Discovery Communications

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Parker Davis

By Parker Davis

Discovery Communications Logo- image courtesy of givingtuesday.org

Overview [1] [2]

TLC Logo- image courtesy of businessinsider.com

John Hendricks originally founded Discovery Communications under the name Appalachian Community Service Network in 1982. The first station launched was The Learning Channel, an educational station for youths and adults alike. When the company changed its name to Discovery Communications in 1985, other education based channels were established such as the Discovery Channel and the first 24/7 HD basic cable channel, Discovery HD, currently known as Velocity [1]. Today, Discovery Communications is the world’s #1 subscription based television network, reaching over 2 billion subscribers in 220 countries. They own over 200 television stations including: the Science Channel, Animal Planet, and OWN. Outside of television, Discovery Communications is also a large publisher of educational books and operates online media channels such as Revision3 and howstuffworks.com [2].

Executives [3]

John S. Hendricks- image courtesy of corporate.discovery.com

John S. Hendricks: Founder and Chairman Discovery Communications

David M. Zaslav- image courtesy of corporate.discovery.com

David M. Zaslav: President and CEO Discovery Communications

Jean Briac Perette- image courtesy of corporate.discovery.com

Jean Briac (JB) Perette: President Discovery Networks International

Financials [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Discovery Communications is publicly traded under three stock series: DISCA, DISCB, and DISCK. Each ticker symbol translates to series A, B, and C stock. The newer issuances indicate a new corporate milestone, thus returning a higher company valuation number, resulting in a higher IPO for the new distribution of shares. DISCA contains the most shareholders. Within the previous three months, DISCA prices ranged from $76.80 to $85.97. Currently, it is recovering from its lowest point in the period, occurring April 15, 2014, and slowly increased 1.7% to $77.83 on April 18 [4].

Comparison of DISCA, DISCB, DISCK over a three month period- courtesy bloomberg.com

Comparison of DISCA, DISCB, DISCK- image courtesy of bloomberg.com

In the Annual Financial Statement for 2013, total revenue equated to $5.54 billion. A 19% increase over 2012, which generated $4.49 billion, a mere 8% increase over 2011 [5]. This growth is credited in their recent “acquisition of the majority stake in Eurosport International will drive international to contributing more than 50 percent of total company revenue” [6]. Discovery Communications possesses only 1% of total market share, competing alongside other media conglomerates such as: A&E, NBCUniversal, and Viacom [7] [8].

Retirement and the Curiosity Project [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

John S. Hendricks- image courtesy of curiosityretreats.com

Discovery founder and chairman, John Hendricks, officially announced his retirement in March. He will formally resign during the annual shareholder’s meeting on May 16; however, he has not released who will take his place as chairman. Although, sources speculate that current CEO, David Zaslav, may be a potential candidate for the position [9]. In his retirement letter to the board of directors, Hendricks explained that he will “spend the next few years traveling the planet and discovering the questions and mysteries that intrigue us all.” He will also use the opportunity to expand his new business, Curiosity Project LLC, announced February 10 of this year [10].

The mission of Curiosity Retreats is to create a unique forum where the lifelong curious can gather to explore in-depth the great questions of today. [11]

Curiosity Video Overview (Vimeo)

One currently operational aspect of the project is retreats for inspirational and open- minded thinkers alike. The retreats are five nights long at the Gateway Canyons resort in Colorado, including a panel of 8 different experts in the field of: science, technology, civilization, and human spirit [12]. The purpose of the retreat is to enlighten already intellectual minds and expand their imagination by collaborating and with others.

Gateway Canyons- image courtesy of multivu.com

The new aspect of Hendricks’ venture is video on demand. His plan is to compile recordings of the experts from the retreats and publish their talks online for an annual fee of $19.99. However, this venture may prove impractical because there are already free services similar to his found in university publications and intellectual websites, such as TED [13].

Hendricks founded Discovery in 1982 and stepped down as CEO in 2004 and began his role as chairman on the board of directors. He was with the company for 32 years [14].

Eurosport [15] [16] [17]

Eurosport Logo- image courtesy of 3.bp.blogspot.com

Discovery Communications is expanding its international affiliations by moving into the televised sports market. On January 21, Discovery purchased controlling share (51%) in Eurosport for $1.2 billion [15]. Since April 2013, Discovery owned 20% stake in the station. The extension was made in a monetary agreement with TF1, a French television network and previous majority owner of Eurosport. The purpose of Discovery’s equity increase is to compete with British Sky Broadcasting and BT, a UK cable provider, for exclusive Premier League television rights [16]. Discovery chose to expand its control over sporting networks so it can combine its international sports rights with its US based stations to avoid competing head on with domestic sporting networks. The new international acquisitions expand Discovery’s network portfolio, thus inflating revenue and control over the total media market [17].

DogTV [18] [19] [20]

DogTV Logo- image courtesy of dogtv.com

Discovery Communications has recently purchased an unspecified percentage of DogTV: a 2 year old network that targets the dog owner demographic and airs content specifically for pet entertainment. The station is distributed through DirecTV and has a subscription fee of $5 for television viewing and $10 for online streaming [17]. Current programming on the network includes 3-6 minute clips focused on a dog’s relaxation, stimulation, and exposure. Discovery Communications has developed a strategic partnership with DogTV, jointly creating similar programming for Animal Planet while spreading the reach of the network to other countries. This tactic by Discovery can be seen as a gamble to invest in television for dogs, however, over 43.3 million US households own at least one dog, collectively spending over $55.8 billion annually on pet products, and over half of which claim their dogs show interest in what occurs on television [18]. The channel is designed to relieve the stress and anxiety of stay at home pets [19].

DogTV in The News (YouTube)

New Form [21] [22] [23]

Left to Right: Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, David Zaslav- image courtesy variety.com

Discovery has co-founded and launched a new digital media site, New Form, alongside producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer [21]. The purpose of the studio is to infiltrate the scripted media market, whereas Discovery contains mainly non-fiction and reality based content. In the startup, the firm appointed Kathleen Grace, former Head of Creative Development for YouTube Space LA, as the Chief Creative Officer for New Form [22]. The videos created will be used in conjunction with current Discovery Digital Networks rather than creating a new site from the ground up. The venture was also announced the same week as Discovery’s upfront presentations to entice advertisers about the concept. Today, media advertisers divide their capital between television and online mediums, serving as a potentially dramatic advertisement revenue increase for Discovery. Zaslav is making the push for Discovery to move into the Internet realm to make their channels easily accessible on all platforms for anyone to use [23].

Interview with David Zaslav and Ron Howard on New Form (Bloomberg)

Works Cited:

[1] Discovery Communications Founder John Hendricks to Retire as Chairman of Company’s Board. Discovery Communications. March 20, 2014. RT: April 13, 2014.

[2] Overview & Mission. Discovery Communications. RT: April 13, 2014.

[3] Leadership. Discovery Communications. RT: April 13, 2014.

[4] Google Finance Data. Google. RT: April 15, 2014.

[5] 2013 Annual Report. Discovery Communications. RT: April 15, 2014.

[6] Discovery CEO touts International Growth, Outlook. The Hollywood Reporter. Georg Szalai. April 3, 2014. RT: April 15, 2014.

[7] Introduction to the Entertainment & Media Industry. Plunkett Research, Ltd. RT: April 15, 2014. Used to calculate total market share.

[8] Top Competitors for Discovery Communications, Inc.. Hoovers. RT: April 15, 2014

[9] Discovery Communications Chairman John Hendricks stepping down. Los Angeles Times. Joe Flint. March, 20 2014. RT: April 17, 2014.

[10] John Hendricks Retirement Letter. John S. Hendricks. March 20, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014.

[11] Curiosity Mission Statement. Curiosity Retreats. RT: April 17, 2014.

[12] Curiosity About Page. Curiosity Retreats. RT: April 17, 2014.

[13] Discovery chairman John Hendricks to step down to pursue lifelong learning academy. Washington Post. Dan Beyers. March 23, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014.

[14] Cable Pioneer John Hendricks to Retire From Discovery Communications. Variety. Cynthia Littleton. March 20, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014.

[15] Discovery Takes Controlling Stake in Eurosport. New York Times. David Gelles. January 21, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014.

