New York : The Wall Street Journal today launched a dedicated channel for YouTube, featuring on-demand content from the Journal’s growing stable of video programming . In conjunction with the launch, the channel will showcase “Off Duty,” a daily lifestyle show debuting today based on the eponymous section of WSJ Weekend, the Journal’s Saturday paper. 

Hosted by Wall Street Journal reporter Wendy Bounds, “Off Duty” will bring to life many of its namesake’s features, as well as other culture coverage from the Journal – from food to fashion, music and movies, travel to tech. The show will air each business day at 6 p.m. ET on WSJ.com and WSJ Live, the Journal’s interactive video application, followed immediately by on-demand availability on YouTube and additional channels. Live episodes begin Monday, February 6.

Wall Street Journal video includes multiple shows, news updates, reporting from the field, exclusive interviews and special events coverage. YouTube is the latest distribution channel for WSJ Live, which currently features up to four hours of live programming per business day as well as on-demand video via the iPad, Internet-televisions and set-top boxes. “Off Duty” joins Digits, Lunch Break, Mean Street, Markets Hub, Opinion Journal and the News Hub, as well as an extensive archive of clips showcasing news and reporting from the more than 2,000 journalists across the Journal and Dow Jones.

In addition to YouTube, the WSJ Live app is available via Apple TV, Google TV and Roku as well as Boxee, Etisalat, Hulu, Panasonic’s VIERA ConnectTM -enabled HDTVs, Samsung 2011 Smart TVs, Sony Internet TV, VIZIO Internet Apps HDTVs, and the Yahoo! Connected TV platform. The WSJ Live app for iPad has been downloaded more than 160,000 times since launch in September 2011.

London: The organisers of IP&TV World Forum have today announced that entertainment giant Sky, which reaches more than 10.4 million homes across the UK & Ireland, is set to host its Media Leadership Summit, focussing on the future of the converged and connected entertainment experience.

The Summit, which takes place at London’s Olympia on the second day of IP&TV World Forum (21 March 2012), is a unique, private, invitation-only gathering of senior-level executives from both the television and telecommunications world. This year’s Summit provides the perfect platform for decision-makers to discuss the key opportunities presented by the convergence of broadband and broadcast and the delivery of multi-screen TV services.

The meeting will see Emma Lloyd, Director of Emerging Products at Sky, take the Chair.

Emma Lloyd comments: “The Summit marks a great opportunity for some of the world’s leading media and technology leaders to debate key industry issues and help clarify the next wave of innovation that is poised to drive the IP & Connected TV industry. As Chair of the 2012 Summit, I’m delighted to be part of one of the world’s leading connected entertainment event and look forward to leading the debate and the subsequent outcomes.”

Participants also have the opportunity to hear from a rosta of expert speakers drawn from Sky’s network and partners.

Held to Chatham House Rule*, the event presents the ideal opportunity for participants to talk openly and frankly, and debate the most critical issues in today’s TV industry.

Gavin Whitechurch, Director of IP&TV World Forum, adds: “Our Summit has established a unique reputation for being insightful and for bringing together exceptionally strong groups of influential leaders. Previous events, which have been hosted by major service providers including Deutsche Telecom, BT and Telefónica, have been huge successes and with such a distinguished and recognised expert like Emma on board, we’re confident that next year will be no exception.”

Now in its eighth year, IP&TV World Forum boasts a unique, innovative and content driven programme, which is divided into four one-day streams and focuses on content business: IP opportunities, multiscreen entertainment, new user experience management and networks and architecture for TV.

Social media and ecommerce have evolved since 1-800-FLOWERS launched the first Facebook storefront in July 2009. Internet users have become more comfortable with online buying on Facebook as they spend more time on the site.

“It is not surprising that shopping and socializing—activities that complement each other in the real world—are beginning to converge online as well,” said Krista Garcia, eMarketer analyst and author of the new report, “Facebook Commerce: Reaching Shoppers Where They Socialize.” “As social media, and Facebook in particular, plays a larger role in consumers’ lives, people are becoming accustomed to performing routine tasks like reading news, watching videos and listening to music, as well as discovering products and shopping, all while staying logged in to a single site. Instead of compartmentalizing daily routines, social media users are treating Facebook as a one-stop platform.”

Retailers are still in the early stages of using social media as a sales vehicle, but the channel is poised for growth. Booz & Company estimated that $1 billion in goods would be sold through social media in the US in 2011. That figure is expected to triple in 2012 and reach $14 billion by 2015.

While social commerce still represents a tiny percentage of overall retail sales, and Facebook is just one social site, that site is the clear leader and already offers retailers a variety of options for converting users into consumers. Some of those consumers are warming to the idea of buying products and services while on the site.

