Microsoft buys $12 million stake in Chinese TV maker

[Rubber Duck]

In what looks like a strategy from 1998, Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) has announced that it's taken a $12 million stake in a Chinese television set manufacturer, Changdong, so that both companies can jointly develop entertainment products linking television and the Internet. That, umm, sounds so last century that it isn't even funny. Remember WebTV, Microsoft?

But this time there is a slight twist to the story. The web is rapidly becoming the mode of choice for distributing movies, music and other entertainment content. Part of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL)'s strategy right now with iTunes is to make it a one-stop shop for television shows, recent movies and an entire universe of music available just by using a mouse click and, of course, and Apple iPod. Add the newer AppleTV into the mix, and you're now allowing all that same content to be served right up to newer TV with a simple remote and a high-speed internet connection.....

http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/0...nese-tv-maker/

[IDNHelios]

12 million is cheap...
madison ave domainers why didn't you guys invest in this

[touchring]

For once microsoft did the right thing.

You can't imagine in so many places, TV broadcast is such a regulated industry. In Singapore, satellite TV is banned (even in China, satellite TVs are not banned), there is only 1 cable TV company, and they charge ridiculous prices. The only hope now is for internet TV.