[16] Eurosport owner Discovery considering Premier League TV rights bid. The Guardian. Mark Sweney. January 24, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014

[17] Discovery to Take Control of Eurosport International. The Hollywood Reporter. Georg Szalai. January 21, 2014. RT: April 17, 2014

[18] Discovery Acquires Stake in DogTV, a Network Aimed at Canine Viewers. Variety. Todd Spangler. April 8, 2014. RT:April 18, 2014.

[19] Discovery Wants Your Dog To Watch More TV. Bloomberg Businessweek. Kyle Stock. April 8, 2014. RT: April 18, 2014.

[20] Discovery Buys Stake In A TV Channel For Dogs. Huffington Post. Bill Bradley. April 11, 2014. RT: April 18, 2014.

[21] Discovery teams with Howard, Grazer for online shows. USA Today. Roger Yu. April 3, 2014. RT: April 18, 2014.

[22] Brian Grazer, Ron Howard Launch ‘New Form’ Digital Studio With Discovery. The Hollywood Reporter. Natalie Jarvey. April 2, 2014. RT: April 18, 2014.

[23] Howard, Grazer to team with Discovery on Web shows. New York Post. Claire Atkinson. April 2, 2014. RT: April 18, 2014.

AMC Networks

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Tyler Cunningham

By Tyler Cunningham


courtesy of [1] hitstate.com

AMC Network Entertainment LLC

11 Penn Plaza – New York, NY 10001 – (646)-273-7105

HISTORY + ABOUT:

Upon its launch in 1980, AMC Networks was originally known as Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of Cablevision. After 25 years of successful programming and mergers, Cablevision executives took Rainbow Media public on July 1st, 2011 under its new name, AMC Network Entertainment. [2]

courtesy of [3] imgl.wikia.nocookie.net

Now in its third year as a publicly traded company, AMC Networks owns and operates some of today’s most popular cable channels including AMC, Sundance TV, WE tv and IFC. Additionally, the company owns the independent film distributor, IFC Films, as well as the IFC Center cinema in Greenwich Village. [4] AMC Networks has a commitment to producing only the most distinctive and compelling content that engages many different audiences.

KEY EXECUTIVES:

[5]

Charles F. Dolan – Executive Chairman

[5]

Joshua W. Sapan – President & CEO

[5]

Edward A. Carroll – COO

[5]

Sean E. Sullivan – Executive VP & CFO

FINANCIALS AS OF SPRING 2014:

AMC Networks has not yet reported its First Quarter earnings for 2014, however it recently reported its Fourth Quarter & Full-Year Earnings for 2013.

The Fourth Quarter saw a net revenue increase of 18.7% to $435 million, up from $395 million in the company’s Third Quarter report. [6] And what’s more is that 2013 saw an annual net revenue increase of 17.7% to $1.592 billion, up from $1.353 billion in 2012.These increases, according to CEO Joshua Sapan, can be entirely attributed to the company’s “ability to produce content that is valuable and monetizeable.” [7]

courtesy of [8] nasdaq.com

The company is publicly traded as AMCX on NASDAQ and has seen an especially successful Spring 2014. As seen in this graph that documents AMCX’s share price since going public in 2011, the price has been at an all-time high since the beginning of 2014, hitting $78.39 per share on March 7th. This is up from $59.18 on the same day in 2013.

RECENT HAPPENINGS:

AMC’s The Walking Dead Continues its Ratings Reign –

courtesy of [9] beyondhollywood.com

Even in the face of the XXII Winter Olympics, The Walking Dead‘s mid-season premiere on February 9th still garnered 16 million viewers and maintained its position as the highest-rated program on all of television in the key 18-49 demographic. [10] The zombie apocalypse drama’s popularity is commonly attributed to its incredibly tense storytelling and excellent character development. The Walking Dead will return for its fifth season this October.

Chellomedia is Offically Acquried for $1 Billion –

courtesy of [11] chellomediapaytv.com

After a lengthy courting process, AMC Networks purchased the London-based Chellomedia for $1 billion this spring. Chellomedia is a European television content distributor that owns and operates a massive collection of channels that reach an estimated 390 million homes across Europe. AMC Networks reportedly made the acquisition to broaden their European audience. [12] With net earnings of $465 million in 2013, Chellomedia is expected to now make up 20% of AMC Networks’ earnings. [13]

Final Season of Mad Men Opens to Lackluster Ratings –

courtesy of [16]

There’s no denying that Mad Men is one of the most critically-acclaimed shows in recent history, but when it comes to ratings, AMC wins some and they lose some. The seventh and final season of Mad Men premiered on April 13th to just 2.3 million viewers – their lowest premiere rating since the show’s second season in 2008. [14] Media analysts suspect that recycled, overused plot lines in season six (Don was predictably unfaithful, etc.) are to blame for the loss of public interest. [15]

New Drama, Turn, Premieres to Lukewarm Reviews –

AMC was hoping to add to its collection of hit dramas with the new Revolutionary War espionage thriller, Turn. However, it is looking unlikely that they will be able to do so. The series premiere on April 6th opened to a modest 2.1 million viewers (only .5 of them in the 18-49 demographic) and a bag of mixed reviews. [17] While some publications celebrated its arresting cinematography and stellar performances [18], most have labeled the show as “hollow,” with very little suspense or excitement to be found in its storytelling. [19] Turn – Trailer (YouTube)

UPCOMING PROJECTS:

Tech Drama, Halt and Catch Fire, to Premiere June 1st –

With Breaking Bad put to rest and Mad Men not far behind, “the question of ‘what’s next’ looms large for AMC.” [20] And many who attended the SXSW sneak peak of Halt and Catch Fire argue that the new series has what it takes to be the network’s next big smash. [21] The 1980s period drama tells the story of three techies with dreams of creating a more perfect personal computer that has the potential of replacing the most popular IBM model. The show’s riveting storytelling explores the multiple motives, burned bridges and egos involved in the fight to weaken IBM as the dominant player in the marketplace. The aptly titled series is slated for a June 1st premiere. Halt and Catch Fire – Trailer (YouTube)

courtesy of [25] amctv.com

Breaking Bad spinoff, Better Call Saul, to Premiere in November –

Diehard Breaking Bad fans were given reason to live again after a spinoff series, Better Call Saul, was announced following the show’s wrap. The show will center around Bob Odenkirk’s character, Saul Goodman, Albuquerque’s favorite crooked lawyer, and is named after the character’s hopelessly corny business slogan. The show will not be “Breaking Bad 2.0,” but rather a dive into the smattering of trouble and hilarity that ensues as a result of Saul’s shady business practices. [22] Better Call Saul – Webisode (YouTube)

courtesy of [26] leviathyn.com

Dark Comic Series, Preacher, to be Adapted for Television –

After many failed starts with other production companies, the 1990s comic book series, Preacher, will receive its first major television treatment from AMC. Preacher tells the story of Jesse Custer, a Texas preacher who becomes possessed by a supernatural entity that is half-angel, half-demon, making Custer the most powerful creature on Earth. Through his possession, he discovers that God has abandoned his responsibilities in Heaven and is now roaming freely on Earth. A preacher to his core, Custer sets out on a journey to track down God and send him back to his post. However, there are many demonic forces that will stop at nothing to keep this preacher from reaching God. The Seth Rogan-produced religious thriller is hoped to bring success similar to that of The Walking Dead. [23] A release date has not yet been set.

courtesy of [24] empireonline.com

SOURCES:

[1] – HitState, RT: 4/16/2014

[2] – Deadline, RT: 4/16/2014

[3] – imgl.wikia.nocookie, RT: 4/16/2014

[4] – AMC Networks, RT: 4/16/2014

[5] – AMC Networks – Investors, RT: 4/17/2014

[6] – AMC Networks – Investors, RT: 4/17/2014

[7] – Seeking Alpha, RT: 4/17/2014

[8] – NASDAQ, RT: 4/17/2014

[9] – Beyond Hollywood, RT: 4/17/2014

[10] – Seeking Alpha, RT: 4/18/2014

[11] – Chellomedia, RT: 4/18/2014

[12] – The Hollywood Reporter, RT: 4/18/2014

[13] – Seeking Alpha, RT: 4/18/2014

[14] – E! Online, RT: 4/18/2014

[15] – Indiewire, RT: 4/18/2014

[16] – SquareSpace, RT: 4/18/2014

[17] – Vulture, RT: 4/18/2014

[18] – The Daily Beast, RT: 4/19/2014

[19] – Variety, RT: 4/19/2014

[20] – Forbes, RT: 4/19/2014

[21] – Indiewire, RT: 4/19/2014

[22] – Screenrant, RT: 4/19/2014

[23] – The Hollywood Reporter, RT: 4/19/2014

[24] – Empire, RT: 4/19/2014

[25] – AMC TV, RT: 4/19/2014

[26] – Leviathyn, RT: 4/19/2014

Pandora Radio

Posted on November 21, 2013 by eamoomey

By Isaiah Mendez

Pandora Media, Inc.

