Cynopsis: DIGITAL
05/20/10

Good morning, it’s Thursday, May 20, 2010, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

Google introduced a new open source video codec at its I/O Developers Conference called VP8 to provide a high-quality alternative to the current H.264 standard now used for web video. The news should accelerate development of new video apps as until now, many HTML5 supporters were bristling over what they saw as exorbitant licensing fees required to utilize the format. As part of its WebM Project, Google has lined up support from the Mozilla folks and over 40 other vendors including Adobe, which says it will support in its Flash video player. Then, in a play to create a pay-to-play app store for web applications, Google unveiled its Chrome Web Store featuring a selection of free and paid games, content apps and productivity widgets for use on the Chrome web browser. Sports Illustrated is one magazine that has prepared a paid app for the new Chrome store, demonstrated by SI group editor Terry McDonell at the conference. It features flip-through pages, customization features and live video content.
 

 
The British Library announced a project to digitize up to 40 million pages of newspapers including rapidly-decaying dailies dating back to the 1700s. The Library’s collection, currently available on microfilm, is by far the largest collection in the world containing over 750 million pages of newsprint. (That’s a lot of fishwrap.)
 
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is receiving a new $6 million grant to expand PBS’ investigative documentary series Frontline to a year-round broadcast footprint. CPB says the money will allow producers add new multi-story magazine-format programs to each season as well as expands its ability to develop digital content around each subject. Frontline heads into its 29th season this fall on PBS.
 

 
Independent online video distributor blip.tv has raised an additional $10.1 million in series C financing led by Canaan Partners and existing investor Bain Capital Ventures. What began 5 years ago as a web video play has expanded to televisions via integrations with Tivo, Sony Bravia, Roku, Verizon FiOS and Apple TV. The start-up now counts more than 44,000 producers on its platform, which blip says attract an aggregate 90 million views/month – 85% of which are monetized by some form of advertising. 
 
Illusionist, libertarian and all-around free thinker Penn Jillette from Penn and Teller fame is launching a new show with Revision3 called Penn Point, beginning Monday, May 24.
 
Non-profit consumer action group Consumer Watchdog launched a new website, Inside Google, to call attention on the company’s practices related to privacy and public trust issues.
 
Then there’s Openbook, a parody site put up by a group of Bay Area software engineers to call attention to Facebook’s privacy policies (or lack thereof.) It’s tagline? “Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life. Whether you want to or not.”
 

 
A new ad network running on Adify’s platform has launched called the Samosa Digital Network, targeting the often-overlooked South Asian American population. The network aggregates and manages advertising across premium South Asian related websites including Sulekha.com, Sify.com, Bollywood.com and DesiYou.com.
 

 
MobiTV has won a landmark court decision regarding rates it must pay for content it streams to mobile devices in a legal battle with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. ASCAP had argued that Emeryville, CA-based MobiTV owed $41.3 million for the period from 2003 through 2011 for royalties covering the public performance of ASCAP musical compositions by MobiTV’s mobile and internet television/radio services. The New York U.S. District Court judge in the case ruled in favor of MobiTV, claiming mobile is akin to any other delivery technology and that it is only responsible for fees amounting to roughly 2% of what the ASCAP sought.
 
Vowing to take a tougher stance on cyber pirates, the MPAA, the International Anti-Piracy Caucus, the Recording Industry Association of America and a lobbying group for the software industry placed 6 web sites and 5 countries atop new watch lists of violators and nations soft on IP theft. The five countries placed on the IAPC’s 2010 watch list are Canada, China, Mexico, Russia, and Spain and the six sites are China’s Baidu, Canada’s IsoHunt, Ukraine’s Mp3fiesta, Germany’s RapidShare, Luxembourg’s RMX4U.com and of course, Sweden’s The Pirate Bay. (The latter was back up this week after less than 24 hours of being forced off line.)
 
Data protection authorities in France and Italy have joined Germany in an investigation Google‘s Street View service, reports PC World. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers Joe Barton (R-Tex) and Ed Markey (D-Mass) sent a letter to the FTC pressing for it to make its own investigation.
 
Comcast’s white label online video subsidiary thePlatform launched an ad-supported, video player development kit (PDK) with iPad friendly HTML5 support. (Here’s a demo of what video ads look like in the company’s iPad player.) The release provides a single player framework for both Flash and HTML5, and the HTML5 video player comes complete with release controls, content restrictions, and ad policies.
 
