CYNOPSIS EVENTS AT NATPE 2009

Cynopsis: DIGITAL

01/16/09

Good morning, it’s Friday, January 16, 2009, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

The incoming Obama administration has earmarked just $6 billion for wireless and broadband services as part of an ambitious $825 billion infrastructure spending proposal released to Congress yesterday. Advocacy groups have been calling for the U.S. government to spend $30 billion or more to help improve broadband infrastructure across the country. The money will be targeted in “under-served areas” to strengthen the economy and provide business and job opportunities, according to the proposal.
 

 
Following the trend of expanding existing content relationships to leverage subscribers for new services, AT&T struck deals to expand its carriage of Viacom’s MTV Networks and BET Networks on multiple platforms. The agreement includes:

• adding several new HD channels including MTV HD, VH1 HD, Spike HD, CMT HD Comedy Central HD, Nickelodeon HD and BET HD later this year to the U-verse IPTV service
• renewing carriage of MTVN and BETN channels and VOD content on U-verse
• adding international channels such as MTV India to the platform
• committing 5 MTVN and BETN channels to AT&T’s new CruiseCast in-car entertainment service due to launch this spring

 
American Idol is turning to digital outlets to try and grow its (suddenly dwindling) audience. FremantleMedia Enterprises and teen virtual world Habbo are constructing a virtual Idol talent show slated to launch by the end of January, hoping to extend sponsors Coke, AT&T and others to the online environment. To help keep the 3 million U.S.-based “Habbos” engaged throughout the 20-week long program, Habbo will introduce new in-game virtual items and activities each month as the on-air American Idol season progresses.
 
Discovery announced several new distribution agreements for the mobile content services of Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet following a year in which mobile usage of its content increased by triple digits, according to the network. New partnerships include:

• Discovery Channel and Animal Planet content is now available from vSNAX Videos, an new app from Rhythm NewMedia available for the iPhone and iPod touch
• FunMobility will distribute themed wallpapers through carriers and direct to consumer site FunMo.com
• Zed will distribute realtones, ringbacks, and wallpapers through carriers and direct to consumer sites including RIngToneJukeBox.com
• Transpera will power video delivery and advertising for the iPhone and via WAP sites for Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet

                                                            
YouTube is building upon its existing big screen integrations announcing a YouTube for Television portal initially available through the Sony PS3 and the Nintendo Wii. Broadband-connected consoles can access the customizable interface using the Sony or Nintendo remote. Previous YouTube television integrations include solutions for AppleTV, Tivo, Sony Bravia Internet Link devices and the HP MediaSmart platform.
 
Video sharing site Motionbox secured $6 million in Series C funding led by the Company’s current investor, Constellation Ventures, with participation from earlier venture investors, Canaan Partners and SAS Investors. Motionbox also promoted Josh Grotstein from COO to CEO. He replaces Chris O’Brien, who will now serve as Chairman of the Board and EVP/Strategy & Corporate Development.
 
Indie filmmaker-focused online video network Indieroad.net is streaming a selection of Slamdance films this month to help filmmakers finance their projects and reach a broader audience. Individual features or blocks of shorts will cost $9 per viewing and will be available two hours after they premiere at the Slamdance festival.
 

 
Internet display ad prices fell 52% in Q4, compared to the same period in 2007, according to ad revenue optimization service Pubmatic’s AdPrice Index. Throughout the year, display advertising pricing generally trended downwards across sizes and vertical categories. All categories moved down from last quarter, with the exception of Technology, which remained flat. The biggest drop by a vertical was Business & Finance, which fell from an average price of $2.13 in Q4 2007 to $0.83 in Q4 2008 – a 61% drop. Social Networks was still the lowest priced category followed by Sports, priced at 21 cents and 25 cents, respectively. Entertainment had the most significant drop of all verticals, dropping 42% from 57 cents in Q1 08 to 33 cents in Q3 08.
 
Downloadable ad network VoloMedia is working with gaming-themed brands, website GamePro Media and cable network G4, to monetize all of its video podcasts by inserting and tracking video ads. G4 creates and distributes about 50 different podcasts via RSS feed, iTunes, TVersity or Zune, more than any other cable network. VolvoMedia’s technology inserts, tracks and measures pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll video ads consumed across each platform.
 
