Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: American Broadcasting Company, Arts, CBS, Fox News Channel, NBC, NBC Universal, Television, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Harking back to its heyday, ABC made a deal to bring back Who Wants to be a Millionaire? for a limited two-week stint this summer, in honor of the show’s 10th anniversary. Regis Philbin will also return as host for the 11-night run beginning August 9. The one-hour show will air Sunday-Thursday at 8p, ending on August 23. ABC saw interest in the game show revive based on the successful feature film Slumdog Millionaire which features the Indian version of the game show. (Cynopsis 4/23)
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, collectively, are becoming the face of NBC Universal‘s Oxygen cable network. “Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood” on May 26 will begin its fourth season on Oxygen, the network is developing a new show titled “Mr. and Mrs. Makeover” that the two will host, the pair are in talks with the network to star in a telepic and Spelling is set to produce content for Oxygen’s Web site based on her book “Mommyhood.” Variety (4/22)
NBC exiled drama series Kings off its schedule entirely. Beginning this Saturday, NBC will air repeats of Law & Order: SVU, followed by the new Southland and Law & Order. The network will allow Kings to bow on its schedule again starting June 13 at 8p and finishing its run through July 25. (Cynopsis 4/23)
NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox are facing both growing competition and dwindling advertising dollars. The 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. prime-time period is likely to become shorter and networks may start turning over programming to outsiders on some nights of the week, say industry execs. (Iwantmedia 4/23, http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/apr2009/db20090422_256972.htm 4/22)
The hostility between Fox News Channel and MSNBC reached a fever pitch when Fox producer Jesse Waters infiltrated the GE shareholders meeting and asked company execs about an alleged leftward political slant at their cable news channel. Waters’ microphone was cut off. (Iwantmedia 4/23, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/finance/news/e3i888016761f9ec8245aee50586df5ba1a 4/22)
ABC is heading north of the border for a new series to add to its primetime lineup, picking up a Canadian cop drama titled Copper, cites THR. The 13-episode series about rookie cops is described as being similar to Grey’s Anatomy. (Cynopsis 4/23)
African-American-skewing BET is creating a new network that will launch in October. The new network, to be called Centric, will complement BET, executives said, by targeting a slightly older and more affluent demographic. The New York Times (4/23) , Multichannel News (4/22)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=f83ddad9-7f3f-4906-b187-d14e09f92ac6)
Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA | Tags: CBS, Credit Suisse, Google, Hulu, Sony Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Vimeo, YouTube
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
Information Architects has released the final beta
for the fourth iteration of its awesome Web Trends Map series. This is a great visualization of current Internet trends, and how companies and individuals fit into it. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/06/great-visualization-web-trends-map-4-final-beta 4/6)
Several questions come to mind straight away…like how is Vimeo ranked higher as a web trend over Hulu? I have some issue with the content of the map but as a conversation starter, it’s quite interesting.
CBS Sports.com wraps up its video coverage of March Madness tonight with live steaming of the championship game on NCAA.com between the MSU Spartans and the UNC Tarheels. Improved latency and a high-quality viewing option helped MMOD improve its reach to nearly 7 million users this year through last Sunday (up 56% from 2008.) Visitors collectively consumed 8.04 million hours of live streaming and audio thus far- up 71% from 2008. (Cynopsis 4/6)
Google’s YouTube could lose $470 million in 2009, according to a report from Credit Suisse. The video-sharing site is estimated to generate $240 million in revenue this year. However, various expenses, especially pricy bandwidth costs, could add up to $711 million. (Iwantmedia 4/6, http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/04/03/analysts-estimate-youtubes-losses-at-470-million-this-year 4/3)
YouTube is said to be in talks to acquire licensing rights to full-length content from Sony Pictures, home of such films as “The International” and “Spider-Man.” Google’s video-sharing site appears to be aiming to become a player in Hollywood as online video is booming. (Iwantmedia 4/6, http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10212585-93.html 4/6)
YouTube is in negotiations with Sony Pictures to get licensing rights to some of the studio’s movies. “The Professional” is from Sony Pictures and is available at Crackle.com.
