This Just In
By Staff -- Multichannel News, 7/29/2007 8:00:00 PM
Items:
DirecTV Cites Magid Survey In Suit Against Comcast
Hammer, Commisso on List Of B&C Hall of Fame Inductees
850 to Head West For Independent Show
Home-Networking Firm Entropic Files for $100M IPO
TLC Hires Pair Of Programmers
Vehix to Downplay Its Dot-Com Roots
Clearing the Air
DirecTV Cites Magid Survey In Suit Against Comcast
El Segundo, Calif. — DirecTV last Thursday filed an amended false-advertising suit against Comcast, alleging that the Comcast Media Center participated to produce an “inadequate survey” that claimed two-thirds of satellite customers believe the cable operator has the best HDTV-picture quality.
The amended complaint makes reference to the Comcast Media Center. DirecTV charges that Comcast made misleading claims in print ads in May when the cable company cited a survey of satellite customers that it commissioned from Frank N. Magid Associates.
DirecTV’s amended complaint claims that the survey was conducted by Frank N. Magid at the Comcast Media Center, which isn’t a defendant in the suit. Comcast Media Center provides network-origination services, transmitting programming via satellite and terrestrial fiber optics.
“On information and belief, Comcast Media Center furnished the instruments by which Comcast conducted the inadequate survey and thereby knowingly participated in the creation, development and propagation of Comcast’s false and misleading advertising campaign,” the amended complaint said.
Comcast in June filed an answer to DirecTV’s original suit, denying the satellite provider’s charges (see page 12.)
“We stand behind the results of our survey,” Comcast spokesman Jenni Moyer said Friday.
Hammer, Commisso on List Of B&C Hall of Fame Inductees
New York — Broadcasting & Cable, a sister publication to Multichannel News, will induct 12 television industry luminaries into its class of 2007 at the 17th Annual Hall of Fame Awards Dinner at New York’s Cipriani 42nd Street on Oct. 22.
Joining 265 honorees who have been recognized in previous years will be: Frank A. Bennack Jr., vice chairman of the board and chairman of the executive committee, Hearst Corp.; reality TV producer Mark Burnett; Bill Cella, chairman and CEO, Magna Global Worldwide and vice chairman, Draft FCB; Rocco Commisso, chairman and CEO, Mediacom Communications; Brian France, chairman and CEO, NASCAR; Charlie Gibson, anchor, ABC’s World News With Charles Gibson; Bonnie Hammer, president, USA Network and Sci Fi; Phil Kent, CEO, Turner Broadcasting System Inc.; Judy McGrath, CEO, MTV Networks; Paul McTear, CEO, Raycom Media; Joe Uva, CEO, Univision; and Harry Friedman, executive producer of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!.
“Throughout the years, I have admired the accomplishments of our incoming 2007 class,” said B&C and Multichannel News publisher Larry Dunn. “We look forward to honoring their contributions to our industry.”
850 to Head West For Independent Show
Monterey, Calif. — The Independent Show, which kicks off here Monday, July 30, had 850 pre-registered attendees as of Friday, according to officials. Those attendees represent 164 companies serving 7.8 million subscribers in 41 states and Guam.
Attendance is tracking with last year’s show, and on-site registrations are expected. The show, which ends Wednesday, is sponsored by the National Cable Television Cooperative and the American Cable Association.
Home-Networking Firm Entropic Files for $100M IPO
San Diego — Entropic Communications, a developer of home-networking semiconductor technologies, filed a registration statement Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering that the company said could raise up to $100 million.
The company, which develops solutions for networking home-entertainment devices, and is a founding member of the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA), recently acquired RF Magic, a developer of broadband-radio-frequency systems on a chip. For the three months ended March 31, Entropic and RF Magic together generated pro-forma revenue of $29.2 million.
TLC Hires Pair Of Programmers
Los Angeles — New TLC president and general manager Angela Shapiro-Mathes strengthened the network’s programming department, hiring Brant Pinvidic as senior vice president of programming and promoting Deborah Adler Myers to the same position.
Together, they will oversee all development and current programming for the channel, reporting directly to Shapiro.
Pinvidic, who joins from GRB Entertainment, where he was senior vice president of development, will have primary responsibility for primetime. For her part, Myers, who has been with Discovery Communications since June 2005 and has been responsible for more than 500 hours of content across the programmer’s networks including TLC franchise series Little People, Big World, will lead daytime and fringe.
Vehix to Downplay Its Dot-Com Roots
Salt Lake City — Reflective of new mobile applications, Vehix, the cable-driven, multiplatform automotive-sales network, has dropped the “dot-com” label from its moniker.
Owned in part by Comcast, Vehix, which has been providing research and purchasing tools on the Web, cable television and video-on-demand, has added texting capabilities in which consumers actively shopping for a new car can request messages containing specific vehicle and dealership details from Vehix.com to their mobile phone.
Beginning next month, Vehix will begin promoting a mobile version of Vehix.com in which all of the site’s inventory, pricing, dealership info, photos, search capabilities and more will be adapted for the 3-inch screen, according to Vehix CEO Derek Mattson.
He said the changes are being made to reflect the way consumers currently shop for cars.
“Consumers in the market for automobiles access research from many platforms, and we want to be responsive to their needs,” he said, noting that these platforms play into the advanced high-speed and VOD offerings of Vehix’s cable partners.
In addition to Comcast, Vehix shares an undisclosed percentage of ad revenue generated by the operation with Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Bresnan Communications, CableOne and Mediacom Communications.
Ads are tailored to meet consumer needs at the various stages of the sale process through relationships with manufacturers and some 1700 dealers around the country. For instance, consumers initiating their search would receive an ad from say, General Motors, while those narrowing down their search would be plied by messages from local dealers about pricing and service
The company’s goal, with the assist of the cable operators, is to grow that dealer base to 10,000 by the end of 2009. “The 150 cable account executives working with Vehix are really our mouths and feet in the marketplace,” said Mattson.
He said that Vehix, which averages 10 to 15, typically high-profile dealerships in a market, wants to expand its presence to between 90 and 100 per DMA. To make that jump, the company is now offering dealers three different packages. “Basic” is largely a listings service, while “platinum” features all Vehix resources, including VOD and prominent ad placements on the Web sites. Mattson said the “gold level falls somewhere in between.” Vehix will add 22 new markets this year, including Houston, according to Mattson.
Launched in 1996 by Garff Automotive, a large dealership group based here, as an online portal designed to facilitate the research and purchase processes for consumers, Vehix evolved to include a cable-TV component before adding on-demand applications last year.
Clearing the Air
In “Taking the Time to Pivot” (July 23, page 12) Time Warner Cable director of corporate communications Maureen Huff was incorrectly paraphrased as having said efforts to make cable voice mail available on wireless phones were “challenging.” According to Time Warner, “Integrated voice mail is an innovative feature for Pivot customers that was successfully launched last November.” In addition, a chart accompanying the story omitted Raleigh, N.C., as one of the markets where Time Warner Cable offers service.
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