News & Opinion

Cable industry icon Maggie Bellville introduced Hitachi Consulting’s ground breaking energy savings program to the cable industry to a standing-room-only crowd of 1,500 executives during a luncheon at the annual SCTE Cable Tec Expo – held this year in Denver. The former COO of Charter Communications and EVP of operations at Cox explained how, with rising programming costs and salaries, operators could significantly cut their energy bills by 30-50% using Hitachi’s expertise and technologies to reduce power consumption in headends, network operations centers and business offices. How big a savings you may ask? Bellville estimates more than $40 million can be cut from MSO energy bills in one year – and grow as more facilities are brought online. Hitachi Consulting’s solutions have helped its customers cut CO2 emissions significantly:  as if they've taken 72,000 cars off the road!

Will Plug into Bay Area’s Vibrant Commercials Market and Top Projects SAN FRANCISCO—Oct. 1, 2014 — Innovative commercials editor Morgan Bradley is moving to Beast in San Francisco after several years working on high-profile projects for Beast in Chicago. Beast, which is a subsidiary of Deluxe, is a top editorial facility for commercials, music videos and online content. Bradley joined Beast in 2008 and has worked on projects for clients including Nike,  Bayer, Motorola and many others. “I started at this company years ago as a runner and have so loved growing up in it,“ Bradley said. “After 6 years in our Chicago office, San Francisco feels like the next step in my process, both as an artist and as a person. I’m leaving Chicago loving it, and I think that's the perfect way to go. “The notion of totally new surroundings is so inspiring, and I know it will be great for my work,“ she added. “Plus, I love the challenge of a whole new city full of interesting people. It's the combination of human interaction and editing that thrill me, and I can't wait to experience that in San Francisco.” Prior to joining Beast, Bradley previously worked at Whitehouse Chicago, beginning in 2004. Bradley won a Midwest Emmy in 2013 for a spot she edited for Downtown Partners for the 100 Club. “Morgan’s moving here is mostly motivated by our clients here wanting to work with her,“ said Jon Ettinger, executive producer at Beast in San Francisco. “She is a big part of our Beast team, and we welcome her to the West Coast.“ Said Igor Kovalik, chief creative officer at Beast “It’s very exciting for Beast—and gives me tremendous personal satisfaction—when a young talent like Morgan can not only thrive in our company and rise from being a great assistant to a great editor, but then also is able to have the opportunity of growing and moving to the city where she wants to live her life. The fact that Beast can be a part of that personal journey is wonderful.”

