CBS Corporation has redesigned TV.com and is transforming it into a HULU-style video destination. For that, CBS has signed up non-exclusive partnerships with PBS, Sony, MGM and Endemol. Also, CBS’ shows will be available on TV.com.

TV.com is aiming to differentiate from Hulu.com with social tools. As The New York Times says, “many web users are already familiar with Hulu, Fancast and other Web sites that bring the television experience to the Internet. In the land grab for the online TV audience, CBS hopes to define itself by adding a community layer to the videos and by encouraging user interaction.” So the idea is to move beyond Hulu.

TV.com has taken various forms over the years. In the mid-1990s, it was the name of CNet’s syndicated television show about the Internet. More recently, the company turned into a guide to TV, with listings, forums and fan information.

Now, because TV.com cannot be the only source for episodes, CBS executives want TV.com to be the most comprehensive one. Users already rate episodes, write reviews and view cast and crew information on the site.

Some experts say that Hulu, Youtube and this TV.com are not user for social interaction.


First local television in the country launching an iPhone app

iPhone applications arrive at local TV stations. WRAL TV, based in North Carolina, is the first local TV station in the U.S. to make its content available, at no cost, through an application developed for the iPhone. News Over Wireless, which is part of Capitol’s New Media Group, developed the application.

Capitol says that he want to be at the forefront of mobile TV application development, Web technology and delivery and digital radio. “Our goal is to have WRAL News available on as many platforms as possible,” they said.

This Wral.com iPhone application enables iPhone users to navigate across a menu of selections such as news video, weather forecasts, traffic cameras and weather radar. See here the video presentation.


Google is a Media outlet with over 1 million advertisers

According to a SEC filing, Google had 1 million advertisers in 2007 at an average spend of $16,000 each equaling $16.6 billion in revenue.

Estimates put the number of advertisers now around 1.3 to 1.5 million.


Broadcasters will use soon mobile DTV

Sixty-three TV stations in 22 markets reaching 35 percent of U.S. households plan to launch mobile DTV in the near future, providing free live, local and over-the-air TV to cell phones equipped with the new capability, built with standards from the Open Mobile Video Coalition.

The news came in Las Vegas at the International Consumer Electronics Show during a press conference of the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC). Its chairman said: “Broadcasters are on track to deliver local and national broadcast television to mobile audiences.”

Mobile DTV will expand the reach of content, provide consumers with more flexibility in how they access news, sports and entertainment programming, and open the door to a new world of possibilities for advertisers.