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Apple orders documentary show from 'Rock of Ages' producer
Apple has been ordering original shows at a breakneck pace, and now it's branching out beyond big-name dramas. Deadline has learned that the tech giant has ordered a 10-episode documentary from Time Inc. and Matthew Weaver (shown at left), the producer known for his work on the musical Rock of Ages and Jiro Dreams of Sushi. The series, simply titled Home, will take viewers inside "extraordinary" houses and discuss the designers that created them. It's not clear who will narrate the series or when it's expected to premiere.
Time's struggle to adapt to digital brings it near a sale (update: official)
Time Inc. hasn't had the easiest time adapting to an online world: although its brands have been pushing boundaries in digital storytelling, it has made some questionable decisions (MySpace, anyone?) and is in the midst of an overhaul that could see it selling print publications as it focuses on the internet. And now, it appears ready to receive a lifeline in a bid to stay afloat. Reuters sources claim that Meredith, the publisher of Better Homes & Gardens and Family Circle, is close to a deal to buy Time for roughly $2 billion. The move would let Meredith boost its publishing chops while spinning out its broadcasting wing.
Anyone can steal your old Myspace account by guessing your birthday (updated)
You probably haven't touched your Myspace account in ages, but you might want to pay it a visit just in case -- as it turns out, it's trivially easy for someone to take control. Security guru Leigh-Anne Galloway has discovered that Myspace's account recovery site only validates your real name, user name and birthday. Given that the first two are easily obtainable, you only really have to guess the birthday to hijack an account -- and that's not necessarily hard depending on how publicly someone celebrates the occasion. In theory, someone with a knack for Google searches could impersonate you with little to no warning.
Scribd adds unlimited access to 'New York' and 'Time' magazine
Last summer Scribd axed romance novels because it couldn't afford them. Business has apparently stabilized because now it's adding magazines to the fold. Not those types of magazines, though. Starting this month, what's being added to the subscription-based reading service is unlimited access to publications Bloomberg Business Week, Fortune, Money, New York, People and Time. The magazines are a value-add and won't bump the existing $8.99 monthly fee, according to Wall Street Journal.
People and EW! launch a joint online video network
Time Inc. has announced that it's launching PEN, an online video network serving clips and shows from People and Entertainment Weekly. The service is free, supported by advertising and will broadcast more than 300 hours of original programming in the first 12 months of operation. The rest of the on-demand schedule will be filled by an "extensive library" of on-demand clips from Time Inc's library of shows. PEN arrives tomorrow, September 13th, and will also syndicate shows from other Time Inc. properties, including Time and Sports Illustrated.
Time's 'Life VR' will 'showcase the world through virtual reality'
NextVR just announced its virtual reality broadcasting tech will bring live concerts home in a partnership with Live Nation, and today it's announcing a team-up with Time Inc. Life Magazine has historically provided a peek into different areas of the world via photojournalism, and the new Life VR project will offer "immersive, next-level storytelling" from Time Inc. media properties like Time Magazine, People, Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly. Word of the launch came at today's NewFronts event in NYC, and the two say it should result in three to five VR events each year, available in the NextVR app.
Save 'Sports Illustrated' articles anywhere you want, automatically
What was that? You wanted to get some recipes going for news-content automation in addition to push notifications to grab an umbrella for tomorrow? Well, lucky you because Time Inc. announced it's adding IFTTT (If This Then That) support for five of its publications: Entertainment Weekly, InStyle, People, Sports Illustrated, and of course Time. The outfit says it's using in-house tech to make it easier to automate stuff like sending all NFL articles to Pocket so you can read 'em on the subway, for example. Another is getting a weekly movie summary sent straight to your email from Entertainment Weekly. This update benefits both Android and iOS users alike and it's available right this minute. Now its just up to you to see if too many cooks can spoil these recipes.
More magazines coming to Flipboard: Time, Fortune, InStyle and People
If you work in new media, there's a sure-fire way to know if you've made it: traditional media starts paying attention. Time Inc. is following in some, ahem, illustrious footsteps after announcing that it's bringing InStyle, People, Fortune and Time to Flipboard. The first two will be arriving on the platform this week, with the latter pairing debuting in December. With specially paginated content, readers will see a "unique brand experience" when you delve into each title -- presumably with plenty of space for benevolent advertisers like Gucci to exhibit their wares.