Slingbox M1 and SlingTV are Available Today from Leading Retail Partners Including Best Buy, Future Shop and London Drugs FOSTER CITY, CALIF.—September 29, 2014—Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), has introduced two new retail products for the Canadian market: Slingbox® M1 and SlingTV™. Replacing the award-winning Slingbox 350 and 500 models, these products deliver a no compromise TV Anywhere experience giving customers the ability to watch all of their programming on the most popular mobile devices, in up to HD quality, anywhere in the world. In addition SlingTV delivers the power of a Slingbox combined with new “Smarter TV” features designed to enhance the TV viewing experience in the living room. Slingbox M1 With a suggested retail price (MSRP) of $179.99 CAD, the new Slingbox M1 is the most affordable Slingbox that Sling Media has ever produced. It is designed for mainstream users who want to have remote access to all of their home TV channels, shows, and DVR content on personal computers, tablets and phones.  The Slingbox M1 is offered in a compact, unassuming form factor that fits easily into an entertainment system. In addition, the Slingbox M1 integrates WiFi for simple and flexible set-up and use. Slingbox M1 features include: Dual-band 2.4/5Ghz WiFi connectivity and Ethernet port Absolutely no monthly fees for the Slingbox M1 or SlingTV Watch and control live TV on a tablet, phone, PC or Mac Easy and quick setup and playback via PC/Mac desktop, iPhone, iPad and Android phone apps Watch on a second TV anywhere via Apple TV®, Chromecast® and Roku® Play and schedule DVR recordings Component and composite input/output SlingTV Powered by Slingbox 500 hardware, SlingTV is a powerful Slingbox that allows customers to access their pay TV channels (live or recorded) on a personal computer, tablet or mobile phone at home or anywhere in the world a network connection is available. In addition, SlingTV is designed to make the living room TV experience more enjoyable and powerful by turning the television to which SlingTV is connected into a “Smarter TV” without having to purchase a new TV or pay for a set-top box upgrade. SlingTV has a suggested retail price (MSRP) of $329.99 CAD. SlingTV utilizes cover-art tiles similar to Slingplayer for iPad’s Media Gallery to give customers a visual interface on the TV screen in the living room. Customers can now discover more of their existing pay TV programming in an easy-to-navigate interface with SlingTV’s state-of-the-art programming gallery. This new interface provides filtered show recommendations based on popularity, reviews and social activity designed to enhance the existing pay TV experience for customers and introduce them to shows, sports, movies or children’s programming that they may not have otherwise known about. SlingTV features include: New on-screen TV main menu powered by the included SlingTV remote Soft remote built into Slingplayer for iPhone or Android phone apps Gallery View A visual interface to easily find and select a show to watch Filter by popular, favorite channels, sports, movies, kids programming, etc. currently airing, upcoming and in primetime Rotten Tomatoes® ratings for all movies in Movies filter Big screen TV scoreboard and channel guide. See all the scores and stats without changing the channel Find out who’s playing, the score and the channel it’s airing on in a visual, easily navigated interface Details View Get detailed game stats in real-time for fantasy fanatics Integrated Thuuz™ excitement ratings tell you when to tune into a game based on the score, the match-up, dynamic game momentum changes, etc. Movie and TV episode details “Once again, Sling Media is totally redefining ‘TV Anywhere’ both in the living room and on remote devices with the introduction of the Slingbox M1 and SlingTV,” says Michael Hawkey, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Sling Media.  “Customers interested in a no strings attached entertainment experience using the most popular devices in the most places will be delighted by the affordability and features of the Slingbox M1 while SlingTV significantly enhances the living room TV experience in addition to being a world class Slingbox.” Slingbox M1 and SlingTV are available today in retail stores across Canada including Best Buy, Future Shop and London Drugs. For more information please go to http://sling.com/en-CA. About Sling Media Sling Media, a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, is a leading provider of Multiscreen Smart TV solutions for consumers and television service providers. Sling Media provides the complete award-winning solution of hardware, cloud services and applications that gives consumers the freedom to discover, control and consume their live TV and DVR content anywhere in the world, on their preferred tablet, phone and computing platform. Sling Media’s patented TV solutions are available directly to consumers or through service providers that have embedded Sling Media’s capabilities. For more information, please visit http://sling.com/en-CA.  ###

Important Additions Also Feature JBL M2 Monitors TORONTO—Sept. 25—Deluxe Toronto Ltd.—a division of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc., global supplier of a broad range of services and technologies to the entertainment industry—today announced a major upgrade of its mixing rooms. Improvements include the introduction of Dolby Atmos® technology to Mix 1—Canada’s largest film mixing stage. Among other upgrades to its mixing rooms, Deluxe has added JBL M2 Master Reference monitors. “The introduction of Dolby Atmos, complemented with speaker and amp upgrades from Harman’s®  JBL Professional and Crown Audio brands, makes our new mix theaters the most technically complete in Canada for film and TV sound re-recording,” said Nick Iannelli, vice president of post-production operations at Deluxe Toronto. The new additions “allow us to state unequivocally that you will hear a difference in fidelity and sound clarity when mixing at Deluxe,” Iannelli added. “Dolby recognizes the importance and value of having a strong presence in Canada’s vital post-production community,” said Curt Behlmer, senior vice president of content solutions and industry relations at Dolby Laboratories.   “We couldn’t be more pleased and know that this respected Dolby Atmos mixing stage—our first in Canada—will help filmmakers realize their creative visions going forward.” Said Peter Chaikin, director of recording and broadcast at JBL Professional: “Incorporating new patented JBL technologies, the innovative JBL M2 monitor was designed to deliver a level of sound clarity unmatched in the post-production industry. Deluxe’s customers are already realizing the benefits of these new speakers, and we are delighted Deluxe Toronto has become a flagship location for the M2 in Canada.” Deluxe is a key supplier to the Canadian post-production and media services industry. Its tech upgrades coincide with Deluxe’s recent relocation to a new, state-of-the-art facility in downtown Toronto. Recent projects at the facility include feature work on Atom Egoyan’s “The Captive” and David Cronenberg’s “Maps to the Stars,” and Deluxe soon will start post-production on Guillermo del Toro’s “Crimson Peak.” Recent TV projects include work on “Vikings,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Penny Dreadful.”  About Deluxe Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc. is a global leader in media and entertainment services for film, video and online content, from capture to consumption. Since 1915, Deluxe has been the trusted partner for the world’s most successful Hollywood studios, independent film companies, TV networks, exhibitors, advertisers and others, offering best-in-class solutions in production, post production, distribution, asset and workflow management, and new digital solution-based technologies. With operations in Los Angeles, New York and around the globe, the company employs nearly 6,000 of the most talented, highly honored and recognized artists and industry veterans worldwide. Deluxe is a wholly owned subsidiary of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc. For more information visit by http://www.bydeluxe.com and bydeluxetoronto.com About Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos makes it easy for filmmakers to place or move specific sounds anywhere in the movie theatre, including overhead. As a result of this multidimensional sound, audiences feel as if they are inside the film, not merely watching it. Introduced in April 2012, Dolby Atmos has been embraced by all the major Hollywood studios, seven Academy Award® winning directors, and 16 Academy Award winning sound mixers, among others. Dolby Atmos has received technical achievement awards from both the Hollywood Post Alliance and the Cinema Audio Society. To learn more about Dolby Atmos, visit dolby.com/Atmos. About Harman Harman (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets premier audio, visual, infotainment and integrated control solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson ®, the company is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with Harman audio and infotainment systems. ###

