- NBC News launch its new documentary series “Hidden Planet” not on TV, but on the “Rock Center with Brian Williams” iPad app, reports Broadcasting & Cable in an exclusive. This will be the first time NBC has premiered a series that way. Episodes of the monthly series will be exclusive to the iPad app for one week, before it becomes available on RockCenterNBC.com. The series takes the veteran foreign correspondent to such exotic destinations as Timbuktu and the Sahara Desert—places generally off the news radar.
- Mobile app rankings (including those for digital magazines and newspapers) will not be manipulated, pledges Apple. As paidContent describes, the company has acknowledged that third parties are offering download-bot services to inflate app rankings; and to place favorable reviews on apps. Apple declined comment to paidContent, but quickly issued a statement on its developer site that “Even if you are not personally engaged in manipulating App Store chart rankings or user reviews, employing services that do so on your behalf may result in the loss of your Apple Developer Program membership.”
- Subway has moved its domestic digital ad business (including search, mobile and display ads) to MediaCom, and away from Publicis, reports ClickZ. The sandwich chain is reportedly consolidating its U.S. business, and MediaCom has managed Subway’s offline ad business since 2000. Kantar Media clocks Subway’s 2011 digital spend at about $12.7 million, excluding mobile, but the chain announced it will up that spending considerably in 2012.
- Elsewhere in digital/agency news, Ad Age discovered that AOL is searching for an agency to refresh its image and spread the word “why people should care about AOL again.” Supposedly, the company finds consumers vague on its value proposition. AOL struggles against competitors Google and Yahoo, has also struggled to support its Patch.com community news outlet, but has recently acquired online properties Techcrunch and the Huffington Post. AOL posted Q4 2011 display ad revenues at $363.8 million, up 10% year-over-year.
Upfront Digital: Highly Social Super Bowl | DooGooders on YouTube | “The Daily” Fails to Reinvent
- Metrics are in for the “Social Super Bowl”: Bluefin Labs, which analyzes social media commentary during broadcasts, clocked 11.5 million comments during last night’s game, up more than six times over last year’s broadcast, reports AllThingsD. Bluefin rival Trendrr clocked 15.8 million comments, up from 3.01 million in 2011.
- Social Times reports that YouTube has joined with See3 Communications for the third year to present their DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards, which honors members of the YouTube Nonprofit Program. Contestants are invited to submit non-profit videos by February 29, to compete for small grants and of course, magnificent PR.
- “The Daily,” the Rupert Murdoch/Steve Jobs digital-only newspaper, is struggling, reports the New York Times. A year ago Murdoch introduced the $30 million tablet-only publication, which Murdoch predicted would save the news publishing industry. But with 100,000 subscribers paying 99 cents a week, The Daily is on par to break even in five years—which is typical of a print newspaper.
- Also from the New York Times, Spin Media (of Spin Magazine) is expected to enter the Pandora/Spotify rivalry today, by announcing an overhaul for Spin.com, to offer a streaming music player; nine new blogs; and Internet-only content, including news and music reviews. The music player will sit in a banner on the homepage, and a new toolbar will allow users to share content and video on, for example, Facebook and Twitter.
Grammy Awards Partner with CBS for Three Days of Streaming Programming
Beginning Friday, the Grammy Awards will launch “Grammy Live,” three days of live-streaming and social media, reports GigaOM. The lineup includes anchored behind-the-scenes coverage from correspondents like Alison Haislip (former correspondent for The Voice) and one-time MTV Newser John Norris.
Last year, the Grammy Awards partnered with YouTube, using its then-in-beta live-streaming service for digital delivery. All told, the partnership was a success, but “Partnering with our network partner affords us enhanced opportunities,” “Grammy Live” executive producer Peter Anton told GigaOm; among them, more on-air mentions in prime time for the “Grammy Live” programming.
“Grammy Live” is promising an “exclusive VIP pass to all the excitement and glamour of GRAMMY Weekend, with an “insider’s view into the hottest…events,” such as the MusicCares Person of the Year event honoring Paul McCartney. But as GigaOM describes, there’s only so live the broadcast can get: each live performance during the ceremony must be OK’d by the artist and rights holders, meaning those performances are on a delay without any guarantee. Likely, viewers will tune into the awards on CBS but enjoy the remaining nearly 72 hours of programming online.
Research: 70% Of Tablet Owners Want to Buy through Digital Magazine Ads
Fully 70% of tablet computer owners want to be able to buy items by clicking on digital magazine ads, reports GfK MRI. Another 70% say they like electronic ads that are personalized to their interests. GfK MRI is the consumer-centric market research firm, which regularly polls its iPanel, composed exclusively of tablet computer and eReader owners.
