Some comic book publishers are now offering writers a greater share of revenue from comics that end up on the screen. This contrasts to larger comic book publishers that are typically the major beneficiary of published content. Some small publishers have been the source for film and TV studios creating new projects, such as “The Walking Dead” series and the film “2 Guns.” Both were comics, and both are sharing returns with the original creators. Continue reading Writers Profit as Their Comic Books Become Shows and Films

The Hollywood Reporter has released its third annual ranking of the Top 25 Film Schools. This year’s top spots went to USC, AFI, NYU, UCLA and CalArts. THR editors evaluated graduate and undergraduate programs nationwide, and consulted with industry insiders to rate the programs. More than 600 anonymous ballots were submitted by members of the Writers Guild of America West, American Cinema Editors and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Continue reading USC and AFI Lead THR Ranking of Top Film Schools for 2013

Viacom is continuing its battle with YouTube over issues of copyright infringement. After two failed attempts to resolve the long-running dispute, Viacom has filed with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, requesting another opportunity to explain its argument against the Google subsidiary. In addition, Viacom questioned the court’s interpretation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and has made a formal request that the judge who presided over the most recent ruling be replaced. Continue reading Viacom Takes New Tack in its Copyright Battle with YouTube

Intel is one of many companies currently developing home entertainment technologies that could significantly change how viewers interact with TV. Tech companies are integrating advanced features and controls in TV connected devices, from voice activation, DVR and cloud storage sync. Other companies such as cable providers and manufacturers are also introducing advanced TV technologies as well. However, obstacles will come from content licensing. Continue reading Tech and Pay TV Companies Are Changing How We Watch TV

Sony and Panasonic announced yesterday an agreement to team up on developing standards for a next-generation optical disc that can hold more than 300 gigabytes of data (six times the capacity of Blu-ray discs). The companies are hoping to develop the new storage medium by 2015. Once fierce rivals, the two electronics leaders also recently unveiled plans to work together on mass production technology for organic light-emitting diode displays. Continue reading Sony and Panasonic Join Forces on Optical Discs and OLED

Addressing the Television Critics Association in Beverly Hills yesterday, CBS chief exec Les Moonves announced that the network is experimenting with new business models for some of its serialized dramas. The network is hoping that streaming deals with video services such as Netflix and Amazon will help make the shows profitable. The streaming sites have been actively pursuing rights to serialized dramas in particular, since they currently attract large numbers of viewers. Continue reading CBS Experiments with New Business Model, Streaming Deals

Two recent legal cases are creating problems for broadcasters. A federal appeals court refused to rehear a case in which broadcasters attempted to shut down Aereo, a company that allows users to record broadcast TV online, and another appeals court declined a case to prevent Dish Network from selling its Hopper service, which allows viewers to bypass TV commercials. How broadcasters ultimately respond to the disrupters could have a major impact on television. Continue reading Networks Continue Legal Battles with Broadcast Disruptors

Television remains in the majority for advertising spending in the first quarter of 2013, according to a Nielsen report. Television advertising has 59 percent of total spending and 3.5 percent of global growth. Newspaper and magazine ad spending has declined in this period. In contrast, display Internet advertising spending has grown significantly at 26.3 percent. Growth in Internet ads was strongest in non-U.S. markets in Q1. Continue reading Advertising: TV Keeps Majority and Display Internet Grows

A new Slingbox software update includes new features, the most important of which is allowing owners to invite Facebook friends to share their video stream. The update to the Watch software applies to the Slingbox 350 and 500 models. It supports both Mac and Windows, and most popular Web browsers. Web-based streaming from a Slingbox only allows one connection at a time. Friends can access the owner’s Slingbox directly from Facebook. Continue reading Slingbox Now Allows Pay TV Sharing with Facebook Friends

Television is becoming an important part of Twitter’s advertising strategy. In May, Twitter revealed an experimental advertising plan that will allow companies to use Twitter to directly engage with consumers who see their TV commercials. Twitter reported that users who are shown promoted tweets had a 58 percent higher intent to buy compared with people who only viewed the TV ad. Rates of user engagement were 27 percent higher than previous averages for companies using Twitter to reach customers. Continue reading Companies Can Target Viewers While They Tweet on Shows

During yesterday’s breakfast event unveiling Google’s new Nexus 7 tablet, the company also announced the $35 Chromecast, a small thumbnail device that connects to televisions via HDMI and enables users to send content via Wi-Fi from phones, tablets or PCs to the TV screen. Chromecast comes with three months of free Netflix and offers more functionality than Apple TV’s AirPlay. “On paper at least, it’s the best device Google has ever announced,” suggests Wired. Continue reading Is New Google Chromecast All About the Future of Pay TV?

Chinese online-commerce company Alibaba is the latest tech firm to target the living room, with its new smart TV operating system and a set-top box. The company joins a crowded group that includes Apple, Lenovo, Samsung and others that are exploring the emerging market. Alibaba plans to integrate its Alipay electronic-payment service into the TV software. The company cited declining growth of PC use in China as a motivation for the move into TVs. Continue reading Alibaba Unveils Smart TV Operating System and Set-Top Box

Dish Network recently opened its Hopper API to third-party developers. In doing so, the company provides non-Dish apps with direct access to Hopper in order to create new features and controls. These can expand its functionality, such as allowing tablets to serve as a remote control. This is in contrast to Dish only permitting official releases such as Dish Explorer and Dish Social. The company hopes this will help change the customer experience. Continue reading Dish Network Unlocks Hopper DVR to Third-Party Developers

Television networks are creating companion apps for their successful shows, social TV startups are developing chats and check-ins for second screen experiences, and others are pushing for new ideas to redesign today’s programming guide. But the second screen trend has thus far been based on the premise that the TV screen in the living room is the center of most consumers’ entertainment. Some are suggesting that this viewpoint is no longer accurate and, in fact, may not have been true in the past. Continue reading Second Screen Apps: Has TV Become the Second Screen?

The experience of watching most online videos has so far been as passive as watching TV. However, several startups are developing new ways of creating interactive videos. These videos give the viewer the ability to select questions for an interview, change the course of a music video, or engage socially with video content. Some also provide content creators with a range of tools to embed websites and layer other content straight into the video. Continue reading Watching Online Video Becoming an Interactive Experience