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Comcast-Time Warner Deal Shows Promise and Challenges of TV Everywhere
If you're looking for a template of how pay-TV operators and cable networks need to be working together if they want to successfully combat the rise of Netflix and other over-the-top entrants, yesterday's long-term agreement between Comcast and Time Warner is a great example. Under the agreement, Comcast digital subscribers will gain access to popular programs and movies
from Turner Broadcasting networks like TNT, TBS, CNN, Cartoon Network and others, across multiple platforms, including Comcast's On Demand service, Xfinity TV online web site and companion iPad/iPhone and Android apps (which just last night began streaming full episodes). Importantly, Turner networks' viewers will also be able to view the same programs/movies on Turner web sites and online/mobile platforms. No extra charges to the consumer are planned.
The deal is a solid step forward in realizing the vision of TV Everywhere that both companies' CEOs laid out back in July, 2009 (see this video for more). And no doubt both companies want to make similar deals with others in the industry; Comcast with other cable TV network groups, and Time Warner with other pay-TV operators. Still, the fact that the two foremost proponents of TV Everywhere took a year-and-a-half to go from laying out their vision to actually announcing a deal underscores how arduous the full realization of the TV Everywhere model will be.
Categories: Cable Networks, Cable TV Operators
Topics: Charter, Comcast, Netflix, Nielsen, Time Warner
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blinkx Launches API For Connected Devices
Accessing a broad range of online video choices on connected devices is going to become a lot easier thanks to a new API that video search engine blinkx is
announcing this morning. The API is available for standalone connected devices, TVs, game consoles and app developers. Suranga Chandratillake, blinkx's founder and CEO explained to me that that approximately two-thirds of the 35 million hours of online video in blinkx's index should be optimized for connected devices. The API is initially free, but as usage scales a formal revenue share kicks in. This is the same model blinkx uses with its web and mobile APIs. Categories: Devices, Video Search
Topics: Blinkx
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MediaMorph Lands $2 Million To Help Track and Manage Digital Assets
MediaMorph, a Software-as-a-Service provider that helps media companies track and manage their digital businesses across platforms, has raised an additional $2 million. The investors were not disclosed. The new financing brings to $3.5 million the total
amount raised to date. MediaMorph has also announced a business development alliance with United Talent Agency.
Recently I spoke with Shahid Khan, MediaMorph's chairman and chief strategist to learn more about MediaMorph. Shahid was formerly a senior partner at IBB Consulting, a well-known firm in the online video and digital media industries.
Shahid explained that MediaMorph is trying to address the increasing business complexity media companies experience as they digitally distribute their video and other assets to multiple outlets. MediaMorph isn't a content or ad management provider, rather, it offers the software tools to track and report on where assets have been scheduled and delivered so that accurate reports and billing can be performed.
Categories: Deals & Financings, Technology
Topics: MediaMorph
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KIT Digital's Deals Signal "Race to Scale" is Well Underway
This morning KIT Digital announced 3 acquisitions, of social/video platform
KickApps, online video platform Kyte and French OVP Kewego. The aggregate consideration is $77.2 million, as follows, according to the press release:
KickApps - $44.7 million, all in KIT stock (KickApps had $12 million in 2010 revenues and had raised approximately $32 million)
Kewego - $26.7 million, including $11.7 million in cash and $15 million in KIT stock (Kewego had $10.2 million in 2010 revenues)
Kyte - $5.7 million, including $3.1 million in cash and $2.6 million in KIT stock (Kyte had $3.7 million in 2010 revenues and had raised more than $23 million)
This morning I talked to Kyte's COO Gannon Hall (who will relocate to KIT's Prague headquarters as EVP of Marketing) and KickApps' CEO Alex Blum (who will become COO, responsible for product, technology and client services).
Categories: Deals & Financings, Technology
Topics: Kewego, KickApps, KIT Digital, Kyte
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Hulu's Saga Continues
Yesterday the WSJ ran a lengthy piece on Hulu, focusing mainly on the rancorous relationships among Hulu's owners and the tight position the company has found itself in. One juicy new tidbit was that CEO Jason Kilar threatened to quit over resistance to his proposal that Hulu Plus be priced at
$4.99/mo. Though I've long been a fan of Hulu's user experience, the company has been severely pinched from a content perspective. As the WSJ article points out, as Hulu's parents have sold their programs to Netflix and explored doing their own thing, Hulu is getting painted into a corner.
Hulu has also been dogged by its parents' push for retransmission consent payments which are compelling the networks to shift away from making their programs freely available online. Then there's the TV Everywhere issue; as pay-TV operators want to add value to their own services as part of their retrans deals, Hulu is the odd man out. Now Hulu is apparently considering becoming a "virtual cable operator" whatever that means exactly. Bottom line: it's getting harder and harder to see how Hulu can zigzag to ultimate success.Categories: Aggregators
Topics: Hulu
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Samsung Sells 2 Million Galaxy Tab Tablets
When it comes to tablets, yes, it seems there is life beyond the iPad. Samsung reported this week that globally it sold 2 million of its 7-inch Galaxy Tab tablets. Granted Apple sold 7.3 million iPads in the same period, but the iPad's also been
on the market for 6 months longer. Regardless, the Tab's early performance is good more news for mobile video. And since the Tab runs Android, which supports Flash, that means access to all the video available online, a huge difference compared to the iPad.
Categories: Devices, Mobile Video
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Tom Hanks Hits the Web with New Talk Show
Online video continues to attract more mainstream Hollywood talent and the latest is Tom Hanks, whose company Playtone, this week launched "The Three Minute Talk Show" hosted by comedian Barry Sobel. I watched the the first couple episodes and was impressed (an you have to love the little 3-minute countdown icon in the lower right corner). It's a little manic, but the fast pace holds the viewer's attention. Hanks appeared on the first episode and actor Bryan Cranston on the second. The show is part of Lexus' LStudio, so presumably there won't be any additional advertising. As connected devices proliferate, this is the kind of high-quality content that will play well for couch potatoes.
Categories: Indie Video
Topics: Lexus, LStudio, Tom Hanks
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TiVo Links Up With Charter
TiVo scored a big deal this week, as Charter Communications, the fourth-largest U.S. cable operator, announced that it would be offering TiVo's interface and its
latest Premiere boxes to its subscribers. Because TiVo has integrations with lots of online video sources (including Netflix, Amazon, etc.), the deal is significant because it blends the traditional cable experience with the new over-the-top competitors. The deal also suggests what I pointed out in my review of Cisco's "Videoscape " - that beyond the very largest pay-TV operators, partnerships are going to be the way to go for them to deliver competitive experiences. For TiVo, the Charter win follows recent deals with both DirecTV and Cox. No doubt more will follow. Categories: Cable TV Operators, Devices
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