Cynopsis: DIGITAL
01/26/09
Good morning, it’s Monday, January 26, 2009, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.
You’ll have to pry my BlackBerry from my cold dead hands … It was touch and go there for a while but it looks like President Barack Obama has persuaded his security staff to let him keep his BlackBerry after a protracted fight over the issue. The Secret Service feared that a hacker might gain access to highly classified data on the device but acquiesced when the President agreed to some ground rules: only a select group of friends and senior staff will have access and encryption was enhanced to help beef up security. Obama’s Blackberry is reportedly RIM’s 8830 World Edition, which includes GPS capabilities that could potentially reveal the President’s location if hacked into.
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has thought of a new way to promote its Blu-ray releases. For the first time the studio will window Blu-ray releases slightly ahead of their DVD counterparts, per VB. The strategy will begin with Disney’s animated hit Bolt – coming out on Blu-ray on March 22, two days before the DVD.
When a film is marketed for its 3D features it would seem that theaters that can deliver the full experience stand to benefit the most. The 3D theatrical version of Lionsgate’s gorefest My Bloody Valentine 3D outperformed the standard version 6-to-1, according to 3D equipment vendor RealD. My Bloody Valentine, the first feature film to be released in more than 1,000 digital 3D cinemas, grossed $27 million during its first week in release, with 71% of the receipts coming from 3D screens.
USA Network Digital rolled out a second edition of Covert Ops, a slick online casual game powered by Omelet built around the tech-savvy hit spy drama Burn Notice. Players can access clips from the show to learn how to conduct surveillance, clone a phone and plant evidence, all behind the wheel of a Saab 9-3 Convertible – the game’s sponsor. Last season’s version garnered more than 7.6 million page views from over 300,000 users.
Upstart international news outlet GlobalPost struck a new platform and content syndication deal with Mochila, the online media marketplace that collects and syndicates content for a variety of traditional media publishers including the AP, msnbc.com and Getty Images via customizable widgets and other services. Mochila will power revenue-sharing syndication efforts to third party publishers such as The New York Daily News and The Star-Ledger, two of GlobalPost’s first clients.
Holy moley – the Pope has discovered YouTube. The Vatican officially launched a dedicated YouTube channel on Friday to share regular papal messages and addresses from Pope Benedict XVI. The site also contains links to the Vatican’s own site as well as those of the Vatican’s television center and the Vatican Radio network. The Vatican also recently endorsed the 99-cent iBreviary iPhone app, which provides the complete missal and principal prayers in Spanish, French, English, Latin and Italian.
Heavy.com also plans to announce a new partnership with YouTube this morning to distribute original Heavy programming and branded entertainment across the US, UK, Canada and Australia, via a new YouTube Channel.
CYNOPSIS EVENTS AT NATPE 2009
Don’t miss Cynopsis Media’s “Coffee With” Q&A Sessions
Wednesday, 8:00 – 9:00 am
Dana Walden & Gary Newman
Twentieth Century Fox Television Co-Chairmen
Thursday, 8:30 – 9:30 am
Michael Steib, Director of TV Ads, Google
INSIGHT ARENA, BALLROOM H
The House Energy and Commerce Committee signed off on a new measure to grant part of the $6 billion in the stimulus package earmarked for broadband to the National Telecommunications Information Administration. The program calls for the NTIA to distribute some $2.825 billion in grants for the build out of wireless and wireline broadband services. Three-quarters of the money will go to underserved areas of the country while the remaining quarter will go to areas that currently lack any broadband services. Eligible entities are required to abide by minimum speed requirements (at least 5Mbps downstream and 1Mbps up for areas that completely lack high-speed access,) and play by the FCC’s “open access” requirements.
So much for Paul Allen’s visions of a Wired World … the billionaire’s heavily leveraged MSO Charter Communications may file for bankruptcy protection as early as this week, according to reports. The company, which serves about 5 million customers across 28 states, failed to pay about $73.7 million in interest fees due Jan. 15 and hired law firm Kirkland & Ellis and investment bank Lazard Ltd. to advise on a possible bankruptcy.
The total global internet office reached a milestone last month, surpassing 1 billion worldwide users aged 15 or more for the first time, according to ComScore. The Asia-Pacific region accounted for the highest share of global internet users at 41%, followed by Europe (28%), North America (18%), Latin-America (7%) and the Middle East & Africa (5%). China officially surpassed the U.S. internet audience for the first time accounting for nearly 18% of the world’s users. Google sites led all others in terms of worldwide unique visitors, followed by Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL.
