Digital video recording pioneer TiVo is introducing a new service that will automatically record and aggregate educational kids programs, the Associated Press reports (via USA Today). The new tool, which will debut mid-year and be part of TiVo's recently launched KidZone parental-control feature, will record shows tagged with the "E/I" label that denotes educational and informational programming for kids. It will also include a list of shows recommended by the Parents Television Council, Common Sense Media and Parents' Choice Foundation. The service will be free but is only available to subscribers with standalone Series2 machines.

Kontiki Inc., the Silicon Valley company behind Open Media Network, has been bought by VeriSign Inc. for $62 million, according to Paidcontent.org, which calls Kontiki "among the few legitimate [peer-to-peer] solution providers out there and certainly the one with the most traction among the media industry." [VeriSign news release.] The firm provides online players for the BBC, AOL and other online video contestants. Pubcasting exec Dennis Haarsager, who has worked with Kontiki chief Mike Homer to shape OMN as a model for pubcasters online, views the sale as a positive sign.