Daily Marauder

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE WEEK: ASK A NINJA LOVES HIM SOME HBO

I love me some Ask a Ninja.  In this most recent edition, the Ninja breaks down his love for HBO and some suggestions on programming. 

Ninterouge anyone?

BROADCAST/CABLE

CBS — the home to hits like “Survivor” and “60 Minutes” — will almost certainly forfeit its longtime crown as “America’s Most-Watched Network” in total viewers. That title is set to go to Rupert Murdoch’s Fox, the most youth-seeking of all the networks, boosted by “American Idol.” (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-channel3mar03,1,5022500.story  3/2)

Network execs and media buyers say the annual advertising-buying ritual known as the “upfront” is likely to be stronger this year than last. Some TV ad-sales execs admit that there is likely to be a lag before any recession will begin to take its toll on ad budgets. (http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120450960847206713.html  3/3)

Entertaining 9- to 14-year-olds, or tweens, has become big business in the TV industry, particularly on cable, where titans Nickelodeon and Disney Channel run neck-and-neck in the kidvid universe. “For the longest time Nickelodeon was the dominant player, but there is now a real race,” said Bill Carroll, vice president of programming for the Katz Television Group. “In perception, Disney leads by a head. And in the entertainment industry, perception is reality.” (Multichannel News 3/2)

Nick at Nite has picked up the cable syndication rights to The CW’s off-net comedy Everybody Hates Chris, from CBS TV Distribution, on a cash + 2m barter basis, and a minimum of 80 episodes. In the nonexclusive four-year deal, NAN will debut the sitcom in the fall of 2009, and plans to air it in primetime. Everybody Hates Chris has already been cleared in off-network broadcast syndication for fall 2009 in 52% of the U.S. on stations from the Fox, CBS, Cox Television and Weigel Broadcasting station groups.

Beginning June 8, USA Network will serve up dramas during Sunday primetime with season seven of Law & Order: Criminal Intent at 9p, followed by USA’s new original drama In Plain Sight at 10p. 

Presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., is set to appear today, via satellite from Austin, Texas, on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” the night before the Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island Democratic primaries. The appearance will mark the first time Clinton has been on the program since she declared her bid for the White House. Broadcasting & Cable (2/29)

ABC has a new reality project on tap for this summer, based in part on Disney’s High School Musical, reports Variety.  A national wide competition looking for the best performer, all of whom will be living together at a music conservatory, and with contestants being eliminated one by one until there is just one remaining. 

Music Choice celebrates “Chicks Who Rule” on its On Demand network this month, women considered to be the ruling ladies of Rock, Pop and Hip-Hop. The list of featured artists includes Alicia Keys, Ashanti, Colbie Caillat, Kat DeLuna, Tiffany Evans, Jordin Sparks, Hayley Williams of Paramore, Juliette Lewis of Juliette and the Licks, and the Sick Puppies’ Emma Anzai.

Cartoon Network picked up the U.S. broadcast rights for Blue Dragon from VIZ Media, the Japanese animated series developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy,) based on the popular Xbox 360 console game.

ESPN will team with CAA and sister company Walt Disney Studios to finance and develop theatrical films based on the sporting world. “We see this as a new way to reach sports fans and engage them,” said Keith Clinkscales, ESPN’s senior vice president for content development. “A lot of people who spend time being engaged in ESPN also spend a lot of time going to the movies.” (The New York Times 3/3)

Sen. John Kerry chastised Comcast for packing last week’s public Net Neutrality hearing with its own employees, forcing Harvard campus police to turn away an estimated 100 pro-neutrality advocates. 

The U.S. Supreme Court this week may reopen for the first time in more than 30 years the debate over what qualifies as an “indecent” broadcast. The top issue now is the problem of “fleeting expletives” in broadcasts, such as those heard on recent entertainment industry awards shows. (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-expletive2mar02,0,7115069.story  3/2)

Liberty Media head John Malone may win control of Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActiveCorp in a court fight over IAC’s breakup plan, according to Lehman Bros. analyst Vijay Jayant. “Liberty might get control” by forcing Diller out as the caretaker for Liberty’s 62% voting stake in IAC. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=afN64N90SnzQ 2/27)

ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Facebook is launching a music section for bands in a tie-up with Apple’s iTunes. The new section lets bands create their own profiles, making songs, photos and music videos available to fans. The online social network links to iTunes where music acts can offer their songs for sale. (http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,142981-c,onlineentertainment/article.html  2/29)

MySpace is said to be planning a service that would combine free ad-supported music with paid MP3 downloads and music subscriptions. MySpace owner News Corp. aims to partner with the major labels in a music site, similar to its partnership with Hollywood studios for Hulu. (http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN0123996020080302  3/1)

MySpaceTV introduced its first HD video segment on the Trailer Park movie trailer site – an exclusive promo for Iron Man.

While the full screen version conked out my machine, the light version was pretty impressive all the same.  I don’t usually get excited about made-from-comic-book movies but let me just say, Robert Downey Jr. is one FINE superhero. 

