A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM NATPE LATVFest

More than 40 sessions, intensives, panels, chats, screenings include: Interactive Content: Engaging & Monetizing Your Audience / Machinima : A Revolutionary Content Platform to Incubate New Series / Gossip Girl 360: Anatomy of an Online Success Story / Triple Threat Predator: Surviving in Hollywood as a Writer/Producer/Editor / Master Class with Chuck Lorre / Your Top 10 Workflow Issues with RED’s Ted Schilowitz …

Cynopsis: DIGITAL

07/10/08

Good morning, it’s Thursday, July 10, 2008, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

Last.fm announced the official launch of its Artist Royalty Program allowing unsigned bands to register their uploaded music on the site, so they can get paid royalties when their tracks are listened to by Last.fm users. Since offering the option in January over 450,000 independently-produced tracks have been registered on the site. However, a group of independent labels called Merlin, positioned as a “fifth major” representing some 12,000 smaller companies, is already complaining the program is unclear about its terms and fails to address compensation for past use.
 

 
CBS’ reality warhorse Big Brother is back for a 10th season on multiple platforms this Sunday including a newly redesigned website featuring enhanced social networking capabilities. The layout is a lot cleaner, making it easier to browse through clips and catch up on missed events through summaries of past episodes. The CBS Audience Network will again lend support distributing nightly clips through embeddable widgets. And RealNetworks will resume its 24/7 live video streams from 4 cameras placed in the Big Brother House, available to SuperPass subscribers.
 
Look for a revved up Shark Week website organized to promote Discovery‘s longest-running programming stunt. The data game Sharkrunners, allowing fans to track and observe real sharks in the wild, is back for another season as well as several new features. Ocean Conservancy’s leading shark advocate Sonja Fordam will answer questions on her blog beginning July 30. An interactive State of the Shark Map will track current populations and past attacks.
 
Japanese public broadcaster NHK signed a deal to provide Joost with news and entertainment programming, including Newsline and weekly pop culture show “Imagine-nation.”
 
Turner’s Nascar.com launched a new online shopping feature, allowing fans to customize select apparel items and tailor the products with special images such as the car number, signature, sponsor logos to represent their favorite NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers.
 

 
Broadband entertainment network Mevio secured $15 million in series C funding led by Crosslink Capital and including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Sequoia Capital, Sherpalo Ventures and DAG Ventures. In May of 2008 the portal (formerly known as PodShow) attracted over 9 million unique monthly visitors, according to ComScore, up over 800% in the past year.
 
The FeedRoom, one of the oldest of the online video services companies, secured $12 million in new financing led by NewSpring Capital in order to accelerate sales and continue improving its platform.
 
Move Networks has been chosen by Channel Bee, a new London-based Internet television station, to help broadcast a series of 10 live concerts in high definition via the internet beginning today. Channel Bee was created by Simon Fuller and British TV personality Tim Lovejoy.
 

 
Irvine, CA-based Hop-on is rolling out a line of pre-paid disposable phones at the MLB All Star game next week in the wake of the IPhone 3G madness. The 1800 series ranges from the HOP 1800, priced at all of $10, to the 3G HOP 1809, offered for $125, featuring video calling (yes, the camera is in front instead of in the back) and interactive services including mobile gaming.
 
Samsung‘s latest portable digital camcorder, the SC-MX10, has some pretty nifty features for its $280 price tag. It boasts a 680k pixel CCD sensor (delivering 720×480 resolution), advanced image stabilization, a 34x optical zoom and special format setting optimized for uploads to YouTube.
 

 
The Senate approved a new wiretapping bill yesterday 69 to 28 broadening the government’s rights to spy on citizens and giving major telco carriers who participate immunity from prosecution. Twenty-one Democrats voted for the bill including Senator Obama. John McCain was not present for the vote.
 
Behavioral online ad vendor NebuAd defended its practices in front of a Senate Commerce Committee hearing yesterday, claiming to limit the data it collects from users and insures individuals their anonymity by masking their IP numbers. Skeptics remain unconvinced, claiming some of the firm’s practices violate wiretapping laws (former laws?) in some states. Lawyers from Google and Yahoo welcomed legislation to better protect online privacy.
 

 
Online video advertising network VideoEgg introduced a new suite of features offering live RSS feeds, zip code-specific messaging, transaction capabilities and new viral sharing features improving vertical targeting. Interactive tools such as a new mapping feature allows advertisers to display ads where there businesses are located.
 
Google continues to come up short in its attempts to monetize YouTube‘s billions of video views, points out The WSJ, with ad revenues expected to yield only $200 million worldwide this year. Google is fast at work at an initiative to update antiquated ad systems called “Project Spaghetti” (nothing to do with Quentin Tarantino’s new Spaghetti Western.) YouTube is even considering introducing dreaded pre-roll and post-roll ads.
 
