AOL to Launch Services to Challenge Skype, MySpace, Google

AOL plans to roll out major services in the coming months to compete with the likes of MySpace, Skype and others, according to chairman and CEO Jonathan Miller, interviewed by USA Today (via MarketingVOX). AOL plans to build a MySpace-like network into AOL’s AIM instant messaging service and is trying to keep up with Google, Yahoo and Microsoft as it shifts to an advertising-based business model. Market leader AIM has 43 million active users, and AOL will use that advantage and video offerings to compete with MySpace and will roll out a new social-networking service in eight weeks.

Planned Baseball Channel Might be Scrapped

Major League Baseball may have decided to cancel the planned launch of its Baseball Channel, Mediaweek reports. MLB says it wants to renew its TV rights deals with the broadcast and cable networks before determining what type of package of games to air on the channel, but sources said personnel scheduled to be brought in to work on the new channel have been told it is being scrapped.

Miva Launches Multiple-Account SEM Interface

Online marketing firm Miva is launching a search engine marketing interface for agency marketers to manage multiple accounts and is also expanding free access of its API to allow enterprises to automate ad campaign management programs, writes MediaPost (via MarketingVOX). Miva’s Agency Center 1.0 provides information for multiple accounts from a centralized location.

Turner Takes Daytona 500 TV Ads Online

Turner Sports is capitalizing on the popularity of motorists’ biggest event by launching a Daytona 500 ad gallery at NASCAR.com, writes ClickZ. The strategy is similar to that used by AOL, which created the Super Bowl ad gallery that created more than 42 million video streams.

“Consumers have come to expect innovative and exciting ads during the airing of these events and we are pleased to be able to offer this content in a fun way to our viewers,” said NASCAR.com VP and general manager Scott Bailey.

NBC May Need to Compensate For Low Olympic Ratings

After its Olympic coverage failed twice last week to gain top ratings, NBC Universal may have to give advertisers discounted or free air time to compensate for low viewership, writes Bloomberg.

Aiming to dominate ratings as it has during past Olympics, NBC sold almost $900 million of ads, promising advertisers between 12 and 14 percent average ratings during this year’s Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. The first seven days of the games, NBC gained an average 12.4 percent of household, down from the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics’ 19.5 percent and the 1998 Nagano games’ 16.4 percent.

NFL Network Signs Reebok, Looks to Entice Others With April Event

The NFL Network signed Reebok as the first presenting sponsorship of its combine coverage and hopes to raise the network’s profile in the ad community by joining the upfront parade with its April 26th presentation to advertisers, writes Mediapost.

Rocketboom Offers Earthlink, TRM Easy Access to Target Market

Earthlink and automated teller-machine maker TRM are the first companies to use the popular video blog Rocketboom to advertise to their young, tech-savvy target market, reports Brandweek.

Wal-Mart Expands Marketing Department

In an unprecedented hiring spree, Wal-Mart CMO John Fleming, who works with a budget nearing $1 billion, plans to increase the marketing team of 200 by 30 percent, adding up to 60 people, writes AdAge. Stephen Quinn, senior VP-marketing, will oversee the creation of three new departments: brand management, a category marketing group and an insight and customer strategy group.

Ex-Partner to Sue Adman Donny Deutsch

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Steve Dworin plans to file a lawsuit by the end of February against his ex-partner at David Deutsch Associates, Donny Deutsch, claiming that in his recent book, Often Wrong, Never in Doubt, Mr. Deutsch defamed him and broke a non-disparaging contract between the two men, writes AdAge.

‘Most Competitive’ TV Night in History Arrives Thursday

This Thursday, NBC’s night of women’s skating - always the highest-rated segment during the Winter Olympics - will have to compete with Fox’s American Idol, ABC’s Dancing With the Stars and CBS’s Survivor in an unprecedented night of Olympics versus reality TV, writes The New York Times.