07/17/23: Cynopsis Media Tech Update

Monday July 17, 2023

Elon Musk has been busy with customer service. “Consider this silly policy deleted as of now,” tweeted Musk to a user who wasn’t eligible for a new ad-revenue sharing program because their account – Battle Beagle – featured a dog. Musk also responded to a complaint from a user about the rate limit that kept them from interacting with followers when they reached the threshold. “We will increase the rate limit for verified users by 50%,” posted Musk. “Should take effect within a few hours.”

On a different note, Attorneys for Musk filed a lawsuit alleging the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, and Katz ran up a $90 million “last minute” legal bill as Twitter was changing ownership last year. “Fully aware that nobody with an economic interest in Twitter’s financial well-being was minding the store, Wachtell arranged to effectively line its pockets with funds from the company cash register while the keys were being handed over to the Musk Parties,” says the lawsuit. Musk is seeking “excess fee payment” associated with the litigation that ensued when he tried to get out of his deal to purchase Twitter.

Meta’s Twitter competitor, Threads, hit 100 million signups in five days. “I’m not sure I can wrap my mind around that fact. It’s insane; I can’t make sense of it,” said Instagram head Adam Mosseri. The text-focused social platform bested the record of OpenAI’s ChatGPT bot, which grabbed 10 million daily users in 40 days.

The Federal Trade Commission is investigating OpenAI for “risk of harm to consumers, including reputational harm” from ChatGPT. In a 20-page investigative demand reported by The Wall Street Journal, the FTC asked OpenAI to respond to requests, including about ChatGPT’s “capacity to generate statements about real individuals that are false, misleading, or disparaging.”

A federal judge has ruled the Federal Trade Commission failed to prove Microsoft’s $70 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard would result in a substantial reduction in competition and harm consumer. Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California denied the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction. “We’re grateful to the Court in San Francisco for this quick and thorough decision,” tweeted Brad Smith, President of Microsoft.

Vizrt, focused on graphics and live production solutions for content creators, has released Viz Channel Branding. The tool offers greater automation, control, stability, and visibility for branding and channel cross-promotion needs across linear and on-demand outputs.

Optimum announced the launch of its new 8 Gig symmetrical Fiber Internet service, now available to more than 1.7 million residents and businesses across the company’s fiber footprint. The launch represents the largest deployment of 8 Gig internet speeds in the country.

SmartMedia Technologies, the Web3 engagement and loyalty platform, announced the integration of digital marketing solutions consultancy PN Media. This strategic integration offers SmartMedia clients a wider range of paid media strategy and consulting expertise while offering PN Media’s existing clients access to a suite of services including DSP licensing, Web3 services, and strategic growth services.

OpenVault announced the strategic acquisition of Nimble This and the naming of Nimble This founder Brady Volpe as Chief Product Officer. The moves harness OpenVault’s Profile Management Application (PMA) and Nimble This’ proactive network maintenance (PNM) solutions to improve operator profit margins, network capacity, and subscriber quality of experience (QoE).

IP-based video technology company NewTek introduced a revitalized 3Play 3P2. The updates, which are available for free to all existing 3Play 3P2 users, and will be available with every new 3Play 3P2, are centered around delivering an easier and better experience for the operators and users.

Top Women in Media Awards Gala
It’s not too late…YET!

Entries for the Top Women in Media Awards are set to close THIS THURSDAY, July 20. Have you nominated a ground breaking woman in media yet? Don’t miss your chance to cheer on their hard work and accomplishments.

NOMINATE TODAY

ADVERTISING

Eighty-seven percent of streaming viewers report they see too many of the same ads, according to new research by MAGNA’s Media Trials unit in partnership with Nexxen. The study, It’s All in the Delivery: How Repeating Ads Affect CTV Viewers, Brands & Platforms, found that while participants who saw the same ad six times peaked in awareness at 92% recall, negative associations spiked, too. Viewers who saw the same ad six times said the ad was “annoying” by 48% over average, and “disruptive to their overall experience” by 33%. Overexposure also eroded purchase intent, with a 16% decline among those who viewed an ad six times. “Running a spot repeatedly during the same show might improve recall but at what cost? Study participants were clear on how frustrating it was to see the same ad again and again and this cast a shadow over the brand and the streaming network,” said Kara Manatt, EVP, Intelligence Solutions, MAGNA. “Worst of all, advertisers are paying for these declines in purchase intent and simultaneously targeting consumers while turning them off to their brands.”

