• Ted Forstmann & Television
    Ted Forstmann -- businessman, financier, "master of the universe" -- unfortunately passed away last month, at the not-so-ripe old age of 71. Many readers know Forstmann as Chairman of IMG, the sports- and media-management firm. But Forstmann's rich career as a leveraged buyout investor comprised so much more. From his founding of Forstmann Little & Company in 1978, he wielded enormous influence on every sector he touched. What's less widely known is the extent of Forstmann's impact on the television industry. If not for him, we might not be where we are today. Really.
  • 'Family Guy' Prompts The Question: Ten Years Later, Is It Okay To Have Fun With 9/11?
    Ten years later, is it too soon for television to have some fun with the events of Sept. 11, 2001? I've been wondering about this since the Nov. 20 episode of Fox's often controversial "Family Guy," a hugely popular animated comedy series that is known not only for its razor-sharp humor but also its merciless lack of sensitivity. In that episode, two of the characters took several trips back in time, at one point preventing 9/11 and at another making sure that it happened. Clearly, "Family Guy" goes too far on so regular a basis that a vague sense of …
  • Set-Top-Box Lexicon: Types of Anonymization
    In continuing in our discussion of privacy and anonymization, we examine the terms that involve the process of stripping and processing identifying information and creating these anonymized datasets for use in measurement. All of this helps to preserve and insure privacy of the individual.
  • Media Insights Q&A With Simulmedia's Jack Smith
    Jack Smith has the unusual title of Chief Product Officer for Simulmedia, which means that he determines what systems the company should build. And yet, it is not IT; his work touches all aspects of the business, such as research, sales and marketing. Jack, who comes to Simulmedia with an extensive experience in radio, the Internet and television, shares his views on a range of issues, from Big Data in TV advertising, set-top-box data in measurement, Connected TV, privacy issues and upcoming trends in the media landscape.
  • Musings On The Fall Season: Broadcast Is Doing Well, But Basic Cable Is Kicking It
    I've been thinking about which new broadcast series have distinguished themselves as the best of the freshman class now that they have all had a chance to grab our attention and show their stuff (except for Fox's not-good "I Hate My Teenage Daughter" which premieres next week). The short list I came up with consists of two shows I picked at the start of the season -- CBS' "2 Broke Girls" and Fox's "New Girl" -- plus one surprise addition: ABC's "Revenge."
  • The Fall Season: Broadcast Is Doing Well, But Basic Cable Is Kicking It
    I've been thinking about which new broadcast series have distinguished themselves as the best of the freshman class now that they have all had a chance to grab our attention and show their stuff (except for Fox's not-good "I Hate My Teenage Daughter," which premieres next week). The short list I came up with consists of two shows I picked at the start of the season -- CBS' "2 Broke Girls" and Fox's "New Girl" - plus one surprise addition: ABC's "Revenge." These three programs have entertained me more consistently than any other freshman efforts this fall, but I have …
  • Set-Top Box Lexicon: Anonymization
    A way to insure privacy for viewers and consumers is to "anonymize" the data points so subscriber information cannot be linked back to a specific house, box or person. When we say "anonymization," what do we really mean? Let's examine some terms and definitions associated with anonymization:
  • Innovation Beyond Borders
    One of the things I enjoy most about what I do is that it gives me the opportunity to connect with other entrepreneurs. No matter the firm, no matter the field, I always find it energizing to meet smart and motivated people who are passionate about great ideas -- their ideas. So it's a real treat for me every year to attend the Intel Capital CEO Summit, as I did last week. There were a lot of exciting conversations, inspiring stories, and of course, fantastic speakers like author and consultant Keith Ferrazzi, Marissa Mayer from Google, and Intel execs Dadi …
  • ABC: The Fall Season's Most Surprising Network
    The 2011-12 television season is moving forward largely as predicted, with CBS remaining its solid self, Fox having a better fall than usual because of building interest in "The X Factor" and NBC crumbling under the weight of so many dreadful new shows and so many dreadfully tired old ones. And then there's ABC, suddenly and surprisingly the network to watch, even if everything isn't going as planned.
  • Media Insights Q&A With Bob Shullman, IPSOS Mendelsohn
    Bob Shullman, President IPSOS Mendelsohn, is a veteran in the marketing research and strategy discipline for a range of important media brands. Through his efforts, Ipsos Mendelsohn has become synonymous with expertise in the high-end consumer marketplace. In my interview with him, Bob talks about his work at Mendelsohn, the merging of IPSOS and Mendelsohn in 2008, and trends in the affluent marketplace. Bob also offers some interesting insights into future economic trends as it pertains to the wealthiest American consumers.
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