Cynopsis: DIGITAL
09/28/12

Good morning. It’s Friday, September 28, 2012, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

Dish Network is in discussions with Viacom, Univision, and Scripps about offering an over-the-top (OTT) service that would deliver live cable TV over the internet, according to Bloomberg. With a smaller bundle of channels, such a product would also be priced lower than what consumers pay for cable television. Based on what sources tell Bloomberg, Viacom might be willing to sell a smaller bundle of channels at a higher rate-per-channel than it does for full package it offers to cable and satellite operators. This smaller bundle would include Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. In an interesting addendum to the Bloomberg story, AllThingsD reports that Dish is the “unnamed strategic investor” that participated in a $45 million investment round raised by Roku this past July.

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Syfy Digital plans to launch a new original series from Vuguru exclusively on the Xbox 360 this October 1. On that date, all 20 episodes of Vuguru’s sci-fi drama Nuclear Family will premiere on the Syfy App for the Xbox Live entertainment service. Following this, the series will also be available on Syfy.com, the network’s mobile and tablet apps, Hulu, and VOD, as well as on Syfy’s upcoming Roku channel, which is scheduled to go live on October 15. Starring Corin Nemec (Stargate SG-1), Ray Wise (Mad Men), and Sharon Lawrence (Desperate Housewives), Nuclear Family tells the story of a family’s struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic society, while they also search for their lost son. Michael Eisner’s independent production studio Vuguru developed and financed the series from creator Kyle Rankin (Project Greenlight), who wrote and directed.

Dish Network and Verizon FiOS customers, who also happen to be Xbox Live Gold subscribers, now have access to the FOX Broadcast app on the Xbox 360. The app lets users watch current FOX shows like Family Guy and Fringe the day after they air on TV. It also offers users the ability to watch past seasons of archived titles such as House and 24.

REELZCHANNEL has launched a second-screen iPad and web app for World Without End, a new eight-hour miniseries that debuts on the network beginning October 17. A period piece starring Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City) and Miranda Richardson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), the series is an adaptation of Ken Follett’s bestselling novel about a class struggle in 14th century England. World Without End will play out over four consecutive weeks on REELZ TV. The second-screen app, when synced with the show as it airs, will allow viewers to access character and actor bios; browse on-set photos; and watch trailers, video production diaries, and other behind-the-scenes clips. There’s also a Timeline of Events feature, which will be continually updated when new characters emerge and big scenes take place. For example, during the first scenes that are set in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, users will be able to see a map of the town, read the author’s notes on what’s real and fictional about the town, and see video of the set being built. Other features include the ability to connect to Facebook and Twitter, check out the broadcast schedule, and links to buy the World Without End book and eBook.

To expand the reach of its animated children’s series Ben and Izzy to North America, Rubicon Holding Group’s RGH Entertainment has inked a content deal with Ameba, a provider of children’s programming across multiple platforms. Ben and Izzy is an action-adventure comedy series that is currently airing on Cartoon Network Arabia. It’s RGH’s flagship property, following two 11-year-old boys as they explore landmarks throughout the Middle East and Africa. All 13 episodes of the show will be available to Ameba subscribers in English, which features the voices of Lucy Liu and Mark Hamill. Ameba is available for $3.99/month on the web, Google TV, Roku, LG Smart TVs, and LG 3D Blu-ray players.

HGTVRemodels.com welcomes Laurie March, a professional home remodel manager, to produce content for the new House Counselor section on the site. She will provide users with tips and advice on home remodeling via weekly blog posts on timely topics and videos that follow the step-by-step process of real remodel projects. March will also share ideas through the HGTV House Counselor Instagram account and Pinterest board.

Genesis Media, a provider of engagement-based (opt-in) digital video ad solutions, has landed $3 million in Series A financing, led by existing investor Black Ocean and new contributor Samstella. The start-up, which was created last year after the merger of AdGenesis and TVGenesis, says that 15 million users in the US have already opted in to its video ad platform, according to TechCrunch.