BrightLine announced the launch of the Proteus Experience Engine, a platform extension enabling streamers to overlay dynamic, interactive, and shoppable moments within shows, films, and sports content outside of traditional ad pods. “From day one, our mission has been to transform the viewing experience by incorporating advertising that leverages the full potential of new viewing technologies,” said BrightLine President & Co-Founder, Rob Aksman. “We recognize that ad revenue plays a crucial role in funding diverse and captivating programming, as creating exceptional content often requires substantial budgets. With Proteus XE, streamers now have innovative avenues to engage audiences through interactive and sponsorable enhancements.”

Chicken Soup for the Soul companies Redbox and ad platform Crackle Connex are teaming with TikTok, which will provide content to be featured on video screens on top of Redbox kiosks. “This partnership allows us to bring together the power of our exceptional content with the high-visibility of Redbox kiosk locations, creating an effective and fresh approach to advertising,” said Dan Page, Head of Global Distribution, New Screens at TikTok.

Roku has partnered with Shopify to provide viewers the ability to purchase products from Shopify merchants directly from their TV through Roku Action Ads. “Bringing a Shopify purchase experience to television for merchants is an industry first,” said Peter Hamilton, Senior Director of Ad Innovation at Roku. “Roku democratizes access to TV advertising, and now, we’re collapsing the funnel for Shopify’s merchants. This is a great example of Roku’s unique platform position to make advertisers unmissable across the streamer’s journey, from power on to purchase complete.”

Basis Technologies, provider of cloud-based workflow automation and business intelligence software for marketing and advertising, announced an integration with Vistar Media, the marketplace for programmatic digital out-of-home. The Basis platform now provides marketers with DOOH programmatic buying capabilities through access to Vistar Media’s supply-side platform.

TransUnion has expanded its TruAudience® Data Marketplace partnership with Magnite. to enable agencies, brands, and publishers to reach audiences across digital media channels including streaming video, audio, gaming, and DOOH in addition to CTV.

MEASUREMENT

Anzu, the in-game advertising solution, and Integral Ad Science announced the launch of the industry’s first solution that measures viewability and invalid traffic across 2D and 3D gaming environments and tracks them within the IAS Signal platform. “When founding Anzu, we knew that for in-game to succeed, advertisers would need a robust and transparent way to measure their success and be able to compare it to other mediums, which is why this area has been a core focus for us as a business from day one,” said Ben Fenster, Co-Founder and CPO, at Anzu. “It’s been great to work together with IAS on this first-to-market solution which marks a significant step forward in how measurement is done within the in-game advertising space.”

STREAMING

Over one in five US adults canceled a streaming video service within the past three months, according to a report from DIRECTV in partnership with consumer insights platform, Suzy. The top reported reason for canceling a service was not being able to justify the cost based on the time the consumer spent with the service; 50% of consumers said they would resubscribe to a canceled service if the price was decreased or if they were offered a promotion. “Today’s consumers are seeking affordable entertainment options, especially since so many opt in to introductory rates and offers,” notes the report. “Consumers want affordable options in addition to new, and engaging content.”

In conjunction with LG Ad Solutions’ expansion into the Canadian marketplace, the company released findings from its latest study of perceptions and behaviors related to CTV among Canadian consumers. “The Big Shift: Canada Wave II” found that 26% of those surveyed saying they are watching less linear television than a year ago. FAST services are growing in popularity, with 61% preferring to stream free, ad-supported content rather than pay for a subscription.
Additional findings from the report include:
· Economic concerns are impacting subscriptions as over one in three viewers have canceled a streaming service to save money.
· 87% of Canadian connected TV users pay for one or more streaming apps, and 55% are willing to cancel a subscription after watching the desired content.
· While recommendations from family and friends (52%) are the top source for new content, nearly half (45%) of consumers use the homepage of their TV screen for new content. This is 16% more than the number for US consumers.

