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NBC Exec as new TiVo President?
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Posted by: walters

I can't find any online sources for this, yet. Just the closed captioning from Bloomberg Morning Markets via TVEyes:

quote:
tivo may have found a brand new president. The company is expected to name the nbc executive martin yudkovich to be the new president. Tha t's according to the "wall street journal. "yudkovitz is the president of nbc digital media and has overseen the tv network's internet strategy. They say that the appointment is part of an effort to expand tivo's partnerships in the television industry.

Ah, well one thing making it difficult to find stories is that it's Martin Yudkovitz, and I was searching the first spelling.

Posted by: Crispin

There is an online source at http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds11002.html

Posted by: CrispyCritter

Here's another somewhat longer press release.TiVo president release

Posted by: MighTiVo

A couple more, perhaps the same content....

http://msnbc-cnet.com.com/2100-1041-998937.html

http://www.businessweek.com/technol...ries/998937.htm

http://www.forbes.com/newswire/2003.../rtr956783.html

Click on photo for a biography
http://images.nbcmv.com/photos/thumb/nbcexecutives/martin_j._yudkovitz.jpg

Posted by: daperlman

Smart move on TiVo's part, I read the CBS marketwatch article:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/sto.../> &siteid=yhoo

This James McGlynn guy that keeps saying how very difficult it is to setup a TiVo is unbelievable. He also says TiVo should sell out to Comcast, because a TiVo like product from comcast is coming soon...

Yeah those cable companies are cutting edge. Did anyone tell him about their partnership with Direct TV?

Posted by: MighTiVo

quote:
Originally posted by daperlman
Smart move on TiVo's part, I read the CBS marketwatch article:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/sto.../> &siteid=yhoo

This James McGlynn guy that keeps saying how very difficult it is to setup a TiVo is unbelievable. He also says TiVo should sell out to Comcast, because a TiVo like product from comcast is coming soon...

Yeah those cable companies are cutting edge. Did anyone tell him about their partnership with Direct TV?

Link is no, I think the board mangles it...
You can try this one but will have to paste all on one line:

cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?siteid=mktw&guid=%
7B6D26DADA%2D26B7%2D496A%2D9E1F%2DEB64EAAF4F19%7D&

"TiVo's problems are that it is not teamed up with a cable operator," said James McGlynn, a money manager with Summit Partners in Cincinnati. "The cable operators would be a perfect partner but instead it looks like they want to make their own product. I have heard that the cable companies don't want to add TiVo or something like it to all their cable boxes since it would make the boxes too expensive."

TiVo can also represent a challenge to someone who is not very handy.

"Currently it is a bear to set up," McGlynn said. "You have to hook it up to a phone line and have another box. Too complicated."

I don't think James is too far off, and I don't think a partnership with Comcast is equivalent to selling out...

TiVo is relatively easy but I do think it takes too long to set up. However you do need to realize that there are MANY people that just won't be able to manage a setup that requires so many connections and a cable box with built in PVR is a very attractive offer. More importantly a digital cable box with built in PVR provides higher quality recording, more effective use of disk space, and could output dolby digital audio

Posted by: tvpredictions

Let me add my vote for "smart move." May not help with cable, but it sends the right message to the entertainment establishment.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/yudkovitz.html

Posted by: grtfalls77

That's a job that I wouldn't want to have (closed caption typist for live TV). Can you imagine trying to keep up with that?

Posted by: Justin526

quote:
Originally posted by tvpredictions
Let me add my vote for "smart move." May not help with cable, but it sends the right message to the entertainment establishment.

and that message would be "we are your b*tch. order us around as you please."

Posted by: trainman

quote:
Originally posted by grtfalls77
That's a job that I wouldn't want to have (closed caption typist for live TV). Can you imagine trying to keep up with that?

Ever seen a court reporter in action? Live closed captioning works exactly the same way, with the captioner typing phoneme by phoneme, syllable by syllable on a special keyboard.

(That said, I've watched live closed captioners in action, and I also can't imagine trying to keep up with anything on TV. :D )

Posted by: interactiveTV

quote:
Originally posted by daperlman
Smart move on TiVo's part, I read the CBS marketwatch article:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/sto.../> &siteid=yhoo

This James McGlynn guy that keeps saying how very difficult it is to setup a TiVo is unbelievable. He also says TiVo should sell out to Comcast, because a TiVo like product from comcast is coming soon...

Yeah those cable companies are cutting edge. Did anyone tell him about their partnership with Direct TV?

It certain respects, the setup comment is accurate. But it isn't one factor. Price and lack of real product knowledge are also key problems. And, btw, considering I have true VOD (maybe 150-200 titles), 1080i, and a really well done EPG, I'd say the cable companies *are* pretty cutting edge. Check out the DCT-5200. In the next 12 months, the world gets much more interesting.

The promotion/marketing focus for Tivo is certainly cemented with this announcement. It seems Tivo is throwing in the towel, somewhat, on persuing MSOs. At least we have a really good idea of Tivo's strategic direction now.

I wish Martin well.

_ITV

Posted by: Dajad

Gotta love this quote:

"...Yudkovitz would use his expertise to focus on helping Tivo make deals with content creators that can eventually generate revenue."

Can you say Internet-based video on demand?

....Dale

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ti...0430&ID=2510166

UPDATE 1-Tivo, eyeing life as media outlet, taps TV veteran
April 30, 2003 5:50:00 PM ET

(Recasts, adds details, CEO comment, updates with closing stock prices)

By Franklin Paul

NEW YORK, April 30 (Reuters) - Tivo Inc. (TIVO) on Wednesday tapped NBC executive Martin Yudkovitz as president, the latest move by the television recording technology company in its effort to transform into a provider of media services and content.

