Cynopsis: DIGITAL
06.14.13

Good morning. It’s Friday, June 14, 2013, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

Viacom has upgraded the MTV app for iOS devices to offer access to full-length current-season episodes of MTV shows such as Teen Wolf as well as episodes of older titles like The Real World and Beavis and Butt-head. The app also features an array of original short-form digital content (via a new in-house production studio/lab called “MTV Other”), as well as second-screen capabilities that surface social media discussions and content related to what the user is watching on MTV at that time. Viacom plans to debut similar TV Everywhere apps for VH1, CMT, and Logo later this year. Earlier this year, Viacom-owned Nickelodeon launched the Nick App, which also offers a mix of full-length TV episodes and shorter, and in some cases digitally exclusive, content. Android and Xbox versions of the app will roll out by the end of the year.

— In other words: The fact that some of the content created by MTV Other could move to television is not unlike what another Viacom network, Nickelodeon, is already doing with its Nick App: Nick’s animated shorts program has led to several series going into development and two pilot orders.

Next week (on July 17 to be exact), The Chernin Group plans to launch Summer Break, a transmedia “reality show” that takes place entirely on social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Vine, and Tumblr. Per The Wall Street Journal: The show will follow nine LA-based teenagers in the days before they head off to college, posting on social media to document it all over the course of eight weeks. The Chernin Group also plans to produce 60-second daily wrap-up videos that post to YouTube “within 24 hours of the events they portray” as well as 3-5 minute weekly wrap-ups. Most of the nearly $5 million production budget came from show sponsor AT&T. Fullscreen, one of the top multichannel networks on YouTube, is lending marketing support to “Summer Break.” The Chernin Group is an investor in Fullscreen.

Fullscreen, by the way, also reps 5-Second Films, an online video sketch comedy troupe that makes super-short “films” on YouTube and Uproxx, and is launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund a feature film inspired by one of those short films. For the feature-length version of Dude Bro Party Massacre 3, the filmmakers are looking to raise $200,000 in total (with 17 days left to go, they are roughly $110,000 away). The feature version of Dude Bro Party Massacre 3 would follow a college kid who infiltrates the house of a fraternity in order to investigate the murder of his identical twin brother. The film will be shot in the style of a VHS recording, complete with fake commercials and news alerts.

Google+ and FOX’s reality competition show, MasterChef, are launching a cooking series that’s streamed live via Google+ Hangouts, beginning June 18. Produced by Shine America and One Potato Two Potato, each one-hour “Cookalong” will allow up to four fans to interact with a finalist from Season Four of MasterChef. These “shows” will stream live beginning at 9pm ET on the following dates: July 9, July 23, August 6, August 20, and September 3. The live stream will be available on MasterChef’s Google+ page as well as FOX’s YouTube channel, which will also offer the Cookalongs on-demand. The series will be moderated by Laura Vitale, creator of Laura in the Kitchen, and will feature finalist Krissi Biasiello in the first episode.

Netflix will roll out user profiles later this summer. Why? To allow different users within a shared account to each get their own personalized recommendations. This seems perfect for those subscribing to Netflix’s “Family Plan,” which, for an extra fee, allows up to four users to stream Netflix content at the same time. Right now, a regular Netflix account limits simultaneous streaming to two users. It appears that all Netflix accounts will have the ability to host as many as five or six different profiles, each profile with its own avatar, viewing history, and personalized recommendations. This should also help Netflix improve its recommendations feature.

comScore is in the middle of a potentially massive class-action privacy lawsuit. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago denied comScore’s request to overturn an earlier ruling that allowed a privacy lawsuit to move forward as a class-action suit. The privacy lawsuit in question comes from two former comScore members who accused the online researcher of collecting and selling their personal and private information, including credit card numbers, retail transactions, and Social Security numbers. Because the privacy-related accusations could affect any comScore panelist past and present, the number of plaintiffs in this suit could be quite large, per Adweek. In a statement posted on its website, comScore said: “This suit is filled with factual inaccuracies, and comScore’s position is that this lawsuit is without merit, and we fully intend to vigorously defend ourselves against it.”

Looking forward to seeing all of you attending the BIG Monetization Summit on June 18. I am obligated to remind you that it is at 10 on the Park at the Time Warner Center, but I am sure you know that by now. Truly excited to spend the day examining and outlining how to successfully monetize video content as new devices and platforms continue to enter the market. See you there.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

VINDICO released its annual Insights Reportthis week, covering trends the video ad company saw in 2012. Here are some of the more interesting nuggets:

• 65% of all impressions in 2012 were placed through major media brands, which encompass top online video publishers (29%) and sites affiliated with traditional media outlets (36%).
• Share of impressions for internet brands grew from 20% in 2011 to 29% in 2012 (which points up the rise in quality video offerings from these companies, according to VINDICO).
• Standard video still carries the bulk of video impressions, though interactive video accounted for 7% in 2012, up from 4% in 2011 and 1% in 2010.
• 15-second and 30-second spots make up about 98% of video ad placements on the web.
• For long-form content (10+ minutes), ad-completion rates for both 15-second and 30-second spots stood at 94%; for short-form content, completion rates fell to 77% and 76%, respectively.
• Video-centric publishers brought in higher completion rates: Major media brands (91%); internet brands (76%); ad networks/exchanges (68%).

Yahoo’s Sportacular app is now the Yahoo Sports app. Available for free on iOS and Android devices, the rebranded app also brings with it some new features, including a curated list of local experts and writers live tweeting about a game that features the user’s favorite team. The app will also offer more content from the Yahoo Sports editorial team and local content based on which teams a user selects as his or her favorite(s).

Kaczmarek Digital Media Group (KDMG) has named Linda Blazy as its new VP/Client Services. She will be responsible for managing client accounts and new business solutions. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Blazy will report to Kyle Kaczmarek, Head of Business Development and Sales, who is based out of KMDG’s Asheville, North Carolina headquarters.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Earlier this month, PBS Digital Studios launched “Sing Together,” a video tribute to Mister Rogers. Created by John Boswell (“Melody Sheep”), the tribute is about inspiring children through music and dance. It’s actually the second tribute to Mister Rogers created by Boswell and PBS Digital Studios, which launched last year with a video that ended up collecting close to 9 million views on YouTube. That video, called “Garden of Your Mind,” also netted PBS Digital a Webby Award for Best Video Remix/Mashup. PBS Digital and Boswell have collaborated on tributes to other inspiring individuals on PBS, including Julia Child, Bob Ross, and LeVar Burton. Anyone who takes some time out of their lives to recognize the greatness of Mister Rogers is A-OK in my book. Also the song has an earworm-y quality to it.

Later – Sahil
Sahil Patel, Editor for Cynopsis Digital
06.14.13

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