Cynopsis: DIGITAL
02/03/09
Good morning, it’s Tuesday, February 3, 2009, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.
Living without a cable subscription may soon become possible for even hardcore TV fans. Netflix sent out an email survey to a handful of subscribers over the weekend asking them if they would be interested in paying an additional $9.95 for streaming access to original shows and premium movies from HBO via the company’s Watch Instantly feature. (The Hacking Netflix blog has a screenshot of the survey, which named shows such as Big Love and In Treatment and movies including The Bourne Ultimatum.) Ever wary of killing the DVD golden goose, HBO has been cautious in developing a digital distribution strategy. (The network waited until May of last year to make shows available for purchase on iTunes then offered only select titles at a controversial premium price point.) Netflix has been pushing to license more content for instant streaming. Its first deal with a premium programmer was struck with Starz last fall to allow members to access the Starz Play broadband movie service as part of their subscription.
A number of programmers announced deals to distribute content to the new Verizon Hub, a new table-top video platform/wireless phone/Voice-Over-IP device (see Gadgets and Apps for more details.)
- Time Inc. will offer a weekly selection of more than 50 videos including content from People.com, TIME.com, RealSimple.com, CNNMoney.com, InStyle.com, Health.com and MyRecipes.com
- ON Networks will provide a variety of health and lifestyle shows in HD such as Zen Living, Golf Tips and Food Science
- Hearst Magazines Digital Media will distribute six new videos a week beginning with content from Good Housekeeping including interactive recipes and make up tips
NBC‘s foray into the world of 3D broadcasting will also extend to the online world of Chuck. NBC.com will stream the episode “Chuck vs. The Third Dimension” in both 2D and 3D for free beginning this morning at 5 am PT, complete with a full range of interactive options including live invitation-only viewing rooms, casual games and a 360 degree virtual tour of the Chuck set.
Members of the Association of Downloadable Media reached an agreement to support a set of standards for podcast ad formats and audience measurement. Among the 25 creative options outlined in the charter are standardized pre, mid and post roll insertions, guidelines for product placement within shows as well as rules for in-show host endorsements of products. The standards were drawn up last summer and have been at least partially adopted by more than 25 digital media players including Burst Media, NPR, KCRW and Revision3. Conspicuously missing from the list of supporters is Apple, the dominant distributor of podcasts and a founding member of the ADM.
Online content syndicator Mochila announced a round of Series C financing led by led by The Greenspun Corporation and new partnership with tech publisher IDG to distribute a personal technology news service to 44 newspaper web sites including Tribune’s latimes.com and chicagotribuine.com. Content will be culled from IDG media brands including PC World, Macworld, Computerworld and GamePro.
Hulu took advantage of NBC’s inability to sell out its Superbowl ad inventory with its first high-profile commercial created by Crispin Porter & Borgusky and starring 30 Rock’s Alec Baldwin. Hulu teased bloggers during the week that the company had a “big secret” to reveal. Here it is: the company is run by aliens based in a secret lab beneath the Hollywood sign and they’re hell bent on softening up the minds of users by feeding them loads of content from the idiot box. (Cute, and probably not far off!) Hulu is hosting its own Superbowl Ad gallery and will announce the winners tomorrow.
Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy returned on the Google Content Network with two new shorts, sponsored this time by Priceline.com. (The pre-roll features an animated William Shatner and his patented Karate chop.)
Call for Votes: Video sharing site Bablegum has opened up voting for its 2nd Annual Babelgum Online Film Festival, the jury of which will once again be led by Spike Lee. More than 600 professionally-produced entries are available for free viewing online and via 3G enabled mobile devices. The top vote recipients are vying for top cash prizes of 20,000 Euros each.
Who says UGC doesn’t pay? A $1 million award winning user-generated spot for Doritos by two contest-winning brothers from Batesville, Indiana also reached the top spot in USA TODAY’s Ad Meter online tracking poll. The two brothers, who appeared Monday night on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, edged out two Bud ads, both of which featured Clydesdales. The much-hyped 3D ads for SoBe and DreamWorks aired at halftime and, thus, were not counted by the Ad Meter.
