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Friday, 6/3/11  
Recent Headlines Media news by sector GO TO: MAGAZINES & NEWSPAPERS TELEVISION & RADIO INTERNET & DIGITAL MEDIA ADVERTISING & MARKETING MEDIA COMPANIES MAGAZINES & NEWSPAPERS NY Times Names Abramson as Executive Editor New York Times Jill Abramson, managing editor of the New York Times, will become the newspaper's executive editor in September. She succeeds Bill Keller, who will step down to become a writer for the paper. Abramson will be the first woman to be editor in the paper's 160-year history. Hearst Takes Hatchet to Hachette After Merger New York Post The ink is barely dry on Hearst's purchase of Hachette Filipacchi Media and already the ax is swinging. Hearst has begun handing out pink slips to just under 20% of the HFM staff. In something of a surprise, Hearst chopped most of the social media staff. Conde Nast Buys 285 Reddit Domain Names BillHartzer Conde Nast Digital, the company behind Reddit, has purchased a whopping 285 domain names related to the social news website. Why would Conde Nast buy domains like ShopReddit.com and VideoReddit.com? Perhaps "something big" is coming. Hearst's iCrossing Opens Branded Content Arm ClickZ News ICrossing's new branded content unit will focus on "real-time execution across the social graph." Founded as a search-engine firm, iCrossing was acquired by Hearst last June for $325 million. The new unit will draw heavily on Hearst's lineup of more than 1,000 freelancers. Magazines Eye Tablets Amid Shift in Print Demos Advertising Age Some say magazines are rushing toward the iPad at the risk of undermining their existing business, but there is one reason they might be tempted to invest in tablets: For the majority of titles, the demos of their print readers are headed the wrong way. Newspapers' Declining Ad Biz Helped by Digital News & Tech Ad revenues for U.S. newspapers fell again during the first quarter, but an uptick in digital sales helped moderate the decline, according to the Newspaper Association of America. "Newspaper websites and mobile apps continue to engage key demos." Hearst Sees Lagardere Deal as Digital Doorway Financial Times Hearst said it will use the company's new acquisition of Lagardere's international magazine business to test digital business models in emerging markets and increase its global footprint. The deal includes 50 websites and several mobile and tablet apps. Elle Shuffles Publisher, Brand Officer Positions WWD As the Hearst-Lagardere deal closed, Hearst Magazines wasted no time naming Esquire publisher Kevin O'Malley the new publisher of Elle. Meanwhile, Elle chief brand officer Robin Domeniconi is getting moved upstairs into an executive role in magazines. Dennis: Mental Floss Taps Playboy, Maxim Vet Yahoo News James Kaminsky, an industry veteran who has held top editorial slots at Playboy, Rolling Stone, Men's Journal and Maxim, has been named editor in chief of Mental Floss, the title recently acquired by Felix Dennis. Angus Macaulay will be named the title's publisher. Rodale Searches for Best Bodies on Facebook Mashable Men's Health and Women's Health have launched a joint search for the fittest bodies to feature in their respective magazines via Facebook. Men and women are invited to submit photos of their physiques for a chance to be featured as a model in upcoming issues. Hollinger Ex-Chief Black Faces More Jail Time Daily Mail Conrad Black faces more jail time after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal against his conviction on fraud and obstruction of justice charges. Black, who once controlled a newspaper empire, is due to be resentenced later this month. Newseum Names New Head as Overby Retires Washington Post James Duff, an influential figure in Washington's legal circles for the past 36 years, has been named the new president of the Newseum, the museum of news. Duff will take over this summer from Charles Overby, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, who is retiring. Conde Nast Eyes Buys in Digital Ad Services Wall Street Journal Conde Nast CEO Chuck Townsend admits to missed opportunities in digital media acquisitions. "Glam.com is one of the obvious misfires. We had conversations back in the early days, and we weren't prepared." Conde Nast is now eyeing "digital advertising services." Wenner Chief: Tablet Migration to Take Years Advertising Age Wenner Media head Jann Wenner said he thinks it will be decades before tablet computers like the iPad will produce significant business for magazines. "You're talking about a generation at least, maybe two generations, before the shift is decisive." Hearst to Close Hachette Deal Amid Layoff Talk Adweek Hearst is poised to close on its nearly $900 million deal to buy Lagardere's magazines outside France, including Hachette. Employees of the acquired company are expecting to hear soon afterwards if they will be part of the package. Newsweek Protest Song Becomes Viral Video AllThingsD A nine-minute video of citizens in Grand Rapids, Mich., lip-syncing Don McLean's "American Pie" has become a viral hit. The video clip was produced in a protest response to the city's inclusion in a Newsweek.com list of "America's Dying