A top Comcast executive wrote Thursday that it is "gratified" by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's recommended proposal to clear its joint venture with NBC Universal. A full vote of all five FCC commissioners should come in January. The Genachowski plan for how the new company would operate is said to have some conditions. Those would be in areas such as online video, and negotiations with cable/satellite/telco TV operators for NBCU programming. But Comcast Executive Vice President David L. Cohen wrote in a blog post that even with those provisos, Comcast will be able to operate in an "appropriate way," signaling its endorsement. The other four FCC commissioners will review Genachowski's proposal and could still offer further limitations for the merged company. Cohen wrote that Comcast will work with them to protect its interests and the public's. Conditions will "not undermine our business combination and will ensure that consumers will benefit and that competitors are treated fairly." The Department of Justice is also reviewing the proposed merger. While many interest groups and others support the merger, some vehemently oppose the union, charging that Comcast will gain unjust advantages over competitors. The FCC commission includes three Democrats, including the chairman and two Republicans. A new Comcast would control pay-TV and broadband service in millions of homes, the NBC network and a slew of leading cable channels.
Income levels often click with technology adoption. So it's no surprise that homes with DVRs have an upscale profile. Nielsen research shows that adults in homes with incomes of $75,000+ account for nearly 50% of all DVR owners. Data collected in May found that adults -- those 18 and up -- living in homes with annual $75,000+ incomes account for 48.5% of all DVR owners. Adults in homes with incomes of $100,000+ account for 29%, more than any other income segment. In line with those findings, adults with incomes of $75,000+ account for 50% of the "prime-time DVR playback audience." In homes with the $100,000+ amount, the corresponding level is 30%. The majority of DVR users are 45 and under, but a notable 38% are older than 45 as of May. As of September, 38% of all homes have a DVR. About one-quarter of homes with a DVR have two of the devices, with 5% having three or more. In ethnic findings, the breakdown is: 30% of Hispanic homes own a DVR, about the same for African-Americans. Whites are at 40% and Asian Americans at 35%.
Sony Pictures Television debuted its online platform for Latin America, which enables advertisers to integrate their products into video content offered by SPT's cable sites: www.canalsony.com, www.canalaxn.com, and www.animaxtv.com. Participating SPT digital clients include Ford, Telcel and Sony Electronics. The new online division is led by Juan Carlos Sanchez, SPT ad sales business development director for Latin America, based in Miami. According to a recent Nielsen study, 70% of the world's consumers spent time watching online videos during March 2010. To capitalize on that trend, SPT is focusing on two initial Web shows: "Urban Wolf" and "Private." The third effort is the Video Game Awards. SPT's online miniseries allow advertisers to promote their products through video pre-rolls and post-rolls between 5 and 30 seconds in length. "We've noticed an increasing trend by Latin American consumers, even more than in Europe and the U.S., in repeatedly going to the Internet in search of high-quality entertainment videos," stated Irving Plonskier, SVP/GM, Sony Pictures Television Ad Sales Latin America. "Urban Wolf" will offer 15 four-minute Webisodes targeting males between 18 and 34. The miniseries was launched at Comic-Con and was praised as best drama at the American Film Institute's 2009 Digifest. Filmed on location in Paris, "Urban Wolf" stars Vincent Sze as a former MIT student who travels to Paris for a job interview. Walking the streets of the city, he sees surveillance cameras follow his every movement, upping his paranoia and testing his survival instincts. "Private," the second miniseries, was created by the producers of "Gossip Girl." It has 20 Webisodes, lasting between four and six minutes each, and targets women 18-24. "Private" takes place at a prestigious boarding school where fashion and money collide with envy and murder. "Clients have realized that online video advertising facilitates the dialogue with their customers, increases brand awareness, attracts potential buyers, and strengthens brand loyalty," said Plonskier.
Griffin Shakes Up Time Inc. CEO Jack Griffin continued his reorganization of Time Inc. with the appointment of John Q. Griffin, the former executive vice president and president of publishing for the National Geographic Society (no relation), as executive vice president and president of the Time Inc. News Group. The new unit resulted from splitting up the company's previously united News and Sports Group. Aside from the obvious potential for confusion, John Q. Griffin also brings valuable experience to Time Inc., having helped the National Geographic Society revamp its venerable but somewhat stuffy flagship to better compete in a rapidly evolving media market. This included new digital platforms and multimedia content, as well as new print products, like NatGeo's "Green Guide," which launched as a quarterly in 2008. Under Griffin's supervision, NatGeo saw ad pages stabilize at 253 in the first nine months of 2010, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. Now, EVP Griffin faces the task of revitalizing Time Inc.'s flagship newsweekly, which has already undergone several rounds of belt-tightening and reinvention. In the first nine months of this year, Time's ad pages are down 2% to 917. He will also be responsible for business titles Fortune and Money. In the first nine months of 2010, ad pages are down 9.1% at Fortune, to 1,034 -- that's less than half the figure of 2,082 in the same period of 2005. Ad pages at Money are up 10.9% to 420 in the first nine months of 2010 -- but down from 725 in the same period in 2005. Working with EVP Griffin will be Kim Kelleher, the new publisher of Time, and Brendan Ripp, who was named publisher of Money. The publisher spot at Sports Illustrated, vacated by Kelleher, will be filled by Frank Wall, previously publisher of Money. As noted, CEO Griffin has also created a new Sports Group, including Sports Illustrated and Golf, which will be headed by EVP Mark Ford -- formerly boss of the combined News and Sports Group. These moves are the latest in a series of new hires and reorganizations implemented by CEO Griffin. Last week, he hired Randall Rothenberg, previously president and CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, as EVP and chief digital officer. Financial Investing Services Invest in Magazine Ads Financial firms are looking to magazines to reach affluent American consumers, with total ad pages for investing services jumping 16% in the first three quarters of 2010 compared to 2009, according to MagazineRadar, which tracks various aspects of the magazine business. That compares to an 8% increase for the finance and real estate categories, and 3% for insurance. The two biggest campaigns, from Vanguard and State Street Global Advisors, both focus on encouraging readers to begin investing in their 401(k) retirement funds again. Inc. Debuts Mozine Mobile AppInc. has unveiled a new mobile app for the iPhone and Android, called Mozine, developed by Thumb Media Group, providing advice, tools and services to business owners and CEOs for $2.99 per month. Offerings include magazine and Web content, breaking news, online news feeds, slide shows, blogs, social networking and Inc. TV. The magazine plans to introduce a version of the app for BlackBerry in the near future. Automobile Launches iPad EditionAutomobile has unveiled a digital version of the publication tailored for the iPad, available for download at Apple's App Store beginning with the January issue. (The first issue is complimentary.) Featuring interactive content, photo galleries, integrated video and audio commentary, the new iPad edition of Automobile will include in-depth automobile news and reviews not found in the print edition. Sight, sound and motion are an important part of the new digital product, explained president and Editor in Chief Jean Jennings, who stated: "We are an experiential publication; the iPad is a medium that allows us to better deliver our experiences to our readers." Meredith Corp. Names Peterson VP, Newsstand Meredith Corp. has appointed Mark Peterson vice president for newsstand sales at its National Media Group, which includes responsibility for all single-copy sales channels. In this role, he will oversee Meredith's strategic relationships with major retailers, wholesalers and distributors. He takes over from David Algire, who recently left the company. Before joining Meredith, Peterson served as executive vice president and managing director for DJG Marketing, and president of the ProCirc Retail Solutions Group.
Happy holidays from all of us at MediaPost.