A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM TREMOR VIDEO

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, June 8, 2011, 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 company that invented the motion controller game console if finally ready for an upgrade. A cross between a stylus-powered tablet computer and a social networking-themed gaming console, Nintendo‘s new “Wii U” controller can be held in your hands to navigate through digital content choices on your TV or connect wirelessly to the big screen via the main console to be used as an accelerometer and gyroscope-powered controller. The 6.2-inch touchscreen can be manipulated with a stylus to enhance game play (displaying a map of the world you’re in, for instance) and will feature two cameras to be used for augmented reality games or to conduct video chat sessions with friends. You will not have to chuck all your current Nintendo gear, as the new system will be backwards compatible with current Wii motion controllers and other accessories. Best of all, games will be presented in HD resolution. Game designers (and Nintendo fans) will a long wait for the Wii U – it’s not expected to ship until after April 1, 2012. Price is TBA.
 

 
Microsoft announced plans at pre-E3 event late Monday to increase the functionality of the motion-sensing Kinect device later this year to make it essential to accessing a broader range of content, including live TV feeds, Bing search and YouTube – set to become a channel on the Xbox Live platform. Utilizing a new voice recognition technology (similar to that used on Ford’s Sync system), users will be able to select titles from live TV, Hulu Plus, Netflix and YouTube. (The company is currently working on signing broadcast and cable partners to the service.) The Bing integration should boost revenues for Redmond, allowing search marketers to reach living room users through paid search ads. Microsoft also showed off a number of hardcore action games that will utilize voice commands and Kinect motion controls, including a Star Wars-themed title coming in Nov. and  “Call of Duty 3” later this year. Kinect has sold over 10 million units since its launch last fall.
 
NBC‘s new hit music competition series “The Voice,” which has already been picked up for second season, is now offering viewers the ability to vote for their favorite artists with their wallets. Each time a user purchases the studio version of the songs that they see performed on the live show each week via Apple’s iTunes Store, a vote will be tallied.
 

 
Live broadcasting hub Justin.tv chose the week of E3 to officially launch its own video game portal and gamer community site. TwitchTV is broadcasting competitive gaming tournaments for the most part, showing current scores and live screen shots of the gameplay with a running commentary as the audio. The site, which is partnering with GameSpot to cover the show, already generates 3.2 million unique visits per month and 4.5 hours of video viewed per person/month, according to Justin.tv.
 
Hearst’s social shopping platform Kaboodle has kicked off a redesign as part of its 5th anniversary with a number of new features including a style friend finder that connects you with like-minded shoppers and a “trend-o-meter” that ranks the most popular fashion items on the portal. 

Soon-to-go-public daily deal site Groupon is entering a new market with a nibble at grocery stores and food outlets. The site launched a deal yesterday with the Big Y chain in Massachusetts, loading prepaid credits onto customers’ loyalty cards, reports AdAge.
 
Digital content network Babelgum announced it has picked up an additional 12 episodes of the pop culture parody “Kids Reenact,” which features kids acting out popular shows and movies. The kids will kick things off with a 4-episode take-off on ABC’s The Bachelorette over the next two weeks, followed by parodies of summer blockbusters including “Hangover 2,” “Green Lantern,” “Cowboys and Aliens” and “Planet of the Apes.”
 

 
The number of advertisers using mobile display ad campaigns has more than doubled in the past two years according to a new ComScore study, with mobile content and publishing (i.e. other apps) accounting for half of all products advertised on mobile devices. Usage was starkly different between smartphone and feature phone users. More than 80% of smartphone users accessed their mobile browser (82%) or applications (85%) during March, while just 19.1% of feature phone users utilized these features. Smartphone users were also far more likely to see web or in app ads (27.5% vs. 5.0%) due to their heavier usage of mobile browsers and applications and were also more likely to respond to SMS ads (7.7% vs. 3.5%).
 

 
Clearwire and its partners Comcast and Sprint announced market coverage expansions for the wireless 4G service in the Bay Area, Washington DC, Baltimore and Grand Rapids, which the companies jointly announced earlier in the Spring.
 
Hotel iTV app maker Roomlinx unveiled further enhancements to its platform, combining HDTV, internet, PC functionality and VOD capabilities. Hotel guests can browse channels and programs through a new “click & go” interface. (Quick links provide access to hundreds of web apps from sources such as Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, Facebook and YouTube.) Users can even order room service from a TV, laptop or smartphone app.
 
