Friday’s Social TV Must-Reads
What we call Social TV is much more than just a hashtag on the lower third of a TV screen, or a Facebook Page. It’s about the change in content that the confluence of technology, second screens, and an engaged audience brings to the television experience. Every day at noon, we publish a report of our picks of the latest news for TV industry professionals.
Today, we look at TV highlights for the weekend, top stories from CES in Las Vegas, awards shows, sports and more. Take a look and send us your comments.
Top Stories
- CES: Second screen is focus of Future of Television panel
“The fundamental revenue model of television is broken,” said Thomas Engdahl, CEO of MagicRuby, a second-screen app company that’s part of Technicolor. “We’re trying to do more of the same thing over and over.” Banner ads and the like aren’t working, he said, and “it’s not the DVR taking people away, it’s people switching to two programs.”
Read the article, via Variety http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118064508/
- CES: Facebook aims to friend TV biz
Twitter and a bustling cottage industry of social-TV specialists from GetGlue to Shazam have drawn attention as companions for connecting with friends on digital platforms while watching TV; the TV biz has embraced this boost to viewer engagement, giving screentime in various forms to social-media call-to-actions like the increasingly ubiquitous Twitter hashtag.But Facebook doesn’t put much importance on either being on air or in-show. Its execs take a broader view that sees promotion for a show playing out in its fans’ news feeds long before and after any one episode,
Read the article, via Variety http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118064498/
Weekend TV Highlights
- ‘Fringe,’ ‘Globes, ‘Girls’
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host one of Hollywood’s best annual parties — and least-important awards — Sunday on NBC at 8 p.m.
Read the article, via USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2013/01/10/bianco-critics-corner-jan-11/1821211/
- NFL Playoffs — Divisional Round Weekend
Win, or go home: 8 teams, four games, two days.
Read the article, Bleacher Report via LA Times http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1478664-nfl-playoff-schedule-2013-biggest-x-factors-in-divisional-round-weekend
TV Ratings
- ‘Big Bang’ Scores Series High, ‘Downton Abbey’ Stuns
NBC is on a winning streak, but mostly thanks to the Vikings and Packers. That game scored over 30 million viewers over the weekend, prompting the Peacock network to nab a rare win, its third in as many weeks. That record isn’t likely to last, especially since ‘American Idol’ is on the horizon for FOX.
Read the article, via StarPulse http://www.starpulse.com/news/Jonathan_Teigland/2013/01/10/tv_ratings_big_bang_scores_series_high
- People’s Choice Awards up but ‘Modern Family’ is Wednesday’s top show
For Wednesday, The People’s Choice Awards broadcast was up a little bit over last year, and it helped CBS score a win in total viewers Wednesday night. ABC also had a decent night, as all of its shows, led by “Modern Family,” improved on their last original episode.
Read the article, via Zap2it http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2013/01/tv-ratings-peoples-choice-awards-up-but-modern-family-is-wednesdays-top-show.html
CES
- CES 2013: computer motion firm takes giant leap into the future
Leap, a device the size of a USB drive, is a 3D interface with camera sensors to enable computer control by waggling fingers in the air.
Read the article, via Guardian (UK) http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jan/10/ces-2013-leap-motion-computer
- CES 2013: Land of the Dongle, Year of the Little Guy
Perhaps the biggest company to make a true splash was Nvidia, with its Shield gaming device. But mostly, we were wowed by the likes of Withings Smart Activity Tracker and Fitbit Flex. The Oculus Rift, a Kickstarter project no less, was one of the most interesting virtual reality products we’ve yet seen. The Pebble smartwatch, another Kickstarter product, was another standout, as were the Cubelets robots from Modular Robotics and touchscreen tablets from One Laptop Per Child.
Read the article, via Wired http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/01/ces-2013-dongles/
- Fredio App Brings Free Video to the Television
Fredio is a connected TV app that should appear in the LG and Samsung app stores sometime this quarter. Strictly a filter for free content, it lets viewers find and play premium video that’s already available for free streaming.
Read the article, via Streaming Media http://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/News/Online-Video-News/CES-Report-Fredio-App-Brings-Free-Video-the-Television-87078.aspx
- Smart TV Alliance expands
New Smart TV Alliance members include manufacturers Panasonic, ABOX42 and TechniSat, and solution providers IBM and Specific Media.
Read the article, via Gadget http://www.gadget.co.za/pebble.asp?relid=5688
- How Smart Should TVs Be?
We’ve built some pretty strong personal connections to our cell phones and tablets. And a lot of people think it’s going to take a while for us to develop that kind of bond with a TV, no matter how smart it is.
Read the article, via Smithsonian http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/ideas/2013/01/how-smart-should-tvs-be/
- People Don’t Use TV Apps, and Mobile Gaming Is Set to Implode: CES
But a handful of panelists at a CES event on Thursday threw some cold water on that dream. To hear them tell it, if anybody’s got a shot at hijacking the TV experience, it’s tablet and smartphone makers.
Read the article, via Adweek http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/people-dont-use-tv-apps-and-mobile-gaming-set-implode-146454
TCA Winter Tour
Winter TCA: ABC chief Paul Lee talks Kimmel, fall failures
Jimmy Kimmel can’t quite claim the late-night crown just yet — but his bosses at ABC are quite pleased with their contender.
“There’s no question that Jimmy has come out strong,” President of ABC Group Paul Lee said of Kimmel’s performance, speaking Thursday at the winter TV press tour in Pasadena.
Read the article, via LA Times http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-abc-chief-paul-lee-talks-kimmel-fall-failures-20130110,0,3391393.story
Sports
- Kobe Bryant: The Social-Media Kingmaker
Since joining the social-networking service a week ago, Bryant has racked up more than 700,000 followers. But the much more exclusive list is who Bryant has decided to follow on Twitter. As of Thursday evening, Bryant was following 39 users, providing some insight into his personal likes and interests.
Read the article, via WSJ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323936804578227703185140608.html
- The good and bad of Twitter and college athletes
Even handled strategically with smarts and some restraint, social media tends not to be a place for sympathy in sports, regardless of an athlete’s age or experience level. When his players were being berated by Wildcat fans for losing, Kentucky coach John Calipari hit that point home.
Read the article, via USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/other/2013/01/10/college-athletes-twitter-criticism-johnny-manziel-kentucky/1823959/
Latin Market
Yahoo! en Espanol and Sony Music Latin have partnered to produce and distribute a series of branded entertainment shows, which will premiere early this year. The partnership will collaborate to produce videos and music programs targeted at the US Hispanic audience.
Read the article, via Product Placement http://productplacement.biz/201301114889/branded-entertainment/yahoo-en-espanol-and-sony-music-latin-partner-to-produce-branded-entertainment.html
