tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-358732392024-03-16T00:08:35.758-07:00Digital Media Update... myriad media, music and technology musings by Peter Csathy ...Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.comBlogger1764125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-78789889965795268502021-05-01T06:54:00.000-07:002021-05-01T06:54:38.803-07:00In Honor of My Father, Denes Csathy -- His 102nd Birthday Today<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDb988_cNOgc1uiyZdpLd1qua8M7AH2ipGQWn963ZVUN4N327xFtu0ImmRbp2HfONNM65wOipYopB9vO_1WsMjpEEV-e_EJN1MtJLuXrKMipl4pNARxGn7eZReXWxvjY_PQnREA/s1600/Dad+Olympics.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDb988_cNOgc1uiyZdpLd1qua8M7AH2ipGQWn963ZVUN4N327xFtu0ImmRbp2HfONNM65wOipYopB9vO_1WsMjpEEV-e_EJN1MtJLuXrKMipl4pNARxGn7eZReXWxvjY_PQnREA/s320/Dad+Olympics.jpg" width="217" /></a>My father, <b>Denes Csathy</b> -- greatest man I have ever known. Plain and simple. No flash. All substance. Suffered a lot. Overcame it. Accomplished great things. Lived life. Appreciated life. The full spectrum. <br />
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Most of all, he was a great dad. Today is his 102nd birthday. Unfortunately, he passed away far too soon -- 30 years ago.<br />
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Indulge me in this post.<br />
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What originally prompted me to write this nearly a decade ago -- my first formal tribute to my father -- was that we were then on the eve of the opening ceremonies for the London Olympic games. And, my father, Denes, also participated in the Olympic games in London. The 1948 London Olympics -- for the Hungarian pentathlon team. (This, on the right, is his official identification card as a "competitor" in the 1948 London Olympics.) Very few, if any, people ever knew this about my father amongst those with whom I grew up -- because my father never trumpeted himself. He was far too humble. <br />
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My father was a quiet, brilliant, devoted man. He and my mother, Eva, left everything behind (including their families) to escape Hungary during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Russian occupation. They literally crossed the border -- by foot -- in the middle of the night amidst gunfire. They did this for all the reasons you hear about in the Hollywood movies -- to create a new, and better, life for their eventual children. But, this was for real. <br />
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I am a direct beneficiary of this, of course. <br />
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Denes had an extremely challenging life, apart from the Revolution itself (as if that were not enough). He was paralyzed for nearly one year for extreme war injuries from a grenade. He was later taken by Russian/Stalinist occupiers and left for dead for 5 years in a notorious Hungarian concentration camp called "Recsk", where he was tortured and saw friends killed. I finally visited this camp - which is now a memorial - a few years ago. As I found his name on the memorial there, you can only imagine the emotions that flowed.<br />
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Yet, my father never complained about any of this to me -- in fact, he chose not to discuss any of these things. (And, regrettably, I never asked enough questions growing up ....).<br />
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Instead, once he reached the new land (first Canada, then the US -- Minnesota of all places!) -- he focused on constructive/productive things. He focused on his passions. He focused on building his family. He focused on building his business. He was a brilliant mechanical engineer and designer. Through pure raw intelligence and drive, my father ultimately built a highly successful industrial business -- called "Deltak" -- that was largely built around the several patents he developed. Seriously brilliant! That's what he was! He didn't do it for the money. He did it because he loved it. He worked hard. Very hard. But, this was never "work" for him. It was his passion. <br />
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Yet, despite the challenges he faced in building and expanding this business, family ALWAYS came first. And, FAMILY was his deepest passion. I remember him always saying, when asked, that his family was his greatest "accomplishment." This was not talk. He lived it through his actions.<br />
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I have vivid -- very vivid -- and fond -- very fond -- memories of my father NEVER missing dinner with his family. NEVER missing any of my myriad activities -- from band concerts, to track meets, to basketball games, to whatever else I next cooked up. He was ALWAYS there. And, ALWAYS proud. He placed no overt pressure on me -- he simply instilled in me, and my wonderful siblings (Eva and George), good old-fashioned values of respect, authenticity, dedication, tenacity and hard work. All by example. <br />
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It is not surprising that my sister, Eva, is a chemical engineer and my brother, George, is a pathologist. Both accomplished professionally. But, more importantly, both accomplished in all of those other more eternal values. If nothing else, the Csathy clan is authentic. In case there were ever any doubt about that, just meet our mother, Eva. Family first. Always has been. Always will be. <br />
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My father suffered greatly, once again, at the end of his life. He suffered a major stroke in 1985. And, he never recovered. He was partially paralyzed. His brain was never the same. Yet, his spirit and love were.<br />
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The biggest tragedy in my life is that my father never met my wonderful wife, Luisa. He never met our wonderful kids, Hunter (daughter, now 21 a junior at USC studying the music industry), and Luca (son, 18 a senior in high school who literally just accepted NYU Film School to pursue filmmaking - today is national decision day for seniors to choose their colleges). He died in 1991 -- I met Luisa in 1993. Two years. Two ships ....<br />
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Denes Csathy. Great man. Great life. He lived it all. He experienced (and built!) great wonders. He suffered great pain.<br />
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He is incredibly loved ... and he is undoubtedly still with us. I can tell you a story about that some time ....<br />
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Today is his 102nd birthday. Poignant. Meaningful. For me, a time to reflect on how fortunate I am as a direct result of everything he did for me/us.<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-80391027278532642902019-11-30T07:39:00.002-08:002019-11-30T07:39:40.628-08:00My Favorite Songs of All Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here are the songs that have mattered most to me in my life. No rules. Any genre. Any reason. And, <b><u>in no particular order.</u></b> My #1 favorite song comes from the album pictured here: </div>
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"Hanging on the Telephone" - Blondie (oh, the attitude!)<br />"Brothers in Arms" - Dire Straits (stunningly beautiful)<br />"The Scientist" - Coldplay (stunningly beautiful)<br />"Just What I Needed" - The Cars (classic high school)<br />"The Mute" - Radical Face (stunningly beautiful)<br />"Redemption Song" - Bob Marley (extremely meaningful)<br />"On the Turning Away" - Pink Floyd (epic)<br />"Such a Simple Thing" - Ray LaMontagne (a perfect song)<br />"Don’t Fear the Reaper" - Blue Oyster Cult (my favorite classic rock song of all time ... the mood!)<br />"More Than a Feeling" - Boston (of course)<br />"No One is Watching You Now" - 'Til Tuesday (obscurely beautiful)<br />"Ohio" - Neil Young (epic, political - need more of that now)<br />"Strong Enough" - Sheryl Crow<br />The Nutcracker - (one particular movement)<br />"Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" - Arcade Fire (the start to virtually every long run of my life)<br />"A Day In the Life" - The Beatles (one of the best of the past 100 years)<br />"Sirens" - Pearl Jam (not the obvious song, but absolutely beautiful and meaningful .. especially as we get older)<br />"My City of Ruins" - Bruce Springsteen (THE song that healed us after 9/11)<br />"Brown Eyed Girl" - Van Morrison (you know who you are ...)<br />"It’s My Life" - Bon Jovi (one of my favorite party anthems)<br />"Tiny Dancer" - Elton John (of course)<br />"American Pie" - Don McLean (the loss of innocence of 9/11)<br />"A Long December" - Counting Crows (defined our life in Laurel Canyon)<br />"Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen (of course!)<br />"Big Mouth Strikes Again" - The Smiths (an anthem during my law school days)<br />"Soul Meets Body" - Death Cab for Cutie (a haunting classic ... with deep meaning to me)<br />"Until the End of the World" - U2 (not the obvious one, but defined my early 90s)<br />"New Year's Day" - U2 (THE obvious one)<br />"True Romance" - Sophie B. Hawkins (our wedding song)<br />"Weeping Willow" - The Verve (a classic, haunting wall of sound)<br />"Head Full of Doubt" - The Avett Brothers (wow, the lyrics ...)<br />"What a Wonderful World" - Louis Armstrong (always gives hope)<br />"What a Wonderful World/Over the Rainbow" - Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole (so simple, so moving ...)<br />"Stairway to Heaven" - Led Zep (of course of course of course!)<br />"Auld Lang Syne" - Glenn Miller Orchestra version (the "go to")<br />"Fix You" - Coldplay (arms instinctively rise to the heavens)<br />"Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana (wow wow wow -- epic)<br />"Winter Winds" - Mumford & Sons (so beautiful ... downright sublime ... and the lyrics ...)<br />"Waltz #2" - Elliott Smith (can play it over and over ...)<br />"Rhiannon" - Fleetwood Mac (my favorite of oh so many ...)<br />"Gypsy" - Fleetwood Mac (had to do one more, because special meaning t...)<br />"Love Song" - Tesla (a beautiful hair band song ... crank it!)<br />"Peace Train" - Cat Stevens (love it)<br />"The Gold" - Manchester Orchestra (on endless loop in 2017-18)<br />"Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House (one of my most nostalgic songs of all time)<br />"20 Years" - The Civil Wars (absolutely beautiful ... and so simple)<br />"The Killing Moon" - Echo & The Bunnymen (epic 80's!)<br />"Here Comes My Girl" - Tom Petty (had to have a Petty on my list ... and so many to choose from)<br />"Unchained Melody" - The Righteous Brothers (another stunningly beautiful song)</div>
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SO MANY MORE, so little time ...</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-18036166981612157642019-07-09T05:07:00.000-07:002019-07-09T05:07:21.382-07:008 Key Trends for Media-Tech in 2019 So Far (Mid-Year Review)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">More than half the year is already in the books. So, let’s look back at the first 6 months in the world of media, entertainment and tech. Here, I identify 8 key themes driving the overall industry forward. No major surprises here for those of you have read my earlier predictions for 2019 in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/FEARLESS-MEDIA-Survival-Fittest-Todays/dp/0998013226/ref=sr_1_2?crid=FVTEM6YK2XMF&keywords=peter+csathy&qid=1562673371&s=gateway&sprefix=peter+csathy%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-2" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #665ed0; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">my most recent book, "Fearless Media."</a> </span></div>
<ol style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.74902); font-family: 'Source Serif Pro', serif; line-height: 3.2rem; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 3.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration: underline;">M&A continues its feverish pace</u></strong>, because size and scale matters more than ever in this brave new digitally-driven world. Both in terms of overall resources, but also in sheer size and diversity of entertainment content and experiences. Expect Viacom and CBS to be the next major shoe to drop, when these two consummate their inevitable transaction soon. Viacom’s Bob Bakish is certain to be anointed CEO of the new combined companies, because he resurrected Viacom from the digital dead (buying Pluto TV for $340 million, investing in Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Quibi, driving the once-stodgy company into eSports).</li>
<li style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration: underline;">“SVOD Fatigue” & “AVOD Resurrection” hype proliferates</u></strong>, somewhat justifiably. Call them flip sides of the same coin in an entertainment world where premium OTT video consumption continues unabated, and content budgets continue to skyrocket. What’s a new major video service to do to compete against established giants Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu? Well, Disney bought one of them (Hulu) and opens its direct-to-consumer Disney+ SVOD soon (and will be an immediate Netflix threat when it does). Apple too will soon launch its long-anticipated and essentially inevitable SVOD (as I predicted 4.5 years ago). Bakish and Viacom chose the AVOD route instead, as it faced these giants. Afterall, Viacom lacks Disney’s crown jewel content franchises and catalog, and how many pay services will consumers pay for? Right now, the average U.S. household subscribes to 2.6 services for a monthly total of about $30 (according to Ampere Analysis). Most in the industry seem to believe Viacom has smartly chosen the other route when it placed its bets on Pluto TV.</li>
<li style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration: underline;">Facebook and YouTube face massive backlash and find themselves in the firing line</u></strong>, for placing profit over society and safety in the need to fight violent content, hate speech, fake news, and overall destructive content. Not only is it a practical issue of what can be done (in terms of technology and resources). Most believe it is now a moral, if not existential issue for our society. Can AI come to the rescue with sufficient “precision” when subjectivity permeates the programming of that very AI? And, until then, how can we protect humans on the frontlines at Facebook and YouTube and their inevitable PSTD that comes from reviewing and pruning deeply disturbing content that none of us could ever stomach? Amidst this all, brand safety is front and center and many major brands have understandably exited those platforms.</li>
<li style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration: underline;">The Music Industry’s streaming-fueled resurrection continues</u></strong>, as our “all you can eat” mentality when it comes to music accelerates. Goldman Sachs recently released a new report that predicts that the Industry will grow from about $16 billion today to $45 billion by 2030, driven primarily by streaming. But, good old-fashioned live music events (festivals, concerts) also fuel this fire. Why? Because humans still need to leave their virtual worlds – at least occasionally – and get out into the real world where they actually interact with other human beings. Given this expected hockey stick-like growth, it should come as no surprise that it’s a great time to be an artist/band with a substantial catalog of publishing and/or masters that generate significant royalties. Lots of buyers out there, and financial multiples have never been higher. “Content is King” not only in the world of movies and television, after all.</li>
<li style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration: underline;">Live “experiences” become increasingly strategically important in multi-platform media/entertainment strategies</u></strong>, which are increasingly 360-degree in their approach. Call this a “virtual circle,” as online/virtual consumption and interaction, as noted above, drives a very real need for offline/physical interaction and experiences. Online fuels more offline – and offline can fuel continuing engagement online. That's why even formerly slow-moving Viacom purchased out-of-home live event 201assets like the Vidcon video conference that takes place this week in Anaheim. </li>
<li style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration: underline;">Even “Immersive” entertainment – virtual reality, for example – increasingly understands the out-of-home piece</u></strong>. Virtual reality can be isolating in many ways, so more and more companies take us out to share with our friends in so-called “free roam” VR venues (most notably, The Void – but look out for Disney and Sega-backed Tyffon) and 360-degree dome-fueled headset-less “community VR” experiences (most notably, the MSG Sphere – but look out for Vortex Immersion Media).</li>
<li style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration: underline;">Games and eSports continue their unabashed growth and dominance in young lives</u></strong>, perhaps most surprising of all to many of you reading this. That’s why essentially all major “traditional” media companies now are “all in” – including Viacom under the leadership of Bob Bakish (to bring things full circle from Theme (1) above). Of particular note, trends (5) and (6) apply here too. I have found it notable that many of my conversations in the realm of eSports the past few months have focused on out-of-home, location-based eSports venues. Even gamers wanna have fun and rub shoulders outside of their own private solitary confinement.</li>
<li style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration: underline;">And Amazon keeps “keepin’ on,”</u></strong> as its goal of world dominance in all things – including media and entertainment – continues unabated. Amazon covers virtually all of the bases above already. SVOD, check (via Amazon Prime membership). Theatrical releases, check. Amazon Unlimited Music, check. Twitch, check. “Brick and mortar” (Whole Foods, Amazon retail stores), check. Where does it all end? It won’t, until we stop taking out our credit cards (which we won’t, at least anytime soon). Amazon continues to be my most “fearless” media/tech company (at least in the U.S.), as it audaciously seeks to deepen its hold on our daily lives.</li>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-25973724867833957732019-06-11T05:18:00.000-07:002019-06-11T05:18:24.845-07:00CREATV Media Celebrates 3rd Anniversary & Business Expansion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">Hard to believe, but it's been </span><em style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;"><strong>3 years</strong></em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;"> since I launched </span><a href="http://www.creatv.media/" style="color: #2baadf; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" target="_blank"><strong>CREATV Media</strong></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;"> with a small dedicated and accomplished team -- passionate about our brave new world of content and tech-driven media & entertainment. Since that time, we have been fortunate to work with great innovative companies and deeply creative media/tech artists, talent, entrepreneurs and executives in companies big and small, private and public, domestic and international. </span><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">I am gratified that I have been fortunate to have worked on a diverse plate of some very cool "stuff" throughout it all. We (i) have introduced and driven several M&A opportunities </span><em style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">(including acquisition of valuable IP rights in the music and video space</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">), (ii) have helped identify tens of millions of dollars in financing for others </span><em style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">(including several millions of dollars recently to <a href="https://venturebeat.com/2019/04/23/gometa-raises-6-million-and-launches-koji-web-app-development-platform/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">interactive content technology platform and company Koji</a>)</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">, (iii) identified and locked down key strategic partnerships </span><em style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">(including for clients across Europe, Asia and the Middle East to successfully penetrate the U.S. market)</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">, (iv) introduced great entrepreneurs, executives, financiers, talent, influencers and press to each other, and (v) provided overall market intelligence and active mentorship.</span><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">I also have been fortunate to sit on the boards of several exciting companies (</span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pcsathy/" style="color: #2baadf; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" target="_blank"><em>you can see those here on my bio</em></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">) and expand my own creative platform </span><em style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">(including <a href="http://www.creatv.media/fearless-media-book" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">writing 3 books</a> about the overall "space" and <a href="http://www.creatv.media/press-1" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">offering my "two cents" about the industry throughout it all when the press and media ask for it</a>)</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">. I may not write another book</span><em style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;"> (although I have said that before)</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">, but I will now be a regular contributor to </span><em style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">Forbes </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">and others. </span><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">Now, for year 4 and beyond, I am pleased to announce a major expansion of CREATV Media's business: (1) </span><a href="http://www.creatv.media/music-publishingmasters" style="color: #2baadf; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" target="_blank"><strong>IP M&A</strong>, with a particular focus on music publishing and master rights and royalty streams</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">; (2) </span><a href="http://www.creatv.media/us-market-entry" style="color: #2baadf; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" target="_blank"><strong>U.S. Market Entry & Other Internationally-Focused Services and Opportunities</strong></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;"> </span><em style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">(we are increasingly focused in offering key services for company's outside the U.S. to penetrate the U.S. market and establish key relationships, partnerships, and even financing -- as one example of this, I just returned one week ago from South Korea where I checked out several leading innovators in immersive media (VR, AR, MR))</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">; (3) </span><a href="http://www.creatv.media/productions" style="color: #2baadf; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" target="_blank"><strong>Creative Productions & Special Projects</strong></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;"> </span><em style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">(we are now developing, producing and supporting significant film, television/video series and immersive projects -- and represent some of the talent involved in those productions)</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">; and (4) </span><strong style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">Legal Services</strong><em style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;"> (am pleased to announce that Harvard Law graduate <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-church-426a5a5/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">Tara Church</a>, a seasoned veteran from top-tier law firms such as Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, has joined the team and is now our General Counsel; Tara will work closely with clients to give them the best and most cost-effective/efficient legal services available)</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">. Our new legal services offering also frequently gives us a chance to work closely with young companies to understand which ones are most poised for success and growth -- which, in turn, will also help us continue to curate the most compelling media/tech business and financing opportunities for others. </span><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">Throughout it all, my team and I will continue to offer our core services for which we are best known. And, I will do my best to continue to offer my own market intelligence and perspectives based on my synthesis of all of the information and special access to great innovative and creative minds, thought leaders and influencers with whom we interact on a daily basis.</span><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">Thanks for everyone's support -- and never hesitate to reach out. I love what I do. I enjoy and respect the people, teams and clients with whom I work. </span><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">And, I see no end in sight ....</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-86965273602799345932019-04-28T05:43:00.001-07:002019-04-28T05:43:08.672-07:00Musicians - 10 Reasons to Sell Some (or All) Publishing & Masters Now<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;"><i>My firm <a href="http://www.creatv.media/"><b>CREATV</b></a><a href="http://www.creatv.media/"><b> Media</b></a> has deep expertise in the world of music, including in the world of music publishing and master recording acquisitions. We have unique relationships across the world of potential buyers who are actively looking to partner with artists, bands, and songwriters to acquire some or all of their publishing and/or master recordings. In one recent example, we identified and facilitated the acquisition by leading music publishing company <a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8478230/primary-wave-deals-kenny-loggins-count-basie-pete-waterman">Primary Wave Entertainment of the publishing catalog of legendary jazz musician Count Basie</a>. <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: large;"><b>10 REASONS WHY NOW MAY BE THE RIGHT TIME TO CONSIDER SELLING SOME OR ALL OF YOUR MUSIC PUBLISHING & MASTER RIGHTS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>(& RESIST KNEE-JERK REACTIONS FROM YOUR REPS TO SAY "NOT INTERESTED")</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>(1) It’s a great time to be an owner of valuable music publishing and master rights </b>(intellectual property or "IP") — the market of well-funded buyers is actively and aggressively competing
for music publishing and master recording rights right now. Multiples on royalty streams are at
their peak. That means that you can get a big cash payment right now -- in one immediate lump sum -- rather than wait for royalty checks arriving over the years that may never add up to that lump sum that you can enjoy right now. Here's an example. So-called "multiples" (essentially a multiplier of your current royalty streams) can typically range from 10X - 13X (sometimes even higher for the biggest names). So, if your annual royalties for the past 3 years average $500,000 for example, a 10X multiple means that you could expect to receive an offer of at least $5 million; if they average $2 million annually, then an offer in the area of $25 million is about what you could expect (depending on the mix of publishing versus master royalties). Remember, "at least" (since multiples frequently are higher than that).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>(2) By the way, these deals can have major tax benefits.</b> Buy-out compensation (in the above case, the $5 million number) is generally treated as long-term capital gains, whereas continuing royalty checks are treated as ordinary income. So, that gives you even more money to enjoy right now. <i> [I am not an accountant, so please confirm with your own tax advisors.</i>]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>(3) Don't feel that it's an "all or nothing" proposition to sell your valuable publishing and/or master rights. No pressure to sell 100% of your share. </b> In fact, most major buyers are happy to simply be in business with you. That's why they are flexible and listen to what you want and your goals. Some artists are happy to sell 100% to maximize their immediate up-front payment, but others are more comfortable selling 50% or less of their publishing and/or masters rights in order to retain a continuing financial stake in their songs/recordings (and seemingly more "control"). And, even in those cases (selling only a portion of their rights), artists, bands and writers can take a significant chunk of money off the table right now (with the potential major tax benefits mentioned above), yet still hold on to a significant percentage (the percentage that feels right to them) and "let it ride" with the percentage that the artist retains. This scenario enables the artist to participate in the upside growth that inevitably will result from more active and proactive management of those rights (your songs/recordings) by sophisticated buyers/partners who have deep expertise and frequently </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">teams of specialists behind them to promote your valuable songs/recordings. These are resources that most artists, bands and writers simply can't match on their own</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>(4) By the way, with respect to publishing rights, buyers are generally very happy to focus only on the publisher's share -- and acquire some or all of the publisher's share only in these deals. </b> So, don't feel the need to sell your writer's share (unless you want to, of course). You will be able to continue to receive your "mailbox" money if that is your desire. Again, there's tremendous flexibility in how to structure these deals. And you, the artist, are in control.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>(5) Let's get back to potential buyers and their deep expertise and resources, and why that benefits you, the artist/band/writer. Some buyers have teams of brand experts, marketing experts, digital experts -- in addition to traditional synch and licensing experts -- who actively and proactively manage your catalog and create important and innovative new opportunities to maximize your “brand” and extend your legacy.</b> It's in their interest to do that, of course. But, that's a good thing for you! They are willing to pay you top dollar for your valuable works, </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">because they are confident in their ability to actively manage and succeed and build overall value. And, that benefits you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>(6) Here are some of the benefits that flow from the active and proactive management of buyers (who essentially become partners with you, since your goals are aligned). If you choose to retain some portion of your publishing and/or masters, then those will become more lucrative and valuable over time as a result of the buyer's active and proactive management and development of new strategic opportunities to use your songs and/or recordings (and name/likeness, if you wish ... with emphasis on if YOU wish). Even if you choose to sell your full ownership stake (to maximize your immediate pay-out), the buyer's active and proactive management of your songs/recordings yields substantial continuing benefits to you. </b> First, those new opportunities will essentially be tremendous marketing for all of your continuing pursuits and overall "brand" (touring, as one example). That means more opportunities to maximize your income. Second, that active management extends your legacy and introduces you to new audiences, etc. And, just think of all the new technology out there -- virtual reality (VR) and immersive entertainment and other new media platforms, are just some examples. Those are all new opportunities to reach new audiences for your songs and recordings. For your songs and recordings to drive entirely new experiences. To drive entirely new impact. To drive entirely new fan engagement. To broaden your fan base. And to deepen it. And to introduce it to an entirely new audience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>(7) And, don't worry, not all buyers are massive nameless, faceless entities. Many (certainly the buyers with whom I work) give real attention and focus to you and your songs, recordings and "brand." They think of you as partners, in every sense of the word. </b> They develop real strategies. They share them with you. They seek your input. They want you to actively participate (but, again, only if you want to). And, they are receptive to your wishes. That means that you do not "lose control." I have seen it. Personally. That's why many of the biggest artists and legends of all time have enter into these kinds of deals. All the buyers with whom I work are top quality, reputation and only work with the best of the best. You would be in good company.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><b>(8) While I understand an urge by some artists, bands and writers (and their representatives) to just say "no" and not even consider an acquisition of some or part of their music publishing or master rights, just think about this before you do (in addition to all the factors above). </b> For many artists, without active management and new
opportunities, their "brand" may slowly diminish over time and their songs and recordings lose visibility to new generations of fans (who face an onslaught of new media choices and new artists vying for their attention). Not only does
this reality run the risk of diminishing/undervaluing/marginalizing an artist's legacy, it also likely will significantly slow down their royalty income over time. That "mailbox money" starts becoming
less significant. More importantly, the legacy may have less impact without active and proactive management and exploration of innovative new ways to reach existing and new audiences. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>(9) Meanwhile, active and proactive management by a dedicated team of experts is necessary to do the opposite — build your legacy, introduce you and your work to new generations, and increase the
overall value and impact of your “brand” (and opportunities and revenues that flow from that).