Horse Racing Simulation will provide its 3D racing simulation technology to complement NBC’s broadcast of the 2011 Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 11, 5-7 p.m. ET.
 

 
In a new survey of some 1,300 app users, MTV Networks has looked into what makes certain apps popular, how consumers find apps in an increasingly crowded marketplace and what goes into the decisions to keep certain apps and delete others:

• 53% said that personal recommendations are important in deciding which apps to download, while 52% relied on user reviews and 42% said seeing a friend use a particular app was a critical component. An additional 47% discovered apps via app stores from Apple and Android
• For free apps, a higher number of positive ratings drove most consumers (50%) to download, with personal recommendation the second most-important factor (43%)
• For paid apps, price (63%), followed by whether there is a free or lite preview version of the app (49%) were the biggest factors in whether or not to download
• While 38% of movie or TV apps are deleted within the first 3 weeks after download, those that stick engage users. Two-thirds check their favorite TV or Movie app at least once a day, with nearly half (44%) checking it several times a day. And for each time it’s open, 45% spend more than 10 minutes with their favorite TV or Movie app
• For TV and movie apps, ease of use (79%) and new content (55%) are the biggest reasons consumers will use an app for the long term. Better alternatives (55%) and lack of new content (42%) will drive a consumer to delete an app

 
Mobile applications and browsers are becoming essential sales and marketing tools for retailers, according to a new whitepaper from mobile ad network Millennial Media. Consumers rely on their mobile devices to guide them through every step of the purchase process, from determining if they need a product (52% of respondents), to making a purchase (38%), to evaluating a product post-purchase (12%). Over 13 million consumers accessed retail content on their mobile phone in a given month, with 2.2 million accessing some sort of retail content almost every day. Retail was the top vertical on the Millennial network both globally and in the U.S. From Q1 2010 to Q1 2011, retail spending grew over 1300%.
 

 
Sony unveiled its answer to Nintendo’s popular handheld 3DS – the touch-interface and motion-sensitive PlayStation Vita, due out before the winter holiday shopping season. The device will ship with a 5″ screen, dual cameras and the ability to connect to the PlayStation network (and other users) via Wi-Fi (for $250) and the AT&T 3G broadband network ($300). Sony will build a social network dubbed “Near” around the device with online tools and services to help bring gamers together. It will also sport GPS capabilities.
 
Sony also introduced a range of new 3D games such as “Resistance 3,” a traditional first-person shooter, in an attempt to utilize the format to attract the hardcore gaming crowd. It is bundling the PS3 game with a pair of 3-D glasses and a 24-inch 3-D monitor for $499, a new low for 3D displays.
 

 
Former President of Universal Networks International & Digital Initiatives Roma Khanna, (who also used to co-run CHUM TV in Canada) has been hired by MGM to serve as President of the Television Group and Digital. Roma will oversee all television sales, production, acquisitions, licensing, content creation and digital initiatives for MGM worldwide, reporting to Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum, Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officers of MGM.
 
LA-based web design/marketing firm Ciplex has tapped Josh Krane as its new CEO. Josh led G4’s interactive and new media division for close to a decade, overseeing the Comcast network’s multi-platform content strategy, production and distribution.
 
Cedric Thomas has joined Cox Media Group Pittsburgh as its new Director of Sales. Cedric succeeds Paul Curran, who was promoted to VP/Revenue at CMG’s corporate headquarters in Atlanta.
 

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As technology companies like Apple in particular look to shore up control over new digital distribution platforms, a push back is beginning from the publishers’ side. In a move to avoid paying Apple’s upcoming 30% cut of subscription revenues on the platform, The Financial Times is launching a web-based app to offer a substitute for its iPad app in order to “bypass Apple’s iTunes Store, Google’s Android Market and other distributors to secure a direct relationship with readers,” in the words of an article published by Pearson’s FT yesterday. Apple unveiled a slew of new rules directed toward publishers of subscription-based apps on the iPhone and iPad in Feb., and publishers balked at the size of Apple’s cut and its insistence on controlling subscriber information. Rob Grimshaw, managing director of FT.com, said the magazine had no plans to pull out of any app stores, but that it would encourage users to adopt the web app with a marketing campaign that will feature a week of free access.
 