Time Inc. allows iPad users to try before they buy
The iPad is an incredible entertainment platform that has been a game changer for magazine publishers. But when it comes to picking up a new title the newsstand still has one major advantage; the ability to browse an issue before buying it. It's an advantage publisher Time Inc. has noticed and aimed to fix with a new try-it-before-you-buy-it option for their iPad magazines. Now you'll be limited in which articles you'll be able to check out, which is sort of like browsing a magazine with pages ripped out. The addition of previews for iPad magazines is a major shift in Time Inc.'s approach to iPad magazine publishing. According to AllThingsD, the company says the change was made possible due to a change in their Adobe-powered backend that allows them to easily change what content is and isn't available for free. Time's relationship with Apple has been complicated. They were slow to make their content available for subscription in the Apple Newsstand, first making their titles like People, Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly available on the service in June 2012. The Apple Newsstand debuted in October of 2011.
Next Issue Media launches on Android, $15 a month for access to 32 magazines
If you've taken issue with your usual choices for buying magazines on your tablet, be it pay-per-issue or per-subscription, you're not alone. If you'll recall, it was nearly a year ago that Next Issue Media launched the preliminary version of its "Hulu-meets-magazines" app on the Galaxy Tab, and it's finally ready to release this physical newsstand alternative officially. After raking in a slew of deals last November, its Android 3.0 app is now available -- users can fork over a monthly fee of $10 to access all of its monthly and bi-weekly content, while an extra five bucks adds in weekly content, essentially giving you access to every publication on offer. Singular subscriptions are also available for two to 10 bucks, and you'll currently have a choice of 32 mags from the likes of Car and Driver to The New Yorker. Interestingly, TechCrunch notes that NIM plans to get the app over to iOS "soon" -- it'll surely be interesting to see how it competes with Apple's own Newsstand. You'll find more info at the via links below, and you can flip over to the source for details about a 30-day trial offer.
Next Issue Media strikes deals with more Android tablet makers ahead of full launch
After launching its digital newsstand for the Galaxy Tab earlier this year, Next Issue Media is now looking to expand to other Android tablets, as well. The company, which was founded by a quintet of publishers including Conde Nast, Hearst and Time Inc., has just signed partnerships with a slate of slate manufacturers, including Motorola, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba, along with Verizon Wireless. Next Issue Media didn't specify which devices would support its app, but it did take the opportunity to announce new digital magazines, like Car and Drive, Coastal Living, ELLE, Golf and Real Simple. The goal is to have a full 40 titles by the end of the year, ahead of its full-fledged launch in 2012. Turn past the break for more details in the full PR.
Time Inc. aims to please advertisers and your eyes, making all mags tablet-friendly by year's end
Do you love reading Time magazine on your tablet, but wish you had the same luxury with all of its related offerings? Oh boy, do we have fantastic news for you. As it stands, select Time Inc. publications are supported on the iPad, Android Marketplace, TouchPad, and Next Issue Media's store, but now the company has announced plans to make all 21 of its mags available on tablets by the year's end. Furthermore, support for the Nook Color will be added by the end of August with digital versions of Time, Sports Illustrated, People, and Fortune. Current subscribers to the print editions won't be left out either when it all rolls out, as they'll be able to opt-in for free upgrades with digital access. The decision is apparently tied to increasing "digital reach" for advertisers, but hey, ad-support isn't totally lame. Right? Full PR just past the break.
