Tidbits from the intersection of entertainment and technology -
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The Big Idea: Net Neutrality under fire as Comcast aims to own the customer experience through ‘managed’ streaming services
SHOTS FIRED: Reed Hastings gives some color on the practical necessity of paying Comcast in peering agreement and net neutrality
THINK ON IT: What could an Apple/Comcast streaming partnership look like?
THINK ON IT: More thoughts on Comcast as a ‘managed service’ on Apple TV
DISTRIBUTION: Ultra HD (4K) cinema in the living gets closer to reality with Fox/Samsung deal
DISTRIBUTION: Tribeca Film Festival gets national distribution supercharge with MSG money
DISTRIBUTION: Amazon says no Free TV service planned
DISTRIBUTION: Indiewire surveys direct distribution options for filmmakers
DISTRIBUTION: Pay-TV subs fall for the first time as streaming gains
MARKETING: Both Nielsen and comScore working to integrate mobile/online views into audience measurement currency
MARKETING: Fox and Twitter study argues that Tweets lead to TV viewing action
MARKETING: Pinterest goes with ‘promoted pins’
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The Big Idea: Technology rolls on as Big Media makes deals – viable Direct Distribution on the cusp but the signal to noise problem still permeates
THINK ON IT: A LARGE list of digital distribution case studies from BFI
SHOTS FIRED: Popcorn Time
SHOTS FIRED: VHX goes wide with DIY distribution
SHOTS FIRED: Vimeo announces curated film channel partners
SHOTS FIRED: Disney mulling Maker Studio acquisition, big media buys into the future
DISTRIBUTION: Disney expands distribution deal with Dish, open to internet delivered content
DISTRIBUTION: How to do it wrong – Veronica Mars, Ultraviolet, and big media gatekeeping
DISTRIBUTION: Layer3 – What’s a virtual MSO?
DISTRIBUTION: Boxfish aims to fix the cable user interface problem
DISTRIBUTION: Coming soon, Amazon’s Chromecast
DISTRIBUTION: Turner Sports and March Madness –the second screen problem is a UI problem
MARKETING: Facebook set to roll out video ads in the spring
MARKETING: Twitter testing out ‘Fave people’ feature
MARKETING: Kickstarter gets an iTunes landing page
MARKETING: The dilution of Facebook ads
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The Big Idea: Cable focusing on EST and dynamic ad insertion, Netflix on Europe, and Indie Distribution on everything else
THINK ON IT: Pondering Arthouse Cinema’s potential as event cinema in the digital delivery age
SHOTS FIRED: Vimeo pledges $10M to support its marketplace for indie films
SHOTS FIRED: New Studio formed focusing on $40M-ish budget films with China money
DISTRIBUTION: Overview of the new streaming battleground, Europe
DISTRIBUTION: Comcast aggressively establishing EST window with new Sony “House of Cards” deal
DISTRIBUTION: VOD myths vs realities via KinoNation
DISTRIBUTION: “The Square” uses YouTube to circumvent Egyptian censors
MARKETING: Rovi buys semantic search startup Veveo to power entertainment data services
MARKETING: Comcast buys FreeWheel to power dynamic ad insertion
MARKETING: Mr. Peabody does Netflix ‘ad’ via 22 minute new content piece
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The Big Idea: Netflix opened net neutrality Pandora’s Box
THINK ON IT: When it comes to entertainment, is it an economy of long tails or blockbusters?
SHOTS FIRED: Netflix opens pandora’s box, pays Comcast for speedier access to broadband
DISTRIBUTION: Aereo and the six-state injunction from federal judge
DISTRIBUTION: What is Streamium and how can it work?
DISTRIBUTION: How Dropbox streams videos almost instantly and a hint at moving into Dropbox streaming on TVs
DISTRIBUTION: BitTorrent Bundles (downloads in exchange for emails) go mobile
MARKETING: Yahoo Gemini unites mobile search and native advertising into single marketplace
MARKETING: Programmatic ads in entertainment are becoming more competitive
MARKETING: Twitter and Vine to power in theater weekly buzz show, with hashtag interactivity
MARKETING: What ever happened to Twitter’s Social TV Growth
MARKETING: Facebook struggling to achieve status with movie marketers
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The Big Idea: With unending conglomeration of distribution and marketing, can your indie/DIY content thrive? Or even survive?