</b> And, the buy-out portion of any deal — at current high multiples (and with the additional tax benefits) -- would require a helluva lot of years of royalty checks to
match that sum you can enjoy today. In many cases, artists will never make up that
number. So, you can enjoy the monetary value of your great work/art today (rather than wait for an unknown tomorrow). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>(10) One more critical thing to think about — by making this kind of deal, you (the artist) are in control of your own legacy -- and in control of who will care for an nurture that legacy. </b>Many artists see tremendous benefit in making their own decisions about their own songs and recordings, rather than having others control key decisions if they are not able to do so themselves for various reasons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">That’s a helluva lot of positives!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b><u>That's why there is absolutely no downside to considering an acquisition deal of some kind at this moment in time. There's absolutely no downside in receiving an offer. After all, you -- the artist/band/writer -- are in control of whether you want to ultimately say "yes" or "no" to that offer. </u></b> That's why anyone who advises an artist, band or writer NOT to listen to all of this — and at least actively consider whether a deal of this kind of deal may make sense — is doing a tremendous disservice to the artist in my view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: xx-small;">So, if you own a significant music publishing catalog, or own valuable master recordings (or both), then contact me at <b><u>peter@creatv.media</u></b> to (i) discuss the pros and cons of considering a potential deal, (ii) discuss the potential right "fit" and buyer/partner (since all potential buyers have their own individual personalities), and (iii) to receive a formal offer for your consideration (and without any obligation to sell, of course). And, don't forget about your REVERSION RIGHTS under copyright law. So long as you have given sufficient notice, ownership of your music publishing rights for your songs -- and potentially even your own master recordings -- revert back to you 35 years. That means that you likely should own all of your songs (and potentially all of your master recordings) from prior to 1984 (no matter what your deals looked like back then).</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-68559757412250949212019-04-27T09:05:00.000-07:002019-04-27T09:05:11.766-07:00Media/Tech VCs - Where They Are Placing Their Bets (Follow the Money)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mICr02pWoI71t7uwmgzfHaTOqL5xCN4VG_CyU1gFIvPSiZ7FP9RhhsDXU4d16e_ZEdYjLLV1zQk1zlaU0WF8jCpGUiuYEpvQ3eLTju106JJhAykXvKuWtA2EC7FHwaPKdgT7tA/s1600/VC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="308" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mICr02pWoI71t7uwmgzfHaTOqL5xCN4VG_CyU1gFIvPSiZ7FP9RhhsDXU4d16e_ZEdYjLLV1zQk1zlaU0WF8jCpGUiuYEpvQ3eLTju106JJhAykXvKuWtA2EC7FHwaPKdgT7tA/s640/VC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I frequently write about my predictions for the world of media/tech and where it's going this year and beyond. But, where are venture capitalists (VCs) placing their bets? After all, VCs back up their predictions of which media/tech sectors are hot (or not) with cold hard cash. </div>
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I recently asked a diverse set of VCs whom I respect to share their bets, and the wisdom behind them. I run my own high impact seed and pre-seed stage venture fund, SAM CREATV Ventures, so I too will add my “two cents” and finish with a few overarching themes. </div>
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So listen up cash-hungry Media 2.0 entrepreneurs and startups! Now’s the time to really pay attention. Pop open that can of Red Bull, pull out that yellow highlighter, and digest the wisdom (and realities) below. Carefully. These breadcrumbs may lead you to your very own financing promised land.</div>
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Let’s first begin with LA-based VCs, because SoCal has become the center of the universe for Media 2.0 investing.<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">MUCKER CAPITAL</u></span></div>
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Leading LA-based VC firm Mucker Capital also focuses on seed and pre-seed investment, particularly in innovative media-tech startups based in Los Angeles. Managing partner Erik Rannala starts us off on a positive Media 2.0 note for 2019. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“While I believe we might very well be in for a financial market correction in 2019, I still fundamentally believe what I wrote in early 2017 when everyone was talking about being in a big ‘tech bubble.’ I don’t believe we are in a bubble, but that software and information technology are fundamentally changing the economy.”</em></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">THIRD WAVE DIGITAL</u></span></div>
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Media/tech pioneer Allen DeBevoise is one of LA’s leading early-stage investors through his Third Wave Digital fund, with a particular focus on video over the years. He is a founding father of most of the leading digital-first video companies discussed earlier, including Jukin Media, 88rising, Mitu, All Def Digital, izo, Tastemade, StyleHaul and Pluto TV <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(not a bad track record that is filled with successful exits -- the last one being Pluto TV just a few weeks back)</em>. He has since expanded his focus with investments in Drone Racing League and VR-driven Wevr, among a host of others.</div>
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Allen tells me that this is where he sees opportunity for video. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“My main focus for digital video businesses is to see a diversified revenue model focusing on the lines of business that are growing and showing traction on digital platforms — most notably social commerce and music streaming and possible a freemium model to specific content franchises. Yield optimize the engagement with short form programming on the viral super-platforms — advertising (media, native), social commerce, music streaming, transactional video on demand, freemium content, etc. Brands should think about a 360 degree approach to their audience — monetization via short form, events, etc. Go deep with your audience via a diversified business model and points of engagement.”</em></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">TOUCHDOWN VENTURES</u></span></div>
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Long-time VC Scott Lenet operates a different kind of fund out of LA. Touchdown Ventures establishes and operates corporate VC funds for a diverse set of Fortune 1000 companies. In media/tech land, these include Fox and Tegna. Scott tells me, <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We will continue to see an inevitable march toward personalization and 1:1 targeting in digital media, but tempered by consumer demand for responsible use of personal information. In many ways, Seth Godin’s ‘Permission Marketing,’ written two decades ago, may finally find its era.”</em> </div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">LUMA LAUNCH</u></span></div>
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Luma Launch is another LA-based fund that invests in high impact, early-stage startups. Its investments include Catalog, a platform for small to large brands to find highly curated, high quality and individualized content faster and cheaper. </div>
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I asked managing partner Laurent Grill his “take” about overall media/tech industry dynamics, and this is what he tells me. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The media/tech industry is shifting drastically with CPMs going down and the traditional ad structure fading away. Content businesses are having a much harder time monetizing and needing to be more creative to survive, let alone thrive. The transition into SVOD is becoming more and more necessary for any venture-backed content business to have a chance of massive success. Unfortunately, there are only so many dollars on the consumer side, so competition for these dollars has heated up.” </em></div>
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Laurent is bearish on the opportunity to establish new social media platforms. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“In terms of the social media landscape, it has become very clear that the days of the next Facebook, Instagram, or Snap are going away. These incumbents will continue to bring users to their platform, but starting anything new has become increasingly challenging.” </em>He is, however, bullish on messaging <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Messaging (iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram) has emerged as a leader in the future of social. The younger generation is seeking personalization, and brands/artists/influencers are seeking engagement. The messaging platforms will serve as a conduit to this new wave. We have an investment in a business addressing this change, Digits, and we continue to be excited to see how this industry evolves.”</em></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">NEXT 10 VENTURES</u></span></div>
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Next 10 Ventures is a new LA-based VC firm focused on the creator economy. As an operating and investment company, Next 10 Ventures incubates and accelerates new businesses, content, products, and services. Former Google executive and founder Ben Grubbs tells me that his firm’s mission <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“is to enrich, inspire, and entertain kids and young adults through the investments and partnerships we establish with artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and opinion leaders. We believe that by encouraging children and young adults to discover new subjects and topics to study, we can inspire a lifelong appreciation for learning.”</em></div>
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And inspire, Next 10 does. The firm launched a global EduCreator Incubator in Q4 2018, its first step in expanding the playing field for global digital learning. This first of its kind one-year program seeks to support emerging video creators who produce education and learning content holistically -- with seed investments of $25,000 to $75,000, programmatic support, and mentorship.</div>
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As for 2019 and where the world of Media 2.0 is going, Ben adds an international flair and focus. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We will continue to see strong audience growth from international markets such as India and Indonesia that are bringing millions of new users online for the first time. As these users access the Internet on their mobile phone, they will turn to services such as YouTube and Instagram for short-form video. Investments in e-commerce and mobile payment will bring monetization opportunities for creators outside of platform advertising and brand sponsorships. This is good for creators based in these international markets, as well as creators based in markets like the U.S. that draw a substantial audience from international markets.” </em></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">EXPONENTIAL CREATIVITY VENTURES</u></span></div>
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Now let’s go over to the other coast. NYC-based evergreen fund Exponential Creativity Ventures – true to its name – focuses on frontier tech, tools, platforms, networks and marketplaces that fuel creativity and impact. Managing partner Adam Huttler lays out his fund’s focus for 2019 this way. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Virtual reality and augmented reality are starting to break into the mainstream, but we think they're still 3-5 years off from being ubiquitous. The best opportunities in 2019, for both areas, relate to basic infrastructure: platforms, protocols, and other core technologies that provide a foundation for the content that will drive mainstream adoption.” </em>That’s good news for startups like interactive content pioneer Metaverse, discussed earlier. In fact, Adam is a recent investor in the company.</div>
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Adam further tells me, “<em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Meanwhile, in the land of traditional media, the dust still hasn't settled from the havoc unleashed by Netflix and Amazon Prime. We're seeing a lot of great founders building streaming platforms for niche (demographic or psychographic) content and audiences, but the economics of bundling (which benefit the biggest content aggregators) create a powerful headwind. That said, we anticipate that someone will break through with a streaming service that attracts a passionate community willing to pay another monthly subscription for exclusive content -- and 2019-2020 is a reasonable guess for when the winner(s) will emerge. </em></div>
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<em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally, we're seeing a lot of innovation and opportunity in music tech. The most exciting companies in 2019 are (1) those working on artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches to A&R and recommendation engines, and (2) those working to solve the (massive) problem of unpaid royalties.”</em> </div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">PLUS EIGHT EQUITY PARTNERS</u></span></div>
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NYC-based Plus Eight Equity Partners agrees with Adam, and focuses exclusively on music-tech. While other investors frequently shy away from early stage music-driven venture opportunities, this VC shines a spotlight on them. </div>
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Co-founder and managing partner Rishi Patel tells me why. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“For years, the music industry did an incredible job of marginalizing itself in the wake of the complexities of music publishing and the consolidated power held by the major labels. At the turn of the century, the digital revolution paved the way for those analog dollars to implode into digital pennies, causing the industry to spiral into years of restructuring and forcing it to reactively formulate a digital strategy.” </em></div>
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But now, Rishi underscores, the music industry has been fundamentally transformed. And, that leads to new opportunity. “<em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After over a decade of adjustment, the music industry is now finding itself in a new era of power held by DSPs who seek to become the new labels, whilst those digital pennies begin to grow into nickels and dimes. These new financial opportunities are rooted in products and services driven by a focus on consumer experiences (like SubPac, a wearable technology that converts sound into high fidelity vibrations) and revenue streams for artists previously unknown (like Splice, which enables musicians to find sounds, get gear, and connect with each other). There is a new paradigm for investing in the media industry and music is the new frontier.” </em></div>
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Music, as a sector for investment, is certainly hotter than it has been for years.</div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">ADVANCIT CAPITAL</u></span></div>
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Let’s stick with a New York state of mind. Advancit Capital, also based in New York, was founded by Shari Redstone (Viacom vice chairperson) and Jon Miller (former CEO of AOL), and focuses on the tech-fueled transformation of media and communications. Recent investments include sports journalism-focused TheAthletic, podcast company Wondery, and eSports team 100 Thieves. Miller tells me that he thinks about future investments this way. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“As all enterprises need to persistently interact with their users and customers, we see companies deploying media in ever-more sophisticated and mission critical ways.”</em> In other words, content used to fuel ongoing engagement, brand loyalty, and fandom – all of which leads to deeper monetization possibilities. Aspirationally, think about mega-platforms Amazon and Alibaba here.</div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">THE ACTIVIST FUND</u></span></div>
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Bicoastal<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>The Activist Fund was launched by Greg Suess and Bernie Cahill, founders of Activist Artists Management, together with Activist partner Tony Khan, owner of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and the English Premiere League’s Fulham F.C. Activist’s fund sits directly in the heart of media/tech-land and leverages the deal flow and industry knowledge of its partners, who were involved in mega-deals with Richard Branson and Spotify, among others. Recent investments include Epic Games (participating in its $1.2 billion financing, together with Smash Ventures) and Lyft (injecting Activist into the world of autonomous driving and in-car entertainment, trends the partners see as continuing to gain significant momentum in 2019 and beyond). </div>
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Regarding the fund’s investment focus for 2019, founding partner Greg Suess tells me this. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We will continue to focus on areas where we see industry disruption through the lens of our management business. For example, the upcoming roll out and revolution of 5G is expected to have a meaningful impact on the current disintermediation of the television, gaming and music industries. The consumer will have more capability in their pockets than ever before, and that will impact how, when and from whom content is consumed.” </em></div>
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Interestingly, Activist – true to its name – also brings an impact component to its focus. Greg tells me that the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change deeply impacted him and his partners and colored their way of thinking. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The partners anticipate that key entertainment industry stakeholders will get behind consumer friendly food tech and other environmental related initiatives that show a positive environmental impact. This is something the consumer is demanding and changes are inevitable. The best operators of movie theaters, music venues, theme parks, interactive multiplayer entertainment centers and other forms of out of home entertainment will start to integrate these new products and technologies into their businesses.” </em> In other words, the <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">virtuous</em> circle that I discussed earlier.</div>
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From a macro standpoint, Greg and his partners <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“see a greater need to identify and align with strong managerial leadership, which is essential when there is disruption and dislocation in the market, particularly as the venture cycle and availability of venture finance is impacted by the return of volatility and rising rates.” </em></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">7 GLOBAL CAPITAL</u></span></div>
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Now, let’s go global. 7 Global Capital is a cross border growth fund focused on investing in the next generation of global Internet category leaders. The fund was founded by former KKR and international growth investors and is based in San Francisco and Berlin. The fund’s limited partner base is comprised exclusively of European multi-billion dollar companies that include German media giant ProSiebenSat1 (hence the “7” in the its name, since “sieben” means 7 in Deutsch). The fund’s investors serve as distribution partners for portfolio companies across twelve industries. Investments to date include new media darlings Cheddar and The Young Turks, as well as a diverse set of disruptive companies like Bird, Capsule, Opendoor, Oscar, Acorns, TheRealReal, and hims. Diverse indeed! </div>
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Founding partner Jack Leeney tells me this. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We invest predominantly in the U.S. in businesses with $10-50 million in revenues with considerable growth, which have yet to expand abroad, yet have high visibility for global leadership.” </em> Reflecting upon the diversity of the firm’s investments, Jack explains, <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“In Cheddar, we saw the evolution of both content creation and alternative distribution models to reach a digitally native audience with high quality live news as the world moves away from linear cable bundles. Our most recent investments in hims and Capsule are representative of evolution we see in the consumer healthcare space where the diagnosis, supply chain management and delivery methods in prescription drug fulfillment are fundamentally broken.” </em></div>
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7 Global Capital also continues to look for opportunity in what it calls "offline industries,” where consumer and enterprise tools and interfaces enable entirely new business models and margin structures. Not surprisingly given some of the earlier chapters, I like this expanded focus. Jack expands his thoughts about the ultimate objective of these investments. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“This from the ground up process has the ability to dis-intermediate the old way of doing things in everything from media, real estate, shipping/logistics, commerce, and finance among other structural shifts across major industries.” </em></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">MODERN TIMES GROUP</u></span></div>
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Staying with a globalist perspective, Nordic-based media conglomerate Modern Times Group (MTG) operates its own very active corporate venture fund. Scott Rupp, based in San Francisco, is its U.S. managing director and also doubles as a partner in BITKRAFT Esports Ventures. MTG’s recent notable investments include Metaverse (the YouTube-ian interactive content creation app that I discussed earlier), Apponboard (a disruptive app discovery technology that powers the “try before you” install button in the Google Play store), Phoenix Labs (a group of former Riot executives disrupting the monster hunter genre with a free-to-play cross platform title), Nomadic (a leader in premium, gamified VR-driven location-based entertainment experiences that I discussed earlier), and Volley (the leading voice game developer for Amazon and now on Google). Meanwhile, BITKRAFT’s portfolio includes a diverse set of 17 seed company investments across the entire eSports ecosystem, including H4X (a gaming fashion and apparel brand), Runtime (a performance nutrition company for gamers), Dojo Madness (the world’s leading eSports big data company), and Epics (a blockchain-based mobile digital collectibles platform).</div>
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Scott describes his investment focus for 2019 and beyond this way. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Looking ahead, I am interested in investing in the next great eSports games, where considerable room remains for genre and viewability innovations. I also believe there are numerous opportunities around genre innovation in story-driven games and interactive fiction, and new platforms empowering the creation of interactive content. Fundamentally, we are long-term bulls on games and eSports, as we see numerous catalysts in the years ahead, including continued demographic and behavioral tail winds; platform convergence/true cross platform games; better and bigger mobile devices; 5G connectivity; game streaming that reduces hardware requirements and expands content availability; emerging markets now better able to afford PCs; next generation interactive spectating experiences; eSports betting to drive engagement, monetization and new audiences; and next-gen eSports experiences made possible with AR and VR.”</em></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">“MY TAKE”?</u></span></div>
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What can we take away from these VC prognostications? Does consensus or do any patterns emerge? Perhaps not from these individual VC thoughts. After all, the overall media/tech market opportunity is multi-platform and inherently diverse. </div>
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But, based on what I see and in my own investing experience, I think it’s safe to point out four overarching media/tech-related investment themes. First, general video-centric new media companies are in disfavor, but identity-driven, fandom-focused media companies can be compelling -- particularly those like 88rising that are cross-platform and drive multiple revenue streams. Second, the XR/immersive sector is attractive, which is good news for companies like platform-transforming San Diego-based Metaverse and LA-based MAP Lab and experience-creating LBE companies like Tyffon and Vortex Immersion Media. Third, eSports continues to be top of mind and of great interest. And, fourth, companies that facilitate new forms of monetization are very much in favor, like LA-based branding firm Bent Pixels.</div>
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In any event, the dollars driving continued innovation and transformation will continue to flow. The media/tech market opportunities are simply too great.</div>
