APPS + PLATFORMS
Roku has filed for its long-awaited initial public offering. Some notable bits of info emerged from the streaming device-maker’s filing: The company generated $199.7 million in revenue during the first half of 2017, a 23% year-over-year improvement. Nonetheless, the company hasn’t achieved profitability yet; its net losses during the first six months of the year amounted to $24.2 million. Roku told the SEC that it aims to raise up to $100 million in the IPO. The company’s NASDAQ identifier should be easy to remember: It’ll be listed under the ticker of ROKU.
YouTube unveiled some new updates to its live-streaming platform. Most notably, the video giant has introduced what it’s calling “ultra-low-latency” streaming, designed to reduce the interval between live-streamed action and user comments. The new changes are largely geared toward eSports and gaming live-streams; YouTube is no doubt hoping that low-latency streaming will help it better compete with Amazon’s Twitch. In addition, YouTube is introducing new chat moderation tools meant to keep user conversations a bit more civil during live-streams. Finally, YouTube has integrated app-based live-streaming directly into its iOS app, enabling users to stream game-play directly from their iPhones.
Ovation has launched Ovation NOW, its first TV Everywhere app. The app offers live TV and on-demand video content to authenticated pay-TV subscribers. At launch, Ovation Now is available on Roku devices. Ovation says it plans to bring the app to additional OTT platforms within the next few months.
OTT + SVOD
Brown Sugar, an SVOD service focused on “Blaxploitation” content, is now accessible to Amazon Prime members through the Amazon Channels platform. Brown Sugar’s library films such as Shaft and Foxy Brown, and Bounce network shows like Family Time and Saints & Sinners. The service costs $3.99 per month, and Prime members can take a seven-day free trial.
LET’S MAKE A DEAL
Facebook is no stranger to live-streamed sports content, but it won’t be streaming high-profile cricket matches just yet. The social giant reportedly came in second place in a bid to land the exclusive live-streaming rights to five years worth of Indian Premier League matches. The IPL – the world’s most popular cricket league – announced that the rights ultimately went to 21st Century Fox’s Star India. Facebook’s bid went as high as $610 million, according to a report from NDTV. That may sound like a lot, but Star India bid $2.5 billion. Nonetheless, Facebook’s efforts to open its wallet for IPL matches demonstrate that the company is hungry for more live sports content – especially if it’s geared toward wide international audiences.
POLICY
China is further tightening its grip on digital media. State regulators have banned the streaming of drama series that don’t have government permits. According to a report from Xinhua, a Chinese state news agency, any online dramas must now fall under “archival administration.” The report claimed that Chinese regulators will work to ensure that any approved dramas meet standards of artistic and ideological merit. How comforting.
Electronics-maker Lenovo is settling with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, along with Connecticut and 31 other states. The company has agreed to pay $3.5 million, and to change how it sells laptops in the future. The settlement stems from allegations that Lenovo had intentionally sold laptops that came pre-loaded with software that delivered pop-up ads to consumers, and blocked browsers from warning users who tried to access malicious sites. The software, called VisualDiscovery, was installed on hundreds of thousands of laptops starting in August of 2014; Lenovo says it stopped selling the software early the next year.
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 (8/28/17 – 9/3/17)
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
DigitasLBi, the digital agency owned by Publicis Groupe, is losing its North American CEO. Tony Weisman, who’d held the post since 2013, will join Dunkin’ Donuts as its new U.S. Chief Marketing Officer. The appointment officially takes effect later this month.
TRIVIA
Our Last Trivia Question: Google’s first-ever Twitter post was written in binary code. What it did translate to in English? Answer: I’m feeling lucky. Kudos to Andy Pittman-TAMU/TX, Andy Bellamy-Producers Guild of America/NY, Louis Lewow-Lewow Media Group/GA, 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
Jonathan Groff, known for Fox’s Glee, HBO’s Looking, and the stage musical Spring Awakening, will star in which upcoming Netflix drama? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and state.)
