Time Warner (TV/cable channels only)

Image

by Cameron MacPherson

[1] Time Warner Logo

Time Warner Inc.
One Time Warner Center
New York, NY 10019-8016
212-484-8000
www.timewarner.com

About

Time Warner, Inc. is an American media company with properties in the television and film industries, including cable properties under the Turner Broadcasting System, its premium cable property Home Box Office (HBO), and its production unit Warner Brothers Studios. [2]

[3] Time Warner has three major divisions: HBO, Turner, and Warner Brothers

Executives

[4] Jeff Bewkes, Chairman and CEO

[6] Gary L. Ginsberg, Executive VP, Corporate Marketing and Communications

[5] Howard M. Averill, Executive Vice President and CFO

Financials and Strategies

Time Warner Inc., a publicly traded company, posted a $29.8 billion revenue for 2013, a 4% increase from 2012. [7] On July 16, 2014, news broke that Time Warner had rejected an $80 billion buyout offer from 21^st Century Fox. The proposal offered $85 a share for a stock that, just before the announced rejection, sat just above $70 a share. [8] CEO Jeff Bewkes has made a commitment to reach the $85 per share target to encourage stockholders that the company has growth potential. Under Bewkes, the financial strategy of the company has been to minimize expenses to maximize profits. Time Warner Inc. has recently spun off Time Warner Cable and Time Inc. properties, retaining only its Turner cable properties, HBO, and the Warner Brothers Studios. [9]

Time Warner rejected a buyout bid from 21st Century Fox

[12 ] Time Warner rejected an $80 billion buyout bid from 21st Century Fox

Even with a smaller portfolio of properties, the emphasis on streamlined efficiency still dominates Time Warner’s financial strategy. In recent months, there have been layoffs in all three of Time Warner’s divisions. Turner Broadcasting offered a buyout option to 6% of its staffers in August, two months before announcing that the company would cut 1,475 jobs.[10][11] Time Warner cut seven percent, or 150, of its domestic employees for HBO in late October, one week before cutting 1,000 jobs at Warner Brothers Studios. [13][14]

The strategy, to this point, has been successful. The newly enacted efficiencies and bold strategies for expansion of Time Warner’s HBO property have led to a surge in market valuation. On November 30, the price of Time Warner’s stock reached $85.12 per share, 12 cents above the buyout offer from 21^st Century Fox in July (before falling slightly below the line the next day). [15]

[13] A graph showing the price of Time Warner's stock prices over the last three months (TWX)

[16 ] A graph showing the price of Time Warner’s stock prices over the last three months (TWX)

HBO Developments

[17 ] HBO, a division of Time Warner

According to Time Warner, a major reason for rejecting the buyout offer was the growth potential of HBO. On September 16, ten days after 21^st Century Fox CEO Rupert Murdoch withdrew his buyout offer, Time Warner announced plans for a fourth quarter marketing push for HBO across broadcast, cable, and digital platforms. [18] A week later, HBO partnered with AT&T to offer customers broadband service, HBO GO, and Amazon’s Prime membership for a limited time offer. [19] The move, similar to Comcast’s “Internet Plus” package, signaled another step towards unbundling HBO from pricey cable subscriptions. Just a month after that, Time Warner made a major announcement that expanded on this departure from cable bundles. Time Warner stated that it planned to offer a standalone streaming platform through its online HBO GO service starting in 2015. The service will be available without a cable subscription to HBO, using broadband as its distribution channel. [20] While the details about available programming and distribution channels are yet to be released, many analysts predict the over-the-top service will be marketed towards cord-cutters and millenials rather than those with existing HBO subscriptions. [21]

With the new online streaming service, Time Warner hopes to attract customers to HBO who might otherwise be deterred by cable’s lofty price tag. Additionally, it has positioned itself as a viable competitor to Netflix in the digital arena. HBO has fewer domestic subscribers than Netflix, but far more international subscribers; HBO boasts 130 million global subscribers to Netflix’s 50 million. [22] In recent months, Time Warner has sought to expand this international presence. HBO struck a deal with Chinese content distributor Tencent Holdings Ltd., granting the Chinese media giant the exclusive rights to distribute HBO’s original programming. Tencent Video, the company’s online streaming site, will air episodes of HBO shows that have become wildly popular in China through piracy sites. [23] Executives at HBO hope that this move will cut down on piracy, and create a loyal fan base in the world’s most populous country.

Programming

HBO

[24] In 2014, HBO aired the final season of its hit crime show, “Boardwalk Empire”

HBO is known for its award winning original programming and loyal fan bases, particularly with hits like “Game of Thrones,” and “True Detective.” One such program, the smash crime hit “Boardwalk Empire,” finished its television run after five seasons. The series, which has won 18 Emmys, had a strong showing with 2.3 million viewers tuning in live for the series finale. When coupled with a same-night rerun and HBO GO statistics, total same-day viewers exceeded 6.6 million. [25]

HBO launched the final season of its news drama "The Newsroom" [26]

[27 ] HBO launched the final season of its news drama “The Newsroom”

HBO launched three new shows in its Sunday lineup, including the third and final season of Aaron Sorkin’s “The Newsroom.” The premiere of the truncated season reached a disappointing 1.2 million viewers live, a 40% decrease from the season two premiere. This year, the series does not benefit from the strong lead-ins of “True Blood” and “Boardwalk Empire,” leading to decreases in live ratings. [26]

It should be noted that live viewership is not as important for HBO due to its lack of advertising. Only about 25 to 30 percent of viewers watch programs live on HBO, as many viewers use the on-demand services or the web-based HBO GO. [28]

Turner

[31 ] Turner CEO John Martin

Turner Broadcasting and its CEO John Martin have expressed a commitment to take more “creative risks,” and announced that the company would double its funding for original programming by the end of 2018. [29] Turner’s TBS and TNT channels have greatly benefited from airing live sporting events. Alongside Disney, Time Warner renewed its rights to air live NBA games through the 2024-2025 season. TNT is granted the rights to broadcast 64 games a year. [30]

The 2014 American League Championship Series on TBS was the most viewed MLB playoffs on the network since 2010. The 2014 ALCS averaged 4.3 million viewers, despite featuring teams from mid-sized markets. [32] Because sporting events can draw large numbers of live viewers, Turner is able to charge higher prices for advertising and licensing fees. Thus, investing in live sporting rights will continue to be a major component of Turner’s business strategy.

The mass viewership of sporting events gives Turner additional leverage in negotiations with television distributors. When contract negotiations were stalling between Dish Network and Time Warner in October, Dish Network suddenly blacked out many of Turner’s cable channels, including CNN, TruTV, and Cartoon Network. Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen stated that while blacking out these channels was a “non-issue,” it would be “more painful” to take down the popular Turner channels Dish had left running: TBS and TNT, which both carry major sporting events. [33]

Future

The future of Time Warner will be heavily scrutinized by corporate analysts. The question remains: can Time Warner create sustained growth, or was it foolish to pass

[34] The Time Warner Center, headquarters of Time Warner, Inc.

on the 21^st Century Fox buyout offer? Time Warner has made decisions to bring its stock prices up in both the short-term, through corporate restructuring and job layoffs, and the long-term, through strategic HBO expansions and property spinoffs. Only sustained growth, most likely fostered by HBO’s continued expansion and Turner’s programming decisions, will determine the success of Time Warner.

[1] Time Warner Inc. logo. Timewarner.com, retrieved 1 December 2014

[2] Time Warner Inc. Timewarner.com, retrieved 1 December 2014

[3] Time Warner Operating Divisions. Timewarner.com, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[4] Jeff Bewkes bio page. Timewarner.com, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[5] Howard Averill bio page. Timewarner.com, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[6] Gary Ginsberg bio page. Timewarner.com, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[7] Time Warner’s quarterly reports. Ir.timewarner.com, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[8] “Time Warner rejected $80B offer from 21st Century Fox: Sources”. CNBC, 16 July 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[9] “Time Warner Profit Tops Estimates as CEO Pursues Growth”. Bloomberg.com, 5 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[10] “Turner Broadcasting offers voluntary buyouts”. CNN Money, 26 August 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[11] “Turner Broadcasting, Home of CNN, TBS and TNT, Will Cut 1,475 jobs”. The New York Times, 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[12] “Time Warner’s HBO to cut 7 percent of staff”. Reuters, 28 October 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[13] “Warner Bros. Layoffs Beginning Tuesday to Eliminate Roughly 1,000 Jobs”. The Hollywood Reporter, 3 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[14] Twenty First Century Fox logo. Logopedia, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[15] Time Warner (TWX) stock. MarketWatch, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[16] Graph of TWX stock. Google Finance, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[17] HBO logo. Homeboxoffice.com, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[18] “Time Warner Plans HBO Marketing Push to Speed Growth”. Bloomberg.com, 18 September 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[19] “AT&T Lures Cord Cutters With $39-a-Month Deal for Broadband, Amazon Prime and HBO”. The Wall Street Journal, 23 September 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[20] “HBO Plans New Streaming Service, With Eye on Cord Cutters”. The New York Times, 15 October 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[21] “Before HBO Starts Streaming, Time Warner Wants to Make Big Cable Happy”. Businessweek, 5 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[22] “The battle between Netflix and HBO is just beginning. And this man holds the key”. The Washington Post, 28 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[23] “Tencent to Distribute HBO Dramas, Movies Online in China”. Nadsaq, 28 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[24] Boardwalk Empire poster. IMDB, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[25] “‘Boardwalk Empire’ Ratings: Series Ends With 2.3M Watching HBO Finale”. Deadline, 27 October 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[26] “HBO Has a Quiet Sunday With ‘Newsroom’ and ‘Comeback’ Returns”. The Hollywood Reporter, 11 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[27] Businessweek, ibid.

[28] The Newsroom poster. IMDB, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[29] “Turner Broadcasting CEO Pledges to Double Original Programming Investment”. The Hollywood Reporter, 12 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[30] “Walt Disney, Time Warner Said to Renew NBA TV Contracts”. Bloomberg.com, 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[31] John Martin bio page. Turner.com, retrieved 1 December 2014.

[32] “TBS Finishes Its Most-Viewed MLB Postseason Since 2010”. Multichannel.com, 16 October 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[33] “Turner Warns Dish Users That TNT & TBS Might Follow CNN, Toons Going Dark”. Deadline, 18 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

[34] Associated Press file image of the Time Warner Center. Syracuse.com, 08 August 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2014.

Scripps Networks Interactive

Posted on October 22, 2014 by jlmccu01

by Julie McCullough

9721 Sherrill Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37932

(865) 694-2700

courtesy of dish.com

Scripps Networks Interactive started in 1875 when E.W. Scripps founded The Penny Press and soon became one of the most successful newspaper publishing companies. The E.W. Scripps Company later evolved, acquiring local television stations. It was not until the company bought HGTV and the Food Network that it became Scripps Networks Interactive, the leading developer in lifestyle media. [1]

Today, Scripps Networks Interactive develops lifestyle media across the platforms of cable television, digital, mobile, and publishing. Home of HGTV, Food Network, The Cooking Channel, Travel Channel, DIY Network, and Great American Country, SNI reaches viewers all over the world with the goal of changing and improving everyday lifestyles.

