10/17/17: Netflix beats subscriber expectations in Q3

Good morning. It’s Tuesday October 17, 2017 and this is your your first early morning Digital briefing!

TODAY’S CODEBREAKER

Scalability: When used in the context of social media, scalability refers to the audience reach that’s available to marketers via social media platforms.

JUST IN…

Netflix beat Wall Street’s expectations in Q3, adding 850,000 streaming subscribers in the U.S. and another 4.45 million internationally. Analysts had predicted 784,000 net U.S. additions and 3.62 million overseas. The streaming giant narrowly beat expectations on revenue as well, earning $2.99 billion in the quarter – a 30% year-over-year increase. Wall Street had projected $2.97 billion in revenue. The company’s shares rose by about 3% immediately after the news broke, reaching record highs.

Vice Media is establishing a major presence in Sub-Saharan Africa. The company announced a joint venture – called Kwese Vice – with the African pay-TV operator and telecom Econet. As part of the venture, a new bureau and production studio will open in Johannesburg, South Africa. Kwese Vice will produce and distribute local video programming and editorial content. The content will appear across the Kwese Vice’s channels, as well as third party platforms. The new partnership expands on an existing relationship between Vice Media and Econet: In January, the Viceland cable network debuted out on Econet’s Kwese TV platform, becoming available throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa. Viceland will now extend that reach into South Africa.

ADVERTISING

Facebook has been experimenting with allowing brands to study users’ comments and posts in order to inform their marketing, reports AdAge. The beta test is an extension of Facebook’s Audience Insights API marketing tech platform; it’s reportedly not expected to be widely available until 2018.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM LUSTGARTEN

Join us for the 17^th Holiday Rock & Roll Bash

A benefit for The Lustgarten Foundation in support of pancreatic cancer research

Wednesday, December 13, 2017 | Location: TAO DOWNTOWN NYC

Presented by Madison Square Garden and AMC Networks

Thanks to private funding, 100% of every dollar donated goes directly to pancreatic cancer research.

Contact 914-579-1000 or [email protected] for sponsorships and tickets

APPS + PLATFORMS

Does Facebook plan to take on Microsoft’s LinkedIn? Matt Navarra, The Next Web’s social media director, posted screenshots of a new resume feature that’s been appearing on select Facebook profiles. The feature – which appears to be in the early testing phase – lets users list their education and professional experience, as well as contact information and other details. It’s unclear how many users have access. Facebook hasn’t commented.

LET’S MAKE A DEAL

Facebook has acquired tbh, an app that lets users create anonymous polls. The app – geared toward teens – is still only active in a handful of U.S. states. Nonetheless, it’s been downloaded by over five million people. In September, tbh (its name is well known web abbreviation of “to be honest”) reached the top of Apple’s list of free App Store apps. Deal terms weren’t disclosed, though TechCrunch reports that Facebook paid under $100 million. It’s also unclear when, exactly, the acquisition was finalized.

OTT + SVOD

German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 is teaming up with Discovery to launch an expanded version of the ad-supported streaming service 7TV. The service, geared toward the German market, was already operated by ProsiebenSat.1 Now it’ll add a number of new linear channels from both ProSieben and Discovery. The two companies also plan to recruit a CEO to run the service. 7TV is available through a dedicated app.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Who doesn’t love a good video?

The Cynopsis Short Form Video Festival & Conference | March 7, 2018

Honoring outstanding work in this emerging space, the Cynopsis Short Form Video Festival will showcase fresh and surprising storytelling across platforms. We define short form video as content that runs from 5 seconds to 10 minutes. Content on any platform is eligible. Watch our sizzle reel + start your submissions (deadline is 10/20)!

Submit your videos here!

VC FUNDING + INVESTORS

Zype, a startup that enables publishers to distribute and monetize their own videos, just raised $4.9 million in series A funding. Runa Capital led the round. Previous investors – including as Revel Partners, Point Nine Capital and others – also participated. Zype, founded three years ago, has now raised $8.5 million to date.

INFLUENCERS

YouTube comedy duo Rhett & Link are about to expand the format of Good Mythical Morning, their popular talk series. The expanded version of the show – debuting November 6 – will now include musical and celebrity guests. The show will also include sketches and field-produce segments. GMM – which had previously run from about 10-15 minutes – will now be 22 minutes in length. YouTube itself will help to fund the new version of the series.

RESEARCH

According to a new study from OnAudience.com, about 26% of U.S. consumers now use some sort of ad-blocking software, up from 22% last year. (That still lags behind Europe, where the number is 32%.) OnAudience.com estimates that U.S. publishers will lose more than $15.8 billion in revenue this year due to ad blocking, as compared to about $11 billion last year.

