Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE
The NBC late-night talk shows hosted by Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien will return with all-new episodes on Jan. 2, according to NBC. The shows have been in reruns for two months because of the Hollywood writers strike. Both Jay and Conan “will continue to support” the striking writers.
(http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/17/writers.strike/index.html 12/17)
The Writers Guild of America, West, will not allow its members to write for the Golden Globes on Jan. 13 nor the Academy Awards on Feb. 24, according to a source close to the guild. Jon Stewart, who is slated to host this year’s Academy Awards, is yet to comment. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071218/ap_en_tv/hollywood_labor_awards_shows 12/18)
Tina Brown, the former editor of Vanity Fair and New Yorker, is signing a first-look deal to bring projects and story ideas to Time Warner’s HBO. Also: Brown says the online world is “becoming so interesting,” while broadcast network news “has become almost irrelevant.” (http://www.nypost.com/seven/12182007/gossip/liz/journo_turns_to_hbo_612682.htm 12/18, http://www.beet.tv/2007/12/tina-brown-netw.html 12/17)
Tina Brown
Who could have imagined that Tila Tequila could make Wall Street so buoyant? The Web pinup girl and star of MTV series “A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila” is part of growing ratings resurgence at Viacom properties, and that has put a number of stock analysts in a bullish mood. (The Hollywood Reporter 12/18)
For full episodes, click the image below:
Female-skewing Lifetime will be the exclusive home of “Wife Swap” reruns through the fall of 2012, thanks to a deal between the cable network and Disney-ABC Domestic TV. Lifetime, beginning next October, will get reruns of the popular reality show’s first four seasons and has clearance to telecast them twice a day. (Variety 12/17)
A second broadcast network is returning money to advertisers in the face of hefty ratings declines this season. Also: The CW is attracting about 860,000 viewers in its target 18-to-34-year-old demo — less than half the combined audiences of the former WB and UPN. (http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=72848 12/17, http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle/culture-inc/arts/2007/12/17/CBS-Warner-Brothers-Merger 1/08)
Sundance Channel will explore the world of legalized prostitution in its new original six-episode documentary series Pleasure for Sale that debuts February 4 at 11p. The series, directed and executive produced by Joe and Harry Gantz, goes inside The Chicken Ranch, a licensed brothel in Pahrump, NV, 60 miles from Las Vegas.
Rachael Ray has been renewed on Food Network through 2010. The new deal will have her host 60 episodes of 30 Minute Meals per year, twenty less than her previous contract. However, she will debut a new primetime travel series, Rachael’s Vacation opening January 12 which follows her to exotic places along with travel and vacation information.
Kevin Martin, the chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, says he will temper his planned relaxation of media ownership rules. Also: Some 25 U.S. senators are vowing to block any rule change, accusing Martin of ignoring the public’s right “to play a constructive role.” (http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2007-12-17-fcc-ownership_N.htm 12/18, http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSWAT00859020071218 12/17)
Kevin Martin
Comcast is hiring Boston Consulting Group exec Robert Victor to head up strategic and financial planning, two weeks after cutting its revenue and subscriber growth forecasts. The U.S. cable giant says it is facing a “challenging” economy and increased competition. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=a5SexjGbQTxM 12/17)
The Detroit metropolitan area is becoming ground zero in the national rivalry between cable companies and telecoms. Comcast and AT&T, the two biggest providers of TV, broadband and telephony services in the Motor City, have been running a blitz of advertising lately in hopes of increasing market share. (The Detroit News 12/18)
Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
The NBA has introduced a channel on Web-TV platform Joost with highlights from current season games and replays of “Instant Classic” matchups. The NBA already has dedicated Net channels on YouTube and MySpace. (Mediaweek 12/17)
For anyone who thinks that full-length movies on the Web are for downloading only should check out the Watch Now section on BitTorrent (you will need Flash Player 9 installed). Launched quietly on December 5 using its BitTorrent DNA streaming technology, Watch Now offers a few hundred full-length movies and TV shows that you can watch in full-screen that start a few seconds after clicking play. The quality varies based on the original video, but check out The Ring (original Japanese version) to see what is possible. It is not HD. But it is very watchable. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/17/bittorrent-is-now-streaming-movies-with-ads-but-wheres-the-good-stuff/ 12/17)
The dating Web site Match.com, owned by Barry Diller’s InterActiveCorp, plans to launch new features to bring social networking capabilities to its 15 million members. Match’s new Little Black Book feature will link users of the social network Facebook with Match.com daters. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071217/ap_on_hi_te/match_com_facebook 12/17)
A new survey by NPD has found that the 73% of Americans have never heard of Google Docs and other online office applications, but perhaps worst still only 0.5% of respondents have abandoned desktop office applications for an online alternative. 94% of Americans have never tried a web based productivity suite. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/18/majority-of-americans-on-google-docs-what-you-talkin-bout-willis/ 12/18)
The social news site Digg is said to have hired Allen & Company, the private investment firm, seeking to sell itself for at least $300 million. Rumors of a sale have been rampant for months. Digg founder Kevin Rose says: “We never comment on things related to acquisitions.” (http://venturebeat.com/2007/12/17/source-digg-hires-bank-hoping-to-sell-for-300-million-or-more 12/17)
Sometimes reading online product reviews can be a real time sink. There are so many opinions out there—from CNet to Amazon to blogs. It can take a long time and a lot of sifting to figure out what people really think. But now there is another way. If you want a snap shot of popular sentiment about a book, movie, CD, or gadget, type its name into Summize. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/17/summize-a-sentiment-engine-for-the-reviewosphere/ 12/17)
See my sample search for one of my favorite bands “The National” below. The search gave me the most recent blog postings about the band as well as videos and mp3s from those bloggers. Very nice. Better yet, figure out a way to weave this functionality into the iTunes product. All this summizing and no iTunes makes for a fragmented experience. I want a way to buy products after I’ve reviewed the blogosphere.