2101 Webster Street
16th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
510.451.4100

http://www.pandora.com/

About the Company [1]:

Pandora Internet Radio is an internet music streaming service that is only available in the United States, New Zealand and Austrailia. It provides both A major competitor with other internet radio providers such as Clear Channel Communications, SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. and CBS Radio Inc., Pandora is known for it’s Music Genome Project, which creates customized playlists for users by analyzing the musical characteristics of songs that they listen to. The internet service can be accessed using a free account or by purchasing a monthly subscription. Pandora Media Inc. was founded in Oakloand, California by Tim Westergren in the year 2000 at the same time as the the Music Genome Project. Pandora currently has additional corporate locations in Houston, TX and in New York City.

Key Executives [2]:

Brian McAndrews – Chief Executive Officer, President & Chairman

Tim Westergren – Chief Strategy Officer & Founder

Tom Conrad – Chief Technology Officer & Executive Vice President of Product

Mike Herring – Chief Financial Officer

John Trimble – Chief Revenue Officer

Delida Costin – General Counsel

Simon Fleming-Wood – Chief Marketing Office

Financial Information [3]:

As of August 22nd, 2013, Pandora Media Inc reported a successful financial year. For the 2Q14 financial period, Pandora made a total revenue of $157.4, which is a $31.9 million increase from the previous fiscal quarter ($128.5 million). Their advertising revenue for the fiscal period was a whopping $33.5 million, which included a $4.7 million in revenue relating to their subscription return reserve.

News:

Insider Selling

The Executive VP of Pandora, Thomas Conrad sold 55,000 shares of the company’s stock for a total of $1,677,500.00 [4] in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 18th of 2013. After this transaction, the executive VP now owns 529,190 shares of the company’s stock. The disclosure of the sale is located in a document filed by the Securities & Exchange Commission [5]. In an official research note to investors on Tuesday, November 19th, analysts at Piper Jaffray Cos., reiterated an “overweight” rating on Pandora’s shares, making note of the price target of these shares from $27.00 to $37.00.

Pandora says iTunes Radio not affecting business…

Even if the numbers seem to report otherwise. According to an Apple Insider article from November 5th of this year, Pandora lost 1.8 million listeners to Itunes Radio shortly after it was first deployed [6]. At a recent iPad event that took place on October 22, chief executive Tim Cook noted that Apple’s iTunes Radio service had a total of 20 million users on it’s debut [7] , who played a collective 1 billion songs.

Initially, before iTunes Radio was launched, Mike Herring of Pandora called the service a “credible threat [8], while at the same time showing optimism about Pandora’s continued dominance in the internet radio business. Interestingly enough, Pandora listening hours actually grew by 9 percent during the same month that iTunes Radio launched, which explains why they do not view it as a threat to business.

For one, this is believed to be caused by Pandora’s continual growth as a station. The company says that it is looking to expand it’s operations beyond it’s current boundaries of the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand in the new future, and could use some of the close to $400 million riased in September stock offering for the proposed expansion.

Another reason Pandora is not considering iTunes a credible threat may be related to the fact that they had recently waived their 40-hour-listening-cap for free users as of September of this year [9], a very bold step the company took as a precautionary business measure before iTunes Radio was released.

Oakland Raiders get their own Pandora station

Oakland Raiders

According to an article from the San Jose Mercury News, The Oakland Raiders now how their own channel on Pandora Radio as of November 15th of this year [10]. The name of the new station is the Raider Nation Station, which plays a mix of Raiders-themed songs chosen by members of the football team themselves. As a part of the great endeavor, five Raiders team members spent time at Pandora headquarters, which is also located in Oakland, California, in order to get a behind the scenes look on how Pandora allows users to customize their own music experiences. The five players who took part in this– Tyvon Branch, Rashad Jennings, Marquette King, Rod Streater and Jared Veldheer- also recorded spots that are to be played on the Raider Nation Station.

Sources:

[1]: http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.Pandora_Media_Inc.2b1700451b5b52de.html

[2]: http://investor.pandora.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=227956&p=irol-govManage

[3]: http://investor.pandora.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=227956&p=quarterlyearnings

[4]: http://www.wkrb13.com/markets/230485/insider-selling-thomas-conrad-sells-55000-shares-of-pandora-media-stock-p/

[5]: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1230276/000123027613000168/xslF345X01/edgar.xml

[6]: http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/11/05/pandora-says-itunes-radio-not-affecting-business-loses-nearly-2m-active-listeners

[7]: http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/10/22/apples-app-store-hits-1m-options-itunes-radio-users-play-1b-songs

[8]: http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/10/16/apples-itunes-radio-is-credible-threat-says-pandora-cfo

[9]: http://www.webpronews.com/pandora-lifts-40-hour-per-month-streaming-cap-2013-08

[10]: http://www.mercurynews.com/music/ci_24532234/oakland-raiders-get-own-pandora-station

SiriusXM Radio

Quote

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Aaron Liebman

By Aaron Liebman

Sirius XM Radio Inc.
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York City, New York, U.S.

Phone: 1-866-528-7474
Website: http://www.siriusxm.com

Company Overview

Sirius XM Radio Inc. is a broadcasting corporation that provides satellite radio services in the United States and Canada. It is the largest radio broadcaster in terms of revenue and has over 25 million subscribers. The company is the result of the merger between Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio. [1]

SiriusXM produces and broadcasts a wide variety of commercial-free music; exclusive talk and entertainment; comedy and news; premier sports and live events; and the biggest selection of Latin music, talk, and sports programming in radio. SiriusXM offers an array of exclusive content that encompasses virtually all interests and genres including Bruce Springsteen, Eminem, Oprah Winfrey, Comedy Central, Howard Stern, and many more. Since most of its subscribers listen to the radio on the go, SiriusXM has partnerships with all major automakers to install satellite radio in their vehicles. [1] [2]

Key Executives:

James E. Meyer [4][a]

Chief Executive Officer, Sirius XM Radio Inc.

Scott Greenstein [4][b]

President and Chief Content Officer

Dara Altman [4][c]

Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer

Financial Information (3rd quarter)

Revenue: $961,509
Total Operating Expenses: $676,980
Net Income: $62,894
Top Competitors: Clear Channel Communications, Dial Global, Cumulus Media [5]

The third quarter revenue was up 10.85% from 2012’s third quarter revenue of $867,360. Since SiriusXM Radio has very little advertising, 87% of their total revenue is from subscription fees [2]. SiriusXM had a total revenue in 2012 of $3,402,040, a 13% increase from their 2011 revenue of 3,014,524. The increase in revenue can be attributed to a 9% increase in average number of subscribers, as well as an increase in subscriptions to premium services, including internet streaming and data services. As of January 17, 2013, Liberty Media Corporation owns 50% in shares of SiriusXM’s common stock. [3]

Automotive Distribution

Courtesy of marketplayground.com

[d]

On November 20th, Sirius XM purchased Agero Inc’s connected vehicle service unit for $530 million. This major purchase will dramatically help SiriusXM broaden their service along with their reach. Agero’s connected vehicle unit will not merely be a selling point to increase radio subscriptions. The purchase of this unit will allow SiriusXM to dominate the connected vehicle market while also broadening the company’s brand as more than simply an entertainment broadcast company. SiriusXM will become a leader in in-vehicle technology. While radio will remain the main focus of the company’s business, the company will move its attention towards providing a variety of car connectivity solutions. SiriusXM will become the in-vehicle source for navigation, radio, traffic alerts, weather updates, and emergency services while providing the company with a large amount of driver data which can be used to predict future user needs and alter product offerings. [6]

On August 21st 2013, SiriusXM launched its “Service Lane” program which offers customers a free 2-month subscription following visits to selected auto dealerships. [7] With the Service Lane program, new- and used- car owners who bring their car in for service at

Courtesy of autoremarketing.com

their local dealership are eligible to receive the temporary free subscription. Service Lane is being used by dealers as a way to build loyalty and show customer appreciation. [8]

[f]

