Techie and the Media

The Amanda Project

4TH STORY MEDIA PARTNERS WITH HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS FOR ITS FIRST VENTURE: THE AMANDA PROJECT, AN INTERACTIVE, COLLABORATIVE DIGITAL MYSTERY

New York, NY (June 18, 2008)—4th Story Media and HarperCollins Publishers today announced their partnership in The Amanda Project, the first multi-platform series to be written in part by its audience, girls ages 12-14. 4th Story Media, which owns all rights for the property, will produce the content for The Amanda Project with a creative team including web design agency Happy Cog, young adult authors, artists and graphic designers. HarperCollins Publishers, which is a strategic partner in the venture and an investor, has acquired the rightsto publish an eight-book The Amanda Project series worldwide.

“It feels like the art and craft of publishing great stories for children is on the brink of revolutionary change,” said Lisa Holton, founder and CEO, 4th Story Media. “We are exploring new ways of using the web to tell stories, while also leading kids back to the joys of reading.

By combining talented authors with creative web designers we are fusing traditional storytelling with the interactive world of social networking, online games, and user-generated content.We are thrilled to introduce 4th Story Media with the launch of The Amanda Project and are delighted to be partnering with the exceptional team at HarperCollins to bring this series to life.”

“HarperCollins is very pleased to join forces with 4th Story Media on its first multi-platform series,” said Susan Katz, President and Publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Books. “Book publishing is increasingly digital in nature and HarperCollins Children’s, as a leader of innovative publishing, understands and embraces initiatives that engage readers in exciting new ways. The traditional book/web connection is evolving every day, and The Amanda Project takes it one step further by allowing readers to not only discuss the story but help create it as well.”

Amanda Valentino is the elusive, charismatic, and alluring new girl at Evansville Township
High School who arrives mid-year, leaves abruptly, and indelibly changes the lives of everyone around her in the process. Her story will be told across a variety of media in addition to the books—a social website where readers can interact with and become characters in the mystery, a related series of blogs chronicling the story as it unfolds, clues and seed posts on satellite sites, downloadable music and official and user-generated merchandise. Amanda’s fate will begin to unfold across the web during the fall of 2008, through the launch of the T.A.P. website in early 2009, and continue into the publication of the first book in Fall 2009.

Contact:
For 4th Story Media: Lisa Herling
917-912-4273, herling@fourthstorymedia.com

For HarperCollins: Sandee Roston, Executive Director of Publicity
212-261-6796, sandee.roston@harpercollins.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A Fresh Look At An Old Standby: The Question Is, Why?

OK — I admit it. I was one of "those" girls. The ones that didn't play much with dolls, wear makeup, or ever key into the color pink. Actually, I think wearing the color could cause me to go into anaphylactic shock — but that is a story for another time. My point is, I was one of those girls who loved the geeky things — I was all about the original "Battlestar Galactica." I had all the "Stars Wars" models.

I remember my mom gave me a Holly Hobby sewing machine for Christmas when I was eight. Not knowing what it was or how to use it, I promptly borrowed a screwdriver from my father's tool box, cracked the base open, pulled out the motor and tried to rig it inside my hand-modeled Death Star to see if I could get it to fly. Needless to say, I got in trouble for that.

But I guess part of the problem was that I never really got the "girly" thing. So when I opened the paper this morning to find that Strawberry Shortcake was getting a makeover for the 21st century, I almost keeled over. First of all, she was "sweet" enough as she was. Second of all, why does the update mean that she no longer has a cat but a cell phone, and a little bit of pink lipstick as opposed to pink cheeks? I am sorry, but since when did a brand aimed at pre-tweens need to have a doll with a cell phone?

Which brings me to my next observation: Is Hollywood so out of new ideas that we need to bring back old ones with a twist? I am talking about bringing back shows like "Password" and "The Dating Game" and others from my youth. Not that I mind, don't get me wrong. It's just that I would hope that somewhere, out there, in the vast abyss that is the creative genius, that someone, anyone, would be able to come up with something, well, new.

Then again, you are reading the diatribe of a girl who couldn't understand what all the fuss was about when it came to the Smurfs or "American Idol." Then again, I have been a closet Hello Kitty and "Family Feud" fan for years — so maybe I do know a little something about franchises that last.