Key Executives [2]

Kenneth W. Lowe – President and Chief Executive Officer

Henry Ahn- Executive Vice President, Content Distribution and Marketing

Joseph G. Necastro- Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

Jim Samples- President, International

Lori A. Hickok- Executive Vice President, Finance

Burton Jablin- President

Tamara Franklin- Executive Vice President, Digital

Right Here, Right Now

Cable

SNI’s 2014 Upfront event in NYC revealed 35 new primetime and daytime series for the fall seasons of Food Network and Cooking Channel [3]. Among the new shows were Food Network’s Bobby Flay Fit, The Big Tip, and Chopped Teens Tournament and Cooking Channel’s Proper Pub Food and Compete to Eat. The channels are showing trends of gravitating toward competition and travel shows that take the audience out of the traditional home/kitchen. DIY Network and HGTV also premiered many new series and specials this fall. Among the lineup for DIY were The William Shatner Project, documenting renovations to the famous Star Trek actor’s house, The Property Brothers at Home, and Amish RENOgades, featuring Amish craftsmen as they travel outside of their community and learn to navigate the modern world and work on home improvement projects.
HGTV series this fall included Lakefront Bargain Hunt, A Hero’s welcome, White House Christmas, and Half-Price Paradise. [4]

courtesy of scrippsnetworksinteractive.com

In September 2014, Dish Network obtained the rights to deliver live and on-demand content from all six of SNI’s cable networks on their over-the-top internet service, “Dish Anywhere”. The pact allows dish subs to access authenticated Scripps Networks programming over any Internet connection, on devices including connected TVs, PCs, smartphones, tablets and video game consoles.[5] At the 2014 Bank of America Merrill Lynch Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference in September, President Burton Jablin and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Joseph NeCastro stressed the OTT deal as a way to increase distribution for their up-and-coming networks, Cooking Channel and DIY Network, while giving their live viewers (which make up about 90% of total viewership) more opportunities to view their high-quality content, and appealing to a wider audience of millennials and cord-nevers. [6]

Also in September, Scripps announced the expansion of HGTV into Singapore. The global expansion of SNI’s content signifies the universality of the network’s themes. The expansion to Singapore will include localized original short-form content exclusively for the launch of HGTV in Asia based on the popular series Extreme Homes. Jim Samples, president of Scripps Networks International, commented, “The launch of HGTV across Asia-Pacific signifies the first time HGTV has launched as a premiere 24/7 channel destination focused on home and lifestyle programming outside North America, including the Caribbean. This is a testament to how successful Scripps Networks’ high quality lifestyle content has performed around the world, and we see great potential for this channel offering to drive value for audiences, affiliate and advertising partners alike.” [7]

Publishing/ Digital

At its first ever Newfront presentation in April 2014, Scripps showcased an array of web series produced for its lifestyle video platform ulive, as well as websites for SNI television channels like HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel, and Travel Channel. Many web series are designed as companions of SNI’s cable series. For example, “Star Salvation” runs on FoodNetwork.com parallel to season 10 of the TV series Food Network Star, giving eliminated finalists the opportunity to get back on the TV show. SNI’s strong focus on online content, as well as its presence at the 2014 Newfront presentations, signifies the company’s strong adaptability in today’s digital age. [8]

Vanilla Ice and Rev Run at 2014 Newfront (courtesy of adweek.com)

On Nov 17, 2014, SNI announced a cross-platform content partnership with Hearst Magazines to support the launch of the Citi Double Cash Card. Food Network and HGTV released seasonal holiday content in late November that connect across the holiday issues of Food Network Magazine, HGTV Magazine, food network.com, and HGTV.com. These holiday-inspired recipes, entertaining ideas, and DIY (do-it-yourself) projects were made to show consumers the two ways to earn cash back with the Citi Double Cash Card. [9]

Financials

SNI’s 2014 Upfront concluded selling just under 50% of inventory, hitting $1 billion in sales. There have been recent shifts toward scatter advertising. Scripps networks are very attractive to advertisers, as they have non-violent, popular, family-friendly content targeted to an upscale audience. There is also a higher demand for convergent buys, in which SNI packages TV ad space with corresponding digital content to appeal to a wider and more diverse audience. [6]

In October 2014, Scripps began offering its employees voluntary buyouts as a way to cut costs. “Each department will address its specific budget targets as they see fit. However, it is likely that this effort to bring costs in line with revenue will include the elimination of activities, projects and positions. We plan to announce any project and/or job eliminations resulting from this budget process by the end of the year,” said CEO Kenneth Lowe [10].

In better news, Scripps Network Interactive’s new cable and digital programming received very positive feedback from advertisers. The 2014 third-quarter earnings results shows that sales increased 4.5% to reach $644 million. “These solid third-quarter operating results demonstrate our unique competitive advantage, and our ability to create long-term value for shareholders in a changing marketplace,” Kenneth Lowe said in a press release accompanying the results [11]. TV station revenue has grown 22% since the third quarter of 2013, up $21.8 million for a total of $121 million. The company as a whole reported consolidated revenue of $208 million, an increase of 9.5%, or $18.1 million, from the year-earlier quarter. [12]

Looking forward, SNI has a promising financial future from ad revenues from both cable and digital. Bucking the trend of television in general, Food Network has lowered its median age in the last two years, due to much stronger growth in the 18-49 demo. At the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Conference, Burton Jablin and Joseph NeCastro outlined SNI’s plan of increasing viewership by expanding the Travel Channel, expanding their international brand, keeping Food Network and HGTV a healthy priority, and increasing distribution for Cooking Channel and DIY Network. [6]

courtesy of unpluggedtv.com

References:

[1] Scripps Networks Interactive- History (accessed October 24, 2014)

[2] Scripps Networks Interactive- Leaders (accessed October 24, 2014)

[3] Eater- Food Network and Cooking Channel Announce 35 New Shows for 2014 (accessed November 27, 2014)

[4]- Scripps Network Interactive- HGTV and DIY Network to Premiere 8 New Shows This Fall (accessed November 30, 2014)

[5] Variety- Dish Adds Food Network, HGTV and Other Scripps Cable Nets to Internet TV Lineup (accessed November 28, 2014)

[6]- Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. at Bank of America Merrill Lynch Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference (accessed November 28, 2014)

[7]- Scripps Networks Interactive- SNI To Launch HGTV In Singapore on Starhub (accessed November 30, 2014)

[8] VideoInk- Scripps Networks Spotlights Programming for ulive and TV Network Sites (accessed November 28, 2014)

[9] MarketWatch- Scripps Networks Interactive and Hearst Magazines Create Original Cross-Platform Content Partnership to Support the Launch of the Citi® Double Cash Card (accessed November 28, 2014)

[10] BroadcastingCable.com- Scripps Networks Offering Buyouts to Cut Costs (accessed November 30, 2014)

[11] BroadcastingCable.com- Scripps Networks Net Up 2% in Third Quarter (accessed November 25, 2014)

[12]- TvNewsCheck.com- Scripps 3Q TV Station Revenue Grows 22% (accessed November 28, 2014)

Discovery Communications

Aside

by Indica Young

Discovery Communications Logo [1]

One Discovery Place

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Tel: 240-662-2000

http://corporate.discovery.com

-John Hendricks, Founder of Discovery Communications [3]

“To satisfy curiosity and make a difference in people’s lives by providing the highest quality content, services and products that entertain, engage, and enlighten.”[2]

–John Hendricks,1982

Discovery Communications is the #1 pay-TV programmer and is the worlds #1 nonfiction media company. With 2.8 billion subscribers, 189 international HD markets, and 54 network entertainment brands, Discovery Communications is successful at satisfying curiosity and entertaining viewers [4]. The company began as a single channel in 1985 as The Discovery Channel [5].Now they are a global mass media that operates popular networks such as The Learning Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery Education, and American Heroes Channel [6]. Discovery Communications is a publicly traded company that produces their own original content as well as acquiring content. Discovery Communications is subsidiary of Time Warner and they operate out of Silver Springs, Maryland [7]. Discovery Communications is publicly traded on NASDAQ stock exchange, but privately held Advance Publications is Discovery’s largest shareholder, with a 31% stake [8].

Discovery Communications Headquarters, Silver Spring, MD [9]

TEAM DISCOVERY [2]

David M. Zaslav, President, Chief Executive Officer, [10]

David C. Leavy, Chief Communications Officer, Senior Executive Vice President, [11]

Andrew Warren-Senior Executive VP and CFO

Andrew Warren, Senior Executive VP and Chief Financial Officer, [13]

TOP COMPETITORS [12]

A&E Television Networks, LLC

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Viacom, Inc

FINANCIALS

On November 4th, 2014 the Third Quarter 2014 Financial Highlights were announced. While Discovery Channel has had a fairly stable U.S. market, the domestic network revenue has been declining and David Zaslav has been focused on expanding the international segment of Discovery Communications [14]. Overall, the company has seen a 14% year on year growth in the 3rd quarter. This growth is stemming from the International segment of Discovery, as the International Networks has seen a 32% increase, while U.S. Networks has actually seen a 1% decrease. This growth in international reach is widely due to the increase in distribution and advertising revenues that Discovery has been focused on [15]. Discovery is also widening their reach by focusing on investment for their content to be displayed and interacted with on many types of screen [14].

Discovery Communications Third Quarter 2014 Segment Results [15]

Discovery Channel

2014 was marked by success due to its work in unscripted series. The Discovery Channel has seen viewership growth this year. Compared to October of last year, The Discovery Channel has seen double digit viewership, driving from strong returning series such as the 5th returning season of Gold Rush (Gold Rush kickoff was the nights second highest rated program on Friday Night [16]) as well as Alaska The Great Frontier and Misfit Garage. These unscripted series are also helping to drive ratings as Discovery has held 5 of the top 10 unscripted series for persons aged 25-54 [17].

The Learning Channel

The Learning Channel Logo, [18]

The Learning Channel (TLC) is a global brand owned by Discovery Communications that initially focused on educational and learning content, but now produces nonfiction lifestyle programming. Popular shows like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo (canceled this fall due to scandal [19]), Breaking Amish, and Cake Boss are what make is a popular nonfiction network, as well as being a top 10 cable network in key female demos [20].

Animal Planet

Animal Planet Logo, [22]

Animal Planet is an entertainment network and brand owned by Discovery Communications that focuses on life in the animal kingdom [21]. In the second quarter ratings for 2014, Animal Planet remains a top 20 network for males aged 25-54. These ratings were driven by the successful season of River Monsters [23].

Discovery Education

Discovery Education uses their high quality content and focus on education programming to develop a passionate educator community. Discovery Education is expanding their innovative multimedia education products and services as well as serving grades K-12 in more than half of the schools in the U.S. [24]

American Heroes Channel

American Heroes Channel Logo [26]

American Heroes Channel (AHC) is a network owned by Discovery Communications that carries programs related to military history and warfare. As a network, AHC provides glimpses into major stories and events that helped shape the American future [25]. Shows like Gunslingers, Apocalypse WWII ,and Hardcore Heroes drive the ratings on AHC [27].

