Your Weekly Address from the President-Elect

In a preview of his weekly address, President-elect Barack Obama addressed the nation on the occasion of Thanksgiving.

While our nation is faced with tough economic times, President-elect Obama recognizes the value of service in rebuilding struggling communities across the country.

This Thanksgiving, President-elect Obama has asked the nation to celebrate this distinctly American tradition while looking forward to the future we share with hope and promise.

[via Change.gov]

Embedded code of US TV series on video sharing sites spreads

A new trend on video sharing sites could mean even more lost revenue for TV networks, as the proliferation of embedded code for US TV series seems to be spreading, enabling more and more sites to offer TV series on their own platforms.

Copyright issues for non US-based viewers should be settled some time soon, as there are more and more sites offering TV content, and in some some cases even making fans pay to view them.

`Dexter' author Lindsay makes cameo appearance

"Dexter" author Jeff Lindsay will make a cameo appearance on Dexter next Sunday, as a walk on detective.

[AP via TV Barn]

Watching TV Series Online actually does come with a price

As I've mentioned before, watching TV series online on video sharing websites is not as smooth going as one might think. Some streams are agonizingly slow, stutter or the worst, cut off the last few minutes of an episode. Most of these sites advertise too, many an animated manner which actually distract you from viewing the video. Even more annoying, the pop up that locks down the video until you complete a survey.

But there's yet another new way video sharing sites are cashing in. Interrupting the video you are viewing if you exceed a specific time limit (72 minutes). A message appears suggesting different payment methods to continue "enjoying unlimited use", or offering the alternative of waiting 53 minutes to continue watching

Of interest, the time limit set at 72 minutes - yes, people actually watch online video for that long - and uninteresting, or more to the point offensive, the concept of making viewers pay a ransom to keep watching.

Again, stop me if you've heard this before, but many non US viewers would gladly pay to watch TV series online through official channels. Hulu, when will that be?

Study: 18% of people can’t tell if they’re watching true HDTV content or not

Apparently some 18 percent of HDTV owners can’t tell the difference between high-def programming and standard-def programing when viewed on their screens. That’s what Leichtman Research Group concludes based on a survey of 1,302 households.

[via Crunchgear]

In-Flight Wi-Fi Aboard the Virgin Party Plane

On a flight from San Francisco to San Francisco that seemed loosely based on the Snoop Dogg film Soul Plane, Virgin America demoed its Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi service this past weekend amid a cabin full of Web celebrities and PCWorld reporter Tim Moynihan.

The Gogo wireless service, which Virgin America says will be deployed on all 25 planes in its fleet by mid-2009, uses a system developed by Aircell. A receiver on the underbelly of the plane connects to a network of cellular towers across the United States to establish an EV-DO Revision A broadband link.

In the cabin, passengers connect to this cellular broadband network on any Wi-Fi-enabled device.

Watch the PC World video of the giddy passengers.

Or above, a live stream from YouTube.

Sling takes its video portal site public

Sling.com, the streaming site of Slingbox maker Sling Media, has emerged from private beta and is opening up access to its video content to the public. News.com reports.

With the move, which was expected, Sling.com delivers TV episodes, clips, full-length movies, and professionally produced Web videos to a single destination.

The free content is provided by the NBC-Fox partnership Hulu, along with CBS (parent company of CBS Interactive, CNET's publisher), PBS, BBC America, and Web video sites like College Humor and Break.com.

Blockbuster Offers Download Device

On Tuesday, Blockbuster launched it's own set-top-box, reports Bits.

Blockbuster’s device cost 99, but that includes 25 movie downloads. Additional movies will cost as much as $3.99 apiece.

TV by photographer Mathieu Bernard- Reymond

Swiss born photographer Mathieu Bernard- Reymond is exhibiting in Lausanne at the Synopsis Gallery, photographs from his new book published by Hatje Cantz, titled TV. The phographer has shot TV screens of thousands of shows and subistituted them to the windows of tall buildings.

Web Suicide Viewed Live and Reaction Spur a Debate

An insightful piece from The New York Times on Abraham Biggs online suicide, a 19-year-old community college student “egged on” by strangers who, investigators say, encouraged him to swallow the antidepressant pills that eventually killed him.

