Cynopsis: DIGITAL
01/03/12

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, January 3, 2012, and this is your first early morning digital briefing. If you would like to read this or any other Cynopsis editions online, click here .

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are considered the two front-runners for the coveted role of lead investment bank in Facebook’s highly-anticipated upcoming initial public offering, according to bankers and venture capitalists speaking to The Wall Street Journal. Since the social giant might plan to file by early 2012, the decision over lead investment bank might be revealed soon. As reported earlier, Facebook’s IPO could be as big as $10 billion, which would result in a valuation of $100 billion or more. According to Dealogic, fees for IPOs of that size average 2.2%, which means that the prize of becoming a lead manager of the Facebook IPO could result in a payoff of $220 million, along with the notoriety of being known as the investment bank that brought in the Facebook IPO. The WSJ report also notes that due to the coveted nature of Facebook’s public offering, lower fees could be negotiated as well. Goldman was the bank behind Facebook’s $1.5 billion private offering in January 2011 while Morgan Stanley has been the leading bank behind internet IPOs in 2011.

Social TV start-up Miso has signed up Showtime, FOX, Food Network, Science Channel, CBS Television Distribution, Halogen and DirecTV’s Audience Network for SideShows, its new second-screen service. Recently launched, SideShows enable content creators to develop and deliver companion content that is synced with the program that is being watched. Anyone can create a SideShow, regardless of whether he or she is associated with the TV show or not. Content can include quotes, trivia questions and links to additional content on third-party websites. If the network is the creator, Miso also provides tools to enable the channel to insert ads that match product placements on the show.

Apple has filed a patent for a technology it calls “low threshold face recognition,” a system which uses cameras to determine when and where an individual’s face is in the frame; and which is optimized for mobile implementation due to the minimal computational costs it would incur. The technology would replace the slide feature that currently unlocks iPhones and other iOS devices. Apple’s new method includes a built-in feature that judges a person’s “level of attentiveness” when using the device, which would protect it from getting fooled by still photos (something that has plagued Google’s Galaxy Nexus). Other features to the system include recognizing other individuals’ faces, and then delivering a personalized navigational experience to that individual (something that can come in very handy for devices that are used by multiple individuals).

Google is testing out Email Subscription Ads, a new ad unit within Google Adwords, according to a report from TechCrunch. The new format will make it easier for users with Google accounts to subscribe to online newsletters and other such subscription services straight from search results pages. On a search results page, via this new format Google will auto-fill a box within the ad with the user’s email and will also provide the user a one-click option to subscribe to that service. There have been no indications given on if or when this feature will be widely available.

In the three-month period ending in November 2011, Google’s Android remained the top smartphone platform, controlling a 46.9% share of the market, based on findings from the latest comScore MobiLens service data. It reflects a 3.1% increase in market share versus the three-month period ending in August 2011. Following Google was Apple at number two with a 28.7% share of subscribers (+1.4%). While RIM maintained its third-place position, the BlackBerry-maker saw the biggest drop-off over the previous three-month period as it fell from a 19.7% share to 16.6%.

According to the latest data from Benedict Evans, an analyst at Enders Analysis, more than 300 million people accessed Facebook via their smartphone apps in December 2011. Broken down by operating system, just over 100 million Apple mobile users per month are logging onto Facebook through its app on the iPhone or iPod Touch; while another 87.8 million come from Android phones. However, Google edges out Apple when it comes to daily usage: Android Facebook app users number up to 59.7 million per day, compared to 58.4 million for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Meanwhile, RIM’s BlackBerry demonstrates a higher penetration rate (70% of RIM’s 70 million active users have installed the Facebook app) than Android or iOS (around 50%).

Final 2011 holiday sales data released from Amazon features some great news for the online retailer’s family of Kindle products. Throughout December 2011, customers purchased over 1 million Kindle devices per week; the Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch and Kindle held down the top three spots on Amazon’s best seller charts, in that order. When specifically looking at the newest addition to the Kindle family, the Kindle Fire, the holiday data revealed that it has been the best-selling and most wished-for item on Amazon.com, as well as on its mobile site and apps, since the device’s introduction over 13 weeks ago.

LG Electronics is planning to showcase a new 84-inch 3D TV, with built-in Smart TV technology, at the 2012 International CES. The display boasts over 8 million pixels, which is more than four times the resolution of current full HD 1080p displays. The 3D capabilities also feature 3D Depth controls, which will allow users to change the degree of the 3D image. LG’s Smart TV platform offers over 1,200 apps including premium content services such as 3D Zone, which allows viewers to search for and download 3D movies. Finally, the TV will be paired with the Magic Remote and its voice-, gesture-, point and click- and/or wheel-based navigation system.

Last week, The Los Angeles Times and Arkadium, a developer of casual games, signed a deal that makes over two dozen popular online games available to visitors of LATimes.com. The deal is meant to further engage the 17 million unique users that visit LATimes.com every month, as well as attract new audiences and more advertisers who want to reach the paper’s readership. Available games will include Sudoku, the Daily Crossword and Mahjongg Dimensions.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

For the first Cynopsis: Digital Website of the Day of 2012, I am going to select one that became a slight obsession of mine over the last week of 2011: Action Movie FX for Apple iOS devices. It is the first iPhone app from Bad Robot, J.J. Abram’s production company that has been behind Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol and LOST. Inspired by the latest Mission Impossible movie, the app lets you create, or “direct,” videos using two special effects: a missile strike or a car being hurled at a target. It’s simple, just turn on the app, select which effect you want to go with, point your phone camera at your intended a target (my friend’s dog was the unfortunate victim of many attacks this past holiday season), and shoot away. Then, save it to your library or share them on the web. The sound design is courtesy of Skywalker Sound (oh yeah) and it’s free for a limited time; so get to it!