JOINT VENTURES

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network

Oprah Winfrey, OWN Network, [28]

OWN, a multi-platform joint venture between Discovery Communications and Oprah Winfrey with real life and emotional programming [28]. OWN brought in Tyler Perry to work on scripted series for the network in 2012, and the Perry soap “The Haves and the Have Nots” averaged 3.6 million viewers, an 18% jump from the previous week according to Nielson [29].

The Hub Network becomes Discovery Family Channel

The Hub Network Logo, [30]

The Hub Network was a joint venture announced in 2009 led by Hasbro, a toy manufacturer and media company, and was a re-launch of Discovery Kids [30]. On October 13th, 2014, The Hub Network announced that the network is to become Discovery Family Channel. This new joint venture continuing with Discovery Channel and Hasbro is promising because of the success of The Hub Network as a children’s cable network [31].

All3Media

All3Media is a leading creator of content that provides digital content for both television and film [32]. On May 8, 2014 Discovery Communications and Liberty Global announced they were acquiring All3Media, offering strategic support but allowing All3Media to preserve their creative independence [33].

WHAT THEY’RE UP TO

Shark Week

Shark Week, Discovery Channel, [34]

Shark Week is a 27 year old annual summer tradition of Discovery Communications that has not only been the longest running cable TV programming event ever, but also one of the highest rated [35]. In August of 2014 Discovery Communications announced this summer was the highest rated Shark Week in history, and is essential for viewers in the 25-54 year range [36].

Survival Live

“Naked and Afraid” Survival Live, [37]

Survival Life is Discovery Communications new live event programming series, a never done before reality event. Discovery is stranding eight people in the wilderness for 42 days, and their success on their show depends on their skill to survive [37]. Viewers will be able to track their progress on Discovery Communications web platform, 24/7. Survival Live is produced by Adjacent Productions for Discovery Communications [38].

Motor Mondays

Fast N’ Loud, Motor Mondays, [39]

In April of 2013 Discovery Communications announced that Discovery Channel will now include a full night of vehicle programming on Mondays. Including shows like Fast N’ Loud and Street Outlaws, Discovery Channel Mondays will now be the biggest destination for all motor-programming [40].

Everest Live Jump Canceled

Everest Live Jump, Discovery Communications, [41]

The Everest Live Jump, a Discovery Communications live event which was supposed to air Joby Ogwny’s attempt to wingsuit jump off the summit of Mount Everest [42]. An avalanche disaster in April of 2014 killed 13 and left 3 missing. The stunt was canceled, however Discovery Communications was at the base camp at the time of the tragedy was able to record as the disaster struck. The Everest Avalanche Tragedy is one of the single deadliest days in Everest’s history [43].

[1] “Discovery Communications Corporate,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[2] “Discovery Communications Leadership,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[3] “Driven by Curiosity,” Global Business Coalition for Education, RT: 11/27/2014

[4] “At a Glance,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[5] “The Discovery Channel; Science, Nature, Adventure and Animals That Bite,” The Washington Post, RT: 11/27/2014

[6] “Our Mission,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[7] “Time Warner Cable and Discovery Communications Reach Long-Term Distribution Agreement,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[8] “Advance Publications Waving Around $500 M,” Crain’s New York, RT: 11/27/2014

[9] “Discovery Communications Headquarters,” Stewart Bros. Photography, RT: 11/27/2014

[10] “David M. Zaslav,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[11] “David Leavy,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[12] “Discovery Communications Inc. Company Information,” Hoovers, RT: 11/27/2014

[13] “Andrew Warren,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[14] “Discovery Communications, Best Global Brands,” Interbrand, RT: 11/27/2014

[15] “Discovery Communications Reports Third Quarter 2014 Results,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[16] “Gold Rush 5th Season Debut Hits Ratings Motherload For Discovery,” Deadline, RT: 11/27/2014

[17] “Discovery Channel Grabs Double Digit Viewership and Ratings Gains in October,” TV By the Numbers, RT: 11/27/2014

[18] “The Learning Channel,” TLC, RT: 11/27/2014

[19] “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Cancelled after Report Links Mama June Shannon to Alleged Sex Offender,” US Weekly, RT: 11/27/2014

[20] “TLC,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[21] “Animal Planet,” Discovery Communications, RT 11/27/2014

[22] “Animal Planet,” Animal Planet, RT: 11/27/2014

[23] “Animal Planet,” Discovery Press Web, RT: 11/27/2014

[24] “Discovery Education,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[25] “American Heroes Channel,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[26] “American Heroes Channel,” AHC, RT: 11/27/2014

[27] “Three New Original Series Propel American Heroes Channel to Best August Ever in Prime Delivery Among P2+ and HH,” The Futon Critic, RT: 11/27/2014

[28] “OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network,” Discovery Communications, RT 11/27/2014

[29] “Have and Have Nots Sets OWN Ratings Record with It’s Finale,” Variety, RT: 11/27/2014

[30] “The Hub Network,” Discovery Press Web, RT: 11/27/2014

[31] “The Hub Network to Become Discovery Family Channel on October 13,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[32] “About Us,” All3Media, RT: 11/27/2014

[33] “Discovery Communications and Liberty Global to acquire All3Media,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[34] “Its Shark Week,” Discovery Magazine Blogs, RT: 11/27/2014

[35] “The History of Shark Week: How the Discovery Channel both Elevated and Degraded Sharks,” The Week, RT: 11/27/2014

[36] “Discovery Channel Earns Its Highest-Rated Shark Week Ever in its 27 Year History,” Discovery Communications, RT: 11/27/2014

[37] “Discovery to Strand Contestants in Wilderness for Reality Show (Exclusive),” The Hollywood Reporter, RT: 11/27/2014

[38] “Real-Time Series ‘Survival Live’ to Premiere in Late 2014 on Discovery Channel,” TV By the Numbers, RT 11/27/2014

[39] “Fast N’ Loud,” Discovery Channel Store, RT: 11/27/2014

[40] “Discovery Channel Announces ‘Motor Mondays’,” TV By the Numbers, RT: 11/27/2014

[41] “Discovery Cancels Everest Live Jump after Tragedy,” USA Today, RT: 11/27/2014

[42] “Discovery Channel to Air Live Jump Off Mount Everest,” The Hollywood Reporter, RT: 11/27/2014

[43] “Mount Everest Avalanche Forces Discovery Channel to cancel ‘Everest Live Jump’,” NY Daily News, RT: 11/27/2014

Comcast – NBCU – (broadcast)

Posted on October 14, 2014 by lnwolfso

by Lindsay Wolfson

Photo Courtesy of http://thegeoteam.wikia.com/wiki/File:NBC_Universal_Television_Studio_logo.jpg

NBC Universal Television

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, New York 10112

Key Executives:

Stephen B. Burke: Chief Executive Officer

Matt Bond: Executive Vice President of Content Distribution

Cesar Conde: Executive Vice President

Robert Greenblatt: Chairman, NBC Entertainment

Patricia Fili-Krushel: Chairman: NBC Universal News Group, NBC Universal

Ted Harbert: Chairman for NBC Broadcasting

History:

Photo Courtesy of http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/nbc/images/528091/title/nbc-logo-old-school-photo

The National Broadcast Company (NBC) was founded in 1926 with an original focus on National Radio Broadcasting, but then made the transformation into Television Broadcasting. [1]. Universal Studios began in 1906 when an immigrant bought a movie theater and then rapidly expanded his business, which inevitably led to the first enclosed space specifically designed for moviemaking. [2]. NBC and Universal became one unified company in May of 2004. These companies came together and created a unique product of television distribution and part of the film industry. On the broadcast side, there were two main networks, NBC and Telemundo, and along with the broadcast channels were countless cable networks. Of the NBC-U broadcast stations there are over 200 affiliates nationwide in major cities such as New York and Philadelphia. [3] Originally, General Electric and Vivendi owned this new founded conglomerate, but now the majority owner is the Comcast Corporation, which owns 51%. [4]. This change of hands occurred back in January of 2011. Since NBC original formation, this company has developed into a nationally recognized source for news, entertainment in sports in the television industry.

Financials:

Photo Courtesy of http://www.cmcsa.com/stocklookup.cfm

Fiscally, Comcast Corporation is a very successful corporation that is publically traded and its individual branches such as NBC-U share in that success. This past quarter, which ended in late October, demonstrated a thriving fiscal period. On the broadcast side, revenue increased 7.7% to $1.8 billion compared to the $1.6 billion achieved in the same quarter in 2013. According to the fiscal report, due to the NBC-U Broadcast’s reliable success this monetary growth in revenue is caused by the increase from advertising revenue. There are also increases in content licensing profits and retransmission consent fees. Operating cash flow increased as well for NBC-U Broadcasting. Comparatively, to the NBC-U cable networks, there was a significantly greater amount of growth. NBC-U’s cable networks only had 0.7% grown while its broadcast has 7.7% growth. Last year’s extensive fiscal success was caused in part by the promotion from the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. [5]. Comcast’s stock has been pretty stable over the past year ranging from $57.49 to $47.74. Since 2009, there has been a steady increase in the price of stock for Comcast indicating its growing success within the industry. In terms of total revenue for the Comcast Corporation, the company had a 6.2% increase from 2012 to 2013. As the year closes, it will be interesting to see if the 2014 fiscal year will bring about the same impressive results as did 2013 for the Comcast Corporation and NBC-U. [6].

This chart indicates the increased value of a stock of Comcast. Photo Courtesy of http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=CMCSA+Basic+Chart#%7B%22range%22%3A%2210y%22%2C%22lineType%22%3A%22combo%22%2C%22scale%22%3A%22linear%22%7D.

Fall Season:

A to Z is new romantic comedy starring Ben Feldman and Cristin Milioti.

Back in early June, NBC U released which shows were going to premiere in the Fall 2014 Season. [7]. The major staple show for the fall season was expected to be The Voice and it was utilized as a fulcrum for generating viewership on both Monday and Tuesday evenings in general for the network. NBC programmers were hopeful that the large viewership from The Voice would help the ratings for the shows that directly followed. Interestingly, although NBC-U generates extensive amounts of original content, the big draw for viewership is Sunday Night Football. This strong viewership pushed NBC-U into the top spot for broadcast this past year. Sunday Night Football even challenged the World Series this past October in questioning which would receive more viewership. [8]. There were many programs tested for this past Fall Season.

The new comedy pilots for the Fall 2014 season included Bad Judge, Marry Me, and A to Z and the new drama pilots included Constantine, State of Affairs and The Mysteries of Laura.

