Filed under: MISC
The Countdown Begins: Halo 3 Hype Builds in the Final Hours
Next Tuesday at midnight, more than 10,000 stores in the US will release Halo 3 to the gaming fan universe. Now, usually, a game release would go relatively unnoticed by the public. But unlike most games, this one has sold over 1 million orders in pre-sales alone. At approximately $70 per game, that amounts to approximately $70 million in pre-sale revenue. Let me give you another benchmark to put this madness in perspective. The top opening gross for a theatrical release at the box office came in May of ’07 when SpiderMan 3 grossed just under $60 million in one day sales. Halo 3 has grossed $10 million more than that mark in pre-sales ALONE.
Now, I don’t pride myself as a gamer but it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize that this game has the potential to define the marketplace both for Microsoft’s Xbox (the game’s console) as well as for the gaming industry in general. For Microsoft in particular, this game has the potential to rejuvenate a gaming platform that has been subject to intense competition from Sony’s Playstation console. All will be a bit clearer when the game releases next Tuesday, but the for the time being, I’m a believer.
Halo 3 Extended Game Trailer
Gamers and business executives alike are anxiously awaiting the release next week of “Halo 3.” Microsoft continues to capitalize on the wildly popular game with a number of branded products that provide both publicity and profit for the company. (Yahoo!/Reuters 9/18)
Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE
BROADCAST/CABLE
Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons says he is now taking a “hard look” at spinning off Time Warner Cable, which is considered the fastest-growing unit in Time Warner. Parsons said, “We are open-minded.” (Variety 9/18, Financial Times, 9/19)
Credit Suisse, beginning its coverage of U.S. media companies, says News Corp. “is our favorite name,” citing the strength of the company’s television and film assets, and growing Internet business. Disney is also likely to “outperform.” Time Warner and Viacom are “neutral.” (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aR6e2YeuPQ8Q 9/18)
Jeff Bewkes, CEO-in-waiting at Time Warner, isn’t expected to make any major moves at the company until after he takes over the top job. “Working at this company is like being in a war,” he says. “You start as a captain, and only two years later you’re a general.” (http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/the-hollywood-deal/2007/09/19/jeff-bewkes-a-master-of-theparty 9/19)
Time Warner has no plans to sell its Time Inc. magazine publishing unit, says chief Dick Parsons. Analysts have called for it to be separated or spun off as the unit attempts to go digital from print. The AOL Internet unit, however, may sell off its U.S. access business. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ajOQia15fLrI 9/18)
News. Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch says the company’s Fox Business Network, scheduled to launch Oct. 15, will target small investors instead of Wall Street analysts. The channel, which will be available in about 34 million homes, will go head-to-head against CNBC. (International Herald Tribune/Associated Press 9/18)
Tom Hanks’production company, Playtone Productions, will develop a 10-part miniseries for HBO focusing on the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The project is an adaptation of Vincent Bugliosi’s “Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy.” (Reuters/Hollywood Reporter 9/19)
New Frontier Media has struck a deal with Penthouse magazine to develop TV programming that would be available via pay-per-view and video-on-demand formats. Mirroring the print products, Penthouse TV content is expected to be more revealing and edgy than that seen on Playboy TV. (Multichannel News 9/18)
MTV Networks International will debut in 2008 its first pan-European TV service in high definition. The as-yet-unnamed channel will highlight music from MTV and VH1 as well as kid’s programming from corporate sibling Nickelodeon. (C21 Media 9/19)
MGM will launch its first wholly-owned channel in the U.S. as MGM HD debuts this fall on DIRECTV. MGM HD will deliver films in hi-def taken from MGM’s library of more than 4,100 classic and contemporary titles in a variety of genres. The channel will also offer original programming and new content about the film industry as well as red carpet coverage, previews of new movies, seasonal promotions and world premieres of re-mastered favorites. The MGM channel is currently available in approximately 120 countries worldwide.CNBC will launch a hi-def simulcast version of its business cable channel in October, signing an initial carriage agreement with DirecTV. CNBC HD+ will feature a full line up of programming shot in HD including Power Lunch, Street Signs and Closing Bell. Alaskan Airlines plans to be the first airline in the US to offer satellite-based Wi-Fi internet access in the air. It is currently testing a system provided by Row 44 Inc. and planning to equip its entire fleet of 114 planes by the end of 2009.