Later – Wayne
 Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis Digital
06.08.11

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JOB OPENING: SALES ASST/CT:  BA/BS deg, 1-2 yrs support exp; strong writ/comm skills, efficiency, multi-tasking, attention to detail, exp w/ sales presentations, MS Off, travel arrngmnts & scheduling all a must.  [email protected]  (6/15)

JOB OPENING: DIR, DIGITAL RSRCH/AETN/NY:Direct Dig Rsch initiatives for AETN Strategic Insights. Expert online quant rsch; knwlg of comScore, Nielsen Online, Omniture prefd. 8+ yrs exp, pref Ad Sales. www.aetn.com/careers.html   (6/15)

JOB OPENING: SR RESEARCH MGR/Ipsos OTX/NYC: Manage projects for media focused studies. Survey dev’t, sample design, & report preparation. 4-6 yrs supplier/client-side experience in market research. Apply: [email protected] (6/14)

JOB OPENING: MEDIA ASSIST/Beacon Media Grp/Mahwah NJ: Leading kid media buyg/plng agcy looking for media plng assist, inputer, & day-to-day maint of kid buys. Excel a must. Great bnfits. Send resumes to: [email protected] (6/14)

JOB OPENING: RSRCH MGR/NJ: NJ media agcy looking for exp’d Rsrch Mgr with strong Television bkgrd. Proficient in Nielsen, Kantar, IMS, Simmons & Excel. Strong communication skills a must. Contact: [email protected] (6/14)

JOB OPENING: ASST. TRAFFIC MGR/Vme TV/NYC: Mng prgrmng sched, commercial inventory & traffic instructions; coord/create/edit & reconcile logs; monthly billing; 2+ yrs exp; knowledge of ProTrack a big + Res:   [email protected] (6/14)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, ADVERTISING & STRATEGY/Food Network/NY: Est comm strategy & positioning for netwk priorities. 8-10yrs exp agency and/or ent media exp pref’d. Exp Mng multi-million $ budgets. www.scrippsnetworks.com #2345. (6/14)

JOB OPENING: BRAND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER/Global Multimedia Co./NYC: Manage PR strategy, agencies. Proactive outreach to target trade and consumer media. Extensive media contacts, strong writer. 5+yrs exp. [email protected] (6/11)

JOB OPENING: VP, BUS AFFAIRS/Disney Channels/LA. 10+ yrs BA live action, scripted devl/prod. Major studio/prod co exp, CA bar, major law firm prefd. Top negot, analytic, drafting; leadrship exp. Apply disneycareers.com #291961 (6/10)

JOB OPENING: SALES ASSISTANT/BET/NY: detailed-oriented, organized, multi-tasker, ecx comm & math skills. DealMaker/VCI exp a plus, BA req. Email resume: [email protected] (6/10)

JOB OPENING: SALES PLANNER/BET/NY: prepare sales plans, Mng Multi accts, 2 yrs exp in Cable sales or buying a must. Detailed-oriented, org’d, multitasker, ecx comm & math skills, BA req. Email resume: [email protected] (6/10)

JOB OPENING: LINE PRODUCER/NY: Heavy hitter with solid mngmnt skills for potential NY based ntwrk project. Must be well versed in Budgets, Sched, Crew & Studio Mgmt. Plz send resume/credits to [email protected] (6/10)

JOB OPENING: EDITORIAL DEVELOPMENT EXEC/HHMI/Chevy Chase, MD: manage the research and development of film ideas and proposals for science documentaries. Visit www.hhmi.org for more information. (6/10)

JOB OPENING: SPECIALIST, DIST MKTG/A+E/NY:Support Dist Mktg initiatives across A+E Networks. Cust show presentations/comm tools/asset agg & tracking. 3+ yrs mktg, cable pref’d, affiliate mktg a +. #99373. www.aetn.com/careers.html (6/10)

JOB OPENING: DIR AD SALES MKTG/BRAVO/NY: Job # 1918BR Lead dig sponsorship mktg efforts across mult platforms incl. bravotv.com, TVWOP, mobile/app platforms & social/viral mediums. 7+yrs exp. http://www.nbcunicareers.com/search_nbc/ (6/9)

