Beet.tv: Microsoft just released Silverlight 1.0, the cross-platform, cross-browser plug-in for streaming video, games and other multi-media content. The company has a number of content partners who will use Silverlight including Entertainment Tonight, HSN, and World Wrestling Entertainment.

Agence France-Press: Japanese electronics maker Casio said Wednesday it will launch a series of digital cameras specially designed for YouTube.

NewTeeVee: Showtime is hosting a user-generated video contest for the show's "Little Boxes" theme song: Submissions are due by Sept. 14, with the winning song airing on Showtime and its performer(s) collecting $10,000.

MediaPost: Advertisers and ad agencies aren't getting the information they need to justify the value of online video ads.

BusinessWeek: Web TV provider Babelgum favors independent films over studio fare, Asia over the U.S., and ads over subscriptions. Will the formula work?

New York Times: Having left Apple's iTunes, NBC Universal has agreed to sell a wide variety of television programming on Amazon’s fledgling Unbox download service.

MediaPost: Why a new crop of Hollywood players are betting big on Web video.