Daily Marauder

BLU-RAY PUTS IT DOWN: THE VISUALIZATION

For more on the battle between good and HD DVD, click here.

BROADCAST/CABLE

The Hollywood writers strike is yet to have much impact on prime-time television ratings. The true test will come in February, a ratings “sweeps” month when networks set aside original episodes of their most popular series. The networks won’t have much of a stockpile this year. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080116/ap_en_tv/tv_strike_season 1/16 1/16)

To break the lock that Motorola and Scientific-Atlanta have on the $3 billion U.S. market for set-top boxes, cable firms are seeking alternative suppliers that offer the product, which has led to lower rates, this article says. Demand for these boxes is expected to climb to 11 million in 2009, dropping subsequently because of oversupply, according to ABI Research. (The Wall Street Journal (free content) 1/17)

CBS, Time Warner, Disney and News Corp. are all trading near 52-week lows. Fears of a U.S. recession and the Hollywood writers strike could wreak havoc on sales and earnings for much of 2008, analysts say. “Media has been unloved for a number of years.” (http://mediabiz.blogs.cnnmoney.cnn.com/2008/01/16/recession-fears-hit-media-stocks-hard  1/16)

Time Warner’s Warner Bros. is laying off about three dozen employees, citing the Hollywood writers strike. Earlier media reports that 1,000 people would be laid off were “misinterpreted,” says a studio spokeswoman. However, she declines to say whether more layoffs could come. (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-warner17jan17,1,4449526.story?ctrack=1&cset=true 1/17)

For the first time, ABC-operated Oscar.com is expected to stream live next week when the nominations for the Academy Awards are announced. The event takes place at 8:30 a.m. EST on Tuesday. ABC also plans to archive the event on the ad-supported Oscar.com. (http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=74479  1/17)

HBO has announced that it will take a majority stake in HBO Asia, a 15-year-old service available in 22 Asian countries. The deal effectively eliminates NBC and Sony Pictures from a joint venture that now includes just HBO and Paramount Films. (Multichannel News 1/16)

NBC Universal is making its first ever pitch to top marketers on alternative “out-of-home” locations. As television networks face more competition for advertising dollars, NBC is showcasing opportunities in venues such as taxis, hospitals, stadiums and gas stations. (http://www.reuters.com/article/PBLSHG/idUSN1665277220080116  1/16) 

(Below) Yet another case of a cable operator charging more based on data downloads.  Like Comcast, apparently Time Warner doesn’t believe in net neutrality either.  On all fronts, I am against cable companies charging according to data download rates.  The internet, unlike cable TV, has and should remain an open environment.  Yes, gamers and those downloading large amounts of content are putting a burden on the system.  That said, I think that it is up to the system to manage that flow, not the consumer.

Time Warner Cable is experimenting with a new pricing structure for high-speed Internet access, charging customers based on how much data they download. The second-largest U.S. cable provider will start a trial in which it will sell new Internet customers tiered service levels. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080117/ap_on_hi_te/time_warner_cable_internet  1/17)

The business divisions of Charter and Time Warner Cable said they would work together to install high-speed, fiber-optic connections in each other’s service areas. The agreement also means the companies will connect their optical-ethernet services. (American City Business Journals/St. Louis 1/16)  

Bravo has ordered at least six hour-long episodes of a new reality series tentatively titled “The Rachel Zoe Project,” which is expected to premiere later this year. Zoe is the stylist for stars like Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie and Jessica Simpson. (The Hollywood Reporter 1/17)

DirecTV will raise its monthly rates beginning Feb. 27 between $3 and $5 depending on a subscriber’s service tier, according to a report on industry site satelliteguys.us. The price increase is less than those announced recently by some telecom companies but more than increases scheduled by cable firms. (OneTRAK 1/15)

ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Digital content producer and syndicator 60Frames rolled out its first slate of programming with 7 new online series including the comedy Cockpit, developed by creators of Prom Queen and Erik the Librarian Mysteries, written and directed by TV writer Brent Forrester (The Office). The company, founded by former head of UTA online Brent Weinstein, also announced syndication deals with MySpace, YouTube, iTunes, Bebo, Blip.tv, Break, Dailymotion, Heavy, Joost, Veoh Networks and Vuze to air its web series.

