Digital video platforms are getting more money from traditional TV budgets -- and more to come in 2012. Break Media, the digital video ad network, says there will a 32% rise in digital video advertising dollars coming from TV budgets. But that won't be the biggest gain for the Internet overall. Overall organic advertising budget growth will rise 38%, with display budgets growing 45%. “Video advertising spending is growing faster than expected, and this is the first time a significant portion of the increased resources devoted to it are coming from television budgets,” stated Andy Tu, vice president of marketing for Break Media. One research estimate, from Forrester Research, says digital video advertising will reach $2.0 billion for 2011 and $5.4 billion in 2016. Break says more than 90% of all advertisers plan to use video advertising networks in the coming year, and the ad nets' share of all digital video will grow to 41% from 20%. All this has forced up usage in the cost per view (CPV) pricing formula -- as cost per view is offered more by content providers. It says CPV has grown to a 40% share. Still, many ad networks and/or publishers' sites also still offer cost-per-thousand (CPM) and cost-per-click (CPC) pricing models. For its annual digital video advertising trends survey, Break Media says such gains will be put onto the most rapidly growing areas like mobile, as well as those that provide advertising option formats for consumers. The growth of mobile devices is a big part of this -- it has increased almost twofold in the past year and is expected to jump another 16% in 2012. The survey says while video ads come in a number of formats, most advertisers still prefer pre-roll.
Nickelodeon may have its problems with inexplicable lower viewer ratings -- but that can't be said of other niche and smaller kids' TV networks. The PBS Kids programming block says it has seen a strong ratings rise in nearly every demographic recently versus a year ago. That's especially true for shows "Curious George" and "Super Why," per Nielsen's live-plus-seven-day ratings data from Sept. 27, 2010 to Sept. 25, 2011. As a response, PBS Kids has picked up new corporate sponsors -- kids' shoemaker Stride Rite, which launched in September on "Curious George" and education company Age of Learning, starting up in November for "SuperWhy" and "Wild Kratts." In particular, PBS Kids says it made big gains with kids 6-8, growing 30% year-over-year. The Boston-based Sponsorship Group for Public Television, which sells sponsorships for the PBS shows, says corporate sponsorships for "Martha Speaks" and "Curious George" are currently sold out but "Curious George" will have an opening January 2012. Suzanne Zellner, vice president of corporate sponsorship for the Sponsorship Group for Public Television, stated: "Sponsors can reach an even larger audience in PBS Kids’ quality, uncluttered environment.” Looking at new preschool kids' programming efforts, Disney Junior, which targets kids 2-7 on the Disney Channel, says it has had double-digit percent gains over a year ago, among virtually all demographics, including women ages 18-49. One show in particular has been a highlight -- "Jake and the Never Land Pirates," which has turned into a major player with boys 2-5. Discovery/Hasbro's The Hub has made gains this season over last -- up 11% in total day numbers among kids 6-11 to 20,000 viewers; rising 40% to kids 2-11 to 42,000 -- as well as higher women 18-49 viewers, 19,000, growing 19%. Nickelodeon says there has been unexplained steep declines in many of its ratings this fall -- anywhere from 15% to 20% -- according to Nielsen. But it notes that comparable set-top box data declines are much more modest.