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<em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">[This article is a chapter from my most recent book, </em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KWCTZ2T?pf_rd_p=f3acc539-5d5f-49a3-89ea-768a917d5900&pf_rd_r=ZD85KD3QR5SE9ZA61JBK" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #665ed0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"><em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"FEARLESS MEDIA: Survival of the Fittest in Today's Media 2.0 World", which is available now at 50% off both print and ebook version on Amazon.</em></a><em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">]</em></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-21664803752981551792019-04-20T11:01:00.000-07:002019-04-20T11:01:32.131-07:00ESPORTS & E-THLETES - An Overview of This Phenomenon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As massive as the theatrical motion picture business is with global box office approaching $41 billion in 2018 (about 25% of which came from North America), it pales next to the global games market that reached about $135 billion last year. In the movie business, a $100-$200 million box office opening weekend signals a blockbuster. Multiply that by 10, and you have the game industry’s largest opening. In 2013, <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Grand Theft Auto V</em> grossed $800 million in its first 24 hours and hit the $1 billion mark in just three days – and now, according to analyst firm Cowen, is the highest grossing work of entertainment <span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ever</em></span>. Period. </div>
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Media and entertainment companies (and storytellers in general) benefit from this relentlessly lucrative market, of course, via lucrative licensing deals. Gamers are hard-core super-users – generally young and male – who certainly aren’t afraid to spend money (at least for the games they love). They engage deeply with content and with each other, and obsessively watch other gamers in action (hence, the phenomenon of Twitch). Gamers love to watch a good, live head to head challenge, even if they watch it virtually, online. You may not “get” that. But, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And, gaming and playing guitar exhibit similar “twitch” behaviors. There is an art to it all. </div>
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In any event, these head-to-head gamer battles on epic games like <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Call of Duty</em> and <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">League of Legends</em> spawned a surprisingly massive industry known as eSports, which is projected to generate billions of dollars worldwide over the next few years. eSports is already far bigger than you may think. Game market analyst Research and Markets expects the eSports market to have grown more than $250 million in 2018 to $926.3 million (38% of which flows from North America). And, the firm forecasts global eSports revenues to reach $2.17 billion by 2023. For several years <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(yes, years)</em>, eSports have already attracted more young male viewers than the World Series or NBA finals. And, analyst firm Activate forecasts that eSports will exceed 10 percent of all U.S. sports viewing and reach 500 million fans worldwide by 2020, significantly more than major traditional sports like NBA basketball. </div>
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Just like any real world traditional sport, eSports feature teams of players who compete with each other and become celebrities in their own right with massive social followings, of course. Leading players, like their more traditional star athlete counterparts, become LeBron-like superstars to a digital-native millennial audience that finds them to be more directly relatable. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">League of Legends</em> superstar Faker, for example <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(yes, that’s his Prince-like one word name)</em>, makes $2 million-plus annually, excluding sponsorship revenues <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(yes, “excluding” -- you heard me right)</em>. In fact, it was reported that SK Telecom offered him $2.5 million to re-sign with its T1 eSports team after the team won its third straight <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">League of Legends</em> championship. Faker and other super-“e”thletes <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(like that one?)</em> are increasingly repped by a new breed of management firm like LA-based Cloud9, which raised at least $28 million from WWE, among others. So, it’s starting to look a lot like traditional sports. </div>
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It shouldn’t surprise you, then, that head to head team competitions now regularly take place in large-scale arenas filled to capacity with tens of thousands of fanboys. PricewaterhouseCoopers projects that eSports will continue to pack them in over the next several years, forecasting tickets sales for eSports events to rise massively at a CAGR of 21.1% through 2022.</div>
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<em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“But, should eSports really be considered to be a new ‘real’ category of sports?”</em> You be the judge. Where “real” sports go, gambling always follows. And, market research firm Eilers projects fans to bet $23.5 billion on eSports by 2020. That seems real to me. </div>
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Brands and advertisers agree and increasingly think of eSports as simply being a new class of sports for a new millennial generation (just like Whistle Sports is a new kind of sports-focused media company for a new digital and social native audience). All the big brand names you know and love, especially highly-caffeinated ones like Red Bull and Coca-Cola, already spend significant sums to sponsor individual e-thletes, teams and events. That’s why eSports sponsorship revenues are expected to nearly quadruple to $2.5 billion by 2020.</div>
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Smart, bold traditional media and entertainment companies see these unmistakable trends and are moving aggressively into eSports to reach this valuable millennial audience that is increasingly glued to their screens (eSports fans reportedly spend twice their time playing and watching video games than watching TV). In 2017, even Media 2.0-challenged Viacom invested in Super League Gaming, a company known for hosting eSports competitions in movie theaters, as well as online. And, in another notable and more aggressive move one year earlier, Turner Broadcasting partnered with mega-agency WME-IMG to create the first eSports league appropriately called ELeague<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span> Think of it, aspirationally at least, as being the NFL of eSports. Turner now broadcasts eSports events from its ELeague on its very traditional cable channel TBS. </div>
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Not to be outdone on its gaming home turf, behemoth Activision Blizzard joined the party, buying live eSports event organizer Major League Gaming in 2016 for $46 million and creating its own eSports league called Overwatch. Activision’s stated quest is to become the “ESPN of eSports.” Sound familiar? Meanwhile, ESPN embarked on its own quest to be, well, the ESPN of eSports, by launching its own dedicated eSports channel online and broadcasting tournaments offline. And, underscoring the global and borderless nature of eSports and all of these Media 2.0 opportunities, Chinese behemoth Tencent in 2017 committed to invest $15 billion on eSports over the next five years. </div>
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Clearly, the virtual has become very real big business that generates very real cash. Lots of it. </div>
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And, eSports is not just for existing giants either. You can bet that a long list of startups are also in the game, and you’d be right. LA-based Scopely<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>is perhaps most intriguing. This eSports wunderkind has raised boatloads of very real cash from a “Who’s Who” of leading media/tech venture capitalists. Another worth knowing is Riot Games<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span>But, those are just two of the most notable from a long list of others that include SLIVER.tv (a NorCal company that has raised $16 million from Samsung NEXT, Sony Innovation Fund, and leading talent agency CAA to develop a platform to record, view, and stream eSports in fully immersive cinematic VR), Dojo Madness (a Berlin-based startup with $12.8 million from The Raine Group, 500 Startups and others to offer a virtual coaching app for competitive gamers that leverages machine learning), Smash.gg (another NorCal-based company with $11 million from Accel Partners and Horizon Ventures to host online gaming tournaments), Gamer Sensei (a startup that is headquartered in Boston, has raised $6.3 million from Advancit Capital, Greycroft Partners and others to offer an online platform that uses algorithms to match competitive video gamers with “coaches”), and LA-based Fanai (which has raised nearly $2 million from Greycroft Partners and others to optimize fan and brand engagement in eSports via an AI-driven monetization platform).</div>
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eSports already is a major new Media 2.0 force, and it is still very much in its early e-nnings <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(yes, forgive me on that one)</em>. Don’t think of it as being a fad, because it isn’t. And, its hockey stick-like rise will be fueled further by the mainstreaming of VR and AR and the upcoming 5G revolution which, in turn, will further accelerate growth of the already-massive overall games industry that underpins it.</div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">[This article is a chapter from my most recent book, </em></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KWCTZ2T?pf_rd_p=f3acc539-5d5f-49a3-89ea-768a917d5900&pf_rd_r=ZD85KD3QR5SE9ZA61JBK" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #665ed0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"><span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"FEARLESS MEDIA: Survival of the Fittest in Today's Media 2.0 World", which is available now at 50% off both print and ebook version on Amazon.</em></span></a><span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">]</em></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-62647457312452908202019-04-02T06:22:00.000-07:002019-04-02T06:22:31.249-07:00Is Apple TV+ or Disney+ the Real Netflix "Killer"?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 15px;"><strong><u>(Yes, Apple Will Be An Instant SVOD Giant ... But Will "The Force" Ultimately Be With Disney?)</u></strong></span></div>
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<br />All eyes were on Apple one week ago when -- in what was one of media/tech's worst kept secrets in years -- Apple revealed its long-anticipated (and inevitable) SVOD service. Its hoped-for "Netflix Killer." This is something I have expected for well over 4 years <em>(see my sidebar article on the left, <a href="https://digitalmediaupdate.blogspot.com/2015/03/apple-v-netflix-who-wins-my-5-factor.html" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">which is one of my blog posts from March 2015</a>)</em>. And, here's the thing. While Netflix is miles ahead of all other premium video subscription services and seemingly invincible, Apple will be an instant major SVOD player on day 1 when it launches later this year. A player that certainly won't kill off Netflix. But, a player that certainly can slow down Netflix's growth and take market share. Both domestically and internationally (Apple plans to launch in over 100 countries).<br /><br />Here's why.<br /><br />We, the Apple faithful, already own and actively use 1.4 billion Apple devices worldwide (according to Forbes). And, expect Apple to be relentless when it finally enters the ring later this year, bundling its new premium OTT video service in all of our Apple TVs, iPhones, iPads, and Macs <em>(remember a few years back when Apple "graciously" gave all of us U2's latest album with one push of its Cupertino button? Or when Apple Music launched to take on Spotify despite its seemingly locked-in global streaming music position? That's what I'm talking about)</em>. Unlike competing SVODs like seemingly all powerful Netflix, no separate install or sign-in will be needed. That’s some massive automatic and instantaneous distribution. Some would say, its very special (Apple) sauce. Who can compete with that?<br /><br />Yes, that’s right. Crickets. No one can. Not even Netflix. That’s precisely why Apple Music (on the music side of the house) is fast catching up to Spotify in terms of paid subscribers worldwide, even though Spotify previously seemed untouchable. In fact, <a href="https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2018/07/05/apple-music-spotify-us-subscribers-2/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">Apple Music’s paid subscriber count in the U.S. now eclipses Spotify’s</a>. That's the power of bundling -- of native integration of a service in the hardware (no extra steps needed).<br /><br />But wait, there’s more. Apple likely will steal a <em>Prime</em> page from Amazon’s playbook <em>(yes, I said that)</em> and offer a single subscription price that combines its Originals, music and significantly revamped news/magazine offerings. Sure, Apple won’t be able to offer free next-day shipping like Amazon. But, Apple does offer immediate digital access to content (not to mention Cupertino cool and swagger). <br /><br />So, what will the price be for Apple TV+ at launch? Well, because Apple didn't want us to fixate on that question at last Monday's event <em>(we did anyway)</em> -- but instead wanted us to focus on Oprah and all the other great "traditional" creators/stars squarely in their camp -- nary a peep was made by Tim Cook about that subject. But, since he did announce Apple's new "News" service subscription at $9.99/month, it wouldn't surprise me if Apple charges more than Netflix for its upcoming SVOD. After all, Apple never tries to be the low cost leader. (<em>Expect Apple to also offer "add ons" with news, games, etc.). </em><br /><br />Apple certainly also has the cash to fund its own massive slate of Originals to rival (and even out-gun) those of Netflix. Apple placed that story front and center in its rather conventional Apple TV+ "coming out" party last week, which featured Steven Spielberg in addition to Oprah. <em>(As an aside, with such a significant focus on traditional names and creators, I questioned what Apple's big "hook" was for digital natives/millennials -- there seemed to be too little focus on younger creators and innovators perhaps more relevant to them. That was virtually missing in last week's presentation. Once again, don't forget Apple's failed U2 experiment from a few years back. As great as that band is, it isn't nearly as relevant to digital natives/millennials as it is to Tim Cook and Apple's long-time legacy)</em>. <br /><br />In any event, on the Originals side, Apple began to prep for Monday's inevitable event by investing big time in developing its own franchises back in 2017 to the (i)Tune of $1 billion. And, as of late last year, Apple had 24 Originals already in production and development. That count no doubt has risen significantly since then -- and will continue to skyrocket to fill its virtual shelves -- in an attempt to catch up to Netflix's existing, massive Originals programming hoard.<br /><br />Even before Apple launches Apple TV+, Morgan Stanley predicts that Apple will ultimately rival Netflix. According to Mr. Stanley, Apple’s Netflix challenger will generate $500 million in 2019 alone, $4.4 billion by 2025, and count 50 million paid subscribers by that time. Even those predicted lofty numbers may be conservative, given Apple's 1.4 billion active device count. <br /><br />Formidable. Apple will be an immediate video force when it launches. If it builds it, we will come. We will certainly check out Apple TV+. To a certain extent, we have no choice.<br /><br />But, will we stay? Will we ditch our Netflix accounts and switch to Apple TV+ for the sake of mere convenience and Oprah-driven star power? After all, apart from those elements, what are Apple TV+'s real innovations? I certainly didn't see or hear them at last week's Apple event. And, Netflix certainly features mega-star power of its own. <br /><br /><em>But, hold on a moment. Let's not forget about Disney+, Disney's new SVOD Netflix "Killer", that it too plans to launch later this year. <a href="https://www.thestreet.com/investing/stocks/disney-streaming-service-projections-14888651" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">JPMorgan predicts that Disney's upcoming new SVOD will ultimately generate 160 million paid subs</a> -- significantly more than where Netflix is today at 132 million!</em>. How can that be? Well, chew on this. Disney boasts content franchises that neither Apple nor Netflix can possibly match, no matter how much they try and are willing to pay. Apart from the classic Disney Princesses <em>(which every single one of our kids watch over and over again in their early lives ... and over again some more)</em>, consider Disney's holy IP triumvirate of Marvel Comics, <em>Star Wars</em> and Pixar -- not to mention its new additions from Fox that include <em>Avengers</em>, <em>X-Men</em> and <em>Avatar</em>. Not THAT is star power that no one -- not even Spielberg or Oprah -- can match! And, Disney isn't good at sharing when it wants to win. In the not too distant future -- in a galaxy not so far far away -- we and our kids will be able to find all of those global mega-franchises only on Disney+ and Hulu (which is now controlled by Disney). Gone they will be from Netflix <em>(said in true Yoda fashion)</em>.<br /><br />So, yes, on day 1, Apple TV+ will be an instant SVOD giant and mega-player. But, with <em>Star Wars</em> and its other global franchises (not to mention Disney's global brand and unique multi-platform reach), "The Force" ultimately may be with Disney. Disney may become the real Netflix "Killer" (or, at least, maimer) <em>(let's not forget JPMorgan's numbers above)</em>. <br /><br />And, given Netflix's fundamentally challenged underlying one-dimensional business model -- as compared to the multifaceted business models of behemoths Apple, Disney, Amazon and Google/YouTube -- perhaps Apple ultimately buys Netflix to beat back Disney's Millennium Falcon and become the undisputed long-term global, galaxy champ. Think about it. Not many could buy Netflix at its lofty valuations. <br /><br />Apple could .... </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-32082581743484924942019-03-26T06:26:00.000-07:002019-03-26T06:28:13.118-07:00Why Apple Will Be An Immediate SVOD Force When It Launches Apple TV+<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After one of the media/tech industry's worst kept secrets in years, Apple finally revealed its long-anticipated (and inevitable) SVOD service "APPLE TV +" yesterday. Its "Netflix Killer." This is something I have expected for years. And, here's the thing. While Netflix is miles ahead of all other video subscription services and seemingly invincible, Apple will be an instant major SVOD player on day 1. A player that certainly won't kill off Netflix. But, a player that certainly can take market share.</div>
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Here's why.</div>
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We, the Apple faithful, already actively use 1.4 billion Apple devices worldwide (according to Forbes). And, expect Apple to be relentless when it enters the ring on Monday, soon bundling its new OTT video service in all of our Apple TVs, iPhones, iPads, and Macs <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(remember a few years back when Apple "graciously" gave all of us U2's latest album with one push of its Cupertino button? That's what I'm talking about)</em>. Unlike competing SVODs, no separate install or sign-in will be needed. That’s some massive automatic and instantaneous distribution. Some would say, its very special (Apple) sauce. Who can compete with that?</div>
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Yes, that’s right. Crickets. No one can. Not even Netflix. That’s precisely why Apple Music (on the music side of the house) is fast catching up to Spotify in terms of paid subscribers worldwide, even though Spotify previously seemed untouchable. In fact, Apple Music’s paid subscriber count in the U.S. now eclipses Spotify’s. </div>
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But wait, there’s more. Apple likely will steal a <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">prime</em> page from Amazon’s playbook <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(yes, I said that) </em>and offer a single subscription price that combines its Originals, music and magazine offerings. Sure, Apple won’t be able to offer free next-day shipping. But, Apple does offer immediate digital access to content (not to mention Cupertino cool and swagger).</div>
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Even before Apple launches its new SVOD, Morgan Stanley predicts that Apple will ultimately rival Netflix. According to Mr. Stanley, Apple’s Netflix challenger will generate $500 million in 2019 alone, $4.4 billion by 2025, and count 50 million paid subscribers by that time. I, for one, believe those numbers are conservative, given Apple's 1.4 billion active device count.</div>
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Apple certainly also has the cash to fund its own massive slate of Originals to rival (and even out-gun) those of Netflix. In fact, Apple began to prep for Monday's inevitable event by investing big time in its own Originals in 2017 to the (i)Tune of $1 billion. And, as of October 2018, Apple had 24 Originals in production and development. That count has risen significantly since then. </div>
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Formidable. Apple will be an immediate video force when it launches. If it builds it, we will come. </div>
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To a certain extent, we have no choice.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-1640298887942456182019-02-12T07:02:00.000-08:002019-02-12T07:03:02.026-08:00The Mainstreaming of Live Video Streaming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Internet-driven live video streaming certainly is nothing new. I served as CEO of live video pioneer SightSpeed over 10 years ago <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(Logitech acquired us)</em>, and we offered both high quality one-to-one and one-to-many live social video even back then – well before its mainstreaming via Skype video and Apple FaceTime. </div>
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While live broadcast streaming is nothing new, live one-to-many personal broadcasting at mass scale is relatively fresh. Our increasingly mobile-first world -- and our increasingly robust networks to which they connect -- take the live broadcast opportunity further downstream to each of us. We now can, and increasingly do, easily broadcast ourselves in high quality to our friends, our fans, and the world via our mobile phones. And, we promote these live streams through our social networks, which then play it forward (hence, the “social” in streaming). <a href="https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/331227/live-streaming-viewing-rose-65-in-2018.html" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #665ed0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">That's why live streaming is up a whopping 65% year over year.</a></div>
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What’s particularly exciting here is that social streaming offers the potential to break down barriers between individual broadcasters – who are increasingly Media 2.0 personalities and “celebrities” -- and their audiences. Now true artist-fan and fan-fan engagement is possible, is happening, and is potentially extremely lucrative, since fans are happy to directly support their favorite personalities. Brands increasingly turn to live streaming opportunities to reach the coveted young demographic and engage with them more deeply.</div>
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Here are some of the key enablers and players in the live broadcasting OTT video space, plus some newbie innovators you should know.</div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I. <u style="box-sizing: border-box;">THE ENABLERS</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">BAMTECH</u></span></div>
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Major League Baseball, a long-time Media 2.0 innovator, developed its BAMTech platform years ago to live stream not only its own games, but also other major live events like the Olympics, Super Bowl and Coachella. BAMTech also serves as the backbone for on demand streaming. That’s why Disney, in 2016, invested $1 billion for a 33% share in BAMTech and ultimately acquired 42% more in 2017 (thereby owning a 75% controlling stake at a $3.75 billion valuation). BAMTech now serves as the foundation for Disney’s new premium OTT video ambitions. </div>
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Ever-observant competing media company Turner which, like Disney’s ESPN, also places live sports front and center, followed Disney’s lead and bought a majority stake in competing live streaming platform iStreamPlanet. Turner had no desire to be beholden to a competitor’s technology platform. </div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">BULLDOG DM</u></span></div>
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Meanwhile, smaller fish also play big in this live streaming pond, as they focus on particular high impact use cases. With unique expertise and deep industry cred born over the course of several years, Bulldog DM (“DM” as in “digital media”) is <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the</em> innovator and trusted source for the live streaming of major music festivals like Bonnaroo, Governors Ball, Outside Lands, Afropunk, Pickathon, and Numberfest. Major brands (including AT&T, Samsung, American Express, Coca-Cola, Sony, Nestle, Snickers, Tiffany, Hilton, Nissan and Facebook) flock to Bulldog to reach and engage with the coveted youth audience that increasingly prioritizes “experiences” over “things.” Facebook reports that users watch Bulldog DM’s live streams 3X over on-demand streams, and those live streams garner 6X more engagement. Heady stuff. Particularly for marketers.</div>
