EveryZing will also be deploying its universal search and publishing solutions across a number of NBCU’s Internet properties. The goal is to improve the video search experience for some major media sites.

CNBC would be one such site. "EveryZing’s core technology advantage and robust product offerings will assist us in taking full advantage of the content across many NBCU brands, ultimately enhancing the audience experience,” said Scott Drake, VP of CNBC Digital. "For example, CNBC’s users and viewers will be able to jump to the exact mention of their favorite guest, company or topic within the video and quickly consume the content most relevant to them."

It would not be surprising to start seeing more partnerships like the one NBCU has created with EveryZing as online video continues to take off in popularity and becomes a more important element to the web in general.

"The consumption and demand for online video continues to explode," explains EveryZing CEO Tom Wilde. "As such, media companies must continue to fully leverage their unique content assets in order to extend and enhance their business models. We are thrilled with this opportunity to have NBCU as a customer and Peacock as an investor."

The deal also brings to mind the importance for any business offering online video content to make their libraries easily navigable so usable. Ease of use and finding what they are looking for quickly are two elements that will keep users coming back. It’s something that should not go overlooked if you don’t want to get lost in an ever-growing sea of online video content.

In another token of the corporation’s respect for the ‘net, they have decided to end a feud with Apple over their shows being offered through the iTunes store. Initially, Apple would not let NBCU charge the prices they wanted to for some episodes of certain shows, exceeding the $1.99 iTunes limit, but they have reached an agreement that will put NBCU programming back in the catalog.

NBCU President and CEO Jeff Zucker knows that his company was missing out on some money by not offering iTunes downloads. Even though much of the content is available for free streaming via Hulu, there are still going to be plenty of people downloading shows for keeps. "And now, by offering consumers a variety of new options, our fans have even more ways to enjoy our content," he says.

The deal is certainly good for Apple as well as NBCU has some pretty big hits like "The Office" and "Battlestar Galactica" to name a couple. "We are thrilled that NBC is back on iTunes in time for the Fall TV season," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. "NBC has some of TV’s most popular shows and now customers can purchase and download them from iTunes in SD or stunning HD."

Those HD shows will cost $2.99 by the way, which is a higher price than Apple initially would have preferred, and likely factored into NBCU’s descision to go back to iTunes. NBCU will be offering old shows for as little as $0.99 though. So if you are craving some Sonny Crockett or Bosco Baracus adventures, you won’t have to break your bank. Of course you could just go to Hulu and watch some for free.

Financial details of the purchase were not released but sources close to the matter said the price was $3.5 billion. Landmark Communications was originally seeking $5 billion for the business.

The acquisition includes The Weather Channel Networks cable network and The Weather Channel’s Web site, Weather.com, which attracts close to 40 million unique visitors a month. The Weather Channel will still operate independently and will be managed by NBC Universal.

Landmark started The Weather Channel more than 25 years ago and developed it into a television, Internet and mobile business reaching 120 million people monthly.

The Weather Channel deal is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

"While we are extremely proud of how far we’ve come, I know that as part of the NBC Universal consortium, The Weather Channel and its employees will have increased opportunities for growth," Frank Batten Jr., Landmark’s chief executive, said in a statement.
 

The site is scheduled to launch in early 2008, according to Bonnie Hammer, president, USA Network and the Sci Fi Channel.

"Didja.com is the logical next step in the changing dynamic between consumers and advertisers," said Hammer.

"There’s no doubt that commercials are major drivers of pop culture – all you have to do is check out traffic on any video-sharing site. We want to own that watercooler conversation and become the go-to destination for on-demand advertising content."

Didja.com provides commercial viewing using NBC Universal’s video player. Using the sites social networking features visitors to the site will be able to rate, vote, comment and interact with commercials. Its mashup toolkit will allow users to create brand interpretations, tributes and parodies.

Advertisers will be able to customize their brands on the site. Contents uploaded remotely through an interface where advertisers will have the option to enable social networking features and set timers to remove content at a later date.

"Didja.com is an exceptional opportunity for advertisers to interact with an engaged audience and extend their marketing budgets online," said Michael Pilot, president, NBCU Ad Sales. "

"Ads that once aired exclusively on television can now live on Didja.com. Additionally, NBCU’s clients will benefit from Didja.com’s research capabilities, including virtual focus groups, behavioral targeting, and data mining."

Users will be able to personalize the widgets and post them on their blogs, social networking profiles, Web sites, wikis and personal start pages.

Initial launch widgets will include content from "Dateline", "Hardball with Chris Matthews", "Meet the Press" and "NBC Nightly News." NBC will also offer content from NBC Sports, DotComedy.com and iVillage.com.

NBC says they plan on continuing to expand their content and offer more personalized options and improved features.

Clearspring boasts that they have delivered over 4 billion widgets to date. Some of their customers include the NBA, CBS, Indianapolis Colts and RockYou.

"Changes in the behavior of online users and innovation in technology has provided us with new opportunities to grow the reach for our content and brands online.

"Clearspring’s content syndication and distribution platform provides us a robust distribution and analytics solution for our widgets initiative," said Sab Kanaujia, Vice President, Digital Product Strategy & Development, NBC Universal.

Tur sued YouTube in July for allowing users to upload his footage of trucker Reginald Denny being beaten during the 1992 Los Angles riots.

In the brief, submitted last Friday to the U.S. District Court of the Central District of California, NBCU said: "Many of NBCU’s most valuable copyrighted works have been copied, performed, and disseminated without authorization by YouTube and other similarly operated websites."

"NBCU has a strong interest in preserving the strength and viability of all of its legal rights and remedies in response to such conduct."

Tur’s case is seen as important as it could determine if YouTube is protected by the Digtal Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The act shields a Web site from liability of users actions, as long as the site follows requirements such as deleting content that is copyrighted at a right holders request.

NBC Universal and Viacom’s filing argues,"YouTube actively manipulates and modifies the content in ways that the uploading user clearly does not, including copying, reformatting, and adapting the works… further disseminating them."

"In operating its own commercial Website, YouTube engages in activities that are reserved to the copyright holder."

The filing by NBC Universal came on the same day as a copyright suit against YouTube from the English soccer’s Premier League. That suit also alleges that the video-sharing site is involved in copyright infringement.

It’s been talked about for a while – that someone would snap up iVillage (here’s the whole iVillage history from PaidContent). And, NBC seems to be an interesting choice to go after iVillage, but also makes sense to fit into its television networks (Bravo and USA), to work within the network to promote and crosspromote within the iVillage network, which includes blogs and the old skool (which still works wonders) message boards.

While I am not in the demographic, the community does not have the feel of other communities recently snapped up, like MySpace, About.com and others. But, 14MM users (stat from Robert Ricci) is no small network to mock.

It’s an interesting position for PR people – there are message boards to tread lightly in, the articles themselves on the site, the potential for cross-pitching with TV shows (when we find out how the site will be integrated) and blogs to pitch and send product out to.

Now, if NBCU buys ClubMom, they’ll have that market locked up tight…

Jeremy Pepper is the CEO and founder of POP! Public Relations, a public relations firm based in Arizona, USA.

He authors the popular Musings from POP! Public Relations blog which offers Jeremy’s opinions and views – on public relations, publicity and other things.