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Yahoo Executive Shake-Up: CEO Carol Bartz Abruptly Ousted

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September 7, 2011
  • A study of Yahoo’s assets and performance conducted in the past two weeks has led independent directors to conclude a management change was needed. As a result, Carol Bartz, Yahoo’s CEO, was fired and will be replaced on an interim basis by the company’s CFO Tim Morse.
  • Yahoo’s interest in bidding for Hulu is expected to continue.
  • The company’s performance has been lackluster and characterized by missteps and high levels of executive turnover under Bartz, resulting in a flat stock price over 2 1/2 years, despite a 60 percent rise in the Nasdaq Composite Index.
  • “The board hasn’t hired an executive-search firm or financial advisers to help in a strategic review, but is expected to do so soon, said someone familiar with the matter,” reports The Wall Street Journal. “The strategic review isn’t expected to include an evaluation of whether Yahoo should be put up for sale, but will focus on so-called ‘organic’ growth, including the possibility of acquisitions or partnerships, the person added.”
  • Bartz wrote a memo to her employees Tuesday afternoon: “I am very sad to tell you that I’ve just been fired over the phone by Yahoo’s Chairman of the Board. It has been my pleasure to work with all of you and I wish you only the best going forward.”

Bidding War: Has Google Proposed an Alternative Plan for Hulu Acquisition?

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September 7, 2011
  • As the bidding war for Hulu continues, Financial Times reports that Yahoo, Amazon and Dish Network are all expected to offer near 2 billion dollars for the company, its subscription service and the rights to exclusive content for at least two years.
  • However, Google is rumored to have proposed a significantly higher bid for an acquisition proposal on a larger scale. Details have not been released, but some speculate that Google may offer a couple billion dollars more in exchange for more content for a longer period of time. It is not clear if the Google proposal includes a longer deal for content or possibly something else — or if Hulu would even be interested in a new plan.
  • According to The Wall Street Journal: “Since that’s not what Hulu’s owners have put on the table, ‘normally we would have thrown people out if they’d said that,’ says an executive familiar with the sales process. But Google ‘indicated that there’s enough money’ involved so that Hulu’s owners are at least thinking about continuing the discussion.
  • The video site would fit nicely with Google’s YouTube, which has struggled in landing the type of long-form premium content that Hulu owns. And if rumors are accurate, Google is willing to pay.
  • But would the content owners agree to terms with Google, which is already the largest video website worldwide, when they were earlier holdouts on Google TV?

Yahoo Hopes to Increase Net Traffic with More Original Programming

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September 6, 2011
  • Yahoo will introduce a new lineup of original programming beginning in early October, reports Variety.
  • The eight short-form series will feature appearances from actors including Morgan Spurlock, Niecy Nash and Judy Greer.
  • Erin McPherson, VP and head of video at Yahoo, indicates this is the first phase in a planned increase for 2012 regarding originals hoping to “yield even bigger names, longer programs and maybe even scripted fare.”
  • “While Yahoo isn’t about to overtake Fox or CBS as those nets launch their fall schedules, the company will mix some traditional TV programming tactics with its own new-media savvy,” suggests the article.
  • Yahoo reportedly leveraged user metrics to determine what types of shows would sell and has plans to redesign its video platform to be more like Netflix and YouTube.
  • According to Variety: “Of the 47.3 million video streams Yahoo generated in July, its original series alone garnered 27 million — more than the 24.4 million Hulu scored in its entirety that month.”

Yahoo Launches Beta of New Online Media WebPlayer

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August 8, 2011
  • Yahoo has introduced the beta version of its new “flexible and universal” online media player named WebPlayer.
  • The app (written in HTML and JavaScript) can play YouTube videos and other content, and is available for use on blogs and websites for posting an array of content.
  • The Web-based media player supports a variety of media formats, including MP3 and WMA.
  • ZDNet reports: “The idea here is that it should be much easier for bloggers, publishers, or whoever that wants to publish digital media on their websites on a regular basis as all they really need a line of code and a link rather than copying over a giant embed code from YouTube.”

