Cynopsis: DIGITAL

03/18/10

Good morning, it’s Thursday, March 18, 2010, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

AT&T and Sprint became the next carriers to offer up their networks to Google‘s self-marketed Nexus One handset. But with no contract, (at least for the AT&T model) expect to pay $529 for the phone. (The Nexus One first became available on T-Mobile for $179 with a 2-year commitment.) Sprint also plans to unveil the first smartphone optimized for its 4G WiMax network at CTIA next week run by partner Clearwire, per the WSJ. The “Supersonic” handset, built by HTC, will feature faster mobile web surfing as well as faster video and app downloads.
 

 
E-Book holdout John Grisham inked a deal with his publisher Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Random House, to allow the company to begin marketing his legal thrillers via e-book retailers including the Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble.com and Amazon.com. Grisham had been critical of e-book outlets for devaluing the work of authors by offering books at cut-rate prices.
 
TVGuide.com launched a new listings section to alert users to what movies are available on their local cable providers On Demand menus. The interface, which also flags which titles are being released in the “same as DVD” window, offers up a synopsis, cast info and links to TV Guide’s Online Video Guide for each title. CTAM is sponsoring the offering.
 
Scripps Network Interactive has reached an agreement with London-based Passion Distribution to license its cable shows internationally. Thirteen shows are now being shopped including Food Network’s Ace of Cakes and HGTV’s Design Star.
 

 
AOL is establishing a $10 million venture capital fund to seed start-ups in the local media space. The companies will operate out of AOL Ventures. AOL also announced it will re-launch its hyper-local City’s Best feature in 25 major U.S. metro areas this year.
 
Mini audio encyclopedia publisher iMinds, which produces informative knowledge tracks for audio book platforms, has developed a new short-form format for eBooks. iMinds audiobooks will be adapted into 1,200 word pamphlets, bundled into collections of titles ranging from $1.99 to $9.99. iMinds eBooks are available through Amazon’s Kindle Store, Barnes & Noble and the OverDrive network of libraries and retailers.
 

 
Evolve Media announced it is combined the forces of Gorilla Nation, AtomicOnline, Double Helix and Springboard under a single banner. The one-stop shop will offer publishers the opportunity to reach an aggregate monthly audience of 300 million uniques utilizing Gorilla Nation’s sales network, AtomicOnline’s content sites, Double Helix’s creative services and Springboard’s branded entertainment video shop.
 

 
Continuing to build out its content business, Yahoo announced plans to acquire Fantasy Sports-themed social networking app maker Citizen Sports for an undisclosed amount. Citizen Sports’ iPhone, Android and Facebook apps allow you to manage fantasy leagues or network with other fans around a number of sports.
 
Netflix has tapped Akamai to handle content delivery for its fast growing Watch Instantly streaming service. By the end of 2009, Netflix says that nearly half of its 12.3 million customers had watched a movie online or on a broadband-connected device.
 

 
TV ad spending fell by nearly 9.5% in 2009 to $60.3 billion, according to the data released by Kantar Media. Spot TV took the biggest hit in the TV sector, down 23.7%, to $12 billion, while Network TV fell by 7.6%, to $20.5 billion. Spanish TV also decreased by 8.9%. Internet display advertising was the only major category to see growth, increasing by 7.3% y/y, but even they declined during Q4.
 
Percent Change in Measured Ad Spending
 MEDIA SECTOR                 Full Year 09 vs. 08  Q4 09 vs. 08
· Media Type
(Sectors and types listed
in rank order of spending)
4th Quarter 2009 vs 2008
TELEVISION MEDIA                 -9.5%             -2.4%
·    Network TV                        -7.6%              4.1%
·    Cable TV                           -1.4%               2.7%
·    Spot TV                           -23.7%           -13.9%
·    Spanish Language TV         -8.9%              -4.7%
·    Syndication – National         -4.9%            -10.7%
MAGAZINE MEDIA                  -17.4%           -11.5%
·    Consumer Magazines         -16.6%           -11.1%
·    B-to-B Magazines              -26.2%           -22.7%
·    Sunday Magazines             -11.0%              3.6%
·    Local Magazines                 -27.7%           -18.2%
·    Spanish Language Mags     -21.6%           -12.8%
NEWSPAPER MEDIA                -19.7%            -8.9%
·    Newspapers (Local)            -20.0%          -10.3%
·    National Newspapers           -17.8%            0.4%
·    Spanish Language Papers    -16.4%         -10.7%
INTERNET (display ads only)        7.3%           -2.1%
RADIO MEDIA                         -20.3%          -12.5%
·    Local Radio                       -20.6%          -11.7%
·    National Spot Radio            -24.6%          -16.9%
·    Network Radio                     -8.7%            -7.9%
OUTDOOR                               -13.2%           -5.4%
FSIs                                         3.0%             0.0%
TOTAL                                   -12.3%            -6.0%
Source: Kantar Media
 