Time Inc. will put all 21 US publications on tablets by the end of this year
Time, Inc. has announced its intention to put all of its publications on tablets during 2011. Once complete, the digital catalog will include Time, of course, and other favorites like Sports Illustrated, Fortune and People -- all of which are already available in the App Store -- and newcomers like Real Simple and Entertainment Weekly. Maurice Edelson, EVP and a member of Time Inc.'s interim management committee, sees the explosion of tablet popularity as a opportunity for his company. "In the coming year, there will clearly be many more consumers using tablets, accelerating demand for content and driving advertiser interest. We are putting ourselves in a great position to take advantage of these opportunities." Print subscribers will have the option to add digital subscriptions at no cost. All the publications will be available on the iPad, Android tablets, and the HP Touchpad. A Time spokesperson told me that the company is following other publishers like Amazon and the Wall Street Journal and avoiding the high toll at the Apple app store. Other publishers like Hearst are selling magazines through the app store. Time says its digital magazines and related apps have been downloaded more than 11 million times.
Time Inc. exec makes the leap to iPad startup Flipboard
The New York Post is reporting that digital journalist Josh Quittner is leaving Time magazine to join startup Flipboard as its new editorial director. Flipboard is a personalized social magazine app for the iPad. You can enter your Facebook and Twitter accounts and follow any number of sites' RSS feeds, and the app presents all the tweets, status updates and articles to you as a digital magazine. The fact that Quittner, who covered the digital revolution for 15 years at Time Inc, is leaving underscores a tectonic shift happening in the traditional publishing industry. It seems that those in the know feel secure in their beliefs about the future of publishing enough to leave established outlets for what they think is the future of the industry. Like many, I've said it again and again, publishers need to embrace the future if they want to keep up with all the ways people consume media nowadays. When veterans like Quittner, who also worked at Fortune and the now defunct (best magazine ever) Business 2.0, start jumping ship, it seems apparent that a tipping point from print to digital is closer than one thinks. [via iPodNN]
Next Issue Media brings magazine subscriptions to Samsung Galaxy Tabs, but not all of them
It's been a busy month in the world of e-publishing. First, Time Inc. inked a deal to bring magazine subscriptions to the iPad, with both Hearst and Conde Nast following suit. And now, a consortium of publishing powerhouses known as Next Issue Media is looking to expand its tablet-based readership to Android users, as well. Beginning tomorrow, people who bought a wireless-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab from Verizon will be able to purchase single copies of, or monthly subscriptions to seven magazines from the so-called "Hulu of Magazines," which includes Conde Nast, Hearst, Meredith, Time Inc., and News Corp. Users already subscribing to print editions will receive free digital subscriptions, though they won't be able to purchase both print and digital combo packages (that's on the way). Publishers, meanwhile, will be able to set their own prices and, according to Next Issue CEO Morgan Guenther, will receive "at least" 70-percent of all transactions -- the same percentage that Apple offers. Under this new Android deal, however, all of Next Issue's members will be able to freely access their subscribers' credit card information and other personal data -- something that Apple has steadfastly denied them. Obviously, it's far too early to tell whether or not this deal will give publishers more leverage in their negotiations with Cupertino, as the service will only be available to a small slice of Android tablet users. But Guenther says his organization is planning on releasing more titles for more devices this fall, with at least 40 magazines due out by year's end, along with an app for HP's WebOS.
Time Inc., Apple to offer free iPad downloads to print magazine subscribers
After months of speculation, Time Inc. has finally inked a deal with Apple that will allow print magazine subscribers to access the company's iPad editions for free. Beginning this week, subscribers to print versions of Sports Illustrated, Fortune, and Time will be able to download the iPad counterparts at no cost, directly within the magazines' apps. Today's deal comes just a few months after the company struck a similar arrangement with HP, but iPad users, unlike TouchPad readers, still won't be able to purchase exclusively digital subscriptions to Time Inc.'s stable of publications. It's no secret that Time Inc. wants to incorporate digital subscriptions to its iPad model, but negotiations have hit some roadblocks, largely thanks to disputes over how Apple shares subscriber data. Publishers say they need that data to apply the TV Everywhere model to magazines, but Apple thinks subscriber information should only be shared on an opt-in basis. We don't really expect Apple to budge any time soon, but execs at Time Inc. seem optimistic, telling the Wall Street Journal that today's deal proves that the two parties are "moving closer" on the issue -- apparently not close enough, however, for Apple to comment.
