11/01/21: Cynopsis Media Tech Update

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Monday November 1, 2021

Facebook is undergoing a restructuring that includes changing the company’s name to Meta. “Our brand is so tightly linked to one product that it can’t possibly represent everything that we’re doing today, let alone in the future,” said CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the company’s Connect event last week. “From now on, we’re going to be metaverse-first, not Facebook first.” What does that mean, exactly? “The metaverse will feel like a hybrid of today’s online social experiences, sometimes expanded into three dimensions or projected into the physical world,” says the Meta website. “It will let you share immersive experiences with other people even when you can’t be together — and do things together you couldn’t do in the physical world.” Facebook and its “family of apps” will fall under a division of the larger Meta company, which is changing its stock ticker from FB to MVRS in December.

Hebrew-speaking social media users had fun with the Facebook rebrand. “In Hebrew, *Meta* means *Dead*,” tweeted tech expert Nirit Weiss-Blatt. “The Jewish community will ridicule this name for years to come.”

Speaking of dead, with the Facebook rebrand comes the end of Oculus. “VR will be the most immersive way for people to access the metaverse and as we look toward our goal of bringing 1B people into VR, we want to make it clear that Quest is a Meta product,” wrote Andrew Bosworth, head of Facebook Reality Labs, in a blog post. “For this reason, we’re simplifying our brand architecture and shifting away from the Oculus brand.” Starting early next year, the Oculus Quest headset will be named “Meta Quest,” and eventually the Oculus App will be renamed “Meta Quest App.” Meta’s Reality Labs group is working on new ways to log into Quest that won’t require a Facebook account, added Bosworth.

The Senate unanimously passed the Secure Equipment Act, which requires the FCC to ban new equipment licenses for any other technology company the government concludes poses a national security threat, including China’s ZTE and Huawei. “In today’s increasingly connected world, we must animate our technology with our values,” said Senator Ed Markey, a co-sponsor of the bill. “That’s why our bipartisan legislation will keep compromised equipment out of U.S. telecommunications networks and ensure our technology is safe for consumers and secure for the United States.”

The release of Apple’s iOS 15.1 brought SharePlay, allowing users of Apple devices to share their screen on a call, or switch to an app to co-watch. Incoming notifications are blocked from other viewers, and content is encrypted.

TikTok is testing a tipping feature with select creators, enabling fans to tip favorite creators outside of TikTok LIVE streams where gifting is already available. TikTok has also expanded the availability of its Video Kit features to desktop, web and consoles, allowing creators to use editing and collaboration tools to make videos, then publish using a “Share to TikTok” feature.

Xilinx is working with its IP and system integrator ecosystem to provide the industry’s first production-ready multimedia streaming endpoint solutions for broadcast and professional audio/video applications. The integrated solutions are ready-to-ship, or ready to customize, making it easier for customers to bring broadcast and professional AV products to market.

TV-first is the new norm – TV platforms were added at a rate of 2:1 over mobile, according to a list of trends from Applicaster, based on 12 months of data from its Zapp platform. Other trends of note: Analytics integrations increased in volume and scope as streamers seek to better understand their audiences; consent management has emerged as a category in response to several regulatory changes; and the velocity in which media brands launched new apps and made updates has been picking up. “This business has become incredibly dynamic and keeping a close watch for trends like these hopefully helps media brands continue to drive their strategy successfully in uncharted waters,” said Applicaster CEO Ido Hadari.

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CRYPTO-MIGHT

The price of a cryptocurrency inspired by Netflix’s “Squid Game” surged 40,000% in its first few days of trading. The Squid token was launched as a way to enter the Squid Game project, an online tournament that will feature the games in the smash series, but without the deadly consequences. But buyers beware: The only way to buy the squid tokens involves a decentralized exchange service called PancakeSwap – so you can’t get the coins and store them in a wallet or sell it.

Crypto.com rolled out a global ad campaign starring Matt Damon to formally introduce the platform to consumers. Crypto.com serves over 10 million customers with the app, along with a Visa Card. “The timing of this campaign coincides with the early stages of mainstream adoption of cryptocurrency, something we’ve been hard at work to advance since our founding five years ago” said Crypto.com Co-Founder and CEO, Kris Marszalek.

ADVERTISING

Amazon Ads unveiled marketing solutions to support brands in their advertising efforts including voice calls-to-action in Interactive Video Ads, such as “Add to Cart,” or “Buy Now,” directly in Streaming TV ads in the IMDb TV app on Fire TV. Another shopping action, “Send Me More Info,” enables viewers to request product details via email or by scanning a QR code on a screen to visit a brand’s landing page. And Brand Follow offers customers a way to follow brands they like, with “Follow” button.

