News Corp. INVESTING in Roku and 4 Media Titans Making Waves

Coinstar, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSTR) and Verizon Communications Inc. have progressed on a joint venture that might pose complications for Netflix, but analysts are still uncertain about the brand “Redbox Instant by Verizon.” The companies have begun first tests five months after entering the partnership, Dow Jones Newswires reports. Also, a Verizon executive, Shawn Strickland, has been appointed chief executive officer of Redbox Instant by Verizon. Prior to this, he served as region president of Verizon Telecom’s New York south/east area. Shares of Coinstar traded up $0.23 (0.39%) recently at $59.50.

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CBS Corporation (NYSE:CBS) reported that its board has validated a rise in the amount of value it will give back to shareholders, making the total amount authorized within the company’s share repurchase plan $4.7 billion. The program, which started in January, will be increased by 57 percent. Plus, the board authorized raising the company’s quarterly dividend by 20 percent. CBS shares traded up $1.41 (4.53%) recently at $32.52.

Comcast Corporation‘s (NASDAQ:CMCSA) NBC Universal has sold $1 billion in American TV and digital advertisements for the 2012 London Olympics, according to Reuters. This amount is approximately $150 million more than its total for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Comcast shares traded up $0.30 (0.94%) recently at $31.66.

Dish Network Corp. (NASDAQ:DISH) has made a number of software upgrades to its AutoHop service, leading to hypotheses that the company is attempting to strengthen its legal position in the face of efforts to sue the technology to extinction, according to Variety. Shares of Dish traded up $0.56 (1.92%) recently at $29.72.

News Corp. (NASDAQ:NWSA) is acquiring a stake in Roku, an Internet video streaming set-top box manufacturer, according to the Associated Press. The media company’s investment, plus an investment from BSkyB (BSYBY) is a component of Roku’s fifth round of funding of $45 million. Roku CEO Anthony Wood reports that the company sees no financial impetus to go public in the near future. Shares of News Corp. traded up $0.50 (2.26%) recently at $22.58.

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