Soul & Salsa

I was having breakfast with a dear friend and colleague this week when the topic turned to television (go figure!). Now understand the characters in this play — myself (you all know) and this gentleman, who is in the 55-65 demo, white, extremely educated, and comes from a television background. His words to me were as follows: “The only scripted show I watch is ‘Lost … there is nothing on television for me.” An interesting statement that was then followed by some smart remark about him entering the Andy Rooney phase of life.

Anyway, the conversation then turned to his child, who is a grown-up, and also works in television. Let’s call her Annie. Annie is a news producer. She works for an affiliate. She has now been tasked with a show called “Soul & Salsa” in the morning slot, because the affiliate is in what is generally referred to as an emerging Hispanic market and sees the opportunity in “speaking” to that group. The rub: the audience of this particular affiliate is predominantly white, female and older.

What is wrong with this picture? Why do we insist on leaving valuable audiences behind and hunting for new ones that, in some realities, do not exist? What is the mania that the industry has created for itself about rebranding, retargeting and reprogramming itself for the ever-elusive “new” audience?

Here are two things I know to be true: 1), the old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is usually sound advice; and 2), something a professor in some business class utters to a bunch of over-caffeinated students: instead of trying to be Coke, why not be the best Pepsi that you can be? Get it? And don’t even get me started about the Sundance Channel.

No, Please … Tell Me What You Really Think

In the last few weeks, it seems as if television executives have discovered one of the powers of the Internet: self-expression. What on earth is she talking about, you may ask? Well, let me posit, for your consideration, the following premise: every user-generated content site would cease to exist if people didn’t want to express their opinions in the form of video, audio or text. Moreover, a review or recommendation is a powerful currency in a faceless world of ones and zeros.  And finally, a technology is only as good as its ability to harness that power of its user. It is not, my friends, how people are expressing themselves--whether through video, audio or text--but why they are expressing themselves. But I digress.

You see, self-expression is what is powering the Internet these days. Netizens are using various online environments to express themselves in different ways: personal blogs, message board postings, user-generated content, rate (insert object here), recommend (insert object here), and the list goes on and on.  Tools are appearing daily that make it easier, faster and more efficient for anyone to become his or her own critic of something. And access to the Internet is about to take on a whole new meaning through initiatives that will deliver the Internet through power lines and free municipal Wi-Fi. It would appear that one of the most valuable derivatives of this dumb pipe is the way people are harnessing its power and reach to express themselves and their opinions about everything and anything. The question is, is anyone listening?

Um, has she lost her mind, you may ask? Big deal, you say? Consider this. Eighteen months ago a pilot for a show called “Nobody’s Watching” was as good as aired when WB executives decided not to pick it up. Now, through what could only be defined as carefully planned happenstance, the program found its way onto YouTube and has been downloaded over 300,000 times since. People are talking about it all over the online place, and-- this is the important part--this chatter, this expression of interest in the program, has piqued the interest of other networks; the show just may get its legs back.

Another example, “Blade: The Series” that is currently available for download, for free, from iTunes. Now, let’s be clear, I understand that this is likely part of a larger PR plan, but what I find the most intriguing are the opinions that are being expressed on the iTunes Customer Reviews page. From tedbrag: “Lifeless acting, and I’m not talking about the corpses. Leading lady is as engaging as a fence post – and ‘Blade’ is a just a freak in leather killing vampires…” From m0n3ky m&n: “It’s good, but Wesley Snipes is much better.”  From Emjay901, “Great way to check out new shows. I’ll be watching for the FREE option more carefully now!” Then there are other third-party fan message boards (which I won’t quote because well, this is a family-friendly publication) that are on fire with fans of “Blade” expressing their opinions about the program vis-à-vis the original story comic book character and Wesley Snipes’ lead theatrical features. Anyway, the point is, by tapping into this digital forum, the show’s producers will able to gauge, in real-time no less, the response to the program. Take it for what this is worth--but how unbelievably valuable is that?

And what about the Arctic Monkeys? Brookers? John Hinderaker? Do any of these names ring a bell? If the answer is no, it’s time for you to get with “the-value-in-being-able-to-express-myself online” program. 