THINK ON IT: WSJ wonders if Comcast TWC merger could affect leverage in net neutrality decision
THINK ON IT: An interesting look at the “Crash” decision and the tenability of Hollywood accounting re-statements
SHOTS FIRED: CableTown buys TWC
DISTRIBUTION: Apple TV may come to Time Warner Cable, tackling big cable’s UX problem?
DISTRIBUTION: Not everybody is Shane Caruth
DISTRIBUTION: KickStarter to crowdfund your DIY release of your already funded and produced film?
DISTRIBUTION: Hollywood studios and the funding of digital conversion leave Indie films out in the cold, pre- and post-Virtual Print Fees
DISTRIBUTION: New report outlines the growing penetration of connected TVs in the US
MARKETING: Earned media as “Hacked” media – advertorials, newsjacking, et al
MARKETING: How the top Ad Agencies win on YouTube
MARKETING: Are you Paper-worthy? A look at the brand dymanics of Facebook’s new app
MARKETING: Google and comScore to bring real-data accountability to DoubleClick ad platform
MARKETING: NYTimes piece on how Google+ is a social network so much as a key to social marketing
MARKETING: Nielsen pauses reporting broadband-only audiences watching local TV, cites technical difficulties
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The Big Idea: Old Media closer to adopting start-up innovation practices as new media takes the next step beyond
THINK ON IT: Social Action and Filmmaking converge at Sundance
SHOTS FIRED: Is Paper step zero in Facebook’s ten year plan? Facebook as an ecosystem of apps
SHOTS FIRED: Slated has its Zach Braff moment with new Matthew Modine project on eve of JOBS Act implementation
SHOTS FIRED: Can a new $17M Tech Center give an old-media company some start-up innovation shine?
DISTRIBUTION: Apple TV picks up Red Bull TV
DISTRIBUTION: Amazon Studios continue to attract top talent to “pilot” system
DISTRIBUTION: Amazon Prime rethinks price point
DISTRIBUTION: Aereo hits capacity in NYC
MARKETING: A sneak peek at Twitter’s e-commerce plans?
MARKETING: A survey of ‘good’ second screen apps
MARKETING: InAir technology overlays the second screen right on to the first screen
MARKETING: Tribune closes Gracenote – can scale solve media recommendation problem?
MARKETING: Measurement of cross-platform audiences takes one step closer to industry standard with Nielsen and CBS
MARKETING: A look at Facebook’s ad business “firing on all cylinders”
MARKETING: “Symphony” same as the old synergy - hyper targeting NBCU audiences on Comcast systems
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The Big Idea: As digital distributors grow, content owners could have a viable worldwide rights model
THINK ON IT: Google acquires DeepMind – hurtling towards Skynet
DISTRIBUTION: iTunes’ new exclusive digital window for festival films – “Sepideh”
DISTRIBUTION: Content PLUS Experience is King
DISTRIBUTION: Lakeshore & Sierra/Affinity – a new worldwide rights buyer for indie films
DISTRIBUTION: Netflix to expand in Europe – time to think of worldwide digital rights
DISTRIBUTION: ESPN and the fine line between ad and affiliate revenue & OTT
MARKETING: NATO wants to limit movie trailers to 2 minutes
MARKETING: In-app targeted messages with Mixpanel
MARKETING: Programmatic Web Video – subpar inventory, exploding demand
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The Big Idea: Pre-Sundance, film industry reflects on questions of quality, supply, and distribution
THINK ON IT: INVALUABLE insights on the state of film distribution from industry leaders
THINK ON IT: Manohla Dargis says fewer, higher quality films made and distributed is the key to course correcting the industry
SHOTS FIRED: A look at Netflix’s quality of supply problem in the face of recent articles about it’s amazing algorithm
SHOTS FIRED: Supreme Court to hear Aereo case
DISTRIBUTION: HBO Girls to stream on YouTube within 24 hours of linear premiere
DISTRIBUTION: Sony launches cloud-based TV service
