PLATFORMS + APPS
Nvidia’s Shield TV streaming device has updated its YouTube app. The app now features support for 360-degree video, as well as an updated user interface designed to make it easier to browse for content. The new interface design is meant to make it easier for users to search for videos by category.
Vice Media recently laid off 60 of its staffers, or about 2% of its 3,000 employees. The moves come shortly after Vice’s June announcement of a $450 million investment from private-equity firm TPG. That windfall was in large part designated toward original video content, including the upcoming launch of scripted programming unit Vice Studios. And as has been the case with other digital media companies that have shifted resources toward video, editorial jobs were among those that were cut. Other job cuts fell on sales pros, branded content specialists, and corporate employees. The layoffs affected workers in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Variety was the first to report the news.
PROGRAMMING
Amazon Prime Video is now home to The Real Stephen Blatt, a new comedy miniseries. Justin Long plays the titular character – a man who becomes obsessed with social media after he receives his first iPhone. The series hails from Funny or Die. Other Funny or Die content, such as Drunk History and Between Two Ferns, is currently available on Amazon Prime – but this is the first time that a Funny or Die production has been an Amazon exclusive.
VIRTUAL + AUGMENTED REALITY
Microsoft says that the next version of its HoloLens augmented reality headset will come equipped with AI features. According to Microsoft Research EVP Harry Shum, the headset will include a chip that can perform complex AI computations; the goal is to improve the headset’s hand-tracking and object-recognition capabilities.
AUDIO
Spotify appears to be nearing a new licensing agreement with Warner Music. It’s the last major royalty deal that Spotify needs in place before it can go public on the stock market, is likely to happen by late this year or early next. According to Reuters, the Spotify/Warner deal could be inked by September. Certain details – such as granting Spotify a better revenue share in exchange for making certain new albums accessible only to paying subs for a defined time period – have reportedly been agreed to.
CYNOPSIS WEBINAR: BRANDED CONTENT
Branded content can really move the needle – if you do it right. That’s why Cynopsis is excited to share the latest and greatest branded content strategies with you. Make today a productive one and join us at 1:30pm ET for the Newest Strategies for Branded Content webinar. We’ll do a deep dive into winning branded content strategies with experts from The New York Times, IFC and Branded Entertainment Network. Sign up here.
RESEARCH
2.46 billion people will access social networks at least once a month this year, according to a new projection from eMarketer. That’s about one third of the world’s population, and 71% of internet users. It also represents an 8.2% increase from last year, according to eMarketer.
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 (7/17/17 – 7/23/17)
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
Hulu just nabbed an exec from Google. The streaming service has hired Kelly Campbell to serve as its Chief Marketing Officer; she replaces Jenny Wall, who left the company in May. Campbell has been with Google since 2005, where she’s held various senior marketing roles. She most recently served as Managing Director of Global Growth Marketing for Google Cloud. She joins Hulu at a pivotal moment: For one, the company launched its live TV service in May; it’s also escalating its original content efforts as it aims to better compete with Netflix and other streamers. Campbell will begin her new role later in the summer, reporting directly to CEO Mike Hopkins.
Bleacher Report, Turner’s sports-focused digital media property, has named Howard Mittman to the dual roles of Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Marketing Officer. Mittman previously spent 12 years at Conde Nast, most recently serving as Chief Business Officer. He’ll officially start at BR on August 14, reporting to founder and CEO Dave Finocchio.
TRIVIA
Actress Gretchen Mol appears on which Hulu series? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and state.)
Our Last Trivia Question: 14-year-old Stranger Things’ star Finn Wolfhard has a role in an upcoming movie adaptation of a Stephen King novel. Which one? Answer: It. Kudos to Andy Pittman-TAMU/TX, Louis Lewow-Lewow Media Group/GA, Jake Sheinman-NBC Sports/NY, John Morgan-SpotX/NY, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union/CA, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/CA, Matt Knust-Conversant Media/IL, Lorrie Shilling/CA, and Amanda Nojadera-Common Sense Media/CA
