DirecTV

Posted on October 5, 2014 by mjnixon

by Marla Nixon

DIRECTV logo, Photo courtesy of: [1] www.slashgear.com

CONTACT INFORMATION [2]

2260 E Imperial Hwy

El Segundo, CA 90245 United States

(310) 964-5000

www.directv.com [3]

COMPANY OVERVIEW

DIRECTV was founded in 1990 and is currently one of the world’s largest digital television services. The company provides services to over 32 million customers in the United States and Latin America (20 million in the United States and 18 million in Latin America). These services include HD, 3D and Video-On-Demand programming. DIRECTV is known for their #1 ranking in customer service as well as their sports programming which includes the NFL Sunday Ticket (see below “Deals and Acquisitions” for more details) [4].

ELECTED OFFICERS [5]

Michael White, Chairman, President & CEO, Photo courtesy of: [5] www.directv.com

Chairman, President & CEO: Michael White

Chief Human Resources Officer: Joseph Bosch

President, DIRECTV Latin America: Bruce Churchill

Chief Financial Officer: Patrick Doyle

General Counsel: Larry Hunter

Chief Technology Officer: Romulo Pontual

Chief Accounting Officer: Steve Adams

FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT

DIRECTV announced their 2014 3rd Quarter results on November 6th, 2014 [6]. The results showed a revenue growth of 6%, making their total revenue $8.4 billion. This revenue growth was due to an increase in U.S. ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) and DIRECTV Latin America (DTVLA) subscriber growth. However, this increase in revenue was offset by a lower ARPU at DTVLA. The lower ARPU at DTVLA was due to unfavorable changes in exchange rates.

DIRECTV stock quotes from June 2014 to present (6 months), Photo courtesy of: [7] www.money.cnn.com

Their current stock price (as of December 1st, 2014) is at $87.37 per share. This price has a year-to-date increase of 26.51% and a three-year increase of 89.69% [7]. Although financials have shown an increase it is important to note that DIRECTV has sustained subscriber loss in both the United States and Latin America units. This subscriber loss has been attributed to their credit policies and a rise in competition [6] [8].

MAIN COMPETITORS

DIRECTV has three main competitors: Comcast, Dish Network and Time Warner Cable [9]. Comcast is their biggest competitor ranking number one in the pay-TV market with 22.5 million video subscribers (DIRECTV holds about 20 million video subscribers) [10]. There is currently a proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable (see Tuned In [15] and The Eyes Have It [16] graphics under “Deals and Acquisitions). This merger is still under consideration by the FCC, but if approved will put Comcast even further in the lead of the pay-TV market [11].

DEALS AND ACQUISITIONS

On September 1st, 2014, a negotiation dispute between Raycom Media and DIRECTV caused a 7-day standoff that resulted in a blackout for some DIRECTV subscribers. 43 Raycom stations, including channels with NFL programming, went dark on DIRECTV. The dispute was resolved before the Sunday NFL game and all channels were restored [12].

Displays percentage of the market Comcast and DIRECTV will have if both mergers are approved, Photo courtesy of:[15] www.wsj.com

In May of 2014 AT&T announced that it planned on acquiring DIRECTV with a $48.5 billion merger. If combined, DIRECTV and AT&T will have more than 26 million subscribers in the United States. This would put DIRECTV ahead of Comcast (22.5 million subscribers as of Fall 2014) in the market for pay-TV. However, if the Comcast and Time Warner Cable merger occurs, DIRECTV would still remain second-largest. Looking at the graphic “The Eyes Have It [16],” if the DIRECTV and AT&T merger is made they will have a total of 25.8 million subscribers, unfortunately that number will remain dwarfed by Comcast if the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger occurs bringing them up to 33.1 million subscribers (note that The Eyes Have It graphic only shows data up to 2013, data not referencing The Eyes Have It are current). However, both mergers have yet to be approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) [13]. Both mergers have been under heavy consideration by the FCC because of the massive amount of subscribers each merger affects. If either or both merger are approved the pay-TV market competition will rise dramatically. On September 25th, 2014, DIRECTV stockholders approved the merger with AT&T in a vote that represented 77% of all outstanding shares. The voting results showed that more than 99% of votes casted were in favor of the merger agreement [14].

Current subscribers to DIRECTV, AT&T, Comcast and Time Warner Cable, Photo courtesy of: [16] www.wsj.com

To learn more about the AT&T and DIRECTV merger watch a news broadcast here. Video courtesy of: [17] www.wsj.com.

On October 1st, 2014, DIRECTV renewed it’s deal with the National Football League (NFL) for the NFL Sunday Ticket. The NFL Sunday Ticket includes the showing of all out-of market games (regular season games outside of their local markets) as well as real time stats [18]. The NFL Sunday Ticket has been given exclusive rights to DIRECTV and is being extended for 8 years. The price was confirmed at $1.5 billion per season which is a 50% price increase compared to what DIRECTV paid in previous years. DIRECTV produces revenues of about $600 million from the NFL Sunday Ticket with around 2 million subscribers. This revenue is far below what they are now paying for the rights of the NFL Sunday Ticket programming [19]. A possible reason for DIRECTV’S agreeing to a dramatically increased price is their proposed merger with AT&T (see above paragraph). If DIRECTV did not renew it’s deal with the NFL for the Sunday Ticket, AT&T was allowed to walk away from the deal without any penalties [19] [20].

In early November, AMC Networks threatened to go dark on DIRECTV if negotiation standards are not met. With their hit show The Walking Dead halfway through its season a blackout would be dangerous for DIRECTV business. The contract is set to expire in 2015 and there have been warnings aired on the show that DIRECTV subscribers may not continue to receive programming from AMC [21]. However, DIRECTV has stated that subscribers will be able to view every episode of the upcoming season of The Walking Dead in a public promise on their website [22].

DIRECTV and Guest-tek announced a strategic relationship on November 13th. This relationship expands technology and programming for hotels and guests [23].

LOOKING FORWARD

DIRECTV is now offering 4K Television. 4K television, also known as Ultra HD, is the latest HD technology and is called 4K because of the image width (4,000 pixels) [24]. DIRECTV is the first and only multi-channel video provider to offer 4K/Ultra HD TV. To receive DIRECTV 4K programming, subscribers need the DIRECTV Genie HD DVR and a DIRECTV 4K ready television. Currently the only DIRECTV 4K ready TV’s are the 2014 Samsung Ultra HD/4K television models [25]. The DIRECTV 4K programming was released on November 14th and currently has about 20 movie titles to choose from [26].

Photo courtesy of: [27] www.seriable.com

DIRECTV has also been creating some of their own content programming since 2013. Most recently, a new drama called “Kingdom” starring Jonathan Tucker and Nick Jonas has had a 20-episode renewal a week after its premiere. The show is about a mixed Martial Arts group living in Venice, CA. “Kingdom” has been their most-watched series on their Audience Network [28]. The DIRECTV Audience Network is devoted to their original programming [29].

Watch the Kingdom series trailer here. Video courtesy of: [30] www.youtube.com.

SOURCES

1. DIRECTV’s Logo, www.slashgear.com, RT: 11/29/2014

2. Contact Information, www.hoovers.com, RT: 11/29/2014

3. DIRECTTV’s Website, www.directv.com, RT: 11/29/2014

4. “Our Company”, www.directv.com, RT: 11/30/2014

5. Elected Officers, investor.directv.com, RT: 11/28/2014

6. 2014 3rd Quarter Results, investor.directv.com, RT: 11/30/2014

7. DIRECTV Stock Quotes, www.money.cnn.com, RT:11/30/2014

8. “Tighter Credit, Competition Pressure DirecTV,” www.multichannel.com, RT: 11/30/2014

9. Competitors, www.hoovers.com, RT: 11/30/2014

10. Comcast Vs. DIRECTV, www.fool.com/investing, RT: 11/30/2014

11. Comcast and TimeWarner Merger, www.wsj.com, RT: 11/30/2014

12. “DirecTV, Raycom Media Blackout Ends Just in Time for NFL Games,” www.variety.com RT: 11/30/2014

13. “What Investors Need to Know About the AT&T-DirecTV Merger,” www.fool.com/investing, RT: 11/30/2014

14. DIRECTV Stockholders Approve Merger with AT&T, www.investor.directv.com, RT: 11/30/2014

15. “Comcast, TWC Blast Critics of Merger,” www.wsj.com, RT: 11/30/2014

16. “AT&T Has Approached DIRECTV About Possible Acquisition,” www.wsj.com, RT: 12/1/2014

17. Wall Street Journal Video, www.wsj.com, RT:12/1/2014

18. DIRECTV NFL Sunday Ticket, www.directv.com, RT: 11/30/2014

19. “DIRECTV Extends Its Deal With NFL For $12 Billion,” www.trefis.com, RT:11/30/2014

20. “CMO Today: NFL Sticks with DIRECTV for Sunday Ticket,” www.wsj.com, RT: 11/30/2014

21. “AMC Holds The Walking Dead Ransom In Dispute With DIRECTV,” www.digitaltrends.com, RT: 12/1/2014

22. DIRECTV Promise, www.directvpromise.com, RT:12/1/2014

23. DIRECTV and Guest-tek Strategic Relationship, www.guestek.com, RT: 12/1/2014

24. “4K TV and Ultra HD: Everything you need to know,” www.techradar.com, RT: 12/1/2014

25. “What is a DIRECTV 4K Ready TV and how does it work?” www.support.directv.com, RT: 12/1/2014

26. DIRECTV 4K TV Press Release, www.investor.directv.com, RT: 12/1/2014

27. Kingdom Photo, www.seriable.com, RT: 12/1/2014

28. “DIRECTV Orders 20 More Episodes of Original Drama ‘Kingdom,'” www.variety.com, RT: 12/1/2014

29. DIRECTV Audience Network, www.directv.com, RT: 12/1/2014

30. Kingdom Trailer, www.youtube.com, RT: 12/1/2014

20th Century Fox

Posted on October 5, 2014 by skim116

by Jessica Kim

20th Century Fox Logo [1]

Contact Information: [2]
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
10201 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90035
Phone: (310) 227-2211
Website: http://www.foxmovies.com

Key Executives: [3]

Rupert Murdoch – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

James N. Gianopulos – Chairman & CEO

Continue reading →

Sirius XM Radio

Posted on October 5, 2014 by areeves

by Allie Reeves

[1] SiriusXM Logo

The Sirius Story:

Sirius XM Holdings Inc. is a satellite radio service that offers commercial-free streaming on over 175 channels in the United States and Canada. These channels are comprised of every type of radio – music, news, sports, talk, and more [2]. It is currently the largest radio broadcaster and caters to about 26.7 million subscribers [3].