Cities." Marie Claire Editor Signs Long-Term Contract WWD Is a fashion editor's head on the table in the Hearst Tower? If so, it's not Marie Claire editor in chief Joanna Coles, who signed a new long-term contract with the company two weeks ago and has strong circulation and ad page numbers to hang her hat on. Time Out to Help Readers Buy Event Tickets Telegraph Oakley Capital, a U.K. private equity firm, last week took a controlling stake in the Time Out city listings magazines in America. Oakley plans to help Time Out build a global database of events and develop software allowing readers to buy tickets. Hollywood Reporter Finds New Life Under Min New York Times Janice Min's remake of The Hollywood Reporter seems to be working. From April 2010 to this April, traffic to hollywoodreporter.com rose to 4.5 million uniques a month, an increase of 800%, according to comScore. The weekly's circulation has inched up over 70,000. Harvard Business Review Reinvention Pays Off New York Times Newsstand sales of Harvard Business Review are up 19%, according to the publication's figures. New blogs and additional content on the Review's web site have pushed up visits. Page views in April grew to 7 million, compared with 600,000 four years ago. NY Times 'Would Definitely Sell' Boston Globe Boston Herald The New York Times would definitely unload the Boston Globe — for the right price — according to media analysts, despite CEO Janet Robinson's insistence that the broadsheet isn't for sale. "Is the New York Times going to sell the Globe for what it's actually worth?" SF Chronicle Launches on iPad for $6 a Month San Francisco Chronicle The San Francisco Chronicle has released an iPad app, bringing a daily edition of the Hearst newspaper to Apple's tablet computer. Current subscribers will be able to use the app for free. New readers can purchase subscriptions for $5.99 a month. Scripps Newspaper Division Head Steps Down Cincinnati.com Mark Contreras is no longer senior VP of E.W. Scripps' newspaper division, the company has announced. Contreras held that position since January 2005. CEO Rich Boehne will oversee the company's newspaper division until a permanent exec is named. Huffington Post Names Interactive News Head New York Observer The Huffington Post made another swipe at the New York Times roster, grabbing interactive news developer Andrei Scheinkman. At HuffPost, Scheinkman will build a small team of journalists to develop interactive features across the megablog's verticals. Gothamist Blog Publisher Grows In New Offices Crain's New York Gothamist has signed a five-year lease for 2,990 square feet at 20 Jay Street in Brooklyn's Dumbo. The lease marks the first time Gothamist, which runs a popular network of city blogs, has committed to a multi-year lease. "We've been growing fast." Murdoch 'Playing Chicken' in Hacking Scandal Businessweek News Corp.'s legal strategy in the phone-hacking scandal at its U.K. News of the World tabloid is to offer plaintiffs generous pretrial settlements that are risky to refuse in the British legal system. According to one lawyer: "It will all be over by Christmas." McClatchy Sells Miami Herald Land, Building Bloomberg McClatchy has sold a 14-acre parcel of Miami land, including the headquarters of its Miami Herald newspaper, for $236 million. The Herald plans to seek a new home. The deal may provide McClatchy with a cash boost surpassing its market value. Time Out to Expand Brand in $23 Million Deal Reuters Oakley Capital has acquired a controlling stake in Time Out magazine's New York business for $23 million. The move will allow Oakley to cash in on the city listing title's online market and control rights to the brand in most of the United States and several foreign markets. Time Inc Editor Decamps Newsweek In Return New York Post Time Inc. raided Tina Brown and Newsweek to bring Steve Koepp back inside the tent as editorial director of Time Home Entertainment. The fledgling unit handles book projects that grow from the pages of the magazines including Time, Fortune and People. Hearst Ex-Exec at Center of Bloomberg Suit Village Voice ProPublica reporter Sergio Hernandez said he has filed a lawsuit against Michael Bloomberg over access to emails between the New York mayor and former Hearst exec Cathie Black regarding her recent appointment. Emails by city officials are public records, he said. NY Times Journo Eyed for Conflict of Interest Daily Beast New York Times tech reviewer David Pogue's new romance with Silicon Valley public-relations exec Nicki Dugan has many buzzing about a possible conflict of interest. Dugan's firm represents tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Cisco, Netflix and Yahoo. Wall St Journal Editor Jumps to Bloomberg.com TalkingBizNews Jared Sandberg, banking and wealth editor for the Wall Street Journal, has resigned for a position at Bloomberg News. He will become editor of Bloomberg.com and report to Josh Tyrangiel, editorial director of Bloomberg Digital and editor of Bloomberg Businessweek. Spin Magazine 'Bullies' Man for Twitter Handle SF Weekly Spin magazine has issued a cease and desist order to a man aiming to force him to give up his Twitter handle, which happens to be a riff off his nickname -- @SPIN. The man's Twitter handle is causing "significant amount of confusion" among the magazine's readers. Atlantic Launches Twitter-Based Book Club Mashable The Atlantic has announced the first selection for 1book140, an online reading and discussion club that will span the magazine's presences on Twitter, Facebook and other online venues. The discussion portion will take place primarily on Twitter and theatlantic.com. >> MORE TELEVISION & RADIO CBS: Armstrong Demands Apology for Report Bloomberg Lance Armstrong's attorneys have demanded an on-air apology from CBS's "60 Minutes" following accusations that the cyclist tested positive for a banned substance at the 2001 Tour of Switzerland race. CBS News said its story was "truthful, accurate and fair." NBC News Hires CBS Veteran for Williams Show Associated Press NBC News is bringing a veteran CBS and BBC journalist on board to run Brian Williams' new newsmagazine, which it hopes to get on the air this fall. The network has hired Rome Hartman to be executive producer of its newsmagazine, which doesn't have a name yet. NPR Former CEO Schiller Is Eyed by NBC News AllThingsD Former National Public Radio head Vivian Schiller, who left her last job under a political cloud, looks to have found a new position. Schiller is in talks to work at NBC News, where she will oversee digital projects. Schiller once ran the New York Times' website. MTV Launches Tumblr Blog in Digital Expansion Mashable MTV has just added another social media tool to its roster in the form of a new Tumblr blog featuring original and reblogged content. The Viacom network has created Tumblr sites around various initiatives in the past, but this is the first official MTV blog. Simon & Schuster Expands Book Deal with Beck Crain's New York Less than two months after Glenn Beck and Fox News agreed to part ways, the conservative talk-show host has reached a new deal with publisher Simon & Schuster that includes the launch of a new imprint. Mercury Ink will release fiction and non-fiction titles. ABC: Supreme Court Justice Held Disney Stock Associated Press U.S. Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito took part in a case over curse words on television involving ABC and other networks even though he owned around $2,000 stock in ABC parent company Disney at the time. Alito said his participation was an oversight. NBC Universal Names Head for Digital Sales MediaPost Scott Schiller has been named executive VP-digital media sales for NBC Universal Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media, the division overseeing Fandango, iVillage and DailyCandy. Schiller had been senior VP-Comcast digital entertainment. Fox News Channel Launches Sponsored App Mashable Fox News has released its official iPad app, a visually-focused news experience with a big-name sponsor, ExxonMobil. The app, now available in the App Store, was built from the ground-up. Users will notice the prominent placement of ExxonMobil ads throughout. ESPN, Tribeca Launch On-Demand Film Fest Associated Press Tribeca Film and ESPN are establishing a video-on-demand sports film festival, featuring five movies, available in some 40 million homes. The festival, running June 23 through Aug. 25, will include Alex Gibney's scapegoating documentary "Catching Hell." Bravo's 'Real Housewives' Gets Web Spin-Off New York Post "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" has spun off on to the web. Chris and Albie Manzo, the grown sons of series star Caroline Manzo, are now starring in their own seven-episode series, "Boys to Manzo," which premiered Monday on bravotv.com. Sirius XM Seeks Dismissal of Stern Lawsuit RBR Sirius XM has asked a New York court to throw out the lawsuit that Howard Stern filed seeking more money under the five-year contract through last year which had already paid him over $600 million. Sirius XM claims Stern has already been paid all he is due. Tribune Boosts Broadcasting Chief to CEO Crain's Chicago Tribune Broadcasting division chairman Nils Larsen has been appointed CEO of the unit in a move that eliminates the post of division president Jerry Kersting. Kersting was promoted to president just a year ago, before the ouster of Tribune CEO Randy Michaels. MTV Hatches New Brand to Attract Movie Fans Variety MTV Networks aims to expand NextMovie into more than just a website. The 7-month-old "next gen" film site may get its own show on MTV2. MTV sees the brand fitting in the middle ground between niche blogs and movie-web giants like Yahoo Movies and IMDb. PBS Site Hacked In Retaliation Over WikiLeaks Wired News A hacker group unhappy with a PBS documentary on WikiLeaks has hit back by cracking the broadcaster's servers, posting stolen passwords and adding a fake news story claiming that famed rapper Tupac Shakur was "alive and well" in New Zealand. HSN Adds Online Game 'Arcade' to Website Wall Street Journal HSN, the TV-shopping network, is adding videogames to its website in hopes of piggybacking on the attraction of online games. The new feature, called HSN Arcade, will pair 25 games like Sodoku and Mahjongg with a live stream of HSN's main TV channel. Bloomberg, Comcast Prep Cable News Brawl New York Post Bloomberg LP has accused