Cynopsis: DIGITAL
12/23/11

Good morning. It’s Friday, December 23, 2011, and this is your first early morning digital briefing. If you would like to read this or any other Cynopsis editions online, click here.

A new survey conducted by Citigroup finds that 57% of current Netflix subscribers are either “extremely satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the service, which is down from 83% who indicated the same in a similar survey that was commissioned in May. The numbers aren’t good for CEO Reed Hastings either; his favorability has fallen from 50% in May to now 18%. Citigroup analyst Mark Mahaney notes that these numbers are affected by the recent exodus of Netflix subscribers who were dissatisfied with the service, according to AllThingsD. However, the news isn’t all gloomy. In a separate question, survey-takers, comprised of current and former Netflix subscribers, were asked which websites they have used to watch movies or TV shows. 27% answered Netflix, which is actually up from 20% in May. For comparison’s sake, second-place finisher Hulu saw its percentage fall from 19% to 15%. This indicates that consumers still favor Netflix because they don’t see many viable alternatives, according to AllThingsD.

Verizon Communications wants to eliminate the set-top box. According a report from TechCrunch, the company is planning to unveil a Media Server later next year, which will be a single device that will be capable of streaming HD content to multiple internet-connected devices, including TVs, laptops, gaming consoles, mobile devices and tablets. In this video, Tushar Saxena, the director of technology at Verizon, explains how the company will look to phase out the set-top box by eventually developing applications for internet-connected devices that will allow them to link up with the Media Server device over Wi-Fi. While the Media Server device will be released in late 2012, this new form of multiplatform content delivery will probably take a couple of years to get off the ground, says Saxena. No indications of pricing have been offered yet.

Sony Pictures is promoting David Fincher’s The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo via advertisements on Pandora’s iOS app, according to Mobile Commerce Daily. When consumers click on the full page ad, they are redirected to the film’s mobile-optimized Fandango page, where they can look up show times, purchase movie tickets, watch the film’s trailer or look up other user comments regarding the movie. This isn’t the first instance of Sony Pictures tapping Pandora to promote a theatrical release as they executed a similar campaign this past summer for the Jesse Eisenberg- and Aziz Ansari-starring vehicle 30 Minutes or Less.

Even though it is still in the process of being acquired by Google, Motorola Mobility has gone ahead and purchased SetJam, a N.Y.-based company and B2B service that provides online TV and movie listings and data services. SetJam’s product line includes customizable and context-sensitive movie & TV widgets that can be embedded onto a website in order to drive users to third party content, and in doing so, generate added revenue for the website. These widgets include links to third party content sites such as Netflix, Hulu, iTunes and Amazon; supported content sources include Disney, Nickelodeon, MTV, TBS, Spike, FX and many more.

HTC exec Peter Chou says the Taiwanese phone manufacturer has figured out a workaround for the feature on its smartphones that the FTC recently ruled violated an Apple patent, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The feature, which was software designed to allow users to click on phone numbers and addresses within emails to make phone calls or look up locations on a map, had to be either removed or reworked by April 2012, per the FTC ruling. HTC was able to develop a workaround for the feature as the FTC ruling stated that the patent violation wasn’t within the operating system.

Akamai Technologies has purchased Contendo for approximately $268 million, plus the assumption of other unvested in Contendo common stock. Contendo specializes in delivering cloud-based web and mobile acceleration services. The company uses a network of external data centers around the world to facilitate the distribution of web apps and content to consumers. Its customers include Zynga and Facebook. Akamai provides a platform with which businesses can engage users online, on mobile or via the cloud. The deal is expected to close in early 2012.

New research from Berg Insight forecasts that the global mobile advertising market will expand from $3.4 billion in 2010 to $22 billion in 2016, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 37%. This means that in 2016, mobile advertising will carve up a 15.2% slice of the total online advertising market. The report cites the increasing popularity and availability of smartphones and mobile media that support mobile advertising as the main “game changers” in driving this predicted growth. The report also attributes brands’ increasing integration of mobile components into traditional ad campaigns as another factor in driving mobile ad growth.

A survey from Yahoo!, Mindshare and Added Value, conducted in April 2011 and reported by eMarketer, finds that minorities do not believe brands are effective at engaging them through digital advertising. In fact, when asked to name three brands that are effective at reaching them, most respondents answered that they couldn’t even name one. While 78% of blacks, 74% of Hispanics and 72% of Asians agreed that it is important to show diversity in digital ads (and that they should show more), the respondents also stressed that simply showing it isn’t enough. Minorities don’t just want to see actors who look like them, but prefer the ads to also reflect their core values and interests. For example, Hispanic respondents indicated that an ad with a Hispanic family having a meal together would show that the brand is aware of what is important to the Hispanic community, said Lauren Lambert, vice president of strategic insights and research at Yahoo!

Yahoo has added Twitter, local deals from Groupon, LivingSocial and BloomSpot, as well as a recipe finder to Livestand, its magazine app for the iPad, reports AllThingsD. The app was launched this past November and is currently available for free in the Apple App Store.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau has promoted David Doty from senior vice president and CMO to Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. Reporting to IAB president and CEO Randall Rothenberg, Doty will be in charge of IAB’s brand marketing, research and international initiatives and partnerships. As CMO, he will continue to oversee marketing and events.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

As 2011 draws to a close, and we kick it into gear for what should be yet another merry and festive 10 days of eggnogs and champagne (with some family time in-between), we should take the time to remember what’s truly important: that simple, addictive, time-consuming and endlessly entertaining websites like Startup or Pokemon can and do exist. Go ahead, dear reader; you know you want to test your knowledge of the tech world AND Pokemon. I don’t want to say that this is my Christmas gift to you, but, well, it is.