In April of 2013, SiriusXM and BMW announced that BMW customers now receive a one year subscription to SiriusXM’s All Access Package with each new vehicle purchase. This provides customers with in car satellite radio as well as access to streaming content on Sirius XM Internet Radio. The All Access package also comes with a radio app that allows BMW customers to easily listen to their favorite programing at home or in the office on their smartphone or tablet. [9]

Courtesy of bimmerpost.com

[g]

Programming

To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, SiriusXM is launching “JFK: 50 Years Later” – a limited-run pop up channel that provides listeners with an opportunity to hear extensive JFK programming. [10] The channel offer multiple

Courtesy of boston.com

perspectives from hosts including Oliver Stone, Chris Matthews, Sarah Palin, Dan Rather and former Secret Service agent Clint Hill. The show will feature guests who will offer their personal reflections about the assassination as well as eyewitness insight. The show debuts at 6:00 am, November 22. [11]

[h]

SiriusXM subscribers get exclusive listening access to concert premiers from Pearl Jam’s new “Lightning Bolt” tour on “Peal Jam Radio” – channel 22. The channel will broadcast a different show from the tour every Friday at 6pm starting November 18th and will rebroadcast on Saturdays at 7pm. Pearl Jam sat down with Brendan O’Brien, who

Courtesy of guerrillacandy.com

[i]
produced their latest album, for SiriusXM’s “Town Hall” series – an intimate gathering of iconic musicians and entertainers in front of a studio audience of SiriusXM listeners. Pearl Jam Radio features concerts, interviews, greatest hits as well as hidden gems from the band’s celebrated 20-year career. [12]

With the holiday season quickly approaching, SiriusXM launched its holiday music channels on November 4th. With seven commercial free holiday channels, spanning multiple genres and decades of music, SiriusXM provides listeners with the most comprehensive lineup of holiday music on the radio. “Holiday Traditions” on channel 4 will feature classic holiday music from the 40’s through the 60’s. “Holly” on channel 17 will

Courtesy of siriusbuzz.com

feature contemporary holiday tunes from artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Miriah Carey and many more. “Navidad” on channel 756 will offer contemporary Latin holidy music with artists such as Gloria Estefan, Marco Antonio, and Jose Feliciano. These are a few examples of the variety of holiday music that is offered on SiriusXM radio. The seven temporary channels will also be available through online streaming at siriusxm.com as well as on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smartphones. [13][j]

MySMX

MySMX is new way for subscribers to personalize their SiriusXM Radio Experience. Users can personalize there preferences for over 50 channels to better fit their tastes.

Courtesy of billboard.com

[k]
Users can fine tune their preferences to discover new music and increase the library size of the song selection for a given channel, allowing users to create hundreds of variations. [14]

Sources

Written

[1] http://www.siriusxm.com/corporate
[2] http://investor.siriusxm.com/annuals.cfm
[3] http://investor.siriusxm.com/sec.cfm [4] http://www.siriusxm.com/bios
[5] http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/competition.SIRIUS_XM_Radio_Inc.b9d4eb02dddf9714.html
[6] http://seekingalpha.com/article/1851611-sirius-xm-telematics-worth-billions?source=google_news
[7] http://investor.siriusxm.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=786566
[8] http://www.autonews.com/article/20130617/OEM06/306179941#axzz2lBJEZiLH
[9] http://www.bimmerfile.com/2013/04/18/bmw-customers-now-get-one-year-subscription-to-siriusxms-all-access-package-with-new-vehicle-purchase/
[10] http://investor.siriusxm.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=808660
[11] http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jfk-50-years-later-launches-on-siriusxm-to-commemorate-the-50th-anniversary-of-president-john-f-kennedy-assassination-232663961.htm
[12] http://investor.siriusxm.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=807714
[13] http://investor.siriusxm.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=804094
[14] http://investor.siriusxm.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=756498

Images

[a] http://satelliteradioplayground.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/James-E.-Meyer-Sirius-XM-Radio-CEO.jpeg [b] http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BODkyOTYxMjA1N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMTI0OTIz._V1._SX294_SY400_.jpg
[c] http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/SIRI/0x0x243733/D3586288-7197-4615-9A67-50C63C015110/daraaltman_resized.jpg
[d] http://marketplayground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Sirius-XM-Edge-car.jpg
[e] http://assets.dice.com/external/images/empLogos/b7f60971888e91049eb24431b956cea5.gif
[f] http://www.autoremarketing.com/sites/default/files/sirius-xm_1_0.jpg?1377113777
[g] http://www.bimmerpost.com/wp-content/themes/next/mythumb.php?src=http://www.bimmerpost.com/storyimages/4c59d569-9676-1850.jpg&h=736&w=1140&zc=1&s=1
[h] http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/JFK50_11_21/k01_STA45161.jpg [i] http://www.guerrillacandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/CUB_3537_1-2.jpg
[j] http://siriusbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/mongo-christmas.gif
[k] http://www.billboard.com/files/styles/promo_650/public/media/mysxm_siriusxm_650.jpg

Hulu

Link

by Sarah Thaler

Hulu LLC
12312 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Phone: (310)-571-4700
Fax: (310)-571-4701
www.hulu.com

Company Overview
Both a website and over-the-top subscription service, Hulu provides online video streaming of a wide variety of video that range anywhere from current hit television series, movies, and webisodes to behind the scenes footage and movie trailers from an array of networks. In it’s current standing, Hulu is only offered to residents of the United States and Japan; regions outside of these countries are blocked by an IP address location. The Hulu platform allows users to access content through internet-receiving devices such as popular gaming consoles like the “Wii” and “Xbox”. Internet-viable televisions, set-top boxes, tablets, and of course, the PC are also used to transmit content instantly. Hulu’s display presents content in a flash video format to ensure speedy streaming and high-quality resolution; selected media can be streamed in HD depending on the network providing the syndicated content. Web syndication services are also provided by Hulu to companies like Facebook, AOL and Comcast to keep users within reach of supported affiliates. Hulu was created in 2008 initially by Beth Comstock as a joint venture of NBCUniversal Television Group (Comcast), Fox Broadcasting Company (21st Century Fox) and Disney–ABC Television Group (The Walt Disney Company), and was partially funded by Providence Equity Partners. However, in October of 2012, Providence Equity Partners sold it’s ten-percent share of Hulu LLC and is no longer a part of its holdings. [1] [2]

Key Executives: [2]

Mike Hopkins [a]

Chief Executive Officer

Chadwick Ho [b]

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Elaine Paul [c]

Chief Financial Officer

Jean-Paul Colaco [d]

Senior Vice President and General Manager of Advertising

Financials

Hulu’s ad-supported business model is portion of it’s revenue along with customer purchases of subscriptions to Hulu plus. Because Hulu is a private holding, quarterly financials are not reported or disclosed to the general public. However, former CEO Jason Kilar revealed the 2012 figures, along with the numbers Hulu has achieved in the past five years in a blog post that wrapped up the fiscal year to perhaps illustrate the stark progression in the company’s net value. In 2012, Hulu broke records generating a 65% increase from their 2011 numbers and grossing $695 million in revenue, an all-time high for the company. [3] [4]
[e]

The Hollywood Insider briefed Hulu’s 2012 financials as well and reported that:

“The Hulu Plus subscription product, which launched in November 2010, boasts 3 million paying subscribers today, more than twice what they were at the end of 2011.The service increased title offerings by 40 percent in 2012 to 60,000 TV episodes, 2,300 TV series and 50,000 hours of video on Hulu and Hulu Plus. Kilar also said Hulu spent more than $500 million to acquire content this year.”

Viewership and Programming
[e]

Viewership numbers of Hulu users are measured through the same rating companies that track other media-viewing platforms such as Neilson, Quantcast, and ComScore. According to their findings, viewership numbers are steadily decreasing despite their impressive revenue for the 2012 fiscal year dropping from 19 million viewers in December 2011 to 12 million in August 2012.

[f]

Hulu’s current content partners (NBC, ABC, Fox, Current TV, ION Television, USA Network, Bravo, Fuel TV, FX, NFL Network, Speed, Big Ten Network, Syfy, Sundance, E!, G4, Versus, A&E, Oxygen and online comedy sources such as Onion News Network) allow the company to distribute their content on the Hulu website while Hulu reaps (on average) thirty to fifty percent of the advertising revenue generated by the shows it distributes.