Comcast of violating a condition of its merger with NBC Universal, claiming the cable giant has discriminated against Bloomberg Television by relegating the channel to the Siberia of cable land while favoring its own CNBC. TV Networks Watch a Core Audience Erode Wall Street Journal U.S. TV networks marked the official end of the TV season on Wednesday. Few new shows became hits, and ratings for the four most-watched networks fell. Fewer viewers age 18 to 49 years old watched TV of any kind — live or recorded, broadcast or cable. Oprah Draws Her Largest Audience in 17 Years Bloomberg Oprah Winfrey, departing broadcast television for cable TV, attracted her largest audience in 17 years with the finale of her daily talk show. The last "Oprah Winfrey Show" was seen in 13.3% of the 115.9 million U.S. TV households, according to distributor CBS. Sirius XM: Stern Seeking $75 Million in Suit FMQB Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin announced during the company's shareholders meeting that the satcaster would be filing a Motion for Summary Judgment in its lawsuit against Howard Stern. The motion revealed that Stern is asking for "at least $75 million." Fox 'American Idol' Finale Declines in Ratings EW Fox's "American Idol" performance finale, delivering 20 million viewers, was down slightly in the ratings from last year's all-time low. The performance isn't unexpected given that "American Idol" has been tracking slightly below 2010's run all season. ABC, Couric Near Lucrative Talk Show Deal Daily Beast ABC is near a deal with Katie Couric for a syndicated daytime talk show after upping the ante. Couric could win almost total ownership of the venture, paying her far more than her former $15-million-a-year anchor salary at CBS. An announcement is likely in June. CNN Eyes Burnett for New Daily News Show New York Post CNN is said to be creating a daily news show for Erin Burnett to air at 7 p.m., a switch from business to breaking news. Burnett's show launches in June and will replace "John King USA." Burnett will also get the job of handing over to Eliot Spitzer at 8 p.m. MSNBC Host Schultz to Take Unpaid Leave Bloomberg MSNBC host Ed Schultz will take one week of unpaid leave after making disparaging remarks about commentator Laura Ingraham. Schultz offered to take the unpaid leave. "Remarks of this nature are unacceptable and will not be tolerated," said MSNBC. CNBC Anchor Mark Haines Dies Unexpectedly CNBC Mark Haines, 65, a fixture on CNBC for 22 years, had died. Haines, founding anchor of CNBC's morning "Squawk Box," was co-anchor of the "Squawk on the Street" show. CNBC head Mark Hoffman called Haines a "building block" of the network's programming. Oprah: No Giveaways on Finale of Talk Show Chicago Sun-Times There were no major surprises on the final episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Winfrey told the audience: "You will not be getting a car or a tree. This last hour is really about me saying, thank you." She added: "I won't say goodbye. I'll just say until we meet again." >> MORE INTERNET & DIGITAL MEDIA Cisco: Online Video Watching to Double by 2015 Los Angeles Times The number of people watching video on the Internet is expected to nearly double by 2015 to 1.5 billion, according to a forecast released by Cisco Systems. Netflix's video streaming already accounts for more Internet traffic than anything else on the web. Netflix Prepared to Pay More for Movie, TV Deals Reuters Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said he wouldn't be surprised if Netflix had to pay up to $200 million to renew a licensing deal with Liberty Media's Starz network. The original deal, set to expire early next year, was believed to have been struck for around $30 million. 'Angry Birds' Game to Fly Onto Web-Enabled TVs Bloomberg Roku, the television set-top box maker spun off by Netflix, is adding the "Angry Birds" game to its service, marking the first time the popular title played on iPhones and iPads has been available on TVs. "We think casual games are going to be big on TV." Tennessee Passes Web Entertainment Theft Bill Associated Press State lawmakers in country music's capital have passed a measure that would make it a crime to use a friend's login — even with permission — to listen to songs or watch movies from the likes of Netflix or Rhapsody. Industry officials hope other states will follow. Amazon Likely to Become Major Book Publisher Barron's Amazon.com, after disrupting the retail distribution of books, appears to be planning to become a major book publisher. Analysts suspect that the Seattle-based e-tailer will set up a book-publishing operation in New York City. Amazon is "likely to be highly disruptive." Twitter Launches Own Photo-Sharing Service CNET News Twitter is getting its own photo-sharing service, CEO Dick Costolo has announced. It will roll out over the next few weeks. In addition to making photo uploading easier for all users, the move is intended to harmonize content ownership: "Users will own their photos." Groupon, Expedia to Launch Travel Deal Site Reuters Groupon and Expedia have created a website to offer people travel deals and to let travel suppliers expose their brands to shoppers. Groupon Getaways, launching