A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM TV GUIDE NETWORK ^TM

Cynopsis: DIGITAL

03/16/09

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

The big news out of SXSW over the weekend (besides AT&T’s poor network coverage in Austin) is the launch of Facebook Connect – the social network’s technology for sharing data between Facebook and other apps – for the iPhone. The integration will allow developers to build or adapt existing applications to share data with users’ profiles including rich media such as photos. Even developers of popular applications like shakeable restaurant review app Urbanspoon have trouble gaining market share due to the sheer explosion of competitors. Now Urbanspoon users will be able to easily share their reviews with friends in their Facebook feeds, exponentially increasing the ability for apps to grow virally. More than 6,000 websites now utilize Facebook Connect to integrate with the 175 million-member social network.
 

 
If you can’t beat ’em (Hulu, that is), turn to other content providers. Socially-oriented online entertainment platform Boxee has added Blip.tv shows to its line up.
 
Vancouver-based web 2.0 movie fan site MovieSet, a portal that allows users to track the development and creation of feature films, is gearing up for its first live streaming event. MovieSet will be streaming live from the set of mixed martial arts movie Death Warrior beginning today providing embeddable interviews with the filmmakers and actual footage from the set.
 
Online natural product ratings site GoodGuide is launching a new Food Category today with detailed ratings and facts about the thousands of foods families and children eat, including top-selling baby foods, cereal, milk, yogurt, juices, crackers, and pasta. The section is timed for the release of the USDA’s final implementation of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements for meat, fruits, vegetables and nuts.
 

 
Facebook unveiled some new targeting filters on its ad platform last week allowing advertisers to now target users by language and geographical location including individual metro areas made up of multiple cities. Previously in order to target based on language, advertisers were forced to specify countries they wanted to target.
 
Hispanic Cable TV (+9.6%) and Cable TV (+7.8%) were the only two media to show ad growth in 2008 according to Nielsen. Cable was the highest CPM-based revenue-generating medium with $26.6 billion in sales. Internet advertising, not including paid search, text only, paid fee services, performance-based campaigns, sponsorships, barters, in-stream (“pre-rolls”) players,
messenger apps, partnership advertising, email campaigns or house advertising activity, dropped by 6.4% in 2008.
 
U.S. Ad Spending -% Change 2008 vs. 2007
  Media Category                                      Jan-Dec ’08 vs. Jan-Dec ’07 % Change
  Hispanic Cable TV                                           9.6%
  Cable TV                                                        7.8%
  Spot TV Top 100                                            -0.3%
  Syndication TV                                               -0.8%
  National Sunday Supplement                           -1.9%
  Hispanic Broadcast TV                                     -2.4%
  Network Radio                                                -3.3%
  Broadcast Network TV                                      -3.5%
  Local Magazine                                                -3.7%
  Spot Radio                                                      -4.0%
  Spot TV 101-210                                             -4.6%
  Outdoor                                                         -5.0%
  FSI Coupon                                                    -5.2%
  Internet*                                                       -6.4%
  National Magazine                                          -7.6%
  National Newspaper                                        -9.6%
  Business to Business                                       -9.7%
  Local Newspaper                                           -10.2%
  Local Sunday Supplements                             -11.0%
  TOTAL                                                            -2.6%
  Source: The Nielsen Company
 

 
Verizon is preparing an update to its FiOS-based widgets platform to enable third party developers to create applications for the platform, according to a post on Verizon’s PolicyBlog. Designers are testing new apps providing integrations with popular sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
 
In its annual report on internet censorship humanitarian group Reporters Without Borders took issue with a dozen “internet enemies,” singling out China (300 million users, 49 cyber-dissidents imprisoned) for its sophisticated and repressive practices. But the group also chastised U.S.-based tech companies such as Google, Yahoo and Microsoft for participating in censorship practices by cooperating with these regimes.
 
Struggling satellite radio platform Sirius XM announced plans to offer its subscription radio service to iPhone and iPod touch users by June. The recently merged service, which currently serves about 19 million subscribers, will have the opportunity to reach the estimated base of 7 million iPhone and iPod touch users in the U.S. Sirius XM is also in talks to bundle the service with DirecTV packages, the satellite TV firm controlled by recent investor Liberty Media Group.
 

 
Fewer than half of Americans (43%) say that losing their local newspaper would hurt civic life in their community “a lot.” Even fewer (33%) say they would personally miss reading the local newspaper a lot if it were no longer available, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. Local papers fared even worse among young people as less than a quarter of those younger than age 40 (23%) say they would miss the local newspaper they read most often a lot if it were to go out of business or shut down.
 