TV Guide Network wants advertisers to know it’s becoming a lot more TV and considerably less guide. The cable network, which started as scrolling TV listings “barker” channel, Prevue Channel, has gradually been reformatting itself to become a “full-screen” entertainment TV network that eschews its TV listings heritage in favor of conventional programming. Based on its negotiations with cable and satellite operators, more than 75% of TV Guide Network’s total distribution (80 million households) will be carrying the full-screen version of the channel, dropping its listings scroll altogether, by the end of this year. The move, which coincides with the network’s aggressive investment in long-form entertainment programming – both original productions and high-profile acquisitions – is designed to remake it into a general entertainment destination for both TV viewers and advertisers. “The scroll has been, by far, our greatest selling challenge to the advertising community,” concedes Tim Russell, senior vice president-advertising sales, because the scroll runs during commercial breaks, as well as throughout its regular programming. With the exception of some advertisers in the TV and entertainment category, Russell says most advertisers and agencies have simply felt that having the scroll present during commercial breaks competed too much with their advertising. The network’s executives say they aren’t abandoning their TV listings roots altogether, but have shifted that information to the network’s companion Web site, and are emphasizing conventional programming on TV. The TV Guide print magazine was spun off years ago, and the channel is now owned jointly by Hollywood studio Lionsgate, and a private equity group. That connection didn’t help TV Guide Network land the off-network rights to AMC’s “Mad Men” series, which is owned by Lionsgate, when it went into syndication. The network tried, but was outbid by a deep-pocketed Netflix. Despite the lack of a signature TV series, TV Guide Network’s Russell says the channel has been investing heavily in other acquisitions, as well as original program development. The channel premiered “Nail Files” in June and "Hollywood Moms Night" and “Wilson Philips: Still Holding On” in November, and Russell says more original content will roll out in 2012. Meanwhile, he says crossing the 75% full-screen mark, is a major step for TV Guide Network, noting that most of those upgrades have been in major TV markets, including New York, Los Angeles,Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington DC and Boston, and that the remainder of its listings scroll versions tend to be in rural markets where many subscribers still don’t have digital TV access, and actually rely on the listings information. “We’re transitioning,” he says.
Rovi Corp., the digital TV listings company, which is seeking to build a robust advanced advertising business, has named Thomas Carson as president-CEO. He succeeds Alfred J. Amoroso, who has been in the role since 2005. Carson came to Rovi in 2008 after its acquisition of Gemstar-TV Guide, where he had been an executive since 2006. Most recently, he was Rovi’s executive vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. Carson stated: “This is a market undergoing great transformation, which has exposed multiple opportunities.” In May, Rovi announced a deal with Sony to sell advertising on its smart TV platforms. A Rovi ad network includes opportunities for interactive advertising across Internet-connected devices, such as high-end TVs and Blu-ray players. This week, Rovi said it has launched its smart TV ad program in Germany with automaker Mini. Rovi also sells ads on its sites AllRovi.com, AllMusic.com and SideReel.com. The company has also been signing deals with MSOs for its new electronic program guide.
Apple's Siri -- the voice recognition interface that helps me make a spinning class reservation or reminds me to buy my father a new Elvis Presley-style toupee -- could be the future that will eliminate TV remotes. It's the entertainment butler I never had. Most importantly, it will eliminate the need for electronic program guides. This could drastically shift -- again -- the way we watch television. If Apple will truly be coming out with an Apple Television set next year, there is strong expectation that Siri -- a highly recommended voice command app -- will be a big part of it. "Siri, I'll like to watch a show with some comedic appeal that also has dramatic elements. Any suggestions?" "How about 'Desperate Housewives,' Wayne?" "Okay. But I was looking for something new." "Hmm... scripted or unscripted?" Technology has, of course, already drastically changed the way we watch TV now due to DVRs, the Internet and social media. Voice commands could change things again. All this might cause more marketing headaches for network executives, further removing all those "lead-in" and "lead-out" programming strategies. If you think this is just an Apple thing, you're be wrong. All those makers of Android-system phones and tablets are looking at apps similar to Siri. Ben Elowitz, co-founder/CEO of digital web publisher Wetpaint, says the possibilities would seem to expand the idea around entertainment referrals. So even if you don't know what to ask Siri about TV shows, you might say something like, "Siri, I don't really know what to watch. But I'm wondering what Wayne Friedman is recommending or watching tonight?" For diehards, we imagine we'd also have the old-school options: "Siri, please get an on-screen program guide" or "Siri, please give me a list of some highly positively reviewed shows on ABC." With cloud-based services set to expand, all our TV viewing history could remind us just what we have seen -- and maybe whether or not we really even liked it. We could also ask for simple, crazy, short videos to help us counter the heavily scripted, big-media TV shows. "Siri, I'd like to watch a cat, dog, or parrot water-ski in a pool and slam into a diving board. Do you have anything like that?" Then again, maybe TV advertising and messaging efforts will get harder. "Siri, please -- if I'm forced to watch commercials -- can I only see ads for violent movies, video games and Victoria's Secret?"