Watch Battlefield trailer here

Hulu does have a few of their own original content segments that air exclusively on their webisode-style platform. In 2011, the launch of their first series “The Morning After“, a satirical, comedic news show, on Hulu plus. This marked a moment in the company’s transition from a strictly content-distributing-only business model to one of both content distributing and producing. In January 2012, Hulu announced the release of their first scripted program “Battleground”, a political drama series shot in through a documentary style lens to air on the free Hulu platform to appeal to wider audience numbers. Also included in Hulu’s repertoire of original content are “The Fashion Fund”, a female-audience geared reality series where the winner of the show will receive $300,000 to start their career in the fashion industry, “Up To Speed” a historical travel series, and “A Day In the Life”a documentary series that follows a musician and producer.

^{In April of 2012, Hulu added four more shows to their list that they have promised to air in the next few years if funds and viewing numbers permit; We Got Next, The Awesomes, Don’t Quit Your Daydream, and Flow. Today, Hulu has joined forces with BBC to create a series that satisfies consumer craving for British humor and comedic thrill; “The Wrong Man” [5] [6]}

^{Watch The Wrong Man trailer here}

What’s Next?

[g]
Hulu continues to grapple with possible methods of surpassing it’s big-name competitors such as Netflix, Youtube, iTunes, and Amazon. To separate themselves from the rest, Hulu aims to keep their content on the cutting-edge and easily streamable for its users.

pay-TV bundles: The Wall Street Journal on November 12th 2013 posted an article discussing Hulu’s interest in offering subscribers pay-TV bundles. Hulu has recognized that binge watching has become a shameless trend in viewership. According to the journal article companies willing to participate and partner with Hulu in the projected route to pay-TV are Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable Inc., Cox Communications Inc., AT&T Inc.,and Verizon Communications Inc. Hulu has also discussed arrangements with AT&T to bundle its Hulu Plus subscription service with their wireless broadband offerings. [7]
HuluPlus integration with iOs and Chromecast: On October 21st, 2013 Hulu announced on it’s official blog that HuluPlus will be adding iOS support for Google’s popular Chromecast device, which plugs into any HDTV to let users watch online videos from tablets, smartphones or computers. HuluPlus first came to Chromecast on iPad and Android. The HuluPlus app also allows users to browse content, pause shows and add episodes to a queue, while simultaneously “casting” it to a TV. The Hulu Plus integration with Chromecast will convert the app into a custom remote letting users control video on their Chromecast connected TVs, while allowing them to browse the Hulu Plus app directly from their iPhones as well. [8] [9]
[h]

Sources (written content)

[1] http://www.hulu.com/about

[2] http://www.crunchbase.com/company/hulu

[3] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hulu-ceo-jason-kilar-exit-408664

[4] http://blog.hulu.com/2013/01/04/some-news-to-share/

[5] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-31/hulu-targets-binge-viewers-with-full-release-of-original-series.html

[6] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/21/hulu-expands-original-content_n_1532718.html

[7] http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304644104579193833342811814

[8] http://blog.hulu.com/2013/10/21/hulu-plus-for-chromecast-live-on-iphone/

[9] gizmodo.com/hulu-is-coming-to-chromecast-987997861

Image Sourcing

[a] http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQe3GtayDsc6qVZlMRUZy4cFGzZKOGrU4teP0iXXbmnJp5bvt05YA

[b] http://www.crunchbase.com/person/chadwick-ho&h=250&w=166&sz=49&tbnid=lxWCbqjcOdKFdM:&tbnh=142&tbnw=94&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dchadwick%2Bho%2Bimage%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=chadwick+ho+image&usg=__UcaWScc1ANZNgcTUZ8ZL3GOKLNQ=&docid=5D_TNAiT1nLo6M&sa=X&ei=EBWNUo-SH8W14AO31oHQDg&ved=0CC0Q9QEwAA

[c] http://www.thewrap.com/hulu-disney-elaine-paul-cfo

[d] http://adage.com/article/digital/hulu-ad-chief-jp-colaco-latest-depart-video-service/244501/

[e] http://blog.hulu.com/2013/01/04/some-news-to-share/

[f] http://appadvice.com/appnn/2012/05/hulu-rumor-what-is-this-1985

[g] http://www.huluvsnetflix.net/tag/netflix-vs-amazon-vs-hulu-plus/

[h] http://gizmodo.com/hulu-is-coming-to-chromecast-987997861

Zynga

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Caroline Mahony

Zynga, Inc.
699 Eighth St
San Francisco, CA 94103

Phone Number: (855) 449-9642
Fax Number: (302) 636-5454
Website: http://www.zynga.com

Zynga, Inc. was founded with the mission of “connecting the world through games” It is a leading provider of social game services for the web and mobile worlds, and it boasts franchises such as FarmVille, Words With Friends, and Zynga Poker. As of September 30, 2013, the company had 133 million monthly active users enjoying its games. Zynga games are available on Facebook, Zynga.com, Apple iOS, and Google Android. [1]

Zynga was founded in 2007 in San Francisco, California by Mark Pincus, Eric Schiermeyer, Michael Luxton, Justin Waldron, Kyle Stewart, Scott Dale, Steve Schoettler, and Andrew Trader. Mark Pincus’ American bulldog Zinga serves as the inspiration behind the name and logo of the company. [2]

As of July 1, 2013, Don Mattrick is the current CEO as well as the member of its board of directors, after serving as President of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. Also on the board of directors are L. John Doerr, who also serves on the board of Directors for Google, Inc.; William “Bing” Gordon, who has a background in venture capitalism; Reid Hoffman, who served as Chairman of the Board of LinkedIn Corporation; Jeffrey Katzenberg, who also serves as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc; Stanley J. Meresman, who has directed several private and public companies, Sunil Paul, who also has a background in venture capitalism; and Ellen Siminoff, President and CEO of Shmoop University, Inc. Board members contribute to the company with fresh and diverse experiences, having been appointed as recently as April of 2013. [2]

Zynga also has an impressive leadership team that works on projects for social good. For example, since 2009, Zynga has raised over $15 million dollars for non-profits by connecting their over 1 million players with fifty different organizations. In 2013, Zynga partnered with NewSchools Venture Fund to improve the quality and radius of learning games and mobile applications by creating an education technology accelerator. [3]

On October 24, 2013, Zynga announced its Third Quarter Financial Results for the quarter that ended on September 30. Zynga saw revenue of $203 million, which was down 36% year-over-year. It also saw bookings of $152 million, down 40% year-over-year. The company experienced a net loss of $68 thousand dollars, and, before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization, saw earnings of $7 million. In response, CEO Don Mattrick seemed confident:

Our teams are working hard to compete more aggressively on the web, move to mobile and develop new hits, and I am happy with the early progress we have made…I am confident that Zynga is rewiring itself in a meaningful way that will strengthen the core of our business and put us back on track to achieve significant long term growth and profits.

Mattrick seemed confident, despite the fact that his companies “rewiring,” or restructuring, cost them $17 million dollars in office closures and acquisitions impairments. [4]

Zynga did take some hits this past year. Their results also showed a general decrease in usership from the third quarter of 2012 to the third quarter in 2013. Daily active users decreased 49% to 30 million users, monthly active users decreased 57% to 133 million, monthly unique users decreased 45% to 97 million, and monthly unique players decreased 46% to 1.6 million. On the bright side, average daily bookings per average daily active user increased 17% to $0.055. [4]

During the third quarter of 2013 alone, Zynga launched Fairy Tale Twist, Ninja Kingdom, and Hit it Rich on web platforms. [5]

For mobile platforms, in the third quarter of 2013, it launched 1 Word (KiK Messenger App) and CastleVille Legends. New Scramble with Friends, Baseball Slam (3P), and CityVille KRE-O are also new hits that Zynga released. As of the end of the third quarter of 2013, Zynga had 3 of the top 10 games on Facebook, the ever-popular FarmVille 2, Zynga Poker, and Words With Friends. These results are based on the daily active user count reported by Facebook Application Programming Interface. [5]

Zynga is a company publically traded on the New York Stock Exchange. As of November 20, the stocks are priced at $4.11 a share [6], and have been impressively strong lately, due to themes/events of the past month that drew momentum behind the company. Under Don Mattrick, the new CEO, Zynga has shifted its focus. Originally, the company wrestled with the idea of real money games to create a loyal and ever-growing user base, as well as a chunky revenue stream, but after licensing problems, they ditched the idea. Instead, Zynga is focusing its attention on the mobile gaming market in order to decrease their dependence on the social market [7]. For example, Zynga originally earned 90% of their bookings from Facebook, but that has decreased to 76%. This can be partially attributed to Facebook charging a 30% revenue share agreement. Perhaps if online gambling becomes legal, Zynga may decide to reshift their focus once again.