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With its pole position in the burgeoning market for the streaming of live festivals and events, Bulldog DM looks to expand its vision significantly in 2019 and become the central home and brand for all things “festival.” According to CEO John Petrocelli, <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The world by and large transitioned to an experience economy, especially for millennials and gen Z consumers. Their priority is shared experiences, and if they cannot attend, they still want to have collaborative, participatory, real time engagement on their device. Live streaming provides both that engagement and the amplification brands want from their experiential marketing strategies. We enable brands to present experiences to viewers and transform those viewers into delighted participants in the live streamed digital broadcast – creating a ‘win win’ for all stakeholders – brand, content owner, artist, promoter, fan, and platform.”</em> </div>
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Bulldog is one important Indie to watch. It too will be swallowed up – for its deep expertise, its unique festival and brand relationships, and its ultimate strategic vision. No one does it better.</div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">II. <u style="box-sizing: border-box;">THE SOCIAL ANIMALS</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">FACEBOOK LIVE</u></span></div>
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Then there’s Facebook Live, which stole a page from young upstart Meerkat. Remember them? Not so long ago – in 2015 to be exact – Meerkat unleashed social streaming’s “broadcast yourself” possibilities <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">en masse</em> and became an instant Media 2.0 darling, attracting $12 million in blue chip venture capital cash in the process. </div>
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But, as is frequently the case in the world of Media 2.0, a much deeper-pocketed player – in this case Twitter – copied and soon eclipsed Meerkat with its own Periscope app. Subsequently, in yet another case of tech-driven survival-of-the-fittest where the strong prey on those beneath them in the food chain, Facebook stormed onto the social streaming scene with Facebook Live<em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em>and dealt a significant blow to Twitter’s pole position. Clever little Facebook even borrowed Twitter’s original magic number and signed 140 celebrities and companies to create live content for its launch.</div>
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Facebook Live is now the live social streaming platform of choice, although Snapchat and Instagram aren’t too far behind – particularly for teens and tweens.</div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">TWITCH</u></span></div>
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One-to-many Internet-driven broadcast services like Twitch have catered to specific, frequently non-obvious live streaming use cases for quite some time as well. In Twitch’s case, the service live streams gamer challenges and contests. So massive and valuable are Twitch and its young male audience that Amazon scooped up the service in 2014 for nearly $1 billion <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(see, there’s that stealthy, crafty, somewhat insidious Amazon again).</em> Could any of you reading this book have predicted that one? </div>
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Well, welcome to the mysterious, ever-changing and unexpected world of Media 2.0. </div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">MOBCRUSH</u></span></div>
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LA-based Mobcrush caters to gamers as well, enabling them to “go live, get paid” by live streaming their gameplay on all major social platforms (Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter), as well as its own. CEO Mike Wann boldly tells me that <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Mobcrush is leading the creator driven revolution.” </em>He explains it this way. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“With the advent of the digital camera and integration into everything we own, and the social platforms now becoming where most consumers now consume their content, content popularity and distribution are now a true meritocracy. Mobcrush is helping creators reach all their audiences in real time across social platforms all at the same time.”</em> </div>
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Mobcrush’s live platform also enables its gamer creators to chat with each other and benefit from sponsorship and other monetization opportunities, thereby -- in Wann’s words – <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“empowering creators to reach their true potential and help them turn their passion into their career.”</em> Yes, you read that right. Gaming is now a career option.</div>
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In any event, who am I to disagree with Mike and his “Who’s Who” of blue chip media/tech investors that include Kleiner Perkins, Evolution Media, CAA Ventures, Raine Ventures, BAM Ventures and Advancit Capital that have placed bets to the tune of $36 million?</div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">CAFFEINE</u></span></div>
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Backed by a buzz-worthy $100 million Q3 2018 investment from 21st Century Fox, Caffeine<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>is a new live social broadcasting platform that emulates Amazon’s Twitch. Fox executive chairman Lachlan Murdoch, who sits on Caffeine’s board, explains the new platform’s power this way. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The combination of the Caffeine platform with a content studio that benefits from Fox Sports’ expertise in live events and programming, will help position Caffeine to deliver compelling experiences in eSports, video gaming and entertainment.”</em></div>
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Caffeine aims to unite what it estimates to be more than one billion <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(yes, billion!)</em> gamers, their frequently rabid fans, and streamers in general. <em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We want to bring the world together around friends and live broadcasts,”</em> says CEO Ben Keighran.</div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">COUNTLESS OTHERS</u></span></div>
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Other live streaming-focused newbies have come and gone. In 2016, leading karaoke app Musical.ly birthed Live.ly, giving our kids yet another way to broadcast themselves in order to receive the validation they apparently so desperately crave (despite it being so obvious to us). But, Musical.ly later shut it down, only to be swallowed up and spit out itself by Chinese media company Bytedance (owner of the already-massive TikTok, which is taking the world by storm and is becoming a real threat to major U.S. based social platforms).</div>
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We are still very much in the early innings of live one-to-many social broadcasting, but its reach into our daily lives just these past few years is impressive. </div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/FEARLESS-MEDIA-Survival-Fittest-Todays/dp/0998013226/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=peter+csathy&qid=1549982715&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spell" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #665ed0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"><em style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Source Serif Pro', serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">[THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM MY NEW BOOK "FEARLESS MEDIA", WHICH IS AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON -- AND IN WHICH I COVER OUR NEW TECH-DRIVEN MEDIA WORLDS OF VIDEO, MUSIC, IMMERSIVE, ESPORTS AND LIVE EXPERIENCES].</em></a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-19842271371583181862018-12-23T06:59:00.000-08:002018-12-23T06:59:45.271-08:00Audio Podcast - 5 Tech Predictions for 2019 (on USA Today's "Talking Tech")USA Today's chief technology maven Jefferson Graham interviewed me to discuss 5 Tech Predictions for 2019. Here is the audio podcast. Enjoy.<br />
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<iframe src="https://art19.com/shows/talking-tech/episodes/bc8e04d1-4d08-43a6-86b8-08bd024a3756/embed" style="width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;" scrolling="no"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-90997317726829725362018-11-16T05:44:00.002-08:002018-11-17T10:10:34.821-08:00My 2018 "Fearless Five Media & Tech Companies" - INTERVIEW ON KTLA TVEarlier this week, KTLA TV in LA interviewed me about my upcoming new book, "Fearless Media" - and my "Fearless Five Media & Tech Companies" of 2018. These are the ones that made the boldest and most audacious media/tech mega-moves of the year. Doesn't mean they will succeed. Just means they all "went for it" -- and changed the game.
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//cdn2.trb.tv/iframe.html?ec=p0eThuZzE63e5qqavcAtBo6_ppSZa-FA&pbid=f987944e2b8d47c5ad7da7977780b8bd&pcode=9vOTQyOvfOKTDwM65FXm0S1biBeX" width="640"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-70990093267425685842018-10-24T07:36:00.000-07:002018-10-24T07:36:35.426-07:00Netflix's Q3 2018 Earnings Report - Should You Be Bullish or Bearish Long-Term? My Interview on KUSI TVLast Friday, October 19, 2018 -- I discussed Netflix's earnings and overall performance numbers for Q3 2018 reported last week on KUSI TV San Diego. I also discuss the overall premium SVOD market -- including the upcoming dual entries of wannabe "Netflix Killers" Disney and WarnerMedia.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PDNBd2TCHeE" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-24404773615468807492018-10-24T07:32:00.000-07:002018-10-24T07:32:02.493-07:00VR, AR, MR -- Immersive As An Advertising & Branding Strategy -- PANEL DISCUSSIONPanel discussion from this month's Digital Hollywood in LA about using XR (VR, AR, MR) as a new component of your overall branding and advertising strategy. Great panel of experts that I moderated on October 17, 2018.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IG9W5D_rfVU" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-51404772863761067312018-10-13T09:18:00.000-07:002018-10-13T09:18:38.476-07:00Company Spotlight - VORTEX IMMERSION MEDIA - 360 Immersive Experiences<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="mcnTextBlockOuter">
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<a class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coWcTgU5PZ4" style="clear: left; color: #202020; float: left; font-family: helvetica; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="" title=""><img alt="" class="mcnImage" height="360" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/video_thumbnails_new/49660c6de7e84c256b25099f7ea354b3.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 640px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: bottom;" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://vortexdomes.com/" style="color: #2baadf; font-family: helvetica;" target="_blank">VORTEX IMMERSION MEDIA</a><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> (VIM) is the world’s leading designer specializing in live 360 immersive entertainment experiences including; concerts, stage shows and corporate events featuring surround audio and video, spectacular visual effects and real-time interactivity. Over the past 10 years, VIM has produced hundreds of events in fixed and mobile 360 immersion domes up to 60 meters (200 feet) in diameter accommodating up to 5000 people. VIM immersive experiences require no headsets/wearables, are accordingly highly social, and frequently add a live entertainment element. Check out the video above of Childish Gambino's immersive dome "Pharos" experience in Joshua Tree several months ago </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">(</span>NOTE<span style="font-weight: normal;"> -- MAKE SURE TO WATCH IN CHROME SO THAT YOU CAN USE CONTROLS TO GET THE FULL 360 DEGREE EXPERIENCE)</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></h2>
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Vortex produces immersive and interactive media experiences for themed entertainment, VR cinemas and numerous Fortune 500 companies including Condé Nast, EMC2, IBM, Live Nation, Microsoft, NBC Universal, Nestle, NFL, Nike, Nokia, Sprint and Turner Broadcasting -- as well as for artists including Scrillix, Diplo and DJ Snake (dot Party for Production Club) and Childish Gambino (Pharos for Live Nation). This second video is their recent major dome experience at the LA Coliseum. And, below, is yet another -- and very different -- immersive experience with artist James Hood.</span></h4>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-27142525150877528962018-10-09T07:51:00.001-07:002018-10-09T07:51:28.164-07:00CREATV Media Advises Primary Wave on Count Basie Music Publishing Deal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUV73dk6Oha6BHaT1n33NeCUr-7P3QjqUcZuPYSkDRRtUhxDP6Z8KvfEnLix5f5Dee7fN8xrCIkcOp5ujHDjjiWp7zOzeLZ7rc43AdSxspko3KQ1LtsQS7jldhyCub1Q65woDYdw/s1600/Count+Basie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="269" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUV73dk6Oha6BHaT1n33NeCUr-7P3QjqUcZuPYSkDRRtUhxDP6Z8KvfEnLix5f5Dee7fN8xrCIkcOp5ujHDjjiWp7zOzeLZ7rc43AdSxspko3KQ1LtsQS7jldhyCub1Q65woDYdw/s400/Count+Basie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Media/Tech business advisory, development and investment firm <a href="http://www.creatv.media/">CREATV Media</a> is proud to announce that it served in an advisory capacity to <a href="https://primarywave.com/about-pw/">Primary Wave Music Publishing</a> in its acquisition of the music publishing catalog of legendary jazz pianist and composer Count Basie. <a href="https://primarywave.com/primary-wave-music-publishing-announces-three-new-partnerships-and-acquisitions-count-basie-pete-waterman-kenny-loggins/">Primary Wave announced the deal on October 4th</a>. Count Basie joins Primary Wave's great roster of iconic and legendary artists that include Bob Marley, Smokey Robinson, Kurt Cobain, John Lennon, Def Leppard and countless others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Count Basie deal represents the latest major IP acquisition deal in which CREATV Media played a key strategic advisory role. CREATV Media's Chairman Peter Csathy -- who has personally structured and negotiated agreements valued at over $3 billion in the course of his career -- led the effort on behalf of CREATV Media. According to Csathy, <i>"Primary Wave is the ideal home for legendary and iconic artists like Count Basie. Primary Wave's CEO Larry Mestel and his team care deeply about each artist on their roster and are dedicated to maximize and extend the legacies and impact of the artists that join their family."</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #131318; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://primarywave.com/primary-wave-music-publishing-announces-three-new-partnerships-and-acquisitions-count-basie-pete-waterman-kenny-loggins/">According to Primary Wave's press release</a>, the company has acquired all music assets, which includes copyrights and royalty streams of compositions written by Basie such as “One O’clock Jump” and “Jumpin’ At The Woodside,” as well as royalty streams for all masters he recorded including “April in Paris” and “Georgia on My Mind.” To effectively promote the Basie catalog, Primary Wave Music Publishing intends to collaborate with the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers, which recently acquired the rights to Count Basie’s name, likeness, trademarks and Basie’s artifacts/memorabilia. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #131318; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jazz icon, Count Basie, is considered one of the greatest bandleaders of all time. He was the arbiter of the big-band swing sound and his unique style of fusing blues and jazz established swing as a predominant music style. Basie changed the jazz landscape and shaped mid-20th-century popular music. Basie was a true innovator, leading the band for almost 50 years and recording on over 480 albums. He earned nine GRAMMY Awards and made history in 1958 by becoming the first African-American to receive the award. He has had an unprecedented four recordings inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame – “One O’Clock Jump” (1979), “April in Paris” (1985), “Everyday I Have the Blues” (1992), and “Lester Leaps In” (2005), along with a slew of other awards and honors not only for his music, but for his humanitarianism and philanthropy around the world.</span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-60249958630804102992018-10-06T06:51:00.001-07:002018-10-06T06:51:38.943-07:00Bali - In the Eyes of My Son, LucaMy 15 year-old son, Luca, captured these images from our recent Bali trip -- and then edited the video -- and chose its soundtrack. Enjoy ...<br />
<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6QnuPxa0TQo" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-38115186956341266082018-10-02T05:20:00.000-07:002018-10-02T05:20:22.923-07:002018's "Fearless Five" Media/Tech Companies (So Far ...)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, here we are -- fast approaching year-end and the endless string of year-end summaries and lists that inevitably will flow. With that in mind – and to get things going -- welcome to the third edition of my “Fearless Five.” These are the five companies that have made the boldest and most audacious moves in 2018 (so far) in the world of our tech-transformed world of media and entertainment (what I call “Media 2.0”). That doesn’t mean that these five companies ultimately will be the most successful. But, it does mean that they have been the most fearless and have placed the biggest Media 2.0 bets to date in 2018. I name them in order of “audacity.”</div>
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<strong>#1 MOST FEARLESS – MOVIEPASS</strong> – No company shook things up – and frightened the entertainment establishment – more than MoviePass did this year. Talk about audacious. “Damn the torpedoes” became the company’s mantra. Nevermind the naysayers. Nevermind the powers that be. Analytics firm Helios and Matheson bet the company and bought MoviePass. Laid its life on the line for them. Crashed and burned with them toward the end of July, when MoviePass’s cash had disappeared and its service crashed. But, just like Jason Vorhees in the Friday the 13th series, MoviePass kept getting up. In everchanging disguises to be sure (new pricing plans, significantly altered benefits). But, it simply wouldn’t die. How did it originally work again? Who knows. Somehow, through it all, MoviePass just kept on, keeping on.</div>
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Listen. Being “Fearless” doesn’t mean that you’ll always be successful. But, “fearless” means that you act boldly and audaciously. And, MoviePass did that in spades, and the media and entertainment business will never be the same again because of it. Make no mistake. MoviePass may soon be gone, but it certainly won’t be forgotten no matter what. Movie theater subscriptions are here to stay. (Here’s one early prediction for 2019 – Amazon will offer a movie theater subscription benefit for Prime members … mark my words).</div>
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<strong>#2 MOST FEARLESS -- AMAZON</strong> – Speaking of Amazon, this Sasquatch from the great northwest thrashed its way to become my #1 most fearless company last year. Amazon drops one spot this year only because only MoviePass matched its audacity. Quite a feat amidst the cacophony of change and transformation and all the competing forces vying for victory. As we approach the end of year, no longer is Amazon an “under the radar” mega-force in the world of media and entertainment. Amazon has absolutely arrived, placing content (premium video, UGC video, live streaming, and streaming music) front and center in its quest to open up its virtual mega-mall to all of us (and keep us there). It even rivals mighty Netflix in terms of its willingness to spend on Originals and global expansion to inject real competition in the premium SVOD space.</div>
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Amazon’s treasure trove of data about each of us is uniquely detailed and uniquely tied to our shopping habits, reflecting how willing we are to part with our cash (and for what). No other service – not Netflix, not Facebook – has anything that approaches that power. And, don’t forget Amazon’s massively successful Echo and Alexa’s now-ubiquitous voice, not to mention the staying power of its Kindle. Further, of course, we have seen (and undoubtedly directly experience) its virtually-impossible-to-duplicate multi-platform moves in the offline physical world with its release of original feature films in our movie theaters, its construction of brick and mortar Amazon Stores in our shopping malls (it is reported to be potentially opening up 3,000 more in the next 3 years), and its mind-boggling ownership of Whole Foods. Intimidating to all other players (even almighty Apple), indeed.</div>
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<strong>#3 MOST FEARLESS -- NETFLIX</strong> – After finishing #4 on last year’s “Fearless Five” last year, behemoth premium OTT video leader Netflix moves up one important notch to #3 this year -- which is absolutely intended to signify a real strategic shift for its overall place in the Media 2.0 world as 2018 ends. Yes, all other global behemoths are absolutely out to get Netflix (some, like Amazon and Apple, carry weapons and boast resources that Netflix can’t match). Nonetheless, with characteristic bravado, Netflix continues to stave them off and surprise in terms of building its overall dominance of, and dominion in, our lives.</div>
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Netflix continues to fearlessly march forward and dole out billions and billions on its originals strategy. It is reported to have spent anywhere between $8-$13 billion to fund an eye-popping 700 original TV shows and 80 original feature films in 2018. And it does so unapologetically. CEO Reed Hastings stoically tells investors that Netflix will continue to burn boatloads of cash for years and years to come in pursuit of those ends and to beat back the proliferating global competition. That’s the very definition of “fearless.” Not easy for others to compete anywhere close to Netflix’s scale when it comes to spending on content. And, that’s the point. Netflix buys it all, so others can’t.</div>
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<strong>#4 MOST FEARLESS – WNDRCO/NEWTV</strong> – Raising $1 billion to go where others have failed – including the ghost of premium mobile-first video services from Verizon (go90), Comcast (Watchable) and Vessel. Is that fearless? Or is it just good? Jeffrey Katzenberg’s and Meg Whitman’s counterintuitive approach has people scratching their heads. Does NewTV have a chance, or doesn’t it? While most other mobile-first new video companies struggled greatly in 2018 to raise capital, WndrCo bucked the trend with its massive $1 billion raise for its upcoming NewTV mobile SVOD. Massively. Its forthcoming mobile-first Netflix-ian vision of video will launch into uncharted waters in 2019 – going where no others have dared (or, even had an opportunity to dare) to go. That is, Hollywood-style productions and Hollywood-style budgets (think <em>Game of Thrones</em>) in bite-sized format under the NewTV banner.</div>
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Will NewTV ultimately succeed? Will it ultimately fail? No one knows, of course. But, all the major studios are certainly behind it – literally, all have helped finance NewTV – and are incentivized to make the most compelling content possible. So, quality mobile-focused content is not the question. Rather, the fundamental question is whether room (and scale and profitability) exists for a mobile-first Netflix. The answer may surprise us all, since none of the major subscription video players out there today – be they Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, DirecTV Now – place any real focus on mobile-driven content at this point. That’s a blind spot that NewTV hopes to exploit and capture. With all that cash, it certainly may ….</div>
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<strong>#5 MOST FEARLESS – MSG (THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN COMPANY)</strong> – Here’s one that is completely different than anything that has ever made it before to my “Fearless Five” lists. MSG. It’s not your father’s (or mother’s) Madison Square Garden company anymore. Yes, MSG still owns that storied venue – and the storied (if not overly successful) sports teams that play in it. But, that is so yesterday. MSG’s “tomorrow” throws out the venue playbook of old, and instead commits – in true audacious fashion – to completely re-invent venue experiences with its “MSG Sphere” projects in Las Vegas and London (and thereafter, other parts of the global sphere).</div>
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The MSG Sphere is a fully-immersive 15,000-20,000 seat venue covered from top to bottom in the highest resolution LED lighting -- both in the interior and exterior -- to give event attendees a truly immersive experience. And, this immersive experience doesn’t require any headset or other wearable whatsoever – which means that it is social. The MSG Sphere hopes to blow minds via sensory overload – and pegs the budget for each at about $350 million to make that happen. Will MSG’s economics ever pencil out? Who knows! But, you gotta love the audacity and imagination of it all. I certainly do. The MSG Sphere represents the quintessential full-scale 360-degree Media 2.0 experience. Quite literally. <em><strong>(NOTE: CHECK OUT <a href="http://vortexdomes.com/" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">VORTEX IMMERSION MEDIA</a> -- IN THE SIDEBAR'S "COMPANY SPOTLIGHT" TO THE LEFT -- TO SEE MIND-BLOWING IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES ON A SOMEWHAT SMALLER, YET EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE, SCALE. VORTEX IS THE RECOGNIZED LEADER AND INNOVATOR).</strong></em></div>