MV5BMjA1NjUyNDk0OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDM1ODM3MjE@._V1_SY317_CR1,0,214,317_AL_

The Mysteries of Laura is a new drama starring Debra Messing. Courtesy of imdb.com

MV5BMzA2MjIyNzg2OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwOTgyMTcxMzE@._V1_SY317_CR1,0,214,317_AL_

State of Affairs is a new drama starring Katherine Heigl. Courtesy of imdb.com

Fall Ratings & Critical Reception:

Out of those new pilots that were slated for Fall 2014 Season, many were not picked up to continue. Comedies such as A to Z and Bad Judge will not continue further after this initial trial run, but these shows will both finish production and air the remaining product. [9]. Both shows had started decently in terms of ratings, but then they both started to collapse. For NBC’s newest dramas such as State of Affairs and Mysteries of Laura, they have had a decent start amongst the Broadcast lineup and have not been cancelled as of yet.

Information Courtesy of http://www.nbc.com

“Mysteries of Laura” has surprisingly kept its presence along with other dramas with a 1.8 rating amongst 18-49 years olds. [10]. In terms of ratings, Sunday Night Football drives up the ratings for NBC. For instance, the week ending with November 23^rd, #1 Saturday Night Football generated a rating of 8.1 for 18-49 years which was far greater than the #2 Big Bang Theory which received a 4.1 for the same age demographic. This shows that across multiple genres, NBC exhibits success in primetime Broadcast Television.

Late Night Television Powerhouse:

After the record-breaking spring launch of NBC’s new Late Night lineup, the success of the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show with Seth Meyers has continued its success into the Fall 2014 Season. The Tonight Show has been pretty strong against its competitors such as Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Late Show with David Letterman. The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon has received 1.18/6 rating for the 18-49 demographic which surpasses his direct timeslot competitors in the 2014 3^rd Quarter. Many were fearful that Jimmy Fallon’s success was only temporary, but now after continuing on this fall season that appears not be the case. [16].

Photo Courtesy of http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_name_and_logo_for_the_tonight_show_by_pentagram.php

Photo Courtesy of http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/LATE-NIGHT-WITH-SETH-MEYERS-Monologue-Highlights-1120-20141121

Also, this past fall has marked the 40^th season for Saturday Night Live, which remains under the direction of Lorne Michaels. Overall, this season has been pretty weak in terms of ratings, but peaked when Chris Rock hosted with musical guest Prince. [11]. This show’s best rating so far received only a 2.2/10 for the key 18-49 demographic, which is not very strong at all.

Opening Sequence for Saturday Night Live’s 40th Season. http://vimeo.com/107482286

(Photo Courtesy of http://www.technobuffalo.com/2013/04/25/saturday-night-live-clips-coming-to-yahoo/ )

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Ratings:

Every year, one of the major staples for NBC Broadcast is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, even though it is not during primetime hours. This past Thanksgiving, the parade received its 3^nd largest rating in the past 13 years. The program received a 6.2/10 rating in adults 18-49 and 22.6 million viewers total. Last year’s parade though, had the 2^nd largest viewership with a rating of 6.6/10 since 2004. [12].

Every year, one of the major fall staples for NBC Broadcast is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. Photo Courtesy of http://social.macys.com/parade/?cm_mmc=VanityUrl-_-parade-_-n-_-n

Looking Forward:

After receiving over 18 million viewers and 4 Emmy Nominations for the Sound of Music Live, NBC decided to proceed and create another live performance. [13] [17]. This new performance of Peter Pan will be starring Allison Williams as Peter Pan and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook.

141017_2820050_Peter_Pan_Live__December_4_on_NBC

Peter Pan Live will be airing December 4th at 8pm starring Allison Williams as Peter Pan and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook. [15].

This live performance will be taking place in a former aircraft warehouse on Long Island, New York. There is an estimated budget of $10 Million to put together this one-night only performance. [14]. The expectations of this performance are extremely high due to the viewership success of the Sound of Music Live.

Works Cited:

1. Announcing the National Broadcasting Company, Inc. (1926). (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://earlyradiohistory.us/1926nbc.htm

2. NBCUniversal History. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/about-us/history

3. NBCUniversal. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2014, from http://corporate.comcast.com/our-company/businesses/nbcuniversal#accordion-1

4. Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://www.cjr.org/resources/?c=comcast

5. Comcast. (2014, October 23). Retrieved November 6, 2014, from http://www.cmcsa.com/earnings.cfm

6. Comcast Corporation. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=CMCSA

7. Kissell, R. (2014, June 2). NBC Announces Fall Premiere Dates for New, Returning Series. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/nbc-announces-fall-premiere-dates-for-new-returning-series-1201207308/

8. Kissell, R. (2014, October 27). Ratings: NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ Dominates World Series on Fox. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/data/ratings/ratings-nbcs-sunday-night-football-dominates-world-series-on-fox-1201340093/

9. Hibberd, J. (2014, October 31). NBC to cancel ‘Bad Judge,’ ‘A to Z’ with zombie twist | EW.com. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/31/bad-judge-a-to-z/

10. Predum, L. (2014, October 28). NBC Gives ‘Mysteries of Laura’ Full Season Pickup. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/mysteries-of-laura-full-season-pickup-nbc-1201341098/

11. Kissell, R. (2014, November 2). NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ Hits Season Highs With Chris Rock, Prince. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/nbcs-saturday-night-live-hits-season-highs-with-chris-rock-prince-1201345402/

12. Bibel, S. (2014, November 28). ‘Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade’ Garners 22.6 Million Viewers, Ranking as The Second Most-Watched Parade in 13 Years. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/28/macys-thanksgiving-parade-garners-22-6-million-viewers-ranking-as-the-second-most-watched-parade-in-13-years/333311/

13. About. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://www.nbc.com/peter-pan-live/about

14. Littleton, C. (2014, November 26). NBC Hopes ‘Peter Pan Live’ Can Fly to New Heights. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/features/peter-pan-live-nbc-new-heights-1201364850/

15. Watch Peter Pan Live! December 4 on NBC from Peter Pan LIVE! on NBC.com. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://www.nbc.com/peter-pan-live/video/peter-pan-live-december-4-on-nbc/2820050

16. Kissell, R. (2014, September 25). Variety. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/latenight-ratings-nbcs-fallon-meyers-easy-winners-for-q3-abcs-kimmel-nightline-up-1201313970/

17. The Sound Of Music Live! (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://www.nbc.com/the-sound-of-music-live

A+E Television Networks

Posted on October 14, 2014 by jlrobi03

by Jordan Robinson

A&E Television Networks

Headquarters:

235 E 45th St
New York City, NY,
United States 10017

About

A&E Television Networks (AETN), LLC is an American media company that offers a variety of television channels via cable and satellite in both the U.S. and overseas. As a joint venture between Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company, AETN channels include A&E, Crime and Investigation Network, fyi, History, H2, History en Español, Lifetime, LMN, Lifetime Real Women, and Military History.¹ Spanning across multiple platforms, A&E Television Networks offers content in a variety of media forms including television programming, websites, music, and video content. Their principal competitors include the Discovery Channel, AMC Networks and Public Broadcasting Service.^{1, 2}

Key Executives:

Nancy Dubuc

Nancy Dubuc has resided as President and CEO of A&E Television networks since June of 2013. Under her charge, the network has seen rapid growth. In September 2014, Dubuc oversaw A+E Networks’ acquisition of a 10% stake in Vice Media. Dubuc has received multiple Emmy awards and nominations throughout her 15 year tenure at A+E Networks as network executive, programmer, and producer. According to Dubuc, “Great content should create an experience beyond the TV, across every platform our audience uses.” As such, she has been an integral part of the company’s convergence across multiple platforms as they try to reach a wider audience. 6

Abbe Raven

Abbe Raven was appointed chairman of A&E Television Networks in June 2013. Under her charge, A&E Networks tripled their earnings as she has overseen the company’s expanding global portfolio since April 2005. She currently serves as vice chairman on the board of directors of the NCTA and is on the boards of the NAMIC Foundation and the CTAM Educational Foundation. She also serves as vice chairman of the advisory board of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. 7

History

Derived from humble beginnings, A&E Television Networks started out with a lone channel, A&E, which offered a mixture of cultural programming including jazz performances, symphonic concerts, celebrity interviews, classic movies and documentaries. After striking a deal with BBC in its first year, two thirds of their programming came from first rights to BBC content. By it’s third year of inception, A&E Television Networks was already receiving high acclaim as the greatest producer of quality arts and entertainment media in America. After widening their range of content in the late 1980’s and early 90’s, historical documentaries and off-network sitcoms were introduced along with higher ratings. ²

By the mid 1990’s, Biography and the History Channel have rapidly become the most respected and widely viewed of the Network’s programming. Grossing over 35 million subscribers by 1996, the Network decided to enter into the international market to promote their programming in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, The United Kingdom, and Canada. Currently their international networks are comprised of A&E Networks UK and A&E Networks Asia, operating over 6 channels in each market in countries such as England, Norway, Sweden, India, and Malaysia. ¹

After merging with Lifetime Entertainment Networks in 2009, A&E began to revamp their channels under the guidance of A&E Networks CEO Nancy Dubuc. As a result, the Bio channel has now merged under the fyi channel, and many stagnant shows have been dropped from their line up. 6

Acquisition of Vice Media

Early this fall A+E Networks aquired 10% of Vice Media in exchange for $250 million dollars. Similar to A&E’s objectives, the partnership and investment will fund Vice’s expansion into a wider array of global programming about news, fashion, sports, culture and more. “They are a very powerful brand, and it cannot be underestimated their ability to reach a very hard-to-reach audience,” said Nancy Dubuc, chief executive of A&E Networks. ³

Critics’ Choice Awards

As of September 2014, A&E Networks has formed a new partnership with the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association to televise “The Critics’ Choice Movie Awards” and “The Critics’ Choice Television Awards” for 2015 and 2016. The 20th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2015, and will be broadcast live on A&E from The Hollywood Palladium officially kicking off film award season. 5

Global Expansion

Currently A&E Networks are producing content specifically tailored toward different markets using the same shows but incorporating them into African, Asian, European, and Australian markets. Shows include Pawn UK, Pawn South Africa, Aussie Pickers, Italian Pickers, and Dance Mums. This move demonstrates their outreach to underdeveloped areas as well as areas that have never before seen such content. 9

Making HISTORY: First Ever Television + College Credit Course Now Offered

The University of Oklahoma and A+E Network’s HISTORY Channel is partnering to offer the very first TV Network-branded online course for transferablecollege credit. The course is offered to students or for the lifelong learner. The course will be instructed by award winning teacher, OU professor, and renowned historian Steve Gillon. As HISTORY Channel’s first academic course, United States, 1865 to the Present is shattering the barracade between education and entertainment.

Set to last 4 months, the interactive course will be offered during the Spring Semester, officially begining on January 12, 2015. Offering a collaborative learning experience to a wide range of students, the program combines professionally-produced and intriguing video lectures with quizzes, tests, discussion groups and social interactions between student and professor. The course also integrates multimedia resources from the HISTORY Channel’s website.