In November of 2013, Zynga won a high profile lawsuit against Mattel’s Scrabble. Scrabble sued Zynga for using the name “Scramble with Friends,” which they claimed was too similar to its own trademark. [8]

High Court Justice Peter Smith dismissed the claim that the name was too similar, but motioned that Zynga change the way it displayed the name. More specifically, of one the “M”s in “Scramble” is displayed in a corkscrew style, which the judge ruled “gives the impression that the word is Scrabble when one looks at it quickly and has the propensity to confuse.” Once the logo is changed, Zynga is good to go, and will continue distributing the game in the United Kingdom. [8]

Zynga has caught the eyes of technology buffs, stock market observers, mobile app designers, and game players alike. Within the past year, the company has reported revenue losses and the loss of two top executives. However, with new CEO Don Mattrick, the company is exploring new and innovative ways to continue the success it has seen even in such infancy. Projected revenue for the final quarter of 2103 is between $175 million and $185 million, with net loss estimated between $21 billion and $31 million. The future of the company looks bright, but only time will tell.

Sources

[1] Zynga background information

[2] Zynga’s key players

[3] Zynga leadership team

[4] Zynga Third Quarter Financial Results

[5] New Zynga games

[6] Zynga stock information

[7] Zynga’s new mobile strategy

[8] Scramble with Friends vs. Scrabble

Twitter

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Sona Kim

By Sona Kim

Twitter Logo [1]

1355 Market Street
Suite 900
San Francisco, CA 94103

Executives:

Dick Costolo – CEO [2]

Ali Rowghani – COO [3]

Mike Gupta – CFO [4]

Adam Bain – President of Global Revenue [5]

Company Profile

Twitter is a micro blogging and social networking platform where users can read and send tweets limited to 140 characters. It is currently the tenth most popular website worldwide and boasted 232 million users in this quarter alone. Over 500 million Tweets are sent everyday and 76% of active users are on mobile. [6] Looking at a US demographic, 16% of US adults use Twitter and one in ten adults get their news from Twitter. [7]

Twitter Demographics [19]

History

Twitter was initially part of a podcasting firm called Odeo and became its own company in 2007. The company expanded its user base immensely during the 2007 SXSW Conference after successfully placing two plasma screens that streamed Twitter messages. [8] In 2010, Twitter announced that they would offer paid advertising, or “promoted tweets” which has become a major revenue stream for the company.

CBS Radio

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Drew Brown Brown

CBS Radio- Courtesy of www.cbsradio.com[1]

By: Drew Brown

1271 Avenue of the Americas FL 44 New York, NY 10020 (212) 649-9600 www.cbsradio.com

CBS Corporation

CBS, Columbia Broadcasting System, Corporation is a mass media company that creates and distributes industry leading content across a variety of platforms to audiences around the world. The Company has businesses with origins that date back to the dawn of the broadcasting age as well as new ventures that operate on the leading edge of media.[2]

History

CBS Radio is one of the oldest units within CBS Corporation, and has been around since 1928, founded by William Paley.

With 126 radio stations in 27 markets, including all of the Top 10, and an extensive array of digital assets, CBS RADIO interacts with more than 65 million consumers nationwide each week with the latest in news, sports and entertainment. CBS RADIO distributes its programming via AM, FM and HD Radio stations, Radio.com, and CBS Local Digital Media apps, making engaging with audiences easier than ever before.[3] CBS prides itself on hiring the best on-air personalities, to creating a more personal listening experience for the people. Having frequent promotions and prizes for daily listeners, this is one of the many reasons CBS is a powerhouse in entertainment and broadcasting industry.

Executives [4][5][6][7][8]

: Dan Mason, President & CEO [4]

: Scott Herman, EVP Operations [5]

: Chris Oliviero, EVP Programming[6]

: Jo Ann Haller, Sr. Vice President & General Counsel [7]

: Micheal Weiss, President, Sales [8]

Company Dominance

CBS Radio stations thrive in all 27 different major markets. Made available in the CBS Corporation 3rd Quarter 2013 investors newsletter, CBS Radio stations continue to dominate in generating revenue. The list below shows CBS Radio stations revenue standings in the top 10 markets.[9]

[9]

CBS Radio stations set the bar high and continue to excel over both music and talk formated stations. This year, CBS Radio stations won five NAB Marconi Radio Awards, which is considered to be a top honor in radio. [10]

WBBM-AM/FM (Chicago): The Legendary Station Award
WBZ-AM (Boston): News and Talk station of the Year
WZLX-FM (Boston): Rock station of the Year
KLOL-FM (Houston): Spanish station of the Year
WVEE-FM (Atlanta): Urban station of the Year

Financials- Third Quarter 2013 Results

CBS company has received its best numbers to date for the 3rd quarter. The company has seen an increase in revenue, operating income before depreciation and amortization, operating income, and diluted earnings per share.

[11]

Sumner Redstone, CBS Executive Chairmen, had this to say about the company, “CBS’s third quarter proves once again why content is king.”[12] CBS prides itself on producing content for the viewer/listener. “Our programming is becoming more valuable all the time as we continue to take advantage of the ever-expanding multiplatform world, I know that CBS is poised for continued success for many years to come.”[13] At the close of the New York Stock Exchange on November 19th, 2013 CBS Corporation was trading at $59.60 a share. [14]

CBS Corp. Stock – Courtesy of www.marketwatch.com [14]

Recent Activity

CBS Radio company have been pioneers in the entertainment industry, always creating new ways to produce and distribute content to reach as listeners as possible. CBS radio has collaborated with with sports teams, audio companies, and has created online platforms to reach their millions of listeners.

September 2013

Launch of Fierro

Fierro Logo – Courtesy of www.radiosyndicationtalk.com [14.5]

This past September, CBS Radio teamed up with WestwoodOne to launch a new 24/7 program of regional Mexican music available to radio stations nationwide called Fierro. Jimmy Gonzalez, Vice President, Spanish Programming, for CBS RADIO stated, “Fierro’s strength lies in teaming the hottest Regional Mexican hits with some of the very best radio talent in any format” [15] This partnership with CBS Radio and WestwoodOne will benefit both companies as they continue to help promote the Spanish-language radio space. CBS Radio hope to reach more spanish speaking listeners and create niche for those listeners.

CBS & Brooklyn

Barclays Center – Courtesy of www.netsdaily.com [15.5]

CBS Radio has joined forces with the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center to not only gain Nets’ radio rights, but will also carry any other event that goes on in the Barclays center. This deal is valuable for both companies, more people will gain knowledge about what is happening in the Barclays Center when basketball games are not going on. Dan Mason stated, “We’re a marketing machine for them to put on more events, and we both share the success of that.” [16]

October 2013

Audio AdCenter

Audio AdCenter Logo – Courtesy of www.audioadcenter.com [16.5]

This past October CBS announced the launch of Audio AdCenter, a new means for companies to buy online audio advertisement. This deal makes it easier than ever for local companies to advertise over CBS Radio’s 125 online streams from stations in top markets. [17]

Shown below are the steps taken to create audio ad:

[18]

November 2013

Amy Stevens

Amy Stevens – Courtesy of www.allaccess.com [18.5]

CBS Radio created a new position for Amy Stevens, Senior Vice President of Strategic events and Partnerships. As a leader in local broadcasting Stevens will report to Dan Mason with ideas of new concerts and live experiences that appeal to new audiences and advertisers. Stevens has much experience in this industry as she use to work Madison Square Garden entertainment running their marketing concerts and media integration.[19] Dan Mason had this to say about Stevens and how her role will help the company flourish, “Her combination of expertise in radio promotion and close ties to the record labels and artist management will bolster our endeavors as we establish additional opportunities locally and nationally to engage with marketers and our audiences.”[20]

Building the Perfect Company

CBS Radio has and will continue to break new ground in the entertainment and Broadcasting industry. CBS Radio has shown that they are not afraid to cross media boundaries if it will overall benefit the listeners experience and also gain new listeners. CBS not only is a major force in radio but is a leader in Television. Be on the look out for what CBS Radio and Corporation has planned next, the company never fails when it comes to groundbreaking mass media ventures.

