Archive for September 13th, 2006
The mother of a missing two-year-old killed herself after a phone interview with CNN’s Nancy Grace. Melinda Duckett, 21, shot herself to death a day after the taped interview, just hours before it aired Sept. 8th. Writes the AP: Before it was over, Grace was pounding her desk and loudly demanding to know: “Where were you? Why aren’t you telling us where you were that day?” (CNN Transcript) Some members of Duckett’s family say the media pressure pushed her to take her own life. Police, however, while not calling her a suspect, have been focusing on her movements at the time of her son’s kidnapping. On her show Monday, Grace said “I do not feel that our show is to blame for what happened to Melinda Duckett. The truth… is not always nice or polite or easy to go down. Sometimes it`s harsh, and it hurts.” (CNN Transcript)
September 13th, 2006
St. Petersburg, FL
Read the full post September 13th, 2006
Ft. Worth, TX
Read the full post September 13th, 2006
Daniel Blackman, Strategic Partner Development Manager for Google, talked Google Video at BCFM. He dropped an interesting tidbit. Blackman said Google is looking at how it could help partner websites - say, local TV sites - power viewer video upload initiatives. The site could have an easy user-generated video upload tool, and Google would benefit from the indexing and search. It would make sense for Google, and would be an attractive proposition for locals. He admitted that Google is still having problems indexing video for search because so much video has poor metadata. “Don’t skimp on your metadata,” said Blackman. Good lesson.
September 13th, 2006
I had the pleasure on being on a very interesting panel this afternoon at BCFM. Dan Halyburton, the SVP Marketing Mgr. for Emmis NY started things off with a bangup presentation on how his group’s radio stations are using the web. Very impressive integration, original content, contests, texting features. Smart products all around. Then I gave my spiel, doing my best to scare the bejeezus out of people about how convergence cometh, and they best be prepared. Embarassingly, my PowerPoint presentation, prepared on my Mac, looked terrible when presented on a PC. Next up - Beth Higbee SVP of Interactive for Food Network (mmm… Food Network), Fine Living and GAC. We’ve written here before about our admiration for those sites. They’re clear to their mission and they’re great-looking. Beth talked about how her dedicated web sales staff (!) is having more success than the group was with a cross-platform sell. Speaking of sites LR admires, the CBS O/Os were represented by Jonathan Leess, President and GM for the CBS Television Stations Digital Media Group. Here’s the nugget: CBS O/O sites are getting a $41 CPM for video ads. Poor Bill Fitzsimmons, VP of Accounting & Financial Planning for Cox Communications had to wait until after a break because the rest of us were so verbose. (Imagine.) He presented the Cox “Premium Access Pass,” a monthly paid-subscription product for its broadband subs that offers a bundle of content.
September 13th, 2006
Beginning tomorrow morning at 12:01, users can download last season’s finales of Lost, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy on iTunes for free — up to one million downloads. A smart way to get fans caught up on shows before the new season.
September 13th, 2006
Scott Yinger, SVP for Corporate Development and Finance at AOL led things off at the BFCM seminar, “Business Modeling the Internet.” He talked about the biggest move in AOL company history - its switch from the paid model to an ad-supported business. Yinger calls the new model a “web services business.” Read on…
Read the full post September 13th, 2006
In NYC at the Williams Club for the BCFM seminar on “Business Modeling the Internet.” I’ll be liveblogging this afternoon, so check in if you’re interested in making money. And that’s what we call “a tease.”
September 13th, 2006
A new set, new high-definition studio and a new anchor debuted on NBC’s Today Show this morning. “I feel like it’s the first day of school and I’m sitting next to the cutest guy,” Vieira said sitting next to Matt Lauer. MSNBC.com ran a live blog this morning, written inside the control room during the show. Writes associate producer Ryan Osborn, “There was applause in the control room as Meredith lead to commercial for the first time by saying, ‘This is TODAY on NBC.’ (Even though she slightly flubbed it! Ha! Ha!)” If you missed Vieira’s first show, it’s available on demand on MSNBC.com.
