Cynopsis: DIGITAL
11/12/12

Good morning. It’s Monday, November 12, 2012, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

At least one big patent battle in the seemingly never-ending smartphone wars is finally over: Apple and HTC have reached a global settlement to dismiss all current lawsuits the companies have against each other. In addition, both companies have inked a 10-year cross-licensing deal that encompasses current and future patents held by each party. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Apple originally sued HTC in 2010, alleging that the Taiwanese device-maker infringed on several patents related to the iPhone. In return, HTC had accused Apple of infringing several of its mobile technology patents.

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Hulu Kids is a newly launched section on Hulu Plus that offers 43 shows for kids and families to watch, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Thomas & Friends, and Caillou. In addition, all content in the section is available commercial-free. Users can browse through kids-centric categories such as “Dino Time” and “Cartoon Favorites,” as all as by shows from content providers like Nickelodeon and PBS. Coinciding with the launch of Hulu Kids, the site has also released a series of updates for its PlayStation 3 app, bringing the section to the gaming console (and thereby, the TV screen) as well.

The Killing might be coming back for a third season, and it has Netflix and AMC to thank for it. According to a report from Deadline, AMC is nearing a deal with Fox TV Studios to bring the show back in partnership with Netflix. This potential third season would air on the cable network first, after which it would be available to Netflix subscribers. Per the report, AMC and Netflix would share the costs for bringing the crime drama back. If all goes according to plan, production for the third season would begin in February 2013.

Cartoon Hangover, a YouTube channel from Frederator Studios, has premiered Bravest Warriors, a new animated series that follows the cosmic adventures of a team of superheroes. From Pendleton Ward, the creator of Adventure Time on Cartoon Network, the series is written and directed by Breehn Burns.

Comedienne Maria Bamford is the latest stand-up to offer a new comedy special directly to her fans via the web. Directed by Jordan Brady and executive produced by Bamford, Maria Bamford: The special special special! will be available on November 28 through the digital video site Chill.com. Here’s the most intriguing thing about this special, aside from the title and the fact that Bamford is fantastic: She filmed it in her living room, and her audience is comprised of her parents and no one else. The special will be available on the aforementioned date for $4.99. Bamford recently appeared in FX’s critically acclaimed series from fellow comedian Louis CK, Louie. She is set to appear in the upcoming highly anticipated season of Arrested Development, which will arrive next year on Netflix.

Disney has a positive outlook on the opportunities it will have to license its content amid the growing digital subscription VOD market, according to what CEO Bog Iger told investors during the company’s most recent earnings call, per a Home Media Magazine report. “It’s an exciting time for intellectual property owners,” said Iger. “We’re in business with Netflix and we’re in business with others and new entrants in the marketplace. We are engaged in discussions in a number of directions about that.”

Following Netflix’s decision to opt for the “poison pill” defense in response to Carl Icahn’s purchase of a nearly 10% stake in the company, the activist investor told CNBC that he considered launching a bid for a hostile takeover of the company. “The thought has certainly crossed my mind,” Icahn said to CNBC. “It certainly is one alternative, but I have to say we haven’t made that decision at this point.” When discussing the platform itself, Icahn’s remarks were more positive. He called Netflix “a great platform” and noted its leadership position in the subscription online VOD market. “To begin with, I’m not sure you can build the business that easily. It’s not like you build a widget factory and you start making widgets… You walk in facing 27 million subscribers,” he said.

The number of smart TVs in North American households will rise to 87 million by 2016, according to a new whitepaper from Parks Associates, commissioned by Rovi. The whitepaper, titled “Connected TV Environments: The Next Iteration of TV Advertising,” also examined the opportunities in advertising based on the growing adoption of connected TV platforms in the US and Western Europe. “Connected TV systems have the ability to change viewer perceptions of advertising,” said Heather Way, Senior Research Analyst, Parks Associates. “These systems enable advertising to be integrated into device navigation and content search, engaging consumers at a high point of receptivity and enabling them to immerse themselves in a rich brand experience. As a result, over 50% of US connected-TV households surveyed by Rovi consider these ads as content, containing useful and valuable information, and they are much more likely to remember and click on these ads.” The study defines connected-TV households as those with either a smart TV device or a Blu-ray player connected to the web. Other findings from the whitepaper include:

• 55% of connected-TV households earn at least $75,000 annually and on overage own 11 internet-enabled devices.
• 72% of connected-TV owners say the connected platform makes watching TV “more convenient,” and 65% believe the technology makes the TV experience “more enjoyable.”

• 49% of connected-TV viewers depend on the platform when they’re not sure of what they want to watch.

ENTV (Entertainment News Television), one of the earliest channels on YouTube funded as part of the video site’s original content initiative, has topped 100 million total views since its launch in January 2012. The channel is operated by PMC, a digital media company that owns other well-known entertainment news properties such as Deadline, Movieline, TVLine, HollywoodLife, and Variety. ENTV produces more than eight original entertainment and celebrity news segments every weekday. Hosted b Melana Scantlin, Brian Corsetti, and Chloe Melas, the channel also features contribution from reporters such as Michael Ausiella and Michael Slezak. Aside from the original news reporting, the channel also offers up a variety of film trailers, clips, interviews, and awards coverage.

LA-based production company Kids At Play has named longtime collaborator Mark J. Marraccini as its first Head of Development. In the newly created role, he will oversee the creation and development of original scripted and non-scripted digital, television, and film projects. He will also be responsible for the series that are currently in production at Kids At Play.

Bruce Eisen, Dish Network’s VP/Online Content Development and Strategy, has left the company to “resume his consulting business, Digital Advisors,” according to Multichannel News. Reporting of the executive move to the outlet via email, Eisen said, “To continue to advance within the company I would have had to move to Denver and, for a variety of reasons, that just wasn’t possible.” Eisen was responsible for Dish Network’s digital video and TV Everywhere initiatives. His responsibilities will now be handled by Josh Clark, the satellite provider’s VP/Digital Programming.

Rejected Pitches is an original series on Above Average, a comedy channel on YouTube from Lorne Michaels’ production company Broadway Video. The conceit of the series is very simple: We see a pitch meeting between a famous filmmaker (played by a comedian) and three studio executive types (played by comedians) in which they go over a script the filmmaker has written — the twist being that the script in question is always one of that filmmaker’s greatest and most recognizable works, and that the executives think it’s absolutely terrible. My two favorites are Zemeckis/Back to the Future and Tarantino/Pulp Fiction.

Later – Sahil
Sahil Patel, Associate Editor for Cynopsis Digital
11.12.12

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