first in the United States and Canada, will include discounts from 135,000 hotels worldwide. Google, Publishers Weigh Options After Ruling Associated Press A judge in New York has agreed to give lawyers for Google and the book industry more time to decide how to proceed after he rejected their deal to create a massive online library. An attorney for the publishers said they needed several weeks to figure out all the issues. Google Shows Off Its 'Groupon Killer' Service AllThingsD Google chief Eric Schmidt has unveiled the company's new mobile wallet and deals strategy that looks and acts a lot like Groupon. Google Wallet will kick off in New York and San Francisco. The company's daily deals service will make its debut in Portland, Ore. Yahoo Plans Push Into Mobile Phones Market Financial Times Yahoo and MediaTek, a leading supplier of microchips for mobile phones, have unveiled a partnership to give traditional mobile phones capabilities similar to those of smartphones. The partnership gives Yahoo a new foothold in the mobile Internet market. Facebook Near 700M Users, $80B Valuation San Jose Business Facebook is said to be continuing to grow at a rapid pace, nearing 700 million users and an $80 billion valuation. Socialbakers, a blog that tracks the social network, said the company's latest membership spurt came primarily in Brazil, Indonesia and India. Twitter, Google Fight Facebook's Like Button Guardian Twitter has announced a "follow" button with 50 sites already plugged in. The button allows readers to start following an account on Twitter with one click. Meanwhile, Google has unveiled a similar +1 button, inviting publishers to add the service to their sites. Hulu to Offer Miramax Films to Its Subscribers Associated Press Hulu will offer hundreds of Miramax films to some of its subscribers and select films through its ad-supported service as part of a multiyear deal between the two companies. The agreement comes on the heels of a deal between Miramax and Hulu rival Netflix. Apple Chief Jobs Set to Unveil iCloud Product Bloomberg Apple CEO Steve Jobs will address an annual conference on June 6 to unveil a service that lets users store content online and tout a new version of the software that runs the iPad and iPhone. Jobs is in the midst of his third medical leave since 2004. Hulu Faces Push to Add More Commercials Advertising Age News Corp., as it negotiates its next contract with Hulu, is pushing for the ability to run a greater number of ads in a portion of the Fox programs available on the video site. The move would be a shift for Hulu, which since its launch has touted light ad loads. YouTube Counting On Former Netflix Exec Los Angeles Times Robert Kyncl negotiated the deals that gave Netflix subscribers access to thousands of movies and TV shows. Now he's hoping to repeat that feat as head of TV and film for YouTube. Kyncl is "sensitive to the various concerns and issues ... from a studio perspective." Activision Videogame to Charge Monthly Free Wall Street Journal Activision plans to launch an online service that will work with the next major edition of the game, "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3." The company will charge a monthly subscription fee for the service, which will provide extra content that isn't offered on game discs. Twitter Eyes Photosharing, Keyword Platform TechCrunch Twitter is said to be on the verge on announcing its own built-in Twitpic competitor. Photosharing is "the next logical step" of the company's expansion. Also: Twitter is in talks to acquire keyword bidding platform AdGrok, in a deal valued at less than $10 million. Myspace Sale Drags On as Bid Deadline Looms AllThingsD News Corp. is holding out for a few more bids from those who had expressed initial interest in buying the long-troubled Myspace. News Corp. reportedly would like to complete the deal and get Myspace off its books before end of its fiscal quarter this month. Amazon Propels Lady Gaga Toward Big Debut Bloomberg Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," from Universal Music, is poised to become the biggest album debut since 'N Sync's "Celebrity" in 2001, buoyed by sales for 99 cents at Amazon.com. The album is expected to sell about 1.15 million copies in its first week. Google, Microsoft Vie to Take On Apple's iPad Bloomberg Attempts by Google and Microsoft to loosen Apple's grip on the tablet market will be put to the test this week as PC makers unveil new models at the Computex trade show in Taipei. "Investors want to know when the non-iPad camp is going to get going." Yahoo Loses Its Display Ad Crown to Google San Jose Business Yahoo has lost its long-held No. 1 spot in display advertising to Google, according to a report from IDC. For the first quarter, Google attained 14.7% of the display ad market. At the same time, Yahoo had 12.3% of the market, a drop from the previous quarter. Google Sees Surge in Demand for Video Ads Bloomberg Google said it has doubled the number of video ads that it places on partner sites in the past year, a sign it is making headway in a push to expand display advertising. Spending on video ads may grow 39% in the United States this year, according to EMarketer. PayPal Sues