A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM THE WEATHER CHANNEL

Cynopsis: DIGITAL

10/31/07

Good Morning, it’s Wednesday, October 31, 2007 and this is your first early morning digital briefing. 

Google is in advanced talks with Verizon Wireless (#2 carrier in the U.S.) and Sprint Nextel (#3) about offering phones that run a new mobile operating system/application bundle that the search giant has developed, reports The Wall Street Journal. Google’s vision is to open up mobile phone platforms in the U.S. so that Google and independent software developers can easily deploy new applications across multiple carriers and profit off ads that run with them.
 

NBCSports.com and MSNBC.com announced a partnership that will merge the two entities into a single publishing platform with NBCSports.com traffic and usage counts folded in with Msnbc.com’s portal. NBCSports.com had dropped off Nielsen Online’s list of top sports sites in recent months, which ranked ESPN.com (18.7 million unique users), Fox Sports on MSN (14.7 million) and SI.com (6.7 million) as the top 3 in the category for September.
 
ESPN is increasing its multimedia coverage of the NBA this season featuring:

• live games on subscription-based ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV
• live and on-demand video of ESPN NBA studio programming on ESPN.com
• highlights of in-progress games on ESPN.com, ESPN Mobile TV and Verizon’s ESPN MVP
• a slate of new widgets offering news, stats and score updates available at ESPN.com

 
MTV Networks Virtual Worlds and Metacafe are hosting a Virtual Music Video Contest calling on aspiring directors to create their own music videos. Users can utilize up-and-coming bands’ audio tracks, video clips and online editing tools found on MTV’s Virtual World Channel on Metacafe. Submissions will be ranked by users initially, then a panel of MTV judges will choose the winner among the top 10 finalists.
 
MSN launched its own Green entertainment network – dubbed MSN Green – aggregating environmental news from a variety of sources including Hearst Magazines’ The Daily Green, Conservation International, Environmental Defense, Grist.org, TreeHugger.com and StopGlobalWarming.org.
 
VOD and online service FEARnet unveiled a new six-week interactive web series called Buried Alive that invites users to interact with “buried videos” sprinkled across other sites on the web. A downloadable widget, available from today at www.FEARnet/buriedalive.com, will provide instructions, background info on the story and other bonus material not found in the daily two-minute serial, launching Nov. 2 at 10 am ET. Buried Alive is a White Rock Lake Production distributed by Sony Pictures Television.
 
Music Choice inked a deal with EMI Music to add its full music catalogue to the on demand and online service.
 
Current TV is sponsoring a contest with the Slamdance Film Festival inviting users to upload a short film about something relevant to them, their community or the world at large. Winning filmmakers will get their entries screened at the festival and will be given a chance to pitch Current TV ideas for a show.
 

 
After failing to acquire a slice of Facebook, Google is working on a new set of interfaces that will open up its personalized home page iGoogle and social networking platform Orkut to allow rival networks to access user data. The initiative, code named “Maka-maka” according to the blog TechCrunch, will essentially build a social networking layer across all of its applications. An announcement is expected early next month with as many as 50 application developers known for the apps they have developed for Facebook.
 
Web-based IM service Meebo also opened its platform to allow developers build applications for its users. 
 
Joost launched its P2P television player as a Facebook application. A plug in allows Facebook users view the most recent shows they have subscribed to directly from their profile page.
 
Babelgum announced it will use CacheLogic‘s Velocix Network to deliver its on demand video content. Babelgum’s system will blend P2P architecture with multiple caches from the Velocix network.
 
Social broadcasting provider NowLive is doing its thing live from the Digital Hollywood conference this week to showcase its platform. Ester Goldberg (aka Michael Arrington) will host his popular That’s Estertainment podcast live from the show at 9 am PST all week, guest starring fellow NowLiver Adrianne Curry.

 
The House of Representatives voted unanimously to extend the ban on internet access taxes to 2014, two days before it was set to expire on Thursday. President Bush is expected to sign it into law quickly.
 
RealNetworks reported record revenues of $145.1 million during Q3, a 55% increase compared to the same period in 2006. Alliances with MTV Networks and Verizon improved Real’s subscription Rhapsody music business, with music revenue reaching $37.7 million for the quarter.
 

 
NBC Universal Digital Media and in-game ad network IGA Worldwide entered a multifaceted agreement allowing the NBCU ad sales team to sell a portion of IGA’s premium in-game advertising inventory, along with creating customized packages for marketing clients on the IGA network. IGA Worldwide is headquartered in New York with offices in London and Berlin and backed by GE/NBC Universal’s Peacock Equity Fund, Easton Capital Group, Intel Capital, Morgenthaler Ventures, DN Capital and KTB Ventures.
 
TBS is launching a branded messaging campaign with Chrysler tonight featuring product integrations within linear and on demand episodes, mobisodes and webisodes of Tyler Perry’s House of Payne. The mobisode vignettes, found at TBS.mobi, will also feature pre-roll ads.
 
Microsoft is upgrading its pay-per-click adCenter solution, adding real time editorial feedback responses, a daily budget option and improved reporting features.
 
Progressive online ad network CPX Interactive joined DoubleClick’s web-based Advertising Exchange currently in beta testing.
 

 
Nielsen announced that 13.7% of TV households in the U.S. are equipped with an HD television and HD tuner capable of receiving signals in HD (HD Capable), while 11.3% are equipped with an HD television and HD tuner and receive at least one HD network or station (HD Receivable). Los Angeles has the highest penetration of HD Capable homes (20.4%) and New York has the highest penetration of HD Receivable homes (17.5%). Nielsen also reports that among U.S. Hispanic or Latino households, 10.4% are HD Capable and 8.2% are HD Receivable. Among African-American households, 8.1% are HD Capable and 6.9% are HD Receivable.
 