Capablue, a provider of connected TV solutions for broadcasters and brands, has completed an undisclosed sum of Series A financing. One of the participants in the round, Charlie Makin, has also joined the company in the role of Director. He will be in charge of raising Capablue’s profile among brands and agencies. The capital will be directed toward business development in different verticals and international expansion. The lead advisory role in the financing was performed by private investor network Envestors, which helped raise the equity funding from its network of private investors and venture capital sources.  

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Starting with this fall TV season, The CW will be the first TV network to use Nielsen Online Campaign Ratings, enlisting the service’s data on demographic impressions, reach, frequency, and GRP to guarantee ad buys for all of the network’s online ad campaigns. “We’re thrilled that Nielsen has taken this important step forward in digital measurement, providing us with next day demographic impressions for our clients’ online campaigns that will further enhance our groundbreaking convergence sales strategy,” said Rob Tuck, EVP/Sales, The CW, in a statement. “With our young, tech-savvy audience, comprehensive measurement across all platforms is crucial,” he added. Nielsen launched Online Campaign Ratings in August 2011. Earlier this year, The CW said it plans to make its TV content available online faster than many of its competitors.

The IAB has released the final version of the Mobile Rich-Media Ad Interface Definitions, or MRAID 2.0. These are a set of guidelines that aim to make it easier for advertisers to run creative across mobile apps from different publishers, rather than needing to rewrite the programming several times for a single campaign. Included in the update is the support for the delivery of IAB’s Mobile Rising Stars ad units. MRAID 2.0 offers three ways for ad designers to change the appearance and size of their creative: Opening an embedded browser window; expanding the size to take up the full screen of a device; and resizing in “subtle and sophisticated ways” so the underlying app is still visible. Going forward, IAB says it and the MRAID working group will shift their focus to increasing awareness and adoption of the guidelines, to create more uniformity across the mobile ad landscape.

Comcast’s Xfinity WiFi service is now available in select regions in California, at no additional charge, for Xfinity customers to access on the go. “Our customers are increasingly leveraging wireless devices, platforms, and apps, and looking for ways to enjoy their entertainment and communications outside their homes,” said Elaine Barden, Regional VP/Marketing for Comcast California, in a statement. A map of the coverage area can be viewed here. Those who want to link up with the free wireless service should look for “xfinitywifi” on their list of available networks. Comcast says it plans to add additional hotspots in California throughout the year.

164 million Americans streamed nearly 27.3 billion videos, totaling almost 7 hours per viewer, in August 2012, according to new data from Nielsen. Here’s some other data from Nielsen’s findings:

• The top online video sites/networks in terms of monthly unique viewers were YouTube (138.2 million), VEVO (44.1 million), Yahoo (42.3 million), AOL (25.2 million), and Facebook (24.8 million).
• The top online video sites/networks in terms of total streams were YouTube (17.6 billion), VEVO (693.2 million), Hulu (650.7 million), AOL (503.5 million), and ESPN (473 million).

• The top online video sites/networks in terms of time-spent viewing were Netflix (10 hours and 25 minutes), YouTube (4 hours and 43 minutes), Hulu (4:26), GorillaVid (3:03), and Ustream.tv (2:31).

Celtra has released an infographic, pulled from its first quarterly Mobile Rich Media Monitor Report, reflecting engagement data from almost 60 recent handset and tablet campaigns spanning the automotive, entertainment, finance, and retail industries. Among the findings, the most popular ad features in rich media mobile ads are video and direct response. In fact, strictly looking at the entertainment vertical, 58% of campaigns used video. How well did they work for the entertainment vertical? According to the report, rich media mobile ads featuring video grabbed an average engagement rate of 12.4%.

Join us on November 14, 2012 at the Cynopsis Digital Video Measurement Summit in NYC. REGISTER NOW.

Craig Etheridge has been named SVP/Digital and Mobile Sales for Gannett and USA Today. He will be responsible for driving national ad sales revenue across all of Gannett’s digital assets, including USA Today and USA Weekend. He will also sell digital inventory to national advertisers for Gannett’s 23 broadcast television stations and US Community Publishing’s 81 local media properties. Etheridge has served as VP/Mobile Advertising Sales for Gannett since 2010.

