Cynopsis: DIGITAL

09/09/10

Good morning, it’s Thursday, September 9, 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. 

A coalition of the nation’s largest broadcasters have come up with another mobile broadcasting initiative. The Mobile500 Alliance, made up of 30 station groups that cover some 90% of U.S. TV homes, says it will build upon mobile DTV standards established by the Open Mobile Video Coalition, which began demonstrating mobile DTV services to a limited number of mobile devices in the Washington D.C. area this summer. It’s not clear whether or not the new group, chaired by Colleen B. Brown, President and CEO of Seattle-based Fisher Communications, will combine forces with the Mobile Content Venture, a rival mobile DTV initiative made up of Fox, ION Television, NBC Universal that formed in early June.
 

 
Washington D.C.-based ThumbMedia Group (TMG) has devised a plug-and-play cross platform solution to help publishers adapt their content to all three leading smartphone platforms. TMG’s “Mozine” solution provides backend support and user interface design for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry, along with a measurement component and storefront marketing support. Publishers can monetize their offerings with app subscriptions, advertising and mobile storefront transactions. 

To feed fantasy football fans voracious appetite for any bit of news about their players, CBSSports.com is returning with its RapidReports feature this year, featuring snack-sized updates filed throughout the day from the training facilities of all 32 NFL camps.
 
Call for Entries: The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is now accepting entries for the 2011 International Digital Emmy Awards, recognizing digital content originated outside of the U.S. Categories include: Digital Program for Children & Young People; Digital Program: Fiction; and Digital Program: Non-Fiction. Entry forms for the 2011 International Digital Emmy Awards are available online and due in by Nov. 5, 2010.
 

 
A group of investors led by Andreessen Horowitz (co-founded by Netscape founder Marc Andreessen) has sunk $46 million into a new startup out to build a tablet computer with dual touchscreen displays – one which can be used for reading and the other for jotting down notes. The Kno is aiming at the digital textbook market and hopes to have a working model out by the end of the year.
 
What happens to reality stars when their 15 minutes are up? Babelgum‘s new comedy Donna’s Revenge explores the concept with an 8-episode arc starring Vamped Out’s Seana Kofoed (who also appeared on ABC’s Men in Trees.) Babelgum also began streaming Dirty Oil yesterday, its first feature-length production directed and written by Leslie Iwerks and narrated by Neve Campbell. The documentary explores strip mining in Northern Alberta, Canada and is premiering at the Calgary International Film Festival on Sept. 25.
 
Paris-based online video portal Dailymotion is collaborating with Splash News to bring paparazzi videos to international audiences. Dailymotion will stream Splash’s short form clips featuring daily gossip, celeb biographies, fashion tips and celebrity couples’ news.
 

 A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM ROVI CORPORATION

Reach time-shifting, on-demand viewers before they start watching
With DVRs, on-demand, and online video, people are spending a lot less time watching live TV:

•    Only 52% of Americans’ viewing time is spent on live TV. 

(Morpace, 8/10)

•    86% of time-shifting viewers always fast-forward through ads.

(Deloitte, 7/10)

Rovi TV guides give you a DVR-proof way to reach engaged viewers in up to 15.8MM households …  before they make their viewing choice.

Download our media kit today:  http://www.roviadvertising.com.

 
Online video publisher blip.tv is launching a couple of customized ad campaigns for Samsung Mobile and Carl’s Jr. – the first centered around a free Android mobile app and the second resulting in three innovative stop-motion animated spots shot entirely with Lego blocks. (This one riffs on Rocky for Carl Jr.’s Philly Cheesesteak Burger.) The free Android app, exclusive to Samsung Galaxy S owners, will feature popular dramas, comedies, music shorts, documentaries and tech/music/app reviews hosted by blip.tv.
 
BlackArrow announced it will preview a DVR ad-substitution product in conjunction with NDS, at the IBC show next week in Amsterdam. The system enables ads to be inserted locally on DVRs on the fly to help advertisers create regionally targeted campaigns.
 