DISTRIBUTION: Vimeo launches HTML5 player, continues to be distribution quality leader
DISTRIBUTION: Vimeo announces first 13 films to take them up on their $10k distribution window offer
DISTRIBUTION: Variety posits that “Digital HD” as a brand will be key to pushing consumers to EST
DISTRIBUTION: BFI launches fund to aid U.S. distribution of UK films acquired at Sundance
DISTRIBUTION: eOne launches $100MM fund to acquire and release commercial films in US, Canada, and beyond
MARKETING: Facebook buys Branch Media to build out “conversations” group
MARKETING: Fandango to offer embedded trailers and ticketing on Samsung TVs
MARKETING: Yahoo reboots Ad business
MARKETING: A piece about the implications of Twitter’s fire hose info stream and the need for curation
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The Big Idea: Will 2014 Be the Year Direct to Fan Distribution Becomes a Viable Economic Model – Even If Your Name Isn’t Louis CK
THINK ON IT: Things to consider before the festival
THINK ON IT: More on creative accounting in Hollywood
THINK ON IT: Is 77,000 enough genres to provide useful data-driven recommendations? Netflix continues to think so
THINK ON IT: Cable TV contributes more than 60% to congloms’ profits
DISTRIBUTION: Vimeo hires exec to take VOD service to maturity
DISTRIBUTION: DIY digital distribution platform list and terms via PBS
DISTRIBUTION: Act of Killing releases BitTorrent Bundle with plenty of extras
DISTRIBUTION: DIAL, Netflix and YouTube’s crack at a better AirPlay experience
DISTRIBUTION: Netflix offers Directors Commentary for House of Cards
DISTRIBUTION: Viacom & Time Warner Cable reach new carriage deal, adds EPIX to lineup
DISTRIBUTION: YouTube’ Ultra HD strategy could spark battle over 4K video-delivery tech
DISTRIBUTION: Roku TVs to allow streaming without a box
DISTRIBUTION: NetGear to do chromecast-esque devices
MARKETING: H&M and Samsung TVs experiment with in-screen commerce during Super Bowl
MARKETING: Scientist study why things go “viral” – powerful emotional response materials float mercilessly to the top
MARKETING: Mobile Ads to increase 64% in 2014
MARKETING: Spredfast touts “Third Wave” in social marketing – a easily distributed multi-account updating platform
MARKETING: Tribune buys Gracenote for $170M
MARKETING: Facebook positioning to become a video programmer?
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The Big Idea: Studios still pushing on windows with bets on EST as the streamers go live-er and quicker
THINK ON IT: Netflix full steam ahead on idea of content-as-a-set-of-data-attributes-that-can-lead-to-perfect-recommendations
DISTRIBUTION: Better Call Saul and the new broadcast to Netflix window
DISTRIBUTION: Studio Home Entertainment divisions betting on EST
DISTRIBUTION: Youtube goes live broadcasting
DISTRIBUTION: Apple TV gets live programming with Bloomberg
DISTRIBUTION: Xbox joins PS4 in original programming efforts
DISTRIBUTION: Trend Watch – The Documentary Comfort Food
DISTRIBUTION: A reminder that Warner Archive Instant exists
MARKETING: Comcast and Twitter sign up more partners for SEEiT
MARKETING: Apple building an in-app ad platform
MARKETING: The growth of video ads on tablets, phones, and smart TVs is exploding
MARKETING: Movietickets.com tries the advertorial approach with “Move Therapy” show
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The Big Idea: Knowledge is Power, Transparency is the first step
THINK ON IT: Ted Hope ponders a world where film investors actually have deep industry knowledge
THINK ON IT: The Film Collaborative is the current real center of the Transparency in Multi-screen release conversation
THINK ON IT: Fred Wilson says we “haven’t yet built enough tech, distribution, and monetization systems” for filmmakers to be truly independent
DISTRIBUTION: Yahoo buys Evntlive to bring in Live Broadcast Virtual Venue
DISTRIBUTION: Warner’s Mediacamp nets a polished EST storefront with Reelhouse
DISTRIBUTION: Android TV?