Another streaming study found that low price is by far the most important factor for consumers determining the value of a TV service, but stability and a large library of content are also significant factors. “The video ecosystem is clearly at an inflection point. Gone are the days when providers could reliably count on revenue growth from new subscribers,” said Mark Loughney, senior consultant to Hub. “This leads to a quandary: how to deliver the volume of content necessary to keep subscribers loyal, while at the same time controlling production costs. Reconciling this dilemma will be the key to long term success in the video marketplace.” Hub’s 2023 “Monetization of Video” report also found that among the substantial segment of consumers who do not have an MVPD subscription, two thirds say integrating SVODs into an MVPD (i.e., traditional pay TV) set-top-box would make a Pay TV service more valuable to them (up from 59% last year).

Roku’s FAST service is now available on Google TV and other Android TV OS devices, downloadable through the Google Play Store. Previously, The Roku Channel could only be accessed on Roku devices, Fire TV, Samsung TVs, the Roku mobile app and online.

MuxIP, provider of automated solutions for ad-supported streaming, has delivered FAST channels for Crimeflix. At launch, Crimeflix will have more than 150 hours of content available on the channel in fully dubbed English, French, and Spanish versions (with German to follow).

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Job of the day

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR >>
BIG FISH ENTERTAINMENT/NYC/NJ: Coordinating onboarding for all new hires.
Administering the benefits and payroll changes for employees accurately.
Maintaining an efficient filing system—paper and electronic, for employee and company records related to their job functions. Building a successful bridge between management and employees. 7 yrs entertainment exp. preferred. Full Info HERE

DIRECTOR, MEDIA SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONS >>
PBS DISTRIBUTION/ARLINGTON VA, Hybrid: Oversee media systems operations, including daily operations as well as development and implementation of overall media supply chain. Work with external vendors and internal stakeholders on design and implementation of hardware and software solutions for media systems. 7+ yrs of work exp. in the areas of television, media, or consumer products. Full info HERE

MANAGER, STREAMING GROWTH AND ENGAGEMENT >>
PBS DISTRIBUTION/ARLINGTON VA, Hybrid: Identify opportunities using content placements & promotions to drive usage, engagement, & subscriber retention. Create & maintain a comprehensive editorial calendar to track & leverage content & cyclical opportunities based on each channel’s needs. 5+ years’ experience in digital video distribution, streaming business, and content programming. Full info HERE

TV/VIDEO SPONSORSHIP-PRODUCT INTEGRATION SALES REPRESENTATIVE >>
GAME ON MEDIA SOLUTIONS/Remote: Game On Media Solutions is looking for an independent business development oriented sponsorship sales representative. Focus will be on TV/Streaming project opportunities for brands that include product integration and placement. This is an Independent Contractor performance compensated opening. Attractive fees can be earned for closed deals. Full info HERE

BRAND ASSISTANT >>
THE LEDE COMPANY/NYC: Full-service communication, strategy, and social impact consulting firm, specializing in corporate, brand, entertainment, and nonprofit sectors, is seeking a Brand Assistant to join the Brand team in our New York office. The Assistant will play an integral role in supporting accounts for a wide variety of Fashion, Beauty, CPG and Lifestyle clients. Full info HERE

TALENT ASSISTANT >>
THE LEDE COMPANY/LA: Full-service strategy, communications and social impact consulting firm, specializing in corporate, entertainment and nonprofit sectors. We are looking for a Talent Assistant to a Talent Publicist in Los Angeles. We are seeking enthusiastic candidates who can work in a fast-paced environment, are driven & have strong communication and writing skills. Full info HERE

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR NATIONAL POLITICAL SHOW >>
BAHAKEL COMMUNICATIONS/CHARLOTTE NC: Develop and oversee the production of a daily or weekly national political show that covers the most important political news and events of the day. Develop and execute strategies to increase the show’s audience and engagement. At least 5 years of experience as an executive producer for a political show or similar program. Full info HERE