Google Over Mobile Pay Service Associated Press Google has unveiled a service enabling consumers to use their Android smartphones to pay for products at retailers. After the unveiling of the new Google Wallet service, eBay's online payment service PayPal struck back with a lawsuit alleging intellectual theft. Facebook Is Developing Ways to Share Media New York Times Facebook is developing features that will make the sharing of users' favorite music, TV shows and other media as much a part of its site as playing games or posting vacation photos. The company's media moves are seen as part of its ambition to become an Internet hub. Myspace Ex-Exec to Launch Facebook Rival AllThingsD Former Myspace Music CTO Dmitry Shapiro has raised about $1 million from investors — including Myspace founder Tom Anderson — to launch a privacy-conscious alternative to Facebook. Shapiro's social network Altly will give users easy and detailed privacy controls. Twitter CEO Set for Obama Advisory Committee MarketWatch Twitter CEO Dick Costolo is among the tech execs President Obama plans to appoint to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, according to a White House statement. Others include Microsoft's Scott Charney and McAfee's David DeWalt. Apple's Deals May Transform Digital Music Businessweek Apple has reached agreements with three of the four major music labels and is close to reaching terms with the fourth, Universal Music, for its cloud-based music service, which some are calling iCloud. The company could preview its cloud plans as early as June. Amazon Kindle Seen as Top E-Book Reader Associated Press As book publishers wrapped up their annual BookExpo America convention, Amazon's Kindle was seen as the dominant player in the growing e-market; Barnes & Noble's Nook was considered a pleasant surprise and Apple's iPad an underachiever. Media Are the Next 'Social' Frontiers, Zuck Says Bloomberg Music, TV shows and books will be among the next products to become "social" through Facebook, said CEO Mark Zuckerberg. These "media experiences" probably will follow the path of computer games, which have been transformed by the Facebook platform, he said. >> MORE ADVERTISING & MARKETING Traditional Media's Ad Spending Is Flattening RBR Advertising spending on traditional media is on a slow rebound, according to eMarketer. As a mass audience has kept its attention fixed on television, so have advertisers. Meanwhile, print media will continue to lose money as consumers shift their attention to the web. Google VP Predicts Surge in Online Display Ads Financial Times Neal Mohan, Google VP for display advertising products, has predicted that spending on online display ads, digital video, mobile and other non-search formats will increase almost tenfold in the next few years, as the Internet nabs more dollars from other media. Nielsen to Acquire Mind-Reading Research Firm MediaPost Nielsen has agreed to acquire NeuroFocus, one of the leading companies applying neuroscience to advertising research. NeuroFocus has unveiled a new technology it claims can literally read people's minds with the use of a lightweight cap that interprets brain signals. Starbucks Teams with Lady Gaga In Web Promo USA Today Starbucks will host a Lady Gaga-infused scavenger hunt across its digital properties from Facebook to Twitter to Foursquare. Gaga fans can follow her exploits and search out clues. The top winner gets special access to a Gaga concert during her 2012 world tour. Publicis to Acquire U.S. Digital Agency Rosetta MarketWatch Publicis has agreed to buy U.S. digital agency Rosetta for $575 million, in the French advertising giant's latest deal to boost its digital presence. Publicis unit ZenithOptimedia has forecast the Internet to surpass newspapers as the world's No. 1 ad medium by 2013. Burson-Marsteller PR Attack Deflected by Google USA Today Burson-Marsteller, a top-five public relations firm, last week stepped up a whisper campaign to get news outlets to run stories and editorials about how an obscure Google Gmail feature ostensibly tramples the privacy of millions of Americans and violates federal fair trade rules. Facebook Forecast to Take Lead in Display Ads Financial Times Facebook's large user base will make it the world's largest online display advertising company by revenue this year, overtaking the businesses of Google and Yahoo, according to Enders Analysis. Facebook ad revenues are forecast to hit $3.5 billion in 2011. Google Aims to Innovate, Invest in Ad Business Wired Google advertising chief Susan Wojcicki: "Even though search advertising works and we've had a lot of success, we think we can innovate a lot in that space." Google is "investing heavily" in contextual and audience targeting, as part of its display ad push. Twitter, Social Media Ads Forecast to Explode Washington Business Social media advertising revenues, which totaled $2.1 billion in 2010, will grow to $8.3 billion annually by 2015, according to BIA/Kelsey. Revenue for non-display ad formats like Twitter's "promoted products" are forecast to grow to about $600 million by 2015. Google: Mobile Ads Are Extraordinarily Effective PC World Smartphone users are unusually responsive to advertising, according to