Fandango has selected noted film expert Dave Karger as its Chief Correspondent, a newly created role at the company. Fandango frames the hire as a key part of its strategy to becoming a multiplatform entertainment brand. Karger will regularly contribute movie commentary and box office insights, on behalf of Fandango, across NBCUniversal’s array of news and entertainment properties, as well as other media outlets. He will also represent the company at major movie premieres, awards shows, industry conferences, and film festivals, interviewing celebrities and reporting on top movie news while there. He will report to Hilary Smith, SVP/Digital Communications and Integrated Media Marketing for NBCUniversal’s Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media division.

WPP’s marketing technology company, 24/7 Media, has appointed Mario Vaccari as its new Director/Product Management. Based in the company’s NY headquarters, he will focus on automation of 24/7 Media’s publisher and advertiser offerings, such as its proprietary ad serving technology, 24/7 Open AdStream, and technology platform for connecting advertisers and publishers 24/7 Connect.

Rightster, a video distribution and monetization company, has named Robin Pembrooke VP/Product & Solutions. He will focus on scaling the company’s product management and UX capabilities in the UK, US, and India. He will also work with Righster’s existing client base to ensure their ongoing requirements are met. The company works with publishers like The Guardian, MP & Silva, IMG Fashion, and British Fashion Council, to syndicate their content online. Righster says it manages over 100 million views on YouTube per month.

David Carlick, the current Chairman at ReachLocal, has joined the Board of Directors at NetSeer, a Silicon Valley-based provider of a digital media buying solution. NetSeer offers brand marketers what it calls a “patented concept matching technology.” This suite of solutions offers the ability to match ads with the content on a page, aggregating relevant display, mobile, and video inventory in order to create a “premium content channel.”  Carlcik was an early Co-Founder of DoubleClick, which as you now know is a Google company. “David gets what we do, and we are excited as we expand our board with the experience and expertise necessary for our next stages of growth,” said John Mracek, CEO of NetSeer, in a statement.

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Cynopsis: Kids People Awards

Entry Deadline: October 10, 2012

Late Submissions: October 15, 2012

Awards Event: December 11, 2012 (Scholastic, NYC)

Visit our website for additional information on:

Who Should Enter, How to Enter, Eligibility Period, Categories, Deadlines, Sponsorship Opportunities, Contact Information + FAQ’s.

Zeebox, a second-screen service that has been available in the UK since 2011, has arrived in the US. Available as an iOS, Android, and web app, it features:

• A seven-day program guide across all major US TV channels, with the ability to customize the channel lineup to only show the ones you like.
• Personalized recommendations.
• The ability to interact with friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter.
• Additional information about shows, celebrities, topics, and products mentioned on TV.
• Links to purchase digital and physical products related to the shows you’re watching (direct access to VOD content coming in the near future).

All this sounds well and good, but here’s where Zeebox gets a little more interesting: Comcast and NBCUniversal are officially endorsing Zeebox as a “universal, cross-channel” companion app. As launch partners, Comcast and NBCUniversal are backing Zeebox with investments and promotional support, and are already planning to build second-screen and social experiences around television properties like The Voice and Notre Dame Football. Similarly, HBO and Cinemax also plan to offer enhanced access to shows like Boardwalk Empire and True Blood. Zeebox says it expects to invite more partners “in due course.”

Later – Sahil
Sahil Patel, Associate Editor for Cynopsis Digital
09.28.12

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JOB OPENING: DIG MKTG MGR/truTV/NY: Dvlp interactive & social media strategies for key series & ntwk initiatives 5-7 yrs mktg/interactive exp. Must work autonomously & mng mult projects. Apply to: http://bit.ly/truTVMkt (10/5)

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JOB OPENING: RESEARCH ANALYST/Univision/NY: 1+ years TV Nielsen experience. Opportunity to learn advanced research systems and work directly with network management. Strong writing skills a must. [email protected] (9/29)

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SITUATION WANTED: Enthusiastic, driven and organized digital/television PRODUCT MANAGER, with over 8 yrs. exp, seeks new role. Strong resume and experience; open to either coast. [email protected] (9/29)

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SITUATION WANTED:  WRITER’S/PRODUCTION ASST: Has worked on The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly, etc. Attending UCLA’s TV writing program. Experience as a Page and PA. Proficient in Final Draft. Has BS in Mass Comm. [email protected] (9/29)

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