Digital Media

Google wants to know more about how TiVo owners are exposed to commercials.

(Credit: TiVo)

Google and TiVo know you accidentally watch a few ads while fast-forwarding through the commercial breaks of your recorded programs, and they'd like a little more data to back that up.

Google plans to add TiVo "television viewing data" to its existing Google TV Ads program, the two companies said in a press release Tuesday. Google TV Ads is the company's attempt to re-create its AdWords and AdSense model on the small screen through a partnership with Dish Network, and it wants to use TiVo data to help its advertising clients measure how and when their ads are viewed.

DVRs like TiVo are not the favorite tech product of the television advertising business, as they allow viewers to watch shows whenever they like and skip the commercials. But most DVR owners (except for a few masters of the remote control) catch glimpses of ads as they whiz by, or overshoot the end of the commercial period and hit the 30-second rewind button, exposing them to the last ad shown before the program resumes.

That kind of viewing shouldn't count as a full ad impression, since the advertiser knows the viewer didn't watch the full ad, but Google seems to feel that it can't be completely ignored, either. It plans to use "anonymous second-by-second DVR viewing data" to track how viewers see ads placed through Google TV Ads. It also gives Google more access to viewer behavior on sources outside of Dish Network, including cable, satellite, and over-the-air viewers.

That could presumably make Google TV Ads more attractive to potential advertisers, since Google will be able to assemble a wealth of data on the viewing habits of DVR owners. Google also has a deal with Nielsen for viewing data, although some feel the new TiVo partnership will put a lot of strain on that relationship.

In a somewhat related move, TiVo has also partnered with MillerCoors to expose football fans to Coors Light ads when they are fast-forwarding through recorded NFL games.

Woo wee, did Hulu's fortunes flip-flop fast.

Jason Kilar, Hulu CEO

(Credit: Greg Sandoval/CNET Networks)

The Web's deepest stockpile of full-length TV shows and feature films is seeing some very public infighting over its future. The disagreements are over how Hulu should generate revenue and even how to sell ads, according to a report in Mediaweek.

Things were going so well. Since Hulu's October 2007 launch, the Web video site founded by NBC Universal and News Corp., has grown its audience, generated big ad revenue, and been bathed in positive press.

Hulu has mounted the only serious challenge to YouTube. The site also enables its TV network backers to offer viewers an alternative to pirate sites. But the indications are Hollywood is dismayed over Hulu's earnings. On the issue of Web revenue, the studios seem to be saying: "Is that all there is?"

The first signs that Hulu may not be the cash cow that everyone involved had hoped for came earlier this year. Instead of ballyhooing the selling out of ad inventory like it had done a year earlier, Hulu's managers hushed up.

Then, NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker and News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch said publicly that Hulu may charge for some content. In an interview with Dow Jones last week, News Corp. COO Chase Carey said it's important that Hulu have "a real subscription aspect," but added some content will always be free.

Want to bet that the content you'll have to buy will be the latest and most popular TV shows and films?

Hulu's management is wrestling with these issues at a time when the public increasingly develops an appetite for high-quality Web video.

The number of U.S. households with broadband access that watched full-length movies and TV shows online doubled in the past year, according to research firm, Parks Associates. According to the firm, 45 million households regularly watch either TV shows or films via the Internet.

Jayant Dasari, a research analyst at Parks, said people like the control that sites like Hulu give them. If they miss a favorite TV show, they can get caught up on Hulu.

"If they're on the road or don't have access to a (Digital Video Recorder) they are more than willing to consider the option of broadband video," Dasari said. "This is a trend that can no longer be ignored."

(Credit: Greg Sandoval/CNET Networks )

Dasari said Web video's growth is being stifled by the lack of content available at Hulu and other sites. For example, there are only a handful of feature films available at Hulu. Crackle.com, Sony Pictures' Web service, only posts a fraction of its vast library of films on the Internet, but there's not another studio even offering that.

So what? What does it mean if the studios hobble Hulu? Consumers have watched TV for over half a century. They can still go back there. Right?

