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Obama Begins Transition; Advisors Are Named For Tech And Communications Issues
A day after the election, names are already being floated as to who will likely be on the president-elect's transition team, including advisors on issues involving technology and communications. Barack Obama is expected to appoint Washington, D.C., lawyer Henry Rivera to head the team focused on the FCC, reports Multichannel News, quoting informed sources. Rivera, who is a Democrat, is a partner at Wiley, Rein, and served at the FCC from 1981 to 1985. Current FCC chairman Kevin Martin also worked at Wiley. Rivera declined to comment.
Separately, Obama has appointed Julius Genachowski, a former executive of Barry Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp, to help him choose members of his new administration, reports the Washington Post. Genachowski, who served at the FCC as chief counsel to former Chairman Reed Hundt, a Democrat, has already been active in Obama's campaign by advising him on technology policies as chairman of the president-elect's Tech & Innovation Plan. Genachowski's appointment to the transition team could signal the prominence of high-tech policy in the new administration.
Staci adds: Genachowski is also being touted as a possible CTO if Obama adds the post. In addition to spending nearly a decade with Diller, he's a co-founder of Rock Creek Ventures, a founding partner of LaunchBox Digital, and a special advisor to General Atlantic. That would be the same CTO slot Google's Eric Schmidt is said to be interested in.
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Yahoo Reorgs Connected Life Division; Next Phase Focused On Making Money On Mobile
Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) is reorganizing the Connected Life division with the intention of actually making money. The reorganization, announced internally today at an all-hands meeting, includes a management shuffle and the new goal of contributing to Yahoo's bottom line by 2009, according to an email we obtained. The email was sent out today to employees by Marco Boerries, Yahoo's EVP of the Connected Life Division, who also made the announcement at a meeting this morning.
At the top of the list for new executive appointments, Boerries named David Ko as SVP of Mobile. Previously, he ran Connected Life in Asia, and will be moving back to the states from Singapore to head global operations and business activities. Ko is replacing Steve Boom, whose departure was reported last month. Boerries wrote: "I am super happy to announce today that David Ko, our rock star from Asia who led the Connected Life Mobile team to dominate in that region, has been promoted to SVP of Mobile. Also, as part of the restructuring, Boerries said he will now oversee all of the various groups, such as oneSearch, oneConnect and IPTV. Previously, those groups reported to Boom, who reported Boerries. Full details at mocoNews.net…
Social Media Deals Report: This 199-page report, filled with charts and data, examines the categories, number and size of VC and M&A deal in social media from 2007 through 2008. Visit the ContentNext Reports page
Yahoo Reorgs Connected Life Division; Next Phase Focused On Making Money On Mobile
Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) is reorganizing the Connected Life division with the intention of actually making money. The reorganization, announced internally today at an all-hands meeting, includes a management shuffle and the new goal of contributing to Yahoo's bottom line by 2009, according to an email we obtained. The email was sent out today to employees by Marco Boerries, Yahoo's EVP of the Connected Life Division, who also made the announcement at a meeting this morning.
At the top of the list for new executive appointments, Boerries named David Ko as SVP of Mobile. Previously, he ran Connected Life in Asia, and will be moving back to the states from Singapore to head global operations and business activities. Ko is replacing Steve Boom, whose departure was reported last month. Boerries wrote: "I am super happy to announce today that David Ko, our rock star from Asia who led the Connected Life Mobile team to dominate in that region, has been promoted to SVP of Mobile. Also, as part of the restructuring, Boerries said he will now oversee all of the various groups, such as oneSearch, oneConnect and IPTV. Previously, those groups reported to Boom, who reported Boerries. Full details at mocoNews.net???
Social Media Deals Report: This 199-page report, filled with charts and data, examines the categories, number and size of VC and M&A deal in social media from 2007 through 2008. Visit the ContentNext Reports page
Industry Moves: Two Senior Execs Depart From Yahoo's Mobile Ranks
Yahoo's (NSDQ: YHOO) losing two more of its senior executives, this time from its mobile division, which falls under the heading of Yahoo's Connected Life. Steve Boom, SVP of Connected Life, who reported to EVP Marco Boerries, and Gary Roshak, VP of mobile advertisers and publishers, are both leaving the company to pursue other opportunities, a Yahoo spokesman confirmed. Boom will leave at the end of the month, following CTIA. Roshak left Aug. 1. More here on mocoNews.
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Earnings: China's Focus Media Q2 Internet Ad Rev Up 201 Percent; Mobile 'Push' Ads Dropped; COO Out
Internet advertising is increasing in terms of overall relevance at China's Focus Media (NSDQ: FMCN). The Shanghai-based multi-platform digital media company—its main business is out-of-home advertising—reported $76.1 million of its $211.7 million total revenue came from internet ads, roughly one-third compared to one-quarter of in Q207. Revenues from internet advertising rose 201 percent over $26.4 million in Q207 and 53.6 percent over Q1's $51.4 million.