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF NEWS/ENTERTAINMENT >>
BAHAKEL COMMUNICATIONS/CHARLOTTE NC: Oversee all editorial and entertainment content, news production and presentation. Responsible for day-to-day operations of the show: producing, writing, and guiding creative. Develop content for the News @ TEN, plan, assign and create production schedules. 7 years of experience as executive producer or show producer. Network experience preferred. Full info HERE

SR. DIRECTOR, PRODUCT MANAGEMENT >>
SHOUT! FACTORY/LOS ANGELES: P&L responsibility, ownership over all aspects of a project, standalone releases or a licensed library of titles. Works w/production, publicity, creative services, distribution/sales, digital, finance, legal, acquisitions & licensors to best position the project for success. 7+ yrs of exp. in marketing, business development, or product management. Full info HERE

SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER >>
SHOUT! FACTORY/LOS ANGELES: Prepare accurate reports using data from internal & external sources for sales planning & analysis. Communicate w/our distributor on a regular basis with an understanding of their systems & deadlines. Announce release date, pricing confirmation & metadata for staff & distributor. 3+Yrs exp. in Sales Planning & Analysis/Finance Administration. Full info HERE

SENIOR CONTENT PRODUCER
INTERACTIVE ONE
NYC
Oversee video/creative production team thru ideation, production planning, crew/talent hiring, & budget/project management. Shepherd campaigns from development, pre-production, & production thru editing & delivery. Help w/shoots as well as postproduction team. 5+ yrs exp. spanning editorial, design, advertising agency, film, branded entertainment. Full info HERE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
INTERACTIVE ONE
NYC
Respond to both RFPs and direct-to-client assignments from brands and agencies. Examine client brief and lead ideation or adapt pre-existing creative. Identify innovative storytelling and emerging video formats. Minimum of 7 yrs exp. producing compelling video, television and digital media content across multiple channels and platforms. Full info HERE

AD SALES PLANNER >>
SINCLAIR BROADCASTING GROUP/NYC, Hybrid: Responsible for creating, analyzing & communicating sales proposals to the Sales team for presentation to advertising agencies and/or clients. Collaborate w/all media platforms & departments to create proposals, execute campaigns, manage stewardship & pacing of linear & digital deals. Point of contact post sale & provide excellent client services. Full info HERE

DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION LIFETIME/LMN MARKETING PRODUCTION OPERATIONS
A+E NETWORKS
Remote
Lead campaign planning & production oversight, ensuring best-in-class creative. Direct Campaign Planning rollouts & ensure production readiness of marketing initiatives. Oversee production on high-end graphics/design/editorial projects. 7+ yrs working in a fast-paced, highly collaborative team, with relevant work exp. in production management. Full info HERE

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER >>
NEWSMAX MEDIA INC/NYC: Determine best news stories for the program and create daily rundown. Work with show host in program preparation and execution. Identify compelling news stories. Delegate responsibilities as appropriate to producers, associate producers, and casting producers. 3+ years executive producing experience or overseeing newscast production. Full info HERE

STAGE MANAGER >>
NEWSMAX MEDIA INC/WASHINGTON DC: Works with Production management to maintains cast and crew lists and manages local rehearsal and show calendar. Oversee daily technical run-throughs directly prior to shows. Willing and able to work shifts between 12noon to 11pm and occasional Weekends and some longer hours during election and special events. Full info HERE

BROADCAST ENGINEER >>
NEWSMAX MEDIA INC/WASHINGTON DC: Troubleshooting, repair, and preventative maintenance of television broadcast equipment, computers, and broadcast computer networks in a 24x7x365 environment. Serve as E.I.C. during live and taped shows. Electrical Engineering, or other technical degree preferred. 5+ yrs as broadcast engineer, or equivalent knowledge. 5+ yrs in live TV production. Full info HERE

PRODUCER >>
NEWSMAX MEDIA INC/NEW YORK: Generate story ideas through research of news reports, social media, websites & contacts. Strong understanding of Newsmax brand & talent. Identify impactful news stories that result in provocative, compelling television. Delegate responsibilities as appropriate to associate producers, assignment editors & video editors. Bachelor’s degree preferred. Full info HERE

