08/14/17: Amazon reaches first look content deal with 'Walking Dead' creator

Good morning. It’s Monday August 14, 2017 and this is your your first early morning Digital briefing!

TODAY’S CODEBREAKER

Deep Learning: Deep learning is an advanced branch of machine learning, where a computer teaches itself with only a minimal amount of programming. Marketers using deep learning aim to make to make the most of their data, applying it to make informed predictions about consumers’ behavior.

JUST IN…

Netflix’s relationship with Disney hasn’t been severed just yet. In an interview with Reuters, Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said that the streamer is still in “active discussions” regarding a deal for Marvel or Lucasfilm titles. The company’s current licensing deal, which covers Disney’s new theatrical releases, is set to expire in 2019, when the entertainment giant will roll out its own Disney-branded streaming service. Last week, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that the company hasn’t yet decided how Star Wars and Marvel titles will fit into its streaming plans. Sarandos’s interview makes it clear that Netflix hasn’t given up on landing those properties.

Amazon announced that it has reached a new deal with Robert Kirkman, creator of the original The Walking Dead comics (and an executive producer on AMC’s long-running TV adaptation). Kirkman will develop new programming that will run exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service. Under the pact, Amazon will get a first look at all new content developed by Kirkman and his production company, Skybound Entertainment. According to a source who spoke with the Wall Street Journal, Kirkman will remain attached to his existing shows at AMC, which include both The Walking Dead and its spin-off, Fear the Walking Dead.

LET’S MAKE A DEAL

Facebook has acquired Fayteq, a computer vision startup based in Germany. Fayteq is best known for developing technology that enables users to add objects to existing videos, as well as remove objects from videos. German media was first to pick up on the acquisition; Facebook has since confirmed the deal, but hasn’t made any additional comment. It’s possible that Facebook will use Fayteq’s capabilities to add effects to Facebook Live videos. The deal price wasn’t disclosed.

POLICY

The Middle Kingdom is taking a hard line against social media content. Chinese regulators revealed a new investigation into the country’s three most popular social sites: Tencent’s WeChat, Sina Weibo, and Baidu’s Tieba. The Cyberspace Administration of China said that it’s looking into “violence, terror, false rumors, pornography and other hazards to national security, public safety, [and] social order” that appear on the sites. (Those “rumors,” incidentally, include any user-generated negative comments about government officials. Be grateful for the First Amendment, folks.) The Chinese government has been taking an increasingly hard line toward social media, and has made it clear that such companies must do more to self-censor. It’s easier said than done: WeChat alone has almost a billion users.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Get back to class!

Cynopsis Esports Master Class

Friday, Sept 15 | Barclays Center | BKLYN

ESL and Cynopsis are proud to host the most comprehensive Esports seminar to date.

Events include:

A high-level look at the opportunities and challenges in the esports industry, an information-packed event with experts in the esports space AND a VIP/behind-the-scenes tour of ESL One with a pass to the weekend esports tournament.

Space is limited – Register by 8/30

APPS + PLATFORMS

Can’t afford to head to Broadway? The hit show Hamilton is launching an official mobile app. Available on iOS and Android, it’ll feature digital stickers, news, a themed “HamCam” filter for photos, a digital storefront for merchandise, and other content. It’ll also feature a direct portal to the “”#Ham4Ham” lottery – the daily drawing that grants winners $10 tickets to the show.

The YouTube Kids app is now available on Android TV. (The launch was first noticed by 9 To Five Google.) It’s been a long time coming: The service launched in 2015, and was already available for LG, Samsung, and Sony smart TVs. YouTube’s move to bring its apps to more smart TV platforms make sense; the company recently told AdAge that living room viewers are now YouTube’s fastest growing audience. Last year alone, YouTube viewership on smart TVs grew by 90%, the company said. YouTube says it expects the same growth percentage this year.

PROGRAMMING

Group Nine Media, the digital media holding company backed by Discovery Communications, announced the upcoming debut of 24 original video series developed specifically for Watch, Facebook’s new premium video platform. Group Nine’s four brands – Thrillist, The Dodo, Seeker, and Now This – will each produce their own shows for the platform.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

SoundCloud has officially secured an investment deal that will keep the company from going under. Between the two of them, new investors Temasek and The Raine Group will take a majority stake in the music streamer. News of the potential deal was first reported in late July. Now a new detail, which went unreported until just before the acquisition closed, has emerged: Co-founder and CEO Alexander Ljung is leaving his post, and former Vimeo CEO Kerry Trainor is taking his place. Michael Weissman, also a former Vimeo exec, will become Soundcloud’s new COO. Ljung will still stay on as chairman of Soundcloud’s board, while fellow co-founder Eric Wahlforss will stay on as Chief Product Officer. All told, The Raine Group and Temasek are investing $170 million in the company.

Digital media company Mic has named Sarah Iooss as its new EVP of Revenue. Iooss had previously spent 14 years at Viacom, most recently as SVP of Business Development. At her new position – which she officially starts today – Iooss be tasked with expanding Mic’s media solutions and branded content initiatives. She’ll oversee the company’s market-facing products and sales team. Ioss will report to Jonathan Carson, Mic’s President.

UPCOMING DIGITAL PROGRAMMING

… for the week of Monday, Monady, August 14, through Sunday, August 20

– People Now at People.com, Monday-Friday at 8:30a ET and 11:30a ET. Guests include actress Holland Taylor (Audience’s Mr. Mercedes), Singer Angelina Green (NBC’s America’s Got Talent), and actress Yara Shahidi (ABC’s Black-ish)

– Acorn TV: Documentary film Hunting the KGB Killers debuts today, August 14

– Acorn TV: The latest season of Australian comedy-drama Rake debuts today, August 14

– Netflix: Brad Paisley’s Comedy Rodeo, a new comedy special, debuts Tuesday, August 15

– Amazon Video: Stop-motion animated kids’ series Tumble Leaf returns Tuesday, August 15

– Netflix: British comedy White Gold debuts Thursday, August 17

– Netflix: Season 5 of animated kids series Dinotrux debuts Friday, August 18

– Netflix: Japanese anime series Glitter Force Doki Doki makes its English-dubbed debut Friday, August 18

– Netflix: What Happened To Monday, a new sci-fi film, debuts Friday, August 18

– Netflix: Marvel’s The Defenders debuts Friday, August 18

TRIVIA

Our Last Trivia Question: Which Silicon Valley-set series featured Ed Begley, Jr. in a recurring role? Answer: Amazon’s Betas. Kudos to Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg M and S Entertainment/CA, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union/CA, Lorrie Shilling/CA, and Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/CA

Betas co-star Karan Soni appeared on a different web series in 2015, this one a sci-fi comedy for Yahoo Screen. What was it called? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and state.)

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

TOMORROW IS THE DEADLINE

The 5^th Annual Cynopsis Digital Model D & It List Awards

If you are proud of a digital campaign or project that your team has carried out in the past year, grant your team the recognition they deserve by entering our Model D Awards . And, if there is an individual that has gone above and beyond by pushing the boundaries of digital innovation, they belong on Cynopsis Digital’s “It List.”

Questions?

Contact Cathy Pearson

DIGITAL SPOTLIGHT

Netflix dropped its trailer for season 2 of The Crown, which debuts December 8. 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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