Yahoo has signed a partnership with Electus, a digital content studio, to produce several branded entertainment projects.

Electus was founded by Ben Silverman, the former co-chairman of NBC Entertainment. Silverman left NBC last July after launching Electus, which is now branded as an up and coming digital studio.

Currently, very few details have been released about the partnership. Yahoo has built a stable supply of successful branded entertainment projects, such as The Thread—a fashion-centric show that features product integrations from Procter & Gamble.

Yahoo can rest assured that they are in good hands with Silverman, who is experienced in branded entertainment and web originals.
 

Akoo, the world’s largest social music television network, today announced that it launched branded entertainment and advertising campaigns for a group of inaugural sponsors, including Best Buy, CLEAR, 20th Century Fox, and leading brands in the gaming console and quick-service restaurant categories (click here or visit akoo.com to view video reels). The company also announced the results of new Arbitron audience measurement research, which finds that Akoo reaches 89.6 million monthly consumers in premium out-of-home environments across the U.S., of which 64.5 million monthly engaged viewers actively watch Akoo programming and advertising for an average of 16 minutes per visit.

Akoo’s programming features music videos from all four major record label groups with whom the company has licensing agreements – Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and EMI – as well as live performances, exclusive artist interviews, and original branded content.

Akoo empowers social engagement by uniquely enabling viewers to control programming on its high-definition TV screens with their mobile devices. Viewers can select their favorite music videos via text message request or Akoo’s mobile application and share them on the network, free and on-demand. Viewers can also access Akoo’s free Wi-Fi service to interact with programming, as well as participate in location-based digital marketplaces and social media activities.

Arbitron research findings validate Akoo’s ability to engage viewers. Of the 64.5 million monthly engaged viewers, 13.4 million monthly viewers spend 30 minutes or more watching Akoo programming and advertising, 14.8 million viewers watch for 15-29 minutes, and 36.3 million viewers watch for up to 14 minutes per visit.

“Akoo has raised the media performance standard by measuring and reporting against engaged viewers, rather than gross impressions,” said Niko Drakoulis, Akoo’s CEO. “No other media network delivers 64.5 million monthly engaged viewers while fully integrating brand partners within a socially immersive consumer experience.”

About Akoo

Akoo is the world’s largest social music television network. The company delivers major label music videos and original programming to 89.6 million monthly consumers in premium out-of-home environments across the U.S. Akoo empowers social engagement by uniquely enabling viewers to control programming on its high-definition TV screens with their mobile devices. Viewers can select music videos from Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and EMI, via text message request or Akoo’s mobile app, and share them on the network, free and on-demand. Akoo’s ability to engage media-elusive demographics, while integrating brand sponsors within the media experience, results in increased advertising effectiveness. Founded in 2001, Akoo is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. For more information, visit www.akoo.com. 

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) announced today that Steve Wadsworth, President of Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG) will keynote the D.I.C.E. Summit, which will take place at Red Rock Resort, Las Vegas, on February 17-19, 2010.

Wadsworth leads the Walt Disney Company segment that's responsible for the global creation and delivery of Disney-branded entertainment and lifestyle content across all interactive media platforms, including online, mobile devices and game consoles. DIMG also provides digital media strategy, technology solutions and execution for Disney and its ABC and ESPN units.

"Disney is synonymous with great entertainment across the spectrum of media choices we have today. Steve Wadsworth is the at the helm of Disney's interactive experiences for all video games, online and mobile devices -- from the Epic Mickey game to the Marvel acquisition to the success of Club Penguin as well as his views on the future of connectivity - we look forward to hearing his thoughts on this rapidly changing industry," said Joseph Olin, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.

The Walt Disney Company formed the DIMG business segment in 2008, which is a combination of its preexisting Walt Disney Internet Group and Disney Interactive Studios units, to take best advantage of rapid advancements in interactive digital media and cross-platform content convergence. Wadsworth was named President of DIMG at that time.

"The Walt Disney Company has a history of taking risks within interactive entertainment and has demonstrated how to deliver relevant content across diverse brands, platforms and consumer groups. Mr. Wadsworth will share his insights, challenges and successes on how he negotiates with an audience that is always in a state of flux looking for the next thing in entertainment; a challenge that everyone who attends the D.I.C.E. Summit contends," says Olin.