... According to M. David Rudd, chairman of the psychology department at Texas Tech University, “what he was really doing was expressing his ambivalence about dying and, in an awkward manner, asking for help.

But the virtual nature of the community — distant, largely unaccountable and often seeking entertainment — was equally ambivalent. Hours after Mr. Biggs died, some of the forum users still sounded highly skeptical of the case. Others asked to see the video.

“The anonymous nature of these communities only emboldens the meanness or callousness of the people on these sites,” Mr. Cole of the University of Southern California said. “Rarely does it bring out greater compassion or consideration.”

Related:

-- 19-year-old Commits Suicide on Justin.tv

-- Web suicide watchers tough to prosecute

Online video vote to decide $10m green technology prize

Three videos shortlisted for public vote to decide which should be the basis of a $10m competition to develop green technology ideas. The Guardian reports.

But with a $10m X-prize ultimately at stake - plus $25,000 for the people who dream up the best competition to award that prize - there is the potential for a huge impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

What's Your Crazy Green Idea? video contest, which runs until November 30, has been inviting users to submit a two-minute video describing what they would propose as an X-prize in energy and the environment.

Hollywood actors guild to seek strike

The Screen Actors Guild said Saturday it will ask its members to authorize a strike after its first contract talks in four months with Hollywood studios failed despite the help of a federal mediator.

[via Yahoo News]

This Week's Address from the President-elect on The Economy

President-elect Barack Obama announces he has directed his economic team to assemble an Economic Recovery Plan that will save or create 2.5 million more jobs by January of 2011.

[via Change.gov]

NBC.com Releases Extended Office Episode

In case you didn’t get enough of Thursday night’s episode of The Office rather than NBC airing a supersized version during the usual broadcast, the network is releasing the “producer’s cut” on their website, complete with extra scenes that didn’t make it into the official episode.

[via Blend Television]

YouTube Live: It's On!

You may have noticed that the YouTube homepage looks a little different. Want to know why? YouTube Live, of course.

From 5pm PST/ 8pm EST, YouTube will be furnishing you with three live streams direct from the Live channel, offering you direct access to everything that is happening on the Main Stage, Backstage and Off Stage at YouTube Live. Check out all the newest artists and YouTube community members who'll be performing live.

[via YouTube Bog]

Beware of the Doghouse

A reminder of what will happen if you get your girl the wrong gift this year. A Saatchi & Saatchi production for JC Penney. A brilliant campaign using online video.

DVDs, Hollywood’s Profit Source, Are Sagging

DVDs propel profits these days, and there is a creeping dread in the movie capital that buyer interest is plummeting as the global economic crisis worsens. The New York Times reports.

So far, total DVD sales are down by about 4 percent for the year, with most of that weakness coming in October, according to data compiled by Warner Brothers, the largest distributor of DVDs.

The independent tracking service Nielsen VideoScan paints a bleaker picture, reporting a 9 percent drop in overall DVD sales during the third quarter alone and a 22 percent decline in sales of higher-priced new titles, although its data does not include results at Wal-Mart.

Read full article.

Bush snubbed at G20 Summit

CNN's Rick Sanchez Reports on Bush being ignored at G20 Summit."It's almost sad." [via boingboing]

19-year-old Commits Suicide on Justin.tv

In a striking display of the power of live video, a 19-year-old boy committed suicide on Wednesday while broadcasting himself on video site Justin.tv . NewTeeVee reports.

Apparently he was egged on by commenters on Justin.tv and fellow forum users on bodybuilding.com.

Abraham K. Biggs overdosed on pills while on camera and appeared to be breathing for hours until watchers realized he might be serious, at which point they alerted the police.

New project aims to unite science and Hollywood

The US National Academy of Sciences is sponsoring a program called The Science and Entertainment Exchange to improve scientific accuracy in the entertainment industry.

By bringing scientists together with Hollywood-types, the project aims to improve the scientific accuracy of what the entertainment industry produces and also help scientists communicate more effectively with the general public.

