Apple TV (take 2), take two
February 12, 2008
We got some good time in with Apple's take 2 (i.e. v2.0) software update at Macworld this year, but now that it's out we had to put the spurs to it. We'll be updating with more as we go, but for right now here's what you need to know:
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Yahoo acquires Maven Networks
February 12, 2008
Yahoo announced Tuesday it snapped up online video platform provider Maven Networks, in a $160 million deal.
What makes the transaction particularly interesting is it comes at a time when Yahoo is butting heads with Microsoft, which launched a $44.6 billion unsolicited bid for the company at the start of the month. As the companies fight over Yahoo's proper valuation, now add to the mix the Maven Networks acquisition as another factoid.
Yahoo and Maven were apparently in merger talks long before the Microsoft bid, with the deal reportedly on the verge of getting inked on Jan. 31 or Feb. 1, according to reports. Then add to the excitement Microsoft's mega-billion-dollar buyout off on Feb. 1, and it's understandable there would be a slight distraction to the Yahoo-Maven deal, wouldn't you say?
Nonetheless, the Maven deal moved forward and here's what Yahoo hopes to get out of it:
Yahoo is aiming to bolster its video content syndication and video advertising capabilities to publishers and advertisers. Maven develops video publishing platforms designed to allow publishers to dish up videos to consumers through a range of media players, easy-to-use media management and workflow technologies.
Yahoo is seeking to meld its library of licensed video content, as well as its relationships with advertisers and Web publishers, with Maven's technology to manage and distribute online video to such media company titans as Fox News, Sony BMG and Gannett.
Maven will retain its operations in Cambridge, Mass., and operate as a Yahoo wholly owned subsidiary. Or, perhaps, one day, a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary...
CNN Readies All Citizen Journalism News Site
February 11, 2008
CNN is preparing to unveil a news site made up entirely of news gathered by users, Mediaweek reports. An offshoot of its iReport citizen journalism feature, which the Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) cable net launched in August. 2006. Since that time, CNN has received roughly 100,000 news photos and videos from viewers. The pickup in activity has been gaining lately, as CNN said it has received nearly 10,000 viewer-submissions just last month to iReport.com. more to come
Dave Morgan, AOL’s EVP-Global Advertising Strategy, Leaving For Startup World Again
February 11, 2008
Dave Morgan, the founder of online advertising firms RealMedia (which later became 24/7RealMedia and sold to WPP for $649 million) and Tacoda, is leaving AOL (NYSE: TWX) exactly three months after being appointed EVP-Global Advertising Strategy, according to an internal memo we obtained. The official announcement will come later today. Morgan came to AOL after he sold his behavioral advertising company Tacoda to it in September, for about $275 million.
The memo, sent by Ron Grant, COO of AOL, outlines a rather cordial parting of ways, and when I reached Morgan last evening by phone, he confirmed his departure, and echoed the thoughts. From the text of the memo:
"Dave has worked side by side with Curt to make sure the integration of Tacoda—his baby—went smoothly...Dave helped us define and implement our vision for Platform-A. We've benefited greatly from his enthusiasm...and we will continue to do so as we bring Platform-A to market this year. In fact, Dave will be working with me to identify start-up opportunities that are strategic to AOL and Platform-A.. Dave, though, is an entrepreneur at heart, and so it didn't really surprise me that he wanted to get back in the start-up game again and we'll look forward to working with him in the future."
Morgan told me he is looking at a couple of ideas in the online advertising field, and will possibly even look at AOL funding some part of it, if it makes sense. But a departure three months after his new appointment at AOL will raise more than a few eyebrows, especially as the big Internet media companies are in turmoil and tussle for consolidation. This is the second major departure from AOL's ad team announced in the last week: Discovery just hired Kathleen Kayse as EVP of digital media sales..she also came from Platform-A where she was EVP of marketing solutions and led ad sales and partnerships.
AOL will not fill the role created for Morgan. Curt Viebranz is currently the president of Platform-A.
These moves come after parent Time Warner announced its intention last week to split AOL into an access business and an audience/advertising business. There is rampant speculation that all of this means AOL will sell off the audience business, or get in bed with Google (NSDQ: GOOG) in a bigger way, especially if the MSFT-YHOO deal ever happens.
David adds: I met with Morgan two weeks ago to discuss his views on the state of the online ad industry in general and AOL's ability to continue its string of investments and acquisitions amid widespread recessionary fears. Not giving any hint of his plans to leave his current post, he said companies like AOL will have to be more aggressive about looking outside the U.S. to extend its ad network. "If you believe in the long-term market opportunity, the down markets are when you want to make your strongest moves." Guess he is making his…
Harbinger Parent Ups Stake In NYTCo To 9.96 Percent; Activists Meet With Management
February 11, 2008
Harbert Management, the parent firm of Harbinger Capital, announced in a regulatory filing that it now has 9.96 percent of the New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), or 14.25 million shares. Through its Harbinger unit, the firm had previously disclosed a sub-5 percent stake, as part of an effort to put nominees on NYTCo's board. We reported at the time that it was always the intent to up its holdings, but that it originally wanted to fly under the regulatory radar.
