More OTT Options Taking Shape

Not that it's breaking news, but consumers are getting used to the idea of watching video online… So says new research from Informa that shows more than 70% of all internet users view over-the-top video. And, the firm says, more than 2.1 billion people will be watching OTT video by 2015, a number equal to more than 80% of every internet user.

"It's abundantly clear that viewing online video via connected devices will be both a long-term and mass-market activity," says Informa analyst Giles Cottle. "All of the key ingredients for uptake of these services are in place."

The trend isn't lost on Janus Friis, the European entrepreneur widely known for (co)founding and/or launching Skype, Joost, KaZaA and Rdio… According to reports, the businessman is giving OTT video a shot with his sights set on a Netflix competitor called Vdio.

Reports say Friis has been building a team of rock-star media and web tech pros to develop the video site that's somehow been kept under wraps for about two years. The yet-to-launch service now has a landing page highlighting blockbuster films like "The Dark Knight" and mega-hit TV shows like "Mad Men."

Not much more info is known about Vdio - the site has no links, no info, no 'about us'… nothing.  Check out GigaOM's investigative piece for the most anyone can find on the start-up, here.

Meanwhile, Netflix launched a new app for Android devices that will enable, for the first time, users in Canada and Latin America to stream content on their smartphones and tablets. And RadixTV launched a streaming video service aimed at enterprise customers offering live feeds from CNBC, Bloomberg TV, MSNBC and others for $15/month. •

Health Experts: TV is Bad for Babies

For infants and toddlers, time spent in front of a television provides no educational benefits - even if the program is designed to do so. A new study again suggests that parents of young children should seriously limit the exposure their kids have to video screens.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no such thing as educational programming for children under the age of 2 because watching TV eliminates healthier interactive activities. The group says even leaving the TV on as background fodder is harmful as the ambient noise and lighting distracts both young and adults alike.

This is the second such study on the affects of TV on young children from the AAP, the first being in 1999 that basically suggested parents should ban television completely. Researchers are backing off such recommendations this time around, acknowledging resistance the first study received from the industry and parents who collectively asked how that could realistically be done in today's society.

The bottom line is that the research shows young children learn more from real interactions with people and objects than they do from situations created on a screen. Some learning can take place from media, the researchers say, but children and tots simply have no idea what's happening on TV. •

Etc.: AT&T's Claims "False" - YouTube, MTV, IMDb in Court - Gumbel Slams Stern

Rules & Regs: Public interest group Public Knowledge asked the FCC this week to get more info from Deutsche Telekom on the health of T-Mobile should AT&T's $39B takeover of the wireless carrier fail. PK's legal team says just as AT&T failed to prove it would create jobs by buying T-Mobile, the company has yet to prove that AT&T is "saving" T-Mobile by acquiring it. "AT&T's claims of saving T-Mobile from perishing at the hands of the market are false," the group says. --- The Washington State Association of Broadcasters is hoping Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) will listen to its claims that northern border broadcasters will be hurt if the FCC moves forward with its planned spectrum auctions. In a letter to the Senator, WSAB Pres/CEO Mark Allen said the auctions will limit stations' access to spectrum and would force them to be "repacked" onto new channels. --- Former Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) weighed in on the FCC's USF reform proposal saying he's concerned that ceilings on the fund would dissuade telcos from investing in rural areas. Dorgan tells Hillicon Valley that, under the plan, rural areas are going to be left out in the cold… Read more.

In Court: Viacom warned an appeals court Tuesday that the copyright skies will fall if YouTube wins the infringement lawsuit between the two sides. "YouTube not only knew there was rampant copyright infringement on the site, but welcomed it," says Viacom legal staff. AP has more. --- A former MTV staffer is suing the network and New Remote Productions for alleged sexual harassment and other employment crimes like forced drug consumption. The Wrap has the wrap. --- An unnamed actress is suing Amazon in federal court for revealing her age on the company's IMDb website and refusing to remove the information when asked.

Q3: Media General reported a Q311 net loss of $29.8M ($1.32 per share), compared to last year's net loss of $10.7M ($.48 per share). The company said total revenues were $144.7M on the period, down from $163.2M last year. --- Network equipment maker Juniper reported a Q3 revenue increase of 9% to $1.1B. The company attributed its 38% y/y slide in net income ($83.7M) to an increase in marketing expenses and a $16.8M restructuring charge related to workforce reductions.

Dist.: Al Jazeera English is now available in Chicago on two channels, WTTW11 and WTTW Prime (11-2; Comcast 370). WTTW is the most-watched public television station in America, serving more than 65% of Illinois as well as sections of Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

Tech: The Consumer Electronics Association said it is forming a working group to address concerns over energy consumption  by 3D devices.

Research: Demand for LTE handsets is growing… new In-Stat research says as companies continue to launch new networks, subscriptions to LTE services will increase to more than 290M and shipments of compatible handsets will surpass 154M by 2015. --- iHS says global shipments of flat-panel TV sets totaled 48M during Q2, a dip of 1.3% from Q1. Of total shipments, the firm says LCD TVs accounted for 43.4M units, down 2.7% from the previous period. On the plus side, iHS said plasma screen shipments were up 13.9% to 4.7M units. --- Looks like consumers are choosing smart TVs over 3D TVs. Topology Research says shipments of the connected sets will double next year to 52.85M units, compared to 48.2M 3D sets. The firm says look for 3D growth to peak in 2012-2013 while connected TVs will grow by 100% next year and account for 20% of all global TV sales.

Mobile: Another dual-persona mobile device hits the enterprise streets from Verizon Wireless and VMware called the VMWare Horizon Mobile. It's a single Android device with a built-in provision that splits company activity from personal usage. A new trend? --- RIM unveiled a new platform for its Blackberry smartphones and tablets called BBX. Details forthcoming.

Up, Down & Over There: The Carlyle Group has agreed to buy an 85% stake in Spanish cable operator Telecable for €400M ($550M). --- BSkyB added 77K new customers during Q3, 26K of which came from pay-TV services, with revs on the period increasing 9% to £1.66B ($2.6B). The company also reported adjusted operating profit up 16% to £295M ($465M). --- The Metro Ethernet Forum awarded Verizon Global Wholesale with this year's best wholesale ethernet service for the EMEA region.

SkyREPORT: Arianespace says alls-a-go for today's launch of the Soyuz vehicle carrying two birds for Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system.

Misc.: The Cable and Telecommunications Human Resources Association (CTHRA) will host an event covering the impact of social media in the workplace and trends in labor and employment law. The roundtable discussion will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 15. Registration and details here.

Ouch!: HBO's "Real Sports" anchor Bryant Gumbel says NBA Commissioner David Stern is "more hell-bent lately on demeaning (the league's) players than resolving his game's labor impasse." The host compared Stern to a "modern plantation overseer" whose actions "do little more than show how he's the one keeping the hired hands in place." Whoa. Check out his commentary here.

--- Catch today's media market news in the Evening BRIDGE. •