 
After a long battle fought in a climate where public television budgets are being drastically cut, public TV writers represented by the WGA have ratified their new contract, unanimously no less. Made-for-internet programming will be covered for the first time under the 4-year collective bargaining agreement, preserving separate payments for digital reuse of made-for-broadcast fare. The agreement covers members who write for the three major producers of public television programming – WGBH, WNET and KCET, as well as numerous smaller production companies that produce content for PBS. It replaces a previous contract that originally expired in the fall of 2008.
 
Personalized broadband-based TV service Sezmi, which features a selection of local, broadband, cable, on demand and HD shows, began selling its DVR hardware and programming packages on Amazon. Some version of Sezmi is now available in 36 metro areas (although not all offer cable channels.)
 

 
To drum up viewer loyalty for its “Inside the NFL” series (which it picked up after HBO cancelled it in 2008,) Showtime and agency Interactive Partners have upgraded its web app that pits users against the experts. Beat the Insiders asks players to submit their picks for 6 select games each week to see how they stack up against the show’s on air talent. (There’s also a forum to sound off about your picks.) The top forecaster from last season appeared on last night’s premiere.
 
DirecTV and Sony Pictures’ GSN Digital has launched a new Facebook app based on syndicated game show Wheel of Fortune, heading into its 28th season next Monday. Based on GSN subsidiary WorldWinner’s skill-based version of the game, Wheel of Fortune allows you to invite friends to play, post you scores on your wall and work your way up to a bonus round that you can tackle with your friends’ help. GSN Digital is also planning a Facebook version of Jeopardy! for early 2011.
 
A group of musical artists including David Guletta, Jammer and Enrique Iglesias are trying out a new interactive app on their Facebook pages to allow listeners sample and play around with their songs. (Note: you have to “Like” the artist before you can activate the app.) The apps utilize the next-generation MXP4 format and signal the next direction MXP4 will head in building out the technology.
 

 
Tribune Co. announced that David Eldersveld has been promoted to General Counsel and that former General Counsel Don Liebentritt has been named Chief Restructuring Officer. Both moves are effective immediately.
 
Meredith Corp.‘s National Media Group announced a number of digital-related promotions, each reporting to National Media Group President Tom Harty:

• Andy Sareyan was upped to President, Consumer Brands, expand his responsibilities to include oversight for the Ladies’ Home Journal and Family Circle
• Jeannine Shao Collins was promoted to EVP & Chief Innovation Officer, Meredith 360°
• Doug Olson, EVP & Director of Operations & Business Development, will expand his duties to include oversight of Meredith’s Men’s Titles, Production, Shared Services and Strategic Sourcing
• Mike Riggs was promoted to EVP & GM, adding oversight of technology initiatives
• Nancy Weber was upped to EVP & Chief Marketing Officer

 
In a bit of corporate restructuring, GoDigital Media Group announced that former CMO Logan Mulvey will assume the role of President, effective immediately, while former President Jason Peterson will move on to preside over ContentBridge Systems LLC. Gil Stark has also been promoted to Senior Product Manager, reporting directly to GoDigital’s Director of Digital Distribution Mike Rubsamen.
 
Greg Riker was appointed SVP/Worldwide Sales for Buffalo, NY-based TV Everywhere infrastructure provider Synacor. He reports to George Chamoun, EVP/Sales and Marketing.
 
Elizabeth Browde has been upped to VP/Programming and Development for the Travel Channel, reporting to SVP Fred Graver.
 
Jeremy Bennington has been promoted to GM and VP of Cheetah Technologies‘ V-Factor business unit. The Pittsburgh-based company also named David Baranski to SVP/Sales for the entire Cheetah portfolio of products and upped Steven Santamaria to COO, Dr. Stefan Winkler to Chief Scientist, and Praveen Mohandas to Chief Technologist.
 
HighTech PR hired former SeaChange International communications director John Coulbourn as VP. John will be based in the route 128 Boston tech corridor, supporting cable, telecom, IP and other high-tech industries.  
 
Tom Wright has joined San Francisco-based media agency agencytwofifteen as Director of Integrated Production. 
 