At a cost of $500, the value-priced course for college credit targets current college students looking to meet their graduation requirements, as well as high school students who wish to get a jumpstart on their college education. Upon successful completion of the course, students receive three transferable college credits that will apply to any regionally accredited school. 4

A New Production Deal with Producer Carlton Cuse

Carlton Cuse

A+E Studios has signed a three-year, first-look development agreement with prolific producer, writer, and two-time Emmy winner Carlton Cuse. This partnership marks A+E Studios’ first overall production deal with a creator/writer-producer since its inception.

Currently working as a writer/producer on five active series, Cuse has been named one of today’s most prolific producers. Currently, he works as executive producer of both “Bates Motel” and the upcoming series “The Returned” for A&E Network, in addition to “The Strain” for FX. Cuse is also in pre-production on “Colony” for USA Network. Perhaps best known for his work on “Lost,” Cuse served as executive producer, co-showrunner, and head writer with Damon Lindelof for a total of six seasons on ABC. Having received a total of 10 Emmy nominations and 2 wins for his work, Cuse continues to amaze audiences of all ages. 8

Sources

1.) “A & E Television Networks History.” History of A & E Television Networks – FundingUniverse. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. <http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/a-e-television-networks-history/>.

2.) “A&E Television Networks, LLC Company Profile – Yahoo Finance.” A&E Television Networks, LLC Company Profile – Yahoo Finance. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. <http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/47/47295.html>.

3.) Steel, Emily. “Vice Lands 2nd Investment, to Fuel Expansion.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 03 Sept. 2014. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/04/business/media/vice-lands-2nd-investment-to-fuel-expansion.html?_r=0>.

4.) https://historychannel.ou.edu/mkwid=sSrmg0g4I|c_pcrid_56451629358_pkw_history%20channel%20college_pmt_p&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=history%20channel%20college&utm_campaign=History+Class&paidlink=1&cmpid=PaidSearch_google_History+Class_history%20channel%20college&gclid=CMPIrY3Th8ICFcxQ7AodwjcAWw

5.)”Critics’ Choice Awards.” Critics Choice Awards Blog Posts RSS. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. <http://www.criticschoice.com/movie-awards/>.

6.) “Nancy Dubuc.” A+E Networks – Life Is Entertaining. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. <http://www.aenetworks.com/about/executive/nancy-dubuc>.

7.) “Abbe Raven.” A+E Networks – Life Is Entertaining. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. <http://www.aenetworks.com/about/executive/abbe-raven>.

8.) “Carlton Cuse, A&E Sign First-Look Development Deal.” Variety. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. <http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/carlton-cuse-ae-sign-first-look-development-deal-1201326747/>.

9.) “A&E TELEVISION NETWORKS, LLC.” |Company Profile|Vault.com. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. <http://www.vault.com/company-profiles/media-entertainment/ae-television-networks,-llc/company-overview.aspx>.

Image Sources:

A&E Logo: http://www.gopusa.com/news/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2013/12/ae_network.jpg

Nancy Dubuc: http://www.disneybymark.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Nancy_Dubuc.jpg

Abbe Raven: http://www.buffalo.edu/content/dam/www/news/imported/hires/AbbeRaven2.jpg

Carlton Cuse: https://image-cdn.zap2it.com/images/carlton-cuse-lost-bates-motel-tca-gi.jpg

Critics’ Choice Movie Awards: http://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/critics-choice-movie-award__120113100547.jpg

Spotify

Posted on October 14, 2014 by hlu04

by Helen Lu

[1] Spotify’s Logo

KEY EXECUTIVES

[2] Spotify Founders- Martin Lorentzon & Daniel Ek

[3] Jeff Levick- Chief Business Officer

[4] Steve Savoca- Head of Content

[5] Ken Parks- Chief Content Officer & Managing Director USA

SPOTIFY OVERVIEW

[6] Spotify’s sleek interface layout for their multi-platform service.

Spotify is a privately-owned, digital music streaming service that provides on-demand access to tracks. It is available on multiple platforms, including computers, mobile, tablets, and home entertainment systems. Originally founded in Sweden in 2006, Spotify launched in the United States in 2011; it is now available in 58 markets. [7]

Spotify offers listeners the free model, “made possible by ads,” and the premium model for $9.99 monthly, which is ad-free, high-quality, and available offline. [8] With over 20 million songs, over 20,000 tracks added daily, and over 1.5 billion playlists, Spotify has accumulated 10 million active users and a total of 40 million active users. [9]

COMPETITORS

Rdio, Pandora, Rhapsody, Google Play Music, Beats, iTunes Radio, Music Unlimited, and Xbox Music are worthy contenders in this competitive space. Product reviews assess service quality with major factors include song catalog, user interface, support, and features. [10] Each racing for a market share, these top players in the market are making strategic ploys to stay afloat.

On November 12th, Youtube announced their own streaming service, Youtube Music Key for $9.99. It will be interesting to see how it will affect the music industry when it fully hits the market in 2015. [11]

[12] Spotify and The Echo Nest collaboration

In early March 2014, Spotify acquired The Echo Nest, a big data company to enhance the music discovery feature, forcing Rdio, Rhapsody, iHeartRadio, and Vevo to look elsewhere for a discovery algorithm. [13]

THE SPOTIFY STRATEGY

Spotify has successfully targeted college students, establishing a solid audience base and brand loyalty. With personal information confirming their status, Spotify offers students Spotify Premium for only $4.99. [13]

[13] Spotify engages their target audience: college students and 18-24 year-olds.

COLLEGE CASE STUDY

Spotify’s tenacious grasp on college students’ listening is reflected in their recently released research report of the Top 40 Musical Schools in America. The findings are a close study of the musical norms in the schools.

[14] Detailed graphs document music-genre distribution and listening spikes, showing not only what students listen to but also how they listen.

The data that Spotify is able to collect can be utilized for targeted advertising and marketing campaigns today. Moreover, with such a large following of the developing youth, Spotify is not only able to make significant advancements with the invaluable information about today, but accurate inferences about these soon-to-be adults tomorrow. [13]

#THATSONGWHEN

Spotify launched their #thatsongwhen campaign with advertising agencies Ogilvy & Mather and David to further engage their millennial base. #Thatsongwhen allows users to tie their emotional experiences to their favorite songs, to create, and to tell stories. The customization, personalization, and interactivity of a musical experience attracts and retains a young crowd. [15]

The stories are media clips that are charged with emotion, and of course, music. Don’t Go Chasing Girls is about a man’s early memory of his childhood crush that is easily triggered with TLC’s hit song, Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls. Stories and songs are updated and posted on a live feed.

AD TAKEOVER

Spotify is introducing two new advertising options for eager advertisers:

1. The dubbed Video Takeover, only available on desktops, allows brands to takeover the screen during 15-30 second advertising breaks.

2.The dubbed Sponsor Sessions forces mobile users to view a 15-30 second video on their mobile devices in order to proceed onto 30 minutes of uninterrupted streaming. [16]

McDonald’s, Universal Pictures, and Ford are just some of the major sponsors that have opted into this advertising innovation. [17]

[18] McDonald’s format and utilization of Spotify’s advertising product – Video Takeover.

SPOTIFY PARTNERSHIPS

VODAFONE

Everything is going mobile, and music is no exception. This rapid trend of playing and streaming music from a smartphone is particularly prevalent in Australia. Due to these recent findings, Vodafone Australia has partnered with Spotify to bundle in Spotify Premium for free with their monthly plan. A Spotify Premium subscription generally costs $11.99 Australian dollars each month. The exclusive offers with Spotify vary, and are known as the Red Plans. [19]

[20] Research shows that 1.5 million Australians stream music from their mobile devices.

Vodafone believes that Spotify Premium’s features complement and maximize the use of their faster network speeds, value plans, and expanding 4G network. Both the companies and the listeners are benefitting from this collaboration as the marriage of these digital services follow consumer trends and meets consumer needs. [21]

CARPLAY

Apple Carplay is an a new feature configured in select 2014 vehicles. Spotify is on board for this innovative ride as it has updated and fixed some bugs for this new multimedia system. [22] The music player allows users to access their Spotify accounts using a compatible iPhone. [23] With a built-in display to play music, Carplay is an exclusive and luxurious market; the Ferrari FF is one of the few select cars with Carplay. Several automobile manufacturers, however, are making an effort to include and support this system in the future. [24]

[24] Spotify collaborates with Apple Carplay to incorporate music services in the latest car models.

UBER

Uber is a hip taxi service, and Spotify is a hip streaming service. These two successful startups partner up for a new listening experience. Passengers can link their custom playlists to Uber vehicles for a fun ride. Although this new feature has started off in ten cities, it makes a big splash in the car service industry and the music industry. This partnership allows both companies to co-promote their respective brands and to change with the times. The service is for Spotify Premium account holders. [25]

[26] Spotify and Uber modernize the standard cab-ride as they join forces to create a new listening experience.

SPOTIFY CONTROVERSY

Taylor Swift pulled her entire catalogue from Spotify’s music database as she believes that it does not fairly compensate artists. [27] As a popular musician, her bold move and her public statements rejecting the streaming business model has made headlines for weeks. Fans and critics are responding to her decision with distaste as both parties point out that there are other viable services, such as Youtube and SoundCloud, to play her music. [28] While she recently accepted the first-ever Dick Clark Award for Excellence at the 2014 American Music Awards Ceremony, she added another snide comment jabbing at Spotify and streaming services again. [29] Jason Aldean has followed Swift’s footsteps, and pulled his new album Old Boots, New Dirt from Spotify. [30]

Spotify executive, Ek, combats this frenzy and reports that artists that use Spotify to promote their music actually sell more, and that Spotify has returned over $2 billion to music industry today. Top artists like Swift are set to project over $6 million in revenue a year. [31] Despite the financial debate and moral controversy, the Spotify team still hopes for Swift to change her mind. [32]

[33] Taylor Swift is a firm believer in the value of music, and that it should not be free. Swift has pulled her music catalogue from Spotify.

It is unlikely that many artists will join Swift’s banning of the digital streaming business, as it is the digital age. Reports confirm that streaming services grew 28% in the first half of 2014. [26] Listeners’ habits changed; artists can sink, but digital streaming services will swim.

SPOTIFY: LOOKING AHEAD

Despite the recent controversies, Spotify has achieved success with their recent collaborations; the student discount and the partnership with Vodafone have led Spotify subscriptions to increase by 42%. [28] Spotify Family Plan has launched with popular demand and proven financial success with previous discount deals. The plan allows subscribers to add four family members to their account for half the price. [34]

Spotify’s name is globally recognized, and Spotify’s services are well integrated into the new digital age. Its key strategies and partnerships keep it on the bleeding edge of the music industry.

