Cynopsis: DIGITAL
07/29/10
Good morning, it’s Thursday, July 29, 2010, and this is your first early morning digital briefing. If you would like to read this or any other Cynopsis edition online, click here.
Google has been holding talks with social gaming developers such as Playdom, EA’s Playfish and Zynga to develop its own game-centric social networking service dubbed “Google Me” to compete with Facebook, reports the WSJ, following up on numerous blog reports. (Google has been rumored to have sunk some $100 million into leading Facebook game developer Zynga as part of its strategy.) Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who admitted to the Journal that the search giant was a “one-trick pony” built around search, denied that Google was positioning itself to be a direct competitor of Facebook. He also doubted that Facebook was looking to start its own AdSense business, beyond what it has already built around the “social graph.”
Turner Broadcasting System is offering TBS and TNT as its first TV Everywhere offerings for Verizon’s FiOS TV Online service. Authenticated FiOS TV subscribers can access full episodes of original shows such as The Closer, Southland, Lopez Tonight and Meet the Browns 24-hours after they air on live TV. The system incorporates technology from Adobe and FreeWheel.
Turner Sports also announced it will telecast the 2010 PGA Championship, this year’s last golf major, on TNT in 3D with a number of cable partners including Comcast, Cox, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Bright House and DirecTV. 3D coverage will focus on the par-3 12th and 17th holes at Whistling Straits from 3-7 pm ET each day. Glasses-required 3D coverage of the 12th and 17th holes will also be viewable on pga.com.
“Battlestar Galactica” and “Caprica” co-executive producer Michael Taylor is working on a script of a new short form online spin-off series for SyFy called “Book & Chrome” tracing the experiences of young William Adama in the first Cylon War, per the Chicago Tribune.
Sesame Street has added free episodes of international co-productions of the show from a variety of countries as free downloads on Amazon‘s Video on Demand site, including Bangladesh, Brazil, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Kosovo, Palestine and Russia. “Takalani Sesame” from South Africa features Kami, the world’s first HIV-positive Muppet.
Social television platform Philo announced it has completed financing with a consortium of institutional and angel investors including North Bridge Venture Partners, DFJ Gotham and ENIAC Ventures. The company also officially launched v.1.2 of its iPhone and iPod Touch app , which now supports check-in and time-shifted television content. Activity streams allow users to see comments, recommendations and viewing habits of friends, with awards being given for interacting. Phio’s web-based social TV app is a combination Facebook and Twitter service for TV viewers, allowing users to build profiles and playlists, make friends and kibbitz about what they’re watching on TV in real time.
The FTC is considering plans to make a “do not track” list to allow consumers to opt out of online behavioral targeting in one fell swoop, similar to its current “do not call” list for telemarketers. FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz described the program as a “universally easy-to-use mechanism for consumers” that would run through the FTC or through a private entity.
Game software retailer GameStop announced plans to acquire social-gaming company Kongregate for an undisclosed sum, a platform that hosts games from more than 8,500 developers. Kongregate.com features more than 30,000 games including strategy, MMO, adventure, RPG and mobile games, monetized through virtual currency and ads. Kongregate co-founders Jim and Emily Greer will continue to run the company, with the offices to remain in San Francisco.
Home improvement website Kudzu.com formed a multi-media partnership with Scripps’ HGTV.com to provide hyper-local listings of home service professionals by neighborhood, homeowner ratings and user reviews.
Social networking sites reach a higher percentage of women than men across the globe, according to a new ComScore report about the impact of women on the web, with 75.8% of all women online visiting a social networking site in May 2010 versus 69.7% of men. What’s more, women spend 30% more time social networking than men, consuming 57% of the page views and accounting for 57% of the overall time spent. Latin American and North American women are the biggest social networking users. Globally, women also spend 20% more time on retail sites and are more likely to buy something on the sites, with 12.5% of women making an online purchase in Feb. 2010, compared to 9.3% of men.