New series and seasons (full episodes only) released online since October 23, 2007:

College Hill: Interns (BET; iTunes): current season (1)

The Electric Company (PBS; iTunes): volume 2

Handy Manny (Disney; iTunes): current season (2)

Jupiter Moon (Galaxy; Unbox): volume 1

Phenomenon (NBC; Unbox): current season (1)

Run’s House (MTV; iTunes, Unbox): current season (4)

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo (ABC; iTunes): season 1

Source: TrivialTV
 

 
Online video sharing service Revver hired Damian Amtin as Director of Sales, Eastern Division. Damian will head East Coast ad sales operations from New York City, reporting to VP of Ad Sales Marc Hernandez.
 

 
Looking for a fun Halloween-themed game to divert your attention away from the living? Try De-Animator, developed by a talented young Carnegie Mellon University graduate who understands nothing is better for killing time than killing zombies.  It’s inspired by a collection of stories written by H.P. Lovecraft. (Mr. Bum Lee has included links to the actual stories on his site.) Here’s a hint: aim for the head of the smaller zombies and try to get the bigger ones as they rise from the dead.

Later — Wayne
Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
10.31.07

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Cyn opsis CLASSIFIEDS – For More classifieds, visit the Cynopsis.com classifieds page here

JOB OPENING: EXEC PROD/BBC Prod/NY: mat leave Nov – March: Responsible for development/exp in female skewed reality TV/cable and network exp/ability to manage large teams. Apply to [email protected] (11/7)

JOB OPENING: RESEARCH ANALYST/Hallmark Channel/NY: Analyzes standard and custom reports on all Nielsen systems; MRI and or/Simmons databases.  See full posting and apply at www.hallmarkchannel.com (11/7)

JOB OPENING: MGR CONSUMER MARKETING/Hallmark Channel/LA: Works on all consumer marketing activities for Hallmark Channel. See full posting and apply at www.hallmarkchannel.com (11/7)

JOB OPENING: TEMPORARY DIRECTOR, ON AIR PROMOTION/Hallmark Channel/LA: Develops and implements promotional scheduling strategies. See full posting and apply at www.hallmarkchannel.com   (11/7)

JOB OPENING: FREELANCE DESIGN COOR/Nickelodeon/NYC: Min. 3+ yrs Production/Project Mgt exp; Familiar with PM principles; production enviro. exp; MS Project & Office; Niku Clarity a plus. EOE/M/F/D/AAP apply:  [email protected] (11/7)

JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/Cablevision/Brooklyn NY:  Seeks Acct Exec for local ad sales.2+ yrs ad sales exp. pref cable tv, e-media/print or ad agency.  Valid NY Drivers Lic.  Apply to www.cablevision.jobs req 4802BR (11/7)

JOB OPENING: MUSIC LICENS’G/Razor & Tie Ent/NY: Work w/ Dir of Music Licensing.Focus on advrtsng usages& supplement exploitation of music assets via film,TV, video games, dig tech, soundtracks etc. Cvr/res: [email protected] (11/7)

JOB OPENING: CONTRACTS ASSISTANT/CBS TV DIST/NY: Media Sales Dept seeks Contracts Asst to draft & revise contracts, maintain spreadsheets. Strong Word, Excel, math, & admin skills. Inc sal req in cover ltr  [email protected] . (11/6)

JOB OPENING: RESEARCH ANALYST/IAG RESEARCH, NY: 1+ yrs Ad Sales Research required. Knowledge of Quant & Qual data. Ability to prioritize & multi-task.Resume via web: http://www.iagr.net/analyst (11/6)

JOB OPENING: ONLINE PRODCTN ASSOCI w/ HTML (hand-coding required), CSS, XML, JavaScript, CMS & Flash skills. Exp w/ blogging, video editing, writing/editing, design all huge pluses. NYC based. Resume: [email protected] (11/3)

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JOB OPENING:  DIRECTOR AD SALES RESEARCH/Vh1/NY: Detail-oriented, proactive; create sales pitches and estimates, analyze ratings data. Expert w/Nielsen, MRI, etc. 8+ yrs Na tl TV Rsch. EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply mtvncareers.com (11/2)

JOB OPENING:  DIR MARKETING (Freelance Dec 07 – Mar 08), Nickelodeon/NYC: 7+ yrs Exp. building & executing marketing strategies; Team mgt; Budget mgt, working with multiple departments. EOE/M/F/D/AAP apply [email protected] (11/2)

JOB OPENING: SALES ASST/FOOD/FINELIVING NETWORKS (NY), entry level position, prefer industry internships, enthusiastic multitasked & detail oriented individual. Please send cover letter and resume to www.scrippsnetworks.com . (11/01)

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Send resume: [email protected]. (11/01)

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JOB OPENING: SR COMMUNICATIONS PLANNER/SEATTLE:  Resumes to: [email protected] (11/01)

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JOB OPENING: SALES PLANNER/Outdoor Channel, NY: Create proposals, mkgds, manage adu, 3+ yrs exp cable sales or buying, detailed oriented, media math skills. Dealmaker exp a +. Resume:  [email protected] (11/1)

SUMMER or FALL INTERNSHIPS – These positions are for credit only – nobody gets paid here. They are 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] .

SITUATION WANTED ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE HIRED …

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E-mail Trish Pihonak for rates and specs for Job Openings.  

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