The E.W. Scripps Company has introduced a suite of new linear attribution features to its Scripps Octane Verify solution, a tool for advertisers to gauge the effectiveness of Scripps OctaneOTT and linear TV ad campaigns. “Attribution is the name of the game in linear and streaming TV,” said Missy Evenson, VP of Sales for Scripps’ Local Media. “The rollout of this new suite of Octane Verify attribution features is an additional way we can help move the needle for our customers as they fine-tune their approaches to reaching desirable audience groups.”

NFT NOTES

Dreamium Labs announced the unveiling of blockchain platform Dreamscape Open Metaverse. The open NFT metaverse platform enables people to join by taking a selfie which creates their full-body 3D “minii” avatar and blockchain account with an advanced NFT identity system. The minii NFT creates a “container” that only the user retains the rights to, and holds their collection of avatar personas, unique digital DNA, aesthetics, skills, powers, rankings, and items privately and securely.

WWE struck an exclusive multiyear deal with Fox Entertainment’s Blockchain Creative Labs to launch an NFT marketplace for licensed digital WWE tokens and collectibles. WWE will create “authentic NFTs that celebrate the company’s entire catalog of digital assets” including WWE Superstars and tentpole events like WrestleMania and SummerSlam. The marketplace’s name and launch date will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

ESL Gaming locked in a deal with NFT business platform Immutable X to launch an NFT platform that allows fans to buy, sell and exchange ESL Pro Tour NFT assets The league will soon unveil dates for future NFT drops and the ability to unlock exclusive perks.

Streaming company Cinedigm released a series of horror-based NFT trading cards branded as the Bloody Disgusting Blood Pack. In association with The Dark Art Emporium, Cinedigm commissioned horror artists, such as Luke Chueh, Chet Zar, Rick Dienzo, Wes Benscoter, Jeremy Cross and Jim Evans (also known as TAZ), to create the original paintings.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM PREMION

STREAMING

Restoring kids’ confidence and joy are top drivers of family SVOD brand adoption, according to a study from insights company The Family Room, “The Emotional Triggers of Family SVOD Adoption.” Preparing kids for school and serving parent needs are the least important adoption triggers. Other insights include:
* Younger Gen Z parents want SVOD platforms that reassure their children, whereas older Millennial parents seek SVOD platforms that comfort themselves.
* High frequency parent streamers are more likely to prioritize creativity, spontaneity, personal authenticity, and family connection in their lives than their more infrequent streaming counterparts.
* Every streamer has a set of emotional perceptions that trigger brand adoption. For instance, while parents turn to Netflix for family connection, they turn to Amazon Prime for relaxation and YouTube Premium for their own self-care.
* For Pre-K Parents, the security and self-esteem of their child is top priority when considering a new SVOD platform. Parents of older kids prioritize their own freedom and belonging.

Locast has been ordered to pay $32 million in fines and shut down operations to settle a copyright lawsuit by ABC, CBS, Fox and NBCU. Locast, which provided free streams of local broadcast feeds, suspended operations in September. While Locast positioned itself as a non-profit, thereby qualifying it as exempt from copyright rules, the court saw things differently.

Redbox secured a deal with Team Whistle to have their Palomino Media Group handle direct sales for the advertiser-supported streaming video platform. Redbox recently surpassed 120 FAST channels with additions including Yahoo! Finance, 10 local news channels from Cox Media Group and children’s channel Happy Kids.

Haystack News launched a live-stream of Newsy, the national news network owned by the E.W. Scripps Company. The opinion-free net serves audiences with 14 news bureaus across the country, providing 17 hours of daily information.

ON THE MONEY

Twitter added 5 million new daily users during 3Q21, reported the company, for a total 211 million. Revenue was up 37% and US ad sales jumped 51%, but there was a net loss of $527 million for the quarter, thanks to a one-time charge of $766 million related to a settlement about misleading investors about user growth.

Alphabet reported total revenue of $53.6 billion in the quarter, not counting traffic acquisition costs, with earnings per share of $27.99 handily topping analysts’ expectations of $23.50. YouTube ad revenue shot up 43% from the year-earlier period, reaching $7.2 billion, and search revenue rose 44% to $37.9 billion.

Apple’s quarterly earnings did not match analysts’ expectations, with reported revenue of $83.4 billion versus projections of $84.85 billion. Apple CEO Tim Cook cited supply issues as costing the company $6 billion. For its full fiscal 2021 year, Apple reported record revenue of $365.8 billion.

