Media Hunter

Intel, Yahoo beam web widgets straight to TV

Source: Reuters and smh.com.au

After years of false starts aimed at bringing the web to TV sets, Yahoo said it is working with Intel to create web computer channels that run alongside TV shows.

The web company and world's largest chipmaker are working on what they call the "Widget Channel", which will enable TV viewers to interact with and watch a dynamic set of TV widgets - small web-based applications that complement TV shows.

Widgets will appear in the corner of a TV screen and work something like a picture-in-picture window of advanced TV sets.

These small windows let viewers chat with or e-mail friends, watch videos, track stocks or sports teams or keep up with news headlines or weather by using a TV remote control.

Some Aussie media blogs worth a look

One of the great things about checking traffic to your site is finding new links that have directed people to you and then exploring those sites. This week my online meanderings have unearthed a few sites I either hadn't been aware of or hadn't visited yet.

Laurel Papworth is a Top 100 Australian blogger, who is regularly interviewed about social networks in international press and on Australian TV shows and Radio National, Vogue Australia, The Australian and the Fin Review, SMH, Telegraph, and various magazines. Her Social Networks blog provides excellent insight into social media, participatory journalism and user-generated content.

Laurel recently posted about Australia's most influential bloggers and was kind enough to mention Media Hunter. The post touches on some of the media and marketing lists such as AdAges Power 150 and AdSpace Pioneers. Overall its a good introduction to some of the best marketing content online.

Naked Bear Media is a new blog on the block by digital marketer Sean Smith. I have only just come across this one but I like what is see so far. Sean doesn't seem afraid to make some bold statements and ask good questions. In just a few posts he has lined up Twitter, the iPhone and NineMSN. Good stuff.

Net to gain ads share

Source: Lara Sinclair, The Australian

TRADITIONAL media such as television, print and radio will lose 11 advertising share points in the next five years, slipping to 70per cent of what will be a $15billion industry by 2012.

The change, predicted in PricewaterhouseCoopers' Media and Entertainment Outlook, will be driven by the internet, whose share will increase from 12 per cent last year to 21.5 per cent over the same period.

While the report made it clear the industry was falling from a peak of 11.5 per cent growth last year, it predicted a soft landing compared with the uncertain general economic conditions.

Who knows what's next for television?

Source: David Dale, Sydney Morning Herald

LAST week marked the end of Australia's second age of television and the start of the third age. On Monday, Channel Ten farewelled Big Brother, and with it the notion that broadcast TV can save its own life by targeting viewers aged 16 to 39. On Wednesday, the ABC welcomed iView, and with it the notion that people who own computers need never use their TV sets again. Both hastened the doom of the networks as we know them.

The first age of television lasted from the mid-'50s to the mid-'80s, a period when the networks made and bought TV shows designed to appeal to everyone. The second age began when Channel Ten limited its audience to viewers aged 16 to 39, recognising that it could not compete with Nine and Seven for the mass market. The launch of Big Brother in 2001 was the pinnacle of this niche marketing.

Newcastle digital agency nails the SEO formula

Note: Blatant self-promotion

Newcastle-based advertising agency Sticky recently announced their transformation to become the Hunter Valley's first digital, social and tradition media agency. The agency is particularly focusing on better web design and search engine optimisation, and already are achieving spectacular results.

Less than one month after making the announcement, Sticky has secured numerous new clients for their fully optimised web designs.

Sticky's search engine optimisation approach has been working even better than the agency anticipated. The following is from the Sticky Advertising website:

Man vs Banner Ads

Just came across this laugh out loud video from Current TV, titled "Man vs Banner ads. It's more serious problem than I originally thought.

Future of Media 08 summit wrap

I headed down to Sydney yesterday for the Future of Media Summit 2008 hosted by Ross Dawson and his Future Exploration Network. Firstly, congratulations to Ross and his hard-working team for putting on such a professional and informative event. It went off without a a hitch and everyone was extremely accommodating.

Officially the #FOM08 event was held in two parts: the conference session with live simulcast between Sydney and Silicon Valley, and the "Unconference" sessions allowing for debate and open forum conversation on various topics.

However, like last month's PubCamp events in Sydney and Melbourne, there was a third aspect to the event that only half the attendees were aware of - the Twitter back channel and live commentary being conducted by many of the audience. For me, this was at least as informative and stimulating as the conference itself.

Austereo Group talks down digital expectations

Source: Nick Tabakoff, The Australian

AUSTRALIA'S leading radio networks, including the Austereo Group, are likely to operate just one additional station for each licence they hold when digital radio is introduced at the beginning of next year.

The revelation comes in the wake of concerns expressed last week in the industry about possible digital radio black spots in the five mainland state capital cities, which could result in more than 20 per cent of city areas being left without indoor reception.

Initial expectations were that the digital radio, scheduled for launch on January 1, 2009, would see each metropolitan radio station launch up to three new stations, along with their existing current analogue station offering, on to the digital platform.

Discover the future of media

Hot on the heels of last month's PubCamp events in Sydney and Melbourne comes the third annual Future of Media Summit. The summit is two simultaeneous events held in Silicon Valley USA and Sydney Australia merging seamlessly by video, online discussion and cross-continental panel and conversations.

Seven hopes we'll grow to love its TiVo

Source: Jane Schulze, The Australian

THE Seven Network has imported at least 20,000 TiVo digital video recorders as it seeks to take on the rival pay-television product Foxtel iQ.

And the network will try to team with internet broadband providers to ensure users of TiVo have unmetered downloads for its future movie service. Unlike the Foxtel iQ, consumers who buy TiVos must connect it to their broadband internet connection to be able to access the full array ofservices.

But TiVo general manager Mark Hughes said while the TiVo connected through the internet, it was estimated to use about only 5Mb of capacity for each user a month.

"The amount of information (users) would download on a daily basis from their internet connection is minimal," Mr Hughes said.

"At most the typical user won't use more than 5Mb per month, which is a handful these days."