Yudkovitz was key in the creation of cable news networks CNBC and MSNBC as well as MSNBC.com. He accepts the role left vacant in January when Morgan Guenther, Tivo's previous president, resigned.

Tivo, whose technology lets viewers pause live TV and automatically record up to 80 hours of shows based upon viewing habits, said Yudkovitz's mandate is increasing deployment of Tivo service and technology through partnerships with satellite and cable TV and advertising partnerships.

"Tivo has grown up much more as a Silicon Valley technology and marketing company, than a television-based company -- we are trying to change that," he said. "Our brand is associated as much with TV entertainment. and we want to reinforce that."

San Jose-based Tivo, perhaps the most well know maker of digital video recorders, or DVRs, said Yudkovitz would use his expertise to focus on helping Tivo make deals with content creators that can eventually generate revenue.

"We have focused on the subscription business, but we have always thought that the potential is to create business models that go beyond that," Tivo Chief Executive Michael Ramsay told Reuters. "His experience will help us."

Tivo gains the lion's share of its revenue from subscribers who pay either $13 a month or a one-time fee of $300. It hopes to draw more revenue from advertising deals, licensing and selling specialized services to its customers.

It may also begin to market data about its users' viewing habits, since it can track precisely which programs -- and ads -- are watched by its more than 600,000 subscribers. That's a small sample compared to the 100 million U.S. TV-viewing households, but one large enough to satisfy advertisers hungry to know if their money is well spent.

"We are seeing a lot of momentum around the adverting, promotions and audience research area, and I think that will be one area of focus for (Yudkovitz) to look at," Ramsay said.

In March, the company released data about what its viewers watched during the Academy Awards broadcast, saying that PepsiCo Inc.'s (PEP) Pepsi beverage ad was the most watched, but that viewership dropped an average of 25 percent during commercial breaks.

Critics suggest that Tivo must find alternative sources of revenue, as consumer electronics brands such as Thomson's RCA and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd. as well as cable TV providers, develop their own DVR systems.

Shares of San Jose, California-based Tivo closed at $5.94, up 14 cents, or about 2.41 percent on Nasdaq on Wednesday. REUTERS

Posted by: interactiveTV

quote:
Originally posted by Dajad
Gotta love this quote:

"...Yudkovitz would use his expertise to focus on helping Tivo make deals with content creators that can eventually generate revenue."

Can you say Internet-based video on demand?

You can but that doesn't make it so. Don't get your hopes too high there, Dale.

Maybe this line is more telling:

"We are seeing a lot of momentum around the adverting, promotions and audience research area, and I think that will be one area of focus for (Yudkovitz) to look at," Ramsay said.

_ITV

Posted by: daperlman

quote:
Originally posted by interactiveTV
And, btw, considering I have true VOD (maybe 150-200 titles), 1080i, and a really well done EPG, I'd say the cable companies *are* pretty cutting edge. Check out the DCT-5200. In the next 12 months, the world gets much more interesting.
_ITV

The world of cable.. something like TiVo is "coming soon" but of course by that time TiVo themselves will have trumped their own current technology. For instance before 04 Hi-Def DirecTiVo will be launched.

In Atlanta, where I live, Comcast has themselves a nice monopoly situation. And they have yet to achieve the picture and sound quality available with Direct TV. That is NOT cutting edge to me.

Somehow TiVo and Direct TV teamed up to create a box that is better and cheaper than anything one can get from a cable or satellite company around here. Until other companies catch up, Direct TV is my choice for best technology.

Posted by: jmoak

quote:
Originally posted by interactiveTV
... And, btw, considering I have true VOD (maybe 150-200 titles), 1080i, and a really well done EPG, I'd say the cable companies *are* pretty cutting edge. ...

Wow. That does sound good.

And, btw, considering I have no VOD , can only dream of 1080i, and a really crappy(when it works) EPG, I'd say my cable company *is* about as cutting edge as a butter knife.

If Tivo's gonna partner with cable companies, I hope they are really careful about who they choose to partner with.

Posted by: smark

The benefit to partnering with Comcast ( pimp ) would be that there may be a way for rebuild areas to get their guide date etc over RF so no phone lines for ANYONE in a rebuild area and you wouldn't need to have a broadband connection.

Posted by: Dajad

_ITV, building momentum around adverting, promotions and audience research hadly seems a likely candidate for making deals with content creators to generate revenues. But I guess TiVo could be providing advertising, promotional and research tools for the content industry.

Until proven otherwise, I wish to continue to delude myself with my fantasies! :)

...Dale

Posted by: interactiveTV

quote:
Originally posted by Dajad
_ITV, building momentum around adverting, promotions and audience research hadly seems a likely candidate for making deals with content creators to generate revenues. But I guess TiVo could be providing advertising, promotional and research tools for the content industry.

Until proven otherwise, I wish to continue to delude myself with my fantasies! :)

...Dale

Hey, dream the dream. I usually try to differentiate between actual quotes from the execs versus paraphrase from the reporter. Your quote was a paraphrase, mine was a quote from Ramsey.

Did someone at Tivo say "content creators" or did Franklin throw that in to avoid using "advertising agencies" again?

I'm just saying, don't get your dress all ruffled from some reporter text. It isn't from the company. Reporters tend to short-hand and reading too much into THEIR word choice versus the company's actual words can lead you to disappointment. But please, I love your enthusiasm. :)

_ITV