ABC had nine out of the top ten most viewed television series for the month of February according to Nielsen VideoCensus (Which, it’s important to note, doesn’t track visits to Hulu.) Lost proved to be a juggernaut with 2.5 million unique viewers, up 41% over January. Lost also ranked number one in total streams with 48 million ­- up 20% from January. Dancing with the Stars (1.5 million unique viewers), Grey’s Anatomy (1.3 million), The Bachelor (962,000), Brothers & Sisters (801,000), Desperate Housewives (793,000) and Scrubs (655,000) ranked 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th, respectively.
 
U.S. visits to Facebook grew 149% in February compared with the same month a year earlier, according to Hitwise. That pushed Facebook’s market share among users in the United States visiting social networking sites to 36% last month – still behind MySpace, which enjoys a 52% market share despite a 28% percentage drop. MySpace also continues to lead in time spent among the top 5 social networking sites with an average 29:38 per users per month.
 
Market share of U.S. Internet visits to top five social networking Web sites
Rank   Name          Feb. 2008  Jan. 2009 Feb. 2009 Y/Y percent change
1     MySpace         72.92%      57.08%     52.21%          -28%
2     Facebook        14.46%      31.15%     36.03%          149%
3     Tagged             0.65%       2.33%       2.47%          280%
4     MyYearbook      1.17%       1.67%       1.63%            39%
5     Classmates       1.03%       0.80%       0.82%           -20%
Source: Hitwise
 
Average U.S. time spent among top five social networking Web sites
Rank     Name     February 2008     February 2009    Y/Y percent change
1       MySpace          30:07                29:38                   -2%
2       Facebook         21:00                22:12                     6%
3       Tagged            24:56                26:22                     6%
4       MyYearbook     31:35                25:22                  -20%
5       Classmates      10:19                11:14                     9%
Source: Hitwise
 

                                                                                    
Konami‘s “Metal Gear Solid Touch” is coming out on Mar. 19 for the iPhone and iPod Touch featuring original gameplay, characters and settings from the hit series, whose total worldwide sales have exceeded 26.5 million units. Earn bonus points through gameplay that allow players to download special Metal Gear-themed iPhone wallpapers.
 

 
The axe fell on the current regime at AOL late Thursday as former Google SVP Tim Armstrong was named Chairman and CEO of AOL, replacing Randy Falco and President and COO Ron Grant, both of whom will leave the company after a brief transition period. The move is being seen as coup for the Time Warner unit and a blow to Google, given Armstrong’s importance as the search giant’s point person on Madison Avenue.
 

 
One of the advantages of schlepping down to your local video store to rent a movie the old fashioned way is getting tips from movie-obsessed staff members when you’re not really sure of what you’re in the mood for. (How many customers did Quentin Tarantino turn onto Hong Kong action and Blacksploitation at that [now defunct] video store in Manhattan Beach?) Check out Nanocrowd, a new movie recommendation engine that utilizes crowdsourcing principles to recommend movie titles. Its search algorithms analyze millions of viewer comments from around the web to get a read on what movies you might like based on hard-to-categorize components of similar titles. You begin by typing in a movie you like. The software then groups the movies into three-word “nanogenres” that act as brief descriptions of various facets of the film. To stay with the Tarantino example, enter Pulp Fiction and you come up with 6 nanogenres including “violent, criminal extreme,” “drugs, inventive, 1990s” and “violence, profanity, glamorize.” The site, which needs to fill out its catalog considerably before exiting beta, is working on customization features allowing users to keep their own histories as well as integrating the search engine with users’ Netflix queues.
 
Later — Wayne
 Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
03.16.09

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JOB OPENING: SR ACCT EXEC/ACCT DIR Out-of Home media sales/NY: 5+ yrs nat’l sales exp w/clients & advrtsng agencies strat. plan’g groups. Proven track rec of new bus/acct dvlpmnt req’d. Exp w/Youth mkt a + Res to: [email protected] (3/21)

JOB OPENING: MGR/SPIKE MOVE STUDIO PRODUCTION/MTV/NYC: Promo production for movie studios. 3-5 yrs exp. in production & mktg. Passion for movies and exp with talent. Dynamic personality, EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvncareers.com (3/21)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, INTEGRATED CONTENT & BREAK STRATEGY/MD: Work with Programming/Development, Ad Sales, Marketing& Digital for TLC. 8+ yrs in sales is required. Apply: http://corporate.discovery.com/careers/ #8817 (3/21)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR – OPERATIONS/LA: work with special projects relating to new business development with TLC. 5+ yrs in buds. dev.& production required. Apply: http://corporate.discovery.com/careers/ #8836 (3/21)

JOB OPENING: MKTG MGR/General Electric/NY: Responsible for working w/NBC & msnbc.com’s sales team to dvlp sales prgrms & mktg solutions. Apply: https://sjobs.brassring.com/1033/ASP/TG/cim_jobdetail.asp?partnerid=54&siteid=5346&oreq=1022190   (3/21)

JOB OPENING: EXEC ASSISTANT, CONTENT DEVELOPMENT/MTV/NYC: 2+yrs exp. Exec Assist, Strg org/detail skills, Superior Cust. Service, Strng comm/comp skills, Able to prioritize/Meet deadlines EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvncareers.com (3/20)