Discontinuing "push" mobile: Focus Media took a big hit in mobile advertising earlier this year when it agreed to ban mobile ad spam—slashing expected 2008 mobile revenue by $40 million. In the release, the company says it has disposed of or is discontinuing nine subsidiaries focused on the "push based mobile advertising business." Revenue for those operations dropped to $400,000 in Q2 from $11.3 million in Q1.
COO out: The company also announced that COO Diana Chen left for "personal reasons" and will not be replaced in the near future.
Check out the best business jobs in digital media. Go here for paidContent.org Job Board.
Industry Moves: Roeding Leaves CBS Mobile; Sellinger Promoted To EVP & GM
A change-up at CBS Interactive (NYSE: CBS) ... Cyriac Roeding "has decided to leave his post heading the division to pursue various entrepreneurial endeavors." Roeding joined what was then CBS Digital in 2005 to lead its wireless efforts and became head of the CBS Mobile division when it was created last year. Jeff Sellinger, who also joined in 2005, has been promoted to EVP and GM; he had been director, VP and, most recently, was responsible for overall operations as SVP.
The creation of CBS Mobile as a division last year was meant to show a cross-company commitment. Both Roeding and Sellinger have entrepreneurial roots: Roeding was co-founder and head of 12snap, while Sellinger was a founder of GoldPocket Wireless (acquired by Motricity). Release.
Industry Moves: Discovery's Schembri Tapped To Manage AT&T's $3.3 Billion Media Budget
A little over three years since Discovery Networks hired him to oversee much of its new media planning strategy, Chris Schembri has defected to AT&T (NYSE: T), where he will oversee the telco's $3.3 billion media spending, AdAge reported. Schembri will take on the new role of VP, media services.
Schembri has been credited with managing a number of digital initiatives while at Discovery, including a deal with Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) that surely caught AT&T's attention. As part of a promotion for Discovery's fisherman adventure series "Deadliest Catch," the cable network tied with Verizon on giving away free wallpapers, ringtones, mobisodes, polls and other content related to the program. Schembri also brought Discovery together with Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) by aligning the release of the "Halo 3" Xbox game with Discovery's "Last One Standing." Another Xbox promo he worked on involved Discovery Channel's "Future Weapons" and the "Gears of War" game. At AT&T, Schembri will work closely with Wendy Clark, SVP-advertising - the person who created his new post. Schembri's departure is something of a blow to Discovery, which has been concentrating on building up its digital side, including marketing.
Industry Moves Roundup: Sun-Sentinel; CN; Orlando Sentinel; The Orchard; HipCricket; Google; CBS
-- Sun-Sentinel: Tribune-owned South Florida Sun-Sentinel has undertaken a major restructuring of its online unit. Kathy Skipper, the website's GM and a 24-year Sun-Sentinel vet, has been laid off. Jeff Levine, VP and director of marketing, will take on responsibility for the paper's interactive content, audience development, new product development and media partnerships. Ray Daley, VP/director of advertising, will now be in charge of interactive ad sales, according to a memo obtained by The Daily Pulp (via Romenesko).
Cartoon Network: Molly Chase was promoted to the new post of VP-Cartoon Network New Media from executive producer; in her new role, Chase will oversee the Turner unit's technology group, design studio, game studio and production plus production for CartoonNetwork.com. Awesomehouseparty.com and ToonamiJetstream.com. She helped launch the latter. (Via B&C)
-- Orlando Sentinel: Linda Schaible has been appointed VP-director of interactive, moving from VP-director of marketing. She joined Orlando Sentinel Communications in 1998 as a marketing info analyst for Digital City Orlando; her other assignments include Go2rlando.com and Tribune (NYSE: TRB) Interactive/Orlando. (Via E&P)
-- The Orchard: The digital entertainment company has tapped David Hazan as head of its new Brand Entertainment unit, charged with working out marketing solutions involving the use of The Orchard's music, video, data and other technology. Most recently, Hazan was an SVP at event marketer US Concepts; he has also served in executive roles at Warner Music Group (NYSE: WMG) and MTV Networks. Release
-- HipCricket: Steven Siegel, a former marketing exec with Enpocket (now Nokia (NYSE: NOK) Ad Solutions), has been appointed VP-Brand Solutions of the mobile interactive marketing company. Siegel has also held senior sales and management positions at Responsys (an email service provider), Engage Media, and Mediacom/Beyond Interactive. Release
-- Google: Chris Sacca, Google's head of special initiatives and the exec behind its push for open-access spectrum, is leaving the company to become an angel investor, according to VentureBeat. More details at our sister site mocoNews.net.
-- CBS (NYSE: CBS) Mobile: Jeff Sellinger has been promoted from VP to SVP of CBS Mobile. Sellinger, founder of GoldPocket Wireless, is responsible for the division's operations. More details at our sister site mocoNews.net.