For any business, crafting the right PR campaign can either be seen as a complete waste of money or a critical element of a company’s success. The reality is probably somewhere in-between, but for companies with restricted funds, it can be difficult to decide how much to invest in PR efforts. Additionally, being able to assess the success of a campaign measured by web traffic, story placements, social media conversion and how online interactions drive sales can help put a company’s PR efforts into perspective, but even knowing how to measure this doesn't guarantee the success of a campaign. Recently, an industry survey revealed some useful tips for PR pros - like the best time of day to send a release, the best days for distributing news and the ideal length of social media posts – all of which can greatly boost engagement. Here are the findings that the survey considered important for PR success: Set Your Embargoes for Early-Morning Hours Traffic on websites spikes at 5 a.m. EST and 8 a.m. EST, even though half as many articles get published during those times than at 4 p.m. EST. (Who are these freaks getting up to read the news that early?) People also, more predictably, read a lot during the 12 o'clock lunch hour. Instead of setting that embargo for 4 p.m. EST--not really sure the logic of that time-stamp anyway, data suggest publishing either at or before 8, or around noon. Forget About Fridays Big bumps in readership happen on Mondays and Wednesdays. People are too busy actually working on Tuesdays to read, it seems. And Fridays? Fridays basically don't exist on the Internet. (Which is one reason companies often release damaging news late on a Friday afternoon, like no one will notice.) Publishers treat Friday as if it is any other day of the week, but in reality Friday sees very little traffic to content. The most optimal time to pitch news stories is Mondays and Wednesdays, either first thing in the morning, or in time for lunch on the East Coast. The Ideal Post Length Is 1,500 Words It's a little difficult for a company to ask a journalist to pen an article of a certain length, but media professionals, take note: posts between 1,000 and 2,000 words drive the most traffic, and result in the social media attention. Engagement drops off at 4,000 words and picks back up at 5,000, which is interesting. Have any of these PR tactics worked for you? Leave a comment and let us know. To read the original story click here:

