Filed under: MISC
THE MATHEMATICS OF HIP HOP
This is what happens when you spend too much time in PowerPoint and excel. Click on the images to watch the corresponding music video. I represent NY.
Big THANK YOU to Jeremy Kaufthal for sending this. This brightened an otherwise very ordinary day.
For more, head to http://www.jamphat.com/rap .
Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE
BROADCAST/CABLE
Bravo’s fourth season opener of Project Runway Wednesday night (10p) was this show’s largest premiere yet, attracting 1.98 million A18-49 viewers and 2.89 million total viewers.
Watch the first episode by clicking the image below.
A viral video clip made by the Writers Guild of America argues that Hollywood studios are cashing in on digital while the writers aren’t getting a penny. The clip incorporates past video interviews with media bigwigs like Rupert Murdoch and Bob Iger boasting of their Internet revenues. (http://www.cnbc.com/id/21817193 11/15)
This really seems to drive the point home.
CBS could take the biggest hit in a prolonged strike by television and movie writers. The network gets two-thirds of its sales and profit from TV and relies more on scripted shows than most of its competitors. CBS has “the most exposure to network TV and TV stations.” (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=adNkJqAT7iMA 11/16)
Writer and Actress Tina Fey, left, walks the picket line with other members of the Writers Guild of America, East, in New York, Nov. 5, 2007. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg News
Hosts of the late night talkers could be coming back early next month, as behind-the-scenes talks are happening with reps from shows Late Show With David Letterman, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and Late Night With Conan O’Brien, according to Variety. No word on an official return date has been posted, though December 3 and December 10 were mentioned as possible resume production dates.
While all of this gets hammered out, non-WGA workers on the late night shows are still being paid … for now. Earlier, NBC said it would pay its late night staff only through November 16 but producers lobbied to keep people on the payroll and the network agreed for at least two more weeks. Letterman’s Worldwide Pants production company will pay staffs on his show and Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson at least through the end of the year. Likewise, Comedy Central continues to pay its late night support staffs.
CBS is filing a motion to dismiss the $70 million lawsuit filed against it by Dan Rather, saying the former news anchor’s claims “bear no resemblance to reality.” Rather’s suit is an attempt to “vindicate his own faulty reporting” following the “Memogate” scandal that led to his dismissal, CBS says. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aImIvoK.DdaE 11/15)
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin was using faulty data recently when he claimed that the cable industry had reached 70% saturation of U.S. households, according to this story. Crossing that threshold would give the commission increased power to regulate cable. (Multichannel News 11/16)
Comcast Chief Technology Officer Tony Werner says the company is working on a digital video recording system that would work simultaneously in multiple rooms within a subscriber’s home. Werner said Comcast could offer the service in select markets as early as the third quarter of 2008. (Light Reading 11/15)
Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
Paramount Pictures‘ visually groundbreaking adaptation of the Old English epic poem Beowulf opens today, showing off new motion-capture technology that digitizes actors facial movements. (The rendering of Angelina Jolie will be worth the price of admission for some.) The film is also screening in stunning new 3D at IMAX theaters across the country. IMAX is getting serious about 3D these days. The company just signed a 4-picture deal with Dreamworks Animation to release Monsters vs. Aliens, How to Train Your Dragon and Shrek Goes Forth in 3D during the next couple of years (with Paramount distributing). In case you’re wondering, you still need to wear those funny glasses to view the 3D effects. But a new screen coating technology is in the works that will eliminate the need for them in the future, according to an IMAX spokesperson.
Beowulf Trailer
(Below) Keep in mind. MySpace is operating at 58.8 million unique visitors in October. For the same month, Facebook was operating at 19.5 million unique visitors. Of course Facebook has more to grow so looking at the percent growth can definitely be deceiving.
Facebook’s unique audience grew by 1.5 million people in October, according to a new report by Nielsen Online. The growth is five times the rate of larger social-networking rival MySpace, which grew by about 300,000. Third-party numbers, however, “can be deceiving.” (http://bigtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2007/11/15/nielsen-facebook-growth-outpaces-myspace 11/15)
This could be a whole new revenue stream for the networks; NBC.com and Delivery Agent are conducting an online auction on Monday, Nov. 19 to sell off props and wardrobe items from several hit shows. Up for bid are three original paintings from Heroes, Steve Carell’s Timex and Hawaiian “Convention” shirt from The Office and a poker set used during a 30 Rock episode. Part of the proceeds will be donated to The United Way.
The Beatles catalog should finally be available in digital format next year, according to comments made by Sir Paul McCartney in Billboard. One factor holding things up has been a long-standing trademark dispute between Apple Inc. and the band’s Apple record label.
Remember, you can always go old-school on this one and buy [gasp], the actual CD either on amazon.com or on The Beatles store. Click on the image before to kick it way back.