Sources

1. Spotify’s Logo, Spotifypress.com, RT:11.29.2014

2. Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, RT: 11.29.2014

3. Jeff Levick, RT: 11.29.2014

4. Steve Savoca, Spotifypress.com, RT:11.29.2014

5. Ken Parks, Evolver.fm, RT: 11.29.2014

6. Spotify Interface Layout, RT: 11.29.2014

7. Spotify Business Information, investing.businessweek.com, RT: 11.29.2014

8. Spotify Official Website, spotify.com/us, RT: 11.29.2014

9. Spotify Press Information, spotify.com/information, RT: 11.29.2014

10. “Spotify and competitors play to their musical strengths”, usatoday.com, RT: 11.29.2014

11. “YouTube Launching Spotify-Style Paid Music Service”, TIME, RT: 11.29.2014

12. Spotify and The Echo Nest Collaboration, RT: 11.29.2014

13. “Will Spotify’s hat trick help it pull ahead of competition?”, Fortune, RT: 11.29.2014

14. How Students Listen, spotify.com, RT: 11.29.2014

15. “Spotify Ties Music to Personal Stories in Its New Ads”, adweek.com, RT: 11.29.2014

16. “Spotify Unveils Video Takeover Ad Product for Free Users”, telecompaper.com, RT: 11.29.2014

17. “Spotify is bringing video ‘takeover ads’ to its free service”, theverge.com, RT: 11.29.2014

18. Spotify Video Takeover Format, spotify.com, RT: 11.29.2014

19. “Vodafone offers postpaid customers free Spotify Premium access”, CNET, RT: 11.29.2014

20. “Spotify partners with Vodafone Australia for down under listeners”, rainnews.com, RT: 11.29.2014

21. “Vodafone Australia and Spotify join forces!”, vodafone.com, RT: 11.29.2014

22. “Spotify adds support for Apple’s CarPlay in update to iOS app”, talkingnewmedia.com, RT: 11.29.2014

23. “Spotify Adds CarPlay Support in Latest iOS Update”, macrumors.com, RT: 11.29.2014

24. “Apple CarPlay comes to Pioneer stereos as Spotify adds support”, engadget.com, RT: 11.29.2014

25. “Tuneup, redefined: You can now Spotify your Uber ride”, CNET, RT: 11.29.2014

26. Uber and Spotify Partnership, Uber.com, RT: 11.29.2014

27. “Taylor Swift is right about music, wrong about Spotify, says CEO Ek”, CNET, RT: 11.29.2014

28. “Why Taylor Swift Will Lose Her Battle With Spotify”, TIME, RT: 11.29.2014

29. “AMAs: Taylor Swift Continues Anti-Streaming-Service Stance in Dick Clark Award Speech”, hollywoodreporter.com, RT: 11.29.2014

30. “Jason Aldean Agrees with Taylor Swift, WIll Remove New Album From Spotify”, musictimes.com, RT: 11.29.2014

31. “$2 Billion and Counting”, spotify.com, RT: 11.29.2014

32. “Here’s Why Taylor Swift Pulled Her Music From Spotify”, TIME, RT: 11.29.2014

33. “Taylor Swift and the Whole Spotify Thing”, uloop.com, RT: 11.29.2014

34. “Spotify launching family plan with cheaper subscriptions for families”, theguardian.com, RT: 11.29.2014

YouTube

Image

By Sean Mowry (scmowry)

[1]

Youtube LLC
901 Cherry Ave
San Bruno, CA
94066
(650) 253-0000

Key Executives [2]

Larry Page CEO and Co-Founder

Eric E. Schmidt Executive Chairman

Susan Wojcicki Senior Vice President, YouTube

History

In 2005 three PayPal employees, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, started up YouTube as a video-sharing site. By the end of the first year, the site had 200,000 registered users and showed more than 2 million videos a day [3]. In 2006, Google bought YouTube for 1.65 billion dollars despite copyright concerns from media corporations at the time. Google then decided to reach out and partner with the Universal Music Group, CBS Corp., Sony, and BMG Music Entertainment [4]. Now, more than 1 billion unique users visit YouTube each month and over 6 billion hours of video are watched every month on YouTube. Each minute, 100 hours of content is uploaded to YouTube and according to Nielsen, YouTube reaches more US adults ages 18-34 than any cable network. The website is a global powerhouse, with 80% of YouTube traffic coming from outside the US [5].

[18]

Finances

Google Inc. reported consolidated revenues of $16.52 billion for the third quarter, ending September 30, which is an increase of 20% compared with the third quarter report from 2013. $9.55 billion, or 58% of this revenue is from outside the United States. Net income for the third quarter is $2.81 billion, which is down from $2.97 billion in 2013. This is also lower than the second quarter net income of $3.42 billion [6]. As of 11/30/2014, Google’s stock is $541.83 [7].

[19]

Subscriptions

YouTube is continuing to roll out two new subscription services this year. The first is a wave of paid subscription channels, like those offered for free now, but without advertising. This was launched in 2013 but the website is aggressively expanding the number of channels this year. They now offer 238 channels, like NorthwoodsLeague, which is a summer baseball league comprised of top North American College players [8]. With more video online, and most of that online video is coming from YouTube, the website predicts that there will be a sizable share of the audience who would rather pay to watch the content than sit through advertising. The project is a means of offering more options, and it also follows the subscription models of Netflix or Hulu, but at a more specific scale so that the site can operate effectively the same as before the rollout [9][10].

[20]

The second subscription service launched this year is that of Music Key, which is a program that allows users to watch music videos without ads while also giving them the option to download the content onto their devices for offline listening and viewing. The mobile devices will also be able to continue playing music in the background when they switch to other programs. In addition to album tracks, Music Key offers downloads of concert recordings, remixes, unreleased rarities and cover versions recorded by others. While YouTube hails itself as “the biggest music service on the planet” it is desperately lagging behind Spotify’s 12.5 million paying subscribers [11].

In July of 2014, Google also acquired Songza, a music streaming service that specializes in offering playlists made by people that are advertised for listening at any given time or during any given mood that you want. Songza is still running as a separate service, but Google and YouTube are looking to apply the company’s expertise to their products like Google Play or Music Key [12].

In other news, YouTube now allows users to upload video in 60 frames per second, where before they were capped at 30 frames per second [13].

East Coast Presence

YouTube is a west coast, online company, but now it has recently opened up YouTube Space New York, a studio in Manhattan that is available to any channel that has more than 5,000 subscribers and is part of the Partner Program in which ads are hosted and revenue is shared. The studios are a way of giving content creators more means of making an effective product and expanding their audience while also giving the company a footing in the diverse media landscape of New York City. Since the studios opened in other cities like London, Los Angeles, and Tokyo two years ago, more than 30,00 people have attended 450 workshops and created 6,000 videos that were seen for 47 million hours [14][15].

[21]

Another bonus to this is that it brings the company within proximity of Madison Ave, and they have been touring the studios with advertising executives to offer them an opportunity to collaborate with creators. So a company like Maybelline could use BrandLab to host a day in which creators who focus in beauty could collaborate with them. Many of these channels offer audiences numbers that would leave traditional players envious, but advertisers continue to put a low cost on these audiences. The company hopes to change that mentality [14].

Competition From Facebook

[22]

In early November 2014, a John Lewis Christmas Ad stormed social media. The video was shared 200,000 times within the first 24 hours, and most of this was on Facebook. While that might be good for the department store, Facebook stole 40% of the online audience for the video, which would have previously belonged exclusively to YouTube. Facebook is now placing video at the heart of the company’s growth announcing this September that the platform achieved more than 1 billion views a day. Facebook is rolling out video advertising slowly, so that users can get used to the idea of having ads on their news feeds [17].

[23]

Facebook is also trying to lure content creators to the site by sharing their ad revenue in a more lucrative ratio. While they would be developing features that are reminiscent of YouTube, they have the News Feed, which is the key to their success and something that YouTube will have to anticipate combating in the near future. Often times Youtube channels will use Facebook to promote their videos but if they were to switch to the social media platform all together, a lot of ad revenue could be lost for YouTube, considering that they have been on top for so long, that they are struggling with loosing their audience and their bait for advertisers [16].

Sources

[1] YouTube Logo RT 30 November 2014

[2] Google Management RT 30 November 2014

[3] “Video Websites Pop Up, Invite Postings” RT 30 November 2014

[4] Google Buys YouTube RT 30 November 2014

[5] YouTube Statistics RT 30 November 2014

[6] Google Third Quarter Report 2014 RT 30 November 2014

[7] Google Second Quarter Report 2014 RT 30 November 2014

[8] YouTube Channels RT 30 November 2014

[9] “YouTube Considers Paid, Ad-Free Subscriptions” RT 30 November 2014

[10] “YouTube Is Said to Plan a Subscription Option” RT 30 November 2014

[11] “YouTube Music Key subscription service is unveiled” RT 30 November 2014

[12] “Google Buys Songza” RT 30 November 2014

[13] “YouTube Can Now Play Videos At A Buttery 60 Frames Per Second” RT 30 November 2014

[14] “YouTube Takes Manhattan” RT 30 November 2014

[15] YouTube Spaces RT 30 November 2014

[16] “Facebook Wants To Poach A Whole Bunch Of Talent From YouTube — And The Ad Money That Comes With Them” RT 30 November 2014

[17] “Facebook Is Stealing A Huge Chunk Of YouTube’s Audience” RT 30 November 2014

[18] Google Paint Logo RT 30 November 2014

[19] Google Stock Quote RT 30 November 2014

[20] Northwoods League RT 1 December 2014

[21] YouTube Spaces RT 1 December 2014

[22] Facebook RT 1 December 2014

[23] John Lewis Christmas Ad RT 1 December 2014

Netflix

Posted on October 5, 2014 by mmueller

by Micaela Mueller

Company Logo – www.netflix.com

100 Winchester Circle, Los Gatos, CA 95032
(408) 540-3700

Executives [1]

Reed Hastings, Founder and CEO

David Wells, CFO

Twani Cranz, Chief Talent Officer

Kelly Bennett, Chief Marketing Officer

About [2]

Netflix is an international public company that allows users to stream movies and television shows online with a monthly subscription. They also offer rentals by mail for an additional cost and produce their own original programming.

History

Courtesy of postalnews.com

Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph founded Netflix in 1997 as an online movie rental service. In 2007, Netflix introduced streaming services that allowed members to use personal computers to instantly watch movies and television shows online. In 2012, Netflix began producing original content and became the first Internet TV network to be nominated for the primetime Emmy with 31 nominations in 2013 [3]. Currently in 2014, Netflix has over 53 million members in nearly 50 countries worldwide and accounts for more than 34 percent of the peak wired download traffic in North America [4].

Financials

Netflix is publically held. According to the company’s 2014 third quarter report, it has $1,223 billion in total revenue, a 27% increase from the same quarter of the previous year. The company reported a 20% increase in domestic revenue from the same quarter of the previous year and a 47% increase in international revenue due to their expanded global market. Netflix predicts a 6% increase in total revenue and an additional 4 million subscribers by the end of the fourth quarter, bringing their total revenue up to $1,305 billion and their global membership to 57 million. Netflix’s two major competitors are Hulu and Amazon [5].

Courtesy of finance.yahoo.com

Over a 3-month period, Netflix’s highest share price was $484.39. However, after a massive 25% drop on October 16^th, the price dropped to $361.70 and eventually reached it’s lowest share price of $346.59 on November 30^th [6].