Update: Apple Considering a Bid for Hulu Video Service

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July 22, 2011
  • In the latest installment of the ongoing Hulu saga, Bloomberg reports Apple is “considering making a bid” for the online video service.
  • Apple would join Google, Yahoo, AT&T and others who have expressed interest (Microsoft has reportedly dropped out of the bidding).
  • With $76 billion in cash and securities, an expected $2 billion bid would not be too difficult for Apple. If so, analysts suggest this would give Apple a leading subscription service that would rival, if not surpass, the Netflix service.
  • “Part of the ecosystem of Apple’s future is to include more video,” said Scott Sutherland, Wedbush Securities analyst (who recommends buying the stock). “It’s something they are focused on.”

Update: Microsoft Drops Out of Auction for Hulu Service

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July 21, 2011
  • Microsoft has reportedly dropped out of the bidding for Hulu and would not continue into a second round, according to “a person with knowledge of the matter.” (Although the individual did not rule out the possibility of Microsoft re-entering in a later round.)
  • Google, Yahoo, AT&T and as many as eight other companies remain interested in the online video service.
  • According to Business Insider, Yahoo is willing to spend up to $2 billion if it can get content rights for the next four or five years.
  • It has been reported that Hulu plans to offer five years of access to content from its media company owners (Disney, News Corp. and Comcast’s NBC Universal), including two years of exclusivity.

Insiders Say Netflix Not Interested in Acquiring Hulu

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July 12, 2011
  • Netflix is reportedly not among the handful of companies currently considering a purchase of Hulu.
  • Sources “familiar with the matter” indicate Netflix was absent from the first round of bidding presentations that concluded last week.
  • The same sources also suggest that Hulu has no interest in seeing its biggest rival take it over.
  • Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo are reportedly still among the companies interested in the TV streaming service.

Yahoo Study: More People Watching Online Video During Primetime

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June 30, 2011
  • According to a new study by Yahoo, people are watching more and longer videos during primetime.
  • Back in 2009, online viewing declined as more people watched video on their TVs.
  • More consumers are watching Netflix and Hulu during primetime, but short clips still comprise 74 percent of video viewed.
  • Viewers are more likely (57 percent) to watch video when presented with a related article.

Yahoo! Connected TV Claims 8 Million Devices and 140 Apps

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June 28, 2011
  • Yahoo! Connected TV has over 140 apps and will be introducing the Y! Connected TV Store to sell apps on a 70/30 percent revenue sharing model.
  • Yahoo! made a widget development kit available that provides publishers the opportunity to build new apps.
  • The company is rolling out broadcast interactivity that tailors ads based on viewer interests.
  • Device control technology allows television interactivity with smartphones and tablets.
  • Watch in 2012 for the platform to appear in new TVs by Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, LG and Vizio.

Yahoo Acquires IntoNow Social TV App Three Months after Launch

By
May 16, 2011

In February, ETCentric reported on Palo Alto start-up IntoNow, which had developed an iOS app that identifies and tags live TV shows in realtime, creating something similar to Shazam, but for television rather than radio. Just three months after the social TV app’s official launch, Yahoo announced it had purchased IntoNow. Although the exact transaction numbers were not disclosed, most reports place it in the $13-17 million range.

Here’s how it works: Users press a button on the app interface while viewing a television program and, with the aid of a platform called SoundPrint, the app uses the program’s audio for identification (within 4-12 seconds). The results appear on the iPhone or iPad screen and can be shared via social networking entities such as Facebook or Twitter, or can be added to a Netflix queue. (An Android version is reportedly in development.)

Yahoo is expected to integrate IntoNow’s SoundPrint technology with existing services such as its Connected TV platform — and possibly use it for plans regarding audio watermarks for identifying advertisements and displaying additional information.

According to the Yahoo press release: “The addition of IntoNow will enable Yahoo! to provide enhanced media experiences and video programming, bolstering its social engagement across the Yahoo! network and on all screens. IntoNow users are able to easily engage with friends around the shows they enjoy most. IntoNow helps people discover new shows, discuss favorites with friends and learn more about them, and provides recommendations for what is currently airing based on their interests and those they are connected to. The application is also integrated with Facebook, Twitter, iTunes and Netflix to enable more sharing and information gathering.”

Engadget posted a video demo where the user is watching CNN on a laptop (place-shifted via SlingBox), and uses the IntoNow app on an iPad to identify the TV stream.

Related Engadget post (including Yahoo press release): “Yahoo buys TV companion app developer IntoNow and its database of sounds” (4/25/11)

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