[30] SiriusXM Programming

Currently, the most popular way for subscribers to enjoy SiriusXM Radio is in the comfort of their cars. SiriusXM has arrangements with over forty automakers for installation of their services directly into the vehicle [3]. However, as of recent, SiriusXM has become available to stream directly online in your home or office, as well as an app that can be accessed on Smartphones and Tablets.

SiriusXM currently offers three different packages: Sirius Select, Sirius All Access, and Sirius Mostly Music. The packages can be bought on a monthly or annual basis and range in price from $9.99 to $199 [4].

[4] Most Popular Packages for SiriusXM Customers

The Sirius Team:

[6] Scott Greenstein, President & Chief Content Officer

[5] James E. Meyer, CEO

[7] Patrick L. Donnelly, Executive Vice President and General Counsel

Finances:

[31] SiriusXM finances as of December 1, 2014

SiriusXM recently released their 2014 Third Quarter Results, which revealed a 10% increase in revenue since this time last year, putting the company at a record high of $1.1 billion. This is higher than analysts originally anticipated for the company, as they put the company’s assumed revenue at $1.04 billion. The company also increased its subscriber count by 1.2 million [8].

Interest in shares of SiriusXM increased rapidly during the month of November. As of November 14^th, there has been an increase of 2.8% since October 31^st up to 247, 283,696. The company is now up to a $3.75 price on their stock [32].

Competitors:

[11] Apple Inc. Logo

SiriusXM’s current competitors are Apple and iHeartMedia, as well as regular terrestrial radio. Pandora and Spotify have also been named as competitors, but in a recent interview with James Meyer, CEO of SiriusXM, the two services were ruled out.

[12] iHeartMedia Logo

Meyer explained these companies are streaming services, which he doesn’t view as competition, but as its own distinct technology. Meyer also stated that out of them all, terrestrial radio is their primary competition, with 220 million people that use it everyday [9].

However, with Apple’s new CarPlay, that might not be the case for much longer. CarPlay gives drivers access to all of their music, podcasts, and audiobooks with the touch of a button, and major auto companies like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and Ferrari are already on board. The venture is still in its early stages, but since SiriusXM is primarily used by vehicle subscribers, CarPlay could end up being a serious competitor [10].

[13] Apple CarPlay

The Sirius Edge:

What sets SiriusXM apart from its competitors at Apple, and iHeartMedia is the company’s original content that can only be accessed through subscriptions to SiriusXM.

[15] The Howard Stern Show, one of the most popular talk shows on SiriusXM

Some of the most popular original content shows include The Howard Stern Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and NFL Radio, although many more are available [3]. This original content helps keep subscribers tuning in, and keeps SiriusXM’s churn rate at an impressive 1.9%. It also helps the company keep their acquisition costs low, which has recently become problematic for companies like Pandora [14].

[17] SiriusXM Town Hall Event in the Fishbowl

SiriusXM is also known for their “Town Hall” Series. These intimate gatherings take place in the SiriusXM fishbowl, a private listening studio, where entertainers sit down with a live studio audience comprised of about 30 SiriusXM subscribers who have won an invitation to the event [16].

[19] Taylor Swift at a Town Hall Event for SiriusXM

Recently, SiriusXM was able to snag Taylor Swift for a Town Hall Event. Subscribers had the chance to ask her questions and listen to songs off of her newest album, 1989. This event comes after Swift’s recent decision to pull her music off of Spotify, giving even more leverage to SiriusXM [18].

The Today Show for SiriusXM:

This past year, SiriusXM announced a major deal with NBC, in which simulcasts of the hit NBC show, The Today Show, would be broadcasted on the satellite radio service. The format of bringing a morning show to radio has been done before, unsuccessfully. However, what makes this different is that SiriusXM will not be airing segments of the popular morning show, they will be airing the program identically as it airs on television [20].

[24] The Today Show

This move was a strategic boost for both companies. The show airs during popular morning drive time, when radio listening is at its highest. The deal will allow NBC to access SiriusXM’s 26 million listeners, and SiriusXM hopes to draw in more subscribers that are already fans of the show.

[21]

Suing Sirius:

SiriusXM has come under fire in the past year over use of music recorded before 1972. More recently, individual bands have started going after the company, claiming that they deserve compensation. Although songs recorded before February 15^th, 1972 are not covered by federal copyright law, some artists and labels have been seeking protection under individual state laws – and the courts have been agreeing. As of November 17^th, the 1960s rock band, The Turtles, has had two victories against the satellite radio company [22].

[25] Rock Band The Turtles in the 1960s

The court ruled that music recorded before 1972 still has a public performance right and that digital services cannot use it without permission or compensation. SiriusXM has requested to dismiss the lawsuit, but it has been rejected. The judge ruled that SiriusXM has until December 5^th to show any factual issues that would be cause for a trial. If none are found, she will rule in favor of the band, and “assess damages” [23].

What’s Next:

[28] Joel Osteen

SiriusXM recently announced that Golf Hall of Fame member Sir Nick Faldo will receive his own show, where he will talk golf and get to know golf enthusiasts, while they get a chance to know him [26]. SiriusXM also launched a new pop channel, Venus, as well as adding some of their popular internet only channels like Y2Kountry and Utopia to their satellite lineup. Joel Osteen Radio will also be coming to SiriusXM, a station rooted in the power of “positive thinking with messages of inspiration” [27].

[33] Holiday music channels at SiriusXM

SiriusXM is currently celebrating the sounds of the holiday season with the addition of two new Holiday Music channels, Holly and Holiday Traditions. They plan to release more within the upcoming month [33].

Also effective January 2015, there will be an increase of 1.4 percentage points in the U.S. Music Royalty Fee applied to most SiriusXM audio packages, in order to fund royalty payments to the music industry [29].

Sources

1. SiriusXM’s Logo 2014, Fbnstatic.com, RT: 11/20/2014

2. What is SiriusXM?, Siriusxm.com, RT: 11/20/2014

3. Corporate Overview, Siriusxm.com, RT: 11/20/2014

4. Our Most Popular Packages, Siriusxm.com, RT: 11/20/2014

5. Chief Executive Officer, SiriusXM, Siriusxm.com, RT: 11/20/2014

6. President & Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM, Siriusxm.com, RT: 11/20/2014

7. Executive Vice President and General Counsel, SiriusXM, Siriusxm.com, RT: 11/20/2014

8. “SiriusXM Reports Third Quarter 2014 Results”, Investor.siriusxm.com, RT: 11/20/2014

9. “Sirius XM CEO: I Don’t See Spotify As A Direct Competitor”, Benzinga.com, RT: 11/22/2014

10. “Is Apple’s New Toy a Sirius XM or Pandora Killer?”, Fool.com, RT: 11/22/2014

11. Apple Inc. Logo, Worldofdtcmarketing.com, RT: 11/22/2014

12. iHeartMedia Logo, Billboard, RT: 11/24/2014

13. Apple Car Play, Uncrate.com, RT: 11/24/2014

14. “Sirius XM’s Main Edge Over Competitors”, Fool.com, RT: 11/28/2014

15. The Howard Stern Show, Tuaw.com, RT: 11/22/2014

16. SiriusXM Town Hall, Siriusxm.com, RT: 11/20/2014

17. SiriusXM Fishbowl Event, Howstuffworks.com, RT: 11/28/2014

18. “Taylor Swift’s Exclusive 1989 “Town Hall” to Air Live on SiriusXM”, Investor.siriusxm.com, RT: 11/24/2014

19. Taylor Swift for SiriusXM, SiriusXM Blog, RT: 11/22/2014

20. “Starting in June, ‘Today’ Will Simulcast on SiriusXM”, New York Times, RT: 11/28/2014

21. Today Show Radio on SiriusXM, YouTube, RT: 11/28/2014

22. “Rock band wins again in copyright battle against Sirius XM”, The Times of India, RT: 11/28/2014

23. “New York Court Delivers Third Strike Against Sirius XM on Pre-1972 Sound Recordings”, Sound Exchange, RT: 11/28/2014

24. Today Show Logo, Momsdemandaction.org, RT: 11/28/2014

25. The Turtles, Allmusic.com, RT: 11/28/2014

26. “Sir Nick Faldo to Host SiriusXM Show”, Techsonian.com, RT: 11/28/2014

27. New Channels and Lineup Changes, Siriusxm.com, RT: 11/20/2014

28. Joel Osteen, Lightsource.com, RT: 11/28/2014

29. “U.S. Music Royalty Fee Effective January 5, 2015”, Siriusxm.com, RT: 11/28/2014

30. SiriusXM Programming, Siriusxm.com, RT: 11/20/2014

31. SiriusXM Financials, Google, RT: 12/1/2014

32. SiriusXM Stock Information, Watchlistnews.com, RT: 12/1/2014

33. Holiday Music at SiriusXM, Siriusxm.com, RT: 12/1/2014

Spotify

Posted on October 5, 2014 by cklytle

by Caitlin Lytle

[1] Brand name and Logo

OVERVIEW:

Spotify is one of the top streaming services on the market and is all about finding the right song for the right moment. There are over 30 million songs to choose to stream from, with over 50 million active users in 58 markets across the globe [2]. While Spotify is relatively new in American, launching in 2011, it was founded in 2008 in Sweden.

