Cynopsis: DIGITAL
12/22/10

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, December 22, 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. 

The FCC voted along party lines to approve a set of regulations to preserve the open nature of the internet. The rules, which are set to be published later this week and will take effect in early 2011 (the FCC provided key excerpts on Tues.), will prohibit fixed lined ISPs from blocking access to sites and applications they are not affiliated with, including bandwidth-hungry services like Netflix or other over-the-top providers seen as palpable threats to existing pay TV models. But they offer fewer protections for wireless broadband customers. Comcast, the nation’s largest cable MSO, welcomed the rules as a “workable balance” between marketplace and individual users’ needs. Consumer interest groups and industry guilds such as Public Knowledge and the WGA, East were less receptive. Verizon released a statement suggesting the FCC has overreached its authority, opening the door for a legal challenge.
 

 
Hulu has decided to put off its plan for an IPO and may pursue other options to raise additional cash including hitting up its existing network partners, according to the WSJ. The entertainment video site is also considering additional subscription options after rolling out the $8/mo. Hulu Plus service. The company has said it expects to clear $260 million in revenue for 2010.

 
Foursquare introduced a new feature to its iPhone app that allows users to add photos and comments from the restaurants and shops they check into. The push notification option will alert you when friends leave comments. An Android version of the update is due out later this week while a BlackBerry version is coming in Jan.
 

 
The Mobile Marketing Association announced it is developing a series of mobile privacy guidelines to help marketers maintain transparency and adhere to industry accepted standards and practices with their ads. The MMA is forming a Privacy Committee to address the issues and is inviting media companies, mobile carriers, marketers, agencies and media technology providers to participate.
 
Overall online ad spending will top (print and online) newspaper ad spending in 2010 for the first time and the gap will widen even further next year, according to eMarketer. Total newspaper spending, including ads in print and online editions, will fall to $25.7 billion in 2010, a decline of 6.6%. A rise of 13.9% will push US online ad spending up to $25.8 billion by year’s end.
 

 
The recently formed Mobile Content Venture plans to upgrade stations to deliver mobile digital TV signals in a total of 20 markets during the second half of 2011 covering 40% of the U.S. population, including LA, Chicago and Orlando, reports the Chicago Tribune. The service is delivered via digital broadcast signals instead of wireless broadband and is currently offered by some 70 stations.
 

 
The advent of HTML5 and new tablet devices have increased mobile video viewing significantly, increasing mobile video traffic by 60% overall in 2010, according to new research released by multimedia search engine MeFeedia. iPhone & Android led all mobile platforms in delivering mobile video with a 26% and 21% share, respectively, of the global market. Apple’s iOS accounted for around 52% of overall mobile traffic (including the iPod traffic, which was excluded from the rankings,) down from 64% in April. iPad traffic has increased 325% since April.
 
Video Usage by Mobile Device – Dec. 2010
Platform       % of video traffic
iPhone               26%
Android              21%
iPad                   17%
Symbian OS        16%
Blackberry            9%
Nokia                   4%
Samsung              4%
Sony                    2%
Windows              1%
Source: MeFeedia
 
Although DVR penetration has now reached 38% of U.S. homes, viewers do continue to watch commercials on their DVRs, lifting commercial ratings by 44% among 18-49 year olds when tracking viewing 3 days out, according to a new DVR usage report from Nielsen. DVR playback after 7 days added 2.29 rating points to total day usage levels during the ’09-’10 season. Most DVR playback occurs in primetime (34%), peaking at 9p (12%) and 10p (13%). The top ranked time shifted programming genre this season was Sci Fi, receiving a 1.3 ratings lift from +7 day viewing. Predictably, DVR homes are more likely to be upper income and under the age of 45.
 

 
Look ma, no glasses. Toshiba is planning to launch a 12″ screen 3D TV in Japan this week which require no glasses and the company will come out with a 40″ model as early as next April, reports the WSJ. A U.S. launch of the TVs, which will be demoed at CES in Jan., are expected later next year.
 
The newly revamped, hard-drive free Apple TV device will top 1 million units in sales this week, Apple announced. The company recently introduced an update to the iOS operating system that integrates iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch content with the device.
 
