Cynopsis: DIGITAL

12/21/07

Good morning, it’s Friday, December 21, 2007 and this is your first early morning digital briefing. 

The Federal Trade Commission signed off on the $3.1 billion Google/DoubleClick merger, agreeing in a 4-1 decision the combined entities wouldn’t “substantially lessen competition.” Only the dissenting commissioner Pamela Jones Harbour expressed concern about privacy issues. Opponents such as the Center For Digital Democracy will now pin their hopes on The European Commission to impose safeguards on the deal.
 

MTV, the Knight Foundation and the Associated Press unveiled “Street Team ’08,” a specially recruited group of 51 citizen journalists – one from every state and Washington, D.C.  – who will cover the national presidential race, local congressional races and other issues of  interest to young people throughout the coming year.  The group, part of MTV’s “Choose or Lose” campaign, will publish weekly multimedia reports including short form videos, blogs, animation, photos and podcasts tailored for distribution to mobile devices and online.
 
MTV‘s 7 virtual sites built for Laguna Beach, The Hills, Pimp My Ride, Real World Sydney, Newport Harbor, Kaya and the VMAs attracted over 1.5 million registered users in 2007, who spent an average of 30.54 minutes logged on to the sites.
 
myLifetime.com will offer original exclusive content to complement new reality shows How to Look Good Naked, Matched in Manhattan, Top This Party: Orange County and Top This Party: Las Vegas, all premiering on Lifetime Television Friday, January 4 from 9-11 pm ET/PT. Sneak previews, outtakes and comedy sketches will be available on myLifetime.com as well as iTunes, Yahoo and Lifetime’s VOD service.
 
Hola Networks added two new web publishers to its online network: the Hispanic edition of Career Builder.com, EmpleosCB.com and HogarLatino.com, the online web site of the home remodeling, home improvement magazine CASA Y HOGAR.
 

 
HD IPTV platform Vuze secured $20 million in a new round of financing led by New Enterprise Associates with existing investors Redpoint Ventures, Greycroft Partners, BV Capital and Jarl Mohn also participating. As a result of the investment, TiVo Co-Founder and former CEO Mike Ramsay joins the Vuze Board of Directors.
 

 
ESPN acquired high school sports and lifestyle publisher SchoolSports, operator of Rise, Gridiron, Hardwood and Girl magazines; RISE Events, which produces the Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic; and risemag.com.
 
CES (held this year Jan. 7-10 in Las Vegas) announced a special emphasis on the subject of international free trade featuring a keynote from Ambassador Susan Schwab, United States Trade Representative; an Industry Insider Series program; and “Support Free Trade” kiosks on the exhibit floor. CES also announced it retained former NATPE executive Nick Orfanopoulos as a senior advisor for the show’s 2008 content, entertainment community and exhibits.
 
On Wednesday during the show Billboard will sponsor an all day event examining the state of digital music and how new technologies are impacting the industry. Keynotes include Gregg Latterman of Aware Records, Bryan Perez from Live Nation Digital, Tim Riley of Activision and Producer/Musician Don Was.

 
Internet advertising demonstrated the strongest performance of any category, according to preliminary Nielsen Monitor-Plus research for the first three quarters of 2007, increasing 15.9% over the 9-month period. While National Cable TV rose a modest 1.2%, Network TV revenues were down 2.5%. Local Newspaper revenue dropped 7.4%. Overall ad spending remained virtually flat during the period.

NBC‘s Deal or No Deal increased its lead over its rival TV show sites, according to this week’s Hitwise data, receiving almost half of the broadcast website visits.
 
Top Visited US Broadcast Network TV Show Websites (Week ending December 15, 2007)
 
Rank     Network     Website                           Market Share of Visits
  1          NBC         Deal or No Deal                            47.53%
  2          FOX         America’s Most Wanted                   3.78%
  3          NBC         Heroes                                         2.59%
  4       The CW       America’s Next Top Model                2.44%
  5          NBC         The Biggest Loser                           2.27%
  6          FOX          American Idol                               1.88%
  7          ABC          Grey’s Anatomy                             1.72%
  8          CBS          Kid Nation                                     1.72%
  8          NBC          The Office                                    1.68%
 10         ABC           Lost                                            1.59%
Source: Custom report from Hitwise

 
Chicago Real Estate billionaire Sam Zell succeeded Dennis FitzSimons as Chairman and CEO of Tribune Co. after his $8.2 billion buyout of the company closed. Tribune also named former Clear Channel CEO Randy Michaels as EVP & CEO of Interactive and Broadcasting, overseeing the group’s 23 local stations and more than 50 websites. Gerald A. Spector also joins as EVP and Chief Administrative Officer.
 