Top 15 Countries by Internet Audience Ranked by Total Unique Visitors – Dec. 2008
Country Total Unique Share of Total
Visitors (000) Worldwide Internet Audience (%)
Worldwide 1,007,730 100.0%
China 179,710 17.8%
United States 163,300 16.2%
Japan 59,993 6.0%
Germany 36,992 3.7%
United Kingdom 36,664 3.6%
France 34,010 3.4%
India 32,099 3.2%
Russia 28,998 2.9%
Brazil 27,688 2.7%
South Korea 27,254 2.7%
Canada 21,809 2.2%
Italy 20,780 2.1%
Spain 17,893 1.8%
Mexico 12,486 1.2%
Netherlands 11,812 1.2%
Source: comScore World Metrix, Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs.
Top 15 Worldwide Properties Ranked by Total Worldwide Unique Visitors – Dec. 2008
Property Total Unique % Reach of Total
Visitors (000) Worldwide Internet Audience (%)
Total Internet Audience 1,007,730 100.0%
Google Sites 775,980 77.0%
Microsoft Sites 646,915 64.2%
Yahoo! Sites 562,571 55.8%
AOL LLC 273,020 27.1%
Wikimedia Foundation Sites 272,998 27.1%
eBay 240,947 23.9%
Facebook.COM 221,791 22.0%
Amazon Sites 187,354 18.6%
CBS Corporation 178,844 17.7%
Fox Interactive Media 172,841 17.2%
Ask Network 164,513 16.3%
Apple Inc. 161,500 16.0%
Tencent Inc. 158,617 15.7%
Baidu.com Inc. 152,447 15.1%
Adobe Sites 123,623 12.3%
Source: comScore World Metrix, Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs.
Social MMO games have come to the iPhone. Check out iMafia, a new multiplayer online role playing game from PlayMesh launched on Friday that allows you to rise within a crime family by extorting your neighbors or doing other dastardly deeds. Play against a network of friends, complete missions to gain street cred and earn points to purchase virtual weapons, armor, vehicles or real estate, which generates passive income when you’re not playing.
CBS’s Last.fm launched an application on Google’s Android platform. It offers personalized streaming radio stations with the ability to track users’ listening habits and recommend similar artists or genre-specific tracks. Users can view on-the-go versions of their personal music profiles that includes mobile versions of Last.fm’s Charts and Artist pages.
Intel announced that Chairman Craig Barrett will retire and step down from the company’s board this coming May. The venerated executive has been with the chipmaker since 1974 and served as CEO of the company from 1998 – 2005. Longtime independent director Jane Shaw has been elected to replace Mr. Barrett on the board as Non-executive Chairman.
Blockbuster hired former Philips electronics executive Kevin Lewis to oversee the company’s new digital distribution efforts via online, set-tops and DVD kiosks. He joins under the newly-created position of SVP/Digital Entertainment, reporting in Dallas to Jim Keyes, Blockbuster Chairman and CEO.
Los Angeles-based digital marketing agency Fanscape announces a round of new promotions: Melissa Taylor was upped to VP/Account Management; Christy Wise becomes VP/Marketing; Michael Francesconi was promoted to Director, Social Media Marketing; My-lan Beauford was upped to Senior Manager, Digital Publicity; Ben Arnold becomes Senior Manager, Digital Promotions, and Liza Patriana was named Account Executive.
New York-based visual effects house Guerilla FX added Darren Himebrook to its creative roster as Integrated D-P/Digital Strategist.
The Sundance Film Festival, which wrapped yesterday, put together a rich multimedia website this year to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The site offers an impressive selection of video content including highlights of last night’s awards ceremony, interviews with insiders and a “snackbox” of short tidbits of advice from budding filmmakers. Sundance also launched an in-depth channel on YouTube devoted to the festival featuring interviews with filmmakers and outtakes from the festival panels, courtesy of HP. Movie sales tended to be more modest at Sundance this year but many deals featured interesting distribution models. For instance Humpday from Seattle-based filmmaker Lynn Shelton, about a couple of straight friends who decide to make a gay adult movie, was acquired by Mark Cuban’s Magnolia Pictures, which plans to make it available on VOD a month before its theatrical release.
Later — Wayne
Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
01.26.09
Cynopsis Digital Ad Sales:
Chuck Bolkcom – 646-468-6180 / [email protected]
Mark Bohn- 203-583-1224 / mark@cynopsis. com
Classifieds – Trish Pihonak- 203-926-9878 / [email protected]
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Cyn opsis CLASSIFIEDS – For More classifieds, visit the Cynopsis.com classifieds page here .
JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR/AD SALES MKTG/ HGTV/NY: Manage projects such as sweepstakes/write sponsorship proposals & hospitality events w/in deadlines. Full details, http://www.scrippsnetworksinteractive.com/careers & select req 46 (1/31)
JOB OPENING: TEMP CREATIVE MANAGER/ION/NY: Lead NY based team in creating on air/ adv campaigns for ION TV. Oversee design/writers/production. 5 yrs exp in TV brdcst promotion/cr. service depts. [email protected] (1/30)
JOB OPENING: NEW BIZ ACCT EXEC/American Latino Synd/NY: Sell nat’l ads for 2 Synd TV shows & New Scripted Series, 2-5 yrs sales exp req. Fast growth opp in an entrepreneurial envir. Min. travel req. Info: www.americanlatino.tv/jobs (1/30)
JOB OPENING: Hallmark Channel/Studio City/FREELANCE PRODUCER & HOST: Create hosted entertainment pieces. Must write/produce/host See full posting and apply @ www.hallmarkchannel.com (1/28)
JOB OPENING: PRODUCT PLACEMENT PRODUCER/NY: Must have vendor contacts. Neg. & prep contracts for leading prod. co. EM: [email protected] (1/27)
JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT COORD/BBC/LA: Support cble & dig ad sales team. Admin support, data entry, liaise w/ contacts & agencies. Excellent comm & org skills. www.bbcamerica.com/employment.jsp. EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V (1/27)
JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT COORD/BBC/NY: Support cble & dig ad sales team. Admin support, data entry, liaise w/ contacts & agencies. Excellent comms & org skills. www.bbcamerica.com/employment.jsp. EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V (1/27)
JOB OPENING:SR MGR DIG SYNDICATION/BBC/NY:Mng clients/prgrm supply to dig media synd partners. Create line-up of BBC prgrms, promotion & mktg. Strong knwldg BBC Prgrms. www.bbcamerica.com/employment.jsp EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V (1/27)
JOB OPENING: MGR TV SALES/DISTRIB/BBC/NY: ID new clients, pitch/conclude deals w/ cbl ntwrks & clients. Take prgrms from library & repckg for sale. Strong negotiation/sales skills. www.bbcamerica.com/employment.jsp EEO/AA empl M/F/D/V (1/27)
JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, PROGRAM PLANNING/Disney Channel/Burbank: Oversee Progrm Planning/Schedlng Disney Ch + Playhouse. Mngmnt exp req. Devl/Implmnt Progrm Stratgy. 7 yrs exp Progrm Plan/Sched. www.disneycareers.com REQ 186232 (1/27)
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: Bowery Presents Media is looking for a DIGITAL SAVVY INTERN to help with production, marketing, & business development. Must have knowledge of the music business & social networks. Email: [email protected] (1/31)
SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY Central MA Tech-savvy intern wanted. Duties: research, copy edit, update website, & admin tasks. Work from home with occasional meetings at mutually convenient place. To apply, see info at www.rlfmedia.com/news (1/31)
SPRING INTERNSHIP/CREDITS ONLY: Scribble mats is looking for TWO CREATIVE INTERNS. Must be proficient in Illustrator and Photoshop and/or Flash, web experience is a plus. Contact Arlene at [email protected] to apply. www.scribblemats.com (1/30)
SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: A fast-paced boutique ent PR firm/NY: Seeks smart, hard-working & reliable self starter. Starts Jan thru spring semester &, possibly, beyond. Jr/Sr only. Resume/cover letter: [email protected] (1/29)
SPRING INTERNSHIP/CREDITS ONLY: LICENSING INTERNS/Licensing Link, Ltd/NYC: Asst President as needed in daily licensing duties. Highly orgnzd & reliable; Must have skills in MS Word/Excel/Powerpoint. Contact: [email protected] (1/29)
SPRING INTERNSHIP/CREDITS ONLY: INTERN / HGTV & DIY/UNPAID/COURSE CREDIT REQ/NY: Working with Ad Sales MKTG team on projects such as sweepstakes and sponsorships. Full details, http://www.scrippsnetworksinteractive.com/careers & select req 213 (1/29)
SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Premiere NYC-based agency is searching for Spring and Summer DIGITAL MARKETING & STRATEGY INTERNS: Must have interest in social networking. Contact [email protected] (1/28)
SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: NEW MEDIA/DIGITAL INTERNS/NBCU/NY: Asst New Media Manager w dig content, mktg & rsrch. Highly innovative & reliable Soph/Jrs/Srs; Excellent Word/PPT/Photoshop/HTML skills.Email [email protected] res & cvr ltr (1/28)
SPRING INTERNSHIP/CREDITS ONLY: ENTERTAINMENT/MKTG & COMM INTERNS/Cynopsis Media/Shelton CT: Asst various depts as needed in advrtsng sales, mktg, & rsrch. Highly orgnzd & reliable Sophomores/Jrs/Srs; Excellent MS Word/Excel skills. Contact: [email protected] (1/27)
SPRING INTERNSHIP/CREDITS ONLY: Razor & Tie Entertainment: Independent music label is looking for qualified interns for Winter/Spring 2009. Internships available in MKTG, PRESS, A&R, NEW MEDIA AND MUSIC PUBLISHING Please mail [email protected] (1/27)
