Filed under: TECHNOLOGY | Tags: AT&T, Atlanta, BusinessWeek, Mobile phone, Netbook, Philadelphia, Verizon Wireless, WIRELESS
AT&T said it was “very pleased with the early results” of its 2-week-old trial of selling laptops in Atlanta and Philadelphia, a further sign of how aggressively cell phone operators are moving into the traditional bailiwick of retailers such as Best Buy. AT&T said it was considering expanding the program nationwide, while Verizon Wireless plans to begin offering netbooks to customers before July. BusinessWeek (4/13)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Battlestar Galactica, Disney Channel, DisneyXd, Dow Jones Industrial Average, Lee Adama, NBC Universal, Time Warner Cable, Toon Disney
Bravo offers viewers a glimpse into the lives of rich, privileged teenagers residing in Manhattan with its new docu-series NYC Prep opening June 16 at 11p. NYC Prep chronicles the lives of six wealthy high school students who lead sophisticated yet pressure-filled lifestyles. Under the surface of exclusive parties, luxurious vacations and shopping sprees, there are college applications and high expectations for each of these teens. (Cynopsis 4/10)
Gossip Girl The Reality Show.
Wednesday’s season premiere of Real World/Road Rules: The Duel 2 on MTV posted a 1.76 rating with P12-34 and averaged 1.78 million viewers. (Cynopsis 4/10)
Kids cable nets Cartoon Network and Disney XD, formerly Toon Disney, are adding more live-action fare to their production slates in hopes of attracting a larger audience of boys between the ages of 6 and 14, according to this report. “Animation as a genre channel seemed to be very limiting,” said Rich Ross, chief of Disney Channel Worldwide. “We had an opportunity to broaden our voice to get more kids, and certainly boys, by re-engineering what Toon Disney was.” USA TODAY (4/9)
MLB Network on Saturday night will add a new wrinkle to its programming strategy: live Saturday evening games. The move will allow the network, which already had scheduled 26 Thursday night telecasts, to double the number of games it will carry in its freshman season. TVWeek.com (4/9)
SCI FI Channel Battlestar Galactica fans and collectors will have one last chance to buy a piece of show memorabilia during a live auction weekend May 8-10. NBC Universal Television, DVD, Music and Consumer Products Group is partnering with Propworx to again offer more than 900 items from the show. Some of the items include: Admiral Adama’s desk chair, a full-size Viper Mark II ship and Lee Adama’s bomber jacket. The auction, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting United Way, will be held at the Pasadena Convention Center and a preview will be open to the public on May 7. The auction will also stream live at the Auction Network site at www.auctionnetwork.com , allowing fans to watch and bid in real time. For more information and to view the auction catalog, please visit www.battlestarprops.com. (Cynopsis 4/10)
Cable stocks rallied Thursday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 246 points. Cablevision shares led the charge with an 8.6% increase, while Mediacom posted a 7.9% gain, Time Warner Cable rose 3.2% and Comcast increased 2.5%. Multichannel News (4/9)
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Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA | Tags: Business model, comScore, Google, Sony, Unique visitor, us, Veoh, YouTube
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
Sony‘s entertainment unit is negotiating with Google to become the first major U.S. film studio to post full-length movies on YouTube. No other details on the possible deal were provided by Sony. YouTube did not comment on the talks. Bloomberg (4/9)
As video sites on the Web struggle to find a business model that will pay their mounting bandwidth and storage bills, many of them are trying to reinvent themselves. Veoh
, which has raised a total of $70 million, had to cut 35 percent of its staff earlier this month and the site seems to be losing steam. Unique visitors are down 18 percent from their high a year ago to 15.2 million worldwide, and users of its desktop app VeohTV are down 40 percent to 7.2 million worldwide, according to comScore (see chart below). (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/10/veohs-hail-mary-spreading-video-search-across-the-web-with-video-compass 4/10)
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Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: AOL Instant Messenger, Apple, AppStore, Facebook, iPhone, Myspace, Tap Revenge, Tapulous
Apple is really, really close to hitting 1 billion app downloads across the world, according to its new countdown page. If you download an app, you’ll be enrolled in a contest to win a $10,000 iTunes Gift Card, an iPod touch, a Time Capsule, and a MacBook Pro. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/10/when-will-apple-hit-1-billion-app-downloads 4/10)
Tapulous‘s Tap Tap Revenge ranked as the top penetrated app on the Apple App Store in Feb., according to a new report from ComScore, which now measures audience size, demographic profile and online behaviors of Apple app users. Twelve out of the 25 most popular mobile apps were games. Among non-gaming applications, Stylem Media’s “Backgrounds” applications had the highest installed base, followed closely by the top social networking apps Facebook and MySpace Mobile. (Cynopsis 4/10)
Tapulous is like Guitar Hero on a cell phone if you’ve never played it. I still am shocked that people love playing it as much as they apparently do.