Fresh from the development of Prom Queen, Vuguru, the digital media firm launched earlier in the year by Michael Eisner, plans to produce a new online series following an indie rock band called The All-For-Nots. Last night, I had the chance to catch their performance at the Mercury Lounge in NYC and was pleasantly surprised. From their MySpace page, it appears as though the band only has one lead singer: Johnny Hamilton. But last night, there was another lead singer; this one being one attractive blonde named Farrah. I’m guessing they’re trying to up their sex appeal. Best moment of the night: A cover of My Prerogative by Bobby Brown.
Former AOL chief Jon Miller and former Fox Interactive Media head Ross Levinsohn are joining with venture fund ComVentures to form a new group to invest in Internet and media companies. Levinsohn formed News Corp.’s Internet division in 2005 and spearheaded the purchase of MySpace. (http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119795176668736141.html 12/18)
Hitwise released a report stating that just over half of Wikipedia‘s traffic comes directly from Google searches, suggesting the launch of Google Knol could cripple the popular user generated encyclopedia. Google’s announcement has sparked a debate revolving around whether or not its attempt to form a depository of knowledge will lead to conflicts of interest because it will profit from page views of entries.
(Below) An extremely helpful download of the CPM cost across several popular online video sites.
The major online video sites offers a very simple choice when it comes to advertising rates: pay $90 CPMs on the high end or $10 to $20 CPMs on the low end. WebVideoReport provides a comparison price list of eight sites, demonstrating what marketers can expect to pay in general. (http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-thinking-of-online-video-ads-heres-a-price-list 12/17)
Founders Fund Management, which made its mark as an early backer of Facebook, is raising a second investment round more than four times as large as its first, signaling its growing clout in Silicon Valley. The fund was started in 2005 by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-founders18dec18,1,7240059.story 12/18)
IFC News is embarking upon a multi-tiered election year news venture featuring on air and online programming incorporating several touch points for users and viewers. Digital components of IFC’s “Election Coverage for the Rest of Us”include an election webpage, live blogs, polls and political films from Media Lab’s filmmaker community.
Filed under: WIRELESS
Gizmodo has got their hands on a photograph (pic right) of a prototype phone running Google’s Android Open Mobile operating system. According to the report, the phone itself looks like it may have been manufactured by HTC. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/17/android-prototype-lets-hope-looks-can-be-deceiving/ 12/17)
Mobile IM platform Zannel has created a mobile website optimized for the iPhone with features such as persistent navigation and seamless transitions between sharing, viewing and discussing content.
Zipit Wireless is introducing a new plan in February for its hand-held device that allows users to send text messages from any Wi-Fi hot spot without using a cell phone. With the Zipit Wireless Messenger 2, those who sign up for the $4.99 monthly plan (for up to 3,000 texts) will be able to also send text to cell phones as well as through instant-messaging services. The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.)/Associated Press (12/18)
Filed under: GAMING
If online shopping behavior is any indicator, it looks like the Wii is going to be the big winner in the videogame console wars this Christmas. That is, if people can actually buy the damn things, which are out of stock at many physical retail outlets. Data compiled by Compete about online shopping in the U.S. shows interest in the Wii soaring in November, well past the interest levels last year when the Wii launched. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/18/its-going-to-be-a-wii-christmas/ 12/18)
A growing number of retailers are reporting inventory concerns over Nintendo’s DS hand-held gaming unit. “The DS continues to perform exceptionally well, with some retailers voicing concerns about DS inventory going into the holiday,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America. (The Washington Post/Reuters 12/17)
Filed under: TECHNOLOGY
Dr. Donald Norman warns electronics makers against creating products too rich in features, but lacking in consumer functionality, in this article from The New York Times. “Most of our technological difficulties come from the way we interact with our machines and with other people. The technology part of the problem is usually pretty simple. The people part is complicated.” The New York Times (12/18)