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Job of the day

MEDIA BUYER
TATARI
NYC or LA
Purchase all types of TV inventory: local/national, broadcast, cable, OTT, etc. Cultivate relationships with the media industry & TV networks, at every level. Maintain daily contact & continuously update inventory pricing and availability. 3-6 years of experience with TV media-buying at all levels: local/national, remnant/upfront, cable/broadcast. Full info HERE (11/13)

SENIOR MEDIA BUYING – TEAM LEAD
TATARI
NYC or LA
Purchase all types of TV inventory: local/national, broadcast, cable, OTT, etc. Cultivate relationships with the media industry & TV networks, at every level. Maintain daily contact & continuously update inventory pricing and availability. 3-6 years of experience with TV media-buying at all levels: local/national, remnant/upfront, cable/broadcast. Full info HERE (11/13)

CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER
TATARI
NYC or LA or SAN FRANCISCO
Manage post-sales relationships for large client accounts as primary contact. Listen to clients needs, as well as identifying unknown or unmet needs. Leverage internal subject matter experts (Engineering, Data Science, etc.) to help clients prioritize and solve problems. 3-5 yrs in post-sales account management/client relationship support roles. Full info HERE (11/13)

CLIENT SERVICES, TEAM MANAGER
TATARI
NYC or LA or SAN FRANCISCO
Manage a small team of CSMs, including onboarding, mentoring, & providing guidance on client management. Develop the CSMs’ career path internally. Manage post-sales relationships for a handful of client. Listen to clients needs, as well as identifying unknown or unmet needs. 8+ yrs in post-sales account management/client relationship support roles. Full info HERE (11/13)

SPECIALIST, PROGRAMMING
MLB NETWORK
SECAUCUS, NJ
Enter program scheduling information into SIMS programming software for both MLB and NHL Networks. Manage reporting functions of scheduling software to create & distribute appropriate planning and customized reporting. Screen all taped non-quick turn programming prior to premiere. A min of 3 to 5 yrs’ experience or related business experience req. Full info HERE (11/12)

AD SALES PLANNER
OVATION
NYC, REMOTE
Seeking organized, motivated candidate to join our linear/CTV sales team. Develop proposals, allocate inventory, steward existing business. Strong communication skills, proficiency in MSExcel and 2 years applicable experience desired. IAB training opportunity included in development for the position. Full info HERE (11/12)

PLANNER, AD SALES
TV ONE
NYC, NY
Create Upfront/Scatter media plans. Prepare Pre & Post Analysis. Account stewardship: Monitor performance of media schedule and assign ADU. Actively track and arrange liability schedules. Update/Maintain/Validate internal reporting. Prior Sales and/or Media Planning experience strongly preferred. Full info HERE (11/11)

SR. ANALYST, RESEARCH
TV ONE
NYC, NY
Analyze, interpret & craft stories on viewing patterns, national & local markets, potential programming acquisitions & competitors; detecting & illustrating trends. Create, design & supervise all research daily, weekly, monthly & quarterly reports, efficiently. BA/BS degree and 2+ years research experience at a media company, agency or advertiser. Full info HERE (11/11)

SALES PLANNER
UP tv
NYC, NY
Work with advertising agency contacts & other advertising sales personnel to ensure that administration aspects of accounts are in order. Build, revise and maintain all sales proposals for AEs. Assist in the compilation & enhancement of upfront and scatter pricing and planning tools: reweight charts, pricing guide, etc. 1+ years related cable exp. Full info HERE (11/10)

ACCOUNT MANAGER
JUKIN MEDIA
NYC, NY
Responsible for pre-sale planning and post-sale management & execution. Working closely with operations & sales on trafficking & QA for ad campaigns including scheduling, inventory requests, and production timelines. Helping sales and marketing put together pitch decks for client meetings and formal RFPs. 2-5 yrs prior exp. in the advertising/media. Full info HERE (11/10)

SENIOR SOLUTIONS CONSULTANT >>
TVSquared/NYC, REMOTE: You’ll be a part of our global and nurturing team and have regular contact with your international counterparts. You will work closely with Product, Marketing and Sales teams. The ideal candidate will work well under pressure and be able to easily adapt to new circumstances in a dynamic and demanding work environment. Full info HERE (11/10)

SOLUTIONS ANALYST >>
TVSquared/NYC, REMOTE: The role is a hybrid of product support and basic client-facing consultancy. You will ensure that our clients are brought on board successfully and have ongoing success with the TVSquared platform. This is a fantastic role for a junior candidate interested in progressing their career within a rapidly growing global tech company. Full info HERE (11/10)

MANAGER, CONSUMER MARKETING
A+E NETWORKS
NYC, NY
Crafting and implement communication plans and marketing strategies across paid and emerging media platforms for the History Channel. Experience working with consumer marketing and creative groups with media agencies and data/analytics. 3+ years experience in the entertainment industry, ideally TV networks. Full info HERE (11/9)

DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP AND INDIVIDUAL GIVING
FRED ROGERS PRODUCTIONS
PITTSBURGH, PA
Assist President & CEO in the development and implementation of a comprehensive corporate sponsorship strategy. Analyze trends in corporate sponsorship and philanthropic giving. Identify corporate sponsorship programs nation-wide whose giving priorities align with our mission. 5 to 10 years of experience in sponsorships, sales, or advertising. Full info HERE (11/9)

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS ASSOC
LONG STORY SHORT MEDIA
WASHINGTON, DC
Writer for social media and short-form content, project managing, and gathering data and analytics that inform digital content strategy. Ideal candidates will be able to think about content across the multimedia spectrum. Full Info HERE (11/9)

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT >>
LONG STORY SHORT MEDIA/WASHINGTON, DC: Support all around production needs, responsible for executing multiple tasks from project conception to finalization. Excellent opportunity for a go getter to participate in all aspects of production. Full Info HERE (11/9)

SALES AND MARKETING MANAGER >>
BLUE ANT MEDIA/CA, NY, MARYLAND or MIAMI: Develop sales materials and plan pitches to platforms and affiliates. Key account management and new account development. Present carriage and distribution opportunities to clients and negotiate deals under the supervision of the SVP, Latin America & U.S. Channel Distribution. Minimum of 3-5 years of sales and marketing experience. Full Info HERE (11/8)

MEDIA TRAFFIC ASSISTANT
CIRCLE MEDIA
NASHVILLE TN
Perform a variety of administrative tasks & should have experience with data entry background & attention to detail. Broadcast or Radio Traffic experience, & a bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred. Wide Orbit or related program & Microsoft office expertise is a plus. B.A. Degree or equivalent, preferable w/a marketing or business focus. Full info HERE (11/8)

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT
CIRCLE MEDIA
NASHVILLE TN
Performs daily and monthly accounting and control procedures in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) including reconciliation of systems, month-end close, intercompany transactions, journal entries, and accruals. Financial accounting background and experience in television or network broadcasting, linear & OTT platforms. Full info HERE (11/8)

CONTENT EDITOR-MOTION GRAPHICS
CIRCLE MEDIA
NASHVILLE TN
Responsible for editing a variety of content, including but not limited to: acquired and original programming, network promos and graphics. Experience with Adobe editing suite and Motion graphics is a must. Create original programming for the linear network, AVOD platforms and social media as needed. Min of 2 yrs exp in broadcast/digital editing. Full info HERE (11/8)

MANAGER OF BRAND COMMUNICATIONS >>
FOX SPORTS/LOS ANGELES, CA: Communicate with outside voices, media, and other influencers to raise the profile of FOX Sports, its programming, executives & talent – garnering press coverage, securing speaking opportunities and conference participation to raise brand awareness. Full info HERE (11/7)

ACCOUNT MANAGER – ADVANCED TV >>
VEVO/NY, NY: Provide expertise on Vevo capabilities, products & offerings across programmatic & CTV. Shape new capabilities, strategies, products & partnerships across the exploding programmatic ecosystem. Understand marketplace trends to grow incremental revenue streams. Full info HERE (11/7)

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, SALES >>
VEVO/CHICAGO, IL: Develop, grow & manage local/regional book of business throughout the Midwest. Forecast/track/report sales performance, including budget, dates & probability to close. Full info HERE (11/7)

MANAGER, AD OPERATIONS >>
VEVO/CHICAGO, IL: Manage & drive development of Chicago Ad Operations team. Ensure successful campaign implementation and performance & proactively think about potential roadblocks to meeting campaign performance goals. Full info HERE (11/6)

SENIOR ANALYST, TV AUDIENCE RESEARCH
E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY
ATLANTA, NYC
Report & evaluate existing metrics, develop new metrics and reports, & provide strategic recommendations to assist with driving decision-making & measuring performance for key stakeholders. Perform analyses for network programming & competitive analysis for programs on other networks. Minimum 3+ yrs Media and/or TV audience research experience. Full info HERE (11/6)

SENIOR MANAGER OF PROMO PLANNING AND STRATEGY >>
FOX SPORTS/LOS ANGELES, CA: Responsible for strategy & scheduling of all Sports promotional content, including promo spots & graphic elements. Accountable for maintaining reporting database of FOX Sports contractual & Marketing Promo Priorities. Collaborate with In-Game team members to strategically schedule in-game elements for all broadcast sporting events. Full info HERE (11/5)

LEAD MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNER >>
MARQUEE SPORTS/CHICAGO: Lead graphics efforts to elevate sports viewing experience across multiple platforms. Design work for live television events and programs, advertiser features, brand marketing efforts and more. Experience as a motion graphics designer or animator at a media company, sports property, brand, or agency. Full info HERE (11/5)