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<strong>HONORABLE MENTIONS (& NOT SO HONORABLE MENTION)</strong></div>
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Like last year, many “honorable mentions” almost made the cut, most notably <strong>Apple</strong> and <strong>AT&T</strong> (last year’s #5). Apple comes close due to its potential OTT video and augmented reality (AR) domination, not to mention the fact that it became the first $1 trillion U.S. company in 2018. Meanwhile, when it comes to AT&T, this giant finally closed its $85 billion buyout of Time Warner and acquired full control of Otter Media (and its multiple digital-first media companies) in rapid-fire succession. AT&T continues to fearlessly build its Media 2.0 case as it bulldozes ahead in mobile/wireless, wired, pay TV, premium OTT, and now also WarnerMedia-driven content production, VR (Jaunt), and AR (Magic Leap). AT&T is now essentially everywhere it wants to be.</div>
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Meanwhile <strong>Alibaba</strong> (last year’s #3) dropped out of my Top 5 entirely this year, as did last year’s #2, <strong>Facebook</strong>. In fact, Facebook faced a near 180-degree turn of events this past year and became perhaps the #1 Most FearFUL Media 2.0 company as it enters 2019. Constant attacks and refrains of “fake news” and deep concerns of privacy and brand safety will do that to you (not to mention yet another major account hack -- suffered by even the Zuck himself -- on September 28).</div>
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At any rate, no doubt many of you may think that one or more on my list isn’t worthy. Or, that others definitely are. Or, that it’s simply too early to tell, because we still have one full quarter left in the year. But, hey, it’s my article – and these are the Fearless Five Media 2.0 companies that I applaud most so far this year for pure chutzpah.</div>
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Who will make the cut next year? Will be fun to watch – and perhaps even actively influence in 2019. Send me your thoughts to peter@creatv.media.</div>
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<br /><strong>You will find the final year-end version of my “Fearless Five” – together with my predictions for media/tech in 2019 and detailed overview of the entire Media 2.0 landscape (video, music, VR, AR, MR, eSports, live events and experiences) – in my upcoming new book, <em>Media 2.0 (19): An Insider’s Guide to Today’s New Media World & Where It’s Going </em>(which will be published the first week of January 2019 in time for CES 2019)<em>. </em>Send me a note to peter@creatv.media if you want to be on my list for an advance, early copy.</strong></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-40539979625423931442018-09-04T13:52:00.000-07:002018-09-04T13:52:02.079-07:0010 Hot New Media/Tech Companies to Watch - CREATV Media September Newsletter<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="templateContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; max-width: 600px !important; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
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<tr><td align="center" class="mcnCaptionBottomImageContent" style="padding: 0px 9px 9px;" valign="top"><a class="" href="http://digitalmediaupdate.blogspot.com/2018/06/at-time-warner-formidable-heres-what-it.html?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" target="_blank" title=""><img alt="" class="mcnImage" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/1d494e95-e38f-4407-9a11-4db125a016a8.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 286px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: bottom;" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
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<br /><strong>10 HOT NEW MEDIA/TECH COMPANIES TO WATCH</strong></h1>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>By Peter Csathy, Chairman</em></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.creatv.media/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank"><strong>CREATV Media</strong></a> proudly works with leading media and tech entrepreneurs and innovators. Here are 10 worth knowing -- and that should be on your radar (in no particular order).<div>
<a href="https://gometa.io/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><img align="center" data-file-id="1207753" height="111" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/7120131f-b7e3-4450-b7d0-5e5c90efb3aa.png" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 250px;" width="250" /></span></a></div>
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<br /><strong>1. <a href="https://gometa.io/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">METAVERSE</a> </strong>empowers anyone to easily create and share interactive content, including games and augmented reality (AR) experiences. Metaverse essentially does for interactive content what YouTube did for video -- i.e., scale it, democratize it. The company's investors include a veritable "Who's Who" in media and tech, including Michael Eisner and Mark Pincus <a href="https://gometa.io/about/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">(full investor list here)</a>. CREATV Media serves as an Advisor. </div>
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<br /><br /><a href="https://88rising.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank"><img align="left" data-file-id="1207765" height="103" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/72ecc871-1901-483b-b5fb-642fda3406a1.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 200px;" width="200" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>2. <a href="https://www.88rising.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">88RISING</a></strong> is the premier lifestyle brand and multi-platform media company for Asian youth culture, effortlessly bridging East to West while celebrating Asia's cultural vibrancy. In a short period of time, 88Rising has already established itself as a major valuable new youth-focused brand and music force, as well as new leader in influencer-focused live events. The company is now moving into influencer-driven video and branded content. <a href="http://www.creatv.media/venture-fund/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">SAM CREATV Ventures</a> is an early investor, together with WPP. <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://bulldogdm.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;"><img data-file-id="1156153" height="87" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/e6b36731-c646-4ef9-b29b-0546734bb310.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 230px;" width="230" /></a><br /><br /><strong>3. <a href="http://bulldogdm.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">BULLDOG DM</a></strong> is the global leader for the live streaming of premium content, including many of the most significant and culturally impactful music festivals from around the globe (Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Outside Lands). Bulldog DM's reputation and brand/event relationships are second to none, and the company is poised to becoming a full-fledged live event and youth culture-driven multi-platform media company. The company already works with many of the biggest brands in the world to reach and deeply engage with the youth audiences that they crave (including Coke, American Express, AT&T). CREATV Media serves on the company's Board.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theuproar.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;"><img data-file-id="1207793" height="83" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/f37611e8-191c-4a1d-9d78-9f03a598f073.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 200px;" width="200" /></a><br /><strong>4. <a href="https://www.theuproar.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">UPROAR</a></strong> is a global platform that enables individuals to make a difference in the world. The company -- founded by some of the leading voices and influencers in wildlife and conservation (as well as in premium video itself) -- produces authentic, social, short-form videos that grab attention and drive engagement. The company's initial focus is the passionate and underserved wildlife and conservation audience. Uproar reaches and connects them with an engagement and transactional platform that enables viewers to take action. CREATV Media serves on the company's Board.<br /><br /><a href="http://mapdesignlab.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;"><img data-file-id="1207777" height="105" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/040c791d-9a19-4ef1-bf9b-7f8f5c523c2f.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 175px;" width="175" /></a><br /><strong>5. <a href="http://www.mapdesignlab.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">MAP DESIGN LAB</a></strong> is building immersive cross-platform technology that will usher in a paradigm shift in how consumers relate to themselves and the world at large. Utilizing proprietary innovation in gesture, body-tracking, personal data integration, and experiential learning, MAP deploys an ecosystem of experiences that compel every individual to become her most engaged, creative and healthy self. And, some of the biggest brands in the world -- like Nike, Lululemon, and Microsoft -- look to MAP for new transformational ways to engage. CREATV Media serves as an Advisor.<br /><br /><a href="http://jibtechnologies.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;"><img data-file-id="1183161" height="114" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/f1d493f2-0415-4df9-a249-2795d45f4d11.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 100px;" width="100" /></a><br /><strong>6. <a href="http://jibtechnologies.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">JIB TECHNOLOGIES</a></strong> is a financial platform for the "unbanked" generation, enabling digital wallet-as-platform solutions such as wallet apps, rewards and insights. The company has very deep roots in the world of youth culture, as well as the deep youth-focused brands associated with that culture. Leading media and consumer brands already seek out and use Jib's alternative payment solutions, including Feld Entertainment. CREATV Media serves as an Advisor.<br /><a href="https://www.starship.xyz/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;"><img data-file-id="1207789" height="86" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/169a83af-40ac-49f6-949b-3740783c1a24.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 175px;" width="175" /></a><br /><strong>7. <a href="https://www.starship.xyz/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">STARSHIP</a></strong> -- from the founders of Skype -- is building a network of robots ready to serve consumers anytime, anywhere. Starship aims to revolutionize home deliveries. With a combination of mobile technology, specially designed robots and a local hub system, the company aims to make local delivery faster, smarter and more cost-efficient. SAM CREATV Ventures is an early investor.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.natcomglobal.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;"><img data-file-id="1207773" height="77" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/d32a2197-0b52-45c6-ac84-d5b5e3e15b2f.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 250px;" width="250" /></a><br /><strong>8. <a href="http://www.natcomglobal.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">NATCOM GLOBAL</a> </strong>creates and distributes high quality premium mobile-first video content at scale and in multiple languages, including Spanish, English, Portuguese and Mandarin. The company owns a library of 20,000+ evergreen titles, and produces 1,500+ more short-form premium video segments each month. Natcom -- highly profitable from day 1 -- works with leading consumer brands (Proctor & Gamble, Coke, Visa, McDonalds) and major media companies like Warner Bros. to maximize their reach, engagement and overall ROI. CREATV Media serves as an Advisor.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.reminiz.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;"><img data-file-id="1063345" height="141" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/b02b3344-6266-4318-8984-cfa1a597c95f.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 100px;" width="100" /></a><br /><strong>9. <a href="http://www.reminiz.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">REMINIZ</a></strong> maximizes and optimizes video engagement, navigation and monetization via industry-leading facial and logo recognition technology for both live TV/streaming and VOD. Reminiz increases media interactions, gathering information viewers need and content they want in real and contextual time. Creators, distributors and advertisers want to offer more directly personalized -- and more highly monetizing -- content (and the data intelligence that goes with it). CREATV Media serves as an Advisor.<br /><br /><strong><img data-file-id="1216705" height="115" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/d695050f-4b0c-473a-b361-19ec468f88ac.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; width: 135px;" width="135" /><br />10. HEAVEN </strong>brings trust and transparency to the cannabis retail market. Heaven -- from the leadership team of TrueCar -- does for cannabis retail what Yelp did for the food and beverage business, Expedia did for air travel, Airbnb did for lodging, and eBay did for P2P commerce. Heaven offers consumers much-needed product information, and gives trusted dispensaries a way to more efficiently and effectively reach them. CREATV Media serves on the Board.<br /><br /><a href="http://anthillstudio.co/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;"><img data-file-id="1209033" height="150" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/186cff16-a45a-4431-874d-869f27988fc0.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 150px;" width="150" /></a><br /><strong>BONUS COMPANY 11. <a href="http://anthillstudio.co/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">ANTHILL STUDIO</a> </strong>is a very different kind of media/tech company and innovator -- Anthill Studio is a new tech-driven media and entertainment accelerator based in India. This accelerator takes some of the most promising tech-driven media startups in India and introduces them to game-changing mentorship and strategic opportunities not only in India, but also in the U.S. At the same time, Anthill serves as a market-entry vehicle for U.S. media companies and innovators to the massive and highly lucrative Indian market. CREATV Media is an official Mentor to Anthill and its portfolio of companies. </div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">This month, we identify 10 hot new media/tech companies to watch, together with Preccelerator-born company nedl. The Preccelerator is a leading LA-based pre-seed media/tech accelerator. CREATV Media is proud to serve on the Board.</span></strong><br /><br /><img data-file-id="1191505" height="40" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bb291a763c91e596f1dd572f/images/16785530-9a18-4934-9495-44a9d6bec23e.png" style="border: 0px; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; width: 149px;" width="149" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><strong>COMPANY TO WATCH</strong></span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.findnedl.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank"><strong>nedl</strong></a> ("needle", as in haystack) enables radio listeners to search live audio as easily as they search the web (by keyword) and also start their own broadcasts to add their live speech to the real-time search results. Any live broadcast can be heard immediately in over 39 million Alexa-enabled homes and cars (Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Mini, Volkswagen and Ford). Both the nēdl skill on Alexa ("Open Needle Now") and app are free to consumers -- and content creators have up to 9-minutes of airtime each day. After that, they can subscribe for $19.95 per month for unlimited time as an on-air jock. <br /><br />The nedl app is live and featured in the Apple App Store and backed by Backstage Capital, The National Association of Broadcasters, The Knight Foundation and Matter.vc. </span><br /><em></em><em><strong><a href="http://www.creatv.media/contact?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">____________</a></strong></em><br /><span style="font-size: 14px;"><em><strong>For more information about </strong></em><a href="https://www.findnedl.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">nēdl,</a> <em><strong>reach out to CREATV Media at </strong></em></span><em><span style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.creatv.media/contact?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">bizdev@creatv.media </a> </span></em></h2>
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<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><strong><a href="http://www.creatv.media/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">CREATV Media</a> ...</strong></span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>... is a leading media and technology-focused business development, M&A and investment advisory firm led by Chairman Peter Csathy. We identify game-changing opportunities, provide unrivaled access and achieve unprecedented results. </strong><br /><br />We work with companies across the media and technology ecosystem to (i) identify and execute new game-changing strategic M&A, investments and partnerships, (ii) establish critical new relationships and access to key decision-makers and influencers, (iii) accelerate U.S. market entry and growth based (serving as a "Bridge to Hollywood" and "Bridge to Silicon Valley"), (iv) position and mentor companies to achieve break out visibility, and (v) deliver proprietary market intelligence and insights. </span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 13px;"><strong>For more information about our services, our team, and how we can help, contact us at: </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 17px;"><strong><a href="http://www.creatv.media/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">www.creatv.media</a></strong><br /><strong>1 855 7 CREATV</strong><br /><strong>1 855 727-3288</strong></span><br /><a href="http://www.creatv.media/contact?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><strong>bizdev@creatv.media</strong></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><em>Join the conversation: </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><em>Follow us on Twitter <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/pcsathy?lang=en&ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">@pcsathy</a></strong><br />and read our blog at<br /><strong><a href="http://digitalmediaupdate.blogspot.com/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">digitalmediaupdate.blogspot.com</a></strong></em></span><br /> </div>
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<strong><em><a href="http://eepurl.com/crLt2b?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Subscribe here</a><a href="http://eepurl.com/crLt2b?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2018_14_10)&goal=0_9d35466c28-6acf704841-&mc_cid=6acf704841&mc_eid=[UNIQID]" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank"> to our monthly newsletter</a>.</em></strong><br /><br />________________________</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-48812616537458016752018-08-15T11:38:00.001-07:002018-08-15T11:38:26.243-07:00VCs - Forget Unicorns & SAFEs. How 'Bout Zebras & SHAREs? Guest Article by Adam Huttler<div class="postArticle-content js-postField js-notesSource js-trackedPost" data-collection-id="a99ea71fd0ff" data-post-id="7424dbdedfa1" data-scroll="native" data-source="post_page" data-tracking-context="postPage" style="margin-bottom: 0px; outline: 0px; position: relative; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;">[As an investor in the world of media/tech, am always interested in learning about bold new approaches - as well as social impact. This article is just that -- innovative, bold, impactful -- discussing a new vision for smart, profitable, impact investing.</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;"> It is written by Adam Huttler who is the CEO of Exponential Creativity Ventures, a visionary investment firm based in NYC that supports startups at the intersection of technology and human creative capacity. Adam is smart, creative, and successful with investments to date. We continue to share deal opportunities. Prior to launching Exponential Creativity Ventures, he founded and spent 20 years as the CEO of </span></span><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.fracturedatlas.org" href="https://www.fracturedatlas.org/" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Fractured Atlas</a><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;">.]</span></span></span></i></b></div>
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Not long ago I was in Portland for the first ever <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.zebrasunite.com/dazzlecon/" href="https://www.zebrasunite.com/dazzlecon/" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">DazzleCon</a>. Turns out this is not a conference about rhinestone jackets but rather a gathering of the budding <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://medium.com/@sexandstartups/zebrasfix-c467e55f9d96" href="https://medium.com/@sexandstartups/zebrasfix-c467e55f9d96" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">“zebra” community</a>. (Apparently a herd of zebras is called a “dazzle”. Who knew?)</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;">Rather than offer my own poor summary of the zebra movement, I’ll cite the words of its fantastic founders,</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;"> </span><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://twitter.com/jenniferbrandel" href="https://twitter.com/jenniferbrandel" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.003em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Jennifer Brandel</a><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;">,</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;"> </span><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://twitter.com/marazepeda" href="https://twitter.com/marazepeda" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.003em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mara Zepeda</a><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;">,</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;"> </span><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://twitter.com/ajscholz" href="https://twitter.com/ajscholz" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.003em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Astrid Scholz</a><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;">, and</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;"> </span><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://twitter.com/operaqueenie" href="https://twitter.com/operaqueenie" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.003em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Aniyia Williams</a><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;">(collectively</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;"> </span><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.zebrasunite.com" href="https://www.zebrasunite.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.003em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Zebras Unite</a><span style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;">):</span></div>
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<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353); font-family: medium-content-slab-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.012em;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--h4" id="11bb" name="11bb" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 10px;">
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353); font-family: medium-content-slab-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.012em;">The current technology and venture capital structure is broken. It rewards quantity over quality, consumption over creation, quick exits over sustainable growth, and shareholder profit over shared prosperity. It chases after “</span><a class="markup--anchor markup--pullquote-anchor" data-href="https://medium.com/the-wtf-economy/we-ve-got-this-whole-unicorn-thing-all-wrong-3f3d108cc71d#.d9ir543xa" href="https://medium.com/the-wtf-economy/we-ve-got-this-whole-unicorn-thing-all-wrong-3f3d108cc71d#.d9ir543xa" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.541176) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.05em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.115em; color: inherit; font-family: medium-content-slab-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.012em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">unicorn</a><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353); font-family: medium-content-slab-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.012em;">” companies bent on “disruption” rather than supporting businesses that repair, cultivate, and connect…. [D]eveloping alternative business models to the startup status quo has become a central moral challenge of our time. These alternative models will balance profit and purpose, champion democracy, and put a premium on sharing power and resources…. This new movement demands a new symbol, so we’re claiming an animal of our own: the zebra.</span></div>
<figure class="graf graf--figure graf--layoutOutsetLeft graf-after--pullquote" data-scroll="native" id="a001" name="a001" style="--margin-top-multiplier: 0; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); float: left; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; margin: 68px 30px 0px -150px; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; width: 525px; z-index: 100;"><div class="aspectRatioPlaceholder is-locked" style="margin: 0px auto; max-height: 350px; max-width: 525px; position: relative; width: 525px;">