In a Q4 2011 Oracle survey of North American internet users, nearly one in five respondents said they would buy through Facebook or had already done so, while 15% were not aware they had the option. Approximately a third said they would never purchase products via Facebook, however.
 

“Facebook’s role in ecommerce is currently in flux,” said Garcia. “Brands are beginning to realize its capabilities, while users are growing accustomed to mingling with companies online and sharing shopping activities with friends. Even though social media is still more of a marketing tool than a sales vehicle, Facebook’s influence on shopping behavior extends beyond triggering conversions on the spot.”

Source: eMarketer

Companies often have several different accounts or pages on social networks like Facebook and Twitter. As these accounts and the interactions with customers on social media increase, program managers must learn to balance the influx and continue to interact with fans.

The Altimeter Group surveyed social media program managers in Q2 2011 and found that, on average, companies owned 178 total social media accounts, not including individual employee accounts. This includes an average of 39.2 Twitter accounts, 31.9 blogs and 29.9 Facebook accounts. Forums and message boards were more popular than YouTube, with an average of 23.4 accounts per company, compared to YouTube’s 9.4.

This can be a challenge for a company, as it is harder to oversee and manage that many accounts throughout the enterprise. Companies often have different accounts or blogs for different departments or regions, and integrating their outreach with the same style, tone and guidelines is difficult.

Another challenge is how companies will manage the increase in customer conversations taking place on these various platforms, as users turn more often to social media for brand connections. Monitoring several social networks, different accounts and pages, and responding to comments take time and resources.

Of the social media program managers surveyed, 59% said they will streamline the internal processes for handling social media conversations, 44% want to empower the crowd to respond to each other and 33% will streamline with new technologies. But nearly as many did not know how they would respond to an increase in customer conversations online.

Coordinating across various social media accounts is important for a company, as it allows a team or individual to manage, simplify and improve the social media process. Additionally, educating employees and developing internal processes and guidelines are also helpful.

Las Vegas : International CES — Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO), the premier digital media company, today announced that they have joined forces with Playtone and Reliance Entertainment to bring Tom Hanks' multi-dimensional animated series "Electric City" to Yahoo! in 2012.

As the exclusive online broadcast home for "Electric City," Yahoo! will bring Hanks' vision and storytelling to a global audience. Set in a futuristic society, "Electric City" is a new 90- minute action-packed sci-fi adventure series, and marks Yahoo!'s first foray into original scripted programming. "Electric City" was created by and stars Tom Hanks.

The introduction of "Electric City" will take center stage at a private event at CES with Tom Hanks and Ross Levinsohn, EVP Americas, Yahoo! on January 10.

"‘Electric City' is a thought-provoking and engaging series and we are thrilled to be partnering with Playtone and Reliance Entertainment to bring Tom Hanks' vision to the world on Yahoo! for the first time," said Ross Levinsohn, EVP Americas, Yahoo!. "‘Electric City' is so much more than just an online video series — it is an interactive and immersive experience from one of the world's biggest stars and premier storytellers."

"Yahoo! has clearly established itself as the go-to destination for big events and breaking news and we are focused on providing the best digital canvas for the world's greatest storytellers to create, develop and showcase their visions," said Levinsohn. "‘Electric City' is further proof that we want to set the bar in premium online content and be the global home for groundbreaking ventures from the world's best-known and next-generation artists."

"It was always our intent to have this project live and breathe online and we felt Yahoo! would be the perfect home," said Playtone's Gary Goetzman.

"Electric City is the first of its kind, a clutter-breaking, global 360 digital project. Working with Tom and Playtone has been an amazing experience and this series could not have been possible without Tom's vision and creativity. We also feel that with its reach and technology, Yahoo! is the best distribution partner for this project," said Amitabh Jhunjhunwala, Vice Chairman Reliance Group. "Electric City reinforces Reliance's commitment to invest and innovate in the global entertainment industry. We will continue to create more global and multi-platform digital projects involving top Hollywood talent."

What is "Electric City"?

The world as we know it has ended and out of the rubble, the Electric City stands as a symbol of peace and security. Yet under the veneer of order lies a world full of secrets and violence. Secret police, back-alley dealings, daring chases, and murder all find a home in the "Electric City." Through the lens of a functioning, yet dystopian metropolis, "Electric City" touches upon relevant global issues and themes including energy consumption, freedom of information, crime and punishment and more. The story unfolds gradually, layering mystery upon mystery, inviting viewers to interact with the content and each other. Metaphors and symbols are woven throughout, creating a perfect environment for puzzle-solving and community interaction. Like good science fiction, "Electric City" raises provocative questions about our own way of life and value systems. Short-form connecting storylines combined with vivid animation and a compelling score will keep audiences watching, while metaphors and a range of subject lines will keep them guessing—and reflecting.

