Cynopsis: DIGITAL

4/19/07

Good Morning, it’s Thursday, April 19, 2007 and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

Virginia Tech gunman Cho Seung-Hui emailed a large bundle of photos and videos to NBC News on Monday in between killings, sometime after he killed the first two students but before he shot the remaining 30 in a classroom building. Excerpts from his “multimedia manifesto” can be seen on MSNBC.com, including a pdf portion of the actual 23-page document. The site’s editor has included a warning about its graphic nature.
 

 
NBC Universal integrated media chief Beth Comstock’s decision to place iVillage.com at the center of its digital strategy is being questioned by NBC insiders, according to a report in The New York Post. The story references “half a dozen” sources who question why she has been given authority over all digital media, despite a lack of experience in the area. Criticism has increased since the launch of the companion TV Show iVillage Live earlier this year, which is carried mostly by NBC O&O’s and has performed dismally in the ratings.
 
IAC/Interactive Corp. announced plans to launch a new community site for African Americans as well as blacks from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, seeking to leverage its more than 60 internet brands including Ask.com, Match.com and Ticketmaster. The portal will feature topical news and social networking capabilities and is scheduled to launch in January 2008. Johnny Taylor Jr. has been appointed CEO of the venture.
 
Yahoo Sports signed a deal with the NBA to stream highlights from all NBA playoff games from April 21 until the conclusion of the NBA Finals.
 
VOD and broadband video network FearNET added a user-generated section to its site, encouraging users to upload their own content, produce galleries of individual material and manage their own custom video playlists. The Comcast, Sony Pictures Television and Liongate joint venture also announced it will host Saw II director Darren Lynn Bousman’s blog.
 
Turner’s Nascar.com is offering fans free access to its TrackPass subscription service during the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series qualifier, the NASCAR Bush Series race and the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race held on the weekend of April 28 and 29. The online service tracks current drivers’ positions and features a 2-D animated rendering of each race.
 
Mammoth Advertising launched an online Flash-based companion game to Showtime drama The Tudors. Make Haste is word-lib game that asks players to play the role of royal scribe and complete a letter for either “his royal hotness” King Henry or “royal tease” Anne Bolen. Simply answer questions and the game places the words into the text of an existing letter, Mad Libs style. It’s cute but it takes a while to load, so be patient.

Calling all college students! The deadline for your TV essays is this Friday at 12midnight for the Cyn opsis Weekender College Edition sponsored by Greek, A New ABC Family Original Series coming in July. The edition will be published next Thursday, April 26, 2007, and if your essay on television is one of the four published, you’ll be paid $350! All entries must 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.   And here’s an extra bonus — this one edition of Weekender will also carry Situation Wanted ads at no charge for college students looking to get into the television business – even if you didn’t submit an essay. If you’re interested in learning more – email Trish Pihonak at [email protected].

 
Blinkx officially introduced a new tool for searching for full-length TV programs on the web. The video search tool analyzes Blinkx’s speech-to-text transcription and indexing data to identify shows by season and episode, corroborating the results by cross-referencing online databases of sites such as Wikipedia and IMDB.com. The site also features a cool function, a “wall it” button creating a mosaic of video thumbnails to help choose among the results. It’s not perfect-a search of “Dr. Who” turned up mostly appearance of Dr Phil, but it still represents a technological leap in the quest to efficiently search for video on the web. Blinkx has indexed more than 7 million hours of video content so far.
 
Veoh launched two channels dedicated to United Talent Agency’s broadband division. The Submissions channel will allow amateur producers to submit videos to UTA Online, where agents will evaluate them for potential representation. The Client Showcase channel will feature the work of existing UTA clients, including Ask A Ninja, Handsome Donkey, Dutch West and Rednecks.tv. UTA was the first Hollywood agency to launch an online division in October of 2006.
 
Mobile entertainment company FlyCell launched a new website and WAP portal featuring extensive video on demand programming, Mp3-quality ringtones, wallpapers and interactive games. Flycell, a subsidiary of Acotel Group, also signed an agreement with Universal Music Group to offer ringtones from its artists’ music. Flycell offers subscribers a “club pack” of content for $9.99 a month, which can be spent on any combination of content adding up to 20 credits on the site.
 
IP-phone provider Vonage said its current legal troubles with Verizon could lead to bankruptcy, according to a regulatory filing. Vonage was ordered to pay $58 million and royalty payments on future sales after it lost its case in March.
 

 
Turbo Tax servers were inundated with last-minute filers early Tuesday, causing thousands of users to miss the deadline to follow their taxes. The IRS is showing mercy, however, agreeing not to tack the usual 5% penalty on to those caught in the technical snafu who owe money to the government. Turbo Tax officials said over 1 million filers waited until the final day. There were 61 million e-filers in all this year, up 6% from last year.
 
