Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE
BROADCAST/CABLE
NBC is laying off the nonwriting staff members of the “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” because of the strike by Hollywood scriptwriters. Also: NBC is buying a block of prime-time programming from outside producers that won’t have staff writers. (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/business/01leno.html 12/1, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/business/media/03nbc.html 12/3)
Showtime and Paramount appear to be close to renewing their deal to bring theatricals to the cable network, according to this story. One of the biggest films included in the proposed pact is “Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” (Variety 12/2)
Many media stocks are falling by double-digit percentages, including Time Warner, CBS, Comcast, McGraw-Hill, Gannett, Martha Stewart, and Playboy. (http://www.minonline.com/topstory2.htm 11/30)
U.S. cable giant Comcast could eventually become “another extinct dinosaur,” due to “poor customer service, slow speeds and generally poor business practices.” Earlier: One subscriber went “Com-smash-tic” out of frustration over poor customer service. (http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/07/12/02/148256.shtml 12/2, http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=2605 10/18)
As Google gears up to file its application to bid for the reclaimed broadcast spectrum in the upcoming FCC auction of the 700-MHz band, industry experts anticipate major cable companies also will bid for some of the smaller pieces of the band. Both AT&T and Verizon have implied that they will also participate in the auction. (The New York Times 12/1, The Washington Post 12/3)
Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
AOL struck a deal with Amazon to replace its download-to-own video service launched last October with Amazon’s Unbox service, offering TV shows and movies at price points similar to those found on iTunes. The two companies will share revenue generated from the integration.
Rupert Murdoch is said to be considering a $1 billion deal to buy corporate networking site LinkedIn. Talks between News Corp. and LinkedIn chief CEO Dan Nye began three weeks ago. Last week Nye said that offers would not be considered unless they were in excess of $1 billion. (http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-21366097.htm 12/2)
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is poised to approve Google’s $3.1 billion acquisition of online advertising provider DoubleClick without any conditions, according to a lawyer involved in the merger review. The approval is expected as early as next week. (http://www.techconfidential.com/news/news/google-nears-doubleclick-ok.php 11/29)
Facebook received $240 million in investment capital from Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, according to The Wall Street Journal’s All Things D blog. Li is making the investment from an entity separate from Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd. and Hutchinson Whampoa Ltd., two of Asia’s largest holding companies.
Social media content aggregator Flux.com unveiled Flux Lite and Flux Custom, tools to help online publishers distribute content across social networking sites. The tools also support distribution of digital ads embedded within the content.
Flux Lite
In essence, Flux Lite aggregates functions available from each of these social networking sites to allow easy posting of video/links across several social networks using the Flux tool. A nice-to-have but not a necessity.
Amazon.com and Pepsi are planning to launch a promotion during the Super Bowl on Feb. 3, giving away millions of MP3 tracks for free, reports Billboard. Pepsi will place certificates inside 5 billion bottle caps, 5 of which can be redeemed on Amazon.com for a free song. The promotion coincides with a looming deadline issued by Wall-Mart to major labels; the retailer is requesting labels make music tracks available in the MP3 format as it transitions from the Windows Media format.
Time Warner’s CNNMoney.com will begin posting as many as 40 original videos a day. Execs say that the expanded video offerings will make CNNMoney more competitive not just with other business portals, but with the likes of television channels CNBC and Fox Business Network. (http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071202/FREE/71202008/1008/information 12/2)
Internet advertising will overtake radio advertising in 2008, and surpass magazine advertising in 2010, according to a forthcoming ad-spending forecast from ZenithOptimedia. Television, still the biggest way to reach customers, is projected to “essentially hold its ground.” (http://adage.com/article?article_id=122346 12/3)
Top U.S. Online Video Properties By Videos Viewed in Sept. 2007, U.S. Home/Work/University
Property Videos (millions) Share (% of videos viewed)
Total internet 9,211 100.0%
Google sites 2,608 28.3%
Fox Interactive Media 387 4.2%
Yahoo! sites 381 4.1%
Viacom Digital 304 3.3%
Time Warner Network 198 2.2%
Microsoft Sites 194 2.1%
Disney Online 92 1.0%
ESPN 89 1.0%
Comcast Corp. 52 .6%
CBS Corp. 48 .5%
Source: comScore Video Metrix
Filed under: WIRELESS
WIRELESS
Host of TLC’s Fashionably Late with Stacy London and What Not To Wear launched her own mobile site with Sprint profiling phones that match current fashions. The site features interactive quizzes to help determine what phone is right for each user. Sprint’s $9.99 Xtra service also features live simulcasts of Stacy’s TLC shows.
Motorola elected current COO Greg Brown as its new CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2008. He replaces Edward Zander, who will continue as Chairman of the Board of Directors until the company’s annual shareholders meeting in May of 2008.
Filed under: GAMING
GAMING
Vivendi Games is acquiring a controlling stake in Activision purchasing $4 billion worth of its shares for a 68% share in the company. Activision Blizzard – the company’s new moniker – estimates their combined revenue will total $3.8 billion in 2007, a hair above the $3.7 billion Electronics Arts is projecting, making it the largest video game publisher not directly affiliated with a hardware maker. The move also gives Activision’s Guitar Hero a pipeline to a major record label: Vivendi’s Universal Music Group. (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-activision3dec03,1,2880270.story?ctrack=2&cset=true 12/3)
Filed under: TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
Linux-based PCs continue to garner consumer attention, as the models often tout increased energy efficiency and lower prices than their Windows and Mac rivals. Wal-Mart currently sells the Everex TC2502 gPC for $199, making it one of the most inexpensive desktop models on the market. (LinuxInsider/Associated Press 12/2)
Filed under: MISC
MISC
Elisabeth Murdoch’s U.K. firm Shine is poised to spend $200 million to acquire Reveille, the U.S. indie production company founded by top NBC exec Ben Silverman, known for television hits such as “The Office.” Elisabeth is “a Murdoch,” says one broadcasting exec. “She is very smart.” (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9eb4cc8a-9f7d-11dc-8031-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1 11/30)
