Google acquires digital video firm Episodic

Google continued its recent acquisition spree, scooping up digital video services provider Episodic for an undisclosed sum. The Episodic platform supports live and on-demand video broadcasts for the web and web-enabled devices, offering publishers and marketers the tools to stream, measure and monetize their video content. Episodic co-founders Noam Lovinsky and Matias Cudich announced the deal on the company's blog: "The Episodic team will join Google and continue its work to bring a great video experience to the web, mobile phones and IPTV devices," they write. "Our product visions were complementary and together we will continue to produce innovative video technology for our customers and their viewers."

The Episodic deal heralds Google's fifth acquisition of 2010. Earlier this year, the company purchased Microsoft Office sharing and editing service DocVerse, followed by photo-editing site Picnik, email solutions developer reMail and social search startup Aardvark. In late 2009, Google acquired mobile advertising network AdMob for $750 million--last month, Bloomberg reported the Federal Trade Commission is seeking sworn declarations from Google's competitors and advertisers as it continues to probe the deal, a sign indicating regulators may challenge the purchase due to concerns it would compromise the competitiveness of the mobile ad segment.

For more on the Google/Episodic deal:
- read this Episodic blog entry