Online video ad network Tremor Media has selected Platform A’s ADTECH platform for video campaign scheduling and distribution and to facilitate the delivery of Tremor’s proprietary video formats across the Tremor network. Tremor’s proprietary Acudeo video monetization solution helps monetize video by segmenting delivery via behavioral, contextual and geographical targeting. It ranked 12th among all ad networks in terms of reach, according to comScore’s latest Media Metrix numbers reaching a potential 137.4 million unique users (approximately 72% of the U.S. internet audience.)
 
Google TV Ads officially launched the SpotMixer do-it-yourself video ad creation tool from One True Media, enabling small companies to put together and distribute their own measurable spot ads on participating Dish Network channels.
 

 
Don’t expect Yahoo’s new CEO Carol Bartz to rush into a search deal with Microsoft sources tell The WSJ, contradicting earlier reports. Ms. Bartz told staff members that she planned to spend time mulling over the decision but that her “gut” tells her not to give up on search.
 
Google announced it is ceasing development on a variety of products as part of a continued effort to separate the wheat from the chafe, so to speak. Among the projects getting the axe are location-based mobile social network Dodgeball and microblogging service Jaiku, purchased back in Oct. 2007. Google also announced the layoff of 100 from its recruitment staff and a reorganization of its global engineering staff that will result in the reassignment or termination of some 70 engineers.
 
Tech and sports magnate Mark Cuban filed a motion in federal court seeking the dismissal of a civil suit brought by the SEC in November for insider trading.
 
Republican FCC Chairman Kevin Martin officially announced his resignation, effective Jan. 20. Martin will serve as a Senior Fellow at the Aspen Institute in Washington, D.C. upon his departure.
 

 
In case you hadn’t noticed, the internet is increasingly becoming a key medium for entertainment consumption among high schoolers, according to a new study from Horowitz Associates, Inc. Seven in ten (71%) internet users ages 15-17 listen to music online and over half (52%) view music videos at least on a weekly basis.  Playing online games is also popular, with six in ten (61%) Internet users ages 15-17 playing at least once a week. Half of 15-17 year old respondents view videos online created by other people on sites such as YouTube, over one third (35%) view movies online, and nearly three in ten (27%) view an entire television show online at least weekly. 
 
US online video viewing continued to rise in 2008, encompassing more than three-quarters of all US internet users according to eMarketer. And low and behold, the percentage of video viewers who consume video (in-stream, in-banner or in-text) ads is also increasing as users begin to grow accustomed to the necessary evil. Video ads are expected to reach over 80% of all internet users by 2012.
 
US Online Video Viewers and Online Video Advertising Viewers 2007-2012
Year    Online Video Viewers  % Internet   Online Video Ad   % Internet
               (millions)                 Users       Viewers (millions)     Users
2007         137.5                    73.6%             111.4                 59.6%
2008         154.2                    80.0%             129.5                 67.2%
2009         167.5                    84.1%             144.1                 72.3%
2010         176.0                    85.7%             154.9                 75.5%
2011         183.0                    86.8%             164.7                 78.1%
2012         190.0                    88.0%             174.8                 80.9%  
source: eMarketer, Nov. 2008
 
Video sharing site Metacafe gained market share in December attracting more than 11 million U.S. viewers according to ComScore Media Metrix figures. The total represents a 60% increase since Jan. 2008 and an impressive 20% increase from November.
 

 
Havas Media has appointed two European veterans, Madrid-based Gabriel Saenz de Buruaga and London-based Anthony Rhind to jointly run its interactive group Havas Digital as co-CEOs. Havas’ digital arm had been under the control of Boston-based Don Epperson, who will depart the company on Jan. 31. Both have strong track records within the agency, Gabriel as COO and Anthony as Chief Strategy Officer. Havas Digital North America will continue to be headed by Boston-based Regional Manager Ed Montes.
 
LA-based independent creative agency David&Goliath named Rick Schmitz as Digital Group Director, replacing Tesa Aragones. Rick reports to Managing Partners Mike Braue and Russell Wager.
 

