Cynopsis: DIGITAL

12/15/09

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, December 15, 2009, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

The home video industry has come up with some new ways to spur sales of the struggling Blu-ray format, still supported by less than 12 million U.S. homes. Deep discounting of both players and discs are finally converting late adopters. A higher portion of sales is being shared with retailers to help with specials and marketing, reports the WSJ. Broadband connectivity, which allows viewers to download extras, Netflix titles and made-for-internet video, is being promoted for the first time despite the obvious risk to Blu-ray sales, notes the NYTimes. And studios such as Universal have even tried releasing combo packs for about $20, throwing in a standard DVD version of the release so the movie can be watched on other TVs in the home not hooked up to a Blu-ray player, per the AP.
                                                         

 
Univision Interactive Media launched a major redesign of its mobile website, developed in collaboration with Quattro Wireless. The new Univision Móvil highlights customization options, offering a catalogue of smartphone applications, downloadable content, messaging programs and exclusive integrations with many of Univision’s popular shows and special event programs.
 
MGM has teamed with News Corp.’s BSkyB to launch the MGM HD movie channel on the satellite service, featuring ad supported HD re-mastered movies from the MGM library. The channel, a 50/50 joint venture between BSkyB and MGM, will be offered as part of two existing packages or a la carte for £5/month.
 
Verizon’s FiOS TV added programming and movies from HDNet and HDNet Movies to Its HD VOD service.
 
Warner Bros. International Branded Services and Finnish IPTV provider Elisa Corporation have launched two WarnerTV (SVOD) branded services – WarnerTV and WarnerFilms – in Finland.
 

 
Following popular start-ups such as TinyRUL and Bit.ly, Google introduced its own URL shortening service for sharing long URLs across social networks. Found at Goo.gl, it can’t be used to shorten links directly but it can be used within other products such as Google Toolbar and RSS service FeedBurner.
 
Kiosk-based DVD rental firm Redbox announced it has extended its trial licensing agreement with Paramount through “at least” June 30, 2010. Paramount has agreed to provide new releases to Redbox day-in-date of their retail release.
 

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM DIRECTV

Take 5 minutes to goof off, courtesy of DIRECTV.

Hey, the media business has us all feeling like a Bobble Head sometimes, might as well look like one. Play Perfect Match and score your own Bobble Head.

And we know you sometimes sneak in a little Facebook during work. Visit the DIRECTV Ad Sales Fan Page and for guilt-free surfing. We’ve got some hot relationships of our own to talk about and we’ll match you up. Well, at least our new app will match your brand to our ad offerings. Plus, Meet the Family. Neurotic? Maybe. Nice? Definitely.

 
In what could be the start of a major trend among the larger media companies in internet advertising, CBS Interactive announced it will no longer utilize ad networks to get rid of unsold remnant display and video ads. Instead, CBS is launching the CBS Interactive Premium Ad Network, giving it more direct control over pricing and distribution of its ads. CBS claims that its “Madison” internal ad-serving platform can deliver the same kind of targeted audiences that a ValueClick or 24/7 Real Media can, utilizing inventory within CBS’s collection of online properties. Brands such as CNET, TV.com BNET and GameSpot hit the genres of News, Tech, Business, Sports, Entertainment, Video Gaming and Music. The proliferation of ad networks has long been blamed for suppressing the pricing of premium ads.
 
Sometimes it’s just easier to speak in a language advertisers can understand. In a move to try and emulate how advertisers buy time across TV networks, performance-based video ad network SpotXchange is teaming with audience measurement firm Quantcast to offer advertisers the ability to plan and buy campaigns on a cost-per-point basis, targeting specific demographic audiences across each of its 2,500 partner sites. SpotXchange will utilize gross ratings points data to package pre-roll inventory in real time across its aggregate audience of some 55 million uniques. Ads are targeted and matched based on an automated measurement of what the intended audience of the video should look like.
 
From video ad network TidalTV‘s comes a product called BrandScore, a new online video research solution designed to enable advertisers to optimize campaigns in real time, based on measured branding metrics. Utilizing analytics from Knowledge Networks’ (KN) Dimestore Media, BrandScore deploys surveys within overlay ad units to measure brand awareness, message favorability and purchase intent.
 
Online advertising price prediction specialist Pubmatic signed a deal with TVGuide.com to manage and monetize non-guaranteed ad inventory for the publisher.
 