It’s that time of year, when television critics everywhere reveal their annual 10 Best lists. Mine will be along in a couple of weeks. Before then, here’s the first installment in a my look back at 10 significant shows you likely won’t see championed in anyone’s "Best of" columns. “Revenge” (ABC) – The year’s most surprising success story is a trashy prime-time serial in the grand tradition of “Dallas,” “Dynasty” and “Falcon Crest.” For too many years, viewers have been expected to sympathize with the everyday trials and tribulations of wealthy people who could buy their way out of almost every problem (hello, “Brothers and Sisters”). So it is indeed refreshing to once again be able to watch fabulous-looking one-percenters do terrible things to each other and suffer for their dastardly deeds. In that context, “Revenge” has been the feel-good program of the year, and it’s only going to get better when William Devane -- the formidable Gregory Sumner from “Knots Landing” -- joins the cast next month as the patriarch of the deliriously dysfunctional Grayson family. “Tosh.0” (Comedy Central) – With apologies to E!’s “The Soup” (my usual pick), this year Comedy Central’s uncompromisingly crude “Tosh.0” was TV’s funniest show. If you think it’s easy to slap together the most shocking and unreservedly vulgar videos available on the Web and package them in a consistently entertaining manner, just compare “Tosh” to the clip crap that clogs truTV and other networks, and then get back to me. (One caveat: I’m not including G4’s genial “Web Soup” in that smackdown.) Fearless goofball Daniel Tosh may be missing a sensitivity chip or two, but I think he’s the only comedian who truly understands Generation Digital. And get this: His work is bringing families together! I’ve heard from several friends that “Tosh.0” is one of those rare shows they enjoy watching with their kids. “Face Off” (Syfy) – After “Project Runway,” “Top Chef,” “The Next Food Network Star” and “Design Star,” I didn’t think I could muster any interest in yet another formulaic reality series in which a number of people who share a particular skill set compete to be honored as best in show by a panel of colorful judges. Then along came Syfy’s special-effects make-up competition show “Face Off” and it proved to be the happiest surprise of the year, at least for fans of science fiction and horror movies who enjoy an inside look at how the magic happens. “Bomb Patrol: Afghanistan” (G4) – Except for the occasional documentary (such as National Geographic Channel’s “Restrepo”) or scripted effort (like Kathryn Bigelow’s Academy-Award-winning “The Hurt Locker” or FX’s short-lived Steven Bochco series “Over There”), anyone who has not served (or had a loved one serve) in either of our two long-running wars would be hard-pressed to understand in even a small way what it’s like to be there. (By contrast, those of us who grew up during the Vietnam War watched it play out every night on the evening news, sometimes in brutal bloody detail.) This is especially true of young people, which makes all the more noteworthy G4’s decision to run a weekly observational reality series about heroic soldiers who locate and dismantle IEDs in Afghanistan. Not to understate the reality of the dangers our troops in both wars face on a daily basis, but there is something about getting to know a particular group of soldiers on a weekly basis as they put their lives on the line that makes “Bomb Patrol: Afghanistan” entirely more impactful than an occasional war report on broadcast or cable news. “Days of Our Lives” (NBC) – The bright note in an otherwise terrible year for soap operas (and the millions of loyal viewers who watch them and support their advertisers) was the revitalization of this 46-year-old daytime drama, which like so many other soaps during the last decade, had been allowed to corrode into something almost unrecognizable. “Days” in September briskly disposed of the sleazy storylines and frequent violence that had been rotting it from within and replaced them with relationship-driven stories about romance, family, friendship and community -- in other words, the very things soap fans crave but have been largely deprived of for entirely too long. “Days” also brought back a number of beloved long-absent veteran cast members, including Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn, and gave them all great material to play. But Alison Sweeney as scheming Sami Brady and young Chandler Massey as her tormented teenage son Will are stealing the show.