Big Champagne CEO Eric Garland, whose company tracks traffic on peer-to-peer sites--where most illegal file sharing occurs--told me recently that consumers are heading online for video entertainment and he doesn't expect them to return to their traditional viewing habits ever again. Garland's data shows that Hulu is the first legal Web service to snatch market share away from the pirate sites.

He also said that the lords of video, with their rejection of Internet businesses, are behaving much the same way the music industry did when confronted by the digital age. If network and film studio executives are dissatisfied with the returns they see from Hulu and similar sites, they should consider the possibility that this is all the new media landscape will yield, Garland said.

One major obstacle seems to have been settled in Comcast's quest to buy NBC Universal from General Electric--how much to pay for it.

Both companies have reportedly agreed on a price of $30 billion for GE's movie and TV unit, according to sources cited Monday by Reuters and The Wall Street Journal (subscription required for full story).

The agreement on the worth of NBC Universal (NBCU) is a major step toward paving the way to create a new, privately held company that would combine NBC's TV stations and Universal Studios with Comcast's TV and cable stations. NBCU's Web properties include iVillage and the online video site Hulu, in which it is a co-owner along with News Corp. and Walt Disney Co.

Under the terms of the proposed deal, Comcast would own a majority 51 percent slice of the new entity, with GE owning the remaining 49 percent.

Further, the two companies have discussed an option whereby GE would sell off all or most of its ownership of the new company to Comcast over the next seven years, according to sources cited previously. Recent reports say that GE and Comcast have now decided how to price the new entity after the deal goes into effect so that GE faces no problems selling off its remaining stake.

The valuation of NBC Universal was seen as a major challenge in advancing the deal, according to sources. Comcast naturally was intent on maximizing the value of its own networks and minimizing the value of NBCU to limit the amount of up-front cash it would need to invest in the new firm. Latest reports say that Comcast would inject anywhere from $4 billion to $6 billion into the new entity.

However, both companies have reportedly agreed to base Comcast's final cash payment on NBCU's financial performance before any finalized deal closes. If its performance tanks, Comcast could end up paying less.

Other challenges remain, too. French media giant Vivendi owns 20 percent of NBCU. Vivendi has reportedly told GE that it wants to sell its stake but has yet to voice approval on any deal of its own. A valuation of the company's 20 percent ownership is currently being discussed, said the source cited by Reuters.

Of course, even if Vivendi agrees to a deal and all looks good, regulatory approval would be required, especially since Comcast would own a huge chunk of national and local media outlets. The Journal said that people close to the talks believe regulatory approval could take at least eight to 12 months.

Comcast's bid for a majority stake in NBC Universal was first revealed in early October.

Requests for confirmation to GE and Comcast were not immediately returned.

Hulu has debuted a long-requested feature--the ability to find out when new episodes of TV shows will be available to stream.

The video site, which is a joint venture of NBC, ABC, and Fox, calls the new feature Coming Soon. It went live Monday.

Hulu's new Coming Soon feature.

(Credit: Screenshot by Harrison Hoffman)

The schedule of when TV shows will be released online has been unclear up until this point, leaving people guessing when an episode will be posted. This new feature solves that problem.

The update includes a few additional features. First, people can choose to get an e-mail reminding them when an episode gets posted. This is definitely helpful for those of us who are forgetful and don't use Hulu's excellent Queue feature. Also, Hulu now lets you place the embed code for an unreleased episode on your blog or Web site. I embedded this week's upcoming episode of "The Office" below to show how this feature looks.

... Read more

Would you pay $30 a month to watch TV via iTunes?

That's the pitch Apple has been making to TV networks in recent weeks. The company is trying to round up support for a monthly subscription service that would deliver TV programs via its multimedia software, multiple sources tell me.

Apple isn't tying the proposed service to a specific piece of hardware, like its underwhelming Apple TV box, or its long-rumored tablet/slate device. Instead, it is presenting the offer as an extension of its iTunes software and store, which already has 100 million customers.

A so-called "over the top" service could theoretically rival the ones most consumers already buy from cable TV operators--if Apple is able to get enough buy-in from broadcast and cable TV programmers.