The Spotify interface users see [3].

Users can create profiles, and on there create playlists, they can follow other users playlists, and share songs on social media by connecting through Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter. In addition to following their friend’s accounts they can also follow celebrity accounts and see what their followers are listening to on a side bar. The service also serves as a great music discovery tool, with Spotify’s own curated playlists, and radio feature similar to that of Pandora. With free and paid accounts there is a little bit of something for everyone with platforms on a user’s computer, mobile, tablet, and most recently home entertainment systems.

Subscriptions are broken up into two types, free and “premium” accounts in which users pay $9.99 a month to experience add free listening as well as more access to mobile listening and off line listening with data. The ratio to active paying subscribers to free listeners is over 20% [4].

COMPETITORS:

Infographic aligning Spotify with their top competitor streaming services [5].

With the legacy of CDs and era of illegal downloading slowly dying out in the music business, people are looking more and more to streaming as a way to consume music. Because of this and the gap in the market for streaming services, in the last two years there has been a large emergence of streaming services that serve as competitors to Spotify. Last year Beats headphones launched Beats Music, and Amazon Prime Music launched recently as well, amongst already existent competitors like Rhapsody and Google Play.

DEEZER COMES TO UNITED STATES:

Deezer logo [6].

On September 14, 2014 Deezer came to America, which could potentially prove it self to be Spotify’s biggest competitor. Deezer is one of the world’s biggest names in streaming with its services available in 180 countries [5]. Due to licensing rights, they were not able to expand into the U.S. for quite some time, but now have the market of paying subscribers to go from 5 million users to rival Spotify’s 10 million international users [5]. However Spotify is at a slight advantage, because while Deezer is usually formatted with a similar interface to Spotify, Deezer in America is launching on a new platform. Deezer is only launching for US users through pricy Sonos sound systems and only those with speakers and the app can subscribe to the Deezer Elite service, with a steep price tag of $19.99 a month which is double that rate to Spotify’s for premium [7].

TAYLOR SWIFT AND THE STREAMING STRUGGLE:

Celebrity Sightings In New York City - October 30, 2014

Taylor Swift pulls catalog from Spotify [8].

In addition to Deezer coming to America this fall, Spotify also recently suffered another large loss. Pop- country princess, Taylor Swift, just pulled her entire catalog from the streaming service. With such a large artist, obviously Swift has caused a large impact on what consumers are streaming, especially with the recent release of an album. This is all apart of a larger argument right now not only with Spotify, but all streaming services that artists are being paid too little for the amount of plays they are receiving [9]. However, Taylor’s case is different. Management released a statement that she believes art and music are important and should be fully purchased and that albums and means of listening to that music should not be free [8]. Because of this all of her music was pulled from streaming services with free accounts, but not those services where you are required to pay in order to have a profile. There is large debate as to whether or not her music will return, but for the time being fans are expected to buy albums, and how the relationship between Taylor Swift and Spotify will develop is one to track.

SPOTIFY GROWTH:

While this fall has given Spotify some tough situations, this has not stopped them from expanding.

SPOTIFY FAMILY

Spotify Family, is the newest development in the programs interface. Similar to Netflix family accounts, Spotify Family now allows large families to have one billing account but different profiles for different family members, so Dad’s Rolling Stones playlists don’t get mixed in with Daughter’s Disney Princess playlist [10]. There are separate profiles and therefore different recommendations and profiles can be listened to at the same time, unlike before when one account could only be streamed in one place at a time [10]. In addition there is also a premium upgrade discount for families wanting to upgrade to this added service [10].

SPOTIFY + UBER

Spotify collaborates with popular car service, Uber [11].

Spotify is know for its unique brand collaborations, which continue as they offer music lovers cool experiences. This November on the 21^st they collaborated with Uber to give Spotify and Uber the ride of a lifetime [11]. When users had both apps on the 21^st, they could not only request a special car and get a vehicle with the new Spotify- enabled Uber cars, but they also had the chance to either get in a car that took them to a secret show in an undisclosed location, or get the chance to be picked up and driven around by some of their favorite artists [11]. This venture really shows the creative side of Spotify and how they connect with their users beyond a screen.

Artists and Shows available during the Uber promotion [11].

SPOTIFY + CARPLAY

Besides the Spotify- enabled Uber cars, Spotify is now reaching our vehicles this fall with CarPlay support in the latest iOS update [12]. The ioS app adds Apple CarPlay integration with that allows users to access the app through dash receivers and makes it easier for people to use the service in their vehicles [12]. Audi, Ferrari, Ford, and Hundai all plan on making the application available in their upcoming models for the next year [12].

WHAT’S NEXT?

With all of these great strides Spotify is taking to make them selves more user friendly and connect with their users, they will continue to be one of the top streaming services into 2015.

We can look to see Spotify as a brand present at future music festivals next spring as the festival season is fast approaching, as well as other unique music experiences brought to users with live music interaction, beyond the screen.

sources:

1. Spotify’s Logo 2014, Spotifypress.com, RT: 12/01/14

2. Spotify Press Fast Facts, Press.Spotify.com, RT: 12/01/14

3. Spotify User Profile Screen Shot, Open.spotify.com/artists, RT: 12/01/14

4. Spotify Press Information, Press.Spotify.com, RT: 12/01/14

5. Which Music Streaming Service Is the Biggest Worldwide?, Billboard.com, RT: 12/01/14

6. Deezer Logo 2014, Deezer.com, RT: 12/01/14

7. Deezer enters US market with Elite lossless service, Cnet.com, RT: 12/01/14

8. Taylor Swift Explains Why She Pulled Her Music From Spotify, Huffingtonpost.com, RT: 12/01/14

9. How is Spotify Contributing to the Music Business?, Spotifyartists.com, RT: 12/01/14

10. Introducing Spotify Family – one account for the whole band., News.spotify.com, RT: 12/01/14

11. 10 cities. 10 artists. Take a ride or see an exclusive live session., News.spotify.com, RT: 12/01/14

12. Spotify Adds CarPlay Support in Latest iOS Update, Macrumors.com, RT: 12/01/14

iHeartMedia INC.

Link

by Michael Rubloff

Contact Information:

iHeartMedia INC. 200 East Basse Road, San Antonio, Texas, 78209 (210) 822-2828

Company History

iHeartMedia INC. was founded in 1972 with the purchase of a first FM channel in San Antonio under the name of Clear Channel Communications. iHeartMedia expanded over the course of thirty years, and by 1995 owned forty-three radio stations. However, with the Telecommunications Act of 1996, iHeartMedia radically expanded and added several stations. Currently, iHeartMedia owns eight hundred-fifty radio stations in the United States that reaches 150 markets. In September 2014, Clear Channel Communications rebranded itself as iHeartMedia INC. [1]

Clear Channel Logo [2]

iHeartMedia INC. logo [3]

On September 16th, 2014 Clear Channel made a massive commitment to the future by rebranding to iHeartMedia INC. The former name Clear Channel was derived from an AM channel and is no longer relevant. iHeartRadio however, is a massive source of entertainment for millions of people. iHeartMedia better reflects what Clear Channel had built and its goals for the future. iHeartMedia also felt that its name was not well known compared to other services such as Spotify and Pandora even though iHeartRadio provided millions of people everyday with entertainment. This move was made in order to make the brand and the product more synonymous with each other.

Corporate Leaders:

Robert Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia INC. [2]

Robert Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia INC. [4]

Richard J. Bressler, President and CFO of iHeartMedia INC. [2]

Richard J. Bressler, President and CFO of iHeartMedia INC. [4]

Wendy Goldberg- Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer

Wendy Goldberg, Executive Vice President and CCO of iHeartMedia INC. [4]

Gayle Troberman, Executive Vice President and CMO of iHeartMedia INC. [4]

John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises of iHeartMedia INC. [4]

Financials:

iHeartMedia is a publically traded company in the OTC market (IHRT). Over the past year the stock has remained relatively stable with a year low of $6.10 and a high at $9.40. The high occurred in the week after the announcement of the rebranding to iHeartMedia.[5] Previously, the ticker for Clear Channel was CCO. In its third quarter report, iHeartMedia reported that revenues were up three percent to 1.6 billion dollars. [6]

Past Six Months of Stock Values of iHeartMedia [3]

Past Six Months of Stock Values of iHeartMedia [5]

Competitors:

iHeartMedia’s long-standing rivals have been CBS Radio and Cumulus Media. However, in the past ten years with the emergence of Satellite Radio, Sirius XM has taken over as iHeartMedia’s biggest rival in terms of revenue. iHeartMedia has permeated SiriusXM, as two of the stations featured on SiriusXM, Z100 and Kiis 102.7, are owned by iHeartMedia.

Pandora Logo [7]

Now that iHeartMedia is putting a focus on its online music service, iHeartRadio, it now competes with Spotify, Pandora, iTunes Radio, and Google Play. In this field iHeartRadio has a great deal of catching up to do as Spotify and Pandora dominate the online streaming market.

However, iHeartMedia has an advantage over its competitors because it crosses over multiple platforms. For instance, Other radio giants such as Cumulus or Sirius are limited to their radio stations. On the other hand, Pandora and Spotify are limited to their apps or their website. iHeartMedia is able to cross between these two platforms in order to better serve their customers desires. Because of this, it is able to capitalize on where its competitors are limited.