Stephen Burke, the chief operating officer of Comcast, says the company wants to attract 20% of the $15 billion market to provide phone service to small and midsize businesses. He said Comcast would spend $3 billion over the next five years to enhance its voice division’s personnel and infrastructure. (Broadcasting & Cable 9/18)
Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
Google also introduced a new interactive ad format currently in beta with a group of advertisers including Honda, Intel and Pepsi. Google Gadget Ads enable advertisers to target audiences with HTML or Flash banner ads that dynamically update data, images and video information, providing “websites within websites” of creative content.
Yahoo’s shares are rising on rumors of a potential takeover, although no acquisition appears imminent. The Internet company is expected to face more investor pressure to consider a sale. Potential bidders are said to include News Corp., Comcast, AT&T and Microsoft. (http://www.thedeal.com/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1190001812090&pagename=hpa&c=TDDArticle&p=M4YD5AR1 9/19)
GodTube, a YouTube for Christians, is the fastest growing site on the Internet in August, growing 973%, according to comScore. GodTube lets users, preferably Christians, upload and share videos. Meanwhile, JewTube, a YouTube for Jews, is facing a trademark lawsuit from Google. (http://venturebeat.com/2007/09/18/religious-social-networks-on-the-rise 9/18)
Chris Crocker, the 19-year-old Tennessean whose tear-filled “Leave Britney Alone” video clip has generated nearly 8 million hits on YouTube in just one week, is entering a deal with 44 Blue Productions to develop a television project. 44 Blue says: “He’s going to be a TV star.” (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972243.html?categoryid=1009&cs=1 9/18)
Chris Crocker on Jimmy Kimmel
If all I have to do to procure a production deal is act mentally deranged on camera, where is my video camera?
CBS Corp. CEO Les Moonves was quoted as saying CBS will stay out of the industry’s pricing battle with iTunes at the Merrill Lynch Media & Entertainment Conference. He said that while the Apple digital outlet fails to provide significant revenue, it is successful as a promotional vehicle.
Reuters introduced a new cutting-edge facial-recognition feature powered by Viewdle to search for famous people within internet video streams. Type in a name and the system searches thorough 609 hours of indexed video.
The functionality on this is very cool. After inputting a celebrity name, search results will provide corresponding dated video. When that video is played, the clip will cue to the exact portion in which that particular celebrity is featured.
Digg, the Web site where users post links to online articles and other media, is launching new features enabling users to send story links along with messages to particular “friends.” These friends also will be able to discuss stories on their personal pages. (http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2007/tc20070918_438912.htm 9/19)
TMZ.com, the No. 1 most-visited entertainment site, is starting to let readers post audio comments about items on its Web site. TMZ, which is co-owned by AOL and just launched a syndicated television show, also is planning to let readers post videotaped comments. (http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2007-09-18-tmz-comments_N.htm 9/19)
Rupert Murdoch is leaning toward making the online Wall Street Journal free, but has made no decision yet. “That looks the way we’re going,” he says. Murdoch’s comments come a day after the New York Times said it will end its paid TimesSelect service to attract more advertising. (http://www.reuters.com/article/technology-media-telco-SP/idUSN1841824820070918 9/18)
TV Guide Online and New York-based new media startup Glam Media are entering a syndication agreement. Glam Media will license Gemstar-TV Guide’s interactive program listings grid on its Web site. Also, TV Guide will be a featured content partner on Glam’s new entertainment channel. (http://www.socaltech.com/tv_guide,_glam_media_in_syndication_deal/s-0011300.html 9/19)
Veoh Networks launched an NCAA Football Channel with Collegiate Images LLC, the licensing and clearance agency focusing exclusively on college sports. The channel will be updated with fresh highlight clips twice a week throughout the season. Veoh also added a free accelerator tool powered by Swarmcast boosting streaming rates for videos hosted on the site.
Filed under: WIRELESS
WIRELESS
Google is expanding its mobile advertising inventory, launching a version of AdSense for mobile phones and devices. The system will place contextual ads with relevant mobile web content, running on the same auction-style model that earns publishers revenue based on the number of click-throughs received. Google is hosting a webinar today at 11 am PT to discuss more of the details. Go to the AdSense Blog to enroll.
Gemstar-TV Guide International signed a licensing agreement with Qualcomm’s MediaFLO USA for rights to its mobile FLO TV interactive program guides. MediaFLO provides mobile TV services for both Verizon Wireless and AT&T in the U.S.
Sprint Nextel customers will now have access to a voice-recognition search program from Microsoft that will enable them to locate local businesses using their voice. “It’s not single-handedly going to unlock the potential for local mobile search, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction,” analyst Greg Sterling said about the software. (CNET/Reuters 9/17)
