TV Shows Archives - Page 12 of 26

When Ads Don’t Work, Retrans Fights Get Nastier

In a research report released by SNL Kagan this week (hat tip to Multichannel News), new numbers show just how high retransmission fees are rising for cable, telco, and satellite TV operators. According to the Kagan report, operators paid $1.14 billion in retrans fees in 2010, with that number projected to rise to $1.46 billion in … Read more

TiVo Premiere To Access Xfinity On Demand

Remember the mysterious screengrab that TiVo accidentally released at the Premiere launch? Well, a year later, they’ve finally come clean. Comcast, er Xfinity, On Demand will be made available to TiVo Premiere DVRs in select markets – and San Francisco is up first. Although no specific ETA was provided beyond “early next year.” Presumably, the companies are getting it done using back channel communication methods, facilitated by SeaChange, and similar to those seen with RCN, Suddenlink, and perhaps what’s coming to Cox.

From TiVo’s press release:

How Verizon Really Can Take TV Everywhere

FiOS streaming live TV tablet

Slowly but surely we’re getting more access to TV on our PCs, iPads, and smartphones. But a comment on Dave’s post about the IMG 1.9 release reminded me that for some folks, the fact that FiOS TV service doesn’t let you move content around easily today is still a deal-breaker.

Until Verizon has a way for me to get TV off their box and onto my PC/ pad/ phone- the same way that Tivo does, I will continue to be a Tivo customer.

What most folks don’t know is that Verizon has done an astounding amount of work on its infrastructure in order to enable services that make content more flexible and accessible on different devices. We learned in January that the telecom had overhauled its hybrid QAM/IP system, making it possible to switch over to all-IP broadcasting for live television in addition to VOD and widget services. More recently, however, the company announced its new Verizon Digital Media Services platform, which both transcodes and formats TV for different devices, and handles session management so you can start watching a show in one place, and finish up somewhere else. (See Light Reading’s stellar coverage here and here)

Verizon claims that VDMS is a one-of-a-kind digital delivery utility, and it’s aiming to sell the technology as a service to cable companies for their TV Everywhere services. I have serious doubts about the potential success of that plan, but for Verizon’s own purposes, VDMS appears to give the company everything it needs to take FiOS TV to the next level. You know how the new WatchESPN service lets you watch live ESPN broadcasts on the go? I’m betting Verizon will offer more linear content the same way in the near future to FiOS TV users, along with the option to transition viewing sessions of VOD and recorded content to various gadgets for mobile viewing. This could be a good year to be a FiOS subscriber.

Hulu Keeping Programmers Happy. How About Consumers?

Hulu posted some pretty awesome revenue numbers last night, including projections that the company will make close to half a billion dollars in 2011 and drive 300 million dollars in revenue to its content partners. However, all of that success comes with a price. Like every other over-the-top video provider, Hulu has had to limit … Read more

Probst To Survivor Fans: TiVo Doesn’t Help Our Ratings

Survivor-TiVo

Over the years, I’ve had more than one love affair with a TV show. But no matter how much I’ve enjoyed epic hits like 24, Alias or Joey Grecco’s Cheaters, none of them have been able to generate the level of excitement that I feel when I watch Survivor. I’m not sure if it’s the Machiavellian nature of the show or simply being able to watch an assortment of characters who are so wacky that they end up making Gilligan’s Island look like the Love Boat. I love the show so much, that I even organized a home version of the game with my family over the holidays… and I ended up getting voted out 2nd for trying to emulate Russell Hantz’s bulldog strategy.

Because Survivor is the number #1 show on my Season Pass priority list, you would think that I’d never miss an episode. But every year Survivor changes the name of their show just a little bit, so that DVR subscribers have to resubscribe to each new season.

While this may or may not be hurting Survivor’s DVR consumption, the fact that the producers of the show haven’t noticed has always baffled me. It’d be like me changing my RSS feed every six months, so that only my superfans could easily follow my blog. Unless you like languishing in obscurity, this isn’t a very good strategy for retaining an audience or capturing people’s attention.

Recently, Jeff Probst, the host of Survivor, launched a blog to promote the show and other charitable causes that he cares about. On his site, he solicits questions from fans and answers the more common ones. While all tidbits about the show caught my attention, one particular answer jumped out at me. In answering the question of how long will Survivor continue to run, Probst says that the survival of Survivor is dependent upon live viewers because “TiVo doesn’t help us in the ratings.”

Who’s Got a Smart TV? I Do! I Do!

The big TV manufacturers are all pushing 3D very hard, consumer sentiment be damned. But they’re also all getting on board with their own smart TV offerings, including services with app stores, and content that can be place-shifted to different devices. Yesterday Samsung and Panasonic both showed off their own TV app markets: Media Hub … Read more

Falling for Yahoo Again, Knowing Heartbreak Ahead

I don’t know what it is about Yahoo, but every year at CES, one of us here at ZNF seems to get sucked in by the promise of Yahoo’s TV platform. In 2011, everybody and their mother is touting a smart TV or a web-connected TV box. Yahoo has been having this conversation for years, and despite little buzz, it seems to keep chugging along. New this year is a technology called “broadcast interactivity,” which shows up as a smart bar at the bottom of your screen and pastes content on top of broadcast and on-demand shows based on audio signatures it “hears” in the programming you watch. The smart bar includes content like TV trivia, polls, and links to buy stuff you see on the screen with your TV remote. (Jennifer Aniston’s sweater, anyone?) You can get the widget on any Yahoo-supported TV, or by connecting an upcoming retail D-Link box to your non-web-based TV screen. Yahoo is working directly with broadcasters to generate the content, with partners right now including ABC, CBS, Showtime, and the Home Shopping Network.

Now wait, I can hear you scoffing at this obvious move by networks to shove more marketing in front of us. But before you do, consider a few things. First, kids will go mad for this. A chance to interact with content around Barbie, iCarly, or whatever the latest craze is? I know my five-year-old would eat it up. Second, think about MTV pop-up videos or American Idol polls that let you text in your votes. People love’em. Third, do not underestimate the power of home shopping. The masses throng to it.

Most interesting to me is the fact that Yahoo is working on a solution that will appeal to consumers, with content closely tied to the programming people want to watch, and to content providers, who have major financial incentive to get something like this working. Yahoo is also working deals with advertisers (Ford, Microsoft, Mattel) to generate enhanced/interactive commercials. Looks like an interesting route around EBIF to me.

CBS is Getting Around, Boxee and Samsung

If you’ve been missing CBS shows on your various connected devices, cheer up. “America’s Most Watched Network” is now coming to more gadgets courtesy of new licensing deals with Boxee and Samsung. The Samsung deal was announced yesterday at the company’s packed press conference and will bring CBS shows like CSI, NCIS, The Good Wife, … Read more