JOB OPENING: DIR RSRCH/LOGO/NYC: 7 +yrs TV ratings rsrch/data analysis; Expertise in rsrch methodology, competitive TV landscape & ind trends; Exp. w/ Startrak, NPower & Aud Watch; B.A req. EOE/M/F/D/AAP apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (6/9)

JOB OPENING: MARKETING MANAGER/GOLF CHANNEL/ORLANDO: Responsible for marketing programs and materials to promote Golf Channel to cable and satellite affiliates. AA / EEOC / DFWP; to apply go to www.nbcunicareers.com (6/9)

JOB OPENING: HEAD OF PRODUCTION/NY: Prodco needs heavyweight. Hire & Manage staff of LP, PMs. Budget/Schedule/Tracking wizard. Juggle lots projects. [email protected] (6/9)

JOB OPENING: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR/MTV 44 1/2 /NYC: 1-2 yrs tech exp. w/ Louth, Oacis, DDR, Media Client, Pinnacle Server, Final Cut/Motion. NOC exp pref. EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (6/9)

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].

SUMMER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Spanish-Language Television Network/NYC Sales Department, learn marketing and all ad sales functions. Marketing/Advertising Major ([email protected])  (6/15)

SUMMER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Media firm/Beijing: 20 hrs wkly. Unique/exciting media internship overseas. Fluent Chinese reqd. Fluent English reqd. Apply: [email protected] (put “Beijing” in subject).  (6/15)

SUMMER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Entertainment firm/NYC: 15-25 hrs wkly. Fluent read/write Chinese reqd. Fluent read/write English reqd. Apply: [email protected] (put “Internship” in subject).  (6/15)

OTHER ADS NOT RELATING TO JOBS:

ROOMMATE NEEDED: Need Roommate,2Be/2Ba condo,Hollywood,$1250mth+util. Garage Parking,Security,Pool,Gym,Laundry, AC,W-in Closets,Partially furnished. F,29 w/sm dog. Seeks professional/clean/friendly. July 1st [email protected] (6/10)

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:  I’ve written a 1-hour dramedy entitled, Tree House, which is loosely based on my life story. It’s, “It’s a contemporary, edgy, multiplatform show “. I’m looking for studio executive assistance. [email protected]  (6/15)

SITUATION WANTED:  SENIOR COPY DIRECTOR/EDITOR – clever, award-winning writer/editor seeks staff position. Strong entertainment background. Experienced in print, radio, on-air and interactive. Email [email protected]  (6/15)

SITUATION WANTED: RIGHTS CLEARANCE PROFESSIONAL/NY: 20+yrs exp. researcher & contract negotiator Intellectual Property commercial licensing: Music/Clips/Photos/People/etc.Copyright/TM/PD research specialist [email protected] (6/14)

SITUATION WANTED: RESEARCH DIR – 20+ yrs Media, Nielsen, Hispanic Mkt, Research, Sales, and Presentation experience. Prefer Telecommute. Email: [email protected] (6/10)

SITUATION WANTED: Seeking entry position in TV (scripted or unscripted). B.A. from USC in 2007, veteran, 4 years experience assisting senior government leadership. LA based. Contact [email protected] (6/10)

SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER, WRITER with over 12 years experience working with children, including in an international setting, located in L.A. looking for an opportunity to contribute to children’s television. Email: [email protected] (6/10)

SITUATION WANTED: ACCOUNTING/FINANCE – 20+ yrs. experience in TV Broadcasting/Cable & Digital. Seeking a FT/PT or Temp-to-Perm position: [email protected] (6/10)

SITUATION WANTED: MARKETING PROJ MGR/NYC. Experienced in managing project life cycle. Expertise in direct mail, print, broadcast, and digital advertising. Exceptional communication, prioritization skills. [email protected] (6/10)

SITUATION WANTED: Dedicated & Experienced ADV. SALES PLANNER (NYC) Sales proposals, resolving client discrepancies, quarterly post analysis, special sales service projects, expert computer skills. Contact- [email protected] (6/9)

SITUATION WANTED: Creative Consultant 16 yrs Brdcst exec can develop your pitch + script. Credits inc. DeGrassi, DaVinci, Dragon Boys. Exp w/ convergence models 8500+ scripts!  [email protected]  (6/9)

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

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