A BlackBerry service outage on Tuesday night disrupted wireless email traffic for more than two-thirds of the device’s 8 million subscribers. The problem underlined just how dependent the business world is on the service, as mobile carriers were inundated by complaints until service was restored the next morning. Blackberry maker Research in Motion Ltd has not yet commented on the disruption.
 
Transparent Technologies signed a deal with Weather Channel Interactive to provide operational and monitoring services for weather.com, including support for subscriptions services such as weather.com Gold & Platinum, Desk Top Max, Notify, and vacation rental site forgetaway.com.
 
EBay reported first-quarter net income growth of 52%, thanks to strong growth in its PayPal electronic payment business and other sites outside of its core auction site. Side businesses include rent.com, shopping.com and StubHub.com, a competitor to IAC’s Ticketmaster. Revenues from eBay’s Skype Technologies rose 123% from a year earlier to $79 million in the first quarter.
 

 
Yahoo CEO Terry Semel became the latest to raise concerns over Google‘s proposed acquisition of DoubleClick, noting advertisers, agencies and consumers are worried how it might effect competition in the advertising space. But he also tried to put a positive spin on the merger, saying it validated Yahoo’s own strategy of the last few years.  Yahoo reported a disappointing 11 percent drop in first-quarter profit, despite the debut of its new search-based ad system Panama, but promised it would be in a stronger position from the second quarter on. Semel said Yahoo has made progress in mobile search and social media, quoting 115 million visitors worldwide in the latter category. He also said the company will expand its relationship with eBay to give incentives to PayPal business customers to use Panama as a marketing tool. The alliance is yet another attempt to stand up against Google, which is planning to create its own PayPal service, Google Checkout.
 
Nielsen/NetRatings will release a new metric to measure online performance in June, according to The Wall Street Journal, planning to eventually replace the current page views rankings it issues with ones that measure time spent online. The $17 billion internet advertising business is calling for more accurate measurement systems, as rival companies’ data continues to differ and reports of inflated numbers become commonplace in the industry. A new web development technique called Ajax, which allows web page information to be updated dynamically without having to load a new page, is depressing page views for publishers that use it, thereby forcing the issue of a better measurement standard.
 

User generated content was identified as one of the biggest threats to the global media and entertainment industry, according to a new survey by Accenture. Fifty-seven percent of respondent in advertising, film, music, publishing, radio, the internet, videogames and television named amateur video, podcasts, wikis and blogs as a top threat. More than 70% predicted social media would continue to grow, while only 3% identified it as a fad.
 
Over 50% of U.S. customers surveyed said they would change their current broadband provider if offered a chance to bundle broadband with wireless services, according to research firm In-Stat. WiMAX services, which offer wireless roaming broadband access though a PC card, is expected to be a competitive advantage for telcos which successfully bundle the service with home broadband access.
 
More interesting news in the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting from Hitwise:

• Online traffic to the Virginia Tech Facebook website increased 555% on Monday, April 16 versus traffic on Sunday, April 15. Compared to the previous Monday, April 9, traffic was up 407%.
• Online traffic to News and Media websites increased 16% on Monday, April 16 versus traffic on Sunday, April 15. Compared to the previous Monday, April 9, traffic was up 27%.
• Yahoo! News was the most visited News and Media website on April 16 receiving 8.69% of all visits to the Hitwise News and Media category. Traffic to the website increased 62% on Monday, April 16 versus traffic on Sunday, April 15.
• The TV Network websites saw big gains as well – ABCNews.com visits increased 245%, MSNBC.com increased 161%, and FOXNews.com increased 64% and CNN.com increased 59%.  

Sony Pictures Television tapped Sean Carey as Senior Vice President in charge of the domestic digital entertainment sales group for the company. He will oversee digital sales efforts for the entire SPT group, which includes half ownership of GSN, and a stake in FEARnet. Sean was upped from EVP of digital distribution and product acquisition for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
 
Imagine Communications named Lorenzo Bombelli and Brian Bentley to its senor management team. Lorenzo will serve as VP of Product Development, helping Imagine prepare for deployment of its digital video platform to cable operators in North America. Brian was tapped as VP of Sales. Both will report to president and CEO Jamie Howard.
 
Jeff Elgart was named Senior Vice President, Corporate Advertising Sales and Sponsorships for multiplatform programming service here!. He will report directly to Andrew Tow, COO of here! Networks. Jeff formerly served as head of network advertising sales for MTV’s Logo and SVP at Access 360 Media.