ComScore analysis of Apple app users also found that:
- 35% of all app users make $100,000 or more
- 54% of app users are in households make at least $75,000 per year
- iPhone users were at least three times more likely to visit several popular gaming sites, including Ultimate-guitar.com, IGN Entertainment, GameStop, AddictingGames, Xbox.com, Blizzard Entertainment, SourceForge and EA.com
- They were also at least three times more likely than average to visit several popular social/communication/entertainment sites, including: AOL Instant Messenger, Hulu, Twitter.com, Digg.com, iMeem and MTV.com
(Below) And car accidents waiting to happen.
Wireless operators see installing Internet service in cars as a “billion-dollar opportunity,” with 10 million automobiles expected to be sold this year in the U.S., according to industry executives and analysts. Carmakers see wireless services — including TV — as a way to differentiate themselves from competitors as access to the networks has become cheaper and more widespread. BusinessWeek (4/9)
Amazon.com on Thursday introduced software for BlackBerry handsets that will give trackball model owners access to its shopping application, which is already available for the iPhone. “All the pieces of the puzzle are coming together” for mobile commerce, according to one Amazon executive. CNET (4/9) , The Wall Street Journal/Digits blog (4/9)
Virgin Mobile USA is trying to show its compassion offering an unlimited prepaid voice plan for $50 covered by up to 3 months of “Pink Slip Protection.” (Cynopsis 4/10)
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Filed under: TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Apple, Elon Musk, Franz von Holzhausen, HD Radio, iPhone, iPod Touch, Land Rover, Tesla Model S
Techcrunch rode in the new Tesla Model S sedan yesterday and were captivated by the massive 17-inch touch screen (so was Gizmodo) featured in the center console of the car. Both Tesla CEO Elon Musk and chief designer Franz von Holzhausen didn’t say much about the on screen system, except that it does have touch capability, it is an “entertainment center” and that it is a prototype which is still undergoing changes and improvements (see what both Musk and von Holzhausen said in our video). (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/09/a-look-at-the-tesla-s-17-inch-haptic-entertainment-and-navigation-system 4/9)
Land Rover is the latest automaker to offer factory-installed HD Radio, which will be made available for its 2010 models. HD Radio is offered by 13 auto brands in more than 70 lines of vehicles, according to iBiquity. Radio Ink (4/8) , Radio Online (4/8)
The rumor mill continues to churn about how Apple will update the iPhone and iPod Touch this summer. A persistent one is that it will feature a new Broadcom chip what would allow it to connect to WiFi using the 802.11n standard. This would not only boost the quality of video streaming but it would also give the gadget FM radio streaming capabilities. (Cynopsis 4/10)
Hitachi Japan is preparing to ship a new series of HDTVs called the UT800, an LCD that’s just 1.4 inches thick. The sleek model is part of a major product release for the company, which encompasses 11 new sets in two separate series that will begin to roll out next month. Electronista (4/9)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Goodfellas, HBO, Leah Remini, MartinScorsese, Television, Television program, Time Warner, United States
With baseball season officially underway, HBO announced a renewal of its baseball-themed comedy series Eastbound & Down for a second season. The Danny McBride-headlining series, about a former MLB star pitcher returning to his home town to teach P.E., will begin production later in 2009 with new episodes scheduled to hit HBO’s lineup next year. (Cynopsis 4/9)
FOX is playing off the uncertain economic times with a new reality competition series called Someone’s Gotta Go. The series, from Endemol USA, will go inside real American businesses giving employees the chance to decide which colleague will be laid off. (Cynopsis 4/9)
Leah Remini rejoins the world of sitcoms in the ABC comedy pilot Don’t Try This at Home, per THR. From ABC Studios, Don’t Try This at Home is about marriage and parenting from the perspective of three couples. (Cynopsis 4/9)
Part of AMC’s programming magic over the past few years, according to network chief Charlie Collier, has been to partner edgy original shows with feature films that present a related theme. “When ‘Mad Men’ debuted, we led into it with ‘Goodfellas,’” he said. “The notion was that you’d take this iconic Martin Scorsese piece about a group of guys who thought they could play without rules, and it led to an iconic television program about a group of men who again thought rules did not apply.” The Wall Street Journal (4/8)
Shares of Disney, Time Warner, News Corp. and other media giants are seeing gains. But Wall Street analysts warn: “The rally will meet resistance once the market realizes that the first-quarter results are below consensus.” Within a few months, “things turn ugly again.” (Iwantmedia 4/9, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/finance/news/e3i4f09d44ee2455d728c72b6547178e4bd 4/8)
Michael Copps, acting chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, says he intends to “right the injustice” of the lack of diversity in U.S. broadcasting. The agency is OKing a proposal to improve data collection about media owned by women and minorities. (Iwantmedia 4/9, http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090408-711361.html 4/8)
Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes was awarded compensation in 2008 valued at about $21.5 million, according to an Associated Press tally of data filed with regulators. That figure is up 11% from a year ago, as the company cut costs and moved to shed assets such as its cable unit. (Iwantmedia 4/9, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090408/ap_on_bi_ge/time_warner_executive_compensation 4/8)
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Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA | Tags: Digg, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Twitter, Universal Music Group, YouTube
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
CBS Sports
has just released the final tally of their traffic figures for this year’s NCAA March Madness, and the results are pretty impressive. Over the course of the tournament, viewers watched a total of 8.6 million total hours of streamed audio and video (a 75% increase over the 4.92 million last year). 7.52 million visitors used the on Demand video player, versus 4.76 million last year. During the Final Four (semifinal) round and championship games, viewers watched 515,000 total hours of content, which was a 51% increase over last year’s stats. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/09/viewers-flock-to-cbs-sports-for-march-madness-86-million-total-hours-watched 4/9)
Google and Universal Music Group annouced the upcoming launch of VEVO, a site billed as ‘premium online music hub built for consumers, advertisers, and content owners..’. The site, which will launch later this year, will include UMG’s catalog of music videos, and will be powered by YouTube’s technology. The two companies will share advertising revenue generated by the site. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/09/youtube-and-umg-team-for-vevo-premium-music-service 4/9)
Worldwide visitors to Twitter neared 10 million in February, up 700% in a year, reports comScore. Adults 35 and older are leading the trend. Specifically, 45-54 year olds are 36% more likely than average to visit Twitter, as many businesses sign up to use the service. (Iwantmedia 4/9, http://blogs.usatoday.com/technologylive/2009/04/twitter-traffic-surging.html 4/8)
Some young people are starting to feel conflicted about staying in constant contact through social media outlets. “With Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo and Twitter, young adults struggle to keep up to avoid the consequences — being left out of the loop or becoming irrelevant.” (Iwantmedia 4/9, http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090408/ap_on_hi_te/tec_sociability_fatigue 4/8)
Showtime is offering Mixed Martial Arts fans a bit of interactivity with the PPV StrikeForce All Access bout on April 11. Fans who pony up $24.95 will have access to a simulcast video streaming interface providing 5 multiple camera angles. They will also be able to talk smack through a Facebook Connect integration. CDNs BitGravity and Episodic are powering the interactive stream. (Cynopsis 4/9)
VERY impressive. A whole new way to watch a fight with multiple camera angles and side by side Facebook conversations? Way to inspire a community around the sport.
The new Digg search, which Techcrunch wrote about last week with a screenshot, just went live. Small feature change, but it’ll have a big impact on Digg usability. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/09/new-digg-search-launches 4/9)
In a new comedic Web video, Zac Efron hosts a star-studded pool party that dissolves quickly when his rude uncle arrives. The Disney “High School Musical” star did the video for FunnyOrDie.com, the video site co-founded by Will Ferrell. (Iwantmedia 4/9, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090408/ap_en_ot/people_zac_efron_video 4/8)
Disney CEO Bob Iger and Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes are at odds about the model for offering television shows online. Disney, which owns broadcaster ABC, plans to make TV shows available for free; Time Warner, which owns cable channels, supports a pay model. (Iwantmedia 4/9, http://www.nypost.com/seven/04092009/business/cast_aside_profit_163624.htm 4/9)
The Internet will overtake broadcast television as Europe’s most consumed form of media in June 2010 if current growth trends continue, according to research by Microsoft. Internet consumption in 2010 will average 14.2 hours per week, compared to 11.5 hours a week for TV. (Iwantmedia 4/9, http://www.brandrepublic.com/Discipline/Media/News/897321/European-internet-consumption-overtake-TV-14-months/ 4/8)
YouTube is selling advertisements against about 9% of its video views in the U.S., up from just 6% a year ago. In fact, Google’s video site is selling ads against more videos than its nearest competitor — MySpace parent Fox Interactive Media — has total views. (Iwantmedia 4/9, http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=135859 4/8)
The Web’s share of advertising dollars will approach 10% this year and will exceed 15% by 2013, says eMarketer. The Web’s “inherent trackability” is leading marketers to spend more on Internet ads, while spending less on ads in radio, newspapers and magazines. (Iwantmedia 4/9, http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/digital-downloads/metrics/e3ic007c2c7c3c565c8ba683cc66ad4389a 4/8)
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