(Credit: Crackle.com)
Several Nickelodeon shows and Comedy Central’s “South Park” are being added to the instant streaming service on Netflix. The online movie rental service currently offers MTV Networks properties on DVD and obtained its first digital license from the company last year. (Iwantmedia 4/6, http://www.worldscreen.com/articles/display/20489 4/6)
Google will have to defend itself against a trademark lawsuit over advertisements linked to certain keyword searches, says a new U.S. appeals court ruling. If the court adopted Google’s argument, search engines could use trademarks “in ways designed to deceive.” (Iwantmedia 4/6, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123878987982287605.html 4/3)
The slow but steady march towards a unified online healthcare management system continues. Google has announced that it has forged a new partnership with CVS, one of the nation’s largest pharmacy chains, allowing CVS customers to import their full prescription history into Google Health. CVS joins other major pharmacies including Longs Drugs and Walgreens in offering the same functionality, which combined now allow over 100 million Americans to import their medical histories into Google Health, which launched last May. (Iwantmedia 4/6, http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/06/cvs-signs-on-with-google-health-to-offer-comprehensive-pharmacy-history 4/6)
Earlier this week, Google finally announced the formation of a new venture arm called Google Ventures. It is where all smaller-scale venture investments from Google will now originate. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/04/the-google-ventures-cheat-sheet 4/4)
The Associated Press and its member newspapers will take legal action against Web sites that use newspaper articles without legal permission, the group says, in a clear shot at aggregators like Google. “We can no longer stand by and watch others walk off with our work.” (Iwantmedia 4/6, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/business/media/07paper.html?_r=1 4/6)
Facebook began testing a SecondLife-style virtual currency system enabling community members to purchase “credits” to put toward virtual gifts and other goodies, per VentureBeat. The service is currently being tested on 15 US college Facebook networks as well as within Facebook’s own company network. (Cynopsis 4/6)
Newspaper company CEOs are said to be planning “private talks” on how to charge for digital content during this week’s Newspaper Association of America convention. Publishers are also expected to discuss whether to demand pay from online aggregators. (Iwantmedia 4/6, http://newsosaur.blogspot.com/2009/04/publishers-zero-in-on-charging-for.html 4/5)
Procter & Gamble will make a bigger push to develop digital media properties for women following the cancellation of its CBS soap opera “Guiding Light,” which it used for decades to peddle soap and household necessities. P&G is “just trying to keep up with the times.” (Iwantmedia 4/6, http://www.smartmoney.com/news/ON/?story=ON-20090403-000824-1525 4/3)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=d0f84540-05f6-4294-aa96-96c6f2fda817)
Filed under: MISC | Tags: CBS, CBS Corporation, National Amusements, Sumner Redstone, Viacom, Walt Disney, Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort
Sumner Redstone’s family holding company, National Amusements, is said to be kicking off an auction to sell parts of its movie-theater chain. The move aims to pay down debt and help Redstone avoid having to sell some or all of his controlling stakes in Viacom and CBS. (Iwantmedia 3/27, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123808650011149523.html 3/27)
Nearly 800 jobs are being eliminated at Disney’s Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, sources say. Disney, which employs about 62,000 “cast members” in Central Florida, is making cuts as the company reorganizes its domestic operations. More layoffs are expected. (Iwantmedia 3/27, http://www.clickorlando.com/money/19026688/detail.html 3/27)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=df301742-8e90-4aec-885f-1dc6dc81a4b3)
Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: Basketball, CBS, Handhelds, iPhone, Match.com, NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, Smartphones, Sport
Online dating site Match.com is releasing a native iPhone application for its 15 million members to date on the go. The app allows users to edit their profile, upload photos, and even has an opt-in to a location based feature that allows them to see singles in their area. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/23/matchcom-launches-native-iphone-app/ 3/23)
Smilesformiles? Ick. This causes vomitsalot. Very cute girl but perhaps next time, let’s try to find a photo without the friend you cropped out. Tack-y.
Advertisers for CBS broadcasts of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament are getting a bonus: Their ads show up in games viewed on iPhones via a $4.99 app. Coke, for one, is happy: “It’s an innovative application that gives us an additional way to connect with NCAA fans.” (Iwantmedia 3/23, http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/adtrack/2009-03-22-iphone-apple-cbs-ncaa-app_N.htm 3/22)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=f04d9f59-51b2-4c8c-b42b-29e1cbda073d)
Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE, Feature, ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA | Tags: Arts, CBS, EQAL, Harper's Globe, Harper's Island, KateModern, Lonelygirl15, Miles Beckett, Television
MILES BECKETT FROM EQAL: HARPER’S GLOBE PREMIERE
Earlier today at Digital Hollywood NYC, I had the chance to catch up with Miles Beckett, co-founder and CEO of Eqal. You may remember Eqal from the online sensation lonelygirl15 or Katemodern fame. Well, they’re back again, this time in coordination with a new CBS series called Harper’s Island. Harper’s Globe, the online series, premiered its first episode online today. Harper’s Island premieres on CBS April 9th. Watch the first episode of the online series above.