Online video search specialist Blinkx saw its revenue more than double from a year ago to $33.6 million during the FY ending March 31, but the London-based firm continues to run at a loss, reaching $8.5 million last year. Its Daily Video Search run rate increased over 169% to 22.6 million searches per day in March 2010, up from 8.4 million per day in March 2009. The company also unveiled a new mobile search site at m.blinkx.com, accessible via the iPhone, Google Nexus One, HTC Desire and Magic, and Blackberry Bold 9700 devices.
 
Mobile-targeted content delivery network Kyte has beefed up its support for Google’s Android operating system releasing a new Android SDK and application framework.
 

 
Music-themed web and mobile platform BlueHaze announced the launch of a new free iPhone app template for independent artists, labels, festivals and ticketing companies. Bands can build customized apps to sell tickets, albums and singles via iTunes. The apps can also stream ad-supported audio and video content with social networking, sharing and push alerts features set via fan profiling. Ad revenue earned on the platform is shared with artists 50/50.
 
Skyrockit‘s ever-popular Zippo Lighter app, which with over 10 million downloads is the most popular branded app on the iPhone store, has released an update offering in-app purchasing of premium, licensed skins in more than 72 countries. Initial skins available for download include Bob Marley, Harley Davidson, Vans, The Who and Ozzy Ozbourne.
 

 
Resonate announced that Robert Barocci, CEO of the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), has joined its Board of Directors.
 

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

 
Cord cutters will delight in the new Clicker.tv site unveiled at Google’s I/O conference yesterday. It’s similar to the online Clicker service, which provides cool search and discovery tools such as highlighting “headlining” and “trending” TV shows, movies, web shows and news clips that are catching fire online. But this version leverages the HTML5 video format and streamlines the interface (much bigger icons) to make it perfect for browsing through a PC-connected large screen TV. Navigate using keyboard arrows or a configured remote to find just about any video online. The Clicker engine does a great job of categorizing some 650,000 (legal) episodes of 10,000 shows. It’s designed with Google’s Chrome web browser in mind (hence the I/O demo), but it also works with other browsers and thankfully doesn’t require any troublesome plugins to work. Now what’s needed are more customization features and social recommendation tools that have become a great differentiator for Boxee from your boring old cable guide. After all, when it comes to TV, too much is never enough, notes Clicker CEO Jim Lanzone. “As Americans we already watch 37 hours of TV a week.  I have no idea how we’re going to fit more viewing hours into each week, but we’re going to be given every possible freaking opportunity to try!,” he writes in a blog post unveiling Clicker.tv.

Later – Wayne
Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
[email protected]
05.2010

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JOB OPENING: FREELANCE EDITORIAL DIR/Nick@Nite/NY: Leads excellence in On-Air Promos & Advrtsng creative dvlpmnt; ensuring tone, message & writing are on-brand. [email protected]  MTV Networks is an equal opp employer EOE/M/F/D/AAP (5/27)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR AD SALES SOUTHEAST/Hallmark Channels/Atlanta: based and accountable for covering a 14 state territory. View full posting & apply: www.hallmarkchannel.com “Jobs” (5/27)

JOB OPENING: DVLPMNT RSRCHR/PRODUCER/NYC: For reality/non-fict TV. Extnsve rsrch for characters, subcultures, formats for next big hit. Basic shoot/edit/cast & treatment writing. Res/Cov Ltr: [email protected]. 2+ yrs exp req’d (5/26)

JOB OPENING: SPRVSNG PROD DCGEP/Discovery Communications/MD: Directs creative, editorial & budget aspects of original prod, reversions & promo, 7+yrs of Sr. Prod for factual prgrm for internat’l offices. www.discovery.com Req#9686 (5/26)

JOB OPENING: EP/Discovery Communications/TLC/NY: For TLC’s internat’l orig prod, 8+yrs direct prgrm dvlp & prod, familiar w/internat’l mkt place, ability to combine commercial & creative imperatives. www.discovery.com Req#9689 (5/26)

JOB OPENING: DIGITAL AD SALES/Top Tier Music Centric Company/NYC: Bring relationships and strong work ethic, 2years minimum exp. knowledge of agency outside of NY East Coast a +. Contact: [email protected] (5/26)

