VIRTUAL + AUGMENTED REALITY
Samsung is almost certainly rolling out a new Odyssey-branded VR headset, and soon. The headset would be a higher-end product than the Samsung Gear VR, which debuted for consumers in 2015. The Odyssey would also mark a break from Facebook’s Oculus, whose software powers the Gear VR. Reports about Samsung’s new VR product first surfaced last year. (At around the same time, Samsung execs confirmed that they were working on higher-end VR initiatives.) Then last week, a Twitter user released purported photos of the new headset, which included integrated headphones made by AKG, two cameras for inside-out tracking, and high-end controllers. And per Variety, an FCC filing surfaced just yesterday for a product labeled “Samsung HMD Odyssey Controller Left.” (The agency approved the controller, for the record.) Companies like Samsung don’t tend to submit such products for regulatory approval until they’re preparing for launch; the Odyssey headset will likely make its public debut by next month. Samsung hasn’t commented on the story.
PLATFORMS + APPS
The Disney-branded cable nets now share space on a single digital platform. The new DisneyNow app features programming from Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD. Previously, each network had its own individual app. DisneyNow offers both live-streamed programming and on-demand episodes. It’s available to authenticated pay-TV customers. In addition, each individual network on the platform offers a select number of TV episodes that anyone can watch, even without a pay-TV subscription.
Twitter announced that it has removed about 200 accounts linked to Russian-sponsored entities that attempted to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The disclosures came during a meeting with congressional investigators, and then through a subsequent blog post. The company also revealed that three Twitter accounts controlled by Russian broadcaster Russia Today (RT) purchased just over $274,000 worth of promoted tweets targeting U.S. audiences in 2016. (Most of those tweets promoted news stories, according to Twitter.) In its new post, the company asserts that it prizes transparency in political advertising. Facebook has faced similar scrutiny of late, recently announcing intentions turn Russian-bought election ads over to Congress.
At Advertising Week in New York, Instagram COO Marne Levine announced that 80 percent of people on the platform voluntarily connect to a brand or business. Earlier in the week, the Facebook-owned company announced that it now boasts 800 million monthly active users. Instagram has enabled brands to create business profiles, and to launch analytics-driven promoted posts, since June of last year.
OutTV, the Canadian specialty channel geared toward LBGT audiences, announced that its SVOD app is now available for Apple TV users in Canada. Called OUTtvGo, the app was always already available for Roku, as well as for Android and iOS mobile devices. The service costs $3.99 per month.
PROGRAMMING
2017’s K-Pop World Festival – the biggest event in the world dedicated to Korean pop music – will live-stream on both YouTube and Twitter. The live-streams start today at 7p Korea Standard Time. In the U.S., that translates to 6a ET.
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Broadly, the female-oriented digital channel from Vice Media, has a new Publisher. The job goes to Ariel Wengroff, who’d previously served as Global Chief of Staff to Vice CEO Shane Smith. Wengroff also serves as an executive producer on Woman, a Gloria Steinem-hosted docu-series that debuted on the Viceland cable net last year. As Broadly’s new publisher, Wengroff will work with advertisers and negotiate new partnerships. The site had previously been run by a central team, which was led by Vice Chief Commercial and Creative Officer Tom Punch.
Time Inc. has promoted Daniel Leonard to Director of Brand Communications for both Sports Illustrated Group and Life VR, a platform featuring virtual reality content from a number of Time Inc. brands. Leonard has been with Time Inc. for close to six years, working on communications for brands and businesses including Time, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Fortune, Money, and The Foundry.
TRIVIA
Our Last Trivia Question: The documentary film Long Strange Trip, which made its Amazon Video debut in June, focuses on which rock band? Answer: The Grateful Dead. Kudos to Andy Pittman-TAMU/TX, Evan Marin-NYC/Undertone, Luke Watson-Essential TV/NY, Joel Dearing-Virtual News Center/IN, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/CA, Aaron Paquette-Screen Engine/ASI/TX, Alejandro Sacasa-Albavision/FL, Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/CA, Andrew Eisner-Scripps Networks Interactive/NY, David Westberg-SAG AFTRA Federal Credit Union/CA, Anjali Desai-Departure Films/NY, Lorrie Shilling/CA, Brett Schneider-72andSunny/CA, Gayle Gluck-ALProductions/CA, Bill Graff-beIN Sports/FL, Austin York-Connect/Chicago, Lori Paterson-Spectrum Reach/NY, Danny Payne-Starcom/IL, Bruce Trotter-CoxReps LA/CA, and Conrad Ketchie-Sony Crackle/CA
Long Strange Trip was hardly the first music doc to hit a major streaming service. A legendary female singer-songwriter (and civil rights activist) was the subject of a Netflix doc, which debuted in June of 2015. Who was the musician, and what was the documentary called? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and state.)