 
Google introduced a major change to the way it delivers search results on its homepage yesterday. (The enhancement is called Google Instant and will roll out to all users within a couple of days.) Begin typing in what your looking for and the site will anticipate your target before you finish typing the word, laying out 5 of the most likely completions of your search. The company says the tool will save 2-5 seconds per search because it is saving you the time of having to finish typing the word and anticipating your needs if you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for. The upgrade seems to have some positives and negatives. On the plus side, “Instant” search will end up exposing users to more search results as dozens come up before you complete the word instead of just a handful. (As anyone who relies on AdWords to drum up new business knows, precious few searchers ever venture past the first page of search results.) There will surely be some losers here, however. Search Optimization experts will have to figure out what letter combinations are going to give them the most play and sites that don’t keep up will lose out. Note: if you really hate it you can turn off Google Instant by clicking the link next to the search box on any search results page.
 
Later — Wayne
Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
[email protected]
09.09.10

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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:  TRAFFIC COORDINATOR/The Hotel Networks/NY: 1+ yrs traffic exp; Load & schedule multi-network commercial logs, maintain commercial library, log recon; Detail-oriented; Team-Player; resumes to [email protected]  (9/16)

JOB OPENING:    MGR-SYFY, USA & EMERGING NETS PRIMARY RSRCH/NYC: Plan, design, analyze & report consumer rsrch projects. Min 5yrs exp in surveys, focus groups & data analysis desired. BA/BS Req. www.nbcunicareers.com (job #1241336) (9/16)

JOB OPENING:    MANAGER, CONTENT PARTNERSHIPS/DAILYMOTION US/NY: oversee content acquisition strategy; responsible for partnerships/negotiations; financial modeling/licensing skills. Resume to [email protected] (9/16)

JOB OPENING:  SR. RESEARCH ANALYST/Sony Pictures Television Latin America / Miami FL: 4+ yrs of mrkt rsrch stats analysis exp req, fully bilingual, entertainment/TV Industry exp. To learn more visit www.sonypicscareers.com (9/15)

JOB OPENING:   SR RESEARCH DIRECTOR/Turner Sports/NY: 8+yrs TV /other media rsrch. Profic. media math & analyzing TV measurement data. High proficiency MS EXCEL PP Word. Bachelors req. Res: [email protected] (9/15)

JOB OPENING:  DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS & PUBLICITY/The Hub/LA: Must strong publicity and corp comm exp, preferably for broadcast net and/or major cable net. Apply at http://thehub.catsone.com/careers (9/15)

JOB OPENING:   ACCT. DIR/FerenComm/NYC: 5-7 yrs exp. in TV PR, strong contacts w/trade & consumer press a must.Apply to [email protected] (9/15)

JOB OPENING: RESEARCH MGR/GSN/NY: 5+ yrs in TV/Digital research. Tracking Advertising Sales with Nielsen data software. BA req. Please send res and c/l with salary history to [email protected] (9/14)

JOB OPENING: DIR, INTERACTIVE SALES/Proven Digital Sales & Sales Mgmt exp w/ relevant rolodex of relationships @ Client/Agency Direct/Exp matrix org pref’d/Ability to commute to Long Island a must: Res: [email protected] (9/14)

JOB OPENING: DIR, BRAND MARKETING/MULTI-MEDIA COMPANY/NY: Reinvigorate iconic brand; transform advertising, promo/publicity, vendors and budget. Digital experience req; flex to be strategic and hands-on. [email protected] (9/14)

JOB OPENING: TRAFFIC COORD/CABLEVISION/WOODBURY NY: 1 yr Ad Traffic exp. w/ major ad serving system. Interest in new digital media. DART, HTML a plus. See full posting and apply to www.cablevision.jobs req 12024BR (9/14)

JOB OPENING: DIGITAL RESEARCH ANALYST/Scripps Networks/NY: 3+ Yrs in digital media research. Must have web analytics tools, Omniture, WebTrends, & syndicated research products. Apply, http://www.scrippsnetworks.com (9/11)

