November 14, 2008 by Editor.

This is buried in a Variety puff piece on Hulu, the NBC-Fox venture.  Google may have paid $1.65 billion for YouTube, but can’t seem to figure out how to make money on the deal. Hulu seems to have a better business model, but hasn’t really arrived…yet. The boldface emphasis is ours.

YouTube has created channels for different branded product, but they can tough to find. The site’s democratic presentation — and sheer volume of content — diminish its value as an ad vehicle. Hulu and YouTube both have demographics on their side, however. Viewers tend to skew younger than on TV, which has been aging up to 50 and beyond. The majority of Hulu viewers, Kilar points out, fall into the ad-friendly 18-49 demo.,

EMarketer recently projected that advertisers will spend $505 million on video ads this year, with the number climbing to $5.8 billion in 2013. That’s far short of the $70 billion TV video ad market, but advertisers are expected to follow younger viewers online.

 

Posted in Commercials Contract, Media Business, Exhibit A - TV Theatrical | Print | 3 Comments »

November 14, 2008 by Editor.

From Variety, something we missed yesterday but something we should all note:

Four WGA West staffers were arrested for alleged trespassing Thursday while leafleting at Hollywood & Highland mall to protest “American Idol” not being under WGA jurisdiction.

The arrestees included WGA West assistant exec director Jeff Hermansonalong with guild organizers Trish Albert, Laura Watson, and Terence Long while they passed out leaflets that asserted, “FremantleMedia refuses to treat its writers fairly.”

The WGA West said the quartet was taken into custody as part of a citizen’s arrest. They were then booked on misdemeanor charges at the Los Angeles Police Department and later released after posting bond.

“We will continue to exercise our First Amendment rights despite the heavy-handed treatment we received,” Hermanson said. “The public has a right to know that the top-rated show on television does not provide their writers with basic necessities like health care.”

WGA General Counsel Tony Segall said the guild was also considering legal action against the operators of the Hollywood & Highland for false arrest.

The WGA held a month-long campaign in five cities this summer to organize reality shows by targeting allegedly unfair working conditions on “American Idol.”

FremantleMedia execs have said the allegations, which include denial of overtime pay and meal breaks, are without merit. The execs have also said the WGA’s jurisdiction demand is unreasonable because Fremantle doesn’t use writers on all shows — an assertion disputed by the guild. 

Posted in Union Politics, Media Business | Print | 2 Comments »