September 13th, 2006
The annoucements are coming fast and furious today. NBC just put out a press release announcing NBC.com will stream ad-supported episodes of Studio 60, Kidnapped, 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights and Heroes after the shows air on the network. (Up to eight episodes, except 30 Rock will only stream four epidoses). Also, NBC.com is launching a ton of new blogs written by the shows’ creators, producers or cast members for every show on the air. Press release follows with more details…
Read the full post September 13th, 2006
ABC has inked a deal with its affiliates to allow them to stream the network’s top shows: Lost, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Six Degrees, Ugly Betty, The Knights of Prosperity and The Nine. Affiliates sites can embed ABC’s video player, sell their own ads and keep all of the local revenue. The idea is to motivate the affiliates to promote the shows on their own sites, which in turn would drive more interest in the shows, both online and TV. “Based on our successful streaming test with the network last spring, we think this initiative holds promise and potential opportunity for the ABC affiliates in their respective markets,” said Ray Cole, chairman, ABC Affiliate Relations Board of Governors. ABC says it’s the first time a national broadband player will carry local ads — not a bad arrangement for a local TV site. Earlier this year, Fox O&O sites began streaming a couple shows under a deal that gives the stations 12-25 percent of revenue from new digital distribution. ABC’s streaming kicks off on September 23rd. Press release with lots more details, including how the local ad insertion works…
Read the full post September 13th, 2006
Here’s a recap all the network shows that are streaming online before they’re appearing on TV, clearly a promotional tactic en vogue this fall:
NBC’s Friday Night Lights and 30 Rock will premiere on NBCFirstLook.com.
Also, NBCFirstLook will stream the first segment of My Name is Earl and Law & Order.
AOL Television has already premiered NBC’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
And NBC’s Twenty Good Years will debut on AOL on October 4th.
Yahoo TV will premiere NBC’s Heroes on the 18th and CBS’ Jericho on the 13th.
Google Video is premiering CBS’ Class, Smith and New Adventures of Old Christine.
Last week, the first segment of The Simpsons premiered on MySpace and Fox.com.
MSN is premiering The CW Network shows America’s Next Top Model, Everybody Hates Chris, Supernatural and Runaway.
Am I missing any? Let me know and I’ll add it…
September 13th, 2006
Called Yahoo Sports for TV, the free service will feed sports fans a steady stream of statistics. But to get the service, you’ll need a Intel Viiv PC. It’s all part of a plan to convince consumers of the benefits of Viiv, Intel’s media-focused technology. “One of the challenges with Viiv is that the platform is so rich and so powerful,” said Kevin Corbett, vice president of Intel’s digital home group. “The tough thing is how do you explain that to the consumer.”
September 13th, 2006
News Corp. president and COO Peter Chernin says MySpace is looking for studio-level content as well as sports to add to the site. Plus, Chernin said MySpace is getting about 60-70 percent as much video traffic as YouTube, and his goal is to beat the video leader.
September 13th, 2006
She’s Jessica Rose, a 20-ish year old graduate of the New York Film Academy (she’s not 15, so you guys can feel OK about, well, you know). Her producers are Ramesh Flinders, a screenwriter and filmmaker from Marin County, Calif., and Miles Beckett, a doctor turned filmmaker. The lonelygirl15 videos were shot in Flinder’s bedroom, of all places, using a $150 Logitech webcam. The mystery is over, folks…
Rose in action, surrounded by her producers. Don’t know anything about lonelygirl15? Geesh, click here to catch up.
September 13th, 2006
In the first agreement of its kind, Warner Bros. Television has reached separate deals with NBC and ABC to divide the digital revenues on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and The Nine. For Studio 60, NBC will retain 100 percent of the revenue from streaming the show on NBC sites as well as VOD and mobile. Meanwhile, Warner will retain 100 percent of the revenue from “permanent” downloads, such as iTunes and Amazon. The ABC deal is structured along the same lines. “This deal is an excellent example of how a network and a studio can work together,” said NBC Universal Television Group CEO Jeff Zucker.
September 13th, 2006