Resources:

[1]:www.cbsradio.com

[2]:http://www.cbscorporation.com/ourcompany.php?id=11

[3]: http://www.cbsradio.com/profile

[4]:http://www.cbsradio.com/executives?bio=dan-mason

[5]:http://www.cbsradio.com/executives?bio=scott-herman

[6]:http://www.cbsradio.com/executives?bio=chris-oliviero

[7]:http://www.cbsradio.com/executives?bio=jo-ann-haller

[8]:http://www.cbsradio.com/executives?bio=michael-weiss

[9]:http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MjA5OTM5fENoaWxkSUQ9LTF8VHlwZT0z&t=1

[10]:http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MjA5OTM5fENoaWxkSUQ9LTF8VHlwZT0z&t=1

[11]:http://finance.yahoo.com/news/cbs-corporation-reports-third-quarter-210100716.html

[12]:http://finance.yahoo.com/news/cbs-corporation-reports-third-quarter-210100716.html

[13]:http://finance.yahoo.com/news/cbs-corporation-reports-third-quarter-210100716.html

[14]:http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/cbs/financials

[14.5]: www.radiosyndicationtalk.com

[15]:http://www.westwoodone.com/index.php/main-menu/press-releases/426-cbs-radio-and-westwoodone-launch-fierro

[15.5]: www.netsdaily.com

[16]:http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/09/23/Media/CBS-Radio-Nets.aspx

[16.5]: www.audioadcenter.com

[17]:http://www.cbsradio.com/single-press/2265?filter=2013

[18]:http://www.cbsradio.com/single-press/2265?filter=2013

[18.5]: http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/124234/cbs-radio-names-amy-stevens-svp-strategic-events-a?ref=search

[19]:http://www.cbsradio.com/single-press/2303?filter=2013

[20]:http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/124234/cbs-radio-names-amy-stevens-svp-strategic-events-a

CBS Films

Posted on November 20, 2013 by eamoomey

By Michael Sunderlin

CBS FILMS

– The CBS Films Company Logo
Image coutesy of ramascreen.com

Contact:

100 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

(310)575-7000

http://www.cbsfilms.com

A Brief Overview

A division of CBS corporation, CBS films is a studio based in Los Angeles, California, that handles all stages of the creation of a film including production, development, marketing, and distribution. Established in 2007, CBS films has become famous for the release of nine total nine motion pictures spanning across all genres. Popular titles credited to the studio include “Extraordinary Measures”, “The Back-up Plan”, and “The Women in Black”. [1]

Key Executives

Wolfgang Hammer Co – President

-Wolfgang Hammer
Image courtesy of cbspressexpress.com

Wolfgang Hammer’s prior experience involves serving as the executive Vice President of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. Hammer’s career at CBS Films began as the COO during which period he oversaw the attainment of “Salmon Fishing in Yemen”, as well as handling several financial deals for films such as “Seven Psychopaths”. Currently, he handles much of the company’s logistical affairs, such as business, finance, law, and acquiring new films. [1]

Terry Press – Co-President

– Terry Press
Image courtesy of cbspressexpress.com

Terry Press, before involved with CBS films, was responsible for the campaigns of “Shrek”, “Gladiator”, and “Saving Private Ryan” as the Head of Marketing for DreamWorks Studios. Accordingly, her responsibilities now, as the Co-President of CBS films, include supervising the distribution and marketing of the company’s current films, as well as overseeing the company’s creative affairs and physical production. [1]

Financials

CBS Films is currently ranked 15th overall in total market share, holding approximately .7%. Through three quarters of 2013, CBS films has grossed a total of 66.5 million dollars. This value is already 34.2% higher than the total gross of 2010, and 15.8% higher than that of 2011. However, this value is 25.5% less than the total gross of 2012. Still, the total gross of the fourth quarter, including the money collected through the release of “Last Vegas”, has yet to be counted. In addition, the studio is predicted to gross more through the anticipated release of “Inside Llewyn Davis”, set to release of December 6th of this year. The profits from these films could raise the total yearly gross higher than its ever been since the company’s origination. [2] [3]

Recent and Upcoming Film Releases (September – December 2013)

“Last Vegas”

– (Left to Right) The stars of “Last Vegas”: Kevin Kline, Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro, and Michael Douglas as Sam, Archie, Paddy, and Billy respectively
Image courtesy of static.rogerebert.com

On November 1st, CBS Films released the comedy “Last Vegas”, a film they themselves produced and distributed. Directed by Jon Turtletaub, the film boasts an all-star cast of Michael Douglas, Morgan Freedman, Robert De Niro, and Kevin Kline – all of whom are Oscar Winners. The story follows of four elderly men who have been friends since their childhoods. Billy, played by Michael Douglas, announces to his friends that he, in his 60’s, is marrying his girlfriend who is only 32 years old. Consequentially, the group travels to Las Vegas to attend Billy’s Bachelor party, excited to relive the olden days the group once spent in the city. [4] [5] [6]

During its time in the box office, the film has gained much media attention for its appeal to older audiences, a demographic largely neglected by Hollywood. As such, many sources mark this movie’s release as an admittance to the fact that the boomer generation still watches movies. As reported by the Huffington Post, the older generations currently make up a quarter of all movie-goers. Concurrently, the film is said to appeal to younger generations as well, doing so through its universal theme of friendship. [4] [5] [7]

The film has shown mostly positive signs in the box office, grossing over 16 million in its first weekend and over 46 million by its third weekend. If the box office success continues, “Last Vegas” may overtake “The Women in Black”, which grossed 54.3 million, as the number one grosser for CBS Films – either way, CBS films will have had its two largest grossers in the past two years. [8] [9]

“Inside Llewyn Davis”

– Oscar Isaac (Left) and Justin Timberlake (Right) as Llewyn Davis and Jim in “Inside Llywyn Davis”
Image courtesy of collider.com

Upcoming December 6th of this year, CBS films is scheduled to release “Inside Llewyn Davis”, a film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen (Academy Award Winners) and produced by T. Bone Burnett (Grammy and Academy Award Winner) – the same team responsible films such as “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”. Set in the 1960’s, the film captures the story of Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac), a wayward folk musician struggling to overcome financial and personal hardships. As with “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”, the music was produced specifically for the purpose of the film. With each song tailored to fit the point of the story in which it appears, the film’s soundtrack takes on an imitative style of folk music featuring popular artists such as Justin Timberlake and Carey Mulligan, who both star in the film as well, in addition to artists such as Marcus Mumford and The Punch Brothers. Receiving the Grand Prix at its premiere during the Cannes Film Festival, this film looks to award CBS with its first Oscar relative to the studio’s services. [10] [11] [12] [13]

– Marcus Mumford (Left) and Oscar Isaac (Right) play together at the “Another Time, Another Place” concert in NYC
Image courtesy of The Daily News

The promotion of the film was invested most notably within the concert entitled “Another Place, Another Time”, held in New York City. This charity concert featured the music of the film, sung by performers from the film such as Macus Mumford, as well as outside acts such as The Avett Brothers and Elvis Costello. Tickets for the concert sold out in 12 minutes. Such success prompted CBS Films to repeat the concert in Los Angeles, where an equally excited crowd was attracted and celebrities such as Steve Martin, Ed Helms, and Barbra Streisand all came to celebrate along with the rest of those in attendance. [12] [14]

Future Films (2014 and Beyond)

– Director Derek Lee as Derek in “Afflicted”
Image courtesy of Hollywood Reporter

Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan as Wallace and Chantry in “The F Word”
– Image courtesy of Hollywood Reporter

Films such as “Afflicted” and “The F Word”, both of which acquired by CBS films, have shown positive signs in their reception at the Toronto International Film Festival. “Afflicted” takes on the format of found-footage format, telling the story of two friends who travel through Europe, one of whom becomes sick after being bitten by a vampire. Directed by Derek Lee and Clif Prowse, the film looks to attract crowds of similar films such as “Paranormal Activity” and “Chronicle”. [15] [16]

CBS Films acquired he distribution rights for “The F Word” for approximately 3 million dollars. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan who play two tentative young lovers – Kazan’s character has a boyfriend. The film tracks how the two characters deal with their relationship merely as a friendship. The film is directed by Michael Dowse. [17]