Glam Media introduced the GlamX Ad Exchange, a vertical advertising exchange platform allowing publishers and marketers to exercise more control over how lower CPM ads are served across Glam’s network of 500+ sites. The company describes the exchange as perfect for “below the fold and non-primetime” remnant ads.

 
More than 40 million US mobile subscribers (15.6%) now actively use the mobile internet, according to Nielsen Mobile, putting the US ahead of 16 countries tracked in terms of penetration, followed by the UK (12.9%) and Italy (11.9%). The Motorola RAZR phones were found to be the most popular phones among US mobile Internet users, while Nokia handsets lead the market in Europe and Asia. Other findings include:

• 14% of US subscribers access the mobile internet with an unlimited data package, but 50% of data users say they prefer the unlimited pricing model
• 3G networks drive user satisfaction with mobile internet users, with data speeds as much as six times faster than 2 or 2.5G networks
• Today 26% of mobile internet users view ads while surfing
• Mobile internet users are more receptive to mobile advertising than average data users

 
Top Mobile Internet Channels by Unique Audience May 2008 (U.S.)
Channel                      Unique Audience (000))
Yahoo! Mail                           14,200
Google Search                         9,100
Weather Channel                     8,600
MSN Hotmail                           7,900
Gmail                                     7,500
ESPN                                      6,500
Google Maps                           6,200
AOL Email                               5,300
MapQuest                               4,600
Yahoo! Search                         4,100
CNN News                               4,000
Source: Nielsen Mobile
 

 
Former EVP of Content Strategy and Acquisition for Joost Yvette J. Alberdingk Thijm was named Executive Director of Witness, a human rights organization that uses video and online technology to shed light on human rights violations.
 
Tim Dukes joined Tribute Company as VP/Promotions for Tribune Broadcasting and Interactive, reporting Sean Compton, SVP/Programming and March Chase, Tribune Interactive President.
 
NBC Universal hired Melissa Rivera-Renet as VP/Program Research, Bravo Media and Oxygen Media, overseeing brand, programming, new media, marketing and developmental research relating to both brands. She reports to Tony Cardinale, SVP/Research and Strategic Insights, Bravo and Oxygen Media.
 
City Lights Digital upped Chachi Senior as VP/Digital Production to oversee the entire digital division and supervise all digital projects from development through post-production. Chachi has created original digital series for brand and network clients such as WEtv.com’s “Puppy Weddings” and “Hot Coffee Break” which premiered July 1.
 
The Italian American Network appointed Patrick J. Peters as its first SVP/Business Development and Marketing. He will be based in New Jersey and report to CEO, Tony Ceglio.
 

 
The proliferation of cheap video cameras, both standalone and cell phone ones, has had as much to do with the success of online video as the spread of cheap broadband services. Politicians and celebrities often complain nothing they do goes unseen. Well, rocker Peter Gabriel sees a silver lining to this cloud. The WITNESS group he founded in 1992 launched The Hub in beta, a new online video community where people from around the world are encouraged to upload human rights abuses and connect with activists that may be able to address the issues involved. The site includes discussion threads, petitions, interactive maps, playlists and mobile functionality. Former MTV Int’l executive Yvette J. Alberdingk Thijm, who was responsible for lining up a slew of major league programming deals for Joost, is joining the group full time later this month (see above). It will be interesting to see what she can do to raise the site’s profile. 

Later — Wayne
 Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
07.10.08

Cynopsis Digital Ad Sales:
Jason Cesare – 732-718-0629 / [email protected]
Classifieds – Trish Pihonak- 203-926-9878 / [email protected]

Cynopsis website – Video Resumes, Extended Classified Ads, Archives, and the Cynopsis Daily Video

To subscribe to any Cynopsis edition(s) click here . 
To unsubscribe , click here or click the button at the end of this email.

CableU – Know Networks Better. Pitch Smarter. Click here

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM CYNOPSIS MEDIA: TOP TIER

Cyn opsis CLASSIFIEDS – For More classifieds, visit the Cynopsis.com classifieds page here    .

JOB OPENING: ASST TO PRESIDENT/THE HOTEL NETWORKS NY: Key position w/ growing co. Strong verbal/written comm & PC skills. Word, Excel, PPT. Detailed & orgnzd, self starter, multi tasker; Resume to: [email protected] (7/17)

JOB OPENING: BOOKKEEPER (PT)/New York TV Production Company: Knowledge of QuickBooks for MAC. Accounts payable, receivable, Payroll. Please have references and good attitude. Resume to [email protected] (7/17)

JOB OPENING: INTERNATIONAL CORD/CBS TV Network/NY: Maintain & track programs thru video facility. 2+ yrs customer service exper at a TV Distribution/Post Prod/Editing facility. Apply: www.CBSCorporation.com/careers (Req #2526) (7/17)

