Cynopsis: DIGITAL
3/30/07
Good Morning, it’s Friday, March 30, 2007 and this is your first early morning digital briefing.
Sam Raimi is going back to his horror roots and he’s doing it on Fearnet. The director of the “Evil Dead” trilogy and more recently the “Spider Man” franchise has signed on to produce two series for the multiplatform horror site jointly launched by Sony, Comcast and Lionsgate last year, according to Variety. The first, Devil’s Trade, is about three teenagers who buy an item off a web site, only to find out it’s cursed. It is due out in June from Raimi and producing partner Rob Tapert’s Ghost House Pictures. The second is a prequel to Ghost House’s 30 Days of Nights, set to open in theaters from Columbia Pictures in October. Ben Ketai wrote both projects and Toby Wilkins is set to direct Devil’s Trade. The series will be made available online, on cable VOD and on mobile devices.
News Corp.’s MySpace stuck a deal with Michael Eisner’s new media studio Vuguru for the rights to debut each 90 -second episode of Prom Queen 12 hours before any other site gets access. With over 160 million registered MySpace users, the platform should provide a huge launching pad for the series and a high profile kick off for MySpace Video, an increasing area of focus for the site. There will be MySpace tie-ins to the show as well each fictional teen character will have their own video blogs and MySpace pages. Each webisode will premier on Sunday, beginning April 1, with a total of 80 planned. Eisner’s Tornante Co. also holds ownership stakes in Veoh Networks and Team Baby Entertainment.
Good news for Moms. DaimlerChrysler is teaming with Sirius Satellite Radio to bring Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network to its next generation of minivans, the 2008 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Dodge Magnum, Jeep Commander and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Chrysler will have exclusive access to the channels through the 2008 model year, after which Sirius can shop them to other auto companies. The satellite video system will cost $470, as part of a rear seat entertainment package, in addition to a monthly charge of $7 a month for the TV channels and $12.95 a month for the satellite radio service.
iTunes unveiled a new feature yesterday Complete My Album that allows customers to shave money off the purchase of entire music albums by giving them credit for the 99 cent singles from the album they have already purchased. For instance, a user who has purchased three singles from a current album could buy it in its entirety for $7.02 instead of $9.99
A new trailer for the upcoming original web-only series Sanctuary is now available on www.sanctuaryforall.com . Created by sci-fi writer/producer Damian Kindler, it stars Amanda Tapping (Stargate: SG-1), Robin Dunne (Dawson’s Creek) and Emilie Ullerup (Battlestar Galactica.) To watch the trailer you must log in and download a proprietary media player developed exclusively for the series, scheduled to launch later this spring. It is produced by Vancouver-based Stage 3 Media.
MTV discussed its cross platform “4D” strategy at the Virtual Worlds 2007 Conference this week, an attempt to create a world where users can interact with renderings of their favorite MTV characters. The next virtual world it plans to launch is Virtual Pimp My Ride, which features a virtual highway that make it possible for three different cities of users to travel and visit each other’s worlds. More than 600,000 registered users have signed up so far for Virtual Laguna Beach and Virtual Hills in the six months since launch. Sixty-four percent of users come back regularly, according to Matt Bostwick, SVP of Franchise Development for MTV’s Music Group, visiting 1.4 times per week on average and spending 37 minutes on the site per visit.
WorldNow streamed a record 25 million video streams in the month of February across its 200+ local media sites. WorldNow provides content, sales and distribution services for a local TV station sites and newspaper sites such as Boston.com, LATimes.com and ajc.com, the site of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
BravoTV.com is presenting new webisodes of Zen’s Day Off, a cinema verite-style spin off the Bravo’s fitness reality show Work Out, following trainer Zen Gray outside of the gym. The idea is to use the site to help flesh out one of the show’s supporting characters. In recent webisodes she meets a comedy coach to work on her dream of being a stand up comedian.