 
If you’ve been online at all this past week you’ve probably run into promos, previews or banner ads for United States of Tara, Showtime’s new family drama premiering on Sunday, starring Toni Collette as a mom and wife beset with multiple alter egos. (It looks to be a great show and Toni really nails here characters: There’s “T,” the oversexed teenager, “Buck” a plucky Vietnam vet and “Alice,” a housewife who could be on furlough from the town of Stepford.) Showtime’s Digital Media team has outdone itself in getting the word out, previewing the pilot across more than 100 sites and platforms, including entertainment portals (YouTube, Netflix,); Social networks (Facebook, Bebo); blogs (Gawker, Pink is the new Blog); mobile platforms (MobiTV, Joost’s iPhone app); and podcast platforms (iTunes, Zune). The network even posted a documentary with consultant Dr. Richard P. Kluft explaining the serious side of Tara’s disorder – Dissociative Identity Disorder. The first day the pilot steamed on YouTube it had over 500,000 views. Tara’s Facebook page includes a full episode video player and widget allowing users to sign up for mobile alerts from the show. This is the future of entertainment marketing, folks. Bombard outlets and platforms until you make sure everyone that isn’t residing in a cabin in the hills of Montana gets a chance to sample your what you’ve got to offer. Showtime has orchestrated similar efforts for other shows such as the Tudors, offering shows for a la carte purchase on iTunes at a time when HBO content was nowhere to be found, but nothing to this extent. It will be interesting to see what kind of bump Showtime’s core product – subscriptions – receives from the effort.

Later — Wayne
 Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
01.16.09

Cynopsis Digital Ad Sales:
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JOB OPENING: RESEARCH MGR/The Golf Channel/Orlando: Responsible for the ratings/rsrch support for programming/marketing needs. Proficient in NPower, StarTrak. 5+ yrs preferred w/ TV/Sports research. Apply at www.comcast.com EEO/AA (1/24)

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JOB OPENING: NAT’L SALES MGR/KSBI-TV/DT the new THUNDER TV. Proven success in 3-5 yrs exp w/ reg’l/nat’l accts alongside nat’l rep. firm (MMT). Knwlg Nielsen ratings & effective/creative pckgng strat a must. Res: [email protected] (1/23)

JOB OPENING: MARKETING COORD/iN DEMAND Networks/NYC: Support on-air, online and off-channel marketing plans. BA/BS Marketing/Advertising & 1+ yrs experience. Outgoing/creative/proactive. Apply: [email protected] (1/22)

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SITUATION WANTED: ADMIN OR ASST POSITION WANTED/NYC: 3+ yrs admin exp at well-known companies in exec assistance, licensing, prod development, marketing, with specialization in children’s TV. Creative & professional. [email protected] (1/23)

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SITUATION WANTED: SR. MARKETING/BRAND/PRODUCT MANAGER with home video, TV, animation and indie film experience is seeking a dynamic opportunity with a Los Angeles area studio or agency. E-Mail: [email protected] for a resume (1/22)

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SITUATION WANTED:TONY NOM. B’WAY PROD/THEATRE CONSULT/ACQUIS. & DEV./NYC: 30+ yrs exp. in theatre. Superb theatre/film/TV contacts seeks FT or Consulting Position w/Studio/Prod Co. looking for properties. Contact: [email protected] (1/21)

SITUATION WANTED: CONSULTING PRODUCER/EDITOR w/ 18+ yrs exp. Seeks TV & new media projects. Credits: PBS (Buster, Fetch!, ZOOM, NOVA), History, CBS, NPR, BBC. CV, reels, contact info @: http://www.alangrazioso.com (1/21)

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SITUATION WANTED: SR. CASTING PROD/DEPT HD Always Delivers! Netwrk shows/perfor/game have database 5K acts/Kid/Dance/Cirq/ Singers/Animal/Crazy & Top acts Celebbker Top indus. contacts/Talk bckgnd can book anything! [email protected] (1/21)

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SITUATION WANTED:NY based PM associate seeking F/T or freelance production or PM position. Experience in coordinating production shoots and tracking show costs at cable TV network. Contact: [email protected] (1/21)

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SITUATION WANTED: EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/ANIMATOR/EDITOR/LA: Meg Barbour – seeks work in top design studio. 5+ years experience as producer, motion graphic designer, editor, project manager, web 2.0 consultant. [email protected] (1/17)

SITUATION WANTED: OUTSOURCED MKTG-Emails to Events:Affil & ad sales mktg expert;cross-platform promotion pro. 12 yrs Sr staff mktr, 7 yrs consulting exp. Concept to implementation. Project or long term. Email: [email protected] (1/17)

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