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<a href="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/600/1*-Sg7zuPAnfkgfLA6YNavwg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="progressiveMedia-image js-progressiveMedia-image" data-src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/600/1*-Sg7zuPAnfkgfLA6YNavwg.jpeg" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/600/1*-Sg7zuPAnfkgfLA6YNavwg.jpeg" style="-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; left: 0px; margin-top: auto; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 0px; transition: visibility 0s linear 0s, opacity 0.4s 0s; visibility: visible; z-index: 100;" /></a></div>
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<figcaption class="imageCaption" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342; -webkit-nbsp-mode: normal; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353); font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'lnum' 1; left: 0px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.4; margin-top: 10px; outline: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: 0px; width: 525px; z-index: 300;">If there were a herd of these guys it’d be called a dazzle.</figcaption></figure><div class="graf graf--p graf-after--figure" id="5569" name="5569" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 38px;">
They go on to cite a few examples of great zebra companies that exist today — <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.businessinsider.com/patagonia-business-strategy-2014-9" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/patagonia-business-strategy-2014-9" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Patagonia</a>, <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.businessinsider.com/zingermans-becoming-worker-owned-cooperative-2014-6" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/zingermans-becoming-worker-owned-cooperative-2014-6" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Zingerman’s</a>, <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.kickstarter.com/blog/kickstarter-is-now-a-benefit-corporation" href="https://www.kickstarter.com/blog/kickstarter-is-now-a-benefit-corporation" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a>, <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://medium.com/startup-grind/basecamp-jason-fried-dont-sell-your-soul-d037fcb39b25" href="https://medium.com/startup-grind/basecamp-jason-fried-dont-sell-your-soul-d037fcb39b25" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Basecamp</a>. These companies are noteworthy mainly in contrast to the “unicorns” we hear so much about — billion-dollar startups like Uber that famously pursue explosive growth to the exclusion of almost anything else.</div>
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After <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://blog.fracturedatlas.org/dont-call-it-a-sabbatical-4f674aa7c6ef" href="https://blog.fracturedatlas.org/dont-call-it-a-sabbatical-4f674aa7c6ef" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">my first year as a startup investor</a>, this all resonates deeply. While the current zebra rhetoric tends to emphasize important moral arguments, I’m equally interested in the economic reasons that zebras ought to be championed. That begins with understanding why these companies tend not to attract venture capital today.</div>
<figure class="graf graf--figure graf--layoutOutsetLeft graf-after--p" data-scroll="native" id="5374" name="5374" style="--margin-top-multiplier: 0; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); float: left; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; margin: 43px 30px 0px -150px; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; width: 525px; z-index: 100;"><div class="aspectRatioPlaceholder is-locked" style="margin: 0px auto; max-height: 394px; max-width: 525px; position: relative; width: 525px;">
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<figcaption class="imageCaption" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342; -webkit-nbsp-mode: normal; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353); font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'lnum' 1; left: 0px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.4; margin-top: 10px; outline: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: 0px; width: 525px; z-index: 300;">In that case there will be no venture capital funding either!</figcaption></figure><blockquote class="graf graf--pullquote graf-after--figure" id="1b55" name="1b55" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342; border: none; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353); font-family: medium-content-slab-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.012em; line-height: 1.48; margin: 64px 0px 0px -1.88px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 50px;">
<span class="markup--strong markup--pullquote-strong" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342;">I’ve analyzed a dozen startups in the last few months that are doing great work within our focus area and that are likely to be profitable businesses with healthy margins, but that are nonetheless poor fits for venture capital funding.</span></blockquote>
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There are a few reasons why that might be the case, but the most common is that the market they’re addressing is too small for a huge exit (i.e. an acquisition or a public stock offering) to be likely in the future. Traditionally, venture capitalists only make money when those exits happen, so they can only invest in companies where such an outcome is plausible. Moreover, because the likelihood is so small that any <em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">specific</em> company will turn out to be a big winner, the whole venture capital business model is based on the idea that a tiny handful of unicorn exits should make enough money to put the whole industry solidly in the black.</div>
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<span class="markup--strong markup--h4-strong" style="font-weight: inherit;">Venture capital is like a baseball league.</span></h4>
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You can only score through home runs, so batters only swing when it’s a fastball down the middle and then they’re swinging for the fences 100% of the time. The zebra companies I’ve been looking at might be change-ups or curve balls but they’re in the strike zone and should be hittable. Nonetheless, they’re not good home run candidates so they don’t fit the VC model. Meanwhile, because these are for-profit businesses with commercial products and services, they can’t access philanthropic dollars either. What’s left is a huge gap in the startup capital markets. On one side we have good, profitable companies that can’t attract the capital they need to get off the ground. On the other we have an investment industry that is plagued by perverse incentives and has limited options for risk reduction or portfolio diversification.</div>
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To be clear, I’m not blaming venture capitalists for failing to support zebra companies. Nor am I blaming startup founders for designing their businesses at least partly to attract venture capital. Everyone is acting rationally based on their own economic incentives. We can be judgmental about that if we like, but the reality is that a VC who doesn’t chase unicorns won’t get the returns her investors demand and may never raise another fund.</div>
<h4 class="graf graf--h4 graf-after--p" id="882d" name="882d" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.012em; line-height: 1.22; margin: 30px 0px 0px -1.63px;">
Revenue to the Rescue</h4>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--h4" id="5a19" name="5a19" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 6px;">
Yet all hope is not lost! In fact, salvation may lie in a very old investment model that was recently rediscovered by social impact investors. To make it work in this new context may just call for some clever branding. I’m talking about <em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">revenue-sharing</em> agreements. Here’s how they can work:</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="30be" name="30be" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
(1) An investor provides a startup with capital funding.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="a610" name="a610" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
(2) In exchange, the investor receives either equity in the company or something that converts to equity in the future (e.g., a <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://blog.ycombinator.com/announcing-the-safe-a-replacement-for-convertible-notes/" href="https://blog.ycombinator.com/announcing-the-safe-a-replacement-for-convertible-notes/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">SAFE</a>).</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="b922" name="b922" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
<em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">[So far this is just like traditional startup investing. This next part is where revenue-sharing instruments diverge.]</em></div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="60b8" name="60b8" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
(3) The investor also receives a small share of the company’s gross revenue going forward.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="d271" name="d271" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
(4) The revenue shared by the investor is capped at some reasonable multiple (e.g., 3X) of the investor’s contributed capital.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="1451" name="1451" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
(5) Because the investor retains her equity stake in the company, if a big exit does unexpectedly occur, she still gets her unicorn-scale returns, minus the (comparatively small) sum that she has already received from shared revenue.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="e732" name="e732" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
(6) In the meantime, the investor’s and founder’s incentives are harmoniously aligned. The investor’s best path to a positive return is to help the founder build a successful business at reasonable scale. Compared to traditional VC investments, there are similar expected returns but a narrower distribution of outcomes (i.e. less chance of a billion dollar exit, less chance of bankruptcy). The founder has no need to take on excessive risk or grow at an unsustainable pace because she isn’t facing investor pressure to push for a big, quick exit.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="7252" name="7252" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
Huzzah! Problem solved, right? Well, sort of. There’s still one important challenge remaining, and it has to do with branding and industry standards.</div>
<blockquote class="graf graf--pullquote graf-after--p" id="6812" name="6812" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342; border: none; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353); font-family: medium-content-slab-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.012em; line-height: 1.48; margin: 55px 0px 0px -1.88px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 50px;">
<em class="markup--em markup--pullquote-em" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342; font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">The most common instrument used in angel and seed stage investing today is </em><a class="markup--anchor markup--pullquote-anchor" data-href="http://www.ycombinator.com/documents/" href="http://www.ycombinator.com/documents/" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.541176) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.05em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.115em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><em class="markup--em markup--pullquote-em" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342; font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">the SAFE</em></a><em class="markup--em markup--pullquote-em" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342; font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">.</em></blockquote>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--pullquote" id="9b5b" name="9b5b" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 54px;">
The SAFE — which stands for <span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;">S</span>imple <span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;">A</span>greement for <span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;">F</span>uture <span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;">E</span>quity — was developed by Y Combinator a few years ago as an alternative to convertible notes. It’s great for very early investments for a few reasons:</div>
<ul class="postList" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); counter-reset: post 0; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; list-style: none none; margin: 29px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="graf graf--li graf-after--p" id="6263" name="6263" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 30px;">It allows you to delay selling actual shares at a specific price until you have a more reasonable basis for assessing the company’s value and can afford the exorbitant legal fees required.</li>
<li class="graf graf--li graf-after--li" id="d43f" name="d43f" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 30px;">It is a thoroughly vetted, industry standard document. There’s almost no need for legal review at all, since this thing has been scrutinized half to death by a million different experts already.</li>
<li class="graf graf--li graf-after--li" id="e0a1" name="e0a1" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 30px;">It has a cool, memorable name that evokes exactly the right associations.</li>
</ul>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--li" id="3a87" name="3a87" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
So that’s our competition: the SAFE. Well, two can play at this game!</div>
<blockquote class="graf graf--pullquote graf-after--p" id="1e97" name="1e97" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342; border: none; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353); font-family: medium-content-slab-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.012em; line-height: 1.48; margin: 55px 0px 0px -1.88px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 50px;">
I hereby propose the <span class="markup--strong markup--pullquote-strong" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342;"><em class="markup--em markup--pullquote-em" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342; font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">SHARE</em></span>, a <span class="markup--strong markup--pullquote-strong" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342;">S</span>imple <span class="markup--strong markup--pullquote-strong" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342;">H</span>armonious <span class="markup--strong markup--pullquote-strong" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342;">A</span>greement for <span class="markup--strong markup--pullquote-strong" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342;">R</span>evenue and <span class="markup--strong markup--pullquote-strong" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.22; --x-height-multiplier: 0.342;">E</span>quity.</blockquote>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--figure" id="d8fe" name="d8fe" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 38px;">
The SHARE would be just like the SAFE in most respects, but introduce a revenue-sharing element that makes it financially viable to back zebra startups and other good businesses at reasonable scale. With a SAFE, there are generally only two terms to negotiate: <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.spitzbusinesslaw.com/blog/safe-a-new-financing-tool-for-startups/" href="http://www.spitzbusinesslaw.com/blog/safe-a-new-financing-tool-for-startups/" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">the valuation cap and the discount</a>. The SHARE would ditch the discount and add two new terms:</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="a59b" name="a59b" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
<span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;">The Allocation</span>: the percentage of gross revenue to which an investor is entitled for every $1,000,000 invested.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="fa7e" name="fa7e" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
<span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;">The Multiple: </span>the maximum revenue share an investor can earn, expressed as a multiple of her investment.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="0140" name="0140" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
Let’s try an example:</div>
<blockquote class="graf graf--blockquote graf-after--p" id="9849" name="9849" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; border-left-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 3px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin: 29px 0px 0px -23px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 20px;">
Amy invests in a food startup, Andre’s Awesome Artichokes. Using a SHARE, she puts up $100,000 at a $5 million cap, with a 10% allocation and a 3X multiple.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="graf graf--blockquote graf-after--blockquote" id="6d34" name="6d34" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; border-left-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 3px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin: 0px 0px 0px -23px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 20px; padding-top: 27px;">
Over the next two years, Andre sells $10 million worth of artichokes. With a 10% allocation and a $100,000 investment, Amy is entitled to 1% of that revenue (since $100K is one-tenth of $1M and 1% is one-tenth of 10%). Over the course of those two years, Amy receives 1% of $10 million, or $100,000. She has officially broken even on her investment!</blockquote>
<blockquote class="graf graf--blockquote graf-after--blockquote" id="3760" name="3760" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; border-left-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 3px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin: 0px 0px 0px -23px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 20px; padding-top: 27px;">
Three more years go by and Andre is kicking ass; he sells another $30 million worth of artichokes. Amy’s 1% would be $300,000. However, she has already received $100,000 and she is entitled to a maximum of 3 times her initial investment, or $300,000 total. So Andre pays her $200,000 more, at which point she is no longer entitled to share in the company’s revenue. Amy has now received a 3X return over 5 years. That works out to a roughly 25% compound annual return on her investment— not bad by any standard!</blockquote>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--blockquote" id="097e" name="097e" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
In this example, the SHARE has done its job. A worthy company that would not otherwise have been able to attract startup capital raised the money it needed to launch. The investor made a competitive return on her investment in a reasonable period of time without having to demand excessive risk or compromised integrity. Everybody wins!</div>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--p" id="f7cc" name="f7cc" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
Most of the time, that’s where the SHARE’s story ends. The company continues humming along, making money but without being acquired or selling stock to the public. The investor can reinvest her returns in other great startups. Let’s extend the scenario one additional step, however, to see what happens if Andre’s Awesome Artichokes turns out to have “exit potential” after all.</div>
<blockquote class="graf graf--blockquote graf-after--p" id="308a" name="308a" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; border-left-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 3px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin: 29px 0px 0px -23px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 20px;">
Five more years go by, and Andre’s sales are growing fast. Amy no longer receives revenue payments, but that’s okay because she already made a healthy profit from her investment. Then one day, Antoine’s Awesomer Artichokes comes along and offers to acquire Andre’s company for $100 million. This is a happy but unexpected outcome (who knew artichokes were so profitable?) Andre is thrilled and accepts the deal. That triggers a conversion of Amy’s SHARE to equity at a $5 million valuation (the cap). Immediately before the sale goes through, Amy receives 2% equity in Andre’s Awesome Artichokes. Based on the $100 million sale price, her stake should be worth $2 million. However, she must now “pay back” the revenue that she previously received, so she is left with $1.7 million worth of stock at the time of the sale.</blockquote>
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--blockquote graf--trailing" id="11ad" name="11ad" style="--baseline-multiplier: 0.17; --x-height-multiplier: 0.375; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 1.58; margin-top: 29px;">
Make sense? If not, post a question and I’ll try to respond with an answer. Otherwise, let me know if the SHARE is something that you (as a founder or investor) would be interested in having in your toolkit. If there’s enough interest from the community, <span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">I’ll work on generating a draft that can be released under a Creative Commons license.</em></span></div>
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<span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">P.S. Now read </em></span><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://medium.com/exponential-creativity/share-v0-1-6cca999db36" href="https://medium.com/exponential-creativity/share-v0-1-6cca999db36" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.682353) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px 0.1em; color: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">the follow-up post in which SHARE v0.1 is announced</em></span></a><span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">.</em></span></div>
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</footer><div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-78966819171586494622018-08-10T06:36:00.000-07:002018-08-10T06:36:10.353-07:00InCuya Music Festival Kicks Off In 2 Weeks - Join Me In Cleveland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The summer music festival scene marches on -- nearing its end 2 weeks from now at a great new music festival in Cleveland, Ohio called the <b><i><a href="https://www.incuya.com/">"InCuya Music Festival."</a></i> </b> I will be there. Join me.<br />
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<i><b>"Why InCuya"</b></i>, you ask? Well, because Cleveland sits in <b><u>Cuya</u></b>hoga County, of course. Everyone knows that! (thanks to Chrissie Hynde of Cleveland-"born" legends The Pretenders and their classic song <i>"My City Was Gone"</i>).<br />
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The InCuya Music Festival, inaugural year, yes. But, freshman line-up, no way. To the contrary, InCuya launches with a great eclectic line-up of respected artists and innovators that includes headliners Avett Brothers <i>(reason enough to go - I have seen them several times in concert, always moving and memorable)</i> and New Order <i>(how genius is that pivot?)</i> -- as well as an outstanding supporting cast of others like Sza, Awolnation, The Revivalists and Kitten (an under-the-radar band led by one of the most powerful young female voices in indie rock -- finally back after a several year hiatus).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9c5SYyR_42SpZNJwrzCuovu7PddEA5f9g6WfrTiOAAyGbHoDwVpKvxMkusFmyMb9r_H1Mm0ozJIfXjLhcEFxjsMji7DImE2hHHMJTUwGZKvRZlKa8A26Re0SXQxBWW8PlFaadQ/s1600/Incuya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="180" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9c5SYyR_42SpZNJwrzCuovu7PddEA5f9g6WfrTiOAAyGbHoDwVpKvxMkusFmyMb9r_H1Mm0ozJIfXjLhcEFxjsMji7DImE2hHHMJTUwGZKvRZlKa8A26Re0SXQxBWW8PlFaadQ/s400/Incuya.jpg" width="258" /></a>Check out the full line-up here in the poster. <b><a href="https://www.incuya.com/tickets.html">Get your tickets now <i>(you can access via this link)</i></a><i>.</i></b><br />
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InCuya -- and music festivals in general (which I regularly attend, and have for years) -- represent a very real "offline" counter-movement against online digital noise and the accumulation of virtual "friends." Time to bring on REAL, meaningful sounds! After all, live events and live music festivals continue to flourish, reflecting the accelerating human need for real physical interaction and <b>experiences </b>amidst our increasingly digital times. <br />
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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to <a href="https://www.incuya.com/"><b><i>"InCuya Music Festival"</i></b> in Cleveland</a>, to be experienced on two big days in just 2 weeks at the end of August (the 25th-26th). <div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-54961407495797365852018-08-07T06:15:00.002-07:002018-08-07T06:15:21.564-07:00VR: All You Need to Know (CREATV Media August Newsletter)<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="templateContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px; color: black; max-width: 600px !important; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
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VR - All You Need to Know<br /><span style="font-size: 18px;">(About Live Action VR & VR-Driven Location-Based Entertainment or "LBE")</span></h1>
<span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>By Peter Csathy, Chairman</em></span><br /> <div style="text-align: justify;">
In the minds of many leading media/tech insiders, like Paramount’s Futurist Ted Schilowitz, VR is nothing less than game-changing. Geek standout publication <em>WIRED</em> effusively agrees, pronouncing VR as <em>“creating the next evolution of the Internet -- an Internet of experiences.</em>”<em> </em>And for millennials, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/05/millennials-are-prioritizing-experiences-over-stuff.html" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">it is widely studied that "experiences" matter much more than "stuff" </a>(and they are willing to pay for them) - which means that VR (in all of its manifestations) is important to understand, follow closely, and experiment in.</div>