Google Notebook came out of beta. It is a useful clipping application that allows you to cut and paste text, images and links from other websites without having to keep a bunch of memory-hogging windows open on your web browser. Go to www.google.com , click on “more” then click on “even more” to find it.
Discovery Channel‘s Canadian site ( www.discoverychannel.ca ) relaunched with a cleaner design and lots of new ad-supported content. New content includes broadband-exclusive Robots at War, coverage of the first Robotics Canadian Regional Championships. It one of several “Big Live Events” planned on the site this year, sponsored by General Motors. Other events include Anatomy of a Shuttle Launch, Concrete Canoe Challenge and a view of the International Space Station in orbit.
Oxygen.com is sponsoring a contest around the third season of Mo’Nique’s F.A.T. Chance that asks full-figured fans to fill out a profile and upload a video on www.oxygen.com/americanvotes. The top 10 videos judged by the network will be voted on, with the winner receiving a trip to L.A. to attend the final casting call for the show.
Discovery Communications has agreed to buy out the 25 percent of the company owned by Cox Communications, in exchange for $1.2 billion in cash and the Travel Channel, Travelchannel.com and U.K.-based museum audio tour business Antenna Audio. The deal would leave John Malone-led Liberty Media with about two-thirds of Discovery, with the balance being held by MSO Advance/Newhouse Communications.
Gemstar-TV Guide acquired privately-held Aptiv Digital for $16 million in cash. Aptiv makes software for set-top boxes such as Passport, Passport DCT and Passport Echo interactive program guides used on both Motorola and Scientific Atlanta platforms.
ValueVision Media, which operates ShopNBC, announced the sale of its 12.5% equity interest in Ralph Lauren Media’s Polo.com to the Polo parent company for $43.75 million. Ralph Lauren Media was created in 1999 as joint venture with Polo Ralph Lauren, ValueVision and NBC-Lauren Media Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of NBCU. Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. is also planning to purchase NBC’s stake in the company.
Granada International concluded a deal with Japan-based video on demand company Gakken Index Corp. for broadband VOD rights for more than 400 hours of Granada programming, including Prime Suspect, Agatha Christie’s Poirot and The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes. The deal also includes IPTV distribution rights, as well as rights to make Japanese versions of the shows.
Digital video and broadband networking equipment provider Terayon announced the deployment of a new video application for Midwestern MSO Buckeye CableSystem that enables digital program insertion, zoned ad insertion and other personalized applications.
Calling all college students! Cyn opsis Weekender College Edition sponsored by Greek, A New ABC Family Original Series coming in July, is coming back on April 26, 2007, and if your essay on television is one of the four published, you’ll be paid $350! We’re looking for 350 word editorials on the subject of television from current college students all around the world. The four most insightful, original, humorous and/or well-written pieces will be included in this special College Edition of Weekender , and only those four will be paid $350. College Professors, moms and dads – encourage your students to participate! All entries should be emailed no later than midnight on Friday, April 20th to me at [email protected], SUBJECT: Weekender College Edition. Students – be sure to include your name, age, college, college year, and major (if you know it), and how you can be contacted. Good luck!
Google has placed a want ad for “head of national TV ad sales” to “help build a world-class national TV ad sales team.” Media companies have known this was coming, but a story about the search ad giant’s move into television in yesterday’s New York Times brought the topic home again to Madison Avenue. Google has said it plans to combine its technology with the dynamic ad insertion capability of cable to be able to sell different ads to different viewers, based on demographic info or inputted preferences. Getting access to major prime-time inventory is not going to be easy, however, according to media analyst David Blank, quoted in the piece.
Competing with the networks for multiplatform ad dollars are made-for-web shows such as Vuguru’s Prom Queen and YouTube hit LonelyGirl15 (starring Jessica Lee Rose). Both shows have signed integrated, product placement deals to help monetize the content. LonelyGirl 15’s actors can be prominently seen chomping in Hershey‘s Ice Breakers Sour Gum. Look for placements from Fuji water, Victoria’s Secret and Teleflora.com on the upcoming “Prom Queen.”
Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush touched on several ways that new media can help improve worldwide living standards and promote peace at an address at the CTIA Wireless 2007 conference yesterday. Bush noted telecommunications are opening doors in countries such as China to more democracy and freedom. Clinton said cell phones have changed lives in places as remote as Haiti and that the internet can be used to invest in developing economies on a micro level. (He mentioned Kiva.org, a site that allows users to invest in entrepreneurial ideas in amounts as small as $25.)
DVR‘s may find some of their functionality dialed back by cable operators including the FF button that allows you to skip ads, according to a couple of new reports from Toronto-based Convergence Consulting. Both Time Warner Cable is already testing a variation of the network DVR than provides time-shifting capabilities to a wider selection of content, but restricts ad-skipping. The report envisions customers having to pay a premium in the future for time-shifted content without commercials. At the current rate of growth, half of U.S. homes will have DVRs by the end of 2010.
Dilip Bala was promoted to Vice President, Business Development, ABC Entertainment and ABC Television Studio. He will be responsible for mobile and e-commerce new media business development related to ABC and ABC Television studio for the Disney-ABC Television Group’s digital media team. Dilip will report to Bruce Gersh, Senior Vice President, Business Development.
~ WEBSITE OF THE DAY ~
In one of the early beta editions of Cynopsis: Digital I wrote about the twisted Frog in a Blender, one of the first viral videos that really took off on the net. (The site that spawned it, joecartoon.com, was recently acquired by Endemol USA). Here’s a variation on that theme. Www.willitblend.com is a site full of live action video demonstrations of a high-tech blender made by company called Blendtec. The site is basically an interactive infomercial about the product, but it’s pretty funny stuff. Click on the “don’t try this at home” section to see every manner of household item get ground up. The site is getting some major press latelyBlendec CEO Tom Dickson, who mans the blender in the videos, has been booked tonight on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, according to the Blendtec blog-Will it Blog?
Thanks to Kristin Armfield at Evil Twin Productions, Sherman Oaks, CA
A new website will be featured here everyday for you to check out. Some are TV-centric, some creative, some just plain strange. Email me your suggestions at [email protected] and if I include the site you mention, your name, company and city will be credited. Only one mention per calendar week, to make it fair.
Later — Wayne
Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
03.30.07
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Cyn opsis CLASSIFIEDS – For More classifieds, visit the Cynopsis.com classifieds page here
JOB OPENING: MANAGER, DIST. & FIELD MKTING/LIFETIME NY: Manage account and state territory to drive distribution of Lifetime Networks, HD and various Lifetime VOD services. Apply at: http://www.lifetimetv.com/about/jobs.html 4/6)
JOB OPENING: REGIONAL COORDINATOR/LIFETIME/NY: Support the sales efforts of the Distribution and Field Marketing staff and service our affiliated cable systems. Apply at: http://www.lifetimetv.com/about/jobs.html (4/6)
JOB OPENING: PROMOTIONS PRODUCER/Chicago/Harpo: Create, Write & Produce promo packages and image pieces for The Oprah Winfrey Show& related franchises. Min. 5 years in Promos w/Major TV or Cable Network. [email protected] (4/6)
JOB OPENING: SALES ADMIN MGR, EMERGING MEDIA/COMCAST/NYC: manage pricing g& plnning, comm ops, sales support for VOD networks. 4+ yrs sales support exp for cable/bdcst; strong organizational skills. Apply [email protected] (4/6)