Events:

iHeartMedia is known for its excellence in creating live events directly catered to specific demographics. On October 2nd, it announced the first ever iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, a massive concert aimed at Latin music fans.[8] It took place on November 22nd, and was a massive success. This experimental event seems to have been a good investment for iHeartMedia as their Spanish and English radio stations reach “93 percent of Hispanics monthly” [9].

iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina logo [10]

The Fiesta Latina is the newest addition to iHeartMedia’s collection of live events including the Jingle Ball Concert Tour, Country Festival, and the iHeartRadio Music Festival. While it remains to be seen if the Fiesta Latina will be made into an annual event, it most likely will given its success. One week later, on October 9th, the lineups and locations of the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour were announced. This annual tour has become one of the year’s most exciting events. The tour will begin on Sunday, November 30th and finish on Monday, December 22nd. This event is supposed to cater to listeners of the top40 stations on iHeartRadio and reflect what listeners want to see. This year the New York City concert will be streamed exclusively on Yahoo.com for fans who are unable to attend.[11]

October 2014:

October was a busy month for iHeartMedia as it made several business announcements. On October 7th, iHeartMedia announced a $200 million partnership with Omnicom to develop a multi platform device that will give insight into iHeartMedia’s events as well as technologies.[12]

While this will help Omnicom better target customers, the real winner is iHeartMedia. This deal is dangerous for iHeartMedia’s competitors because this project will allow iHeartMedia to see how it can improve on its multi platform features. Essentially, iHeartMedia will continue to widen the gap between what Pandora and Cumulus are able to do. This will help iHeartMedia become a more versatile company and extend its already industry leading reach.[12]

The next day on October 8th, iHeartRadio announced that it would be available on Android Wear beginning on October 15th. This represents another step forward for the integration of iHeartRadio in technology as iHeartRadio had already announced integration with “Amazon’s Fire Phone, Amazon’s Fire TV, Android Auto, Google’s Chromecast, Apple’s CarPlay, Samsung’s Gear 2 Smartwatch, Qualcomm’s AllPlay and new auto partnerships with Subaru, AT&T Drive, GM, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia and Volvo” [13] earlier this year. By spreading across to different manufacturers, iHeartMedia makes itself more accessible, convenient, and well known. This strategy is directly reflective of the rebranding because it exposes more users to the services provided by iHeartMedia.

iHeartMedia did not stop there. On October 15th, Gayle Troberman was named the Chief Marketing Officer of iHeartMedia. This is a new role created with the intention to “connect them (iHeartMedia) more closely to consumers, helping integrate the company’s brands, products and platforms even more deeply into consumers’ daily lives.” [14] This is necessary after the rebranding because it will decrease the amount of time needed for consumers to become familiar with the iHeartMedia brand. This is a fantastic idea and could pay off exponentially for iHeartMedia in the coming years. iHeartMedia is doing a fantastic job of identifying what it needs to improve and is taking logical steps to ensure it remains an industry leader.

What’s in the future:

In the next year, iHeartMedia hopes to continue to reach more customers through social media, live events, and radio. It hopes that its customers will become familiar with the iHeartMedia brand and be able to connect it to popular music events, radio stations, and the iHeartMusic application.

iHeartMedia has embraced the change that is coming to the industry and appears to pioneering the way for other companies to follow it. While the long term effects of rebranding remain to be seen, it has initially been successful. In the next half year, look for iHeartMedia’s competitors to try and catch up with the ability to move across platforms.

Resources

[1] Clear Channel Becomes iHeartMedia. Published September 16, 2014. Accessed November 22nd.

[2] Clear Channel Logo. Published June 26, 2012. Accessed November 29th.

[3] iHeartMedia INC. Logo. Date Published N/A. Accessed November 29th.

[4] Corporate Team. Date Published N/A. Accessed November 22nd.

[5] Stock Information. Updated Daily. Accessed November 29th.

[6] Financial Report. Published October 28th, 2014. Accessed November 22nd.

[7] Pandora Logo. Date Published N/A. Accessed November 22nd.

[8] iHeartMedia Fiesta Latina Announcement. Published October 2nd, 2014. Accessed October 30th.

[9] iHeartMedia Factsheet. Date Published N/A. Accessed November 22nd.

[10] iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina Logo. Published November 22nd. Accessed November 29th

[11] Jingle Ball Tour. Published October 9th. Accessed November 22nd.

[12] iHeart Media Omnicom Partnership. Published October 7th, 2014. Accessed November 22nd.

[13] iHeartRadio Android Wear Integration. Published October 8th, 2014. Accessed November 22nd.

[14] Gayle Troberman named iHeartMedia’s Chief Marketing Officer. Published October 15, 2014. Accessed November 22nd.

CBS Radio

Posted on October 5, 2014 by chport

by Carly Port

[a] Photo Courtesy of www.billboard.com; CBS Radio Logo

By Carly Port

CONTACT INFORMATION [1]

1271 Avenue of the Americas FL 44

New York, NY 10020

(212) 649 – 9600

www.cbsradio.com

ABOUT CBS RADIO

CBS Radio operates as a division of Columbia Broadcasting System and as one of the leading providers of original media content across an array of platforms. CBS Radio delivers material to an audience of over 72 million and owns and operates 126 radio stations in 27 markets [2].

CBS made its debut network broadcast on September 18, 1927 at 3 p.m. Sixteen stations from Providence to St. Louis were present that Sunday. In January 1941, CBS launched Latin American stations in eighteen countries [3]. In 1974, CBS Radio reignited the radio drama craze with its introduction of CBS Radio Mystery Theater [3]. In November 1995, CBS was bought out by Westinghouse Broadcasting [4]. CBS Radio became a part of Infinity Broadcasting in June of 1996. In September of 1999, reports announced that Viacom would acquire CBS Corporation for nearly 37 billion dollars [5]. Finally, in 2005, Infinity Broadcasting rebranded itself as the new and current CBS Radio [6].

Key Executives

[b] Photo Courtesy of www.cbsradio.com; CBS Radio President & CEO Dan Mason [7] 2008 Most Powerful Person in Radio

[c] CBS Local Media Chief Operating Officer Anton Guitano

[c] Photo Courtesy of www.cbsradio.com; CBS Local Media Chief Operating Officer Anton Guitano

[d] Photo Courtesy of www.cbsradio.com; CBS Radio Executive Vice President, Operations New York Market Manager Scott Herman

[e] Photo Courtesy of www.cbsradio.com; CBS Radio President of Sales Michael Weiss

[f] Photo Courtesy of www.cbsradio.com; CBS Logal Digital Media President Ezra Kucharz

In September, CBS Corporation added John Vilade as Vice President of National Digital Sales for CBS Local Media. In this position, from a strictly radio focus, Vilade will work directly with Michael Weiss to expand opportunities and conveniences for interested advertisers and expedite revenue expansion [8].

Additional Executive Biographies

TOP COMPETITORS

CBS Radio’s top competitors in the market are Iheartcommunications and Radio One [9].

INSIDE CBS RADIO {PLATFORMS}

Broadcast

CBS Radio provides industry-leading, play-by-play sports content to stations nationwide. CBS Radio Broadcast caters to over two dozen fan-favorite franchises of the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB all over the board featuring the Boston Celtics, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Red Wings, New England Patriots, New York Giants and the New York Yankees. CBS Radio boasts beloved personalities as a key factor of its broadcast success such as Carson Daly, Ryan Cameron, Mike Francesa and Kevin and Bean to name a few [10].

Local Digital

CBS Local Digital Media accumulates well-known, dependable media brands providing consumers with a unique, “local” experience. This multimedia venture combines pertinent characteristics of CBS’s radio and television departments to create over twenty major market doorways into exposure of news, weather, traffic, sports and entertainment, industry-leading music and lifestyle sites. Portals into Radio.com offer live and on-demand visual and audio content and Eventful presents a terminal for event discovery. The on-the-go aspect of CBS Local Digital Media keeps nearly 50 million consumers content and happy on a monthly basis [11].

Mobile

CBS Radio has made listening to consumers’ favorite radio stations easier than ever. With CBS Radio’s new mobile approach, audiences can access their favorite sports outlets, latest-breaking news sources and most diversified music programs in the most portable manner yet, available as apps on an eclectic assortment of devices. Not only are 150 radio stations now available in mobile form, but also news clips and video interviews with the hottest athletes and artist can now be viewed on the majority of user-owned devices [12].

CBS Sports Radio

Only two years old, CBS Sports Radio is available in all of the Top 10 markets nationwide. A hybrid of CBS Radio and CBS Sports, CBS Sports Radio covers a vast range of sports and features experienced, renowned broadcasters such as Jim Rome, Tiki Barber, Doug Gottlieb and Scott Ferrall among many others [13].

FINANCIALS

[g] Photo Courtesy of www.finance.yahoo.com; CBS Corporation Stock Market Summary at the Close of 12/1/2014

At the end of the day on December 1, 2014, CBS Corporation was down 0.41% at $54.47 a share. The year change was down 7.63% and was lowest in October, at $48.91 a share. The highest stock price this year was in March at $67.55 a share [14].

CBS Corporation successfully ended its third quarter with revenues of $3.37 billion, a 2% increase from last year’s third quarter revenues of $3.30 billion. Recent successes can be attributed to CBS’s Television Networks, specifically Thursday Night Football. Net earnings decreased from last year’s third quarter revenues of $431 million to a current $400 million, related to increased foreign exchange rates [15].

CBS Corporation’s Executive Chairman Sumner Redstone summarized the company’s reaction to the third quarter statement [15]:

“CBS continues to succeed on the strength of its tremendous content… Les and his team are optimizing the Company for future growth at every turn, and I have the utmost confidence in their ability to increasingly drive shareholder value in these dynamic times of great opportunity [15].”

WHAT’S GOING ON?

Michigan News Network

[h] Courtesy of www.allaccess.com; CBS Radio & Townsquare Media Partner to Create Michigan News Network

On September 2nd, CBS Radio and Townsquare Media partnered together to form a news and sports all-Michigan network, Michigan News Network. The network provides content for nearly twenty affiliate stations across the state of Michigan. MNN provides top-of-the hour updates Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. as well as 60-second sport broadcasts three times a day. CBS Radio will provide the original content while Townsquare Media will have exclusive syndication rights and deal with affiliate relations with stations ranging from Ann Arbor to Detroit. CBS Radio’s Detroit stations such as WWJ Newsradio 950 have always topped Michigan radio charts and have established themselves as the leading voices for Detroit, so the move towards providing content for the entire state has been readily anticipated [16].