JOB OPENING: RSRCH PROJECT MGR/CNN/ATL: Supporting Strat Mktg & On-Air Promo w/ ability to translate raw data into useable & actionable insights. Solid media math skills/5+ yrs. brdcst and/or cable TV Apply: [email protected] (3/20)

JOB OPENING: SR. COUNSEL, BUSINESS & LEGAL AFFAIRS/NY: Negotiate production, programming & talent agreements for AMC NETWORK. L.A. Contacts, JD & 8+ yrs ent law experience required / M&A exp a +.  [email protected] (3/19)

JOB OPENING: OFFICE MGR/MGM AD SALES/NY: Mng all aspects of A/R including prep of wkly & monthly accounting reports. Provide sales & admin support to dept. Back up Sales Plan & Traffic Mgrs. Apply www.MGM.jobs #6440 (3/19)

JOB OPENING: TRAFFIC MGR/MGM AD SALES/NY: Resp for proper plcemnt of commercials & copy assgnmnt. Mng prod & reconcil of logs. Liaise betw Ad Agncies, Sls, Mktg & Prog depts to gather fitting copy materials. Apply www.MGM.jobs #6441 (3/19)

JOB OPENING: DEV EXEC/VA: Join team to create and pitch new TV programs, esp character-based. Must have exp in developing factual programs and knowledge of US cable net slates and players. Apply: [email protected] (3/17)

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SUMMER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: MARKETING/Urtak.com: user-generated public opinion site. Resp: Prdct dev, mkt expansion, corp svcs, for innovative startup. Work remotely, w/ few meetings in NYC. ~35hrs/wk. Send cv & CL to [email protected] (3/19)

SUMMER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: PROGRAMMER/Urtak.com: user-generated public opinion site. Resp: prgrm’ing & user interface design for innovative startup. RubyOnRails exp. Work remotely, w/ few NYC meetings. ~35hr/wk. Send cv&CL to [email protected] (3/19)

SUMMER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY:  Doc production co. seeks exp’d, orgnzd & energetic JRS/SRS. Driven to gain exp in fast-paced envir. Pls specify “dvlpmnt” or “prod” in app. Resp. incl office, shoot, & post-prod & dvlpmnt asst. Email [email protected] (3/19)

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SITUATION WANTED: INTERN IN MEDIA/ THEATRE: Seeks work in Film / Theatre in NYC. Theatre and Media Studies at ScrippsCollege. Work experience in communications. Email: [email protected] (3/21)

SITUATION WANTED: MARKETING/PROMOTIONS/Boston: Marketing/promotions professional seeks television, web marketing, social networking focused position. Experienced in international markets. Creative + will travel. [email protected] (3/21)

SITUATION WANTED: NON-FICTION PRODUCER/WRITER (STORY & FIELD).10+yrs exp. NBC, VH1, CMT, TLC, E!, Disney, CNN, etc.; reality, ent, news, talk, developmt; LA based, will travel. [email protected] (3/18)

SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER/ ASSOC. PRODUCER (LA) Out-of-the-box thinker, creative, award- winning, all formats, all genres. Budgets, schedules, breakdowns, crewing, casting, post and more. Over 20 yrs. exp. [email protected] (3/18)

SITUATION WANTED: Top-tier agency ACCOUNT MANAGER/SUPERVISOR seeks full-time employment in LA area. If your agency needs a professional w/ multi-platform technology, entertainment or interactive experience, e-mail [email protected] (3/18)

SITUATION WANTED: SR. MARKETING/BRAND 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 (3/18)

SITUATION WANTED: Award winning COMEDY WRITER/PRODUCER in L.A. Credits: WB, UPN, TBS, MTV, Discovery etc. Check out pilot, You’re Joking, Right? at www.justjokesentertainment.com Contact email: [email protected] (3/17)

SITUATION WANTED: WRITER. I’ll gladly write/re-write what you don’t want to write! Summaries; reports; proposals, human resource materials; updates; copy; web content; synopses; and more. Contact Bernie. [email protected] (3/17)

SITUATION WANTED: BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT EXPERT/TELEVISION PRODUCER seeks consulting work, long or short term. Over 15 years experience working with brands, multi-media/faceted talent. Contact: [email protected] (3/17)

SITUATION WANTED: GROW YOUR BUS/MAKE IT THRIVE/NYC: MBA w/15yrs int’l exp: turnaround & startup mgmt, strategic partnerships, negotiating, fundraising. Proj/Consult/FT. Contact: [email protected] (3/17)

SITUATION WANTED: STORY DOCTOR: Are your scripts too weak to make it to the bay? Got a rough-cut on life support? 20+ years crafting nonfic series, specials, sizzles and web content. Contact: [email protected] (LA) (3/17)

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