The "Electric City" Experience on Yahoo!

"Electric City" will be shown as a multi-part series on Yahoo!, and will be supported by a deeply immersive and interactive online experience that enhances the drama, mystery and intrigue of the series.

"Electric City" will also live across multiple devices and comes enabled for tablet and connected TV. The series will be punctuated by special events, such as opportunities to watch exclusive content and to interact with the cast and creators. As a truly global entertainment experience, the series will also be available in numerous languages, including French and Spanish.

With 700 million users worldwide, Yahoo! provides the massive scale that Hollywood is looking for and Yahoo! knows better than anyone else how to program and market premium content for both the consumer and advertiser.

"Electric City" complements Yahoo!'s already robust portfolio of original online premium video programming which provides marketers a huge opportunity to align their brands with world class, premium content across the Yahoo! network. With 9 of the top 10* most watched shows on the web, (including omg! NOW, Primetime in No Time and Daily Ticker) — Yahoo!'s original video programs reach more than 26 million* people per month. Yahoo! continues to invest heavily in top quality video as evidenced by "Electric City," its highly buzzed about women's programming slate which launched in October, and its eagerly awaited comedy slate debuting February 2012.
 

McLean:USA TODAY, a multi-platform news and information company, announced today that the USA TODAY App for Kindle Fire is now available. The app makes its debut today with Volkswagen as the launch partner.

The USA TODAY App for Kindle Fire features a custom look and design specifically for the tablet with the signature content readers have come to trust from USA TODAY. The app provides eye catching photos while delivering the latest award-winning USA TODAY news in a convenient interactive package designed to take advantage of Kindle Fire’s seven inch color touch screen. More information on the app can be found at www.usatoday.com/kindle-fire.

“Part of USA TODAY’s mobile strategy is to be the first news source on emerging technologies. We develop and design our apps for each specific device to provide the optimum experience to our customers.  We couldn’t be prouder to have Volkswagen as our launch partner today,” said Dave Hunke, president and publisher of USA TODAY.

“We are pleased to partner with USA TODAY on the launch of this cutting-edge app. Innovation is a strength of both USA TODAY and Volkswagen and we’re delighted to be a part of the excitement around this launch,” said Charlie Taylor, general manager of digital marketing, Volkswagen of America.

USA TODAY is now available on all major platforms and devices including Android (phones and tablets), Google Chrome Web Store, iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch), Windows-based Tablets, Windows Phone, and now, Kindle Fire.

Tweet Historically, many internet users in Western Europe have had concerns about online privacy and data protection. Google memorably encountered legal battles in several European countries, including Germany and Switzerland, when it undertook comprehensive photography of streets and buildings for its Street View offering. In Germany, the web giant was forced to allow individuals and businesses to opt out of Street View, and hundreds of thousands did so.

In the UK, telecoms giant BT suffered a PR disaster when it partnered with Phorm, an online behavioral tracking firm, in a trial in southern England—without telling the 18,000 people whose online habits were under the microscope. This kind of approach pushes all the wrong buttons for many web users.

Consumers are not opposed to all data collection. According to a 2010 European Commission study conducted by TNS Opinion & Social, “Attitudes on Data Protection and Electronic Identity in the European Union,” 74% of EU consumers ages 15 and older agreed that “disclosing personal information is an increasing part of modern life.” Moreover, 58% agreed that there is no alternative to revealing personal information in order to get some products or services, and 29% said they didn’t mind disclosing some details to get a free online service like email.

At the same time, few Europeans seem to agree with Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg that privacy is no longer a “social norm.” In the UK, two-thirds of internet users ages 16 and older polled for a 2011 Communications Consumer Panel study said more needed to be done to protect personal information online. Only 12% said they felt current privacy protection for web users was adequate.

Among UK social network users, worries were even more widespread. Some 90% of those sampled said they felt medium or high levels of concern about companies’ abilities to collect information about them from social sites.

Basically, web users want to make their own choices about what they reveal, and where. When BITKOM and forsa Institute polled a group of social network users ages 14 to 69 in Germany in 2011, the overwhelming majority said they wanted the ability to control numerous aspects of their privacy settings in those networks.

The discussion about how and where to draw data protection lines on the web looks set to heat up further in the coming months. One focus of debate is an EU Privacy and Communications Directive coming into force in May 2012. The Directive aims to ensure that consumers know when their personal information is being collected. Crucially, websites will need to get visitors to opt in before any cookies can be used to track their behavior.

