Google claims that IPL 2010 Live update on YouTube have received a phenomenal response. A spokesman stated, “We have already received well over seven million hits so far (as reported on March 16), globally.”

Google and IPL (Indian Premiere League) management have signed a deal for the live streaming of the cricket matches for two years. According to the deal, the former has acquired exclusive rights over IPL content in this format. YouTube, it seems, has already proved to a major hit, especially in the Indian market. The response will only rise, as the cricket fever catches up.

The two will also share revenues from various sponsorships and ads on www.youtube.com/ipl, as well as on the official IPL website, www.iplt20.com. Though the YouTube’s IPL channel did face a few technical problems on the launch day, they apparently have been solved.

The inaugural match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers on March 12 alone got 450,000 channel views. The first match alone by the next morning had garnered close to a million hits. The business Head of Google India, Narasimha Jayakumar, has been quoted as saying, “This is the first-of-its-kind initiative. Users are very excited about viewing and experiencing their favorite sport amidst a brand new environment. He feels that the early rush is only ‘a tip of the iceberg‘ and that the upcoming matches will fetch more global viewers, including office goers, and those working in shifts.

The discussions available on Twitter will narrate how excited fans are about watching highlight clips of all the matches. They will share the experience with cricket lovers all across the world. The number of viewers, Google emphasizes, will go up from here as the tournament progresses.

ET Now, The Economic Times, and Economictimes.com have come together with the leading social networking site, Facebook. With this tie up, users can easily share their thoughts with the Finance Minister (FM) about the Union Budget 2010-11.

“ET-Facebook: Talk to FM” is the new initiative which will help the users to post their suggestions/views regarding the budget. All these views will be presented to the FM by ET. For sharing your views, you only have to log on economictimes.com, the official website of Economic Times.

Users from all sections such as students, working women, salaried individuals and businessmen can express their thoughts to the FM. All the views will be displayed on the website of Economic Times and also on user’s Facebook homepage.

CEO of Times Internet Limited, Rishi Khiani said that they are happy to get linked with Facebook. This association is beneficial for both, the social networking site and the business news portal. This will encourage people to give their opinions and it will also provide real time feedback to the FM from the vox populi.

According to Facebook VP of user growth, Chamath Palihapitiya, Facebook users from all over the world can engage into discussions which are important for them. With this program, the Economic Times is helping Indians to express their views on the Budget.

So, it is time to take part in the discussion and post your suggestions to make Union Budget 2010 work for everyone.

One of India’s leading online travel ventures, Yatra.com, and global advertising network Tyroo funded by Yahoo, has just announced a tie-up.

Regarding the alliance, the Head Marketing and Strategic Relations in-charge of Yatra.com, Pratik Mazumder was quoted as saying, “Online marketing and advertising are clearly the buzzwords in this new world of technology. It is a privilege for Yatra.com to join hands with Tyroo for this unique online advertising engagement. We at Yatra.com believe in the highest level of customer service. We will offer the same when it comes to servicing our advertisers.”

According to the terms, Tyroo will take responsibility for sales on Yatra website to interested players in India and abroad. Tyroo, in return, will get commission during this association for the space sold.

Speaking on their alliance with Yatra.com, Tyroo’s Head (Product and Business Development), Siddharth Puri stated, “We’re excited to Partner with India’s most renowned and popular Internet Brand. Unique e-commerce audience proposition of Yatra perfectly fits in our ongoing endeavor to provide marketers with better and newer products to reach out to the premium and best-evolved users online. We will strive to offer engaging and innovative advertising opportunities with our partnership with Yatra. This will help the companies to build stronger online brand associations as well as engage the audience.”

Tyroo Media, a Yahoo firm, is one of India’s largest ad-networks boasting global footprints. It has done successful branding campaigns for several of Fortune Global 100 business firms. It is associated with over 350 leading advertisers globally. On the other hand, Yatra.com after opening its site for advertising drew top advertisers such as Citibank, HP, Nokia, Airtel, Tata Indicom, ICICI, Reliance Communications, Mahindra Xylo, Hyundai i20, Maruti Suzuki etc. It expects several other prestigious advertisers to promote their brands on its popular platform after the tie-up with Tyroo for reaching out to a targeted and premium audience.

The new deal is a revenue sharing arrangement which means that Google will share certain amount of revenue it generates with BCCI. YouTube also offers additional content such as player interviews, highlights, wickets, top sixes,pitch reports, award ceremonies and many more at any time which is convenient to users.