Click below for the first episode of Cockpit.

The Family Guy Star Wars Parody Blue Harvest went on sale, the first Fox DVD equipped with Digital Copy for iTunes. Consumers can legitimately transfer a copy of the film to their iTunes library and then view it on a Mac or PC, iPod, iPhone or on Apple TV. The upcoming release of Hitman on March 11 will also contain this feature.

Social networking site Bebo premiered the second season of the interactive web soap KateModern yesterday, revealing the fate of poor Kate. Bebo says the show averages more than 1.5 million weekly views and has received more than 35 million views since its launch in April 2007.

Time Warner’s AOL is said to be in acquisition talks with U.K. social networking site Where Are You Now. Although both firms are denying that a transaction is in the works, sources claim that the deal is down to “delicate negotiations” over an earn-out clause for the founders. (http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/01/16/wayn-said-to-be-close-to-sale-the-price-200m-the-buyer-aol  1/16)

In its latest ad-serving deal, Microsoft has landed Edgar Online, the Web site best known for providing businesses with access to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents. Edgar Online will provide content, including SEC filings, to Microsoft’s MSN Money. (http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9852229-56.html  1/16)

The leading online tracking firms are split over which Web property garners the most traffic. According to comScore, Yahoo held onto its lead in December, staving off surging Google. But Nielsen Online says that Google tops its list of the top 10 Web sites. (http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/article.php/3722131  1/16)

News Corp.’s 20th Century Fox and Viacom’s Paramount studios will sell DVDs that allow copies of the films to be transferred to personal computers and Apple’s iPod media players. The move is an effort to help keep DVDs — studios’ biggest source of revenue — relevant. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=aGAHOgxEL.20  1/15) 

Comedic Video site JibJab Media’s unique audience grew from 1.7 million to 2.4 million during the past month, according to comScore Media Metrix, an increase of 156%. Only OfficeMax.com grew at a higher rate during the same period.

JumpTV secured online streaming and mobile rights for up to 70 remaining FIFA World Cup South American qualifying soccer matches from SCP Worldwide. JumpTV also paid approx. $3.5 million for a minority stake in SCP’s broadcast rights for the games on all broadcast platforms, including DTH, cable, terrestrial, Internet and mobile. SCP and JumpTV have jointly secured distribution deals for this content with ESPN, DirecTV, DISH Network and InDemand to create an integrated coverage package.

WIRELESS

Google released an update to its offerings for the iPhone, hoping to continue a trend that recently saw the iPhone briefly become the No. 1 mobile phone hitting Google sites. (http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/01/14/iPhone-briefly-number-one-Google-user_1.html?source=NLC-WIRELESS&cgd=2008-01-17  1/14)

Wireless high speed internet provider Clearwire is collaborating with Google to offer an suite of Google Apps to Clearwire customers. In addition to Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Talk, Clearwire will use AdSense to provide Google search capabilities for future Clearwire portal applications. The deal will provide Google with a valuable testing ground for delivering applications over WiMax technology, also being rolled out by Sprint. 

Mobile phone maker Nokia will lay off 2,300 employees at a German plant and move production to lower-cost European sites, the company announced Tuesday. (http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/01/15/Nokia-to-close-German-plant-lay-off-workers_1.html?source=NLC-WIRELESS&cgd=2008-01-17  1/15)

Sprint Nextel and its hardware partners sought to convince a small audience at the Consumer Electronics Show that their WiMax plans are on track, despite the recent departure of Sprint’s CEO and the dissolution of its partnership with Clearwire. (http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/01/08/Sprint-insists-WiMax-network-on-track_1.html?source=NLC-WIRELESS&cgd=2008-01-17  1/8)