Deluxe to Prepare and Encode Content for Shipping with LG’s 4K ULTRA HD TVs Worldwide BURBANK, Calif.—Sept.  17, 2014—Deluxe announced today that it has been selected by LG Electronics to support the go-to-market strategy for its new 4K ULTRA HD TVs. The 4K UHD content will be prepared, processed and localized by Deluxe and then pre-loaded on a hard drive device that will be included with select LG 4K ULTRA HD TVs. Deluxe will provide the full range of capabilities necessary to ensure 4K content is delivered at the highest quality and optimal bitrate for bandwidth, transport and storage efficiencies.  Content preparation will span sources from major Hollywood studios and local titles that have either been 4K native shot and mastered or converted, restored and re-mastered from film or high definition. Content will undergo rigorous testing and quality analysis of frame rates, bitrates, color gamut and software decoding to ensure that the playback experience is optimized on the target devices for streaming or download. Deluxe is also providing the localization capabilities for LG ULTRA HD TVs launching in Asia, Europe, and North America.  This includes subtitles or captions, dubbing and audio operations.  Deluxe’s deep understanding of multi-language requirements ensures that visual and audio elements are conformed to ensure that the final product delivers the best consumer experience. “We’re pleased to be providing the end-to-end workflow for LG to deliver a superior 4K UHD experience that will scale as the market matures,” said Cyril Drabinsky, president and CEO of Deluxe Entertainment. “Deluxe has invested in the technologies and operational processes for the production of new transcoding/encoding formats such as 4K and HEVC to reduce the operational and capital investments and complexity that our customers will incur to advance 4K UHD in the marketplace.” Deluxe is a leader in 4K UHD mastering, encoding and distribution and is the only company to offer an end-to-end solution under one roof. “Color by Deluxe” is recognized for its technical leadership and innovation in working with original masters to create the optimal viewing experience across the multi-screen device landscape.  About Deluxe Digital Distribution Deluxe Digital Distribution (D3) is revolutionizing digital home entertainment with its advanced cloud-based content supply and turnkey VOD management solutions.  The Deluxe OnDemand™ products make it easier to offer premium content quickly and cost-effectively across popular multi-screen devices. Deluxe is a leader in new technologies and workflows for HEVC, 4K and UHD to power next-generation mobile devices and televisions. D3 is a business division of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc. Please visit www.deluxeondemand.com for more information on D3. About Deluxe Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc. is a global leader in media and entertainment services across film, video and online original content from capture to consumption. Since 1915, Deluxe Entertainment has been the trusted partner for the world’s most successful Hollywood studios, independent film companies, TV networks, exhibitors, advertisers and others, offering best-in-class solutions in production, post production, distribution, asset and workflow management and new digital solution-based technologies. The company employs nearly 6,000 of the most talented, highly honored and recognized artists and industry veterans worldwide. Deluxe Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc.

Will Be Integrated with Deluxe’s DL3 Digital Supply Chain Platform BURBANK, Calif.—Sept. 11, 2014—Deluxe, a global innovator offering comprehensive creative, media, distribution and asset-management solutions for media and entertainment, has acquired mediapeers, a leading B2B cloud software provider that enables content owners to market and sell their movie and television assets more efficiently and effectively to the global market. Clients of mediapeers include major studios such as Lionsgate and MGM, as well as television producers and distributors such as FremantleMedia and Global Screen. "For some time, mediapeers has been a recognized segment leader and we are excited to integrate it into Deluxe’s array of media services," said Rob Seidel, executive vice president and general manager of Deluxe Media, a Burbank-based unit of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group. "We look forward to integrating mediapeers within DL3 and offering its rich set of features to our customers." Key benefits of mediapeers include a rich set of features that enable an immersive content discovery and screening experience, fully customizable front-ends for each content owner, streamlined interface to view and download collateral assets, security features that protect content assets, increased opportunities for monetizing content, a deep set of transaction analytics, and lower overall administrative and distribution costs. Launched in 2007 and based in Berlin, mediapeers developed a robust cloud solution that is used by thousands of sales and acquisition executives on a daily basis. The diversified licensing company Telepool and the independent rights management company Fintage House, who backed mediapeers since 2010, sold their stake in this transaction. Deluxe will integrate the mediapeers platform into its end-to-end digital supply chain system, DL3, which is a shorthand reference to the tagline: Deluxe Library—Create, Manage and Market. DL3’s capabilities include the creation and management of a broad set of supply chain assets including closed captions, subtitles, foreign audio tracks, portal and broadcaster deliveries, Blu-ray and DVD product, and a range of support services. The mediapeers solution will be rebranded as the DL3 Media Store and integrated with the other components of the DL3 platform. Moritz Viehweger, co-founder and managing director of mediapeers GmbH, said he is excited to see the mediapeers platform come into the Deluxe fold. "Deluxe is clearly the technology leader in the industry with an incredible network, trusted brand and great team. We could not have hoped for a better home," Viehweger said. "This move makes sense for mediapeers, for Deluxe, and for existing and prospective customers of our unique cloud platform," mediapeers co-founder and managing director Holger Hendel said.                                                                               About Deluxe Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc. is a global leader in media and entertainment services across film, video and online content from capture to consumption. Since 1915, Deluxe has been the trusted partner for the world’s most successful Hollywood studios, independent film companies, TV networks, exhibitors, advertisers and others, offering best-in-class solutions in production, post production, distribution, asset and workflow management and new digital solution-based technologies. With operations in Los Angeles, New York and around the globe, the company employs nearly 6,000 of the most talented, highly honored and recognized artists and industry veterans worldwide. Deluxe is a wholly owned subsidiary of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc. For more information visit www.bydeluxe.com

