Conflicting reports on the News Corp, ROO deal

Update: ValleyWag says the FIM folks were in the loop on the deal, which disputes the TechCrunch report which we posted earlier today: TechCrunch is reporting that execs at Fox Interactive Media, the internet arm of News Corp., learned about News Corp’s decision to invest in online video company ROO through a Wall Street Journal article published yesterday, the day of the announcement. And to make things worse, FIM had been in talks with ROO competitor Brightcove, TechCrunch reports. “The fact that News Corp. made a significant investment in an Internet startup without consulting Fox Interactive suggests News Corp. is no longer looking at their interactive subsidiary to guide them with online strategy,” writes TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington. FIM’s former leader, Ross Levinsohn, stepped down from the company last November. He was replaced by a long-time Fox executive. Meanwhile, GigaOM reports that FIM is in talks to acquire Strategic Data Corp., an online ad optimization company.