survey released by Google. And this could be because searches on smartphones are weighted toward finding local information. Some 42% of users click on mobile ads they like, the survey found. WPP 'Cautiously Optimistic' About Coming Year Telegraph WPP is "cautiously optimistic" about prospects for 2011 and 2012. The group predicted a 1% to 2% increase of worldwide advertising spending in 2012 from the Olympic Games, the Euro 2012 Football Championships and the U.S. presidential election. TV 'Upfront' Market: Demand Builds for Ads Wall Street Journal For the second consecutive year, marketers are poised to spend more money in advance on commercials for the coming TV season than they did a year earlier, driven in part by high prices for last-minute commercials, according to buyers and sellers of TV advertising. MagnaGlobal: More Ads Will Shift to Cable TV Bloomberg U.S. advertising sales will increase 1.8% in 2011, less than last year's 3.2%, reflecting a slow recovery in the economy, according to MagnaGlobal. Advertisers are expected to continue shifting spending to cable TV networks from broadcast channels. Web Advertising Eclipsed Newspapers in 2010 Dow Jones Web advertising in the U.S. resumed double-digit growth in 2010, outpacing traditional media and surpassing newspaper ad revenue for the first time, according to the Internet Advertising Bureau. The rebound will likely build confidence in the digital media business. >> MORE MEDIA COMPANIES News Corp to Decide on MySpace in Two Weeks Bloomberg News Corp. will make a decision about the potential sale of its MySpace social network in two weeks, said company digital head Jonathan Miller. News Corp. has said it is searching for a way to respond to MySpace's loss in market share to Facebook. Time Warner Sees Opportunity in Broadband Only Dow Jones Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt said his company has an opportunity to win more broadband-only customers as broadband replaces TV as the cable industry's anchor product. "Broadband is becoming more and more central to people's lives." Sony PlayStation Restored in U.S., Europe, Asia Associated Press Sony is fully restoring its PlayStation Network in the U.S., Europe and parts of Asia after hackers stole customer data and sent services offline in April. The attack cost Sony $173 million, used to cover identity theft insurance, customer support and other purposes. Martha's Company 'Unlikely' to Fetch $1 Billion Wall Street Journal Martha Stewart Living, which recently put up a "for sale" sign, was once valued at about $1 billion. The company now has a market value of just under $280 million. Analysts said Martha's lucrative licensing business has been shackled to unprofitable media assets. Liberty Media Looks at Books on Barnes & Noble Wall Street Journal Liberty Media has begun studying Barnes & Noble's financial books as its effort to acquire the bookseller moves ahead. Liberty's assessment of Barnes & Noble's financial data is expected to take a few weeks. There are currently no negotiations on price or other areas. Borders Bookstores Attract Gores as Bidder Wall Street Journal Private-equity firm Gores Group is in discussions to purchase more than half of Borders' remaining stores out of bankruptcy, in a deal that would keep the bookstore chain operating as a going concern. Borders filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February. Survey: Consumers Find Less Value in Media Denver Business With so many entertainment options available now, consumers are finding less value from media products, according to a survey by PR giant Edelman. Also, an overwhelming majority are unhappy with the industry's move to charge for services over the Internet. AT&T;, Comcast Seek to Limit Internet Streaming TheWrap AT&T; has joined competing ISPs Comcast and Charter in putting a limit on the amount of data its customers can use each month. With Netflix and Hulu threatening their subscription-cable business, AT&T;, Comcast and Charter no longer want to aid the competition. Sony, AT&T;: Next Targets of PBS Site Hacker? Washington Post A group known as LulzSec is taking credit for hacking into the PBS "News Hour" website and posting fake news stories. Sony and AT&T; are said to be LulzSec's next targets. But it doesn't seem the group will stop there: "We're hard at work. Multiple targets." News Corp to Hold Forum on Education Reform Hollywood Reporter News Corp. and not-for-profit the College Board will work together to make education reform a top issue in the 2012 presidential campaign with an event giving Republican candidates the opportunity to outline their vision for improving U.S. education. Disney Former Chief Eisner Eyes Sale of Topps Wall Street Journal Michael Eisner, the former head of Disney, is said to be looking to sell Topps, the firm famous for its baseball and football trading cards, not to mention Bazooka Joe bubble gum. The company denies it is on the market. But it likely would draw some interest. Time Warner Has Record-Breaking 'Hangover' Bloomberg / NYT "The Hangover Part II" was the top film in North America this weekend, generating $86.5 million for Warner Bros., and making it the best debut ever for a comedy. Also: Hollywood is worrying as 3-D films, such as Disney's new "Pirates of the Caribbean," fizzle. Viacom Defends Big Pay for Company Execs Los Angeles Times The three highest paid execs in media last year worked for Viacom and CBS. Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman led the way with $84.5 million. Viacom defended the packages, saying the compensation reflected "the achievement of double-digit growth." Comcast to Buy Stake in Two Universal Parks TheWrap Comcast intends to buy Blackstone Group's 50% stake in its two Orlando theme parks. The owner of NBC Universal is expected to pay between $1 billion to $1.5 billion to become the full owner of Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. Martha Preps Company Sale as Value Drops Bloomberg Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is "undergoing a slow death that is a result of management failing to make a transition to the next generation," according to investment professionals. "A sale is a quick way out." The Martha Stewart brand "is still an asset." Comcast, NBC Merge Venture-Capital Units Philadelphia Business Comcast has combined Comcast Interactive Capital, its venture-capital unit, with the Peacock Equity Fund, NBCUniversal's venture-capital unit. The new Comcast Ventures will invest in all stages of businesses that represent the "next generation" of media. Media Are the Next 'Social' Frontiers, Zuck Says Bloomberg Music, TV shows and books will be among the next products to become "social" through Facebook, said CEO Mark Zuckerberg. These "media experiences" probably will follow the path of computer games, which have been transformed by the Facebook platform, he said. Viacom Chief Awarded Pay Boost for Birthday Bloomberg Viacom has increased its quarterly dividend by 67% to 25 cents a share, boosting the yearly payment to chairman Sumner Redstone's family company to $41 million. "Viacom is in excellent shape financially," said CEO Philippe Dauman. Redstone turns 88 on Friday. Disney Drops Navy Seal Trademark Application Associated Press Disney has withdrawn its application to trademark the phrase "SEAL Team 6," the elite unit that killed Osama bin Laden, after the Navy moved to protect its rights and the media giant endured a wave of criticism. Disney is still interested in producing a SEAL TV show. Time Warner Turns to Flixster for Cloud Content Hollywood Reporter Time Warner will in the coming months outline its strategy for cloud-based content storage, and the recently acquired Flixster will play a key role as the consumer interface, said CFO John Martin. Digital is expected to help counter weakness in DVD sales. Comcast Tests Tech Used by Web Video Rivals Wall Street Journal Comcast will start testing a new way to deliver its TV channels, co-opting the same technology standard that upstart Internet rivals have used to challenge pay-TV business models. The switch aims to deliver live TV service to any Internet-connected device. Martha Stewart: Is Her Media Company for Sale? MarketWatch Martha Stewart Omnimedia has hired advisory firm Blackstone Group to field offers of partnerships or investments, "as well as exploring other opportunities." Also, the company has named Oxygen Media co-founder Lisa Gersh as its new president and COO. News Corp Chief Signals Push Into Education Financial Times Rupert Murdoch, speaking at the e-G8 conference in Paris, signaled that News Corp. will make a significant push into education technology. Last fall, the media giant hired former New York schools chancellor Joel Klein and invested in education tech firm Wireless Generation. Comcast Warns of More Exec Changes at NBC Hollywood Reporter Comcast CFO Michael Angelakis said NBCUniversal's cable networks are a "stellar" business that will bring in "well over" $3 billion this year. While the executive turnover at NBC doesn't worry him, some additional staff changes could come, he signaled. Liberty Media May Face Fight for Barnes & Noble Los Angeles Business Takeover financier Ron Burkle may be positioning himself to fight John Malone for control of Barnes & Noble. Burkle and his Yucaipa American Management fund have spent $11.1 million buying 603,000 Barnes & Noble shares at nearly $18.49 each. Time Warner Invests In Social Gaming Startup TechCrunch CrowdStar, a startup best known for producing social games for Facebook, has raised $23 million in funding led by Time Warner Investments and Intel Capital. CrowdStar said it sees opportunities to partner with media and entertainment brands for in-game marketing. Media Moguls Murdoch, Redstone Don't Heir Plans Variety News Corp. founder Rupert Murdoch just hit 80. Viacom and CBS chief Sumner Redstone turns 88 this Friday. Neither has publicly laid out succession plans. Wall Street watchers wonder what will happen when the two empire builders leave the scene. Media's Future Explored by Facebook, HuffPost I Want Media David Carr, Edward Felsenthal, Saul Hansell and Vadim Lavrusik will be among the participants in "The Future of Media: 2011," a panel discussion from I Want Media. The free, non-profit Internet Week New York forum aims to explore the key issues reshaping traditional media. >> MORE |
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