“We are excited to be working with Townsquare to distribute our award-winning programming to listeners across the entire state of Michigan, while also realizing the highest value for our content.” –CBS Radio CEO & President Dan Mason [16]

“We Can Survive” Concert

[i] Photo Courtesy of losangeles.cbslocal.com; Pharrell Williams at the 2nd Annual We Can Survive Concert at the Hollywood Bowl

Hollywood Bowl attendees were in for the experience of a lifetime at CBS Radio’s second annual We Can Survive Concert. As part of CBS Radio’s special events platform and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, two dollars of every ticket sold aided two organizations, Young Survival Coalition and Living Beyond Breast Cancer, which cultivate and assist families and women that have been touched by and endured breast cancer [17].

[j] Video Courtesy of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls1kyMl7af4

The night was filled with emotions and female-centered song choices with Pharrell Williams beginning his set through a narration of his personal accounts of dealing with cancer in his family and statements about the pertinence of females to mankind and survival. Williams performed an eclectic set, and was joined by Taylor Swift, Gwen Stefani, Ariana Grande, and Alicia Keys for her first year at the event, as well as other top-tier performers. The music performed covered everything from Country and R&B to Hip-Hop and Top 40 [17].

[i] Photo Courtesy of radio.com; Taylor Swift at the 2nd Annual We Can Survive Concert at the Hollywood Bowl

[k] Photo Courtesy of radio.com; Taylor Swift at the 2nd Annual We Can Survive Concert at the Hollywood Bowl

Multimedia Sources:

[a] CBS Radio Logo From 07 March 2013. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[b] Dan Mason Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[c] Anton Guitano Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[d] Scott Herman Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[e] Michael Weiss Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[f] Ezra Kucharz Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[g] CBS Corporation Market Share Updated 01 December 2014. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[h] Michigan News Network From 26 August 2014. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[i] 2nd Annual We Can Survive Concert Pharrell Williams From 25 October 2014. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[j] 2nd Annual We Can Survive Concert Behind the Scenes Video From 25 October 2014. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[k] 2nd Annual We Can Survive Concert Taylor Swift From 25 October 2014. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

Text Sources:

[1] CBS Radio Contact Information Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[2] About CBS Radio Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[3] CBS Radio Timeline Updated 21 May 2012. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[4] Westinghouse Buys CBS New York Times From 02 August 1995. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[5] Viacom Buys CBS CNN Money From 07 September 1999. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[6] Infinity Rebranding From 14 December 2005. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[7] Radio Ink Magazine Most Powerful People in Radio From 07 July 2008. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[8] John Vilade Named VP of CBS Radio From 03 September 2014. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[9] CBS Radio’s Top Competitors Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[10] CBS Radio Broadcast Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[11] CBS Radio Local Digital Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[12] CBS Radio Mobile Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[13] CBS Sports Radio Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[14] CBS Corporation Stock From 01 December 2014. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[15] CBS Corporation Financials From 05 November 2014. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[16] Michigan News Network From 26 August 2014. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

[17] CBS Radio Recap We Can Survive Concert From 25 October 2014. Retrieved 01 December 2014.

Viacom

Posted on October 5, 2014 by nawhite

by Nalae White

Viacom Inc. 1515 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

United States

Phone: (212)-258-6000

http://www.viacom.com [1]

Key Executives:

Philippe Dauman, CEO

Sumner M. Redstone, Founder & Executive Chairman

Thomas E. Dooley, COO

Wade Davis, CFO

Company Overview:

Viacom Inc. is an American mass media company that mainly produces films and cable television shows. Viacom is the fifth largest broadcasting and cable company in the country. Their network reaches approximately 700 million subscribers internationally, throughout about 160 countries and territories. It is estimated that Viacom owns and operates roughly 170 networks, in addition to Paramount Studios, America’s oldest film studio and distributor. Viacom’s networks are largely content based, satisfying more niche markets. Viacom operates hundreds of online, mobile, and app experiences across a wide range of media platforms, including both traditional and new forms of media. [2]

Viacom Owned Networks [i]

Viacom’s history as an independent company has been complicated. Viacom began as a spin-off network from what was then CBS, Inc., establishing itself as a public company in 1971. In 1987, National Amusements acquired the controlling shares of Viacom, owning 83% of the company. However, in 2000, Viacom formed a $39.8 billion merger with CBS Corporation, uniting the two companies once again. Then, in 2005, the companies parted ways again and Viacom rebranded itself as Viacom Inc. Along the way, Viacom had acquired and created over 100 channels through MTV Networks and otherwise. The company has experimented with joint ventures like EPIX, partnerships with music groups like Warner Music Group, feeding into more targeted markets with channels like mtvU, and of course new and innovative ideas for creating and distributing content. [3]

Current Ongoings:

Rendering of Columbia Square [4]

Viacom recently made the decision to relocate and consolidate several of its big name networks to one building in Columbia Square on Sunset Boulevard. MTV, Spike TV, Comedy Central, and BET will all operate out of the $420 million complex within 180,000 square feet of space. The move will put the networks closer to Paramount Studios, which operates a mile from the building. Viacom’s 12-year lease states that the company will capacitate nearly the entirety of a 6-story building within the complex. The lease is the largest to be signed in Hollywood in the last 10 years. Viacom is expected to poster sizable graphics that will be visible from far distances on the building. The purchase is instrumental in what is seen as a revamping of Hollywood, with the complex being the largest “media-tenant” since the construction of the Capitol Records Tower in the 1950s. [4]

Viacom’s network continues to expand, opening new channels to satisfy new markets. This year, Viacom renewed an existing distribution deal with Hulu, an online media streaming service. The contract allows Hulu to use Viacom’s existing repertoire of cable networks to substantiate Hulu’s own library. The renewal will also allow Hulu a wider range of material to choose from, including networks that were not previously available to the streaming service before, such as MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. The deal will contribute largely to the “Hulu Kids” section of the website, reviving older series accompanied by a sense of nostalgia like “Ren & Stimpy” and “Hey Arnold!” which currently air on Viacom’s TeenNick channel. The deal also greatly amplifies the number of Viacom’s past reality shows that will be featured on Hulu. It is speculated that the deal is an attempt by Hulu to compete with Amazon Prime’s Instant Video Inventory. However, the deal barely rivals the existing subscription-streaming deal between Amazon and Viacom, which was the largest sum Amazon has paid for a streaming deal thus far.[5]

Channel 5 Logo [ii]

Viacom has, additionally, closed a £450 million deal, acquiring UK’s Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited from Northern & Shell Media Group. Channel 5 and Viacom’s existing networks have begunexperimenting with joint programming, airing Nickelodeon originated shows on Channel 5, as well producing new content with children’s shows like “Nella the Knight” and a reality show called “10,000 B.C.”[6]

Recent Legal Incidents:

In 2007, Viacom filed a $1 billion lawsuit against YouTube, claiming that the website was perpetuating Copyright Infringement. The judge ruled in YouTube’s favor in 2010, and Viacom filed for an appeal. The suit litigated for a total of 6 years until in 2013, the judge ruled again that YouTube “did not have to police itself”, and that it was Viacom’s responsibility to find infringing videos and alert YouTube to their presence. In March of 2014, Viacom made the decision to cut their losses, reaching an undisclosed settlement in which no money was exchanged with Google, YouTube’s parent company. Since the settlement, the two companies have been in contact about “seizing opportunities”, with the allusion of possible collaborations and close interactions between them.[7][8]

Promotional still for VH1’s TLC Biopic, CrazySexyCool [11]

In April of 2014, Viacom was sued by Perri “Pebbles” Reid, former manager of 90’s R&B group TLC, for claims of defamation. In 2013, the 2-hour biopic “CrazySexyCool”, following the lives and fame of the popular R&B group, premiered on VH1, a channel owned by Viacom Inc. The biopic was reported to have given VH1 its highest ratings in 5 years. The lawsuit calls for $40 million in compensatory and punitive damages, as well as a request to ban the movie or associated promotional materials from being publicized. Reid believes that the movie disparaged her reputation both as an entertainer and businesswoman, and that “Viacom abandoned journalistic and literary integrity and ignored fundamental canons of journalistic and literary conduct by publishing false and defamatory accusations with actual malice.” The former manager claims that she was presented as “conniving and dishonest”, as it demonstrated that she deceived her clients and robbed them of their royalty money. Reid claims that she had no control over the group’s lawyer’s or accountants. Viacom has refused to comment. [9][10][11]

In February of 2013, Cablevision filed an antitrust lawsuit against Viacom, alleging illegal channel tying during program negotiations; Cablevision claims that Viacom threatened a “10 figure penalty” if Cablevision did not agree to carry smaller suites in addition to must-have cable programming. Viacom counters that the “10 figure penalty” in question is the difference between standard rates and a negotiation between Viacom and Cablevision as the result of “good-faith negotiations” since the two have worked together in the past. The lawsuit was filed three months after a carriage deal between Cablevision and Viacom. Viacom moved to have the case dismissed, however the judge ruled that there was viable evidence on Cablevision’s behalf to review an antitrust claim. There is no trial date set.[12]

Financial Information

Fiscal 2014 Report:

Revenues: $13.78B

Adjusted Operating Income: $4.13B

Adjusted Net Earnings: $2.38B

Adjusted Diluted EPS: $5.4M

Viacom’s fiscal year came to a close on September 30^th, 2014. The company demonstrated an impressive fiscal year. While Viacom’s total revenue showed a negligible change in comparison to the previous year, other factors were notable. Both the company’s Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share reached all time highs, rising 5% and 15% respectively. The company’s Adjusted Net Earnings also increased by 3.8% from the previous year.[13]

Sources:

1 Yahoo! Finance: Viacom Financial Profile Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

²Viacom Website: About Viacom Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

3 Viacom Timeline: History of Viacom Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

4 LA Times: Viacom Signs 12-Year Lease at Columbia Square in Hollywood Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

5 LA Times: Hulu Extends Streaming Deal With Viacom, Expands Library Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