Check out the 2 part interview with Miles below.
Part 1
Part 2
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=cac7116d-f8db-4cec-94c6-5b86f7ac0a64)
Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA | Tags: CBS, EQAL, KateModern, Lonelygirl15, Myspace, NBC Universal, Social network service, Television
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
NBC Universal has agreed to provide downloads of movies and TV shows for purchase or rental via Sony Computer Entertainment America‘s PlayStation Network. TV episodes will become available for downloads 24 hours after their original network airings. Reuters (3/11) , Variety (3/10)
New media studio EQAL has launched HarpersGlobe.com, the social companion site to CBS‘s new who’s-gong-to-die-next mystery series Harper’s Island premiering April 9. Hoping to stoke the interest of fans of other successful EQAL franchises like LonelyGirl15 and Kate Modern (Harpers Globe stars LG15′s Melanie Merkosky,) the 17-episode web show begins on Mar. 18 and will incorporate videos, photos, and blogs from its accompanying social network – enabling users to speak directly with the characters, solve puzzles and feel as the rush of participating in the characters’ lives. (Cynopsis 3/11)
It reminds me a bit of the Saw series complete with creepy childlike mask. I’ll have to see an episode to make any decisions on this one.
The rap-rock band Hollywood Undead could have been MySpace Records’ breakthrough act, but the record label arm of the social-networking site missed out after trying to censor the group’s music. News Corp. officials “made a stink” about the group’s controversial lyrics. (Iwantmedia 3/11, http://www.nypost.com/seven/03112009/business/myspace_gets_scared_off_by_the_undead_158966.htm 3/11)
See…this is what happens when Murdoch owns you. Snarky? I know.
Disney is launching a Web site billed as the “premier online destination for Disney fans.” The new site, called D23, offers breaking Disney news and video clips from classic Disney films. A $75 membership fee gives subscribers an online magazine and other perks. (Iwantmedia 3/11, http://tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20090310/tc_afp/entertainmentuscompanyinternetdisney 3/10)
AOL is executing its second major round of layoffs in two years amid a weakening online advertising market. The company says it plans to reduce its domestic headcount by 700. AOL is no longer leading-edge, say analysts. AOL is “saddled with an old business.” (Iwantmedia 3/11, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/10/AR2009031003307.html 3/11)
Google is wading into behavioral ad targeting
in a big way today. It will start placing cookies on consumer’s browsers to collect information about their interests whenever they visit sites that show AdSense contextual ads. Then it will show ads targeted to those interests to the same person as he or she browses the Web on other sites that also serve AdSense ads (which is a large portion of all commercial sites). (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/11/google-now-lets-you-target-ads-at-yourself 3/11)
Facebook is launching in Arabic, tapping into a potentially huge market in the Middle East and beyond. The world’s most successful social network already has many users in the Arab world. In Egypt, the site boasts 900,000 users. Some 60 more languages are in development. (Iwantmedia 3/11, http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/mar/10/facebook-launches-arabic-version 3/10)
The dispute between YouTube and the U.K.’s Performing Rights Society for Music that prompted the site to remove music videos could spread to MySpace, say industry sources. MySpace U.K. and other sites are struggling to renegotiate their own licenses with the agency. (Iwantmedia 3/11, http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/mar/10/youtube-performing-rights-society-music 3/10)
Despite shuttering its TimesSelect option in 2007 – a premium service that attracted some 200,000 subscribers and $10 million in annual revenue – NYTimes.com continues to mull over a variety of paid content options including subscriptions, micro-payments and membership tiers, says Martin Nisenholtz, SVP/Digital Operations in the site’s interactive Talk to the Times feature. (Cynopsis 3/11)
The U.S. should be cut some slack for not keeping up with denser countries such as Japan and South Korea in the areas of broadband speed, availability and affordability according to an analysis piece in The NYTimes. Nations with large concentrations of apartment buildings or other multi-dwelling units have been able to roll out high-speed DSL services with relatively little capital investment. (Cynopsis 3/11)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=94abe412-f6b0-4e7f-a382-b66996979ce1)
Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Arts, CBS, Jeffrey Bewkes, Philippe Dauman, Television, Television network, Time Warner, Viacom
MTV’s recent ratings hurdles can be attributed in part to the poor performance of reality competition series in repeats, says Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman. “We are aiming to have more diverse genres of original programming.” He adds: MTV is “still an extremely vibrant brand.” (Iwantmedia 3/3, http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=101322 3/2)
Live viewing at CBS, Fox, NBC, My Network TV and The CW are dropping, according to a report from Los Angeles-based advertising agency RPA. Ratings are being hurt by fewer new shows and the return of shows that typically wouldn’t have been renewed, among other factors. (Iwantmedia 3/3, http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/189241-Report_Ratings_Picture_Not_Pretty.php 2/27)
The deflated economy may have created one bright spot for ESPN: More sports-loving men are taking a larger role in making household financial decisions. “Most of the research now shows it is a dual decision,” said Ed Erhardt, president of ESPN/ABC Sports customer sales and marketing. “A guy is very much involved in that, so I think there’s a change in the male consumer — there’s a change in the economy — and we like our position based upon that going forward.” MediaPost Communications (3/2)
Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes says the media company will consider making acquisitions that do not present “stupid prices and execution risks.” Also: While the Time Inc. magazine division is translating well online, separating it from the rest of the company could “make sense.” (Iwantmedia 3/3, http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090302-712580.html 3/2)
U.S. television networks may sell fewer advertisements before the start of the 2009-2010 season, according to CBS chief Les Moonves. Prices for such “upfront” ads are expected to rise. He adds that CBS is producing fewer pilot TV programs to cut costs. (Iwantmedia 3/3, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aDNf1HCStaWo 3/3)
Lionsgate has officially closed its $255 million acquisition of TV Guide Network and TV Guide Online from Macrovision. The cable TV channel currently is available in about 83 million homes. Home Media Magazine (3/2) , Variety (3/2)
Google TV Ads, a program aiming to improve the relevance of television advertising, is signing up CNBC, the third network to be added as a result of a partnership with NBC Universal. The Internet giant says is “looking forward to launching MSNBC, Oxygen and SciFi in the coming months.” (Iwantmedia 3/3, http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/03/02/google-tv-ads-scores-cnbc-deal 3/3)
While Dish Network is posting a 24% increase in fourth-quarter profit, the No. 2 U.S. satellite television provider is losing thousands of customers, reflecting intensifying competition. Similarly, EchoStar is reporting a quarterly loss of almost $700 million owing to a handful of one-time costs. (Iwantmedia 3/3, http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Satellite-TV-firms-take-hit/story.aspx?guid=%7BEF69AD28%2DDA23%2D4C7F%2DBF04%2DFCB0136AD12B%7D 3/2)
Via deal with DirecTV, CBS College Sports Network has expanded its overall household reach to 30+ million subscribers, and has been moved to DirecTV’s Choice Xtra package, making it available to a wider audience. CBS College Sports is also available thru DirecTV’s Premiere package and Sports Pack. (Cynopsis 3/3)
Charter Communications has introduced a new cross-platform package of sports content called Sports View Plus. The new offering, which costs $10 a month, combines linear digital-TV channels such as CBS College Sports, ESPNews, Fox College Sports and Fuel TV with access to Web sites such as FOXSports.com, MLB.com and NASCAR.COM. OneTRAK (3/2)
TiVo lost 611,000 net subscribers in the last 12 months, to stand at 3.3 million as of Jan. 31, says CEO Tom Rogers. However, cable giant Comcast is making progress in deploying its DVR service, he adds. Plus, Comcast “is in the process of adding and sharpening offers.” (Iwantmedia 3/3, http://www.multichannel.com/article/189366-TiVo_Loses_611_000_Subs_Over_Last_Year.php 3/3)
RCN has formed a partnership with SnagFilms.com that will give the cable provider access to nearly 600 documentaries available on the Web site. In return, SnagFilms will get a widget on RCN’s Web site and a SnagFilms movie of the week on RCN’s linear and on-demand channels. Broadcasting & Cable (3/2)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=ec0e92e6-076d-45de-912f-4cc133e0c9cc)