Brand-advertising focused ad network Brand.net unveiled the Brand.net Quality Certification Platform, addressing advertisers’ desire to place their brands in controlled, high-quality ad environments.
With true WiMax services from Clearwire already available in Portland, Comcast is experimenting with a plan to offer its broadband customers free Wi-Fi services when they are away from home, per Broadband Reports. Comcast launched a technical trial on Friday offering Wi-Fi service near NJ Transit commuter rail stations throughout the New Jersey region as part of a value-add. Cablevision announced its own Wi-Fi plans last May, claiming that the deployment will take about two years to complete and will cost Cablevision subs about $100 each.
Apartments.com acquired Austin, TX-based Apartment Home Living, a social media apartment site distinguished by proprietary lifestyle matching and local living guides to help renters find a place that matches their personality. The social media-savvy site will continue to operate as a separate entity but its listings will be combined with the Apartment.com network.
PepsiCo’s Sobe and Doritos ads dominated online chatter following the game accounting for almost 40% of the top 10 conversations (both positive and negative), according to social measurement service Collective Intellect. Coke managed to grab 12% of the Top 10 share-of-voice, despite its ads being pushed to the second half of the game by Pepsi’s purchase of the first half. Of the five brands with the highest online activity, Audi had the highest “brand affinity/loyalty” association.
GoDaddy’s Enhanced? spot benefitted from the Superbowl’s wire finish, ranking as the top-viewed commercial during the game according to Tivo‘s second-by-second audience measurement analysis (which factors in replays.) The Doritos UGC ad was the top viewed ad of the first half. The top ten rated commercials of this year’s game were:
1. GoDaddy.com: “Enhanced?”
2. Bud Light: “Summer to Winter”
3. Careerbuilder.com: “It May Be Time”
4. Doritos: “Crystal Ball”
5. Transformers: “Revenge of the Fallen”
6. Monster.com: “Moose Head”
7. Bud Light: “Man Thrown out the Window”
8. Pepsi: “MacGruber/Pepsuber”
9. Dennys: “Thugs”
10. Coke Zero: “Mr. Polamalu”
Source: Tivo
The Verizon Hub goes on sale this week, a new Voice-over-IP tabletop phone complete with a 7-inch touchscreen display that runs on an existing WiFi network and offers access to Verizon Wireless services. The idea is to provide everyday information and communications services such as mapping, local business listings, news, traffic, weather and related video service on a device you can set up in your kitchen. The $199 Hub (that’s with a $50 rebate and a 2-year agreement with Verizon promising to pay $35/mo. for unlimited calls to the U.S. and Canada) runs on version of Linux 2.6 and contains a 128 MB hard drive and 128 MB of RAM. Additional cordless handsets, which can be placed throughout the home, are available for $79.99 each.
Apple is finally working on adding a video recording application to the iPhone according to analysis of Apple’s recent patent application for the device by Information Week. The app could potentially support video blogging, video emails, video IM, video conferencing and a digital video player application.
Fox Interactive Media’s photo sharing site Photobucket launched a new Send to Mobile service powered by mobile content service Thumbplay allowing the site’s 25 million users to send photos and albums to mobile devices.
Benjamin Chen has been upped from Chairman and CTO to CEO of Mochila, succeeding Keith McAllister, who will remain on the company’s board of directors. Meanwhile Velocity Interactive Group’s Jon Miller, former Chairman and CEO of AOL, has also joined Mochila’s Board.
Warner Home Video announced the promotion of Jim Wuthrich to President, International Home Video and Digital Distribution. In this newly created post, Jim will report to both Thomas Gewecke, President, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and Ron Sanders, President, Warner Home Video, working with international territories to identify strategic opportunities for the Home Entertainment Group abroad.
