I’m that expert. I grab the remote just as a show fades to black, tap the fast-forward button three times, and then hit play within a second or two of the end of the commercial break. I’m so good at it, the networks should sue (remember ReplayTV a few years ago?) But last night, as I was expertly skipping through a break in one of the final fresh 30 Rock episodes, I was fooled. I saw Tina Fey running around and I hit play. But… it’s actually something called “30 Rock Holiday Funtimes,” little moments from the show that are actually commercial spots for Federal Express. Brilliant, I guess.
Negotiations in the writers strike have broken off with no plans to resume. With most series out of fresh episodes, reality and game shows will soon take over the airwaves. Aren’t you thrilled?
Hulk Hogan stars in the return of American Gladiators on NBC. Looks like I’ll be playing a lot more Xbox over the next few months.
Called the Open Content Platform, CNET is offering widgets for its major brands. The content is a mix of text and video (some brands offer more flexibility than others), but as TechCrunch asks, “Who will use them?” The widgets have embedded advertising, but the revenue is not shared with publishers. But CNET does offer customized partnership opportunities, from co-branding to licensing to affiliate programs.
In a new initiative called Campus Connection, ESPNU is teaming up with universities to solicit student content for all of its platforms: web, TV and print. The students will work with their professors and athletic departments, and they can submit play-by-play, analysis or reporting involving their own schools. “This initiative will give each participant an opportunity to gain invaluable professional experience through various ESPN multimedia services, which will shape some of the future reporters, writers and producers of the sports-media world,” said ESPNU VP and GM Burke Magnus. So far, ESPNU has partnered with 11 universities, with more on the way. Great idea.
The media technology company Macrovision is buying Gemstar-TV Guide for $2.8 billion, an unusual match-up that triggered a 22 percent drop in Macrovision’s stock. Explains the AP, “Macrovision Corp. wants to allow consumers to call up information about TV shows, view personal photos or access music libraries on a variety of electronic devices through a combination of its security software and Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc. programming data. Macrovision develops technology to prevent unauthorized copying and viewing of video, music and other content.” Asked what will happen with TV Guide Magazine (which only old people read these days), Macrovision’s CEO said he didn’t have a “deep background in that area.”
Update: Rafat Ali blogs on PaidContent, “The Macrovision-Gemstar-TV Guide deal makes conceptual sense on the technology and services side, but what about the media business? What about the magazine, the TV channel, and the websites? It doesn’t really seem central to the combined company’s vision, however they want to spin it.”
In a new initiative called Campus Connection, 