 
If you like internet Flash games, check out peer-to-peer DVD trading site Peerflix’s Paparazzi and Paparazzi 2 games, designed by Pod Design. The object is to take as many pics or as much video footage of celebs like “Lindsay Loclass” or sticking drunk “Smell Glibson,” while dodging flying beer bottles or Celebritology Aliens. If you pass all rounds you get to see a shot of Britney’s pet beaver. Fun stuff-very much in the vein of GSN’s games Rosie Vs. Trump and Throw the Book at O.J.
 
Thanks to: Jessica Morris Online Communications Specialist Pod Design
 
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
04.19.07

Cynopsis Ad Sales:  Mark Bohn- 203- 583-1224 / [email protected]
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: VP CONTENT ACQUISITION/JOOST/NY & LA: Aggressive deal maker for acquis. team. Initiate structure, complete content deals. Build relations w/ Sr. Execs of media co’s. 5+yrs exp. http://www.joost.com/jobs/06004cvp.html (4/26)

JOB OPENING: PUBLIC RELATIONS/ VERSUS/Stamford, CT: Director, PR and Publicist needed to create and oversee publicity efforts for fast growing sports cable net.More info and to apply visit www.versus.com EOE (4/26)

JOB OPENING: RESEARCH COORD/BBC WWA/NY: Run & intrprt tv ratings data, quant/qual rsrch, investigate mrkt & indstry trends, research presntations. 4 yr degree & 1 yr media experience. RE: Cvr ltr & res [email protected] EOE (4/26)

JOB OPENING: FREELANCE WRITER-PRODUCER/VOOM/NY: Seasoned producer w/ superior writing skills. Promo & interstitial experience for major cable/net a must. 3 month project, maybe more. Reel & Resume to: [email protected] (4/26)

JOB OPENING: OUTREACH COORDINATOR/Burbank CA: Experience working with young children; BCKGRND IN SCIENCE A MUST; PBS exper. helpful; Resume to: [email protected] (4/26)

JOB OPENING: WRITER/PRODUCER/Court TV/NY: Exp writing/producing promos for a nationally distributed TV or cable ntwrk. Must have compelling demo reel & be fully exp’d at working in a post prod. enviro. Apply: www .timewarner.com    (4/26)

JOB OPENING: GRAPHIC DESIGNER/Woodland Hills: Must be exp’d with BFA; Flash; Drawing ability; Avid web user; Innovative design solutions; orgnz’d, pro-active & excellent comm skills; able to mng mult projects. Fax res: 818-999-0172 (4/26)

JOB OPENING: VP HR/UK: Develop and lead HR strategy for European business and support the GM of Europe, Mid. East and Africa. CIPD qualified. Apply: http://corporate.discovery.com/careers/careers.html Position 5143 (4/26)

JOB OPENING: HR DIR/UK: Develop and lead UK HR strategy, supporting the UK Sr. Mgt. team in achieving business goals across the region. CIPD qualified. Apply: http://corporate.discovery.com/careers/careers.html Position 5144 (4/26)

JOB OPENING: FREELANCE GRAPHIC DESIGNER/Firebrand/NYC: interface design, image & text composite & layouts/ 2 yrs exp/ strong 2D &/or 3D skills/ fine art Bkgd/ Exp w/ Illustrator/ PhotoShop/ ImageReady Apply [email protected] (4/26)

JOB OPENING: ARCHIVIST /Firebrand /NYC: help dev Content Database, oversee quality assurance and growth/ exp w/ asset mgmt for tv & web/ team mgmt exp
required. Apply [email protected] (4/26)

JOB OPENING: DIR, ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY DISTRIBUTION/Comcast/PA: Secure distribution deals with MSOs and alternative tech. dist. 6-8 yrs cable business development. Apply: www.comcast.com Req#44743BR (4/25)

JOB OPENING: MANAGER, DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY & FINANCE/Comcast/PA: Deal analysis & various finance functions for Comcast network Distribution. 3-5yrs financial exp. req’d. Apply: www.comcast.com Req#44183BR (4/25)

JOB OPENING: MANAGER, NEW MEDIA DISTRIBUTION/Comcast/PA: Secure distribution deals with MSOs and alternative tech. dist. 5 yrs cable business development exp. req’d. Apply: www.comcast.com Req#43571BR (4/25)

JOB OPENING: DIR, NETWORK DISTRIBUTION & DEVELOPMENT/Comcast/PA: Secure distribution deals with MSOs and satellite. 10 yrs media exp req’d, contract negotiation skills a must. Apply: www.comcast.com Req#45391BR (4/25)

JOB OPENING: MKTNG DIR/KidzBop.com, NYC: 5+ yrs exp, strong int. in children’sent. internet mrktng exp – strategy /execution both online & offline, mng budget, copy writing, creative, team player. Res to: fnull @razorandtie.com (4/25)