JOB OPENING: SALES PLANNER/MUSIC CHOICE/NYC: Manage proposal process; update sales materials. Manage small-scale accounts. Identify/research prospects. 2+ yrs exp. at ad agency or network. [email protected] (4/6)
JOB OPENING: SUPERVISING PRODUCER/Silver Spring, MD: Health & fitness original productions – research, talent, scripts, cut review. Collaborative envir., min. 3 yrs supv exp. Resume/ltr to [email protected] (4/13)
JOB OPENING: LOCAL SALES MANAGER/Comcast Spotlight/Guilford, CT: 5-7 yrs media exp. Oversee promotion dev’t. Manage team, rel’ship w/sales/network/clients. http://careers.comcast.com/choices/searchjobs.asp ref. 45885BR (4/6)
JOB OPENING: DESIGN DIRECTOR/RL/Columbia MD: He or she will deliver creative solutions, help direct the creative process and work with all internal departments. Please visit www.rl.tv for full job description (4/6)
JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT DIRECTOR (Western)/SCREENVISION: Dev/sell integrated media prgrms to clients/agencies. Plain, coord sell. BA req’d. 6 + yrs media sales exp. Based in Santa Monica. [email protected] (4/4)
JOB OPENING: MGR OFFICE SVCS /A&E TV, NY: Mng office svc areas staff/outsourced svcs/projects/equipment/facilities/purchasing/communications. BA + 5 yrs facility & office svc mgmt. Res w/salary: www.aetn.com/careers.html (4/4)
JOB OPENING: DIR, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT/Scripps Networks NYC: Identify/develop new international licensing clients/grow existing program distribution business, 3yrs international prgm sales exp.Apply: www.scrippsnetworks.com (4/4)
JOB OPENING: BROADCAST SUPERVISOR /NYC: 5-7yrs exp, strategic planning & execution of TV campaigns, extensive client contact, supervise TV dept. See full posting & apply at: www.kdande.com (4/4)
JOB OPENING: WRITER/PRODUCER/Current TV SF CA: 2-3 yrs. promos exp. in TV promos, w/ shooting exp., FCP, & cpywrtng skills. To write, direct, produce, & edit original promos. [email protected] EOE. www.current.tv (4/4)
JOB OPENING: SALES & MARKETING EXECS/NY: Top-Tier Talent desired to take Sales/Marketing Lead for Cable/Broadband/Mobile multi-platform roll-out. Ground-Floor Opportunity. Respond to [email protected] (4/4)
JOB OPENING: MANAGER OF DEVELOPMENT/ LA-based production company: Must have experience in non-scripted, reality & formats.Strong writing ability essential.Fax resumes to: ATTN: HUMAN RESOURCES 818-760-1509 (4/4)
JOB OPENING: MECH ARTIST/ PROD. ART/LIFETIME NY: Assists design and production teams in graphic production for collateral, packaging, display and advertising projects. Apply at: http://www.lifetimetv.com/about/jobs.html (4/4)
JOB OPENING: STUDIO MGR/ PROJ. MGR/LIFETIME NY: Responsible for the general management of a graphic design studio. Apply at: http://www.lifetimetv.com/about/jobs.html (4/4)
JOB OPENING: VP PRODUCTION /GSN/SM: Oversee physical production on tv shows, analyze & negotiate budgets. 10 yrs exp. in tv or film, 5 yrs in production mgmt- game & reality. Send resume to [email protected] (4/4)
JOB OPENING: CREATIVE SERVICES COORDINATOR/Hallmark Channel LA: Support SVP and dept. 2 yrs. min exp. See full posting & apply at www.hallmarkchannel.com (4/4)
JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT MGM’T DIGITAL/MTV/NYC: 2-3 yrs exp. in mobile media industry; exp. in production & production mgm’t for mobile products. EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvncareers.com (4/4)
JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT/Logo/NYC: 5+yrs exp (3yrs consult/InvestBnk/M&A/BizDev), Strg financModel/Excel skils, Strng analyt thinker, MBA & NewMedia exp A+ EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvncareers.com (4/3)
