Sony Gains Control of GSN Even With Minority Stake by David Goetzl

With just a 40% stake, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has gained control of the day-to-day operations of the Game Show Network (GSN). DirecTV, which has the majority ownership, has taken a backseat with the network that's in about 75 million homes. Still, that is no doubt a way to give SPE a tailwind as it is expected to become the principal owner by 2014, perhaps as early as 2012. ...Read the whole story

  • retail Big Brands Piloting In-Store 3GTV Networks by Karlene Lukovitz

    The in-store media platform -- being touted as a breakthrough in the booming shopper marketing arena -- enables measurable digital communications to consumers throughout the store, extending the television model into the retail environment and making retail a plannable media destination, according to its creator. ...Read the whole story

  • Young Broadcasting On Block For $350M by David Goetzl

    Young Broadcasting, which has 10 stations and emerged from bankruptcy last year, is open to an acquisition for perhaps $350 million. The sellers believe the potential buyers can capitalize on the 2012 election ad dollars. ...Read the whole story

  • TV Holds: Young Adults More Likely To Media Migrate by Wayne Friedman

    More studies reveal cord-cutting isn't a threat to traditional TV distribution systems -- yet. But those most likely to cut the proverbial cord are young adults 17-34. ...Read the whole story

  • Zucker: Talk Format Showcases Couric's Strengths by David Goetzl

    Jeff Zucker, the former head of NBC Universal, is set to be an executive producer of a new syndicated show with Katie Couric. He said the program will look to showcase some of the traits that made Couric so successful on "The Today Show." ...Read the whole story

  • beverages Big Red Back On TV With "Different" Campaign by Karlene Lukovitz

    The #1 red soda brand Big Red is returning to TV for the first time in more than 25 years, as part of a new "Tastes Good to Be Different" integrated campaign. The campaign celebrates the nearly 75-year-old brand's "indescribable flavor" and its fans, who "like being different." (The advertising's sub-tagline: "Taste It. You'll Get It.") ...Read the whole story

  • Kagan: In 2015, 3D TV Penetration Hits 25% by David Goetzl

    As prices drop, nearly a quarter of U.S. homes are projected to have a 3D-capable set by 2015, according to SNL Kagan. The projected 21% penetration would be up from about 2% (1.8 million) at the end of this year. There will be a faster growth in Net-connected TVs. ...Read the whole story

  • King Jon: 'Daily Show' No. 1 In Late Night by Wayne Friedman

    A trend that started a few months ago, pegs Comedy Central's "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" just over NBC's "The Tonight Show" among 18-49 viewers, the perennial leader for many years. ...Read the whole story

  • Action Sports, Grind Partners With Adap.tv by Erik Sass

    The Action Sports Group/Grind Networks, a division of Source Interlink Media, is partnering with Adap.tv to sell and deliver targeted online video advertising across its network of sites, including Web sites for Surfer, Surfing, Dirt Rider magazines, Skateboard.com and GrindTV.com. ...Read the whole story

  • Falco To CEO, Univision by David Goetzl

    Randy Falco, the former NBC Universal executive who joined Univision earlier this year, has been elevated to president-CEO at a time of expansion for the Spanish-language programmer. ...Read the whole story

  • Fox News To Debut 'The Five' by Wayne Friedman

    With Glenn Beck's show ending this month, Fox News will start up "The Five," an ensemble opinion show featuring revolving hosts, hoping to draw a bigger list of TV advertisers. ...Read the whole story

Peltz Re-engages As Kraft Heats Up Social Engagement by Thom Forbes

All the recent activity at Kraft Foods finally caught my fancy this morning, quite a few days later and many dollars shorter than it evidently has reengaged Nelson Peltz' affections. The activist investor, who once had a 2.4% stake in the company, agreed not to take a controlling interest after it added two new board members that he supported, as Financial Times reports. He "began shaving away his Kraft stake" after the company started pursuing Cadbury, which it eventually bought, last year. ...More

  • What if We All Got Different Ads During the Super Bowl? by Dave Morgan

    In a meeting last week, I was asked to explain why I am neither a believer nor proponent of true one-to-one marketing. The truth is, I don't believe that the future of advertising -- particularly brand advertising on television -- is about finding the most perfect ad for each and every person each and every time they interact with media. ...More

  • Set-Top-Box Lexicon: Addressable Advertising by Jane Clarke

    tSTB data, with its larger footprint and second by second capability, holds great opportunity for those advertisers who want to better target specific consumer groups and for consumers who tire of ad messages that are irrelevant and do not apply to them. Currently, addressable advertising takes on many forms and has many custom approaches, making standardization of metrics difficult in the short term. But the hope is that there will be an industry effort focused on creating metrics and some standardize-able elements for measuring and comparing addressable advertising campaigns. ...More

  • A Lesson In Branding From NBC by Wayne Friedman

    What hurts a TV brand most? Not the obvious. NBC News' different entities were not affected by what everyone seemed to think would affect them. ...More

  • Google+ Opens Ad Door To Google TV, Social Games, Interest-Based Search And Display by Laurie Sullivan

    Can Google do for social what it did in search? Advertisers have been waiting to answer that question for years as they waved good-bye to Wave, waited through privacy issues in Buzz, and watched as social network Orkut gained acceptance in Brazil, but nowhere else. ...More

  • Data Poetry: 'And How Should I Begin?' by Charlene Weisler

    So far June has been a month full of industry conferences, starting with Tablet Revolution, followed by Mitch Oscar's MPG Collaborative Alliance, Video, Mobile and Social Media OMMAs, the ARF and most recently, the CTAM Insights. In each meeting, the focus and future of the media landscape was discussed, each from a slightly different perspective and projecting often wildly divergent results. ...More

  • Murdoch: Central Casting's Version Of A Media Exec? by Wayne Friedman

    If God envisioned a media executive, it might be Rupert Murdoch. Murdoch is a character, to be sure, which makes for great TV entertainment, intrigue, and drama. All that and more is why Bloomberg TV is running a special this week on Rupert Murdoch, the chairman/CEO of News Corp. ...More

  • Why Now Is The Time To Shift TV Ad Dollars To Online Video by Mike Sullivan

    Online video viewership is reaching new highs each month, presenting a perfect opportunity for media buyers to tap into the massive video audience. New research from Nielsen revealed that during April 2011, Americans streamed 14.7 billion videos, a record for the most streams in a month. In addition, non-premium video site YouTube's usage was at an all-time high in April 2011, with viewers watching 8.7 billion streams, up seven percent from the previous month. Yet most advertisers are still only comfortable buying the 10% of premium online ads that offer comprehensive data about their content. ...More