According to a new study from the measurement company Zenith, about 65.5 percent of adults worldwide will own smartphones next year. Still, Zenith finds that growth in smartphone ownership has been slowing down overall, since a number of markets are now reaching saturation. Smartphone ownership increased ten percent this year, but is only expected to grow seven percent in 2018. In 2016, it increased by 14%. In the U.S., Zenith projects that 69.6% of Americans will own smartphones in 2018. A number of countries are projected to beat that number. The Netherlands sits atop Zenith’s list, with 93.9%.

MEASURING UP

The ListenFirst Television Interest (TVI) Rating (TM) is a standardized measurement of the most buzzed-about TV programs on linear TV and streaming services. A complement to ListenFirst’s other syndicated data products (such as the ListenFirst Digital Audience Rating – TV), the metrics included in the rating capture organic actions that are largely unaffected by paid media. Programs that surface on the TVI leaderboards are the most hashtagged on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Tumblr, as well as most searched for on Wikipedia (used as a proxy for organic search volume).

All Series (10/9/17 – 10/15/17)

Source: ListenFirst. The TVI Rating aggregates metrics that measure organically generated activity by fans of the TV show. The metric includes total volume of official hashtag mentions on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Tumblr, along with Wikipedia page views (as a proxy for organic search volume) for a show as a percentage of the total volume of the same activities for all shows.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Anne Aloha Ward has already left Upload, the troubled virtual reality startup she joined less than six weeks ago. The news was first reported by TechCrunch. Ward joined Upload as COO just as it was reeling from a sexual harassment and wrongful termination lawsuit from a former social media manager. (As TechCrunch has reported, the company recently settled the suit.) Many within the VR community criticized Ward at the time for sticking by the company in the midst of its troubles; she hasn’t commented on why she ultimately decided to leave.

TRIVIA

Jane Fonda co-stars in which current streaming series? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and state.)

Cheo Hodari Coker, the creator of Netflix’s Luke Cage, also served as a writer and co-executive producer on which Showtime series? Answer: Ray Donovan. Kudos to Andrew Bellamy-Producers Guild of America/NY, Andy Pittman-TAMU/TX, Louis Lewow-Lewow Media Group/GA, Larry Hutchings-CA, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/CA, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union/CA, and Lorrie Shilling/CA

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Check out the 2017 Cynopsis Digital “IT” List Honorees!

Joining us from 38 companies that cover all elements of the industry, digital’s movers and shakers will represent the top brands and innovators in the business at our 5th Annual Digital Awards Ceremony. Share insights and connect with your peers as we celebrate the honorees at this fabulous awards event on November 10 at Tribeca’s ThreeSixty (NYC). See the full list of honorees, companies and event details here.

SHORT FORM SPOTLIGHT

Netflix dropped a new teaser for Godless, its upcoming Western miniseries. Check it out here .

David Teich
Roberta Caploe Publisher @robertacaploe	Diane K Schwartz Senior Vice President Media Communications Group	Cynopsis Ad Sales Mike Farina \| 203-218-6480 VP, Sales	Cynopsis Job Listings Sales Trish Pihonak \| 203-899-8459 Director of Operations

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JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, CONTENT PRODUCTION/EKO/NYC: Pioneer of interactive serial video ent. Manage creative development & prod for all scripted interactive series. Exp developing scripted content or serial content prod. Budgeting/negotiating exp a must. Mng team to achieve goals. Resume HERE (10/19)

JOB OPENING: SR DIGITAL RESEARCH ANALYST/Showtime/NY: Reporting & strategic analysis related to subscription and viewing behavior on SHO digital platforms, including Showtime (OTT) and Showtime Anytime (TVE). Min 2 yrs digital exp. with robust Adobe Analytics skills. APPLY HERE (10/19)

JOB OPENING: VP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & OPERATIONS/FOX Sports/Playa Vista CA: Identify/analyze business opps, negotiate contracts & follow deals thru completion. Multiple yrs of media/interactive exp w/ad & subscription businesses. Knwlg of internet tech platforms. 7-10 yrs mngmnt exp. Full info/apply HERE (10/19)

JOB OPENING: SR RESEARCH ANALYST AD SALES/GSN/NY: 2yrs exp in Media (TV, Digital, Social, CBL) Knowledge/Skill in (Nielsen NPower, Nielsen AdViews, comScore, Rentrak, Wide Orbit, Custom Show & Simmons) Microsoft Suite (Word, PowerPoint & Excel) Detail Oriented. Send res and CL to [email protected] (10/19)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS/BBCWA/NYC: Design/deliver short & long-term strategic plans related to internal comms & events, as well as external corp comm. Apply if you are bright, energetic & enthusiastic about BBC brand values & content. Min 4-6 yrs exp. Full info HERE (10/19)

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