• by Mitch Oscar , Op-Ed Contributor, December 15, 2009

A couple of weeks ago, as the Comcast and NBC Universal proposed merger grabbed headlines speculating on the efficacy of the marriage of gargantuan content and distribution partners synergistically influencing the media realm as we know it and the requisite government scrutiny to garner parental nuptial blessings, a few of the articles focused on the future of interactive and addressable technologies.

Most commentary hedged optimistically: "now that you have a distributor and a content provider sitting on the same side of the table, that could accelerate movement into this area," spun one chief investment officer. An agency president waxed: "we're looking for Comcast to take technology and the programming from NBC Universal and push really hard on addressability, interactivity and customized messaging." An executive technologist wishfully speculated: "when you put together two critical pieces of the pie like this, it should make it easier to get addressability done on a mass scale." I wish I could be as sanguine.  

The reporters I had spoken with informed me that my opinion was contrary - who me - to the media executives they had interviewed for their articles. They stressed the heft of the combined entities. And in particular referenced the launching of an aquatic vehicle. I quickly drew their attention to the pachyderm in the boat, paddling progress and Comcast's parental support - other than equity. 

Since the turn of the 21^st Century, of all of the cable operators Comcast has been the most prolific in deploying video on demand platforms, whether they be cable network linear extensions, original branded propositions, automotive, real estate and retail classified-link-to-video destinations and the disable-ization of commercial fast forwarding functionality in broadcast network VOD offerings in a few markets. In the future I imagine the new entity will make even more top quality content available through on demand venues, both traditional and TV everywhere-like authentication peppered with technological extensions.  

Comcast was the first to offer larger scale addressability, though statically, through Visible World's cable zone targeting. In the video addressable realm they have dabbled in a few limited partnerships:  OpenTV in Huntsville (AL), continuing their video addressable foray in Baltimore with Invidi and are rumored to deploy with Visible World in early 2010 - market unknown. Also, over the last year and change, they have gingerly deployed Navic interactive technology in lite and regular versions in a few markets. And most recently, a majority partner (48.5%) in Canoe Ventures.

 In June 2009, Canoe Ventures launched its first product, Community Addressable Messaging (CAM), for affluent zip coded zones. The only cable network to jump into the boat was Rainbow Media's AMC or WE. I forget which. The financial proposition, as I understood it, was for the cable networks to license the technology from Canoe - cash in hand - and then garner a return on investment by selling the addressed inventory to the ad agencies. Word on the street was that Comcast corporate left it up to its individual networks to determine the value of the proposition i.e., time and energy versus possible revenue generation. All declined: E! Entertainment, G4, Sprout, Style, The Golf Channel, and Versus.

 In early summer, Canoe promised a second product launch by mid-Fall. An EBIF enabled Request for Interaction (RFI) application. Without fanfare the product launched soft. Rumors circulated that Turner Broadcasting's TruTV would be the first to launch the app in 3 million homes and TBS siblings would initially view from across the water. Again, Comcast owned networks were no where on the horizon. Concurrently, while attendees of CTAM's November conference were snowbound in Denver, Comcast announced that there would be 11 million set tops EBIF enabled by year-end; loads more next year.

 Last week Comcast announced a shop-by-remote function, in partnership with HSN, that would be available in 10+ million homes early next year augmenting the 8 million EBIF enabled homes currently in the field. Nary a Canoe RFI product mention. So unless, Comcast mandates its networks (and NBCU siblings) to support Canoe product roll-outs, I don't think in the near future that one of the noticeable benefits of the two media juggernauts merging will be in the iTV/ addressable realm or not, at least, through Canoe Ventures white labels - if history be judge of repetition.