Fox Mobile/Jamba CEO Lucy Hood Resigns; European Focus Going Forward
Fox Mobile/Jamba (part of News Corp. (NYSE: NWS)) CEO Lucy Hood has resigned this morning, we have learned through sources, and now confirmed by PR. Jamba COO Lee Fenton will be the interim CEO until they find a new replacement.
Updated: the company has now issued an official release, after stonewalling us for the last three hours on queries. The release says she wants to do more entrepreneurial ventures, but there has to be more than that: earlier this year she was appointed the CEO of the Jamster venture, in which News Corp. holds joint stake with Verisign. She has been with News Corp. for more than a decade, helped launch Fox Mobile Entertainment in 2005, and then this JV with Verisign. More in extended entry???
Staci adds: Yes, there is more to it although even this may not be all of it. According to one source familiar with the situation, the company is still very bullish on mobile but there's a sense now that the operation probably needs to be run from Europe rather than LA. Most of the staff is based in Berlin and the business/opportunity is more Europe (and Asia) for now than in the U.S.. Hood traveled a great deal but was still based in the U.S. Fenton, who was hired as COO to lead worldwide operations, has the European know-how: he was director of consumer platforms for Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) prior to joining Jamba and before that was commercial director of Vivendi (EPA: VIV)-Vodafone JV Vizzavi. He's held a variety of senior positions at other companies and could well be the top candidate to run Jamba on a permanent basis.
This source stressed that Hood is respected as an executive but her departure is likely to fuel some critics who didn't see her as the right candidate to head the 600-plus employee JV, which was far bigger than Fox Mobile.
Update: Some more details: Fenton is assuming Hood's responsibilities but technically won't be known as interim or acting CEO. I am told by another source in a position to know that he is a serious contender for the CEO job but there will be a search. Fenton was supposed to be LA-based when he was hired but that shifted. It's uncertain now whether he will be based in Europe or U.S. during this transition.
The structure going forward has yet to be determined. As this source put it, "there probably will be some fallout; I don't think any decisions have been made." One possibility: The Fox Mobile operations Hood led before the JV have been mostly integrated into Jamba but could wind up being more U.S.-centric or something different altogether. Another possibility that could make sense: Pulling together the mobile efforts from the various Fox units???studios, FIM, etc.???into a Fox-centric mobile operation run from LA.
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Amp'd Content Team And Former CEO Close To Joining Wi-Max/Wireless ISP Clearwire
Former Amp'd Mobile founder and CEO Peter Adderton and most of the execs on its content (Amp'd Live) team are close to joining Wi-Max broadband wireless ISP Clearwire (Nasdaq:CLWR), we have learned. The team moving to Clearwire includes Seth Cummings, former SVP of content at Amp'd and currently exec producer of Lil Bush on Comedy Central (he's already changed his LinkedIn profile). It becomes more interesting in light of Clearwire's recent deal with Sprint to deploy a national WiMax network, due for commercial launch in the first half of 2008....more on MocoNews.net here.
Industry Moves: Alvelda Resigns As MobiTV CEO; Remains As Chairman; Scanlan Named President
A management restructuring at MobiTV designed “to accelerate growth trajectory”:
-- Founder Dr. Phillip Alvelda steps down as CEO, remains as chairman of the board. A search is ongoing for his successor. He will be spending more time with the Westminster Institute for Science Education he co-founded last year.
-- Co-founder Paul Scanlan is promoted to president from COO with responsibility for sales, business development, product management, marketing and content.
-- Bruce Gilpin, promoted to COO from CSO and interim CFO, with responsibility for CTO, engineering, operations, IT and customer support.
-- Bill Losch joins the company as CFO from DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc., where he was chief accounting officer.
Release.
Privately held MobiTV is old in start-up years—it was founded in 1999—and has already raised more than $100 million in funding. The company has more than 2 million customers. Thinking of Alvelda’s now limited role as principal visionary instead of of day-to-day detail man, I’m reminded of the EconSM deals discussion about the need for some founders to be moved or be ready to be moved in order for the companies to become truly successful.
Industry Moves: Former Vodafone Exec Geitner Joins BBC Worldwide’s Board
BBC Worldwide has appointed former Vodafone exec Thomas Geitner to its board as a non-executive director in preparation for imminent digital launches. Geitner was CEO of the telco’s new business and innovation division until the division was culled in October 2006, prompting Geitner to exit in December that year. Guardian reports that, as a non-executive director, Geitner “will advise the board on new media developments, investments and international growth,” adding BBC Worldwide is also developing a commercial version of its iPlayer web VOD service and is also locked in talks to roll out ads on non-UK sites. But the company’s own statement hints at further wireless development. CEO John Smith: “His vast experience in telecommunications, particularly mobile services, will be highly valuable as we look to launch more direct to consumer businesses.” Geitner previously also Vodafone CTO and oversaw the launch of the Vodafone Live portal.