Mobile content provider HipLogic is launching a new real-time personalized mobile portal dubbed “Spark” for Android and Symbian smartphones that aggregates real time content from multiple partners including CBS News, Twitter, Facebook, Sky (UK), Weatherbug and Groupon. The module is currently available for free in 8 languages in beta format at sparkmyphone.com.
 
Watercolor painting on the iPad is now possible with a new Auryn Ink app that is being offered for free through the holidays. Pigment blending simulates the way wet pigments mix together and separates dry layers from glaze effects. The app also allows you to control the amount of water on the brush, which influences flow effects.
 
Keep up with the super rich with the new Forbes Lists iPad app, offering access to the magazine’s annual ranking of the 400 richest Americans.
 
History has launched a new Facebook app that allows fans of American Pickers to choose among 3 T-shirt designs to be created and made available for sale exclusively on Facebook. Fans vote by clicking on the “shop” tab on the original series’ fan page. 
 

 
Michael Montgomery has been promoted to VP/Ad Sales for REVShare, the performance-based TV technology company owned by the Carlyle Group. He is based in the company’s Temecula, CA headquarters and reports to Brendan Condon, CEO.

 
As Hulu struggles to come up with a business model that makes sense, its network partners continue to rely on their own websites to help maintain fans’ interest in shows when they’re on hiatus. NBC.com, which is likely to soon come under the management of Comcast, has done a great job of utilizing clips such as skits from Saturday Night Live to drive traffic but has always limited full episode catch-up viewing to 5 episodes for current shows. For the holiday break once again, season-to-date episodes are being offered for a number of newer shows including “The Event,” “Parenthood,” “Outsourced” and “Law & Order Los Angeles.” (Supporting programming for “The Event” will also include exclusive Deleted Scenes and Commentary from Show Creator Nick Wauters.) The move makes sense, given how tough it is to maintain viewer loyalty after a show goes off the air for weeks. But it would make even more sense if these shows were available on multiple platforms, like a full episode iPad app that NBC once seemed interested in but has since stepped back from. (A source at NBC says there will be a couple of iPad-related announcements after Christmas, so stay tuned.) Maintaining viewer interest means offering access via whatever platform users are most likely to use.
 
Later –
Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis Digital
12.22.10

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JOB OPENING: TELEVISION AD SALES MANAGER/NYC: 10yrs+ TV Ad Agency or Sales exp. Minimum 5 yrs DRTV & Per Inquiry Sales Exp. Send resume & salary req’s to: adsalesmanagementexec@gmail.com (1/5)

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JOB OPENING: DIGITAL ACCT EXEC/Discovery Communications/NY: AE w/5+ yrs digital ad sales exp a must to sell national advertising for Discovery’s Digital properties including web, mobile, VOD and podcasting. www.discovery.com (2795) (1/4)

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JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR OR MANAGER, COMMERCIAL CLEARANCES/The Hub/NYC: Must have strong background in commercial standards, within kids TV/content highly desired. Apply at http://thehub.catsone.com/careers (12/24)

JOB OPENING: DIR, INT’L MERCHANDISING/NY: Mng SKU dvlpmnt from a creative & fiduciary point of view. Dvlp overall product mix 7-10+ merch exp working in retail/wholesale envir. Lots of travel. Resume: sfields@marvel.com (12/24)

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JOB OPENING: DIGITAL ACCOUNT EXEC/NY: Sell AETN’s digital advertising w/ assigned territory to agencies & clients. www.aetn.com/careers.html Apply: https://www.abso.com/jobboard/Default.aspx?JOBBOARDID=618&JobDetail=85513 (12/24)

JOB OPENING: FRONTLINE ASSISTANT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/WGBH/Boston: FRONTLINE Assistant Account Executive (Social Media & Promotions). AEEF, FT 52 Weeks. Job Req # 4878 Please apply online at http://careers.wgbh.org/ (12/24)

JOB OPENING: CREATIVE DIRECTOR/2C Media/Miami: Dvlp promo campaigns for major nat’l networks. Strong writing, conceptual, editorial, & 3-5 yrs cable, studio, or ntwrk promo exp. Co info @ 2cmedia.com. Contact: workhere@2cmedia.com (12/23)

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