Vuze also announced a new management team to go with its new board member. Former Excite.com sales executive Jim Diaz, Sr. joins as VP/Ad Sales; former Microsoft licensing veteran Rick Phillips was hired as SVP/Content; former eBay marketer John Fernandes takes the role of VP/Marketing; and Jay Monahan, another former eBay executive, joins Vuze as General Counsel.
 
USA Network‘s Chris McCumber was upped to EVP/Marketing, Digital and Brand Strategy. He will also continue to oversee all WWE programming for the network.

FunnyorDie‘s seminal “The Landlord” video surpassed 50 million views earlier this week, according to the site. In honor of the occasion, founders Will Ferrell Adam McKay have posted some addition Landlord material including outtakes from the original starring the precocious Pearl (McKay’s daughter) and The Landlord: Criterion Edition with commentary from Will and Adam. Meanwhile FunnyorDie bought itself some time to strike more viral paydirt, raising an additional $15 million in financing this month from Sequoia Capital and others, according to the Jan. issue of Portfolio.

A reminder – Cynopsis Digital is off now for the holiday week, returning on January 2nd.  Have a wonderful and safe holiday – see you in the New Year!
 
Later — Wayne
Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
12.20.07

Cynopsis Digital Ad Sales:  Mark Bohn- 203- 583-1224 / [email protected]
Classifieds – Trish Pihonak- 203-926-9878 / [email protected]

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JOB OPENING: RESEARCH MGR/Nickelodeon Animation/Burbank: Media-related research experience in the child development/arts education/child psychology filds for one of our newest preschool shows!Apply at www.mtvncareers.com   (1/8)

JOB OPENING: MGR,  ONLINE CONT. PROGRAM/Disney/N. Hollywood: BS in Bus, Mktg or related field. 5 yrs + online exp. Exc PC Skills, Exp working w/ website design and production. APPLY: www.disneycareers.com search for JOB ID: 131165 (1/8)

JOB OPENING: DIR CONSUMER MKTG/Fuse TV/NYC: Responsible for communicating mktg/promo plans for on and off channel activities supporting fuse’s TV prgrmng, live events & channel image. Please send resume to [email protected] 1/8)

JOB OPENING: SR MGR, PROMOS & SPONS/Cartoon Network/ATL: Oversee the dev & execution of CN and Adult Swim promotions & sponsorships across platforms.  10+ yrs mkt/sales/promos exp in the ent ind.  turnerjobs.com #90643BR (1/8)

JOB OPENING: WARDROBE STYLIST/NY: Create/maintain wardrobe for 2 hosts for wkly show & lrg TV ntwrk. 2 wks to purchase wardrobe & work on set 1 day and/or night a wk to dress hosts for shoot. res/rate to: [email protected] (1/5)

JOB OPENING: PROP MASTER/NYC: 8 Saturdays, (every 6 weeks) to work with promos of products for TV show. Experience in commercials & ability to create steam, flames, etc… Purchase props.  Res/Rate to: [email protected] 1/5)

JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE ONLINE SALES/ESPN/NYC: Need 3+ yrs online Ad sales exp.  Send resume to [email protected]   (1/5)

JOB OPENING: SR. RESEARCH ANALYST/HBO/NYC: BS/BA/2-3 yrs exp web traffic analy exp w/ Omniture & syndicated traffic sources (ComScore/Nielsen). Detailed/strong comm. skills/multi-tasking. E-mail: [email protected] (#91301BR) (1/4)