That's a big if: Apple has told industry executives it wants to launch the service early next year, but I have yet to hear of a single programmer that has made a firm commitment to the company, which has tasked iTunes boss Eddy Cue with promoting the idea.

But industry executives believe that if anyone jumps first, it will be Disney, since CEO Bob Iger has shown a willingness to experiment with Apple and iTunes in the past: In 2005, Disney was the first player to sell its programming on iTunes, via a la carte downloads. And Apple CEO Steve Jobs is Disney's largest single shareholder, a result of Disney's 2006 acquisition of Jobs' Pixar animation studio. Apple didn't respond to requests for comment.

Network executives I've talked to are intrigued with the idea--they are eager to find new revenue streams--but are also wary, for multiple reasons.

Story Copyright (c) 2009 AllThingsD. All rights reserved.

Though more computers have been landing in living rooms, digital TVs are adding new features to help them hang onto their role as the family's entertainment center, says a report released Tuesday by In-Stat.

As DTVs replace old analog sets throughout the world, manufacturers are beefing them up with new network features, including Internet access, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi, noted an In-Stat report called "DTV 2009: Declining Costs, Increasing Shipments, and Network Capability." In-Stat predicts that 36 percent of digital sets sold in 2013 will be network-enabled.

(Credit: In-Stat)

Technologies for wireless high-definition, such as the competing 60GHz WirelessHD and WHDI standards, will also bring wireless HD streaming into households, forecasts the report.

"DTVs are competing with computers to be the entertainment hub of the home," said In-Stat analyst Brian O'Rourke in a statement. "Sets with Internet connectivity are already commercially available in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Models from Hitachi, LG Electronics, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, and Sony can connect directly to the Internet without a home computer."

With the conversion from analog to digital broadcasts in progress among major countries, DTVs are now the only TVs available in most of North America, Western Europe, and Japan, noted In-Stat. However, DTVs are still competing with cheaper analog sets in markets that have yet to make the switch.

Prince Philip is the tall chap who married the queen of England, enjoys making beautifully inappropriate comments, and feels intimate contact with his television might be necessary in order to make it work.

In a revealing interview, only some of which seems to have appeared on the Buckingham Palace YouTube channel, the prince laid bare his electrical dysfunction, one that many might, secretly or not, actually share.

His interviewer, a rather well spoken chap called Kevin McCloud, brightened up the pages of London's Times newspaper with some of the prince's heartfelt words.

Perhaps the most elegant of the phrases turned by the 88-year-old prince was: "To work out how to operate a television set, you practically have to make love to the thing."

It has never been my habit to wonder about the conjugal behavior of the regal.

However, once one's mind goes quickly beyond boggling in order to consider how one might make one's plasma pulse race, one begins to appreciate that many people do find it rather difficult to grasp even 10 percent of their gizmos' workings.

Prince Philip photographed moving swiftly.

(Credit: CC Steve Punter/Flickr)

Of course, the prince's imagery is so disconcerting that I wonder just what actions came immediately before the creation of, for example, Prince Charles.

However, Phil the Greek, as he is sometimes known in pejorative circles, will no doubt receive some sympathy for his giddy criticism of technology's grave new world. Why can't things be just blindingly simple, especially for those whose eyes are not quite what they used to be?

Not satiated with his criticism of televisual operations, the prince turned his mind and, one feared, his devilishly seductive eyes, toward the Web.

"The Web sites I've seen are so awful it's untrue," he told McCloud. "They're so unfit for purpose I'm surprised anyone tolerates them."

Surely he has a point. There are so many ill-designed sites on the Web that one's eyes sometimes water with pain. However, given the prince's somewhat outre position on the subject of televisions, many will find themselves caught in the uncomfortable posture of now considering which Web sites the prince has, um, actually visited.

Please might readers suggest something appropriate, as I fear my own thinking has been addled and muddled by the prince's highly colorful imagery.

Time Warner is not interested in a bidding war for NBC Universal, according to Jeff Bewkes, CEO of the media conglomerate.

Bewkes, who was being interviewed Friday for The Atlantic's First Draft of History conference at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., said big media mergers hardly ever work.