You can now watch Indian Premier League (IPL) on your computer as BCCI has signed a deal with Google, YouTube. As per the new deal, all IPL matches will be broadcasted live on YouTube for two years. For viewing, you need to visit the website www.youtube.com/ipl.

The best part of this deal is that users can see matches in the way they want. This means that they can choose camera positions, freeze or fast forward the action and even replay the past shots. In addition to this, there is also a new feature-Fan Feed which will allow the users to view entertainment around the event.

IPL matches live on YouTube could affect the business of Multi Screen Media Pvt Ltd (MSM), the network that runs channels such as Max and Sony Entertainment. MSM had paid Rs 8,200 crore for 9 year television rights and has already earned Rs 600 crore through advertisers for the third season.

Rohit Gupta, president of MSM India said that this deal will not be a threat to their viewership, as there are more than 10 million TV viewers present in India.

The new deal is a revenue sharing arrangement which means that Google will share certain amount of revenue it generates with BCCI. YouTube also offers additional content such as player interviews, highlights, wickets, top sixes, pitch reports, award ceremonies and many more at any time which is convenient to users.

It’s no secret that Social Networking has proven its metal as a powerful medium in the online world- is it? Hence to bring something new to the table, or rather to harness the power of the social network, Yahoo has recently approached Facebook to up their online reputation in the social networking domain. Didn’t know that? Go on then.

Yahoo now looks to revamp their website profile by making it more ‘social-oriented’- if you know what we mean. And who better to turn to than the big ‘daddy’ of them all – Facebook! According to reports, Yahoo and Facebook have entered into an expansive five-year partnership.

According to the agreement, both websites will now facilitate an activity stream to all their users. This attributes in a manner, that all users can now keep sharing their activities with their contacts on Facebook while simultaneously browsing their Yahoo site. This functions as a positive feature by enabling users to keep tabs on their friends on Facebook while being logged on to Yahoo.

Of course it is a treaty of benefit! Yahoo and Facebook aim at benefiting from this coalition to a large extent. Furthermore, along with this audience or user sharing, both companies wish to broaden their horizons by initiating data sharing and integrated emailing.

When you have two of the most reputed websites putting their heads together, all you can expect is a win-win outcome! Let’s see, how the friendship shapes up.

Alliance:
The partnership between Komli Media and Singapore based Artivision is an attempt to provide revolutionary advertising solutions for online video content publishers in the Indian market. As an extended part of this alliance Neo@Ogilvy and OgilvyOne will look into setting up India’s first online video creation facility; working closely with the Komli-Artivision partnership.

Technology:
Artivision’s ‘Target-Ad’ technology will allow for intelligent placement of adverts in varied types of online video content. Target-Ad is an in-video monetization service that generates smart ad placements which can be adapted in real time to optimize a campaign for better results and viewer experience. Target-Ad uses video content analysis tools to automatically locate IAB standard ad units that will not hamper the viewer’s experience, hence engaging the user without causing a hindrance to the overall experience.

Here is an example of how it works.

Benefits:
Target-Ad has the ability to work with a publisher’s video player effortlessly by adding new inventory in every spot it finds complacent, thereby driving the campaign’s performance while taking advantage of every possible monetization opportunity which increases the publisher’s returns too.

HDFC customers who avail of the net banking services will enjoy a trial offer (for14 days) from BIGFlix. The service available in 18 Mumbai branches kicks-off this month.This seems like a wondrous move as Indian customers have been making use of the net banking for speedy transactions.

This is not the first time BIGFlix.com is getting into a deal with a financial institution. With the ICICI Bank tie-up BIGFlix.com offered 50 % discount to debit and credit card holders. Plus the DVD rental service had tied up with mChek enabling mobile payments for rentals.

It is truly remarkable as BIGFlix.com is promoting alternative payment options in a busy new age. BIGFlix.com was recently in the news for appointing Preetam Shah as Head of International Markets. We interviewed Mr. Shah about his new found profile and plans for BIGFlix.com.

This surely is a smart move for both the parties.

SingTel has obtained the NLD/ILD license to focus on their international corporate clientele. The business would compete with Bharti Airtel. The Singapore-based company has got into a joint venture with Bharti and Leela Lace Software Solutions.

SingTel will hold 26% while Bharti gets 9.9% stake and Leela Lace Software Solutions has the rest.

But Indian iPhone owners would not benefit from the move; thanks to TRAI and its snail-like-speed in implementing 3G in India. Plus the infrastructure for VOIP services is in India is not up to the mark.