Yahoo! not yodeling ... original web shows canceled

Just as YouTube's user-generated, grass roots content hits the gazillion uniques-a-month mark, Yahoo!'s Media Group, headed by former ABC-TV exec Lloyd Braun, retracts on previously announced original web-programming initiatives. The media internet portal will instead focus on acquiring content from existing production companies - click the contact link, Lloyd - and also solicit user-generated content.

No way to couch it ... this is a blow. With Google Video focused exclusively as online distributor, I was hoping Yahoo! would capitalize on their self-produced online journalism hit, Kevin Sites in the Hotzone, with more original programming.

Looks like the LA based Yahoo! Media and the Silicon Valley based Yahoo! need some more get-to-know-you time before they hit on an online entertainment strategy that gels ... and that adds to the topline.