MARKETING: Apple intros a personalized in-store shopping experience with iBeacon
MARKETING: Google +Post ads leverage Google’s massive ad network
MARKETING: A sponsored, yet useful write-up on Optimizing Your Marketing in Real Time
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The Big Idea: Big Networks of users will always be about Ads
THINK ON IT: A discussion on enticing younger movie goers towards the cinema experience
DISTRIBUTION: PlayStation Network now lists original series among its ad opportunities
DISTRIBUTION: TWC adds HBO to cheaper cable tier
MARKETING: Apple buys Topsy to plug its big data hole
MARKETING: Tumblr Mobile Ad gives brands new “native” ad opportunity, Tumblr’s 5th ad product
MARKETING: Comcast and Nielsen conspire to measure dynamic ad insertion on VOD
MARKETING: Facebook tweaks News Feed to favor “High Quality” content
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The Big Idea: Cable wants TV Everywhere, Content creators want Distribution Everywhere
DISTRIBUTION: Apple TV adds Yahoo and PBS
DISTRIBUTION: Think about Sling Box, the problem with TV Everywhere is still the friction between networks, operators, and branding
DISTRIBUTION: INDmusic partners with TuneCore to help musicians unlock ad revenue from YouTube usage
DISTRIBUTION: Thoughts on really bifurcating VOD & Theatrical audience with alternate versions
DISTRIBUTION: The new Pay TV output deal – A24 and Amazon Prime
DISTRIBUTION: HBO Go now on Chromecast
DISTRIBUTION: Time Warner Cable says maybe to offering Netflix on its boxes
DISTRIBUTION: Comcast’s ‘See It’ button, tweet embeds that make content available to watch or record in one click
DISTRIBUTION: Chill.com closing
MARKETING: Twitter starts promoting most talked about TV shows
MARKETING: New study says Pinterest ecommerce sales referral up from last year
MARKETING: PS4 and Facebook integration
MARKETING: A full look at the massive Anchorman 2 social campaign
MARKETING: The Endowment Effect and why touch screens make us want to buy
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The Big Idea: In the game of more content that is easier to access but harder to hear about; Maybe Google's Universal Analytics is the answer?
THINK ON IT: Crowdsourcing (not crowdfunding) documentaries with Tongal and veteran producers Spitfire
THINK ON IT: Rewarding Risk - Dumb Money is fun and all, but can we make Indie Film work for investors? @tedhope
THINK ON IT: From Slated, “Thinking in Casts” part II
DISTRIBUTION: PlayStation 4’s entertainment apps, but not yet on live TV from the likes of Viacom
DISTRIBUTION: Canal Plus brings its existing content and new originals to YouTube
DISTRIBUTION: Intel’s subscription broadband TV play could end up being bought by existing cable player
DISTRIBUTION: Hulu could be included in cable TV bundles, a move that may streamline TV Everywhere for Hulu’s owners (Disney, Fox, NBCU)
DISTRIBUTION: Some cord cutting numbers for 2013
DISTRIBUTION: Why “exclusive editions” might kill Blu-rays
DISTRIBUTION: Netflix streamlines its UX
DISTRIBUTION: NFL and MLB say if Aereo wins, they are moving content to paid cable
DISTRIBUTION: Comcast to provide set-top EST
MARKETING: On Google’s push for Universal Analytics that work cross-device and may replace cookies
MARKETING: Gmail Quick Actions let users act on emails without opening them
MARKETING: Mobile is eating the world (chart)
MARKETING: Qloo – is a new ‘taste maker curated’ cultural recommendation app a good thing?