 
Geolocation service Gowalla, which has launched apps for the iPhone, Palm and Android platforms, won for best mobile content at SXSW. Meanwhile TheyMakeApps was recognized for making B-to-B apps for the for-profit space.
 
ExerciseTV has launched a free iPhone app that streams newly-refreshed fitness videos daily from the network’s lineup of premium workouts. Each daily video features a 10-40 minute workout ranging from aerobics to yoga, helping to track your routine with a 7-day workout calendar.
 
Shopping channel HSN has launched a free app for Google’s Android platform. The network first launched a successful iPhone app last Oct. allowing users to purchase goods directly from their phone with the “buy this now” feature.
 
Kindle Entertainment (the kids producer not the Amazon eBook reader) is releasing an iPhone app on April 1 developed with Ace Games to bring content from CBeebies’s BBC show Big and Small to the platform. Big and Small’s website won a Children’s BAFTA award for Best Interactive in 2009.
 

 
Zodiak Entertainment tapped Marco Ferrari as Group-wide Chief Digital Officer across its unscripted and formats business. He will also retain his current position as President and Managing Director of Neo Network, the digital arm of the Zodiak Entertainment Group. Marco will report to the Group’s SVP of Entertainment Giorgio Gori.
 
Adconion announced that it has added 9 new team members to its U.S. staff. Among the new hires are former Netflix executive Stephan Doliov, who joins as VP/Applied Analytics; former NeoEdge director Sue Donahue, who will lead the company’s Chicago-based sales team; Melissa Marra, who joins as Strategic Sales Director based out of New York; and Allyson Pizula from MySpace, who joins as Video Business Development Manager.
 
Digital Rights Group has upped Patrick Roberts to SVP, International Sales in a role that will see him take over the day-to-day running of the DRG Sales team. The company has also promoted Sales Executive Kelly Shek, who adds Asia to her portfolio of territories.
 
Starz Media has contracted with veteran casting executive Marc Hirschfeld as a Casting Consultant for original programming on Starz’ premium entertainment channels.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

 
As new movie services like Netflix and Redbox continue to grow in popularity and ubiquity, a group of 8 major studios and cable operators have pooled their resources to launch a $30 million ad campaign to promote the joys of watching day-in-date VOD titles from your cable set-top. With a tagline “The Video Store Just Moved In,” the campaign will highlight upcoming new releases that will hit VOD servers the same day they’re released on DVD including Wes Anderson’s clever “The Fantastic World of Mr. Fox” and Twilight sequel “New Moon,” both coming later this month. A swath of print, interactive and TV ads, along with the website cablevideostore.com seem to suggest that you can avoid pubescent movie nerd clerks if you just order up a PPV movie from home. But the industry seems to missing out on what’s so compelling about a service like Netflix, even if Warner Bros. is making them wait for their releases a little longer. Spending money on an industry-wide recommendation engine or, perish the thought, a better VOD user interface might go a lot further in the long run.
 
Correction: It’s Larry Charles not Larry David who’s co-producing the ½ hour single camera comedy “iCON” with Dan Lyons. Wrong Larry. 
 
Later – Wayne
Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
[email protected]
03.18.10

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JOB OPENING: NATIONAL BROADCAST MEDIA DIRECTOR/Starcom/NY: Resp for managing Nat BC, Cable, Syn TV and network radio negotiations for GM. Details & Apply: www.starcomworldwide.co m Qualified candidates will be contacted (3/25)

JOB OPENING: COUNSEL /iN DEMAND/NYC: Contract management, copyright & trademark, standards & practices. JD plus 3 yrs cable/entertainment. Reply: [email protected] (3/24)