Internet ratings firm comScore is issuing a follow-up statement to its earlier report that said Google was seeing a drop in click-throughs on advertisements. Google’s “own quality initiatives” led to the decline, comScore now says. Google did not pressure the firm to act, it adds. (http://www.news.com/8301-10787_3-9883546-60.html  2/29)

AOL, the Time Warner unit trying to catch up to Yahoo and Google in Internet traffic, plans to start at least a dozen Web sites in the next six months to attract more advertisers. Existing AOL sites include celebrity news site TMZ, men’s lifestyle site Asylum and music site Spinner. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=a1oQFoKztByg  2/29)

Former Disney chief Michael Eisner is launching his second Web series, “The All-For-Nots.” However, according to Nielsen Online, a business model is yet to emerge for online video. Also: One-offs, like “I’m (bleeping) Ben Affleck,” attract much bigger audiences than episodic Web video. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/business/media/03eisner.html  3/3, http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117981677.html?categoryid=2522&cs=1  2/29)

Apple is 601 titles short of the 1,000 movie titles it promised to have on its iTunes movie service at the end of February, according to a Macworld report. Apple, however, does have 91 of 100 promised titles TV users can experience in high definition. (Electronic House 3/2)

It’s been a year-and-a-half since Amazon launched Unbox, its movie download service that competes with Netflix and iTunes. Amazon has a partnership with TiVo to allow people to download movies straight to their TV set-top boxes. But Unbox doesn’t appear to have really made a dent in Amazon’s business yet. The service did not even warrant a mention in last quarter’s earnings announcement. Maybe that is why Amazon is noodling over what it can add to Unbox to make it a hit. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/03/is-amazon-rethinking-its-movie-download-service  3/3)

Content Delivery Network Akamai won the latest battle of a long-standing war over patent infringement with rival Limelight Networks. A jury awarded Akamai $45.5 million in damages plus interest for copyright infringement of its online video delivery system. Akamai intends to ask the court to issue a permanent injunction prohibiting Limelight from continuing to sell infringing services. 

(Below) I have said it once and I’ll say it again.  Net neutrality is critical to maintaining freedom and self-expression on the net.  Yes, I agree that P2P users suck broadband at a higher rate.  That said, once one form of expression is limited, others are sure to follow.  Our founding fathers didn’t think to put Freedom to Broadband in our Constitution but if they were around today, I have no doubt that they would. 
NBC Universal and Viacom are supporting Comcast’s right to slow customers’ access to certain applications on its high speed Internet network. “Reasonable network management practices are vital to combating illegal distribution of copyrighted material,” Viacom says. (http://www.smartmoney.com/bn/ON/index.cfm?story=ON-20080229-000996-1827  2/29) 

(Below) If this isn’t an advertisement for iTV (i.e. providing these informational features on screen), I don’t know what is.

More than three out of four adults are surfing the web while watching TV, and 62% of those surveyed are using the web to look for content related to what they’re watching, according to a new study from video search engine blinkx. “Double dippers” searched most for profiles of actors (51%), products and services advertised during the program they were watching (40%) and information about upcoming/related events (39%).

Ad agencies are missing the boat on social media advertising because they view the trend as a passing fad and lack practical skills and experience to harness the viral power of new social channels, according to a new survey of more than 60 marketers by TNS Media Intelligence/Cymfony. Over 80% of early adopters of social marketing initiatives surveyed say the medium will grow in significance in the next 5 years, compared to only 33% of “wait and see” marketers. 

The William Morris Agency is teaming up with venture capital firms Accel Partners and Venrock to invest in digital media start-ups in Southern California. Convergence is “as much an opportunity as a threat,” says Susan Johnson, an exec with AT&T, a limited partner with the group. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/business/media/03morris.html?_r=1&oref=slogin  3/3)

TVLand.com launches a user generated High School Reunion site today where users can upload photos, interact with old friends and share high school memories. The site, a digital component to a new original series premiering on Wednesday March 5 at 10 ET/PT, will hold weekly popularity contests and feature original minisodes taped by the cast of the linear High School Reunion.

Click the image below for a preview of the show.

Beth Comstock, NBC Universal’s integrated media boss, is said to be returning to parent company General Electric. Comstock will run marketing and digital media for GE. Comstock was criticized for her lack of digital expertise at NBC, where she oversaw the lackluster iVillage. (http://www.nypost.com/seven/03032008/business/parent_calling_100164.htm  3/3)

WIRELESS

Disney is rolling out a mobile phone service in Japan in cooperation with Softbank, entering the tough Japanese cellular phone market following its withdrawal from the United States. The mobiles have a special online feature that allows subscribers to jump to Disney Web sites. (http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080301/tbs-japan-us-entertainment-telecom-compa-e5c2383.html  3/1)

People want to see long-form movies on their television sets and are willing to watch short-form television shows on their computers, but few want to see programming on their cell phones, according to new research by the Diffusion Group. “All our research keeps pointing at a lack of interest among consumers in viewing video on the mobile phone,” said the report’s author. (The New York Times 3/3)