WSJ: Google plans a 'digital newsstand' to unite all newspapers and magazines under Android's umbrella
The Wall Street Journal has rounded up its cabal of sources today to present another delicious new battlefield in the struggle between Google and Apple for mobile supremacy. Specifically, it reports that the Mountain View team has approached Time Warner, Condé Nast and Hearst -- three of the biggest publishers of periodicals in the US -- with a view to offering their content through a Google-operated "digital newsstand" for Android devices. The appeal for media companies will be an easier route to monetizing their content, apparently, including the possibility that Google could take a smaller slice of revenues than the 30 percent charged by Apple and Amazon. There's also word of developments behind the scenes at Cupertino, where "several changes in iTunes" are expected to improve the publisher's experience of using the service, including making it easier to offer long-term subscriptions and related discounts. Apple's had nothing to say on the matter, while Google's responded by noting it's always in discussions with publishers and has nothing to announce at this point.
Time Warner CEO hints at tying print, tablet magazine subscriptions together
We'd already heard that Time Warner was looking to offer magazine subscriptions on the iPad (and running into some difficulty doing so), and it now looks like it might have some even grander plans. As hinted at by Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes in an earnings call earlier today, the company is apparently looking at extending its TV Everywhere concept to magazines, which would give customers that subscribe to the print editions of Time, Sports Illustrated and other publications access to the digital version as well. Of course, Bewkes didn't offer any indication as to exactly when that might happen, but he did say that the "key to it all" is to give subscribers access to content "over all broadband devices as soon as possible," which is certainly promising.
Time Inc. execs said to be frustrated over lack of iPad magazine subcriptions
Not interested in paying $4.99 for an issue of a magazine on your iPad? Well, Time Inc. execs don't seem to be too keen on the idea either. As Peter Kafka of All Things Digital reports, Time was planning to launch a subscription version of its Sports Illustrated iPad app last month in which you'd pay Time directly, but Apple apparently rejected the app at the last minute and left Time with no other choice than to sell issues one at a time for the usual $4.99. What's more, some Time Inc. execs have reportedly "been going nuts" over the situation, which is complicated even further by the fact that some companies like The Wall Street Journal do have a different arrangement for billing customers directly. As for Apple, it simply notes that it supports two platforms for publishers: the "open" HTML5, and the "curated" App Store, while Time insists that it will offer in-app subscriptions sometime "later this year."
Brightcove announces support for HTML5 video
Brightcove, a Cambridge, MA-based company that specializes in online video provisioning for media companies and content providers (like TUAW and Engadget, for instance), has announced they will officially be supporting HTML5 video for their clients. Unlike Flash, HTML5 video (when encoded using the H.264 standard) will play on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Brightcove's new HTML5 video platform will automatically detect what device the user is running and dynamically switch between Flash and HTML5 players to suit the device's capabilities. For existing Brightcove content providers, all they need to do (assuming their clips are already in H.264 format) is change the embedding code in their webpages to immediately access the HTML5-savvy version. Brightcove automatically encodes each submission in seven different formats & bitrates for optimal client delivery. Mike Rose spoke with Brightcove's CEO Jeremy Allaire last week, and in the conversation Allaire pointed out "the problem space for most publishers of video is not just about getting content to play back... the expectations for publishers of video have grown to include a lot of different things." The pieces to the video experience (beyond simply pushing pixels to the screen) include player UI, branding, analytics & monetization/ad strategies, to name a few. HTML5 doesn't yet have all the components of the toolkit to enable those features. "Ultimately what's necessary is that the industry needs to have this whole stack... of what people expect in the overall user experience of video, to be accessible and available in the HTML5 world," Allaire said. That full-featured playback option is what Brightcove Experience for HTML5 is trying to address. According to Allaire, right now there is "a pretty big gap, a lot of infrastructure that needs to be put in place" before all those capabilities are online, but "ultimately the objective is to provide the exact same quality, interactivity and built-in features [as Flash]... for any HTML5-capable device. Publishers want a single workflow to upload their content... that will work seamlessly for all their users." The initial version of the Brightcove tools for HTML5 will provide a basic playback template, but updates later in 2010 will add player template cutomization, advertising tools and analytics. HTML5 support will also work on Android phones.