Later – Sahil
Sahil Patel, Associate Reporter for Cynopsis Digital
12.23.11

Cynopsis Ad Sales:
Mike Farina – VP/Business Development & Sales – 203-218-6480 / [email protected]
Classifieds – Trish Pihonak- 203-381-9096 / [email protected]

To subscribe to any Cynopsis edition(s) click here.
To unsubscribe from this edition, click here.

Cynopsis CLASSIFIEDS – For More classifieds, visit the Cynopsis.com classifieds page here .

JOB OPENING: OPS MGR, VOD/LA: Responsible for managing internal & external vendors & overseeing ops of video delivery to MVPDs for NBCU TV content. 5+ yrs exp. To apply, visit http://www.nbcunicareers.com/search_nbc/ Job# 3691BR (1/7)

JOB OPENING: SALES EXECUTIVE/RLTV/NY: Revenue goals, new bus development and sponsorship sales. Strong decision maker relationships, strategic, creative, 7+yrs direct selling experience. Send to [email protected] (1/4)

JOB OPENING: MKTG COMM MGR/Weather Channel/NY: Exp Mktg Comm prof w/ ext creative/tech & prof presentation develpmt skills. Req excep written/verbal skills. Understanding of media rsrch & media exp a +.Resumes: [email protected] (1/4)

JOB OPENING: AE AFFILIATE DIST/GSN Santa Monica: 5+yrs cbl network exp. BA/BS in related field. Strong comm, hvy travel, dig/integrated campaigns. Send res + CL to [email protected] (1/4)

JOB OPENING: DIR, DIGITAL AD SALES MKTG/Syfy/NYC: Oversee Digital Ad Sls Mktg campaigns across all platforms including On Air, Web, Games, Mobile and Social. Min 10 yrs Ntwk/Web exp. To apply, click: http://bit.ly/rIZd3i (1/4)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, MEDIA AD SALES RESEARCH/NY-Warner Bros. Media Sales: (Syndication) strong analytical and presentation writing skills. Adept w/Nielsen systems, MRI and Simmons. Email: [email protected] RE: UCTC/128416BR (12/24)

JOB OPENING: SR. RESEARCH ANALYST/nuvoTV/LA: Nielsen rating analysis, collect/evaluate audience & market research data, 3+ years TV media research experience, familiar w/American Latino market+, EOE/M/F/D/AAP [email protected] (12/24)

JOB OPENING: MANAGING DIRECTOR CONTENT ENTERPRISES/Owings Mills MD: Responsible for production, development, funding, distribution and marketing. BA/BS: Mass Comm. or related field. Email Resume and cover letter with the title to: [email protected] (12/24)

JOB OPENING: VP, BUS & LEGAL AFFAIRS/RHI Entertainment/NYC: Neg. & draft documentation for variety of TV program/content. Knowledge of TV dev, prod & distrib. transactions. J.D. & 10 + yrs exp in the entertainment industry. CV & cover to: [email protected] (12/24)

JOB OPENING: CLIENT SRVCS MGR/WN/Queens NY: Mng client prod launches; provide training, acct mgmt & strategic support for clients; 2-4 ys exp in client services, acct mgmnt, project mgt or sales support. Apply: [email protected] (12/23)

JOB OPENING: DIR, MULTICULTURAL DIG SALES/NBC News/NY: Lead Sales efforts on behalf of theGrio.com and our new English language Hispanic News Website 7 yrs exp. To apply, visit:  http://www.nbcunicareers.com/search_nbc/ Job#3250BR (12/23)

JOB OPENING: RESEARCH ANALYST/OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network/LA: 1-2 yrs exp in TV Research, detailed oriented, knowledge of Star & NPower required. Apply at: http://careers.own.tv/ (12/23)

JOB OPENING:  DIG. RSRCH ANALYST/LAS VEGAS: Track/analyze perf of company’s official website & digital dist. Proficient w/ Google Analytics. Exp w/ content mngmnt system reporting tools a +. More info/Apply to: www.ufc.com/jobs (12/23)

INTERNSHIPS – These positions are for credit only – nobody gets paid here. These ads are always 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].

SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY:  NON-FICTION TV DEV INTERNSHIP/NYC: Major TV Prod Co seeking creative interns interested in reality TV and motivated to research, write and develop new ideas for TV series. Res/cov let: [email protected]  (12/23)

SITUATION WANTED ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE HIRED … There is no charge for placing your Situation Wanted ad … for more information contact Trish Pihonak at [email protected]

SITUATION WANTED: I’M ALL YOURS N.Y. Seeking to Assist, Currently an E.A. to Chief of Dept. 5 Yrs. work exp. B.A. Mass Comm. Contact, [email protected] (1/7)

SITUATION WANTED: Jeanne Intile Burns, VOICE-OVER ARTIST/VOICE COACH, Cell: 845-721-9681, E-Mail: [email protected], Web Links: www.castingnetworks.com/jburns, http://jburns.voices.com, www.allegro-music.com (“American Biographies”) (12/24)

E-mail [email protected] or call Trish Pihonak at 203.381.9096 for rates and specs for Job Openings.

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

Cynopsis Media, a division of Access Intelligence
65 Lantern Road
Stratford, CT 06614
Ph: 203.381.9096
Fx: 203.386.8855

Copyright Cynopsis 2011

All outgoing e-mails are scanned and sent out virus free. Copyright Cynopsis 2011

To unsubscribe from just this Cynopsis Digital email, please click here.