Italian regulators began an investigation into Google News after Italian newspaper publishers made a claim that their content was unfairly used to generate profit for the search giant. One argument the publishers claim is that having their content circulated within Google News is a forced contribution. The newspaper say that inclusion in Google’s news service hurts readership and the ability to generate revenue.

This investigation has now expanded into Google’s primary search business.

The Italian newspaper publishers have also expressed anger over their rankings in Google’s traditional search results. Italian Federation of Newspaper Editors alleged that any organization that refused to have content displayed in Google News Italy was immediately excluded from Google’s main search.

Youtube is the largest video website on the internet. Currently, Youtube is in the progress of negotiating a deal with Holly executives from Lionsgate Entertainment, Sony and Warner Brothers to offer full-length movies for rent on its site. Currently Youtube offers its content for free and makes an income from paid advertising–much in the same way as it’s owner does: Google. If negotiations are successful, Youtube would be directly competing against Netflix, Amazon and Apple for the paid, streaming media market.

Youtube is completely a dominant figure in the world of online video. In July of 2009 for example, nearly nine billion video clips were accessed through Youtube in the United States, which is about 10 times the amount of its closest competitor ( reported by ComScore ).

Investigative units of the National Advertising Review Council, Attorneys general and the Federal Trade Commission are seeking to build more requirements for blogs to clearly differentiate between sponsored content and and regular content.

The Electronic Retailing Self-Regulation Program is an an investigative unit of the National Advertising Review Council for the e-commerce industry. The Electronic Retailing Self-Regulation programs are voluntary, but should the offending company refuse to comply then the complaints are forwarded to the Federal Trade Commission who will then potentially sue the offending company for violating guidelines.

The F.T.C. is close to updating its guidelines on endorsements and testimonials for the first time since 1980.

Time Inc. announced that it will close Southern Accents magazine. South Accents is a lifestyle periodical that Time Inc. has published bi-monthly since 1985. The magazine’s online component will continue to operate.

Southern Living, Southern Accents had a circulation of 400,000, however in the past few months its advertising revenue had dropped 37 percent.

Rupert Murdoch demanded that Amazon turn over all Kindle users info. Amazon has yet to comply with Murdoch’s request.

This demand follows News Corp negotiating a larger share of revenue from Amazon sales–in which News Corp stated that content from the The Wall Street Journal would not be made available unless Amazon provides a more generous revenue share and more publisher-friendly policies.

“Kindle treats them as their subscribers, not as ours, and I think that will eventually cause a break with us.” – Murdoch