Microsoft after YouTube Rival, Revver

Sony bought video-sharing Web site Grouper in August. Google picked up YouTube, the king of video sites, in October. Now comes a report that Microsoft has taken a look at Revver, yet another venture-backed video-sharing startup. CNET News.com reports that executives from Microsoft toured Revver’s Los Angeles headquarters last month to determine whether that company’s service could enhance Soapbox, Microsoft’s own, newly launched service.

An employee of Microsoft’s MSN unit confirmed to News.com that there was a meeting but would not discuss specifics.

One source, however, told News.com that Microsoft doesn’t appear to be interested at this point. And Revver’s chief Steven Starr issued a statement that Revver is not for sale. We believe we are in the right place at the right time with the right technology, and we continue to focus on enhancing the Revver service and forging new distribution deals.â€

Sale or not, the meeting does suggest that Microsoft is interested in enhancing Soapbox to make it more competitive.

Revver’s specialty is embedding advertisements in video files and tracking how and when the ads are watched. Its venture backers include Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Bessemer Venture Partners, Comcast Interactive Capital and Turner New Media Investments.

Source: http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/02/22/youtube-rival-catches-microsofts-eye/

23 February 2007 in News | Comments enabled