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VR’s most obvious “here and now” promise is in the world of games, a market that few doubt will be massive. But VR-driven live action entertainment and location-based entertainment immersive experiences are expanding rapidly. And smart, forward-thinking media and entertainment companies already are actively experimenting and placing their bets.<br /><br /><u><strong>I. LIVE ACTION VR</strong></u></div>
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First, let's talk about live action VR. Fox has been amongst the most aggressive to date. Fox immersed itself completely in VR in 2017 when it launched an entirely new VR unit called FoxNet and partnered with the likes of VR innovator Chris Milk and his company Within <em>(discussed below)</em> to produce <em>Planet of the Apes</em> experiences, among others. Sony also has been relatively aggressive in VR. In June 2017, Sony announced a new <em>Breaking Bad </em>VR project with that iconic show’s creator, Vince Gilligan. Imagine what it will feel like to “break bad” spherically? Who needs <em>Breaking Bad’s</em> drugs when you are fully immersed in 360 degrees? That actually may freak you out more than the drugs. And then there’s Sky in the UK -- which has developed several new VR film projects. Meanwhile, Verizon’s AOL created a new team focused on VR and AR to bring immersive stories to life for major legacy brands that include <em>Sports Illustrated</em>.</div>
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And, just like in the OTT video and music streaming world, "it's the content, stupid." Content drives successful adoption (and overall success). If media/tech companies build compelling immersive experiences, more and more consumers most certainly will come. VR and immersive experiences in general represent a rare opportunity to build an entirely new transformational media and entertainment kingdom. But how? How do creators solve VR’s trickiest dilemma of transforming headset-laden solitary experiences into more social shared experiences? Even more fundamentally, how do creators even develop and produce live action VR stories? Imagine trying to direct a fully-immersive live action VR experience, choreographing all actions at once in a 360 degree spherical setting. How do you even begin to direct your talent, or focus an audience on one particular element in those spherical conditions? Storytellers must first develop an entirely new language of “experience,” a new lexicon for VR, if you will, to address these foundational mind-bending challenges. That’s what VR innovator Chris Milk and others are trying to invent. <br /><br />So, consider these to be VR entertainment’s early days, much like the early days of cinema a century before. Immersed in this background, here are some key players in the burgeoning world of live action VR.</div>
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<strong><u>KEY LIVE ACTION VR PLAYERS</u></strong></div>
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<u><strong>JAUNT</strong></u></div>
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Blue chip investors like Google Ventures flocked to immerse their cash into this Bay Area-based company when it launched in 2013 to develop and commercialize its own 360 degree live action VR camera. Jaunt later changed course to focus on VR content, and set up its own LA-based VR production studio in 2015 to pursue those media aspirations. Since then, Disney, Sky and other major media companies invested well over $100 million -- and Jaunt has a new international joint venture, Jaunt China. <br /><br />Jaunt’s powerful media and entertainment allies like Disney, (perhaps the greatest storyteller of them all) will certainly accelerate Jaunt's content game. Last year, Jaunt released several high-end VR experiences, including a <em>Fifty Shades of Grey </em>immersive experience <em>(I know, I know, say no more …)</em> and <em>Invisible</em>, a supernatural series directed by <em>Bourne Identity</em>director Doug Liman. Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether Jaunt’s largely SoCal-based Media 1.0 money will be as patient as NorCal VCs that are accustomed to longer-term technology development and market evolution. The long-term live action VR market opportunity demands nothing if not patience.<br /><br /><u><strong>NEXTVR</strong></u></div>
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NextVR is another live action-focused VR market leader, and it too has attracted investment well over $100 million from traditional media, including the venture arms of Comcast and Time Warner (which ultimately, stealthily means AT&T at this point). NextVR’s focus is to bring live events and sports to life, and its client list is impressive, including Fox Sports, NBC Sports, and Live Nation. <br /><u><strong>HERE BE DRAGONS/WITHIN</strong></u></div>
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From the innovative and iconoclastic mind of Chris Milk, one of the immersive space’s most respected creative visionaries, we have two related companies – Here Be Dragons (formerly VRSE) and Within. Here Be Dragons is a VR-driven content studio through and through – no hardware in sight. Discovery Communications fueled it with a $10 million cash injection in 2017. </div>
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Meanwhile, Within is both a distributor of Here Be Dragons content and a content/experience creator itself. The company's investors include the likes of diverse A-players Fox, WPP, WME, Raine Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz to fuel what it calls “spherical filmmaking.”<br /><br /><u><strong>WEVR</strong></u></div>
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WEVR is another SoCal-based VR startup. Its goal is to become the community and YouTube-like home for VR (although YouTube itself hopes to be the YouTube of VR). WEVR also has immersed itself in cash, including $10 million from VR headset leader HTC. In addition to serving as a distribution platform for its VR creators, WEVR produces its own live action VR experiences and counts Lionsgate, among others, as major Hollywood partners. </div>
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<u><strong>EMBLEMATIC</strong></u></div>
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Emblematic is yet another SoCal-based immersive company you should know <em>(See the pattern here? Much of this innovation now comes from LA)</em>. It has a long history of innovation and claims to have developed the first VR documentary, <em>Hunger</em>, which premiered at Sundance in 2012 – downright ages ago in the world of Media 2.0. Emblematic’s self-proclaimed mission is to be the home of the world’s foremost visionaries to create <em>“fully immersive environments that place the user inside the scene, allowing them to move through, interact, and play with the story.”</em> In other words, to fully develop, flesh out and realize VR’s live action entertainment possibilities.<br /> <div>
<u><strong>INTERNATIONAL LIVE ACTION VR PLAYERS</strong></u></div>
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As in any nascent market, the list of live action-focused VR players goes on and on and, of course, includes major international players. Usual suspects include China’s BAT companies Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent, each of which is already all-in amidst a Chinese consumer market that buys 40% of the world’s VR headsets. Baidu, via its iQIYI streaming video service, announced in 2017 that it intends to build the world’s largest Chinese language VR service. The company is investing massively to produce compelling VR content to fuel that consumption. Tencent is also investing “big-ly” in live action VR content, including fully-immersive VR movies and music concert experiences. Meanwhile Alibaba, not surprisingly, focuses first on delivering VR shopping experiences to its hundreds of millions of customers. It fueled adoption of its new form of immersive commerce by giving away Google Cardboard VR glasses, making it easy (maybe too easy!) for VR-laden shoppers to pay for goods with a simple nod of their heads.</div>
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<u><strong>II. VR-DRIVEN LOCATION-BASED ENTERTAINMENT (LBE) </strong></u></div>
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<br />And then there's VR-driven LBE -- taking the live action VR experience into the physical world itself (in out of home locations in which consumers can experience together as they move and feel physical objects). Think of this as being total immersion of all senses - including "touch" and "feel." Frequently in these LBE experiences, we wear haptic jackets/suits to actually feel physical sensations (vibrations, etc.) as we experience a particular event. (In this regard, we hear about a new under-the-radar LA-based company called <a href="http://www.emergenow.io/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">Emerge</a> that transmits physical touch from a distance without wearables through so-called extended reality or "XR", which is a combination of real world, virtual world, and human-machine interaction.)<br /><br /><u><strong>KEY VR-DRIVEN LBE PLAYERS</strong></u><br /><br /><u><strong>THE VOID</strong></u></div>
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Think of <a href="https://www.thevoid.com/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">The Void</a> as being a VR-driven theme park that takes traditional Disney and Universal Studios experiences to an entirely new, fully-immersive level – way beyond the physical. <br /><br />The company hopes to capture significant share of the $40 billion plus global theme park market and even broader LBE market. After all, once The Void develops VR experiences, it can easily replicate them on the cheap on small land footprints in shopping malls or any other high traffic zones. Imagine your very own theme-park-in-a-box, because that’s precisely what “it” is. You can find The Void's first implementation with Disney at Downtown Disney in Anaheim and in Orlando -- a fully immersive <a href="https://www.thevoid.com/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank"><em>"Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire"</em></a>experience.</div>
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The Void has cleverly “solved” two of VR’s greatest challenges – movement and shared, social experiences. The Void participants walk freely, untethered, in its open spaces, wearing vests that carry batteries and processing power, and sensors that deliver 4D vibrations timed in synch with the action to deepen trickery to the mind. And, experiencers actually can “see” and engage with each other via avatars as they participate, making that experience social. Impressive. </div>
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<br /><u><strong>IMAX</strong></u><br /><br />The Void is the most publicized player in the VR-driven LBE space, but certainly is not alone. Not surprising that <a href="http://imaxvr.imax.com/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">IMAX is already a major player as well</a> -- with several immersive "experiences" open right now in multiple cities across the globe (including in LA adjacent to The Grove). <br /><br /><u><strong>NOMADIC</strong></u><br /><br /><a href="https://blurtheline.com/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">Nomadic</a> takes a similar vision to The Void and IMAX, but implements it differently. Nomadic -- based in Silicon Valley -- plans to extend its immersive environments across the nation in significantly larger and more scalable numbers. Worth knowing this one as well.<br /><br /><u><strong>TYFFON</strong></u></div>
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<br />Japan-based <a href="http://www.tyffon.com/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">Tyffon</a> <em>(featured in the sidebar to the left)</em> -- like The Void, once part of the Disney Accelerator -- is another nascent player in the LBE-focused VR space. Tyffon's first out-of-home immersive experience is the <a href="https://www.tyffonium.com/en/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">Tyffonium</a> in Tokyo (two separate experiences to, well, experience -- on being horror, and one fantasy). I demo'd the horror experience recently, and it is impressive (although certainly much more modest than The Void experiences). For Tyffon, much like Nomadic, the goal is to have much smaller footprints than The Void and IMAX for their immersive "boxes," but many more of them.<br /><br /><u><strong>THE RIFT</strong></u><br /><br /><a href="http://www.therift.com.my/" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">The Rift</a> is another major international player in the VR-driven LBE space. The Rift comes from Malaysia -- and already has developed <a href="http://www.therift.com.my/#exit-reality" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">multiple attractions</a>. One senior "insider" from the LBE business just experienced one "The Rift" experience, and came back impressed -- proving that VR-driven LBE is very much a massive global opportunity with plenty of international money behind it.<br /> </div>
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Stakes are high. Very. But the VR and overall immersive market opportunity is even higher. You just gotta fearlessly jump into this immersive game.</div>
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<strong>[For a deeper dive into the immersive worlds of VR, AR, Mixed & Extended Reality -- as well as OTT video, streaming music, eSports and blockchain -- check out my new book <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Media-2-0-18-Insiders-Digital/dp/1978375697/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516157946&sr=8-1&keywords=peter+csathy" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal;">"Media 2.0 (18): An Insider's Guide to Today's Digital Media World & Where It's Going"</a> </em>that is available now on Amazon in both print and Kindle editions.]</strong></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-17292779522358879702018-08-04T11:03:00.000-07:002018-08-04T11:03:08.643-07:00Metaverse - An AR Company You Should Know<div style="color: #656565; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
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<strong style="font-size: 15px;"><a href="https://www.gometa.io/">Metaverse is a "must know" AR and games innovator</a> based in San Diego, California that is revolutionizing the creation of, and engagement with, interactive content and media. </strong><span style="font-size: 15px;">Long-time visionary Dmitry Shapiro is its Founder & CEO. Dmitry, among other things, invented YouTube before there was a YouTube (I know because I was there). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15px;">Metaverse's ground-breaking proprietary technology enables everyone -- not just expert coders -- to easily create and share highly engaging interactive content and experiences (including augmented reality/AR experiences). Its mission, in fact, is to make it easy for anyone, including non-techies, to Create Amazing Things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15px;">Apart from creating compelling AR experiences, some of Metaverse's early users are creating mobile games, silly novelties, interactive stories that let you choose your own adventures, educational experiences, and all kinds of business applications. As these early use cases evolve, they will inspire new ones, and there is no way to predict the amazing things that will emerge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15px;">Check out Metaverse here to learn more about the company.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #656565; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Its early investors are a veritable "who's who" in the media and tech worlds, including Mark Pincus and Michael Eisner. Check out the full list here -- </span></span><a href="https://www.gometa.io/about/">https://www.gometa.io/about/</a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-63083673966541417912018-08-04T09:29:00.000-07:002018-08-04T09:30:00.773-07:00Rome -- A Full Experience in 2 Days <b><i>[I originally wrote this article nearly 5 years ago - but, because Rome is timeless, the information here is as well and is still "fresh" today. Still potentially helpful to build your own Roman holiday.]</i></b><br />
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My family and I departed from San Diego late Sunday night -- transferred at London Heathrow (which was a security line nightmare) -- and then straight to Rome (with Hugh Grant on our flight). We just finished 2 full days in Rome (3 nights) -- and we did it right. Can’t imagine seeing or experiencing more in such a short period of time. And felt that it was just the right amount of time. Doesn’t hurt that my wife, Luisa, was born in Milan -- speaks fluent Italian -- and that we have close family living in Rome that helped introduce us to some key “finds.” It also didn’t hurt that we had amazing weather -- including temps of about 72 degrees -- the entire time. Our insights (and “finds”) likely can help you optimize your trip to Rome.<br />
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Here are my recommendations for a full Roman experience in two days.<br />
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First, where to stay. I recommend the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trastevere" target="_blank">Trastevere</a> area of Rome -- that is where the cool and most lively (and less tourist-y) restaurants and nightlife is. Trastevere is located in an area that is conveniently located amid most of the sites and areas you want to see. We stayed there in a nice cost-effective hotel the <a href="http://www.worldhotelriparoma.com/" target="_blank">WorldHotel Ripa Roma</a>) -- where a nice buffet breakfast was included (which was a plus for this hungry famiglia).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWE0tzZaOzXIX9WX5jUa45juNNFR2Qo4OvmYa1QT8fcR87PgdsH7w2RT6qHALUAEU4FbQM_ag7BVrTFrOJk-YxgmcJRTWjIPH_6iIiiZxp6ddruE3Vubr4ipOi6P_cokX-la_k1A/s1600/IMG_2431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWE0tzZaOzXIX9WX5jUa45juNNFR2Qo4OvmYa1QT8fcR87PgdsH7w2RT6qHALUAEU4FbQM_ag7BVrTFrOJk-YxgmcJRTWjIPH_6iIiiZxp6ddruE3Vubr4ipOi6P_cokX-la_k1A/s320/IMG_2431.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
DAY 1<br />
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Start off at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum" target="_blank">Colosseum</a> -- yes, the Colosseum (there we are in the picture on the left). Of course it is packed with tourists. Of course you will be accosted by a few brutus-like (and likely drunk) Romans dressed up like gladiators. But the Colosseum also is an absolute “can’t miss” experience. Our kids -- Hunter (almost 14) and Luca (almost 11) -- needed to see it (we have been to Rome several times previously, but they were too young at the time to really experience it). This time we did. We also did the unthinkable (for Luisa and me) -- we took an official guided 1.25 hour guided tour -- and it was outstanding. Absolutely the right way to go. Yes, we paid a little more. But it was well worth it. First, we bypassed the entire more than 1-hour line to get in. And, second, we learned -- really learned -- about the Romans, how they built the Colosseum (from the years 72-80 AD), and what life was like in the Colosseum. Without such context, a site visit would be “hollow.” Yes, you would know that the building was an incredible feat of engineering. But, that’s about it. Take the tour. Trust me. But, make sure it is an official one.<br />
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Then, off to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_Navona" target="_blank">Piazza Navona</a> for a late lunch. Another site packed with tourists, but for good reason. It is perhaps THE quintessential Roman square. Soak it up (along with some pizza and wine). And then leave.<br />
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A short walking distance from Piazza Navona stands the Pantheon -- the massive stone dome of which continues to amaze every time I see it. It is another “must see.” Continuing onward, stop -- if you must (we did, but don’t think you need to) -- at the famous Trevi Fountain in Trevi Square. Toss your coins in and then be thankful that your wishes of walking away from the throngs have come true.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUbHYRYj4EJE7Ne3bI_Xl64MvOnX5cd8R2KkEFqTQXngTACErFIrlcVGASRj7m_xXu3ifLrG7My3KhFxDm5eHtI94A04sFWxmFH_7aKJMpVeYg9FWedMfK_hTB-DHamGaP4_Smg/s1600/IMG_2536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUbHYRYj4EJE7Ne3bI_Xl64MvOnX5cd8R2KkEFqTQXngTACErFIrlcVGASRj7m_xXu3ifLrG7My3KhFxDm5eHtI94A04sFWxmFH_7aKJMpVeYg9FWedMfK_hTB-DHamGaP4_Smg/s320/IMG_2536.jpg" width="320" /></a>Continue your walking tour to <a href="http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/piazzadispagna.htm" target="_blank">Piazza di Spagna and the famous Spanish Steps</a> -- and go shopping along the way (we did). Once you get there, sit down, soak it up, and simply enjoy the people and energy of the place. Think of it as the Montmarte/Sacre Couer area of Rome. From the very top of the steps we experienced an incredible sunset. (There we are on the right -- on the Steps - taking a group “selfie” with my iPhone 5; below is that incredible sunset from the top).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHReQu0p6eZOYMmu-1snUSxgxQ_34C_NvgtG2P6fwZbS026JtXQT6dBr-TB8tum0B1haTyq_AsFV-3y0nTIdwcs1RXU_W3Ml0DzKk8HkVGUTzSrBB38k4QkfpL8Y8Be3LJHvACTw/s1600/IMG_2561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHReQu0p6eZOYMmu-1snUSxgxQ_34C_NvgtG2P6fwZbS026JtXQT6dBr-TB8tum0B1haTyq_AsFV-3y0nTIdwcs1RXU_W3Ml0DzKk8HkVGUTzSrBB38k4QkfpL8Y8Be3LJHvACTw/s320/IMG_2561.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">We didn’t end the evening there though. We </span>returned to our hotel briefly to re-group, and then off to a new up-and-coming trendy area near Trastevere in which there is a new </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><a href="http://www.eataly.com/" target="_blank">Eataly</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"> (the incredible Italian mega-market that now has a global presence -- in New York, Japan, elsewhere). We first ate at a new hot spot restaurant nearby with our close relatives (sadly, I don’t recall the restaurant’s name), and then we roamed the cavernous confines of Eataly (all five levels of it). We finished the night with gelatto, still being served at midnight. At that point (pictured below with Luisa’s aunt Dianna), we were virtually alone.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNzdmBt9DNnK7Zo78VqgNbc5mNBHjMAxhW8i-tgkkZ5RremO9dGM_J3xc3z0LnJeoEiK2VrlAnkaadjb3mF7l5-ivxEVQa33c-a67rIoAnmiusGMPHYWYSEG879VcmjDxzjXK1g/s1600/IMG_2579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNzdmBt9DNnK7Zo78VqgNbc5mNBHjMAxhW8i-tgkkZ5RremO9dGM_J3xc3z0LnJeoEiK2VrlAnkaadjb3mF7l5-ivxEVQa33c-a67rIoAnmiusGMPHYWYSEG879VcmjDxzjXK1g/s320/IMG_2579.jpg" width="240" /></a>THAT is a complete day my friends. An amazing day. Follow that itinerary and you will be very very happy. And, shockingly, you won’t feel rushed. We took our time. Trust me, we ate and engaged. It was classic.<br />
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DAY 2<br />
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Off to St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City to kick off yet another beautiful day in Rome. Our timing was off, however, because we arrived at the Square literally as the Pope’s Wednesday mass for the masses had ended. Yes, that would have been memorable, but we didn’t dwell on it. We walked the grounds on this beautiful day, and then we were off to meet my father-in-law for lunch near Piazza Navona.</div>
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We walked the entire way (not too long), and THAT is the best way to experience Rome. Take the winding and incredibly narrow alley ways toward the general destination location -- but feel free to wind in and out. We did. And, that was some of our best “finding” of restaurants. We ultimately made it to Navona and the adjacent square where we met Aldo, but walked back to one of those authentic restaurants frequented by the locals in one of those winding streets that we had walked. Another classic experience -- a relaxed lunch punctuated by a bottle of wine. The only way to go.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxtMq-EGMUtrNucUNXvaEZRgykGq1dlHN_7-EAe0lGOGHxvdD9tBqoGZpWqiJA3jCRq7lEzYNjtYpnpKXB4HumVAs_guXEdlb3DB4toZ-PKadofkxqoHQrCCc8fI_9UYJGX2Kdg/s1600/IMG_2674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxtMq-EGMUtrNucUNXvaEZRgykGq1dlHN_7-EAe0lGOGHxvdD9tBqoGZpWqiJA3jCRq7lEzYNjtYpnpKXB4HumVAs_guXEdlb3DB4toZ-PKadofkxqoHQrCCc8fI_9UYJGX2Kdg/s320/IMG_2674.jpg" width="320" /></a>Ultimately, we returned to Eataly for some amazing cappuccino -- and to relax some more. Do we then return to the hotel to rest before dinner? Of course not. And, don’t do it! Instead, do as we did. Go to Trastevere -- go directly to <a href="http://www.panoramicearth.com/4039/Rome/Piazza_Santa_Maria_in_Trastevere" target="_blank">Piazza Santa Maria</a>. (That is where we are in the picture on the right in another group “selfie” that defines our mood as we experienced all of the sites and sounds around us). And then stay there. Wander there. People watch there. Experience the kitsch there. Experience the beauty there. Eat there. Drink there. Enjoy there. We stayed there for about 3 hours -- and enjoyed every relaxed minute of it (including separate card readings for our two kids in which their full futures were revealed!). (That experience is captured in the picture below). THESE moments in Trastevere were perhaps THE quintessential moments of our trip.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxnnyuUaeQSqdiOWsxLWl_tLIgzhyIx_DayAKMvGZW5gJMTa2-ND1MGbRzKpl4Ma0jiFoESe4Ne_6W4EDq1_ZOJ6QOo9Zgm9irlmziAeJqyZfJej8rDBp2PwHn8tA9UvtxejVng/s1600/IMG_2690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxnnyuUaeQSqdiOWsxLWl_tLIgzhyIx_DayAKMvGZW5gJMTa2-ND1MGbRzKpl4Ma0jiFoESe4Ne_6W4EDq1_ZOJ6QOo9Zgm9irlmziAeJqyZfJej8rDBp2PwHn8tA9UvtxejVng/s320/IMG_2690.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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Two full days. Saw much. Experienced more. Ate too much. Savored it.<br />