Worldwide Social Networking Usage & Engagement by Females and Males – May 2010
Total Worldwide Audience, Age 15+ – Home & Work Locations
Social Networking
% Reach % Composition % Composition % Composition Average Hours
Unique Visitors Pages Minutes per Visitors
Total Audience 72.5% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 4.7
All Females 75.8% 47.9% 57.0% 56.6% 5.5
All Males 69.7% 52.1% 43.0% 43.4% 3.9
Source: comScore Media Metrix, Excludes visitation from public computers such as internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs
Social Networking Reach by Worldwide Region for Females and Males – May 2010
Total Audience, Age 15+ – Home & Work Locations Metrix
Social Networking % Reach By Region
Worldwide 75.8% 69.7%
Latin America 94.1% 91.9%
North America 91.0% 87.5%
Europe 85.6% 80.6%
Asia Pacific 54.9% 50.7%
Source: comScore Media
In-flight broadband services have grown wings this year with service providers expected to rack up $95 million in total revenues in 2010, according to new research from In-Stat. Deployments are expected to reach a critical mass of 2,000 planes globally by the end of the year, with total in-flight broadband equipment investment expected to approach half a billion dollars globally by 2013.
Apple released an update to its Safari web browser featuring colorful icons that resemble App Store icons. Utilizing HTML5, JavaScript and CSS3 code, the Safari Extensions are one-button shortcuts to popular services including Twitter trends, Bing search, Amazon wish lists and New York Times RSS feeds. Others alter content on sites you often visit, such as expanding videos on Vimeo or YouTube to the widescreen format. Click on the Reader button and articles instantly appear in one continuous, ad-free view. Some are godsends in an age where many would argue sites are being socialized to death. For instance, the DeFacer tab will remove “Like”, “Recommend” and “Share” buttons from third party sites.
Jeff Fleeher has been upped to SVP and CFO, TV Networks & Digital Distribution, NBC Universal. His financial oversight includes the distribution of NBCU’s cable networks, NBC and Telemundo O&Os, Olympic Games content on cable and broadband, and VOD, PPV and set-top-box content across cable, satellite and telco. He continues to report to Bridget Baker, President, TV Networks Distribution, NBC Universal, and JB Perrette, President, Digital & Affiliate Distribution and Content Distribution Strategy, NBC Universal.
Tribune Interactive promoted Julie Anderson to SVP/Content and Integration. In her new role, she will oversee two groups: The representation team, which provides strategic assistance to the company’s business units as they formulate their digital growth plans, and the market services group, which provides support for Tribune Interactive’s platforms and products.
Media industry business software company Marketron hired Tony Gaughan as SVP/Products and Chief Technology Officer. He joins the company from Serenhipity, a mobile social networking company he founded.
Despite the proliferation of successful news sites on the web, from CNN.com, to Politico to The Onion, broadcast news veteran Fred Silverman and a handful of online editors think there’s still room for more. More of an aggregation site than one that breaks news, Newslook looks to cover complex stories by presenting video coverage of major events from a variety of sources and points of view. For instance, content surrounding the WikiLeaks.org controversy (WikiLeaks released some 90k classified documents this week painting a negative picture of the Afghan war efforts) include video pieces from France 24, ITN News Voice of America, PBS and Al Jazeera. Metadata-based search will pull up earlier stories on WikiLeaks, with a little comedic fake news thrown in for fun and editorial disclaimers such as “Leans Conservative” warning viewers of a possible slant. “We don’t just curate our content but we put it in context with differing points of view as well as background and analysis,” writes CEO Fred Silverman in an email. Newslook has signed licensing deals with about 20 content providers so far; the site’s editors are pulling content from its partners’ YouTube channels until hard feeds can be set up. The start-up is also planning to launch a syndication service for third party sites later this year as a way for publishers to add thoughtful news video to their sites from a more global perspective.
Later — Wayne
Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
[email protected]
07.29.10
Cynopsis Ad Sales:
Mike Farina – Sr. Dir/Business Development & Sales – 203-218-6480 / [email protected]
Classifieds – Trish Pihonak- 203-381-9096 / [email protected]
Member of Interactive Advertising Bureau (iab)
To subscribe to any Cynopsis edition(s) click here .
To unsubscribe , click the button at the end of this email.