Cutting-Edge Solution Taps into Customers’ Hidden Archives to Create New Revenue Streams LOS ANGELES—Sept. 11, 2014—Deluxe has appointed digital media sales veteran Jay Chicoy as vice president and head of sales for Deluxe MediaRecall, an enterprise solution for digitizing, organizing and monetizing content. Chicoy is a 20-year veteran of product sales and client management, with deep experience in product launches, building and managing sales teams, conceiving and executing marketing solutions, and working to build brand partnerships. Deluxe MediaRecall helps customers generate new revenue streams by curating hidden content in archives of studios and broadcasting businesses. “Jay is the ideal person to help spread the word about Deluxe MediaRecall,” said Peter Feigin, chief marketing and revenue officer for Deluxe. “This cutting-edge solution helps companies monetize their content archives, and Jay’s mandate will be to identify prospects and turn them into customers.” Prior to joining Deluxe in June 2014, Chicoy spent 12 years with Getty Images. He joined Getty Images in 2002 as a national account manager in corporate development and most recently served as the company’s director of sales for the U.S. and Canada. Chicoy previously held management positions at Rising Tiding Studios, DoubleClick and other digital media companies. He holds a bachelor’s degree from New England College. About Deluxe Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc. is a global leader in media and entertainment services for film, video and online content, from capture to consumption. Since 1915, Deluxe has been the trusted partner for the world’s most successful Hollywood studios, independent film companies, TV networks, exhibitors, advertisers and others, offering best-in-class solutions in production, post production, distribution, asset and workflow management and new digital solution-based technologies. With operations in Los Angeles, New York and around the globe, the company employs nearly 6,000 of the most talented, highly honored and recognized artists and industry veterans worldwide. Deluxe is a wholly owned subsidiary of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc. For more information visit www.bydeluxe.com.

Over the years, technological advancements have not only changed the way we go about our daily lives, but also how we implement our PR practices. For example, many PR agencies now offer social network platform management since online presence plays a key role in a business’s success - a practice unheard of only a few years ago. It’s vital to an agency’s success to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to changing trends in PR and to better recognize where our industry is going. With this in mind, here are a few of the changing practices that have forever influenced our industry: The speed of news: Information circulation is 10 times faster than what it was decades ago. Today, we depend on email and phone communication and don’t have time to rely on mail or FedEx. The media landscape: You would be hard pressed to find too many people these days who read the print edition of a newspaper every morning. However, most decision-makers still rely on print as their primary source of news, followed closely by Web and social media channels. Similarly, many clients still prefer print over online, and will consider it a bigger “win” to land a print placement. No matter our preference, we have to be open-minded and include all forms in our PR practices. The art of communication: Even though emailing has become increasingly popular, looking to email as the first form of communication is like eating a candy bar when you really need a full meal. Effective communication is, first and foremost, about establishing a human connection. Email makes this really hard. Face-to-face interaction is best, followed by a telephone call, then email and other electronic media. Personal vs. private time: We’re better and smarter than we were 30 years ago, but being more effective has come at the expense of our private and family time. Taking a call on vacation used to be a punishable offense. Now, no matter where you are, it’s mostly expected you can be reached. If you’re going to get into PR, the best thing you can have is an understanding family and spouse. Today we’re working at the speed of life, times two. Staying put: Societal trends tell us employees’ longevity has shortened to between 2-3 years versus 10-15 years we once saw. Workers have an “every man for themselves” mentality which comes at the expense of trust with the current employer. What are your thoughts on how technological advancements have affected the way we work today? To read the full story, click here