JOB OPENING: VIDEO PRODUCER (Freelance)/Lifetime Networks (LA): Produce web videos from existing and original content. 5+ yrs producing exp., including web content. Apply to: [email protected] (7/17)

JOB OPENING: ADMIN AFFIL MARKETING/SANTA MONICA/GSN, The Network for Games: Report to VP Affil Mark. 2+ yrs. exp in Cable TV. BA/BS degree in related field. Send Res/Cov Letter: [email protected] (7/16)

JOB OPENING: FREELANCE COORD/AETN/NY: Post-Prod material, rsrch, maint. asset dbase. Create comp. reels and digi files for int’l dist. using FCP. Dub/ship/track. Process deliverables. On-air supp. Apply: [email protected] (7/16)

JOB OPENING: DIR PROMO MKTG/NY/AETN: Develop & execute ad sales & mktg partnership in digital media, strong project mgt needed, exp in promo mktg req’d. Apply: www.aetn.com (7/16)

JOB OPENING: VP, RESEARCH/NBC UNIVERSAL/NY: Oversee daily operations of NY sales research office. Manage team in analyses, reporting and sales presentations. 8 yrs TV research exp req. www.nbcjobs.com job# 831379 (7/16)

JOB OPENING: AD SALES RSCH MGR, NAT’L TV NTWRK: 4-5 yrs exp brdcst or cable media rsrch. Exp w/ Galaxy/NPower/Mkt Brks. Knwlg of MRIs, AdViews, Star Trak a +. Strong comm. skills & team player a must. Res: [email protected] (7/16)

JOB OPENING: MANAGER, LISTINGS EDITOR/ABC Burbank: BA/BS, 3yrs Publicity listings, traffic, strong attention to detail, Word, Excel, apply at www.disneycareers.com (req 169058) (7/15)

JOB OPENING: SR RESEARCH ANALYST/Scripps/Knox TN/in support of interactive 4 all Scripps sites. to apply: Direct Link or www.scrippsnetworks.com (7/15)

JOB OPENING: MGR, AD SALES RSCH/DISCOVERY/NY: Disc./Military: Monitor demographic performance, manage Nielsen analyses, write sales suppt materials/presentations. 7+yrs exp media research. Apply: www.discovery.com #8108 (7/12)

JOB OPENING: MGR, MKTG/PROMOTIONS/ABC Daytime/SOAPnet/LA: Manage consumer mktg initiatives; conceive promotions/pitch, manage events; multi-platform thinker; BA/BS, 3+ yrs exp. Apply www.disneycareers.com Req #168002 (7/12)

JOB OPENING: MGR, PRICING & PLANNING/G4, Comcast Ntwrks/NY: 4+ yrs exp, Resp for managing sales processes, stewardship, rev analysis and overseeing inventory, DealMaker exp a plus. EEO/AA/Drug Free Apply www.comcast.com 69371BR (7/12)

JOB OPENING: PUBLICIST/MANAGER/GSN SM:Energetic & creative a must with digital media design exp for our fast-paced, high-pressured ent publicity department. Email resume and salary requirements to [email protected] (7/12)

JOB OPENING: DIR, CONTENT DVLPMNT & PROD, SHORT FORM/History/NY: Oversee dvlpmnt/prod of video prgrmng for multi-platform dist.10 yrs Long form & Promo prod exp; Team leadership& editorial skills essential.Apply: www.AETN.com (7/11)

JOB OPENING: MGR., AD SALES PARTNERSHIPS/LIFETIME NY: Develop integrated proposals for advertisers interested in partnering with Lifetime across our various properties/ Apply at: h ttp://www.lifetimetv.com/about/jobs.html (7/11)

JOB OPENING: DIR. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT/LIFETIME NY: Source, structure & implement deals to grow Lifetime traffic and digital business. Min. 8 yrs of business development exp. Apply at: http://www.lifetimetv.com/about/jobs.html (7/11)

SPRING AND SUMMER 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] .

SUMMER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Television Production facility in suburban Philadelphia. Nancy Glass Productions. 610-668-1668 or email Director of Production, Cathy Moss. email: [email protected] (7/11)

SITUATION WANTED ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE HIRED … Interested in posting your Video Resume? Contact [email protected] for more information ….

SITUATION WANTED: STORY/FIELD PROD: Non-fiction magician. Reality, Docusoap, docs, ent., talk; 3 Emmy Noms; 12+ years; LA Based; Will travel. [email protected] (7/12)

E-mail [email protected] for rates and specs for Job Openings.

Interested in posting your Video Resume? Contact [email protected] for more information ….

Are you looking for a job? Post your Situation Wanted Ad here — Email [email protected] for specs.

Cynopsis Media LLC
One Corporate Drive, Suite 724
Shelton, CT 06484
203.926.9878