JOB OPENING: SENIOR PRODUCER ONLINE/Logo/NYC: 6+yrs Digital Producer exp, Strg Visio/wireframing skills, HTML/XML , Strg interpersnl/org skills, Knwldg of Databased Content Mgmt Sys EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvncareers.com (4/3)
JOB OPENING: MGR, LICENSING/AMERICAN GREETINGS PROPERTIES/NYC:Licensing OUT sales of both new and existing AG properties; manage and grow existing licensees; 5+ yrs licensing industry exp. Resumes: [email protected] (4/3)
JOB OPENING: COMMUNICATIONS MGR/ION Media/WPB, FL: 4+yrs exp TV corp comm/PR/media relations; dev/mng corp PR strategy; strong writing/pitching skills; strong trade/biz media contacts; Res: [email protected] (4/3)
JOB OPENING: PROMO SCHEDULER/NY: Ensure accurate inventory; mgmt of all promo elements in the ProTrack database system. Exp w/ interstitial scheduling systems; fluent in Spanish & English desired. Res: [email protected] (4/3)
JOB OPENING: ASSISTANT TO ENTERTAINMENT CEO. Must be highly motivated, mature, and organized. Must be willing to be on call after hours. Salary commensurate with exp, full benefits.Email res/cover letter to: [email protected] (4/3)
JOB OPENING: POST-PROD MGR at Voom HD/NYC: schedule post-production staff & facilities for HDTV channels. Must have 3-5 yrs exp. w/ videotape post-production process in a broadcast environment. [email protected] (4/3)
JOB OPENING: DIR/VP SALES/NYC: Top 5 network media co. Lead sales team in youth segment for multi-platform sales. 3-8 yrs exp in media sales. Resumes: [email protected] (4/3)
JOB OPENING: RESEARCH ANALYST/ LA: Track ratings & provide analyses of kids’ ntwrks/blocks/radio competitive prgrmng.Degree, 1 yr synd/brdcast/cable exp; TV, Nielsen, Star Trak, ratings exp pref. Apply at: www.disneycareers.com (4/3)
JOB OPENING: ACCT MGR/Mobile MktgComp/Chicago: Work with client Mktg Mgrs to develop & execute messaging promotions. Attend concrt/spting events for promos. Exp in Media, Ad Agncy, Entmnt pref. [email protected] (3/31)
JOB OPENING: ACCT MGR AFFILIATE SALES/Oxygen Media/NY: Strong background in sales/mktng; min 3yrs exp in media sales & multi-media mrktng. Travel req’d. Please contact: [email protected] (3/31)
JOB OPENING: GROUP BUYING DIR/Spot TV-Active Int’l /Pearl River NY (15 miles NYC): 10 Exp+. in Supervising/Buying TV. Strong negotiating, operations & team bldg skills req’d. [email protected] 845-732-8943 (3/31)
JOB OPENING: SR. BUYER/Job Share /SPOT TV /Active Int’l Pearl River NY (15 miles from NYC): 3 days-24hours total, 7 yrs+ agency Buying Spot TV exp a must; Resumes to: [email protected] or call 845-732-8943 (3/31)
JOB OPENING: COUNSEL LEGAL AFFAIRS/NBC Universal/CA: Experienced attorney to join Legal Affairs group handling TV production-related issues. JD w/min. 3 yrs related exp. www.nbcjobs.com keyword job #580793 (3/31)
JOB OPENING: DIR CONSUMER MRKTNG-BRAVO/NBC Universal/NY: Oversee strategic dvlpmnt & implementation of consumer marketing campaigns & promotional programs. Bachelor’s Degree w/7yrs related exp. www.nbcjobs.com keyword job #585205 (3/31)
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] .
SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: SPRING INTERNSHIPS with Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor for NBC and AOL: Assist with research for tv/radio/online news segments. Both LA and New York office. [email protected] (4/4)
SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: PRODUCTION INTERNS/Red Moxie/NYC: Reality Show. Assist with research, logging, screening, working shoots, etc. Word & Excel. Ability to shoot mini DV a plus. Send resume and cover letter to [email protected] (4/4)
SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Bunim Murray Productions, creators of “The Real World” (MTV), has INTERNSHIP opportunities (unpaid) for junior/senior college students. www.bunim-murray.com Lisa, Internship Coordinator, 818-756-5167 (3/31)
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