Veteran Fox News Channel critic Robert “Outfoxed” Greenwald is opening another front in his campaign to get advertisers to drop their sponsorships of the leading news channel. His new Web site, FoxNewsPorn.com, features skin-heavy footage that he claims was culled from Fox News. (http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6501364.html 11/15)
Blockbuster, which is seeing its longtime video-rental business decline, plans to roll out several new concepts, including a beverage bar with books and magazines and a tech center for downloading movies. In a promotion with Sony, about 2,000 outlets will start selling PlayStation 3 consoles. (http://www.star-telegram.com/business/columnists/mitchell_schnurman/story/302944.html 11/14)
Break.com is actively recruiting Writer’s Guild members, inviting striking writers to “ Strike Gold on Break” by entering a viral video contest. The WGA member who submits the top-watched video by Dec. 5 gets $5,000. Writing for new media ventures that don’t have signed agreements with the guild is officially permitted under current rules, confirmed the Wall Street Journal, but doing so remains a controversial action given that new media payment remains one of the key issues of the strike.
Downtown Records and Peter Rojas, founder of the Engadget blog, are launching RCRDLBL.com. The online, blog-like music label will offer free, sponsor-supported MP3s from established and emerging artists. “Downloads are both free AND legal,” the site says. (http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/15/engadget-founder-peter-rojass-new-digital-music-site-rcrd-lbl-l 11/15)
After searching through the site for a bit, I found this band Junip featuring Jose Gonzalez. You may remember Gonzalez from his cover of the song “Heartbeats” in the Sony Bravia ad set in San Francisco. If you were a fan of that song, click below to download the song “Chickens” by Junip. You won’t regret it.
Microsoft and Openwave have finalized the sale of Musiwave to Microsoft, after announcing a few days ago that they were in talks. Microsoft will pay $46 million in cash and assume a debt of $4 million, bringing the cost to the $50 million mark mentioned eariler. (http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-microsoft-to-acquire-musiwave-for-50-million-in-cash-and-debt 11/15)
Amazon.com plans to introduce an electronic book device on Monday. The online retailer hopes to stimulate book sales by developing and selling the new device. But even if Amazon increases the e-book industry base by five times, e-books will still be “a small business.” (http://www.news.com/Amazon-to-debut-Kindle-e-book-reader-Monday/2100-1025_3-6218828.html 11/15)
AOL is relaunching its Games.com online video game portal and will use it to increase advertising, including ads planted within the video games themselves. AOL acquired the Games.com Web address in 2006. The relaunched site will offer advertisers “deep, in-game integration.” (http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2007/11/12/daily28.html 11/15)
Internet-connected set top movie delivery service Vudu signed deals with Paramount, Universal and Lionsgate to deliver feature length titles in HD on an on-demand basis.
Google and other online news aggregators are pushing news outlets to stop charging for access to their Web sites. Increasingly, users arrive at news sites “sideways,” from other sites. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/15/AR2007111502523_2.html 11/15)
BiggerBoat.com launched its AdMatch targeting platform this week to automatically place ads next to and within online movies, music, TV shows, video games that best resonate with the brand’s intended image. BiggerBoat has built a proprietary index of entertainment info through partnerships with entertainment, radio, music and movie websites, cross-referencing user consumption preferences to help advertisers make meaningful connections.
Investment firm Technology Crossover Ventures is taking a $55 million minority stake in TheStreet.com, to help accelerate the financial news site’s expansion strategy. TheStreet.com, says CEO Tom Clarke, plans to be “a leading player in the online financial media sector.” (http://www.thestreet.com/s/tcv-buys-stake-in-thestreetcom/newsanalysis/technet/10390417.html 11/15)
Filed under: WIRELESS
WIRELESS
Google plans to make a bid to buy wireless spectrum at an auction by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission in January. The Internet giant’s wireless ambitions could include running its own mobile network. Google is said to be serious about “trying to reshape the wireless world.” (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119517445580795065.html 11/16)
Google Maps running on Android cellphone software
Research firm IDC predicts that more than one in five cellphones sold in 2011 will be “smartphones,” devices with Internet access that can also play videos and music. And most consumers are expected to want free mobile services supported by advertising, rather than paying subscriptions. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071116/tc_afp/usinternettelecomadvertise 11/16)
CBS is providing free Wi-Fi service throughout midtown Manhattan as part of a six-month pilot program. The new CBSMobileZone.com presents users with an advertising-supported home page that includes breaking news, maps and the ability to search for nearby restaurants, shops and entertainment. (http://www.news.com/8301-13577_3-9818355-36.html 11/15)
Reporting from 42nd St/6th Ave in NYC, the Wi-Fi zone doesn’t work at this location, at least for now. Crossing fingers. My iPhone thanks you in advance CBS.
The area of Manhattan that will be equipped with CBS-provided Wi-Fi.
(Credit: CBS Corp.)
Filed under: GAMING
GAMING
MTV Games and Harmonix began selling downloadable a la carte music tracks for the console game Rock Band to help gamers customize their game play with real rock classics, selling for $1.99 each and $5.49 for three. (That’s 160/440 Microsoft points for Xbox 360 users.) The interactive play-along game was one of the hottest titles at E3 this year.
Consumers bought 1.4 million “Guitar Hero III” games in six days in October, helping to push industry sales to $1.1 billion over last year’s $643 million. “Halo 3″ for the Xbox 360 was the month’s top-selling title. (MSNBC/Reuters 11/15)
Committed gamers still prefer PCs to the latest consoles thanks to their high-powered processors and graphics cards. More and more, gamers demand a machine that can push the limits of virtual reality with lightning speed. (BBC 11/16)