GfK MRI polled tablet owners who read a magazine on their devices in the last 30 days with several digital-magazine related topics. Additional findings include:
- Nearly three-quarters (72%) of tablet owners who would prefer all digital magazines to be formatted in the same way
- A majority of tablet magazine readers (67%) say that, if available, they would rather read an electronic version of a magazine than a paper version
- Still, 65% say it's more satisfying to read a magazine the traditional way
- Almost half (48%) of tablet magazine readers say electronic magazines take too long to download, 46% say that videos in digital versions of magazines are "just a gimmick" and 43% claim they find it hard to search for magazines they want to read on their tablets
So tablet makers have a few obstacles to overcome before digital magazines offer a fully-satisfying experience, and thus, an entirely effective ad platform. "Although magazine publishers are experimenting with different formats in order to differentiate their digital brands, this is not necessarily resonating with digital readers adopting the new tablet technology," said Risa Becker, SVP Research at GfK MRI.
Still—with a full 70% of digital magazine readers wanting to buy through the format, advertisers have an opportunity to reach some attractive demographics (see chart for tablet/eReader ownership by age).
Upfront Digital: Sports Piracy | Google Underwhelms Subcommittee | Honda Wins with Bueller
- Sports piracy brings harsh justice, and from on high. The LA Times reports that federal authorities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have “blitzed” 16 websites illegally streaming sports events, and have brought criminal charges against the owner of nine of them. Police arrested Yonjo Quiroa, 28, of Comstock Park, Mich., and charged him with criminal copyright infringement. Quiroa live-streamed NFL, NBL, NHL and World Wrestling Federation events.
- Google’s talks with House lawmakers over privacy concerns “don’t seem to be going well at all,” reports AllThingsD. Two high-ranking Google officials met with members of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Wednesday, to discuss a new policy that unifies 60 Google services under a single user name. “[Google] danced around actual details, and instead spoke in generalities, highlighting their efforts to ‘enhance the user experience’,” said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas. The proposed privacy changes would grant Google greater license to share user account information between services, outside of the users’ control.
- More grist for the Apple iOS versus Android mill: comScore reported that the Google Android platform took 47.3% share of the smart-phone platform market in December, versus Apple iOS at 29.6%. comScore believes Android’s popularity is the driving force behind Samsung’s 25.3% smart phone market share. That compared to That compared to Apple’s 12.4% share. Apple gained slightly Q3 to Q4, with a 2.2% bump while Samsung held steady.
- Honda proved cross-media value this week. As AdAge Digital reports, Honda’s Ferris Bueller-themed Super Bowl spot (one of the many leaked beforehand) collected 4.4 million views last week, on outlets led by YouTube. The company Visible Measures charted the top 10 ad views, most of them Super Bowl leaks. Second at 3.09 million views was Volkswagen’s “The Bark Side” ad, in which a bunch of dogs bark the Darth Vader theme from “Star Wars.”
- The Twitter Peek has died, reports Engadget. This toy-like Twitter-and-email-only handset, released by Peek in 2009, never caught fire. Its value proposition was $299 for a bare-bones device with lifelong mobile service. But the devices ceased to work on Monday, complained users. Peek CEO Amol Sarva, confirmed the death, and has no plans to replace the devices: Peek will stick to aftermarket software.
comScore Data: Newspaper Websites Gaining, Holding Interest
Newspaper websites in Q4 2011 averaged more than 111 million monthly unique visitors (MUVs), up by more than 6 million compared to the same period in 2010, reports the Newspaper Association of America (NAA), citing comScore data. Fully 63% of adult Internet users visited newspaper websites.
A comarison of newspaper website usage data year-over-year (YOY) revealed that average daily visitors increased by more than 3 million, or nearly 15%. Unique visitors increased nearly 6%, while total minutes increased 14%.
The comScore data demonstrate “The growing appeal of newspapers’ online content,” said NAA President and CEO Carolline Little, “particularly for engaged, informed and affluent users whom advertisers…seek to reach.” As Little described, 70% of Internet users with household income (HHI) above $60,000 are reached by newspaper websites, and 75% when looking at HHI above $100,000.
Other key findings about Q4 2011: Among people 45 to 54, newspaper website percentage reach climed to 67%. In the 18 to 34 demographic, website reach remained at or above 60%.
Newspapers are answering these numbers with a steady stream of what NAA calls “innovative strategies designed to maintain and build their digital audiences.” For example, the Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J. launched animated editorials, and the New York Times launched a fashion-focused niche app.
“During all of 2011, the percentage reach of Internet users enjoyed by newspaper websites never dipped below 61 percent,” Little said. “Web-based and other digital platforms at newspaper are capturing—and holding—attention in the marketplace.”