Jeff Bewkes, Time Warner chairman and CEO

(Credit: Time Warner)

"Some deals work in media, but most have not," he added. "Over the past 10 to 15 years, there is a very low percentage of deals that have delivered what they would deliver, in terms of return on investment."

After the interview, which was streamed live online, Bewkes told a Reuters News service reporter why his company isn't interested in bidding for NBC Universal. Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Comcast, the largest cable operator in the United States, is in talks to buy a controlling stake in the media company, owned by General Electric and Vivendi.

"There's no real need or benefit for us to take on the various aspects of NBC," Bewkes told Reuters in an interview at the conference. "We have a lot of good things, and so we don't see that as particularly attractive."

Time Warner knows a thing or two about failed mergers. In 2000, it acquired AOL in a stock deal that was valued at the time at about $160 billion. When the merger was first announced, it was hailed as a major milestone, a historic marriage of online media and print and broadcast media. But only a few years into the merger, it became apparent that the deal was doomed. By 2008, Time Warner had confirmed that it was dumping AOL altogether.

Since taking the helm as CEO of Time Warner in 2008, Bewkes has tried to keep Time Warner focused on its core business of creating content. Instead of acquiring new properties and diversifying the business, Bewkes has made cuts. Besides spinning off AOL, he also shed the company of its cable division.

While Bewkes may not see a need to merge with another big media company, he does see the importance of partnering with other players, such as Comcast. Earlier this year, the companies announced that they were testing service that allows Comcast cable subscribers to view online TV shows and movies from several Time Warner cable channels, such as TNT and TBS.

Bewkes said expanding access to TV shows and movies online will actually grow the audience for its content.

"With HBO, we learned that putting shows on demand increased viewership," he said. "So viewership goes up, and viewers get to watch (what) they want, when they want. And they get to select their favorite shows from their favorite channels."

Other changes in the media business that Bewkes predicts includes the end of print magazines and newspapers. Instead, he envisions people using e-readers such as the Amazon.com Kindle to get access to periodicals. He said that soon, many manufacturers will have e-readers on the market and that these devices will be much more affordable for average consumers.

Separately, Bewkes told Bloomberg that the company was not interested in selling its Time Inc. magazine unit.

The television season is about to arrive full force.

Soon, most of your favorite television shows, as well as new series, will be making their way into your home. But if you're unsure when your show will come back, you want to catch up, or you simply want to track the show as the season progresses, I have you covered with some great sites.

Let's check them out.

Tracking TV

Hulu...There are few better ways to track your favorite shows than to watch them on Hulu, which is backed by NBC Universal, ABC, and Fox.

Thanks to strategic partnerships that Hulu inked with networks, finding and watching your favorite shows is quick and easy. And since the site is ad-supported, you won't need to worry about doling out cash to watch your shows.

I spend considerable time on Hulu. I caught up with last season's of "Family Guy" on the site. The videos run well. The ads, while a necessary evil, aren't that bad. And the quality is outstanding. Even better, you can embed Hulu videos into your blog, making it a great platform to share your favorite shows with friends.

Hulu has outstanding video quality.

(Credit: Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET)

MyTVRSS...When you first get to MyTVRSS, you'll probably be a little sickened by its design. A black background sitting behind pink type makes the site an extremely unattractive target for your attention. But once you realize you'll spend very little time there, you'll get past it.

MyTVRSS lists every television show currently in production. When you click on one of the links on that site, you'll find a show summary, information on the last episode that aired (assuming it isn't a new show), and the series premiere's date and time. Unfortunately, not all the show listings are as informative as I would have liked. For instance, the site's "The Office" page was great. But its "30 Rock" page didn't feature nearly as much information. Your mileage will vary.

As you sift through all the shows on the site, you can pick those series that you watch most often by checking the box next to their titles. At the bottom of the page is a "Create Feed" option. When you click that button, you'll receive a unique RSS feed that you can add to your reader. That feed will alert you when your shows air. For someone like me who easily forgets a favorite show is on, it's a nice service to have.

MyTVRSS is certainly an ugly site.

(Credit: Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET)