— Johnston: Scotsman publisher Johnston Press is the latest to start selling overseas ads on its UK news sites. Mail Online, Guardian.co.uk, Times Online and Telegraph.co.uk are all chasing ads from international clients, trying to monetise the majority of their traffic that comes from outside the UK. Johnston, by contrast, is a regional, rather than national publisher (with the exception of Scotsman.com). Edinburgh-based AdGent 007, which is also doing the job for Telegraph.co.uk, will sell Johnston’s overseas inventory.
— UMG: Universal Music Group in the UK has launched Lost Tunes, a direct-to-consumer retail site selling old rareties and tracks that aren’t available anywhere else online. Why go it alone, rather than license the tracks to all retailers? Universal previously experimented with dropping DRM on just its “classics” and “jazz” repertoire and says this service, too, is “intentionally niche”, containing 134 albums fmor the likes of The Walker Brothers and Comsat Angels – all DRM-free MP3 at 320Kbps. Lost Tunes is actually is powered by UK retailer 7digital.
— Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Street View: Google’s pedestrian’s-eye-view mapping feature, which begun photographic UK streets in the last few months, has got the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) green light following earlier privacy concerns. The ICO said Google’s Vauxhall-mounted cameras could carry on roaming because it’s “satisifed” with Google’s pledge to blur individuals’ faces and number plates and to delete compromising snaps from anyone who asks. Via News.com.