The 25% drop in share price occurred a day after Netflix reported that the company’s subscriber growth was below the original forecast. Netflix speculates that the subscriber growth was lower than anticipated as a result of the increased price for membership that was announced in May 2014 [7]. The price increased $1 from $7.99 to $8.99 monthly [8].

Recent News

International Expansion

Courtesy of gigaom.com

For the past couple of years, Netflix has been working to increase their international presence. Since 2012, Netflix has been available internationally in the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden and in the Netherlands since 2013. In September of 2014, Netflix announced that streaming services are now available to subscribers in Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg via all devices with Internet access including computers, smartphones, and video game consoles [9].

Then, in November of 2014, Netflix announced, that by March of 2015, it will expand into New Zealand and Australia [10].

Netflix and Nielsen

Since its start in 1997, the company has never released how many people watch each show on Netflix. The company claims that because their revenue comes from subscribers and not advertisers, the only number that matters is their subscriber count. The company’s decision bothers networks such as HBO, Showtime, and Starz, who also rely on subscribers and not advertisers, but who have their ratings recorded by Nielsen [11].

However, according to the Wall Street Journal, Nielsen is going to start measuring viewership for streaming services like Netflix. Starting next month, Nielsen will use already existing in-home metering devices to record Netflix viewership without the need of the company’s permission. Nielsen, however, will not be able to record viewership via mobile devices, a platform heavily used for Netflix streaming [12].

Recent Original Content

Netflix started producing original programming in 2012 with the release their first series Lilyhammer starring former Sopranos star Steven Van Zandt [13]. Since then, the company has produced a number of successes such as Orange is the New Black, winning 3 Primetime Emmy Awards [14], and House of Cards, winning 4 Primetime Emmy Awards [15].

Courtesy of netflix.com

In addition to producing their own content, Netflix picks up dropped on-the-air television shows and continues to produce them. Arrested Development, for example, was off the air for a number of years before Netflix produced its fourth season in 2013. In August of 2014, the network confirmed that it will be producing a fifth season in the coming year [16].

On June 19, 2014, Netflix announced the company’s pairing with Chelsea Handler to produce a Netflix original comedy talk show. Handler decided to pair with Netflix in order to keep herself new and interesting. The talk show will debut in early 2016 [17]. However, on October 10^th, the network premiered a stand up comedy performance from Handler’s latest comedy tour, Uganda Be Kidding Me, as her debut to Netflix [18].

Looking Ahead

Film

Courtesy of imdb.com

On September 30, 2014, Netflix announced their pairing with the Weinstein Company to release their first original movie. The movie will be a sequel to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, a 2002 martial-arts epic movie directed by Ang Lee, also the director of Life of Pi and Brokeback Mountain [19]. The sequel will be titled Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend and will be directed by Yuen Wo-ping. It will be produced by Harvey Weinstein, Academy Award winner for The King’s Speech, Peter Berg, Emmy Award winner for Friday Night Lights, and Sarah Aubrey, producer of Lone Survivor. The film tells a martial arts story where good and evil battle for the fate of the Martial World. Major stars of the film will include Harry Shum Jr., Jason Scott Lee, Roger Yuan, and Eugenia Yuan [20]. It will be released and available to all subscribers on August 28, 2015 as well as in select global IMAX theaters [21].

Days later, on October 2^nd, Netflix announced a deal they made with Adam Sandler, comedy actor and founder of Happy Madison Productions [22]. Sandler, alongside Happy Madison Productions, committed to acting and producing four films exclusively available through Netflix. The first movie could come as early as late 2015 and currently has no theatrical component [23].

Television

Courtesy of netflix.com

Netflix will be premiering two original programming pieces on December 12, 2014. The first is Marco Polo, a series centered on Marco Polo’s exploration during the time of the 13^th century war in China and will be produced by The Weinstein Company [24].

The second is a stand-up comedy special, American Ham, with actor Nick Offerman, known for his role in NBS’s Parks and Recreation. The special will appear in the US, Canada, the UK, and Ireland [25].

The company will continue their original series in 2016 with a relationship sitcom called Love. Judd Apatow, known for producing Knocked Up and 40-Year-Old Virgin, will co-write and produce this Netflix original series [26].

Courtesy of joblo.com

Another sitcom in the works is Grace and Frankie, starring Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. The show is targeted to premier in summer 2015 [27].

Sources

[1] “Officers and Directors”, ir.netflix.com, RT: 11/29/14

[2] “Company Overview”, pr.netflix.com, RT: 11/29/14

[3] “Company Timeline”, pr.netflix.com, RT: 11/29/14

[4] “Netflix Crowned King of Streaming With More Than a Third of Peak Traffic”, Time Magazine, 5/14/14, RT: 11/29/14

[5] “Letter to Shareholders”, ir.netflix.com, 10/15/14, RT: 11/29/14

[6] “Netflix, Inc.”, Yahoo!Finance, RT: 11/30/14

[7] “Netflix Shares tank 20% on Weak Results”, CNN Money, RT: 11/29/14

[8] “A Quick Update on Our Streaming Plans and Prices”, blog.netflix.com, 5/9/14, RT: 11/29/14

[9] “Netflix Launches in Belgium and Luxembourg”, Multichannel News,9/9/14, RT: 11/29/14

[10] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 11/18/14, RT: 11/29/14

[11] “How Much Longer Can Netflix Keep Ratings a Secret?”, Forbes, 9/18/14, RT: 11/29/14

[12] “We’re Still a Long Way Away From Knowing How Many People Watch Netflix and Amazon Shows”, vulture.com, 11/20/14, RT: 11/29/14

[13] “Lilyhammer, Netflix’s First Original Show, Available to Watch Online Now”, Huffington Post, 2/6/12, RT: 11/29/14

[14] “Orange is the New Black Awards”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[15] “House of Cards Awards”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[16] “Will Arnett Confirms ‘Arrested Development’ Season 5 Is Happening”, Huffington Post, 8/8/14, RT: 11/29/14

[17] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 6/19/14 RT: 11/29/14

[18] “Chelsea Handler to Launch Netflix Talk Show”, CBS News, 6/19/14, RT: 11/29/14

[19] “Ang Lee”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[20] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 9/30/14, RT: 11/29/14

[21] “Netflix to Release First Original Movie”, Time Magazine, 9/30/14, RT: 11/29/14

[22] “Adam Sandler”, IMDb.com, RT: 11/29/14

[23] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 10/2/14, RT: 11/29/14

[24] “Press Releases”, pr.netflix.com, 4/8/14, RT: 11/29/14

[25] “Netflix Sets Premiere for Nick Offerman’s ‘American Ham’ Stand-up Comedy Special”, bostonherald.com, 11/24/14, RT: 11/29/14

[26] “Netflix (NFLX) to Stream Original Content Love in 2016”, zacks.com, 9/18/14, RT: 11/29/14

[27] “Netflix Orders Comedy Series to Star Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin”, Variety 3/19/14, RT: 11/29/14

Hulu

Posted on October 5, 2014 by kdtinder

by Kay Tinder

OVERVIEW

Photo Courtesy of: technobuffalo.com

Hulu is a streaming video on demand (SVOD) service that allows the public to see clips, television series (scripted and reality), and movies virtually anywhere. Hulu offers free, ad-sponsored content as well as a membership package called Hulu Plus—a $7.99 monthly fee that gives a user a broader selection of content, lessens the burden of ads, and allows access to more platforms to view the content. Since the company is private, Hulu is not forced to disclose their financials. However, the company did announce that they reached $1 billion in revenue in 2013 [1].

Disney, 21^st Century Fox, and Comcast’s NBCUniversal share ownership in the company that has six million subscribers and has over 100,000 episodes and 5,400 films streaming [2]. The video streaming company has added more content, strengthened ties with various networks, interacted with the community, and experimented with new advertising models in order to stay competitive with ever changing new media.

NEW CONTENT

Photo Courtesy of: blog.hulu.com

James Franco released his much anticipated Saturday Night Live (SNL) documentary exclusively to Hulu’s Plus subscribers. Saturday Night started as Franco’s NYU Film School Project that gave a behind-the-scenes look at a week of SNL and the production process of a single episode [3]. Since its original film festival debuts, the documentary has received mostly positive reviews. Releasing content with such high buzz on a private service urges Hulu users to upgrade to Plus and pay a little extra to be part of the limited audience that sees exclusive content.

Photo Courtesy of: books.usatoday.com

Stephen King’s best-selling novel, 11/22/63, has just been ordered as a miniseries [4]. The Hulu Original will be split into nine, hour-long episodes. The drama follows Jake Epping, a high school English teacher, who travels through time to the late 50’s. His goal is to prevent the President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Both King and J.J. Abrams (Bad Robot Productions) are working as executive producers, with Bridget Carpenter and Bryan Burk as writers [5]. This will also be the first time Warner Bros. Television (WBTV) and Hulu will collaborate on original programming [4]. Having big names on this project will certainly add hype to the new show and bring more traffic towards Hulu.

Casual is a straight-to-series, half-hour comedy series about a brother and sister, the first single and the latter newly divorced, who navigate the modern dating world while also raising a teenager under one roof. The ten episode, single-camera production is to be produced by Oscar-nominated director Jason Reitman and through Lionsgate Television [6]. Lionsgate adds to Hulu’s content connections while Reitman’s name and reputation bring in more customers.

Photo Courtesy of: www.projectcasting.com

ABC’s show Selfie , starring John Cho, was ordered to produce 13 episodes, but the comedy was cancelled after its seventh. Hulu decided to pick up the series and promised to release the six remaining episodes once a week, similar to its original television format [7]. It’s becoming more and more common for streaming services to save shows that are cancelled from traditional cable. Often they will finish whatever content they have produced or buy the rights and continue to produce more seasons.

Around the same time FX announced they would be streaming every the Simpsons episode ever produced, Hulu released that all 17 seasons of South Park would be available on Hulu, with new episodes available the day after they air [8]. This is just one of the many series Hulu makes binge-able while also keeping it up-to-date, a service that other streaming competitors do not provide.

Big names with a reputation of consistently producing good content litter Hulu’s upcoming shows. No doubt, Hulu’s continuous name-dropping will continue to draw people to its streaming services.

VIACOM

Photo Courtesy of: tvweek.com

Hulu has just expanded its deal with Viacom, increasing the amount and diversity of content on both Hulu and Hulu Plus. Viacom owns a diverse array of networks like Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, and TVLand. Already streaming shows like the Colbert Report, Breadwinners, and Awkward, Hulu will be adding Invader Zim, Workaholics, Spongebob Squarepants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—the final two being streamed in Spanish. They will also be refreshing already present content to include full past season of the Jersey Shore, Catfish, and many more [9]. This strengthened relationship could lead to more exclusive content in the future that would entice consumers to purchase Hulu Plus over other competitors.