6 Viacom News: Viacom Closes Acquisition of Channel 5 Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

7 Bloomberg BusinessWeek Technology: Viacom Gives Up On Its YouTube Copyright Lawsuit Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

8 Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Viacom and Google Settle YouTube Lawsuit Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

9 Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Former TLC manager sues Viacom For Defamation Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

10 The Root: Pebbles Files $40,000,000 Lawsuit Against Viacom Over TLC Biopic Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

11 Eurweb: TLC Biopic Gives VH1 Its Highest Ratings in 5 Years Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

12 The Hollywood Reporter: Viacom Can’t Escape Cablevision’s Antitrust Lawsuit Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

13 4^th Quarter ’14 Earnings Press Release: Viacom Reports Record Profit For Fiscal 2014 Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

Photo Sources:

i Stop the Cap: Viacom Demands 100% Rate Increases Date Acquired: December 1st, 2014

ii Deadline.com: Channel 5 Sale Speculations Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

Univision

Posted on October 5, 2014 by veortiz

by Veronica Ortiz

[1] Univision Logo

ABOUT UNIVISION

Univision, owned by Univision Communications Inc. (UCI), is the largest Spanish language broadcast television network in the country, catering almost exclusively to Hispanic audiences living in the United States and Puerto Rico. It boasts a reach of 97% of Hispanic households in America, being carried by more than 1,400 broadcast and cable affiliates. [2] [3] Supported by UCI, Univision’s Hispanic market research is unparalleled to any other network and, with an ever growing Hispanic community in the US, Univision expects an exponential growth for all of its properties. [4]

KEY EXECUTIVES

Randy Falco, President and CEO [5]

Alberto Ciurana, President, Programming and Content, Univision Communications Inc. [6]

FINANCES

As of October 2014, Univision Communications holds a revenue of $2.63 billion. Its third-quarter financials have seen an improvement from last year’s, mostly due to the World Cup adding $54.1 million in net advertising revenue. A year ago, Univision faced a loss of $15.9 million, but this year the earnings rose to $42.8 million. TV and digital properties lead the 5.2% increase to $728.9 million. Univision Communication’s TV unit increased 5.7% to $613.9 million in this third quarter. In conclusion, it has been a strong year for Univision overall, helped heftily by the World Cup and retransmission fees, but weighed down by a slightly down core advertising revenue and radio revenue. [7] [8]

POPULAR FRANCHISES AND PROGRAMMING

The great majority of Univision’s programming consists of telenovelas produced by Mexican mass media company Televisa. Sitcoms have a weaker presence in Univision’s programming, but it still produces a moderate amount of original programming.

NUESTRA BELLEZA LATINA

Nuestra Belleza Latina Logo [10]

Nuestra Belleza Latina is a beauty show and reality contest where twelve women compete for a one year talent contract with Univision and for cash prizes. The show offers impressive ratings, and this year it made social media headlines by becoming the first show in English or Spanish to top the weekly buzz rankings on Facebook. [9]

THE LATIN GRAMMY

Latin Grammy Awards [11]

The Latin Grammy Awards is an annual awards show where the Latin Recording Academy recognizes outstanding Latin musical artists from around the world. The awards are broadcast in the U.S. by Univision. [11] The 15th Annual Latin Grammy Awards reached viewership of nearly ten million, with exemplary audience growth among the much coveted 18-34 demographic. Univision ranked as the No. 2 broadcast network for the evening of the Latin Grammy Awards, outperforming CBS, FOX and NBC. [12] [24]

SÁBADO GIGANTE

Sabado Gigante [13]

Sábado Gigante, a variety series, is Univision’s longest running program and the world’s longest running variety television show. It has been broadcast every Saturday evening and hosted by Mario Kreutzberger, better known as Don Francisco, since August, 1962. [13] A new three-hour episode is premiered each Saturday at 8pm with no reruns, really. [14] The show is known throughout every Hispanic household and has become a token of Hispanic culture. In 2012, Sabado Gigante celebrated its 50 years of uninterrupted broadcasting. Below is a compilation of clips from Sabado Gigante, put together by Univision to celebrate the show’s 50 years. [15] [16]

NEW CROSS-PLATFORM CONTENT

Even with old, but reliable hits such as Sábado Gigante, Univision still looks to expand to services that will also target millenials. The company recently struck a deal with DirecTV to provide content for their Internet-delivered service targeted towards Hispanic audiences. [17] This year, Univision also launched their own English-language over-the-top service called The Flama. [18] Full episodes for some of Univision’s programming can be found in their portal UVideos. Heavy hitters ratings-wise for this season include:

MI CORAZÓN ES TUYO (MY HEART IS YOURS)

Ana, a dancer, becomes a nanny after meeting a wealthy widower, Fernando, with seven kids. [19]

Mi Corazon Es Tuyo stars Silvia Navarro and Jorge Salinas [19]

The telenovela airs Monday through Friday on the 8pm-9pm time slot with strong ratings. It averaged 3.7 million viewers in the week of November 17-25, 2014, outperforming FOX in each demographic. [20]

HASTA EL FIN DEL MUNDO (UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD)

Sofia takes the helm of her family’s successful chocolate manufacturing business after her father’s death. Even though she is engaged, she falls for her chauffeur, Salvador, who is also a race-car driver. [19]

Hasta El Fin Del Mundo stars Marjorie de Sousa [19]

Hasta El Fin Del Mundo is a Mexican telenovela based on the Argentinian telenovela Dulce amor. In the 9pm-10pm slot, Hasta El Fin Del Mundo had 3.5 million viewers in the November 17-25, 2014 week. [20]

LA MALQUERIDA (THE BAD MISTRESS)

After the death of her husband, Cristina’s hacienda falls into disarray until a handsome man, Esteban, offers to help her. They quickly fall in love, much to the distaste of Cristina’s daughter Acacia, who leaves the hacienda, but returns twelve years later, now a beautiful young woman. The return of Acacia makes Esteban develop a secret passion for her. [19]

La Malquerida stars (left to right) Ariadne Diaz, Christian Meier and Victoria Ruffo. [19]

La Malquerida helped put Univision on No. 3 Monday-Friday on the 10pm-11pm time slot, outperforming CBS for the week of November 17-25, 2014.The telenovela brought 2.4 million viewers adults 18-49. [20]

IN THE NEWS

MASSIVE LAYOFFS FOR UNIVISION EMPLOYEES IN PUERTO RICO

After massive layoffs in Univision Puerto Rico, residents of the island formed a Facebook page calling for the boycott of Univision. Over 30,000 users have joined it. [23]

On Friday October 17, 2014, Univision gutted its news operations on the island of Puerto Rico, scrapping most of the programs produced locally and dealing a huge blow to the already poor state of media and journalism on the island. [21]

Malule González was among those laid off and was replaced by Jaime Bauza. Promoted to senior vice president and general manager, Bauza will oversee Univision Puerto Rico, which includes Univision Canal 11, Tele Isla Canal 7 and the company’s radio properties. The reason why these layoffs happened has not yet been revealed, but some speculate that it is part of a strategy by Univision in the U.S. to make the company more appealing for sale. A positive note to this story has been Univision’s announcement of a request of proposals for new programming produced locally for 2015. [22]

SHORT-FORM TELENOVELAS

Novelas Xpress on UVideos [25]

Novelas Xpress is Univision’s newest online service which will present 17 different abridged versions of popular telenovelas. Nine of these will be available on Hulu, while the rest will be distributed on UVideos.

The reason for this move could be attributed to the Hispanic audience’s propensity to consume content on mobile devices. According to the director of content acquisition at Hulu, Rodrigo Mazon, “The Latino audience on Hulu is approximately 40 percent more likely to consume video on mobile.” [24] In addition to providing content to their audiences in a format they want, they will also benefit heftily from ad revenues. According to Mazon, the popularity of Korean dramas on Hulu might also indicate American audience’s desire to consume non-american content. To this end, Novelas Xpress will also feature English subtitles for some of their telenovelas. [25]

SOURCES

[1] Univision.com – Últimas Noticias, Farándula, Novelas, Fútbol, Radio. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2014.

[2] Forbes.com. Univision Communications. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2014.

[3] Hoovers.com. (n.d.). Univision Communications Inc.Company Information. Retrieved November 30, 2014.

[4] Corporate Univision. (n.d.). Explore Hispanic Marketing Insights and Hispanic Research. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[5] Randy Falco – Univision. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2014.

[6] Alberto Ciurana – Univision. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2014.

[7] Univision Communications Third-Quarter Financials Improve, CEO Talks Streaming – Hollywood Reporter. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[8] Mahler, J. (2014, July 12). Biggest Scorer in World Cup? Maybe Univision (The New York Times) . Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[9] Flomenbaum, A. (2014, March 31). ‘Nuestra Belleza Latina’ Becomes First Show to Top Facebook’s Weekly Buzz Ratings. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[10] Nuestra Belleza Latina. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[11] Latin Grammy. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[12] Kondolojy, A. (2014, November 21). 15th Annual Latin Grammy Awards Reaches Nearly 10 Million Viewers With Double-Digit Growth Among Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[13] Sabado Gigante. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[14] Longest Running TV Variety Show. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[15] Luzardo, H. (2012, July 7). Don Francisco sobre ‘Sábado Gigante’: ‘No creo en sucesores’ Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[16] Univision News – Sabado Gigante Turns 50! Take a Ride Down Memory Lane. (2012, October 25). Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[17] Grover, R., & Baker, L. (2014, September 11). Exclusive : Univision to provide content for DirecTV online service by year end. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[18] Jarvey, N. (2014, April 17). Univision Launches Over-the-Top Network The Flama – Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[19] Univision Media Kit. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[20] Bibel, S. (2014, November 25). Univision Beat One or More English-Language Network on 92 Percent of Nights Among Adults 18-34 in November Sweeps to Date. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[21] Online Staff. (2014, October 17). Univision Guts PR News Operation – Caribbean Business. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[22] Univision PR. (2014, October 17). Univision Puerto Rico Announces Executive Leadership & Programming Changes – Univision. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[23] Worley-Lopez, F. (2014, October 21). Univision Layoffs Bury the Real Story in Puerto Rico. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[24] Kuchinkas, S. (2014, June 12). Hulu Goes Big for Latino Content. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

[25] Univision PR. (2014, November 20). Univision Launches Novelas Xpress, New Short-Form Telenovela Format – Univision. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

Time Warner (TV/cable channels only)

Posted on October 5, 2014 by htfergus

 by Bridget Parker

: Time Warner Logo [1]

History of Time Warner

Time Warner Inc., is a mega media conglomerate that dominates both the film and television entertainment sectors. During the late 1980’s, there was a period of buyout in which Time Inc. was looking to merge with another company rather than be assumed fully by some unfamiliar corporation. Warner Communications’ seemed to be perfect match and they partnered in 1990, and thus Time Warner, Inc. was born [2].

