch the premiere of "The Office" on TV, the Slingbox is so worth it. If you're in a U.S. city that isn't showing your hometown baseball team in action, there you go.

  Sling Media has been a darling of the tech and venture communities for years, raising about $60 million in financing. But I've wondered how far the company could go with a $130 product. Bigger competitors, like Cisco, are closing in as well.

  So from Sling's side, this was a good move and the company got a nice sum of money. In an interview with paidContent, Sling CEO Blake Krikorian said he was about to raise another round before this acquisition. He's hoping to remain operator agnostic, despite the new ownership   Read More...

  Discuss ( 3 comments) 5,990 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this