JOB OPENING: INTEGRATED MKTG/PROMOTION MGR: Dev/execute multi-platform, intg. programs for clients w/ b’cast ad sales team, write client proposal decks; MS PP. TV mktg exp. must. 4+ yrs. PT or FT. Contact: careers@ marthastewart.com (4/25)

JOB OPENING: PROG. MGR/WPIX/CW11-NYC: Sched cash programs., collab. screening, edit. & satel. feed matters, dub feat. films and synd. Programs, coord. barter movie and synd. Commer. make-goods. 3+yrs progrm. exp. www.cw11.com EOE (4/25)

JOB OPENING: ONLINE AD TRAFFICKER/Hearst Magazines/NY, NY:Traffic ads using DFP, QA creative submissions, monitor/optimize campaigns, reporting/analysis on campaigns, and inventory management on sites. Magazineshr4@ hearst.com (4/25)

JOB OPENING: PRINT GRAPHIC DSGR/CSTV Networks/NYC: Develop layouts & designs; design & produce brochures, postcards, etc. See complete ad on www.cbscareers.com . Send resume, sal reqs + link/PDFs of sample work to [email protected] (4/24)

JOB OPENING: SALES ASST/FUSE/NY: Assist AEw/daily sales & servicing of clients. Hvy phone vol. Book orders, create flow charts, allocate prod’s. Good org/interpers’l/com skills.BA req’d. rez to www.cablevision.jobs ref #3196BR (4/24)

JOB OPENING: ASST, LEGAL & BUS. AFFAIRS/Oxygen/NY: Support 2 legal & bus. affairs execs. Detail oriented w/strong PC skills. BA.1+ yr exp at a firm or ent legal dept pref’d. Res to: [email protected] . Ref job title in subject line (4/24)

JOB OPENING:  SR MGR LICENSING-HARDLINES/LA: Gift, toy, collectibles, sporting goods sls presentations to North Am manufacturers; concept to sell-in with licensees; strong sls/close skills/budgets.  Apply: [email protected]   (4/21)

JOB OPENING:  ASST MEDIA BUYER/ABACUS MEDIA/SANTA MONICA: Entry level job- learn media business. BA degree, PC prof, Good phone skills, Detail oriented, Web knowledge a plus. E-mail resume: [email protected] (4/20)

JOB OPENING:  COPYWRITER/EDITORIAL COORD/Silver Spring, MD:  Write/edit for DVD products, oversee freelancers. Min. 2-5 yrs exp. Excel’t English, Chicago Style, degree req’d. Resume/ltr/ 2 samples to [email protected]. EOE (4/20)

JOB OPENING:  WRITER/PRODUCER/USA, NBC Universal/NY: Responsible for conceiving, writing, editing and producing on-air promos for USA Network. Min. 3yrs related exp. www.nbcjobs.com keyword job #591587 (4/20)

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: INTERN/ Firebrand/NYC: Media start up /fast paced production environment. Opportunity to work in various depts. Sales/Marketing/Web/Programming & Editorial. Could lead to perm position. Apply to [email protected] (4/26)

SITUATION WANTED ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE HIRED —

SITUATION WANTED: MARKETING GURU/NYC: 7+ years in Entertainment & Media Marketing/Branding/Advertising/Promotions. Out of the box thinker with a proven track record, love to multitask and very outgoing. Email: [email protected] (4/26)

SITUATION WANTED: GET RESULTS! Creative & Connected NY media pro seeks freelance gig in biz dev/reality/prod or syndication: I sell, book guests, produce packages, write & secure sponsors. Exp. at 3 nets. $350/day. [email protected] (4/26)

SITUATION WANTED: Experienced, bilingual professional seeking position of PRODUCTION COORDINATOR or ASSOCIATE PRODUCER. Dedicated, goal-oriented, strong work-ethic and a passion for production! Freelance basis. [email protected] (4/25)

SITUATION WANTED: College graduate looking for entry level position in MARKETING/MEDIA BUYING/SELLING. Previous internship experience in marketing, development, public relations and market research. Contact [email protected] (4/24)

SITUATION WANTED: PROMO COPYWRITING: Uber-copywriters. Fortune 500 entertainment clients. Copy runs, tag lines specializing in the FEMALE FARE. Women Do It Write! Contact: [email protected] (4/24)

SITUATION WANTED: PROJECT MANAGER/DIGITAL MEDIA/FINANCE/NY: Full time. Currently finishing MBA in Finance/Media in NYC, with diverse background in product development and patents EMAIL: [email protected] (4/24)

E-mail Trish Pihonak for rates and specs for Job Openings.

Are you looking for a job? Post your Situation Wanted Ad here — Email Trish Pihonak for specs.