-- Meeting: In addition to the new holdings announcement, the firm filed a letter sent by Scott Galloway of Firebrand Partners (also part of the activist group) to Chairman and Publisher Arthur O. Sulzberger, and CEO Janet L. Robinson referencing a previously unreported meeting held on Friday: "On behalf of Harbinger Capital Partners and Firebrand Partners, I am writing to thank you again for taking the time to meet with us last Friday. We are looking forward to continuing a productive and positive dialog. Accordingly, as we discussed on Friday, each of our director nominees is free to meet with the members of your nominating committee at their convenience."
-- Board nominees: The filing also makes official the four proposed nominees to the board each of whom were previously identified: Scott Galloway, James A. Kohlberg, Allen L. Morgan, Gregory Shove. The fund reserves the right to substitute other names or add additional ones if NYTCo attempts to change the structure of its board.
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WGA Strike: Ad Agency React: ‘The Aftermath Begins’; Upfront Presentations Remain In Doubt
February 11, 2008
While broadcast media buyers and marketers are likely to feel relieved by the end of the work stoppage, some contend that too much damage has been done for things to return to normal. Chris Boothe, a president at Publicis Groupe's Starcom USA, tells AdAge that "the aftermath begins" once the strike is completely wrapped up, adding that repercussions to the TV ad business will continue to be felt for some time. Some effects stemming from the way the labor action will permanently affect the way TV ad time is bought. Among the immediate expectations are:
-- There will be less original programming overall, with reality TV assuming a greater share of prime-time.
-- Rather than schedule most of the new season for a big fall opening, many new shows will see staggered debuts. Networks will likely begin to roll out more shows during Q4.
-- Audience erosion has been a fact of life for the networks the past few years. But the strike may have sped up that trend. According to Sanford Bernstein analyst Michael Nathanson, live prime-time audiences between the ages of 18 and 49 fell 11 percent through Jan. 27, with CBS (NYSE: CBS) down 19.6 percent, while ABC dropped 15.2 percent and NBC saw a decrease 13.8 percent. Thanks to popular unscripted shows like American Idol, Fox was the only one to gain, albeit a modest 3.7 percent. Cable has grown and as more people by DVRs, live prime-time ratings might not be able to make a comeback.
-- Development of new shows have been held up during the strike. Therefore, the networks might not have a reason to hold the annual bombast that is the upfront. Between the start of the negotiations in May and the end in end in early summer, marketers placed $9.2 billion in advertising for the 2007 fall season. With some networks left wondering whether they will have to produce "make-goods" - returning advertisers' money for shows that failed to hit guaranteed ratings points - the shape of this year's upfront is very much in doubt.
B&C: Only Fox appears committed to hosting its major upfront presentation this year. NBC continues to waver on its upfront plans. The way it looks right now, the network's fall preview will have a decidedly more scaled back quality.
Interview with Dov Moran, founder of Modu
February 11, 2008
We just got out of an interview with Dov Moran, founder of Modu. As we suspected, the device is a module-based GSM system that includes a small, fully-functional phone and a set of “mates” or “jackets.” You can pop the phone in and out of different devices and add GSM functionality to almost anything, from GPS units to cameras. You’ll pay about 200 euro for a phone and two jackets and then a little extra for different devices.
The product will be very interesting to CE manufacturers in that it reduces to the time-to-market considerably and ensures they don’t have to go through FCC testing with every new mobile product. John at has a more detailed take on things but the idea is very compelling.
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MyNetflix (beta) Vista Media Center plugin with Watch Now streaming
February 11, 2008
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Media PCs
[Via Chris Lanier's Blog, thanks Matt]
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The Futility of Fighting Media “Pirates”—How MediaDefender Got Hacked
February 10, 2008
As if we needed yet more evidence that trying to fight piracy is a futile exercise, just look at the case of a company called MediaDefender. The company acts on behalf of media companies to monitor and sabotage the sharing of movies, music, and video games on peer-to-peer networks. It seeds BitTorrent, for instance, with fake files to try to make P2P file-sharing a hassle and annoyance. Last September, a hacker fought back by uploading to BitTorrent internal e-mails and documents outlining MediaDefender’s tactics, rendering them much less effective.
Google To Acquire Stake In CNet?
February 10, 2008
Nearly completely missed amid the noise around Microsoft’s takeover offer of Yahoo was speculation Friday that Google may be looking to acquire at a stake in San Francisco-based CNet.
CNet shares were up 7% Friday based on the rumors. Last month, a group of investors began gathering shares of CNet and desired to exert influence on the makeup of the board of directors.
Google investing in CNet in exchange for control over some or all of the advertising inventory isn’t a ridiculous proposition. Microsoft recently invested in Facebook in connection with an advertising deal. And in 2005, Google took a 5% stake in AOL for $1 billion.
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