Cyn opsis CLASSIFIEDS – For More classifieds, visit the Cynopsis.com classifieds page here .
ATTENTION JOB RECRUITERS FOR THE TELEVISION AND ADVERTISING INDUSTRY – send us your contact information so we can begin to build a database for referrals. We get people all the time around the country asking us for names of local recruiters. Help us out – send us your contact information, name, company, address, phone, email and fax. NY and LA are great, but we also need names of firms in Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, DC, and elsewhere. We have people to send you! Email your info to [email protected].
JOB OPENING: CNS-MANAGER, TRAFFIC/Orlando, FL: Overseas the daily operations of traffic dept/checks logs for errors & communicates w/ ntwrk control/5+ yrs cable traffic exp/detailed oriented www.ecentralmetrics.com/url/?u=7440381166-208 (8/5)
JOB OPENING: WEB DEVELOPER/Hallmark Channel/Studio City: 3 years web develop. & database management. See full posting and apply @ www.hallmarkchannel.com (8/5)
JOB OPENING: SALES COORDINATOR/TV Guide/ NY: Excel skills a +, Organized, Strong comm skills, Work w/AEs/Planners/Sales/Traffic/P&P Marketing. Weekly allocations, deal maintenance, daily comm w/agencies. [email protected] (8/5)
JOB OPENING: DISTRICT REP/ABC Affiliate Rels/LA: Daily client svcs/operational support to stations; enforce netwrk guidelines. Track/record clearances. Min 1 yr exp; must know TV ntwk/station roles. www.disneycareers.com #255704 (8/5)
JOB OPENING: DIGITAL SALES/Scripps Networks/AE/NY: 2+ yrs Digital Planning exp a must. Manage & grow accounts, new biz development, strong Excel & PP. Full details at www.scrippsnetworks.com & select req. #’s 1748, 1749 (8/5)
JOB OPENING: RSRCH MGR/NY: Lead client rsrch needs across all media. 4-7yrs exp media rsrch ind. ad agency. Exc in Nielsen, MRI &/or qual rsrch. Apply: www.mediacomusa.com Click on “careers“ (8/5)
JOB OPENING: RESEARCH DIRECTOR/Miami, FL/Discovery LATAM/USH: 6+ yrs LATAM Programming Research exp a must. Strategic leadership in dev of creative approaches to position & differentiate portfolio. [email protected] (8/4)
JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/ WTIC/WCCT/Hartford: Seeking two AE’s: 3+ years, 1+ yrs sales/media experience multi-media experience preferred; excellent negotiation skills; strong work ethic; desire to win. [email protected] (8/3)
JOB OPENING: EP/IMAGINATOR /Houston: A DIF APPROACH TO LOCAL TV NEWS… THE NEW TRIBUNE IS LOOKING FOR A PERSON TO HIRE/LEAD/IMPLEMENT A REVOLUTION IN TV NEWS.EXP RUNNING A NEWSROOM NOT CRITICAL. www.tribjobs.com Job ID 2010-14912 (8/3)
JOB OPENING: RESEARCH ANALYST/OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network/LA: Min 1-2 yrs exp in TV/MP Research, expert in Star, NPower, Omniture & Rentrak, strong written and analytical skills. Apply at: http://careers.own.tv/ (8/3)
JOB OPENING: DIR/MGR DEAL STRATEGY/MTVN/NYC: supports Content Distribution & Mktg (CDM) group in a brd variety of matters arising from the dist of Viacom. 5yrs+ exp buz & develp/strategy. BA deg.Apply: www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (8/3)
JOB OPENING: MANAGER, CONTENT & PROGRAMMING/Nickelodeon Digital/NYC. 4+yrs exp. in digital media envrnmnt, Exp. Manging Digital Content, Stng research,fact cheking & trnscrbng skils EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (8/3)
JOB OPENING: COORDINATOR, CONTENT & PROGRAMMING/ Nickelodeon Digital/NYC. 2+yrs exp in digi media envrnmnt/detail orientd/strng writen & oral skils/ability to multitsk & thnk creativly EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (8/3)
JOB OPENING: VP COMMUNICATION/NICKELODEON/Santa Monica: 10+yrs exp strong industry knowledge. construct & lead multi projects. Media savvy & dynamic communicator EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (7/31)
JOB OPENING: SR. RESEARCH ANALYST/BET NY Sales: 2-3yrs exp TV or media rsrch. Prof in StarTrak, Nielsen Npower/MarketBreaks/AdViews, MRI. Strong PPT & Excel; PPT creativity a must. Res: [email protected] (7/31)
JOB OPENING: SALES PLANNER/GolTV, Inc. /North Bay Village, FL: Support Ad sales in all aspects, incl but not limited to–bldg proposals, maint of deals/schedules, client requests, ADU’s, posting. Apply: [email protected] (7/31)
JOB OPENING: MOBILE PRODUCT TECHNOLOGIST/NYC/NBCU: Talented and detail-oriented. This contract position with the Interactive Media Tech Team will manage mobile: web, video, apps and messaging. http://bit.ly/9UK66s (7/30)
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] .
FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Discovery Communications/NYC: Looking for bright, motivated for-credit interns working in Ad Sales/HR/ Talent/ Development/ Communications. Must be in SCHOOL. Start end of Sept. resume to [email protected] (8/5)
FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Discovery Communications/LA: Looking for bright, motivated interns working in Ad Sales/ Public Relations/ Production/ Communications. Must be in SCHOOL. Start end of Sept. resume to [email protected] (8/5)
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: EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT position film/TV (NY) 7 years experience: Interned for a President, Executive Assistant to SVP/VP/film director/celebrity [email protected] (8/5)
SITUATION WANTED: PA /NY: Recent tufts grad w/ tv prod, admin. & publish. exper., strong writing skills, work ethic & enthusiasm seeks entry-level TV job; also makes delic. cookies & good at carrying heavy obj. [email protected] (8/5)
SITUATION WANTED: NEED A BUDGET DONE?? LINE PROD 10+ yrs. exp- Freelance budget work in all formats including 3D. Accurate budgets, Reasonable rates, fast turnaround 30 days unlimited revisions: email [email protected] (8/4)
SITUATION WANTED: RESEARCH DIR/SALES STRATEGIST – 20+ yrs media, Nielsen, Hisp, research, sales, and presentation experience. Email: [email protected] (8/4)
SITUATION WANTED: Hard working, self-starter PRODUCTION MANAGER/NY: with Field Producing and Post Supervisor experience seeks challenging new position. Past companies include HBO, MTV, A&E, Thirteen & Nat Geo. [email protected] (8/4)
SITUATION WANTED: PRIME TIME EMMY DOCUMETARY. PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, WRITER in L.A. Credits: National Geo, PBS, Discovery, History CH, TLC and MSNBC. Contact email: [email protected] (8/4)
SITUATION WANTED: Top VP/DIRECTOR DIGITAL SALES now available for your turnaround, new venture or next level challenge. It’s all about proof of performance…contact [email protected] (8/3)
SITUATION WANTED: SALES MANAGER/LA: Bilingual Spanish-English professional seeks position in US/international distribution of features or television programs. 5+ years multicultural experience. Travels well. Contact [email protected] (7/30)
SITUATION WANTED: Dedicated & Experienced ADV. SALES PLANNER (NY) Sales proposals, resolving client discrepancies, quarterly post analysis, special sales service projects, expert computer skills. Contact- [email protected] (7/30)
SITUATION WANTED: NYC MARKETING M.B.A with 3 years experience including work at NBC Universal and Warner Bros. seeks to add value in a marketing role. Details at www.nikhilsonlineresume.com E-Mail: [email protected] (7/30)
SITUATION WANTED: DRAMA/LIFESTYLE: Seeking Development / Acquisitions / Legal position. 6+ yrs exp, with background in production coord. Looking to grow with supportive team at network / prod co. Can relocate. [email protected] (7/30)
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.
Cynopsis Media LLC
One Corporate Drive, Suite 724
Shelton, CT 06484
203.926.9878
All outgoing e-mails are scanned and sent out virus free. Copyright Cynopsis 2010