Later – Sahil
Sahil Patel, Associate Reporter for Cynopsis Digital
01.03.12

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JOB OPENING: DIR-CURRENT PRODS/NYC: Direct the flow of day to day functions. Provide creative input during all stages of production incl on casting & booking, script notes, graphics, rough cuts & fine cuts. [email protected] (1/10)

JOB OPENING: FREELANCE SOCIAL MEDIA MGR/BBC America/NYC: Det-oriented, dig-minded social media mgr to oversee/coord all social media activities. Coord social activity across BBC America. info/apply: http://www.bbcamerica.com/jobs/ (1/10)

JOB OPENING: DIG PROD/BBC AMERICA/NYC: Work with dig team and reps of other depts to collaborate on creation of dig content. 2-4 yrs exp creating websites. Knwldg of U.S. & U.K. ent pref’d. Resume: http://www.bbcamerica.com/jobs/ (1/10)

JOB OPENING: MGR, ACQUISITIONS/Lifetime/NY: Manage acq, co-prods & prgm inventory for Lifetime brands. 2+ yrs exp in prgmg/prod/mktg/dev in a tv/cable environment. To apply: www.aenetworks.com/careers.html (1/10)

JOB OPENING: INTERACTIVE ART DIR/New York: Freelance opportunity to lead visual designs & interactive experiences for A+E Networks corporate website
https://www.abso.com/jobboard/Default.aspx?JOBBOARDID=618&JobDetail=113550 (1/10)

JOB OPENING: VP NATIONAL ACCTS/TV ONE/MD: mngs key MPVD relationships and maximi zing distribution opportunities. 8-10+ years cable industry affiliate sales exp. Visit www.tvone.tv to apply (1/10)

JOB OPENING: DIRECT RESPONSE SALES PLANNER/TV ONE/NY: support the direct r esponse team in building/ maintaining client accounts/ relationships to increase revenue goals. 1+ year direct response exp. Visit www.tvone.tv to apply (1/10)

JOB OPENING: VP CREATIVE SRVCS/TV ONE/MD: Mngs creative activities, develop processes, manage budgets. 10 yrs exp as lead for network, exp with AA audience is a+. Visit www.tvone.tv to apply (1/10)

JOB OPENING: SR. DIR AD SALES TRAFFIC/TV ONE/NY: Lead sales operations traffic team and oversee all operational logistics. 10 yrs exp in broadcast traffic operations and sales operations. Visit www.tvone.tv to apply (1/10)

JOB OPENING: DESIGN DIR (ON-AIR)/TV ONE/MD: Lead dvlpmnt of design concepts to meet/resolve both client & ntwrk needs/objectives. 10 yrs exp TV &/or interactive content & 5 of those yrs mngng design team. Visit/apply: www.tvone.tv (1/10)

JOB OPENING: MULTIPLE OPENING/Westchester, NY: We are hiring! Looking for EPs, Bookers, MCOs, Engineers & Social Media Experts. For more info go to: http://www.rnntv.com/careers.php (1/10)

JOB OPENING: OPS MGR, VOD/LA: Responsible for managing internal & external vendors & overseeing ops of video delivery to MVPDs for NBCU TV content. 5+ yrs exp. To apply, visit http://www.nbcunicareers.com/search_nbc/ Job# 3691BR (1/7)

JOB OPENING: SALES EXECUTIVE/RLTV/NY: Revenue goals, new bus development and sponsorship sales. Strong decision maker relationships, strategic, creative, 7+yrs direct selling experience. Send to [email protected] (1/4)

JOB OPENING: MKTG COMM MGR/Weather Channel/NY: Exp Mktg Comm prof w/ ext creative/tech & prof presentation develpmt skills. Req excep written/verbal skills. Understanding of media rsrch & media exp a +.Resumes: [email protected] (1/4)

JOB OPENING: AE AFFILIATE DIST/GSN Santa Monica: 5+yrs cbl network exp. BA/BS in related field. Strong comm, hvy travel, dig/integrated campaigns. Send res + CL to [email protected] (1/4)

JOB OPENING: DIR, DIGITAL AD SALES MKTG/Syfy/NYC: Oversee Digital Ad Sls Mktg campaigns across all platforms including On Air, Web, Games, Mobile and Social. Min 10 yrs Ntwk/Web exp. To apply, click: http://bit.ly/rIZd3i (1/4)

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SITUATION WANTED: DEVELOPMENT PRODUCER/LA BASED: /Reality/Ent/Docs. NBC; CBS; Spike; Dis; TLC; E!; VH1; MTV Travel Channel; runs on Batteries. [email protected] Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

SITUATION WANTED: Jeanne Intile Burns, VOICE-OVER ARTIST/VOICE COACH, Cell: 845-721-9681, E-Mail: [email protected], Web Links: www.castingnetworks.com/jburns, http://jburns.voices.com, www.allegro-music.com (“American Biographies”)

SITUATION WANTED: I’M ALL YOURS N.Y. Seeking to Assist, Currently an E.A. to Chief of Dept. 5 Yrs. work exp. B.A. Mass Comm. Contact, [email protected] (1/7)

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