APP UPDATES

Hulu has upgraded its free iOS app for Hulu Plus subscribers. Three new panels have been added to the initial screen. “Home” gives a selection of the best or popular content handpicked by Hulu. “Shows you Watch” keeps track of the shows you watch and makes them easily accessible. “Navigation” provides the categorized list of all of Hulu’s content.

Photo Courtesy of: blog.hulu.com 2

“Cast to TV” allows members to throw whatever they’re watching onto their television. Now, the new app will allow your phone to become the remote [10]. As more people turn to their phones and tablets to view content, Hulu’s refined app will serve as a plus for users.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

On October 16^th, 2014, the streaming service showed its support for the LGBT community when converting its usual green accents to purple for a day.

Photo Courtesy of: blog.hulu.com

To celebrate national #SpiritDay, Hulu highlighted LGBT-inclusive television series and films, including Ugly Betty, uncensored Sailor Moon, and Hulu Origianl East Los High—which also has an all-Latino cast. On this day, Hulu also reminded the public their partnership with GLADD, and Hulu’s ambition to have all backgrounds and cultures represented in their services [11]. Hulu is trying to show that they truly care about their audience and not just their money. They want all to feel relevant and welcome to their services.

ADVERTISING

Advertising on Hulu is affective, interactive, and integrated. Hulu has brought creative advertising techniques into their services that often leave competitors in the dust. Using choice-based ads allows the user to feel some power in what they watch and also helps advertisers target their market. Less wasted impressions means more money from advertisers, more money for Hulu, and less advertisements.

Photo Courtesy of: jinglepunks.com

Subway produced 4 to 9ers, six ten-minute episodes about high schoolers and their first part-time jobs. The main character works in a Subway and the business’s logo is in almost every frame. The integrated marketing technique was a huge hit and topped as Hulu’s most popular short-form comedy series [12]. Despite its success with unique advertising, Hulu is having some doubts.

Mike Hopkins, CEO of Hulu, is reconsidering the amount of ads shown on Hulu Plus. In December 2013, Hulu would show an average of 82.3 ads per month, versus YouTube’s 32.3 ad average per viewer [13]. Showing this amount of ads may bring in money, but is incredibly risky, especially on a service that’s paid for. If too many ads are shown, users will ditch Hulu, much like cable, and opt for a service that’s cheaper or shows fewer ads. Hulu is on the right track by constantly looking for new methods of marketing. Replacing traditional advertisements with integrated marketing, like 4 to 9ers, makes advertising seem more like content rather than harassment.

[1] http://blog.hulu.com/2013/12/18/a-strong-2013/

[2] http://variety.com/2014/digital/news/hulu-renews-viacom-deal-expanding-selection-of-nickelodeon-shows-1201341031/

[3] http://blog.hulu.com/2014/09/26/james-francos-snl-documentary-debuts-on-hulu/

[4] http://variety.com/2014/digital/news/hulu-orders-stephen-kings-112263-kennedy-assassination-thriller-series-from-j-j-abrams-1201310792/

[5] http://nypost.com/2014/09/22/stephen-kings-book-on-jfk-assassination-to-be-hulu-series/

[6] http://blog.hulu.com/2014/10/30/jason-reitmans-casual-comes-to-hulu/

[7] http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/25/showbiz/tv/selfie-hulu-episodes/

[8] http://blog.hulu.com/2014/09/26/all-seasons-of-south-park-now-on-hulu/

[9] http://www.cnet.com/news/happy-happy-joy-joy-hulu-scores-cult-toon-classics/

[10] http://blog.hulu.com/2014/10/01/introducing-the-reimagined-hulu-plus-app-for-iphone/

[11] http://blog.hulu.com/2014/10/16/hulu-goes-purple-for-spiritday/

[12] http://variety.com/2013/digital/news/subway-serves-up-second-season-of-hulus-4-to-9ers-exclusive-1200325496/

[13] http://nypost.com/2014/10/08/hulu-ceo-mulls-cutting-number-of-ads-running-on-hulu-plus/

Weinstein Company

Posted on October 5, 2014 by pbsteinf

by Phoebe Steinfeld

[1] The Weinstein Company logo

About TWC

Bob Weinstein and Harvey Weinstein, the original creators of MIRIMAX Films, which was sold to Disney in 1993, founded the Weinstein Company in 2005. TWC is an independent production and distribution known for its knack for taking home Oscars and ability to captivate audiences with offbeat, dramatic films. TWC also encompasses Dimensions Films, originally under MIRAMAX, and has recently stepped into the world of television production. [2]

Who’s Who: Key Executives

Bob Weinstein: Co-Chairman [3]

[4] Bob Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein: Co-Chairman [5]

[6] Harvey Weinstein

Dylan Sellers: President of Production

[7] Dylan Sellers

In September it was announced that Dylan Sellers is stepping down as President of Production after three years at TWC to pursue his producing career. Sellers is responsible for such titles as award winning August: Osage County and the recent release, St. Vincent.[8]

Stephen Bruno: President of Marketing

[9] Stephen Bruno

Stephen Bruno has served as President of Marketing for TWC for the past three years. He has recently been offered a position by Netflix to head their marketing department. After 7 years with TWC, his contract is up at the end of the year.[10]

New Releases [11]/ Box Office Results

The Weinstein Company released 14 films to date in 2014. In the US market these films have brought in $132,955,985 so far[12], making TWC the 8th highest grossing studio with 2% market share. TWC was ranked eighth in 2013, but they are down 2.5% market share from 2013[13]. Though the summer was a flop for films such as Begin Again[14] with Adam Levine, The Giver[15], and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For[16], TWC has five promising new titles in theaters this fall that could raise revenues and bring in awards for the studio. These titles include, The Disapearance of Eleanor Rigby, St. Vincent, Tracks, The Imitation Game and One Chance.

St. Vincent [17]

[18] Staring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, and Chris O’Dowd, St. Vincent is the story of an unlikely friendship between two neighbors as they both struggle to find their way in the world.

The quirky comedy has already received Oscar buzz and high praise upon its debut at the Toronto Film Festival. It was released limitedly on October 10^th in 4 theaters and saw $109, 878 in box office sales.Upon it’s wide release on October 24^th, St. Vincent saw $7,746,596 in revenue in 2,282 theaters, ranking #6 in the box office overall that weekend. In its 9^th week, St. Vincent has made $40,749,905 domestically, and $41,346,602 worldwide. Just 1.4% of revenue was seen internationally.[19] This may have to do with Netflix’s deal with TWC to release the feature film for streaming on Netflix in France the same day as the US wide release.[20] The week leading into its wide release, Variety reported that St. Vincent lead the week in TV ad sales, spending $5.1 million [21].

[22]

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby [23]

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him and Her is the classic tail of two people falling out of love.

[24]The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him and Her shows both sides of the story in this classic tale of two people falling out of love.

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them stands completely alone from Him and Her with a fresh perspective on Conor and Eleanor's relationship

[25]The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them stands completely alone from Him and Her with a fresh perspective on Conor and Eleanor’s relationship.

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby is The Weinstein Company’s attempt to break the traditional templates of production. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby follows the relationship of Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy and consists of three feature length films from three different perspectives; his, her’s, theirs. Each film was created explicitly through editing, yet each film tells a completely different story and can stand on its own as a feature film. Him and Her were released on September 12th as a two part, 200 minute film, and Them was released on September 4th as a 123 minute film[26]. Though Eleanor Rigby has created quite a bit of buzz in the industry, the box office results have been anything but stellar. To date, the total revenue has been $985,007 worldwide. 59.7% of that revenue was seen domestically. Originally only in four theaters, by its 3rd week Eleanor Rigby was in 139 theaters, but is now only available in two.[27]

[28]

Tracks [29]

Directed by John Curran, Tracks tells the true story of Robyn Davidson, the woman who journeyed across the Australian Outback.

[30]Tracks tells the true story of Robyn Davidson, the woman who journeyed across the Australian Outback.

The Weinstein Company acquired the rights to Tracks, directed by John Curran after its premier in the Venice Film Festival. It premiered in the United States during the Telluride Film Festival and also made a favorable impression at the Toronto Film Festival[31]. Tracks was released in seven theaters on September 19th and grossed $21,544 opening weekend. After ten weeks in theaters, the film has grossed $4,878,242. Notably, only 10.5% of that revenue is from the domestic box office[32].

[33]

One Chance[34]

[35]One Chance is an original biopic about singer Paul Potts

One Chance tells the story of Britain’s Got Talent’s first winner, Paul Potts. It was originally released to stream on Yahoo before debuting in theaters.[36] This was an attempt by TWC to capture more audiences as the landscape of movie viewing is vastly changing. The financials of the TWC/Yahoo deal were not released, but ads were shown throughout the online screening.Theater chains were reportedly unhappy with this deal[37]. When One Chance hit the box office on October 10th, it saw $33,405 in 43 theaters. To date, it has grossed $10,889,830 worldwide, with only 0.8% domestic sales.[38]

[39]

The Imitation Game[40]

Benedict Cumberbach stars in the biopic of Alan Turing, a brilliant mathematician condemned for his homosexuality.

[41] Benedict Cumberbatch stars in the biopic of Alan Turing, a brilliant mathematician condemned for his homosexuality.

The Imitation Game is yet another British biopic about Alan Turing, a mathematician responsible for breaking Nazi codes during WWII. The film was produced by two first timers, Nora Grossman and Ido Ostrowsky.[42] There is already much Oscar buzz surrounding this film, and it was listed as one of AFI’s top films of 2014.[43] It was released on November 18th, and has already grossed $18,676,784. However, again only a small portion of those sales were domestic (5.5%).[44]

[45]

Shaking Up Distribution Models/ Future of TWC

“In today’s digital era, technology has developed and changed the landscape of how many people watch movies and TV,” -David Glasser, COO [46]

The Weinstein Company has always been known to push boundaries and play by their own rules. Due to the rapidly changing landscape of the media, TWC has attempted to capture audiences using unique distribution models. This fall, TWC announced they would be partnering with Netflix to release Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend. The second installment of the Crouching Tiger franchise will simultaneously be released in IMAX theaters and become available to screen at home on Netflix.[47]The industry saw similar shake ups with TWC’s Yahoo release of One Chance and the Netflix release of St. Vincent in France. As platforms continue to develop and media viewing continues to change, we should expect similar distribution disturbances and innovations from The Weinstein Company.

Sources:

1. The Weinstein Company Logo, Google Image. 12/1/14

2. About TWC, weinsteinco.com. 12/3/14

3. Bob Weinstein IMDB, IMDB. 12/3/14

4. Bob Weinstein Photo, Google Image. 12/3/14

5. Harvey Weinstein IMDB, IMDB. 12/3/14

6. Harvey Weinstein Photo, Google Image. 12/3/14

7.“Dylan Sellers Exits”, Deadline. 10/12/14

8.“Dylan Sellers Out”, Variety. 10/12/14

9. “Next Gen: 2012”, Hollywood Reporter. 12/4/14

10. “Netflix Courts Weinstein Marketing Head”, Deadline. 12/4/14

11. Now Playing, weinsteinco.com. 12/8/14