... Aside from serving as a point of contact for members of the entertainment industry seeking advice on scientific accuracy, people involved in the Exchange hope that it will help create new partnerships between scientists and entertainers to promote scientific literacy and inspire the next generation of scientists.

High-definition videos sneaking onto YouTube

YouTube is experimenting with high-definition videos on its site, and you can access the capability using a handy URL trick. If YouTube manages to score enough movie and TV content from its owners, then it might eventually give Hulu some competition.

[via ars technica]

Is the Web Hurting Guilty Pleasure TV Shows?

Complaints by Lipstick Jungle’s creators that its cancellation threats are unfair because much of its audience isn’t measured may not be just whinning, according to Liz Gannes on NewTeeVee.

Could the increasing number of options for watching TV shows that fall under the guilty pleasure category mean they are slipping in the conventional rating systems? Soap operas are some of CBS Interactive’s most popular online programming, I’ve been told. I’ve also heard concern from networks that younger-skewing shows just aren’t as economically viable these days, because their audience could care less about the TV. BitTorrent, YouTube, TV Links, iTunes — it’s all at their fingertips.

Read full article.

11% of Young Adults Watch TV Online Weekly

18-to-34s who watch TV online at least once a week spend an extra hour with media every day, compared to their same-age counterparts, says new Knowledge Networks data, reports Market Watch.

These young adults spend 80% more time online than the general 18-to-34 population, and 16% more time (about 1.25 hours per day) with media generally; they are also much more likely to belong to and use social networks.

Big 3 come begging in high style

MSNBC's Shuster and Congress nail it on their heads. Big 3 Car Corp. CEO's arrive in their respective corporate jets to beg for more money. That's like showing up to the welfare office in your 2009 Mercedes.

BBC One and BBC Two will be streamed on the web

UK television fans who love programmes such as Merlin, Strictly Come Dancing and Top Gear will be able to watch them live on the internet from next week, according to Mail Online.

BBC One and BBC Two will be streamed on the web and will be accessible on www.bbc.co.uk and on internet-enabled devices such as mobile phones.

Michelle and Barack Obama on 60 Minutes

Watch CBS Videos Online

An estimated 24 million viewers watched Steve Kroft’s one-hour interview with Barack and Michelle Obama on “60 Minutes” on CBS Sunday night, according to preliminary, overnight ratings from the nation’s biggest television markets collected by Nielsen Media Research.

[via The New York Times]

Online video chips away at TV

More evidence that online video is cannibalizing television consumption is due Monday, courtesy of an IBM study. Plus, online viewers don't mind the commercials too much. The Hollywod Reporter reports.

After polling 2,800 people in six countries, IBM says 76% have viewed video online and 45% do so regularly. Of those who have watched online video, 15% say that as a result they watch "slightly less" TV, while 36% said they watch "significantly less" TV.

GM Turns to Online Video to Plead Case

Beleaguered auto manufacturer General Motors has posted a video on YouTube and on its own site, GM Facts and Fiction, to explain to the public what happens if the domestic auto industry collapses.

[via Online Video Watch]

Brooke Shields: Lipstick Jungle Isn't Canceled

Good news, Liptick Jungle is NOT cancelled, according to Brook Shield, reports US Magazine.

They thought that because My Own Worst Enemy has been shut down that the same thing had happened to us, and it's not true," she told reporters at Sunday's Cookie magazine Kidsfest in NYC.

... Shields said fans have already sent in tubes of lipstick to Jeff Zucker, president & CEO of NBC Universal, to show their support.

"It's been insane," she went on. "I think that the public outcry has been crazy, and it's kind of wonderful."

[via [ TV tattle ]]

ITV shows to go 'on demand'

ITV viewers will soon be able to watch shows like Coronation Street and I'm A Celebrity whenever they want, under a deal with BT's digital television arm. The BBC reports.

Until now, replays of soap operas and other top-rated programmes have only been broadcast on demand over the web.

ITV's catch-up service will be available on BT's digital television platform, Vision TV, from next month.

Viewers will be able to access replays of shows within minutes of broadcast up to eight days after their first airing.

Read full article.