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: Award winning On-Air / Off-Air CREATIVE DIRECTOR. 20 years network / cable experience. Innovative promotion, design, branding and strategy. Hard working, detail oriented, motivated, avail today. [email protected] (1/31)
SITUATION WANTED: PRINT/INTERACTIVE PROJECT MANAGER in LA. Diligent, efficient, & detail oriented. See http://www.linkedin.com/in/domanus. Open to FTE, Contract, short/long term gigs. Can work remotely as well. Contact [email protected] (1/31)
SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCTION ASSISTANT. I am experienced, hard-working, no drama, detail oriented, and ready to start immediately. Please contact me at [email protected] (1/31)
SITUATION WANTED: Recent Harvard grad and FREELANCE WRITER will do pretty much anything involving words and writing them. Currently writing for a Gawker blog. Hard worker, strong writer, great bargain. (NYC) [email protected] (1/31)
SITUATION WANTED: ADMIN/EXEC ASST (NYC): 22 years experience with top firm supporting VPs and assisting President. Microsoft Office skills. Worked under deadline. Multi-tasker/quick learner. [email protected] (1/31)
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] (1/30)
SITUATION WANTED: Well networked Sr. RECRUITER (LA base) w/10 yrs exp in online media & entertainment. (Yahoo! Disney, etc) Open to FTE, Contract, short term or long term gigs. Can work remotely as well. Contact [email protected] (1/30)
SITUATION WANTED: Professional SINGER & EXPERIENCED VOCAL TEACHER seeks voice students for expanding private studio in Nassau County, NY. All experience levels & musical styles welcome. For more info email: [email protected] (1/30)
SITUATION WANTED: SPONSORSHIP MARKETING/NY: Experience in evaluating and negotiating sponsorships and promotions. All media types- broadcast, outdoor, print, digital, mobile, hospitality, etc. Contact: [email protected] (1/29)
SITUATION WANTED: LIFESTYLE SEGMENT PRODUCER/DESIGNER: Produce /design lifestyle segments for NBC, ABC, Disney, E!, Martha Stewart Living, and Turner Classic Movies.SAG Member [email protected] / www.andrewpaulbinder.com (1/29)
SITUATION WANTED:POWER COPYWRITERS– headed up by former broadcast network player,specializing in tv promos & taglines. Credits from Fortune 500 entertainment companies. [email protected] (1/29)
SITUATION WANTED: A WRITER’S WRITER! Not a prod./dir./ed.-turned-writer-b/c-of-the-economy! Written: MTV scripts, nat’l print ads (Pepsi, X-Box), & for NY Post, RS, Vibe. Gen. X, smart, witty, bi-lingual. [email protected] (1/28)
SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER/WRITER/DIRECTOR (NY) Ultra-creative, award winning, all formats, all genres, all major networks and major cable. Fast, frugal and fun! [email protected] (1/28)
SITUATION WANTED: TV PROGRAM EXECUTIVE 15 + yrs exp, Creative, great work ethic, knwldgbl, sense of humor, can relocate. See www.linkedin.com/in/joepauly. Looking for next great opp in cable or brdcst TV. Contact [email protected] (1/28)
SITUATION WANTED: DOCUMENTARY PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, WRITER in L.A. Credits include National Geographic, PBS, Discovery, History Channel, TLC and MSNBC. Contact email: [email protected] (1/28)
SITUATION WANTED: NON-FICTION DEVELOPMENT PRODUCER. I will write and develop your pitch & produce and direct a winning sales tape. 3 Emmy noms; unscripted or narrative formats; LA based, will travel. [email protected] (1/27)
SITUATION WANTED: INNOVATIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Award winning and highly creative. Major network & cable experience, all genres: Childrens, Reality, Lifestyle, Documentary. In NY but will travel. View reel & CV: www.kirstynordal.com (1/27)
SITUATION WANTED: Seasoned TALENT ACQUISITION Specialist, HR Generalist (NYC based) w/ significant exp in fashion, PR, marcom & entertainment industries seeks PT, FT, Freelance or Consulting opportunities.Contact [email protected] (1/27)
SITUATION WANTED: FREELANCE DRTV MEDIA BUYER with more than 15 years experience buying national and local cable, syndication, and local broadcast markets seeking FT or PT work from home office. Please contact me at [email protected] (1/27)
SITUATION WANTED: FREELANCE or Full-time MEDIA BUYER w/ over 25 yrs of buying exp. is newly available. Seeking F/T or Freelance wk from your office or my home (New York based) Please contact me @ [email protected] (1/27)
E-mail [email protected] or call Trish Pihonak at 203.926.9878 for rates and specs for Job Openings.
Are you looking for a job? Post your Situation Wanted Ad here — Email [email protected] for specs.
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