DIRECTOR, GENERAL AUDIENCE PUBLICITY >>
PBS/ARLINGTON VA, Hybrid: Leads the strategy, development & implementation of external communications to support PBS’s general audience content & provide support for PBS’s reputation & executive visibility. Manage relationships w/notable on-camera talent, producers – including partner agencies, managers, or agents supporting their programs. 8+ yrs of public relations exp. Full info HERE

AD SALES COORDINATOR, DIRECT RESPONSE
TV ONE
NYC, Hybrid, Remote
Work with account executives & sales planners utilizing internal computer system to fulfill sales orders through the execution of client schedules. Serve as the primary point of contact for ad agencies & TV One to resolve discrepancies, confirm schedule changes & distribute post & pre-logs. Bachelor’s degree or 2 yrs of exp. in advertising sales. Full info HERE

MANAGER OF ENTERPRISE CONTENT, WTKR
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Collaborates w/other newsroom managers to leverage the Scripps content strategy as the foundation for market-specific local content strategy. Leading a team of people to regularly & reliably produce targeted enterprise & investigative stories of impact & importance to our community. 3 yrs of exp. in digital media, journalism, broadcast preferred. Full info HERE

SR. DIRECTOR, DIGITAL PLATFORMS AND PARTNERSHIPS
TV ONE
SILVER SPRING MD, NYC, Hybrid Remote
Develop, cultivate, and socialize vision, mission, and strategy for Digital Business, Programming Visibility, Content Creation and Content Partnerships & Data Governance. Lead and facilitate cross-functional and cross-company project teams. 12 yrs in the media & emerging platform landscape with building digital platforms and vMVPD growth strategy. Full info HERE

VP OF BROADCAST ENGINEERING >>
NEWSMAX MEDIA, INC./NYC, NEW YORK: Oversee the planning, management, installation & maintenance of the networks technical infrastructure: studios, transmitters, digital production platforms & automated systems. Ability to deploy in the field to coordinate special events. 8+ yrs of broadcast troubleshooting in a television network environment, preferably in a network News environment. Full info HERE

MEDIA RESEARCH MANAGER
CIRCLE MEDIA
NASHVILLE, TN
Evaluate programming for our linear and FAST channel schedules to provide insights for content strategy and audience growth. Analyze & interpret media research for programming, ad sales, marketing, and affiliate sales. Research, & preferably Nielsen background is a strongly preferred. Media Research with linear, or similar platforms, is required. Full info HERE

SCHEDULING ASSISTANT- PROGRAMMING DEPARTMENT
CIRCLE MEDIA
NASHVILLE, TN
Partner with the Programming Director to perform scheduling tasks for our Linear and FAST Channels. This includes data entry and distributing weekly schedules. Strong attention to detail and love for data entry/meta data is a plus. This role is ideal for someone looking to break into the media world. Full info HERE

TRAFFIC ASSISTANT- AD SALES METADATA ENTRY
CIRCLE MEDIA
NASHVILLE, TN
Performing a variety of administrative tasks to provide support to the Traffic Department. The majority of this role will focus on metadata entry and must have strong attention to detail. This role will also assist team members with projects and serve as an idea source during team meetings. Full info HERE

VIDEO EDITOR- MOTION GRAPHICS
CIRCLE MEDIA
NASHVILLE, TN
Responsible for editing a variety of content, including but not limited to: network promos, show promos, sponsor ads and graphics. The ideal candidate is highly skilled in the Adobe editing suite and is highly motivated and organized. After Effects/Motion graphics skills are needed and coding is preferred, but not required. Full info HERE

VICE PRESIDENT, COMPENSATION
A+E NETWORKS
NYC, Hybrid, Remote
Review current compensation programs to identify changes needed for a true best in class compensation approach. Develop simple tools that can be used by recruiters, candidates, & employees to effectively communicate all aspects of a compensation package. Minimum of 10 + years of experience in compensation. Full info HERE

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