 
The U.S. government earmarked $30 million in new funding to help track down and prosecute piracy of Hollywood content. The funds are part of the Omnibus Appropriations Conference report, targeted for personnel and programs authorized by last year’s bipartisan Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property (PRO-IP) Act and will be divvied up as such:  $20 million will be allocated in state and local economic, high tech and internet crime prevention grants; $8 million will be used to put FBI agents on the case targeting IP crimes; and $2 million will be reserved for new Dept. of Justice IP prosecutorial activities. MPAA CEO Dan Glickman released a statement thanking Congress and calling attention to the impact piracy has on industry jobs. The MPAA and RIAA also praised this year’s “Operation Holiday Hoax,” launched by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a task force dubbed the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
 

 
The social networking craze has officially taken hold of the female demographic in the U.S., according to social media platform SheSpeaks, as usage spiked by 50% this year with 86% of U.S. women claiming to have at least one profile. What’s more, women are logging on to social networks more often, with 73% reporting they log on at least once per day (vs. 53% in 2008). Online video has also grown in popularity over the last year, with nearly 40% of women reporting that they frequently watch video and TV content online, and 85% saying they watch it frequently or sometimes. Major sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, have emerged as key drivers of purchase intent among women, with one-half of social media users reporting they have purchased products because of information on social networking sites, and 40% reporting they have used coupon codes found on social networks.
 
Top 10 Parent Companies/Divisions for November 2009
Rank  Parent            Unique Audience Time Per Person
                             (000)              (hh:mm:ss)
1        Google         155,467      2:24:13
2        Microsoft     137,198      2:02:11
3        Yahoo!         131,355      3:03:36
4        Facebook     109,710      6:10:06
5        AOL LLC       87,022        2:32:32
6        News Corp. 80,336        1:22:34
7        IAC              71,842        0:15:05
8        Amazon       68,789        0:29:52
9        eBay           66,776         1:26:18
10      Apple           62,074        1:18:23
Source: The Nielsen Co.
 
Average U.S. Internet Usage, Combined Home & Work – November 2009
Metrics                                                   Nov-09
Sessions/Visits per Person                                51
Domains Visited per Person                               86
Web Pages per Person                                 2,603
PC Time per Person                                66:28:44
Duration of a Web Page Viewed                 0:00:57
Active Digital Media Universe               195,149,922
Digital Media Universe Estimate            234,372,000
Source: The Nielsen Co.

 
As a way to cut down on customers service calls and truck rolls, Verizon’s FiOS TV is launching a new self-help app customers can use to diagnose and solve problems directly through their remote. Accessible from the main menu help screen, the “In-Home Agent for TV” app guides users through routine tasks such as setting up a remote control or checking for connectivity issues.
 
The iPhone is now being used as a fundraising tool. Rescue Cleaner is a new cutesy iPhone app that simulates the cleaning of your screen with the tongues of several wayward animals – six dogs, two cats and a ferret to be precise. Its developer Silver Lining Ideas, which assures users that drool used in production of the videos will not cause water damage to the device, are donating 25% of all proceeds from the $1.99 app to Animal Rescue organizations.
 

 
Agility Studios co-founder and CEO Larry Tanz has been hired to take the reigns of Michael Eisner’s web studio Vuguru as President, which was recently spun off as a stand-alone company with backing from Canada’s Rogers Communications. Prior to Agility, Larry served as President and CEO of LivePlanet, Inc, producers of Project Greenlight. Larry says Vuguru is still shooting for a (future) production slate of 30 projects/year and, despite the uptick in branded entertainment prods., will continue to develop and greenlight projects before shopping them to advertisers. “It’s easier to unlock media budget dollars than production dollars from advertisers,” he noted.
 
Rachel Wintner will join Glam Media as VP/Sales, charged with managing the Southwest sales team and reporting to Jack Rotolo, President and GM, North America. She joins Glam Media from Condé Nast, where she most recently served as Associate Publisher of Style.com.
 
Eric Porres has been hired by New York-based marketing platform Lotame as Chief Marketing Officer, reporting to Andy Monfried, CEO. Eric was a founding partner of Underscore Marketing, an independent, full-service digital media agency launched in 2002.
 
MTV Networks upped Kevin Arrix to the role of EVP/Digital Advertising Sales, replacing Nada Stirratt, who was hired by MySpace as Chief Revenue Officer in November. Kevin will report to Rich Eigendorff, COO, MTV Networks, and will continue to be based at the company’s New York City headquarters.
 