For more information: www.dicesummit.org or www.interactive.org

About the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences:

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) was founded in 1996 as a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote, advance and recognize common interests and outstanding achievements in the interactive arts and sciences. The Academy conducts its annual awards show, the Interactive Achievement Awards, to promote and acknowledge exceptional accomplishments in the field. To further enhance awareness of the Academy's vision, the organization created the D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit in 2002, a once yearly conference dedicated to exploring approaches to the creative process and artistic expression as they uniquely apply to the development of interactive entertainment. With the success of D.I.C.E., the Academy took the exclusive event to Singapore to launch the first ever D.I.C.E. Summit Asia this year. With more than 20,000 members, including Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Ubisoft, THQ, Day One Studios, Epic Games and Insomniac Games, The Academy is the leading advocate of video games worldwide

The Streamy Awards, the leading award for achievement in Web television and online entertainment, today announced a call for entries. Nominees and winners will be honored at the second-annual awards program to be held on Sunday, April 11, 2010 in Los Angeles. Submissions will be accepted via the Streamys.org Web site beginning today through January 22, 2010.

Nominees across 36 categories will be honored by the International Academy of Web Television (IAWTV.org), a member-run non-profit organization comprised of leaders and stakeholders within the growing Web television industry, and the official presenting body behind the Streamy Awards. Twelve new categories reflecting exciting advancements, creative innovations and technologies embraced by the Web television community this past year have been added to the 2010 program, including awards for Live Production, Foreign Series, Vlogging, Interactive Experience, Branded Entertainment, and Mobile Experience.

Last year's inaugural Streamy Awards received over 100,000 unique public submissions from over 89 countries, hundreds of thousands of votes for 10 Audience Choice Award Finalists, and a groundswell of support from both the traditional and new media communities. Awards were presented during a global live-streamed ceremony in which Hollywood celebrities turned Web series stars, including Neil Patrick Harris, Lisa Kudrow, Rosario Dawson, Illeana Douglas and Joss Whedon presented alongside new media pioneers Felicia Day, Jessica Rose and Alex Albrecht, among others.

"Year one was about building an organization and infrastructure that would allow us to showcase and recognize the best of the evolving digital entertainment medium," said Jamison Tilsner, co-executive producer of the Streamy Awards. "The Web television industry has grown significantly since 2008, and the Streamy Awards celebrates this success by recognizing the content and creators that are at the forefront of our industry.”

"This year Web television made a significant impact on both Hollywood and Madison Avenue, so it made sense for the Streamy Awards to add new categories that reflect that impact," said Brady Brim-DeForest, co-executive producer of the Streamy Awards. "We have added an award for 'Best Companion Series' for extensions of film or television properties; and an award for 'Best Product Integration' to reflect the rise in brand-sponsored Web programming."

In conjunction with today's call for entries, the Streamy Awards has launched a redesigned Web site and has also released never-before-seen footage from last year's event, available to view and share at Streamys.org.

About The Streamy Awards: Presented by the International Academy of Web Television, the Streamy Awards recognize excellence in global Web television programming for broadband distribution across 35 creative categories, from acting and directing, to editing and special effects. Members of the International Academy of Web Television review shows submitted through a free, public submissions process and vote on the final nominees and winners for each category. The Audience Choice Award for Best Web Television Series is selected by members of the public. Winners of the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards will be announced on April 11, 2010 at the Streamy Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles, CA. Founded in 2009, the Streamy Awards are co-hosted by a consortium of new media companies including Tubefilter and NewTeeVee.

For more information, visit http://streamys.org and follow @streamyawards on Twitter.   

About The International Academy of Web Television: The International Academy of Web Television, an independent member-run organization comprised of digital entertainment leaders was founded in 2009 to promote and recognize artistic excellence and technological innovation in online entertainment. Members of the Academy are invited to join based on achievement in their respective fields, and include actors, agents, composers, content developers, directors, journalists, producers, technologists, and writers who actively participate in and support the Web television and digital entertainment industries. The Academy oversees the annual Streamy Awards, which honor and recognize excellence in original episodic Web television programming.

For more information, visit http://iawtv.org and follow @iawtv on Twitter.