NBCU's Wurtzel: More Research Dollars Needed, 'Single Source' Faces Challenges by David Goetzl

In a speech at a cross-platform measurement event this week, NBCUniversal top researcher Alan Wurtzel not surprisingly urged industry executives to invest more in research. But, just two days after NBCU announced an initiative to pursue a "single source" metric tracking viewing on multiple platforms for this summer's Olympics, Wurtzel wondered if this "holy grail" is "realistically attainable in the new media world." Separately, he called on the industry to move away from relying on data about who watched and shift towards who watched and what did they buy. Behavioral targeting methods are needed - fast -- he said. ...Read the whole story

  • TV Dominates Multiscreen World by Steve McClellan

    TV remains the tent pole of the multiscreen environment, accounting for most of the viewing and ad dollars placed against video content, says ANA group Executive Vice President Bill Duggan. Other screens are essential but supplemental. ...Read the whole story

  • RFI Ads Up Engagement For Interactive TV by David Goetzl

    As Canoe Ventures looks to build network and advertiser interest in its request-for-information interactive TV product, new data shows about 20% of adults in a key demo took advantage of the offering in a test. That click-through rate via a remote control is an average for ads tested from five marketers: Honda, Fidelity, GlaxoSmithKline and State Farm. ...Read the whole story

  • media At The ANA: Social TV Is 'New Media' by Karl Greenberg

    People are no longer just watching television programs. They are talking about them online, often on branded social-media campaigns from program sponsors. Still, defining "social TV" could almost seem a Hobson's choice between a redundancy and an oxymoron. ...Read the whole story

  • DirecTV Gains In Revenue, Subscribers by Wayne Friedman

    DirectTV grew healthy U.S. revenues -- but with a smaller number of new subscribers -- during the fourth quarter 2011. For the year, DirecTV ended with a 3% gain to 19.89 million U.S. subscribers. NFL Sunday Ticket sales helped boost subscriber costs. ...Read the whole story

  • 'Idol' Loses Reins On Ratings, Bested By "Bang' by Wayne Friedman

    Fox's"American Idol" has now landed back at its beginnings -- seeing ratings it hasn't seen since it started up 10 years ago. CBS' "Big Bang Theory" continues to best "Idol" in its common half hour -- 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ...Read the whole story

  • Paywall Goes Up On Mobile March Madness by Steve Smith

    Turner Sports, CBS Sports and the NCAA have unveiled a new tiered pricing and access model for this year's on-demand March Madness offering. Now dubbed NCAA March Madness Live, full access to all 2012 NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Championship games from March 7 to the April 2 finals will cost $3.99 across Web, mobile and tablet screens. Free streaming will still be available on NCAA.com, CBSSports.com and SI.com for select games. ...Read the whole story

As CBS Teams With Netflix, Do Other Frenemies Lurk Closer To Home? by Wayne Friedman

Network competitors might soon be partners, especially considering where Netflix and other digital TV/video services have gone. CBS doesn't believe Netflix is a competitor yet, because as President/CEO Les Moonves reminds us, Netflix still doesn't program 22 hours of "premium" evening programming a week. And Netflix? It believes it is in an "arms race" -- in which I'm guessing the more entertainment weapons you have, the better. HBO Go is in its sights as the most prominent entertainment enemy. ...More

  • How Television Responded To The Passing Of Whitney Houston by Ed Martin

    Who could have imagined one week ago that CBS' telecast last Sunday of the 54th Annual Grammy Awards would be so historic and so highly rated for so sad and terrible a reason? The sudden death of Whitney Houston the night before resonated throughout, adding a genuine emotional undercurrent to an event that is often as distant and hollow as most Hollywood award shows. ...More

  • TV Advertising 101 For Digital Marketers by Kaila Colbin

    Throughout my professional life, I've had the privilege of riding hundreds of steep learning curves, getting thrown into the deep end in a huge variety of industries, disciplines, and markets. My relish of these moments is perhaps unusual; after all, not everyone likes being completely ignorant when tasked with something new. As such, I thought it might be useful to share what I've learned this past year in one particular area: television advertising and, particularly, media buying. ...More

  • Jeremy Lin's Lesson For Entertainment Or Sports Success by Wayne Friedman

    By looking at the numbers, few NBA general managers thought that previously unknown Harvard graduate Jeremy Lin would average well over 25 points a game and lead his New York Knicks to six straight victories -- five of them without the team's two big marquee stars. What can TV programmers learn from this? While we all know the value of media research, scheduling research, and the testing of TV shows, success means more than just looking at numbers. ...More

  • Set-Top Box Lexicon: Pods by Jane Clarke

    Continuing on the commercial pod theme from the past weeks, let us now consider the common elements associated with pods. These constants help in the measurement of commercials within the pods and the measurement of full pods within a program or piece of content. ...More