Operating Divisions

: Time Warner’s Operating Divisions include: Home Box Office (or more commonly referred to as HBO), Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., and Warner Bros. Entertainment [3].

HBO

: HBO Logo [4]

HBO and its sister-network Cinemax [6]

HBO is a leading subscription-based television service offering two television networks, HBO and Cinemax. In 2013, HBO maintained its #1 spot on the domestic front as the highest-rated premium tv service, in both primetime and total day. As a global force, both HBO and Cinemax are accessible in over 60 countries, and HBO’s original programming is licensed to TV networks in over 150 [5].

Known for pushing the envelope with edgy and compelling dramas, HBO has a reputation for racking up awards every year and this year was no exception. Starting off 2014, HBO received 19 Primetime Emmy Awards, with True Detective leading the pack, coming in at five awards. After becoming an overnight success, the second season was ordered and in recent news, the cast for Season 2 has officially signed on. The cast will be comprised of: Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch and Kelly Reilly [7].

Boardwalk Empire Final Season Poster [9]

Among other hit shows, HBO concluded the fifth and final season of Boardwalk Empire in October. While the finale rolled in at 2.3 million viewers and was up 7% from last year’s, it was still down from this year’s premiere. Also, it is important to note that the finale was aired multiple times, and these numbers are not calculated from just the regular timeslot, but take into account viewers tuning in at any of the various times [8 ].

The Newsroom Final Season Poster [11]

Also on the topic of series finales is Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom, which premiered on November 9th for its third and final season [10]. From the beginning, critics argued that the show seemed to fall short of what is expected from Sorkin. When the show wasn’t immediately picked up for a third season in traditional HBO fashion, it seemed the ratings began to reflect those critiques.

This season the ratings continue to dive, dropping almost 45% in its premiere in comparison to last season’s. To add insult to injury, the formerly summer based show decided instead on a fall launch, forcing it to go up against AMC’s fan-favorite and rating-generator, The Walking Dead [12].

As for the remainder of the fall slate, The Comeback has hardly made any sort of comeback, drawing less than half a million viewers. The lack of viewership seems to be attributed to the fact that it is returning after a 10-year hiatus [13]. Also, the return of Getting On in its second season has definitely drawn praise from viewers and critics, but the numbers just still aren’t there [14].

Looking forward, HBO has confirmed a January 11th, 2015 back-to-back half-hour lineup. The reigning half-hours return with Girls and Looking, followed by a new series called Togetherness [15]. From brothers Jay and Mark Duplass, comes a dramedy about two couples living together in Los Angeles, trying to mend their respective relationships, while attempting to follow their own individual dreams [16].

On the business end of things, the company recently announced that they will offer a stand-alone HBO streaming service as of 2015 [18]. This news shocked devout HBO subscribers and media professionals alike, due heavily in part to the fact that there has been a great deal of discussion surrounding whether or not HBO would ever form a stand-alone streaming service housing all of their original programming, without requiring a television subscription. However, HBO’s long-standing answer has always been a firm “no”.

Richard Plepler at the Time Warner Inc. Investor Meeting [19]

Nonetheless, the over-the-top, stand-alone service will become reality next year. At a Time Warner, Inc. investor meeting, Richard Plepler, CEO of HBO, explained the reasoning behind the move, saying that this “…is a large and growing opportunity that should no longer be left untapped. It is time to remove all barriers to those who want HBO” [20].

Turner

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Logo [21]

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. is a mega-media conglomerate that supervises news, entertainment, sports, animation, young adult and children media networks. With a plethora of leading television networks, Turner reaches a vast range of demographics.

Turner’s Brands [22]

Recent News

Kevin Reilly, the new face of TNT and TBS [26]

In October, Kevin Reilly was appointed president of TNT and TBS as well as chief creative officer of Turner Entertainment in October. He arrives during a period of upheaval that is “Turner 2020”. The explanation of this re-brand is that Turner is trying to be more cost efficient, yet expand in the programming department [23]. More importantly, this attempt to revamp came only after 21st Century Fox tried to acquire Time Warner [24].

Under Turner 2020, TNT has already cancelled three shows (Dallas, Franklin & Bash, and Perception) [25]. Although all three have consistently dropped in viewership, more so they don’t align with the move toward edgier entertainment [27].

Other sectors of the overhaul include Boomerang, the popular Cartoon Network derivative, that brings classic cartoons to today’s kids. However, the network will be re-introduced globally to include both the vintage shows parents remember, and new contemporary ones [28].

Joint NBA TNT Logo [29]

Turner also reached a deal with the NBA that added 12 live regular season games per year to air on TNT. Although Turner and the NBA have a history together, this partnership would make TNT home to opening night and more NBA Playoff games than any other network. This includes sought after Thursday night doubleheaders, All-Star Weekend events, and one of the Conference finals [30]. Most substantially, Turner Sports’ TV Everywhere rights will apply to all NBA Content, giving them the power to distribute content across various digital platforms [31].

In other sports news, TBS averaged 4.3 million total viewers in the MLB Postseason, making it the most-viewed postseason telecast since 2010 [32].

Turner channels that Dish customers lost [34]

However, the most significant of Turner’s updates was the Dish – Turner dispute. On October 21st, 2014 Dish subscribers had channels blackout which was the result of the two companies distribution agreement expiring before they arrived at an updated agreement [33]. The carriage dispute ragged on for two weeks, neither company admitting fault other than that of the other. Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen implied that Dish was ready to drop the channels permanently, when he stated:

“We would save a big, big, big check from a cash flow perspective…it’s hard to pay a double-digit price increase for something that people are watching half as much as they used to watch. It’s Turner’s job to make their product better. Not ours” [35].

Needless to say, the channels were reinstated in November after the two decided on a contract extension pending a longer-term agreement [36].

Financials

Summary of Time Warner Stock [38]

Time Warner’s 3Q highlights include:

Revenue up 3% to $6.2 billion
Both Turner and HBO with a 10% subscription increase
Adjusted EPS climbed 34% to $1.22

[37]

Annual Results:

2013 Adjusted EPS, Free Cash Flow and Op Income [39]

2013 Total Shareholder Return [40]

Key Executives

Jeff Bewkes Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc. [41]

Howard M. Averill Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer [42]

Sources

[1] Time Warner’s Logo, LinkedIn.com, RT: 12/01/2014

[2] The TWC Story, TimeWarnerCable.com, RT: 12/01/2014

[3] Time Warner Operating Divisions, TimeWarner.com, RT: 12/01/2014

[4] HBO Logos, HomeBoxOffice.com, RT: 12/01/2014

[5] Time Warner Operating Divisions: Home Box Office, TimeWarner.com, RT: 12/01/2014

[6] HBO and Cinemax Logo Package, Xfinity.Comcast.net, RT: 12/01/2014

[7] True Detective Season 2 Cast Announced, HBO.com, 11/14/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[8] “Ratings: HBO’s ‘Boardwalk Empire’ Gets Slight Boost With Series Finale”, Variety.com, 10/27/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[9] Boardwalk Empire Final Season Poster, HighlightHollywood.com, 7/19/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[10] “HBO confirms November 9 Premieres for ‘The Newsroom’, ‘The Comeback’ & ‘Getting On”, TVByTheNumbers.Zap2it.com, 9/9/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[11] The Newsroom Final Season Poster, Collider.com, 10/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[12] “Newsroom‘ Ratings Down In Return, ‘Comeback’ Debuts Soft”, Deadline.com, 11/11/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[13] “The Comeback season premiere recap: ‘Valerie Makes a Pilot”, EntertainmentWeekly.com, 11/09/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[14] “HBO’s ‘The Comeback’ Is A Ratings Flop”, Vulture.com, 12/01/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[15] “Girls’, ‘Togetherness’ & ‘Looking’ Premiere Dates Set On HBO”, Deadline.com, 11/06/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[16] “See the first trailer for HBO Comedy ‘Togetherness’ from the Duplass brothers”, EntertainmentWeekly.com, 11/07/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[17] Togetherness Season 1: Trailer (HBO), Youtube.com, 11/30/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[18] “HBO Chairman and CEO Richard Plepler Announces HBO to Offer a Stand-Alone HBO Streaming Service in 2015”, TimeWarner.com, 10/15/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[19] Richard Plepler at the Time Warner Inc. Investor Meeting, TVOverMind.com, 10/15/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[20] “HBO to offer online-only option next year — no more need for cable subscription”, TheWashingtonPost.com, 10/15/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[21] Turner Logo, Promaxbda.org, RT: 12/01/2014

[22] Turner Company Overview, Turner.com, RT: 12/01/2014

[23] “Time Warner C.F.O. sheds some light on ‘Turner 2020″, CapitalNewYork.com, 9/18/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[24] “Turner Broadcasting, Home of CNN, TBS and TNT, Will Cut 1,475 jobs”, TheNewYorkTimes.com, 10/6/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[25] 2013-14 TV Season Scorecard, MetaCritic.com, 8/8/2013, RT: 12/01/2014

[26] “Kevin Reilly on Turner Move, Industry Rumors and Leaving Broadcast Forever”, TheHollywoodReporter.com, 11/4/2014 RT: 12/01/2014

