Skinkers, which makes branded desktop news readers for syndicated content and has a P2P TV offering, has received $16 million (£8 million) in second-round funding from Acacia Capital, Spark Ventures and its own management, the company announced (here’s the release). The money will be used on Skinkers’ enterprise business, the news alerts strand and bringing to market LiveStation, the TV platform that uses P2P algorithms bought from Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) researchers in Cambridge last year. LiveStation’s channel line-up has been cryptic so far, though it launched a beta in September. Skinkers’ desktop alerts technology is behind offerings from the likes of The Guardian, CNN and BBC News, as The Guardian reports. The company’s first round was £4 million in January.

• Microsoft-Powered Net TV Platform LiveStation In Beta; Ex AOL Europe CEO Joins Board
• UK Desktop & RSS Apps Firm Skinkers Gets $4 Million Funding