JOB OPENING: MULTI MEDIA DESIGN-FINANCIAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER/ Scripps Networks/ Knoxville, TN: Create multimedia financial presentations for corp clients. 3-5 yrs exp graphic design. Apply: www.Scrippsnetworks.com #1570 (5/25)

JOB OPENING: MGR SCHEDULING/New York: Lead sched’g strategy.Contribute to network plan’g/direction including sched’g, prgrmng & acquisitions. https://www.abso.com/jobboard/Default.aspx?JOBBOARDID=618&JobDetail=72679 (5/25)

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JOB OPENING: RESEARCH ANALYST/CNBC/Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Rprt & strat insight CNBC digital media & tv. 1-2 yrs exp web analytics, media/advertising/mkting rsrch/strat. Opp for x media perspective http://www/nbcunicareers.com/ 1180990 (5/22)

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JOB OPENING: ASSOC PROD, NEWS/NESN/MA: Write & produce feature & cvr stories, edit highlights, gather/archive video, research stats, strong knwldg of Boston sports, 2-5 yrs exp, line-prod exp a + www.nesn.com (5/22)

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JOB OPENING: SENIOR ANALYST/SEATTLE, WA: Provide marketing intelligence analysis/seeking new revenue opportunities /min of 4(7pref)yrs req in digital marketing /analytics/On-Air TV exp pref/. www.disneycareers.com REQ 245386 (5/21)

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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] .

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:  DOCUMENTARY. PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, WRITER in L.A. Five prime time Emmys. Credits: National Geo, PBS, Discovery, History CH, TLC and MSNBC. Contact email: [email protected] (5/27)

SITUATION WANTED: Publicity: Publicist books radio talk shows in big cities & national shows for movies, actors & celebrities who want to share their message with MILLIONS of REAL LIVE LISTENERS. Contact: [email protected] (5/26)

SITUATION WANTED: MEDIA SALES/MARKETING MANAGER/LA: 15+ years experience in educational, documentary, advertising media sales,product,biz development True Closer!!!!! [email protected] (5/26)

SITUATION WANTED: RESEARCH DIR/SALES STRATEGIST: 20+ yrs media, Nielsen, Hisp, research, sales, and presentation experience. Email: [email protected] (5/26)

SITUATION WANTED: FREELANCE AD TRAFFICKER (NY) Digital media specialist seeking freelance ad traffic positions on eves or wknds. Thorough knowledge of Doubleclick DFP. [email protected] (5/26)

SITUATION WANTED: CONTENT WRITER/PRODUCT NAMER/BRAINSTORMER: (LA): 15+ years in toy, kid products and licensing. Emphasis on healthy living. Let’s work! [email protected] (5/25)

SITUATION WANTED: DIRECTOR/CREATIVE DEVELOPER: Animation. Dynamic, award-winning, fun-filled … Past clients include Warner Brothers, ABC Family, Comedy Central, Nick JR, HBO Family, MTV2, The Tornante Company. [email protected] (5/25)

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] (5/22)

SITUATION WANTED: CHILDREN’S Entertainment/Art Director/Designer (NY/Boston) 15 years experience, Theatre, TV and Film seeks new projects Illustrator/Art direction/development assignments. [email protected]  (5/22)

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] (5/22)

SITUATION WANTED: EIC/PRODUCTION EXEC/LINE PRODUCER. 10+ yrs experience in nonfiction/reality with feature background. Discovery, History, TLC, A&E, HGTV, etc. Coming available. Looking on network or prod side. [email protected] (5/22)

SITUATION WANTED: ACCOUNTING/FINANCE – 20+ yrs. experience in TV Broadcasting & Cable.  Seeking FT/PT or Temp-to-Perm position:   [email protected] (5/22)

SITUATION WANTED:  WRITER’S ASSISTANT (LA): USC-trained screenwriter looking to work for an experienced Hollywood writer. Willing to take on any task my boss can give. [email protected] (5/21)

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]  (5/21)

SITUATION WANTED: CHILDREN’S Entertainment/Art Director/Designer (NY/Boston) 15 years experience, Theatre, TV and Film seeks new projects Illustrator/Art direction/development assignments. [email protected] (5/21)

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