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Now, our train is moving ever-closer to Milan. Time to close the laptop and enjoy the beautiful scenery.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35873239.post-60841792231090967902018-07-29T08:14:00.001-07:002018-07-29T16:00:03.456-07:00Hong Kong In 2 Days - What to Do, Where to Stay (& Secret Tips) for a Full Experience<br />
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This is a companion piece to my recent article, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><i><span id="goog_1632305302"></span>"Bali in 1 Week" (which you can read here)</i><span id="goog_1632305303"></span></a>, since my two full days (and 3 nights) in Hong Kong with my family were part of the same itinerary -- with Hong Kong being our first stop on our epic cross-Pacific adventure <i>(above is a view of Hong Kong City from Victoria Peak - more on that below)</i>. To set the stage, as I stated in my earlier article, o<span style="text-align: justify;">ur goal as a family in our travels i</span><span style="text-align: justify;">s to combine authenticity and adventure with cool vibes and higher-end experiences (cost-effectively, of course).</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> We are not "back-packers" by any means. But, </span><span style="text-align: justify;">we try to avoid the standard tourist traps and tourist trappings (like tour buses and the bland hotels and restaurants that cater to them).</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">With that in mind -- and because we had only two full days to experience the most of Hong Kong <i>(which I have always believed is the most beautiful cityscape on the planet)</i> -- our general plan was to spend one day on Hong Kong Island itself, and the second day on the Kowloon City side across Victoria Harbour (which separates the two). It was a wise choice, as it turned out. We saw much in a small period of time -- without killing ourselves and trying to pack in too much. It was my family's first taste of Hong Kong -- and, let's face it, in two days, all you can get is a "taste" -- and we all loved every minute of it, despite the humidity in this time of year.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><b>I. <u>HOW TO GET THERE (FROM L.A.)</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">We flew coach on Hong Kong Airlines -- a relatively new carrier -- from LAX to Hong Kong <i>(nothing beats coach for a 14 hour flight!)</i>. I am 6'2" - and found that our flight gave greater legroom than most <i>(which isn't saying much, but it is noteworthy nonetheless</i>). The plane itself was a newer model too -- and the entertainment selections bountiful. We were also able to score a great rate for our multi-destination itinerary (LAX to Hong Kong to Bali, and then back again). Those were the pluses. But, there were also some minuses. Hong Kong Airlines's in-flight food is "not great" to say the least (so bring your own). In-flight service from the flight attendants wasn't great either -- neither particularly friendly, nor attentive. But, the biggest negative we experienced is that Hong Kong Airlines essentially offers no customer support. My wife and I had questions before our flights -- and it is impossible (literally) to get through to a live human being either by telephone or online chat <i>(I sat in the queue a few times for a couple hours before I finally gave up)</i>. So, once you buy your tickets, you are on your own.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><b>II. <u>HONG KONG/GETTING AROUND</u></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmP896TR6qvU5jr2OLYKCvEV_lLsd7uJaTDskhfhs4XsqSx_AwKbfGf5P-M2KrjWJ67m2Vj4cqgLIrzqBz9or6yBDb1NWuvxveCJNLc0BoPBGv4wUkNg0fDHX783alc8KWjfrWw/s1600/IMG_0614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmP896TR6qvU5jr2OLYKCvEV_lLsd7uJaTDskhfhs4XsqSx_AwKbfGf5P-M2KrjWJ67m2Vj4cqgLIrzqBz9or6yBDb1NWuvxveCJNLc0BoPBGv4wUkNg0fDHX783alc8KWjfrWw/s400/IMG_0614.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="text-align: justify;">First, a little about Hong Kong itself. Hong Kong is really two cities separated by Victoria Harbour (which borders the South China Sea on all sides, except the North). Hong Kong Island is the central commercial and international business part of Hong Kong, while Kowloon City (across the Harbour) is more "local" and congested (and part of mainland China).</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Once you arrive at Hong Kong airport, many options are available to get into the city. We took an Uber, which was relatively cost-effective and convenient. We were able to successfully overcome our language barrier and use a combination of phonetics (thanks to some pre-planning) and hand gestures to get there <i>(Don't expect everyone to speak English, because we found that many drivers, and other service providers don't)</i>. <i>(The picture to the right is my family on a Sampan taking us from our houseboat to the shore -- more on that below).</i></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">To get around Hong Kong (both on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon City), the most convenient, efficient and cost-effective way is via the city's great subway system. Buy an Octopus smart card to maximize convenience <i>(but, again, be prepared for the language barrier to set in -- and, when you are ready to buy, ask someone for help to do it right -- because the Hong Kong subway is not as easy to navigate initially as you would think)</i>. Besides the subway, you can use your Octopus card to buy many things in Hong Kong.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><b>III. <u>WHERE TO STAY</u></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIll40TTcPauoSWM48N4RGKDwrrSL13F-UNSl-TxbqJYU3ct4MDn5VeuSVCl062TO97yuO6wjH9510TKrSj0YRUqZ9la6X1wqPauB0ht22jTDmN1lvY8eNkEXZdzOiQu-jaFpQzA/s1600/IMG_0609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIll40TTcPauoSWM48N4RGKDwrrSL13F-UNSl-TxbqJYU3ct4MDn5VeuSVCl062TO97yuO6wjH9510TKrSj0YRUqZ9la6X1wqPauB0ht22jTDmN1lvY8eNkEXZdzOiQu-jaFpQzA/s400/IMG_0609.JPG" width="400" /></a>As I planned our Hong Kong trip, I searched VRBO for "something different," yet cost-effective. I wanted to avoid standard tourist hotels and get some kind of different flavor. Well, mission accomplished. As I searched, I stumbled upon a houseboat <i>(the "Karibu", pictured to the left)</i> docked in Aberdeen Marina on the Southwest side of Hong Kong Island (just a short subway ride from central Hong Kong) <i><a href="https://www.vrbo.com/4739340ha?unitId=5716343&arrivalDate=07%2F11%2F2018&departureDate=07%2F18%2F2018">(this link takes you to the full view on VRBO)</a></i>. It looked beautiful by its pictures -- and also idiosyncratic at the same time <i>(e.g., it comes with a cat!)</i> -- so we went for it and managed to convince the owners to rent us two nights, even though the minimum is 3 <i>(it was already booked the third night, so we were lucky to get what we got)</i>.</div>
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As we arrived to the docks of the Aberdeen Marina bleary-eyed from our 14 hour flight from LAX to Hong Kong -- swimming in the city's humidity -- my family somewhat skeptically approached the overall upcoming experience, because we had to walk through a somewhat sketchy-looking dock area to get to a Sampan (water taxi - <i>of the kind pictured above</i>) that would take us to our boat. But, the boat's owners had previously informed me about the seemingly sketchy vibe on the surface <i>(they were wonderfully available to us via email and phone throughout, if needed)</i>, and they assured me that the area was entirely safe. And, they were right. It's a great area -- and the Marina area is part of the fun.<br />
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So, we lugged our overly massive bags onto the Sampan and, thanks to the boat owner's excellent detailed advance written instructions <i>(including "what to say" to the Sampan drivers -- phonetically laid out)</i>, we easily arrived at our houseboat destination -- the <i>"Karibu."</i> And, the <i>Karibu</i> is absolutely stunning. Even better than the pictures <i>(<a href="https://www.vrbo.com/4739340ha?unitId=5716343&arrivalDate=07%2F11%2F2018&departureDate=07%2F18%2F2018">which you can see here in the VRBO post</a>) (above is my daughter, Hunter, on the top deck of the Karibu with just a taste of the 360 degree view we had)</i>. Big, spacious (about 2,000 square feet), beautiful shiny hardwood floors, high-end design, tasteful and clean furnishings, and everything anyone would need (including a nice sized kitchen). And, of course the cat (<i>"Zephyr"</i>). Thankfully -- amidst the heat -- the boat has wonderful AC, so we were nice, cool and comfortable. The only surprise was that the boat comes with its own caretaker who lives on the boat in her own separate bedroom (we had three bedrooms to ourselves). I know this seems odd <i>(and it was to us, at first, since we're generally uncomfortable being thrown in with others we don't know),</i> but she was wonderful. She kept to herself. Stayed in her room while we were on the boat. But, was always there to help, clean up during the day, and was the one who greeted us as we arrived from our Sampan. So, although the situation sounds a bit stifling perhaps, don't be dissuaded from booking the <i>Karibu</i> because of it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzKbYXR2hAVlBXvHUB0_zYBZL9PcFhf7KgXRNW9tLKTyL1ZpPjXLcY1GJC3_GJSQZksaNsBWtMqb0ypXzd0r1wST1SLiKD1SQo2HdQOaFnRKAVzLWrLpSyQ7jgsYlsTfdvJAY6g/s1600/IMG_0601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzKbYXR2hAVlBXvHUB0_zYBZL9PcFhf7KgXRNW9tLKTyL1ZpPjXLcY1GJC3_GJSQZksaNsBWtMqb0ypXzd0r1wST1SLiKD1SQo2HdQOaFnRKAVzLWrLpSyQ7jgsYlsTfdvJAY6g/s400/IMG_0601.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The <i>Karibu</i> made our days in Hong Kong extra special <i>(the picture to the right is Hunter in the Karibu's spacious kitchen area)</i>. Luxury all the way. And surprisingly cost-effective (about the same price per night as a higher end Hong Kong hotel room -- maybe even less). We absolutely loved it -- absolutely do it again -- and were thankful that we stumbled upon it.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FIRST “HIDDEN GEM” TRAVEL TIP – <a href="https://www.vrbo.com/4739340ha?unitId=5716343&arrivalDate=07%2F11%2F2018&departureDate=07%2F18%2F2018">Book the Karibu if you can!</a></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll be glad you did (<i>say "Hi" to Kita, one of the boat's owners, for us if you reach out -- and tell her that you learned about it here)</i>. Why do the typical, when you can do something unforgettable for about the same price? Trust me ... trust me.</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><b>IV. <u>"MUST DO" EXPERIENCES (& SOME HIDDEN GEMS)</u></b></span><br />
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We only had two full days to get a "full" Hong Kong experience <i>(really a taste)</i> - so we had to do it right <i>(I explained above what "right" means to us)</i>. And, to be clear, I fully understand that an infinite number of itineraries are possible -- this was simply "ours" -- and some or all of it may "speak" to you.</div>
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<b><u>DAY 1 - HONG KONG ISLAND</u></b></div>
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We spent day 1 exploring Hong Kong Island - specifically the central downtown area. To get from Aberdeen Marina to there, we purchased our Octopus Cards and took the subway to "Central" station. We didn't have a specific itinerary after that. We just knew that we wanted to stroll around the City and ultimately end up at Victoria "Peak" -- the highest point on Hong Kong Island overlooking the magnificent evening views of the City below (and companion city of Kowloon across the bay).</div>
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<b>Shops/Restaurants In and Around Central Hong Kong Island (Hollywood Road, SoHo, Etc.)</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uh7jymSkSwOlj3LX1NdO4TFvvgFVhUT9M5Hd3F10hvzBmhS3pbmiKUditKhJ_BefQCHAc8aQx384o4qkQfMWa7wCa9zfaOh7iRjx8DFzdzZGJqYQ2BftLLZ0AtNu0SB7M4Rteg/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uh7jymSkSwOlj3LX1NdO4TFvvgFVhUT9M5Hd3F10hvzBmhS3pbmiKUditKhJ_BefQCHAc8aQx384o4qkQfMWa7wCa9zfaOh7iRjx8DFzdzZGJqYQ2BftLLZ0AtNu0SB7M4Rteg/s640/IMG_0505.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqUwXKbSuNaD_V6vtcQL3StseLJDtESyIFRmY3MypDwcokpotuzALxKZ7WAIe4mM8BuxO6bxBxLUilVAXa3wObjUPEc58hirgisCQBrogppgBBFOKopfx1LT-LM6ny-PU7S3LVA/s1600/IMG_0512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqUwXKbSuNaD_V6vtcQL3StseLJDtESyIFRmY3MypDwcokpotuzALxKZ7WAIe4mM8BuxO6bxBxLUilVAXa3wObjUPEc58hirgisCQBrogppgBBFOKopfx1LT-LM6ny-PU7S3LVA/s400/IMG_0512.jpg" width="300" /></a>We chose to walk toward Hollywood Road and the SoHo district in central Hong Kong city -- taking our time just soaking it all up and checking out the street markets that enveloped us everywhere <i>(that's my son, Luca, in the picture to the left)</i>. Colorful, festive, and very very Hong Kong. For lunch, we chose authenticity over the obvious -- nothing Western for us. Pulling out our handy dandy <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/foursquare-city-guide/id306934924?mt=8">Foursquare city app</a> <i>(which works great in Hong Kong, where I do not believe Yelp is even available -- so make sure you download it)</i>, we found a highly-rated authentic Cantonese restaurant nearby<i> (sadly, I don't recall the English name for it -- but this picture to the right shows the exterior and its signage -- so you may be able to ask a local)</i>. As we approached, we immediately knew we found the right place. Line out the door with only locals - no Westerners in sight. Cramped, yes. But, local color and flavor, absolutely. For our lunch, we chose (and recommend) the goose, as well as rice noodle bowls -- a great, fun, differentiated meal. Recommend it highly.<br />
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<b>Man Mo Temple</b></div>
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After lunch, we wandered toward one destination that was one of our few defined goals in our itinerary - <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294217-d315463-Reviews-Man_Mo_Temple-Hong_Kong.html">Man Mo Temple</a>, which was not far as you walk down Hollywood Road (and its many art galleries). Man Mo is nestled in, somewhat oddly, amidst the contemporary, cramped office buildings of the city. It is beautiful and inspirational <i>(that's Luca to the right)</i>. While inside, contemplate your good fortune of visiting Hong Kong, appreciate your fellow travelers (whoever they may be), and light a candle for a loved one <i>(my wife, Luisa, is in the picture below Luca)</i>. After that, if you feel the heat both from actual temperatures and the humidity (which was quite thick during our July visit), then you may want to cool off in one of the local bars. We did. We chose <a href="http://www.bluebutcher.com/">"Blue Butcher" at 108 Hollywood Road</a> for a complete 180 degree turn. A great place to get "spiritualized" in a very different way <i>(by the way, the restaurant on the upper floor looks great for a wonderful trendy/hip dining experience, although we didn't have a chance to try it)</i>.</div>
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<b>Victoria Harbour & Victoria Peak</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisQM7fuA6L9czE5M_xt8pBDUwVCGRTNiWcnudMIIM4zpdtnj5c-UkQCR0MqLLJp1SbT_7sF14_YPt_nsdS3GYLjMeL8uwbrTR5j3Raym-DJQ5aCASjWUDrG7ezOmtt7Egre3mvQ/s1600/IMG_0526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisQM7fuA6L9czE5M_xt8pBDUwVCGRTNiWcnudMIIM4zpdtnj5c-UkQCR0MqLLJp1SbT_7sF14_YPt_nsdS3GYLjMeL8uwbrTR5j3Raym-DJQ5aCASjWUDrG7ezOmtt7Egre3mvQ/s320/IMG_0526.JPG" width="320" /></a>At that point, the water called us -- and we walked down toward Hong Kong Harbor, looking across to the Kowloon side <i>(our destination for the next day)</i>. Soak in those views. And, as the sun begins to set, take the famed tram (or a taxi/Uber for a less crowded mode of transportation) to "<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294217-d311573-Reviews-Victoria_Peak_The_Peak-Hong_Kong.html">Victoria Peak"</a> (again, the highest part of Hong Kong Island with the most spectacular views -- <i>the view from the Peak is at the very top of this article</i>). Be forewarned. You will need to brave the crowds at the overlook as you watch the sun go down and the lights go up. Lots of jousting amidst the crowd to get the best view, for sure. But, it is something you absolutely must do. Finally, if you still have energy at the end of the day, go forth to <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294217-d593142-Reviews-Repulse_Bay-Hong_Kong.html">Repulse Bay</a> for a late night dinner or drink at one of the many restaurants and bars that line the water <i>(we didn't make it that far, but hear it is a cool thing to do)</i>.</div>
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Day 1 -- just a taste of central Hong Kong Island, but a nice multi-faceted one filled with both local culture, key sights to see, and a bit of "cool" mixed in.</div>
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<b><u>DAY 2 - KOWLOON CITY</u></b></div>
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Time to cross Victoria Harbour for Day 2, where we, once again, chose authenticity for our first big meal of the day <i>(again, thanks to Foursquare and its extremely helpful ratings)</i>. No locals in sight here -- the <a href="https://foursquare.com/v/spring-deer/4ba309e8f964a520132938e3">Spring Deer</a> in the Tsim Sha Tsui part of Kowloon -- amidst its traditional round tables where guests sit for hours amidst dim sum and Peking duck. We really enjoyed it <i>(my family and I are pictured here with one of our great servers, with whom we managed to communicate, despite the language barrier)</i>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3trHvm0OkblhlwSYv2bscDmIyDOKPBKKlS9ElzLjZd5YYi9CotOGRWlY6FbVzVhOYn65M_1vaCmpoZAQgjav3p6Tnclr-KSuSKy-epnpe5-fJ9Dtl9NulfU3ttkclIKDMWC-nxg/s1600/IMG_0621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3trHvm0OkblhlwSYv2bscDmIyDOKPBKKlS9ElzLjZd5YYi9CotOGRWlY6FbVzVhOYn65M_1vaCmpoZAQgjav3p6Tnclr-KSuSKy-epnpe5-fJ9Dtl9NulfU3ttkclIKDMWC-nxg/s400/IMG_0621.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>THE CHI LIN NUNNERY & GARDENS</b></div>
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From there, using our Octopus cards, we took an easy subway ride to the famed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_Lin_Nunnery">Chi Lin Nunnery</a> -- a magnificent Buddhist temple complex <i>(that's Luca in the picture below left in front of the Nunnery temple)</i> -- and its surrounding beautiful gardens. An oasis in crowded Kowloon City, with classic old-world architecture and spiritual, picturesque flowers and gardens. Worth spending time here.</div>
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<b>STAR FERRY AT SUNSET</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjik60Q25kDg1qdfUNNGVD-G4OZW_T3icJkb1qoBwwuMZlLO4-kgh_VMKXCsn1koVIVFnMc3-jLGZn-HQiVhBqkk8-ZcHh7N4XkIXxm4NolwLaKtUMGLl1N_X4ec0xNGlmMmUTrtg/s1600/DSC01370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjik60Q25kDg1qdfUNNGVD-G4OZW_T3icJkb1qoBwwuMZlLO4-kgh_VMKXCsn1koVIVFnMc3-jLGZn-HQiVhBqkk8-ZcHh7N4XkIXxm4NolwLaKtUMGLl1N_X4ec0xNGlmMmUTrtg/s400/DSC01370.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
As your afternoon begins to wane, take the subway back toward Victoria Harbour on the Kowloon side -- and take the famed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Ferry">Star Ferry</a> across the Harbour to the Hong Kong City side to see the sun go down as you do. The Star Ferry is dirt cheap and another "must do" experience. Simply take it from there and back (you must get off, buy another ticket, and hop back on) -- easy and fun to do. Beautiful views.</div>
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<b>VICTORIA HARBOUR & HONG KONG ISLAND EVENING LIGHT SHOW</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpA_fQBrAVBPZtwFOS0uyLqV3YFaZ8rOx_pWJYo7OY3ZN8yquoEa-q0Je0aeDmWKjB7Q3o4xXELtzX7_CyH6NFP_8P5_UehHPmcCBy1j5bKfW8Be4bEA4s-GWNTLkNzUJ9TAE7og/s1600/IMG_0670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpA_fQBrAVBPZtwFOS0uyLqV3YFaZ8rOx_pWJYo7OY3ZN8yquoEa-q0Je0aeDmWKjB7Q3o4xXELtzX7_CyH6NFP_8P5_UehHPmcCBy1j5bKfW8Be4bEA4s-GWNTLkNzUJ9TAE7og/s640/IMG_0670.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDt7asyQtinEFg5uxpyAqvbmERl55st7VumGT94Ko77oWkMR4VGUlRZoKQfax4w580q0LcKwN5f6UKnN1kS_W-SJnC_4yI5vQFIafOdutk14-Mu4aE9XvqfXIzjYl0YKKXGTAHA/s1600/IMG_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDt7asyQtinEFg5uxpyAqvbmERl55st7VumGT94Ko77oWkMR4VGUlRZoKQfax4w580q0LcKwN5f6UKnN1kS_W-SJnC_4yI5vQFIafOdutk14-Mu4aE9XvqfXIzjYl0YKKXGTAHA/s640/IMG_0672.JPG" width="640" /></a>At 8 pm nightly, Hong Kong Island itself becomes a full-blown light show across the scores of massive towers that comprise it -- competing and coordinating to dazzle with lasers and differentiated, colorful lighting. You must be on the Kowloon side looking across Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong Island to experience it, so make sure you find a spot that gives you an unfettered view of the central city. If you do -- which you absolutely must -- you'll be glad you did. We were fortunate to somewhat accidentally find our way to the 6th floor outside bar of the luxurious <a href="http://www.marcopolohotels.com/en/find_destination/hongkong.html">Marco Polo Hotel</a> to experience the magic. We didn't stay at the hotel, but we certainly had some drinks there. And glad we did. The Hong Kong Island evening light show is stunning. Likely one of the most memorable City experiences on the planet. <i>(These pictures above are from our perch at dusk, and as the lights went on -- we shared the experience with our good friends, the Lambs, who just happened to be in Hong Kong at the same time from San Diego... demonstrating serendipity in action!)</i>.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SECOND “HIDDEN GEM” TRAVEL TIP – Watch the Hong Kong Island city light show from the 6th floor outside bar of the Marco Polo Hotel. No crowds. Best view in the house. Trust me.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b>TEMPLE STREET NIGHT MARKET</b></div>
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We ended the night at the famed <a href="http://www.temple-street-night-market.hk/">Temple Street Night Market</a> that, even on a Tuesday night, was jam packed <i>(and, I mean jam packed) </i>with blocks and blocks and blocks of street vendors, local and very basic authentic restaurants <i>(we peeked into the back kitchen of ours, and witnessed our "chef" cooking our meal shirtless amidst the city's humidity) </i>and hundreds upon hundreds of both locals and tourists <i>(pictured here below is my family, together with the Lambs, enjoying our late night meal)</i>. Bustling, colorful, fun, frenetic. Another "must do" on your own adventure to the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. Temple Street Night Market ended our magical, brief introduction to Hong Kong perfectly. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4tsol7yUuoo_wzjrT7Skim8IPJwkGibPIZ_ymsg1ouHDl9pBKnymZTsWuTUj2KWaYCI7fTeEwv6mdiJYJLXFoYWqUxdpOH0TJbBScNU7Z9dzIKsZQlQS_RlPd8EBDnk-A2ysBQ/s1600/IMG_0677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4tsol7yUuoo_wzjrT7Skim8IPJwkGibPIZ_ymsg1ouHDl9pBKnymZTsWuTUj2KWaYCI7fTeEwv6mdiJYJLXFoYWqUxdpOH0TJbBScNU7Z9dzIKsZQlQS_RlPd8EBDnk-A2ysBQ/s640/IMG_0677.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
Hong Kong. So much to do. So little time. Our itinerary represented only one of myriad possibilities, of course. Make your own. Sprinkle in some of these spots/moments if they "speak" to you -- but make sure to leave time for serendipity.<br />
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Serendipity. The special ingredient in any great travel adventure. Those frequently become the best and most memorable moments.<br />
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The next day we were off to one full week in Bali. Read my companion piece <a href="http://digitalmediaupdate.blogspot.com/2018/07/bali-in-1-week-what-to-do-where-to-stay.html"><i>"Bali in 1 Week - What To Do, Where To Stay for an Unforgettable Luxury Cool Experience, Cost Effectively"</i> by clicking on this link here</a>.</div>
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And enjoy your own Far Eastern adventures!<br />
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<i>NOTE: If you found My Hong Kong and Bali articles helpful and/or interesting, check out my earlier articles (1) <a href="http://digitalmediaupdate.blogspot.com/2016/06/iceland-just-do-it-5-reasons-why-you.html">"Iceland in 1 Week"</a> (FYI - Iceland is a "bucket lister" - absolutely "must visit"), and (2) <a href="http://digitalmediaupdate.blogspot.com/2013/10/rome-full-experience-in-2-days.html">Rome in 2 Days</a> (getting a full experience in a very short period of time). Think you may find them useful too.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>FURTHER NOTE: My Hong Kong and Bali articles are likely most helpful for people "like me" who crave the kind of trips that my family and I do. I certainly know that some won't. While we like adventure, we are not "backpackers' by any stretch of the imagination -- although I want my kids to to have those kinds of more "gritty" and earthy experiences. Travel sites are generally one-size-fits-all -- even TripAdvisor is difficult to navigate. I just learned about a new travel site that takes a very different kind of approach -- helping "like minded" people find travel ideas that otherwise may stay invisible to them (kind of like what I am trying to do with this article). <a href="https://www.wanderlustsociety.co/">It is called Wanderlust Society -- and it is still in beta -- but worth checking out.</a></i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>AND FINALLY -- if you enjoyed my article -- or have any other comments, questions or recommendations to add -- reach out to me at peter@creatv.media</i><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Peter Csathy's Digital Media Update</div>Peter D. Csathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696465857424753507noreply@blogger.com2