Signs of hope
Editor & Publisher described 2011 as “the lowest point yet” for newspaper ad revenue," with 2011 revenues of $24 billion, down from the record high $49.4 billion in 2005. E&P observed that, however important a digital strategy appears to be, it has yet to fulfill its potential in newspaper revenue. “Sure, digital advertising climbed 8.3%, but digital still contributes only 14.3% to overall publisher revenue. But the newspaper industry is clearly aware of the trend, and 2012 will likely see the digital contribution approaching 17%. E&P opined that newspaper must compete on content, and the papers are treating apps, animation and streaming video as exactly that—content—if not the content they are used to providing.
WSJ Live Launches YouTube Channel
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) today launched its dedicated YouTube channel, reports Investors Business Daily. First among its advertisers visible to YouTube viewers: the Ron Paul campaign (with a banner ad and 13-minute streaming infomercial), the United Arab Emirates and Boeing.
Key among the on-demand content is its “Off Duty” lifestyle show, based on the section of the same name in WSJ’s Saturday editions. WSH reporter Wendy Bounds will host “Off Duty,” airing every business day at 6pm EST, then available on demand. WSJ is treating YouTube as another distribution channel for its WSJ Live, which offers four hours of live programming per day. WSJ Live is available already on the iPad and Smart TVs. The WSJ Live app is also broadly available, via Apple TV, Google TV and Roku. WSJ claims its Live app for iPad has been downloaded more than 160,000 times since launch in September 2011. A quick check of the Apple iTunes store reveals a five-star rating for the app.
While the “Off Duty” segment is new, it joins several existing segments including Digits, Mean Street, Markets Hub and Opinion.
ESPN Chief: We’ll Protect Broadcaster Value From Online Erosion
ESPN is pay TV’s most expensive basic offering, observes Deadline Hollywood, at an estimated $4.69 per customer per month. Still, ESPN President John Skipper defends ESPN as “bringing great value and getting paid for that value.” Skipper made the remark at yesterday’s D: Dive Into Media conference, hosted by AllThingsD.
“The rates we get from distributors are directly correlated to the value we provide,” Skipper said. Moreover, Skipper will be certain that it retains its value, by closely guarding its TV viewership. ESPN acquires rights for its content on all devices, but Skipper pledges the channel will not use digital platforms to draw viewers away from cable and satellite. “We don’t cannibalize ourself, we use those platforms to cross-promote,” with mobile alerts and fantasy game applications, among other offerings.
Digital rights could give ESPN a leg up over such rising competitors as NBC Sports Network. But as AllThingsD describes, the value of that guarded distributorship is strong local ad sales, and the draw of 3-D and HD content, which ESPN has pioneered. Skipper added that he believes the espnW web site, a women’s sports outlet, will become a cable channel.
Digital Top 10 Food Sites: Visitors Seek Recipes, Apps
Dining continues to be a powerful web driver, reports Access Intelligence, which has just released data for October/November 2011 traffic to food-oriented websites. Food sites expect a bump surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas, but the bump this year meant a gain of 1.7 million unique visits to epicurious.com.
Among the winners: Time Inc. Lifestyle Group’s MyRecipes.com, which gathers recipes from the group's line of magazine sites, alongside new content. MyRecipes.com enjoyed 62% year-over-year (YOY) growth in the fourth quarter.
Some, but not all of the top 10 gainers were digital editions of magazines, including Saveur, and not all are entirely food-oriented; GoodHousekeeping.com was third in unique-visitor gains YOY, for a total gain of 1,242,636 visits.
Not all unique visitors looked for recipes. FineCooking.com gained 47.03% YOY, driven in part by its iPad MenuMaker app, which it claims has been downloaded 42,000 times, and has a 4.5 star rating from Apple App store customers.
“The Economist” Banks that China Section Will Draw Readers, Advertisers
Beginning with this week’s issue, The Economist will run a section devoted entirely to China. This is only the third time in 170 years that the magazine has created a country-specific section. But as Editor in Chief John Micklethwait told Audience Development, “China is getting so large that trying to constrain it in a section like geo-politics was difficult.”
China is a broadly-interesting topic, Micklethwait believes, affecting the magazine’s entire global readership. The British-born magazine took the same stance during WWII with its still-existing U.S. section.
Circulation of The Economist within China is a miniscule 3,740, and Micklethwait is not counting on it growing; rather, he is counting on it increasing readership long-term in the U.S., among “That group [that] wants to know more about China than what they’re being told.”
In addition to mainstream business and politics, The Economist has reporters on the ground to cover rural life, social changes and emerging trends.
The Economist claims a 2011 circulation of 1,486,838, and a modest year-over-year growth of 3.03%. But Omniture clocked the digital edition with a swift 7,610,593 unique visitors in December 2011, and 34,124,539 page views.