The Association for Downloadable Media (ADM) named ComicTwit founder and former programming executive for CBS Radio Phil Wilson as Director of the Association
Ground control to Major Tom: NASA and Google released a new Mars overlay providing 3D views of the canyons and mountains of the Red Planet, part of the beta launch of the downloadable Google Earth 5.0 client application. Choose from a variety of content categories to view the locations of spacecraft landings and major scientific findings. National Geographic also signed a deal to provide a wide range of content to a new Ocean overlay of Google Earth, which also launched yesterday. Access a variety of Nat Geo content including articles, interactive features and videos including several narrated by Oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle. So far 20 content layers have been added. But Google plans to layer in an additional 200,000 points of material in the near future covering marine species, shipwrecks and climate change from a wide range of partners. Developing an interest in protecting the planet comes from knowledge of what it has to offer and Google and its partners have created an extremely powerful tool here that should pique the curiosity (and concern) of millions.
Later — Wayne
Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
02.03.09
Cynopsis Digital Ad Sales:
Chuck Bolkcom – 646-468-6180 / [email protected]
Mark Bohn- 203-583-1224 / mark@cynopsis. com
Classifieds – Trish Pihonak- 203-926-9878 / [email protected]
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Cyn opsis CLASSIFIEDS – For More classifieds, visit the Cynopsis.com classifieds page here .
JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE (Universal Sports): 5-7 yrs exp @ sports network/website co., 3 yrs. Sports or digital sales exp req’d. Knwlg effective/creative pckgng strat a must. Res: [email protected] (2/17)
JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, ROILIFE- GAMING/ONLINE MEDIA SALES: Minimum 5 years Ad Sales Experience. Strong On-line or Casual Gaming Sales experience for Fortune 1000 Companies Rez: http://www.mylifetime.com/about-us/jobs (2/6)
JOB OPENING: SALES MANAGER/Discovery Communications/New York: Sell national advertising for Discovery’s Kids to US agencies & clients, 5+ yrs on-air ad sales exp required. To Apply: http://corporate.discovery.com/careers/ Req#8752 (2/5)
JOB OPENING: WEB ANALYST MGR/Full svc integ mktg co/S. CT: Analyze traffic, click stream studies, site exp, site density, onsite search, guided nav. Provide new site web analytic tracking specs. Res: [email protected] (2/5)
JOB OPENING: VP MKTG/KidzBop/NY: Exp in kid’s mrkt & music required. Key team member with est. contacts. Resp for all brand platforms-audio/web/consumer products/live events/licensees. Apply: [email protected] . (2/5)
JOB OPENING: VP, OPS/DISCOVERY/MIAMI: Oversee Broadcast & Network Ops for Lat Amer/US Hisp Nets. 10+ yrs tv/cable ops exp, incl. mgmt/strategy/budget/technology. To apply, visit www.discovery.com (req8643) (2/4)
JOB OPENING: VOD COORDINATOR/FEARnet/LA: Schedule movies. Responsible for creating and maintaining monthly Video On Demand program planners. Horror knowledge req. Apply to [email protected] (2/4)
JOB OPENING: REGIONAL/LOCAL SALES/Arena Media Networks/NY/CHI: Sell local advrtsng & sponsorships on our digital ntwrk in sports & ent arenas. 2-5 yrs exp TV/new media sales req, pref in sports. Contact: [email protected] (2/4)
JOB OPENING: DIR INT’L CLIENT SVS/LA: Cord. delivery of all live event channel prgrmng incl. supporting ITL clients WW. Resp. for setting up satellite feeds & del. of prgrmng content. Lead Cust svc team. Apply: [email protected] (2/4)
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: Exposure to business side of television. Work on program decisions, marketing & sales opportunities for client TV stations. COX REPs-NY-Strong comm..& math skills required, Contact [email protected] #(212)372-0443 (2/10)