In the cases that I have cited above, online expressionists have found a powerful channel for their voices.  I would argue that one of the most consumer-friendly approaches that any executive can take in today’s day and age--regardless if you are selling toothpaste, toasters or television programming--is to harness the power of these expressionists and empower them to tell you what exactly what they think.  You see, what they are saying and where they are saying it is already happening--and is, arguably, utterly out of your control so you might as well turn it around and use it to your advantage, no? After all, everyone’s a critic, aren’t they? You tell me.

Healthy TV

A dear friend of mine has just launched a free VoD channel, HealthiNation.  Full disclosure - I was involved prior to launch. And I am not endorsing this play based on my affiliation. You should check it out - www.healthination.com - and draw your own conclusions.

The Sequel to the Prequel Before it has Aired

This is will only make sense after you have read tomorrow's blog entry so bear with me.  The five outlying technologies to add to the Technology and Media Futures Consumer Technology Manifesto are as follows:

1. IP Video

2. Next-generation game consoles

3. High definition technology - from TVs to DVDs to programming to STBs

4. Podcasts

5. Anything that increases the efficiency and security of content distribution networks

Smokey the Technology Bear Does it Again

In case you missed it, Bill Gates, through his Cascade Investment arm, joined the Carlyle Group. Bain Capital Partners, the Blackstone Group and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. in a bid with Televisa for U.S. Hispanic net Univision.  Remember now, Gates, through his investment firm and his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, bought upward of a 7% stake in Televisa in July of 2003.  It is reported that the stake is worth $510 million in stock.  Why all the banter? Well, in case you've been alseep at the wheel, Spanish-speaking consumers are the "it" group of marketers, programmers and CE companies everywhere. Now, I am not saying this little tid-bit of news is earth-shattering.  What I am merely pointing out is that where there is smoke, there is generally a fire.   

When the Student Eclipses the Teacher

Does Sony's move to support Apple's choice of the AAC format mean that Steve Jobs has won the war? Or merely the battle?  All I know is that in November of last year, I wrote a piece about teaching the mass market and the importance of critical mass. Hang on folks, the ride has begun.

iPod as a Verb
by Lydia Loizides

         April Fool's Day, 1976 and Apple comes to be. After several product launches that rocked the industry and became the basis of what we know computers to be today, the Apple Macintosh was launched in 1984 with the now famous Super Bowl advertisement based on George Orwell's novel 1984.
        Fast forward. The year is 2001 and there are approximately 2 million MP3 players in the U.S. market and many, many legal and illegal music services. But the market is going nowhere, fast. P2P hysteria, a global music market crash, and little-to-no mass consumer awareness, and along comes Apple with a music player called the iPod. Two years later the connection from platform to service is made and iTunes is launched. By the end of 2004, Apple had sold 200 million units. Three months later 300 million songs had been sold. Three months after that, the company says it has hit 460 million songs sold. In the course of 4 years, the iPod has grown to dominate the market with 76% market share as of June, 2005 (Jupiter Research puts the number at about 12 million MP3 players connected in the U.S.). Apple has since become synonymous with online music (much to Sony's dismay) and there are numerous derivations of the iPod that have flooded, and more importantly, been adopted by the consumer market.
        So why the diatribe? Because all great businesses need critical mass before the chance of a product succeeding is better than 50/50. The iPod is almost there. The fact that video for the iPod costs $1.99 today, it really doesn't matter. It doesn't matter that the quality of the video at full-screen is no better than VHS. It doesn't matter there are over 15 applications that I can find to break the rights management on the file and share it with all my friends if I were so inclined  It doesn't matter that there is only a straw-man of a business model in place.  What matters is that the iPod for video will entice, educate and entertain an entire generation of mainstream consumers who, up until this point, had no idea what the term "mobile content" meant. Having sold and downloaded over one million videos in the first 20 days after launch, Apple has proven a market exists and that people are willing to pay.  The iPod, an entertainment platform small enough to fit into my purse, will "cross the chasm"  to mass market faster and better than any break-out technology of it's generation (DVD not included).
        Hang on folks, we are in for a hell of a ride.