Marketers and website owners fear this will make internet users turn away from sites that apply the Directive, especially if other sites do not. But firms that deal with European consumers will have little choice but to follow the new rules, or risk legal action and fines.

It’s worth remembering, too, that Europe’s internet users are not going to stop browsing the web, visiting their favorite sites and shopping online. Many web users are aware of the new EU restrictions and welcome them as a much-needed safeguard. Savvy brand owners will explain the advantages of cookies to site visitors and reward them for opting in. Dealing proactively and transparently with these legal requirements can be a big differentiator for brands, and may even boost customer loyalty.

Source:eMarketer
 

London: Social networking site Twitter was out of action for over an hour in Britain after it was overloaded with New Year messages.

The site crashed around 3 p.m. Saturday. It coincided with midnight celebrations in Japan when revellers were sending a record 16,197 tweets per second, the Daily Mail reported Sunday.

The overload meant no one could post new messages or read existing ones. Instead, frustrated users were greeted with the error message: "Twitter is over capacity."

The site returned to working order but then stopped on several other occasions, prompting speculation that it was being hit by the arrival of New Year in different parts of the world.

The meltdown happened as the world welcomed in 2012, a year of historic importance for Britain, with the Olympics, the Paralympics and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee set to be defining moments.

Up to 250,000 people poured into Central London, some in Trafalgar Square and others watching the pyrotechnics centred on the London Eye, the Mail said.

In Tokyo, people released helium balloons in front of the Tokyo Tower at midnight with notes attached listing their hopes for 2012. Many wished for a better year, following the earthquake and tsunami of 2011, the newspaper added.

London: Google's social networking site Google Plus will have more than 400 million users by the end of 2012, a researcher has said.

The website that went public in September has passed the 62 million mark, the Daily Mail said.

American analyst Paul Allen has said 625,000 members were signing up every day, and the number would rapidly increase because 700,000 Android devices are being bought every day.

"Based on the accelerated growth I'm seeing and all the dials and levers Google can still utilise, and the developer ecosystem that will be developed, I predict that 2012 is going to be a breakout year for Google Plus and that it will end next year with more than 400 million users," Allen was quoted as saying.

Google Plus' rival Facebook has 800 million users.

The daily said Allen's methodology was not based on actual figures and could be described as a guess.

The Global Web Index last week announced that Google Plus actually has 150 million active users, more than double of Allen's estimate.

Sunnyvale: Yahoo! Inc, the premier digital media company, today announced it has extended the Facebook integration launched at f8 in September, the news activity feature, to 26 additional Yahoo! sites worldwide, including U.S.-based entertainment experiences omg!, Yahoo! TV, Yahoo! Movies, and Yahoo! Games.

A new social feature, Notifications, has also launched in the U.S., alerting people to social conversations and activity across Yahoo!. The extension of these features is designed to bring a deeply personalized, social news experience to more of the content millions of people come to Yahoo! to read each day.

Since launching the Yahoo! News friends' activity feature, more than 12 million people have opted in, increasing referrals from Facebook to Yahoo! News and bringing a younger (ages 18—34) audience of socially engaged people1 to the No. 1 online news destination.2

"As the world's most popular online news destination, Yahoo! News delivers the most compelling content on the Web through a combination of local editors, advanced technologies, and now, your friends," said Blake Irving, chief product officer, Yahoo!. "In just three months, we've seen traffic from Facebook to Yahoo! News in the U.S. increase by 300%, so we're excited to extend this social activation to more of our worldwide content sites."

The extension of the news activity feature to more Yahoo! sites around the world lets people discover and connect around the news, entertainment, and information they are enjoying on Yahoo! through updates on Facebook. A straightforward opt-in process launches people into the immersive social experience:

Control What You Share — By opting-in to the new feature, people can easily show what they're reading on Yahoo! with their Facebook friends. People's activity will be featured on their Facebook profiles as it happens. It's easy to turn it on and off and delete items.
View Your Friends' Activity — A new "facebar" at the top of integrated Yahoo! pages shows a person's Facebook friends and what they're reading on Yahoo!.
Notifications across Yahoo! (U.S. only)

A new social feature, Notifications, builds upon the Yahoo! News friends' activity feature and further encourages social discovery and navigation of content through the lens of people's friends. The Notifications feature alerts people to social conversations and other activity on Yahoo! that interest them such as feedback on reviews, responses to comments, and stock alerts. Notifications is found on the top of most pages on Yahoo!, such as Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Sports, omg!, Shine, and Yahoo! Travel.