Sources

[1] About CBS Films

[2] Box Office Mojo – Total Market Share

[3] Box Office Mojo – Box Office by the Studio – CBS Films

[4] The Hollywood Reporter – ‘Last Vegas’ Premiere: Director, CBS Execs Say Elderly Comedy Is For Everyone

[5] AARP – The Stars of ‘Last Vegas’ Have Fun – Lots of Fun

[6] IMDb – Last Vegas

[7] Huffington Post – 7 of the Best Movies for Grownups

[8] Box Office Mojo – Last Vegas

[9] IndieWire – Weekend Top Ten: ‘Thor Bashes Box Office, ‘Ender’s game’ Collapses

[10] NPR – First Listen: Soundtrack, ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’

[11] Inside Llewyn Davis Website – Story

[12] The Hollywood Reporter – New York Film Fest: Weekend Highlighted by ‘Inside Llewyn Davis Primiere’, Star-Studded Charity Concert

[13] L.A. Times – An early look at Oscar best picture contenders

[14] The Hollywood Reporter – ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ Caberet in Santa Monica Draws A-Listers and Oscar Voters

[15]Firstshowing.net – Favorite Films of the 2013 Toronto Film Festival + One Final Recap

[16] The Hollywood Reporter – Toronto: Audience Member Becomes ‘Afflicted’ at Midnight Madness Screening

[17] The Hollywood Reporter – Toronto: CBS Films’ Deal to Acquire ‘The F Word’ Nearing $3 Million

Buenavista/Disney Pictures

Posted on November 20, 2013 by David Soberman

By David Soberman

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Logo-

History

Originally known as The Disney Bros. Studio, the first Disney production (known as the Alice Comedies) debuted in 1923, since then Walt Disney Pictures has become a giant in the world of film production producing iconic films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King. More known for their animation successes rather than their live action successes, Walt Disney Studios has shown that they are still growing as a production company as the recent acquisition of Marvel and Lucasfilms have sparked Disney live action into a hole new age of film making. [1]

Key Executives

Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer-The Walt Disney Company [2]

As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, Robert A. Iger has shaped Disney Pictures in recent years by heading the acquisition of Pixar (2006), Marvel (2009), and Lucasfilm (2012). [2]

Allen F. Horn- Chairman, Walt Disney Pictures [3]

Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, Allen F. Horn oversees worldwide operations for both Disney live action and Disney animation. This includes production, marketing and distribution for all films out of Walt Disney Pictures. [3]

Financials

Recently MSN Entertainment reported on November 12th that Walt Disney Pictures set a new all-time record with its global box office results in 2013. In 2013, Walt Disney Pictures/Buenavista distribution so far is third among film studios for the total market share of worldwide gross income. Of the entire market share (from January 1st to November 10th 2013), Walt Disney Pictures/Buenavista distribution generated an average of $1,256.1 million, accounting for 13.8% of the entire market share. Much of this financial success can be attributed to the recent release of the highly anticipated film Thor: The Dark World, which grossed $119,000,000 domestically through 2 weeks of it being released. Also the summer release of Iron Man 3 (another movie from the Marvel franchise) which grossed $409,013,994 domestically, and Monsters University (a production from Pixar animation) which grossed $268,227,670 domestically. Also recent financial transaction of $4.05 billion towards buying out well known and respected film production company and brand Lucasfilm LTD. is also expected to pay big dividends for Walt Disney Pictures in the long run. [4] [5] [6]

Recent Releases

Monsters University

Picture courtesy of IMDb [7]

A prequel to the extremely popular Disney Pixar film Monsters Inc. (directed by Pete Doctor and David Silverman), Monsters University (directed by Dan Scanlon) is the story of how two best friends Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal) and James P. (Sully) Sullivan (voiced by John Goodman) meet in collage and how many different events (specifically the scare games) lead them form becoming worst enemies to best friends. [7]

Monsters University began its theatrical release on June 21st where it shown in 4,004 theaters grossing $82,429,469 in its opening weekend. By the end of its run, it would be shown in theaters for about 21 weeks (147 days). [8]

After being in theaters for 21 weeks, Monsters University generated a total gross $743,294,513 ($268,227,670 domestically and $475,066,843 worldwide). The Film also received an average rating of 65 out of 100 which is a bit low for a Pixar film, but since this film is more driven towards a family demographic it is not unexpected that the film would not be overly revered by critics.There has also been recent speculation that this could be the first year since Cars 2 (squeal to Cars) that Pixar will be completely shut out at the Academy Awards. [7] [8] [9]

Thor: The Dark World

Picture Courtesy of IMDb [10]

A squeal to the popular films (out of the Marvel Brand) Thor and The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World follows the story of Thor (the god of thunder, played by Chris Hemsworth) and his quest to save the world form his most intimidating enemy yet. Through this quest, Thor will be reunited with (once love interest) Jane Foster (played by Natalie Portman) and will have to trust his brother and once enemy Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston), but in order to save earth, he might just have to give up everything. [10]

Another huge success from the Marvel Brand, Thor: The Dark World made it’s wide release theatrical debut on November 9th 2013, generating $85,737,841 in 22,322 theaters, grabbing the number one spot on the weekend box office. So far, in about 2 weeks of being in theaters, the film has made $359,900,000 worldwide ($119,000,000 domestically and $240,900,000 worldwide) out of a production budget of $170 million. [11]

None of the Marvel films gathered much in the way of critical acclaim, and Thor: The Dark World was no exception gathering a rating average of only 54 out of 100. But, these films are rather popular with viewers as the film received a viewers rating of 7.7 out of 10. Since all of the Marvel films were extremely popular comic books before becoming films, it was no surprise to Walt Disney Pictures that the Marvel franchise would be so popular, making it an extremely good investment for them. [10] [11] [12]

Coming Soon

Picture Courtesy of IMDb [15]

Recently announced at the semi-annual D23 expo event in Anaheim California, Disney debuted plans for a multitude of projects coming in the near future. First up is Walt Disney Animation’s film Frozen set for theatrical release November 22nd, 2013. This film is the second film in a few years fir Walt Disney Animation as this film follows the success of last years Oscar Nominated film Wreck-It-Ralph. Also highly anticipated is the Disney live action film Maleficent staring Angelina Jolie, set for theatrical release May 30th, 2013. It seems that Walt Disney Pictures is starting to viewer interest for the film with the recent release for the first teaser trailer for the film. [13] [14] [15]

Also Coming soon to theaters is a follow up to Disney live action film The Muppets, Muppets Most Wanted is set for theatrical release March 21th, 2014. Known for their musical numbers and cameo appearances by popular celebrities, Muppets Most Wanted (directed by James Bobin) is set to feature appearances from Rickey Gervais, Tina Fey, and Ty Burrell. [16]

Early Oscar Contenders

Picture Courtesy of www.rottontomatos.com

Normally, Walt Disney Pictures does not gain much traction with regard to Oscar buzz and their films. But lately, the upcoming film Saving Mr.Banks (Out for theatrical release December 20th, 2013) is drawing some Oscar intrigue with performances from Tom Hanks (playing Walt Disney) and Emma Thompson (playing P.L. Travers). Specifically, Tom Hanks has been gaining Oscar buzz for his performance as Walt Disney. Even though critics say that it may be unlikely that he wins for this role, they do say that is does warrant a nomination. [17] [18]

Upcoming Projects

The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) Poster

Picture Courtesy of IMDb [20]

Probably the most highly anticipated films yet to be released by Walt Disney Pictures is Star Wars: Episode Seven (official title yet to be released) and Avengers Age of Ultron, both set to release in 2015. For Star Wars Episode Seven, it has been rumored that the film will feature members of the original Star Wars cast (from episodes 4,5, and 6), but there has been very little disused publicly about the film as Walt Disney Pictures executives have kept a very tight lid about the details of the upcoming film. Things have been a little different for Avengers: Age of Ultron as Walt Disney Pictures and Marvel executives debuted the first teaser trailer for the film at the live action film portion of their D23 expo. [19] [20]

Sources

[1] History of The Walt Disney Company

[2] About Robert A. Iger

[3] About Allen F. Horn

[4] Box Office Mojo- 2013 Studio Box Office Rankings

[5] Box Office Mojo- 2013 Domestic Grosses

[6] Article- Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm LTD.

[7] IMDb- Monsters University

[8] Box Office Mojo- Monsters University

[9] Variety Article- Oscars’ Animation Race: Will Pixar Be Left Out This Year?

[10] IMDb- Thor: The Dark World

[11] Box Office Mojo- Thor: The Dark World