JOB OPENING: SUPERVISOR, PROGRAMMING/iN DEMAND/NYC: Create/Maintain/Track PPV, VOD, SVOD scheduling docs. Data gathering/delivery deadlines with program suppliers. Bachelors + 3 yrs exp. Reply: [email protected] (3/24)

JOB OPENING: DIR, BUSINESS & LEGAL AFFAIRS: Production, Talent agreements, etc. For indy producer. NY. Entertainment law experience a big plus. Great opportunity. [email protected] (3/23)

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JOB OPENING:  RESEARCH ANALYST/AETN/Los Angeles: Anlyz LT & comp rtings prfrmnce, prov anlyses/reprts fr Prog & Mrktng.  Exp in TV rsrch/data anlysis.  https://www.abso.com/jobboard/Default.aspx?JOBBOARDID=618&JobDetail=70005 (3/23)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, MEDIA AD SALES RESEARCH/NY-Warner Bros. TV Dist: (Syndication) strong analytical and presentation skills. Adept w/Nielsen, Galaxy, Npower, + Simmons. Email: [email protected] RE: UCTC/117019BR  (3/20)

JOB OPENING: DIR, AD SALES MARKETING/PRN/SF: Lead day-to-day, strategy for team that preps custom, client specific persuasive mktg materials for nat’l sales team. 7+ yrs sales mktg digital or brdcst http://jobs-prncorp.icims.com (3/20)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR OF SALES, POST-PRODUCTION & DIGITAL MEDIA SOLUTIONS/LA: Lead sales efforts of traditional post-production and digital media solutions. 5 yrs min. exp. req’d.  Apply: www.ascentmedia.com/careers (3/20)

JOB OPENING:  Sr. MANAGER SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING/Showtime/NY: 5yrs exp, develop and manage social media mrktg projects to drive series awareness. Apply at: www.sho.com/site/about/careers.do (3/20)

JOB OPENING:  MANAGER, RETAIL SALES RESEARCH NICK/Viacom CP/NYC: 2+yrs database processing/analysis, Strng CP Analytical exp, Mastery w/Excel, Nielsen/IRI/Walmart Retail Link A+ EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (3/20)

JOB OPENING: VP OFF-CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS/ Nickelodeon /NYC: 10+yrs PR exp, Strng Nat’l/Trade Press Relations, Stng exp CP/Digi/TV & Business, Strng Corporate Comm exp, Strng Writ/Pitch skills Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (3/20)

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JOB OPENING:  MARKETING MANAGER/COOKING CHANNEL/ NY: manage integrated mktg, promo, partnerships & advertising for Food Network sister brand. 5-7 yrs. TV consumer mktg is preferred. Apply: www.scrippsnetworks.com, job #1316  (3/20)

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SITUATION WANTED: SHORT FORM VIDEO CONTENT PRODUCER: From conception to creation: I write, produce & direct content for online & interstitial on-air. Ten years experience, self starter, NY based but will travel. [email protected] (3/24)

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SITUATION WANTED: 9x Emmy winning CREATIVE PRODUCER/ATL seeking freelance. Great w/ clients.15yr exp in promo/creative TV. Also ON-AIR HOST/EMCEE -see raycomsports.com (ROAD TRIP) [email protected]  site: www.pack30productions.com (3/23)

SITUATION WANTED: EXEC ASST/NYC: Successful track record supporting the efforts of office mngmnt incl.President & CEO. Strong oral & written comm & interpersonal skills.15+ yrs exp cable & telecomm ind. Email: [email protected]   (3/23)

SITUATION WANTED: EIC/LINE PRODUCER Available now.10+ yrs exp. Variety, Docu-Reality, Game Show, Scripted, Competition/Elimination- Mngd Productions for major TV & cable nets. Looking for next project. [email protected] (3/20)

SITUATION WANTED: 2D MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNER (NY/CT) 20+ years exp.  in TV & post-production. Freelance, pt. time or full time. www.DarleneRuess.com , www.linkedin.com/in/darleneruess, email [email protected] (3/20)

SITUATION WANTED: Seasoned Pro with 5+ yrs exp in media looking for Client Services/Campaign Management position in online, radio, tv, or entertainment. please email me at [email protected] (3/20)

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SITUATION WANTED: EDITOR/DIRECTOR 10+ years in the industry, from Film to Reality Television. Demos and resume can be seen at www.LuckyRoosterFilms.com , I can be contacted at [email protected] (3/19)

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