[27] “Franklin & Bash’ Cancelled By TNT After Four Seasons”, Deadline.com, 11/11/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[28] “Turner Rebrands Boomerang Globally”, TimeWarner.com, 10/14/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[29] NBA on TNT Logo, Blogs.Adobe.com, RT: 12/01/2014

[30] “Turner Broadcasting and the National Basketball Association Reach Nine-Year Media Rights Extension”, TimeWarner.com, 10/6/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[31] “NBA extends partnership with Turner Broadcasting, Disney”, NBA.com, 10/6/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[32] “2014 MLB Postseason on TBS Averages 4.3 Million Total Viewers; Turner Sports’ Most-Viewed Postseason Coverage since 2010”, TimeWarner.com, 10/16/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[33-34] “Dish, Turner dispute continues, eight channels still black”, HD-Report.com, 10/31/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[35] “Turner Broadcasting Says It’s “Unclear” Why Charlie Ergen’s Upset With Its Nets”, Deadline.com, 11/5/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[36] “Dish Restores CNN, Cartoon Network in Contract Extension”, Bloomberg.com, 11/21/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[37] Q3 2014 Earnings Release, TimeWarner.com, 11/5/2014, RT: 12/01/2014

[38] Summary of Time Warner Stock, TimeWarner.com, 12/02/2014, RT: 12/02/2014

[39-40] Annual Reports, TimeWarner.com, 2013, RT: 12/01/2014

[41] Jeff Bewkes Profile, TimeWarner.com, RT: 12/01/2014

[42] Howard M. Averill Profile, TimeWarner.com, RT: 12/01/2014

Scripps Networks Interactive

Posted on October 5, 2014 by orkauffm

by Ryan Kauffman

Scripps Networks Interactive

Photo Courtesy of Logowiki.com [i]

Contact Information [ii]

9721 Sherrill Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37932

(865) 694-2700

http://www.scrippsnetworksinteractive.com

About Scripps Networks Interactive:

Scripps Networks dates back all the way to 1878, when Edward Scripps founded the Penny Press in Cleveland. It was established as one of the leading post-war newspapers, which began to run local television stations. Scripps began to establish its large cable network ultimately becoming one of the biggest cable operators in the country, until it sold many of its assets to Comcast.[iii]

A leader in technology innovation, Scripps Network took advantage of investment opportunities and acquired Cintel Productions, and soon afterwards they announced the launch of HGTV. This program was met with such great success, that Scripps continued with more programming, which led to The Food Network (’97), The DIY Network (’99), The Fine Living Network (’02), Great American Country (’04), and The Travel Channel (’09). These six networks and there incredible online counterparts are a large part of what makes Scripps Networks such a powerful, innovative, and internationally recognized company.[iv]

Key Executives

Kenneth Lowe – CEO

Joseph Necastro – CFO

Burton Jablin – President

Photos courtesy of www.scrippsnetworksinteractive.com [v]

Financials:

Though net income from operations is down .1% this quarter, we are up 3.2% from the beginning of the year at $ 548,759,000, and while this quarter has taken a slight dip, stocks are up in value, and revenue should increase as a result of recent expansion into foreign markets. With an extremely high operating revenue of $1,362,878,000, Scripps can afford to venture into other markets and stay at the forefront of media technology. [vi]

What’s Happening Now

HGTV Singapore Set to launch on December 4th is the Singapore division of HGTV. With one of the highest percentages of home owners, Singapore will provide an interesting new market for SNI, as it will be the first channel in Asia that has a strictly home and lifestyle focus. This partnership with Starhub TV has already created quite a lot of buzz among Singaporeans, who have been able to share “Home Moments” on Facebook, which started back in October. [vii]

Photo courtesy of www.scrippsnetworksinteractive.com[viii]

HGTV will launch with a strong line-up including Property Brothers, Kitchen Cousins, and The High Low Project; however, SNI will holdfast to its commitment of providing locally specialized content as well. Network Executives have noticed a trend in the market of an increased interest in high quality lifestyle content, and Asia is a fantastic market to break into before spreading even further globally.[ix]

Photo courtesy of jumatv.com [x]

Amish RENOgade Scripps Network has been very busy recently, premiering several new shows this fall season and three just this month alone, including Amish RENOgades, starring several memorable characters from the show Vanilla Ice Goes Amish. These members of the Amish community will set out across the county to remodel homes as they go, learning to tackle life outside the Amish community.[xi] The show aired a little over a week ago, and as boston.com says, “it is magic”. The show seamlessly blends lovable character in unfamiliar situations with traditional DIY network content. Watching Amish craftsmen Albert Miller and Robert Schlabach traverse across the country renovating homes, while navigating drive-thrus and social media, all while on camera, provide a truly unique experience.[xii] While only several episodes have aired so far, comments are very positive about the show thus far.[xiii]

Photo courtesy of hgtv.com [xiv]

Property Brothers at Home Also airing within the past week is a spin off of HGTV’s record breaking show, The Property Brothers, which features brothers Drew and Jonathon Scott flipping homes across the country. These siblings knocked it out of the park with their hit show, with over 19 million people tuning in last season, which made it a cable powerhouse. Scripps Network tries to reach a wide array of demographics which can sometimes be difficult. Not surprisingly, The Property Brothers audience is made up 70% by women between 25 and 54. [xv] This is one of many reasons, that their show is so successful, and crucial to SNI. That is why this season, SNI is premiering “Property Brothers at Home”, which will feature Drew and Johnathon Scott renovating their Las Vegas home. This wil be the fourth show headed by the Scott Brother’s, which is why “The Property Brothers at Home” will be so successful. The viewers want a more in depth look into HGTV’s favorite duo, and now it’s here. [xvi]

Other News

Photo courtesy of engadget.com [xviii]

Playstation Vue Sony has announced the Playstation Vue, which will allow players to access around 75 channels on their Playstation 4. Sony describes it as a “web-based television service allows users to access live TV and on-demand content without a cable or satellite service”. SNI has partnered with this program, which will get the brand in front of a younger and wider demographic, and keep the company at the forefront of technology.[xvii]

Photo courtesy of www.thevideoink.com [xix]

Ulive Scripps Networks launched Ulive several years ago as an online video platform, which contains lifestyle content that accents it’s channels. It has increased in popularity over the years, with some sources saying it reaches over 500,000 new viewers per month. Recently however Jeff Meyer and Lisa Owens, the two faces of Ulive have recently left the company. Though the circumstances are unclear, it is confirmed that they will no longer be working on the project. Tamara Franklin, Executive Vice President of Digital will now be heading the site. This change up will be monitored closely over the coming months. [xx]

Coming Soon

Photo courtesy of reedrummond.com [xxii]

The Pioneer Woman In the midst of the Holiday Season, many of the lifestyle networks viewership is greatly increased, and Scripps Network is going taking advantage of this opportunity with several Holiday specials premiering soon. A series of Food Network Stars will have Holiday specials, one of them being “The Pioneer Woman: Cowboy Christmas Special” hosted by
Ree Drummond, who will give viewers an inside look into her life on the ranch at home. Ree has millions of fans, which hopefully will lead to a very successful premiere.[xxi]

Photo Courtesy of hgtv.com [xxv]

Other specials incluse “Outrageous Christmas”, “Holiday Feast with Kelis”, and “Rev Run’s Happy Holidays” all of which will premiere throughout the month of December.[xxiii] While these celebrities are causing a lot of hype for Scripps this Holiday Season, the most buzz is surrounding “White House Christmas”, a special which is set to air on December 14th. The hostess, Genevieve Gorder will give viewers an inside look on how the most famous house in America gets ready for Christmas.[xxiv]

[i] Scripps Networks Interactive Logo. Retrieved 28 November 2014 [ii] Scripps Networks Interactive Contact Information. Retrieved 28 November 2014 [iii] SNI Founding. Retrieved 28 November 2014 [iv] SNI History (Part 2). Retrieved 28 November 2014 [v] SNI Executives. Retrieved 28 November 2014 [vi] SNI Financials. Retrieved 28 November 2014 [vii] HGTV Singapore (Part 1). Retrieved 28 November 2014 [viii] SNI in Singapore Photo.Retrieved 28 November 2014 [ix] HGTV Singapore (Part 2). Retrieved 28 November 2014 [x] Amish RENOgades Photo. Retrieved 28 November 2014 [xi] Amish RENOgades Overview. Retrieved 28 November 2014 [xii] Amish RENOgades Details. Retrieved 28 November 2014 [xiii] Amish RENOgades Comments. Retrieved 28 November 2014 [xiv] Property Brother at Home Photo. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xv] Property Brothers Stats. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xvi] Property Brothers at Home. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xvii] Playstation Vue Overview. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xviii] Playstation Vue Photo. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xix] Ulive Photo. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xx] Ulive Overview. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xxi] Pioneer Woman: Cowboy Christmas Special. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xxii] Ree Drummond Photo. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xxiii] Other Holiday Specials. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xxiv] White House Christmas. Retrieved 29 November 2014 [xxv] White House Christmas Photo. Retrieved 29 November 2014

Principles & Practices

Website by the students of TRF235

Monthly Archives: October 2014

DirecTV

20th Century Fox

Sirius XM Radio

Spotify

iHeartMedia INC.

Link

Contact Information:

Company History

Corporate Leaders:

Financials:

Competitors:

CBS Radio

Viacom

Univision

ABOUT UNIVISION

KEY EXECUTIVES

FINANCES

POPULAR FRANCHISES AND PROGRAMMING

NUESTRA BELLEZA LATINA

THE LATIN GRAMMY

SÁBADO GIGANTE

NEW CROSS-PLATFORM CONTENT

MI CORAZÓN ES TUYO (MY HEART IS YOURS)

IN THE NEWS

MASSIVE LAYOFFS FOR UNIVISION EMPLOYEES IN PUERTO RICO

SHORT-FORM TELENOVELAS

SOURCES

Time Warner (TV/cable channels only)

Turner

Scripps Networks Interactive