 
One of the key functions that has made Twitter relevant in the video space is its ability to instantly spread the word about new viral videos. That functionality just got even more powerful as Twitter-coupled video service Twitvid.com launched a real-time search engine yesterday cataloging videos shared on Twitter. Twitvid now tracks videos shared through its own service as well as through any YouTube link shared on Twitter, then ranks them using a real-time algorithm. Videos are ranked by relevancy, popularity, freshness and buzz they’re generating on Twitter – providing a glimpse into what videos are moving the needle on Twitter at any given time. The free video hosting service also launched a new analytics engine that lets video owners know more about who’s watching their uploaded clips, and where they’re from. Members can track their tweeted videos online by day, week, month or total number and users can see how many times their video has been viewed, the global location of clicks and the top people linking others to your video.
 

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

 
Later — Wayne
 Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
12.15.09

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JOB OPENING: SR WRITER/PROD/EDITOR/WSFL-TV/FT Laud FL: Seasoned creative team player to create on-air mktg campaigns for ent, sports & untradit’l morn newscast. Res/reel: [email protected] More info www.sunsentinel.com/employment (12/19)

JOB OPENING:  COMEDY WRITER/NAT’L DAILY TV/LA: 4-6 yrs+ of TV writing exp. Applicants should be pop culture junkies who can apprec comedic sensibilities of current pop. talk show hosts. Cover let/resume: [email protected] (12/18)

JOB OPENING:  TEMP SCHEDULING & TRAFFIC MGR/NFL Network/Culver City:  Implement & schedule daily on-air promo, track & analyze reports, Require 2 yrs broadcast exp, MSA/Gabriel & EMS/GRiP iT! a plus. Send resume to [email protected] (12/18)

JOB OPENING:  GSM/WDIV-TV/DETROIT: Hnds on GSM to ld & motivate sls tm & maximize rev by creating solutions for clients. Exp GSM & lrg mkt, exp digital media, knowledge of rtgs data, pricing & neg. skills. Resumes: [email protected] (12/18)

JOB OPENING: RSRCH MGR/DIG AD SLS/NYC/BBC: give insight on traffic patterns, track perf, monitor mrkt & industry trends, comm w/ vendors. High level strat & independent prjct mngmnt. 4+ yrs exp. www.bbcamerica.com/employment.jsp (12/18)

JOB OPENING: NTWRK OPS COORD/MD/BBC: Transmit logs, bcast materials & elements. Execute delivery of channel. 1-2 yrs exp, to apply www.bbcamerica.com/employment.jsp (12/18)

JOB OPENING:  TV SLS LAT AMERICA/NYC/BBC: sell BBC programs to Mexico, Central America & Carribean. Fully bilingual, Spanish & English required, 3+ yrs in LatAm TV Sls enviro. To apply www.bbbcamerica.com/employment.jsp (12/18)

JOB OPENING: CMO/DIR MKTG/AuditionBooth.com/Soho: Start-Up Company. F ocus on dig. mktg. 5+ yrs Sr Mktg Mngmnt exp. Emphasis: online, dig. mktg. Apply: http://tbe.taleo.net/NA3/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=INFUSIONDEV&cws=2&rid=335 (12/17)

JOB OPENINGS: COOR CORP PRTNERSHIPS/NY Jets/Florham Park NJ: Execute client sponsorship, advrtsing, new stadium assets & prgrms. 3-4 yrs exp w/team, league or agency req’d sponsorship srvc capacity. Res: [email protected]   (12/16)

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] .

SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Hallmark Channel/Studio City: Marketing internship avail for Jan. Must take credit/sophomore or above/avail for Jan. pls apply at [email protected] (12/16)

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: MUSIC LICENSING (LA): 10+ Experience in Music Licensing. Clearance, Song Selection, Contracts. Resume on IMDb. Email Sean Fernald at: [email protected] (12/19)

SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER/WRITER/DIRECTOR (NY): Ultra-creative, award winning, all formats, all genres, all major networks and major cable.  Fast, frugal and fun! [email protected] (12/19)

SITUATION WANTED:  BROADCAST BUSINESS MANAGER 10+ years experience working with Ad Agencies, Cable Networks, Production Companies and Vendors. NYC and will relocate. [email protected]  (12/19)

SITUATION WANTED: 20+ yrs. experience in TV Broadcasting & Cable ACCOUNTING/FINANCE. Seeking FT/PT or Temp-to-Perm
position:   [email protected]  (12/18)

SITUATION WANTED:   JR EDITOR (NY): 10 yrs experience in TV. Before moving into Post, I was a field producer / director. I prefer working on Avid, but am just as good with FCP. Reel upon request. [email protected] (12/16)

SITUATION WANTED:   CONCEPT, DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION (NYC)20 years experience working concept through completion. Portfolio:www.baerdavis.com Email: [email protected] (12/16)

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