JOB OPENING: DIR OF SALES ADMIN/CBS TV DIST/NY: Mng ad sales admin w/ staff of 4 from order thru reconciliation. Finc’l background w/strong Excel, mngrl, & analytical skills pref’d  5+ yrs exp. Res/salary req: [email protected] (1/4)

JOB OPENING: SR PUBLICIST/CourtTV/truTVNY: Pitch primetime series/generate creative media attention/press releases/events/support anchors. 3-5 yrs cable/network/entertainment PR exp. Apply: [email protected] (1/4)

JOB OPENING:  WRITER/PRODUCER/G4TV/Los Angeles: To write & produce promos, campaigns, & interstitials. 5+yrs. exp. in On-Air Promo at broadcast or cable network. More information & to apply visit: www.cegjobs.com (1/3)

JOB OPENING:  SALES PLAN’R/BET, NY: Prepare Sales Plans, Mng mult Accts, 2 yrs exp in Cable Sales or buying a must. Detailed-oriented, org’d, multitasker, exc comm & math skills, BA req. Email resume: [email protected]  (1/3)

JOB OPENING:  INTERACTIVE, SALES PLANNER/NY: Work with the Interactive Ad Sales team for Scripps Networks. Must have Sales Planner or Interactive agency experience. Apply by going to our website, www.scrippsnetworks.com    (1/3)

JOB OPENING: SR PROMO PROD/Award winning 2C Media: Seeking high end prod for nat’l TV promo campaigns. Great writing a must, editorial a +! Send reel: [email protected] or 420 Lincoln Road, Ste 389 Miami Beach  FL 33139 (12/22)

JOB OPENING: RSRCH ANALYST/NBCU, NY: Analyze internal & 3rd party online data to support mktg & sales for NBC Oxygen properties. BA/BS, 2+ yrs exp in media, familiar w/ working data sources. www.nbcunicareers.com #784838 (12/22)

JOB OPENING:  MEDIA RESEARCH MANAGER @ RPA: 5+ yrs’ in media research. Will generate data analyses, critical media info, POVs; supervise Analyst. Nielsen, Arbitron, MRI, Scarborough, DDS, Galaxy req’d. Apply @ www.rpa.com . EOE (12/22)

JOB OPENING: RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGER TNT/TBS/COURT TV/NY: Support Ad Sales research projects/trending/positioning/reporting. 5+ yrs media research/advertising/television analysis. Apply: [email protected] (12/22)

JOB OPENING: SERIES PROD/NYC: Oversee prod of a pre-schl animated series, inc. mngng day-to-day ops, guiding creative dir, & ensuring that project adheres to sched/bdgt. PRE-K ANIMATION EXP A MUST. Apply: [email protected] (12/22)

JOB OPENING: SR. DRTV Buyer/Active Int’l in Pearl River, NY (15 miles from NYC): Min 5 yrs exp. in planning, negotiating and buying DRTV req’d. Resumes to: [email protected]  or call 845-732-8943 (1/3)

WINTER AND SPRING INTERNSHIPS – These positions are for credit only – nobody gets paid here. They are posted for free, and students work for school credit only. For more information on the specs for posting an Internship ad, email Trish at [email protected] .

WINTER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY:  Fox College Sports, Un-paid internship, for college credit.  Assist with running day to day operations; college sports interest & knowledge.  E-mail  [email protected]  (1/4)

WINTER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: MEDIA STRATEGY INTERN/National Geographic Channel/Wash DC: You won’t learn this in school! Seeking detail-oriented interns with great computer and organizational  skills. Email resume to [email protected]  (12/22)

SITUATION WANTED ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE HIRED … Interested in posting your Video Resume?  Contact [email protected] for more information ….

SITUATION WANTED:  PROJ/OPS/TRAFFIC MGR/NYC: Prof. 5 yrs cable ntwk on-air promo/brand exp. Mng day-to-day ops of promo projs. Detailed, able to prioritize. Strong organiz skills. Meticulous. Temp or staff. [email protected] (1/4)

E-mail  [email protected] for rates and specs for Job Openings. 

Interested in posting your Video Resume?  Contact [email protected] for more information ….

Are you looking for a job? Post your Situation Wanted Ad here — Email [email protected] for specs.