SPRING INTERNSHIP/CREDITS ONLY: Keith Sherman & Associates seeks an intern willing to help with day-to-day activities doing PR for the theater and other events and outlets. Please send your resume and cover letter to [email protected] (2/10)
SPRING/SUMMER INTERNSHIP/CREDITS ONLY: EMI Music Publishing’s Film/TV division is looking for interns. The ability to work 3-5 days per week and an interest in audio digitization is preferred. Send your resume and availability to [email protected] (2/7)
SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: 2 INTERNS – EDUCATIONAL MEDIA PROD&DIST/UNPAID/LA (VENICE): Working with prod and mktng team on trailers/web data/gen distribution tasks. Must have Word/PPT/Photoshop/HTML/Final Cut /Editing skills. Email [email protected] res & cvr ltr (2/6)
SPRING INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Comcast Int’l Media Group is looking for an MBA STUDENT INTERN to create business plan for international editions of E! Online. Resume/cover letter: [email protected] (2/5)
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 PRODUCER/Animator/Editor, LA- Meg Barbour – seeks work in top design studio. 5+ years experience as producer, motion graphic designer, editor, project manager, web 2.0 consultant. [email protected] (2/10)
SITUATION WANTED: BUS AFFAIRS/EXEC PROD/DEVELOPMENT (NYC). Many years expnc in docs/reality ent. Sold progs to all cable nets. Develop/pitch/prod/negotiate. Orig commissions, co-pros, acquisitions. FT/PT/Freelance. [email protected] (2/10)
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] (2/10)
SITUATION WANTED: SYNDICATION SALES PROFESSIONAL. After six years working for a major radio program syndication company, I’m ready to make the leap to television program syndication sales.I’m a seasoned pro with over 20-yrs sales experience. E-mail: [email protected] (2/10)
SITUATION WANTED: Experienced VP, DEVELOPMENT and PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE looking for new opportunity. Contact [email protected] (2/10)
SITUATION WANTED: MEDIA COORDINATOR with film degree and TV experience currently working for major movie studio seeks coordinating/analytical position with major media company. [email protected] (2/7)
SITUATION WANTED: Experienced TV ASSOCIATE PRODUCER and Superstar ADMIN ASSISTANT looking for next challenge. Hard worker/fast learner/proactive, always willing to go the extra mile. Contact [email protected] (2/7)
SITUATION WANTED: DOCUMENTARY PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, WRITER in L.A. Credits include National Geographic, PBS, Discovery, History Channel, TLC and MSNBC. Contact email: [email protected] (2/6)
SITUATION WANTED: GlobeTrotter TV is a lifestyle travel show that airs in the NYC market. Looking for broader distribution. For more info contact: [email protected] (2/6)
SITUATION WANTED: RESEARCH DIRECTOR: 20+ yrs media, Nielsen, Hispanic , & sales experience. Let me be your “Remote RD” for competitive, one-sheets, breakouts, Nielsen probs, etc. Email: [email protected] (2/6)
SITUATION WANTED: FILM/VIDEO PRODUCER/COORDINATOR/NYC. “I help you make your movie” – any length – from start to finish – One-Man-Band or Lead a Team. [email protected] (2/5)
SITUATION WANTED: NON-FICTION PRODUCER/WRITER/DIRECTOR. Seasoned. NBC; TLC; CMT; VH1; CNN; TLC; Discovery; E!. (Reality; Docs; Entertainment; Talk; Magazine.) Field and Post; Development & Sales tapes. LA based. [email protected] (2/5)
SITUATION WANTED: NYC-based MBA grad with experience working with top film and publishing companies is seeking FT/freelance opportunity. Excellent analytical, operational, and client service skills. Please contact [email protected] (2/5)
SITUATION WANTED: Experienced HRIS ANALYST (LA based) seeking projects related to data conversions, upgrades, implementations. Exc time mngmnt, organization & analytical skills. PeopleSoft background. Contact [email protected] (2/4)
E-mail [email protected] or call Trish Pihonak at 203.926.9878 for rates and specs for Job Openings.
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