JOB OPENING: COORD SALES DEV & PROMOTIONS/NICK/Viacom Consumer Products/NYC: 1+yrs Marketing/Cons Prod exp, Strng Comm/Org/Detail skills, Strng knwlege NICK brand, popculture, MS Office skills  Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (9/11)

JOB OPENING:  MANAGER, INTEGRATED MARKETING/Nickelodeon/NYC: 4+yrs mrktg/sales exp. in mrkting/ad agency in Ent/Media, Strng Acct Mgmt exp, Stng Project Mgmt skills Digital A+ EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (9/10)

JOB OPENING:  EXEC ASSISTANT, INTEGRATED MARKETING/Nickelodeon/NYC: 2+yrs exp. Exec Assist, Strg org/detail skills, Suprior Cust. Service, Strng comm/comp skils, Able to prioritize EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (9/10)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, INTEGRATED MARKETING/NEW BIZ/Nickelodeon/NYC: 8+yrs mrktg/sales exp. in mrkting/ad agency in Ent/Media, Strng Ideation/Acct Mgmt exp, Stng Projct Mgmt skills EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (9/10)

JOB OPENING:  DIR, CREATIVE SERVICES/KVOA-TV/Tucson:    Req’s are non-linear editing skills, 5+yrs exp in TV news promotion, previous mngmnt exp & ENPS knwldg is +.  Duties may expand to incl other corp resp. Res:  [email protected] (9/10)

JOB OPENING:  RESEARCH MGRs/MediaCom/NYC: Lead agcy consmr/media rsrch needs. 4-7 yrs media rsrch. Exp in Nielsen, MRI/Simmons & other synd media rsrch.Quant rsrch req. Apply: www.mediacomusa.com careers (9/10)

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: TWO INTERNS/Reality TV company/LA: Students interested in development from beginning to end. Must be Mac & Powerpoint proficient; prefer Photoshop & video editing. Email resume: [email protected] (9/15)

FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY:  Reality TV company seeks two interns fall semester. Students interested in development from beginning to end. Must be Mac & Powerpoint proficient; prefer Photoshop & video editing. Email resume: [email protected] (9/11)

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: Jr. Prod/Casting Assoc: Experience Casting (host/personality/expert/comedy/reality/doc), news/research, TV/Web video w/FCP, coord. skills + live TV. Creative w/great sense of humor. [email protected] (9/15)

SITUATION WANTED: DIGITAL MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY/CABLE ATTORNEY: Broad in-house exp incontent distribution, digital media, technology licensing,affiliate & ad sales. Avail for project/consultant/FT. Contact [email protected] (9/15)

SITUATION WANTED: Former PA to ABC’s THE VIEW looking to help Talent dept facilitate non-press requests for TV/Film talent. Handle logistics fortalent appearances at charity & VIP events, and award shows. Skerlee (at) hotmail.com (9/15)

SITUATION WANTED:  PRODUCTION MGR . 20+ yr NYC exp-live ent/news/sports/talk/mag/docs: studio/remote-Casual strng style hands-on-gr8 at bld/guide team.Cap & op bdgt/rept/ fcast. Fmr CAM/LD/TD/P-D. Contact: [email protected] (9/11)

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] (9/11)

SITUATION WANTED:  POWERHOUSE ENTERTAINMENT/MUSIC MKT EXEC (LA):15 YRS EXP IN PARTNERSHIPS, MKT, DIGITAL, INT’L, etc.FORMER VP WALT DISNEY CO. RESPONSIBLE FOR HIGHEST GROSSING ENT PROPERTIES WORLDWIDE. [email protected] (9/11)

SITUATION WANTED: DOCUMETARY. PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, WRITER in L.A. Five prime time Emmys. Credits: National Geo, PBS, Discovery, History CH, TLC and MSNBC. Contact email  [email protected]  (9/10)

SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCTION ASSISTANT/COORDINATOR/NYC:4 years of work & intern exp. at ESPN, HBO, ABC Skills: logging, editing, prod scheduling, expense reports, rolling calls, social media mktg, and more. [email protected]   (9/10)

E-mail [email protected]  or call Trish Pihonak at 203.381.9096 for rates and specs for Job Openings.

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