MARKETING: YouTube Capture adds editing features, now one third of iOS uploads
MARKETING: Google Now, now with movie and TV recommendations
MARKETING: YouTube using Google+ authentication, sweeping out the trolls to make a comfier bed for brands
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The Big Idea(s): On the distribution front, noting big strategic moves from the big platforms while taking a more detailed look at the realities of self-distribution on VOD; On the marketing front, the dual strategies of programmatic and high-touch curated targeting
THINK ON IT: (on VOD numbers) Like we said, transparency good, transparency with context even better
THINK ON IT: Think piece about novels and TV Shows getting longer and more complex in response to the proliferation of digital distractions
DISTRIBUTION: VOD set to skyrocket in Asia, Latin America
DISTRIBUTION: KinoNation, Distrify, and Cinecliq talk about the realities of VOD
DISTRIBUTION: On HBO and Comcast deal to offer Go on basic cable tier
DISTRIBUTION: More jockeying about Netflix and collapsing of windows
DISTRIBUTION: Lionsgate CEO says EPIX plans to add scripted original shows
DISTRIBUTION: Microsoft emphasizes Xbox One’s entertainment capabilities with suite of apps
DISTRIBUTION: Recent study notes Netflix traffic nearly 20X Amazon and 24X Hulu
DISTRIBUTION: Netflix buys a “real” feature doc, currently in an awards qualifying run
DISTRIBUTION: YouTube standardizes (down) ad-revenue splits, but offers upside that exceed CPM rate card
MARKETING: A primer on Programmatic media buying
MARKETING: Only 55% of marketers satisfied with Twitter
MARKETING: Facebook’s new autoplay function has big implications for marketers
MARKETING: Flipboard’s new curated magazine feature could challenge Pinterest’s e-commerce model
MARKETING: Adweek looks at the practice of “conquesting” or customer poaching on social media
MARKETING: Fixing Ad Repetition: Pricing and impact stymied when too many viewers see the same ads too often
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The Big Idea: Transparency is a good thing, but so is not taking ‘the numbers’ at face value
THINK ON IT: Taking a pause on creative idealism Colin Brown of Slated provides a genre-centered guideline for packaging films
THINK ON IT: In an excerpt from her new book Anita Elberse argues how the long tail never took hold and entertainment “remains a business of blockbusters, and increasingly so”
THINK ON IT: A good primer on transmedia from Ingrid Kopp
SHOTS FIRED: John Sloss follows Liesl Copland’s call for transparency in reporting digital performance
SHOTS FIRED: TWC-Radius show us some big digital numbers and compare the results to equivalent theatrical releases
SHOTS FIRED: Ted Sarandos’ speech in which he asks “Why Not?” to day and date for BIG movies
SHOTS FIRED: Jonathan Taplin - Problems Abound in the Media Biz, but Here’s Why There’s Hope – “What we need to create is an economy where technology is at the service of creativity, content and context”
MARKETING: New app Cameo lets you make and edit 2 minute, soundtracked short films with your phone
MARKETING: Forrester Research calls out Facebook for not connecting the dots between impressions and conversion
MARKETING: A brief comment on how Google+ (and Facebook) inflate user numbers
MARKETING: Twitter starts in-stream video and image previews
MARKETING: AdWeek looks at how the finance industry leads the way in Content Marketing
MARKETING: Aviate reconfigures your Android homescreen based on where you are and what you’re doing
DISTRIBUTION: Magnolia goes pre-theatrical VOD on airlines
DISTRIBUTION: Vimeo Hires Top News Corp. executive to build its VOD store
DISTRIBUTION: Amazon may be planning to sell its own version of Chromecast
DISTRIBUTION: Netflix wants to be on your cable box, MSO’s don’t see this as a high priority
DISTRIBUTION: The future where Netflix and other over the top services make sense on MSO set-top boxes
DISTRIBUTION: Retrans fight with CBS costs Time Warner Cable big subscribers
DISTRIBUTION: YouTube offers subscription service for music (think Spotify)
DISTRIBUTION: Comcast goes TV Everywhere to mobile devices:
DISTRIBUTION: Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition officially turns on its direct to theater via satellite service
DISTRIBUTION: CBS News considering 24/7 digital news platform
DISTRIBUTION: Flipboard + Time Inc.
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The Big Idea: More ways to watch things and new ways for you to hear about them
A24 partners with Direct TV for exclusive pre-theatrical VOD supported by 40mm of Direct TV’s marketing dollars
Tribeca: Future of Film analyzes the winners and losers of the A24/Direct TV deal
Open Road finds some pay TV output money with Showtime
Netflix signals a move into original features
Netflix about to pass HBO in U.S. subscribers
Hulu partners with Fangoria for new channel
While Twitter partners with Nielsen to report social TV interactions Facebook extends access to Key Insights API to network partners
When it comes to measuring social TV interactions, a Like is not the same as a Tweet
Facebook tests improved targeting on mobile ads
Facebook adds video and new pricing to its mobile app ads
Facebook makes a case that it’s the top referral trafficker for media sites
Sony and Vudu think that extra features will drive EST
Snapchat experiments with in-stream commerce actions
Trailerpop is an app that makes a movie trailers a game
PopTip tracks Twitter sentiment through both keywords and phrases
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