For World Cup, ESPN goes big and goes online

What does ESPN do when four TV channels aren't enough for the biggest World Cup the US has ever seen? Go digital.

Alexi Lalas, analyst and 1994 US Men's National Team member, and Jed Drake, ESPN's executive producer of event productionGetty Images

To sum up ESPN's expectations for the World Cup, Bimal Kapadia -- an executive at the sports television giant's online soccer arm ESPN FC -- had trouble getting the proper sentiment across without hyperbole.

"Projections are gigantic," said Kapadia, ESPN FC's senior director of global business and brand development. "ESPN is expecting this to be the biggest event in the history of the world."

He wasn't being hysterical, just wry. In the US, the 2014 World Cup is expected to be the most-watched soccer competition ever, thanks to host city Rio de Janeiro's handy time zone, changing demographics, the sport's growing popularity in this country and -- importantly -- the willingness of companies like ESPN to let digital run free. Like NBC's all-inclusive online approach to the Sochi Olympics in February, ESPN beefed up the digital side to its World Cup coverage while integrating it more deeply with its televised coverage than ever before, underscoring how media giants are embracing the idea that giving away the goods online only helps.

So long as you're already paying for ESPN, that is.

The new ESPN FC

ESPN relaunched ESPN FC -- the world's fourth most-visited online football property, according to ComScore -- a week ago with a new website, app, advertising strategy, and aggressive content plan -- all within two week's of worldwide football's mammoth event.

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The app will feel familiar to anyone who uses ESPN's SportCenter app, with the ESPN FC version sharing the same base code. The new site site is responsive across desktop, smartphone and tablet devices and is laid out like a feed of story cells where ESPN can plug in any kind of media -- article, video, polls, etc. Though ESPN's biggest market is the US, ESPN FC relaunched with a global audience in mind: The new site and app have a slew of "editions" that let you choose the language and the country that you're most interested in and will be curated for locally relevant content.

On the app, geographic identification means if your phone knows where you are, the app will automatically pull up the appropriate edition, which you can adjust on your own. You can also set favorite teams in the app, which will create an inbox that will store all stories you missed since last app sign in and also trigger alerts for the most noteworthy events -- if a star player on your team gets a red card, your phone can let you know. For the 2010 World Cup, all ESPN had were English and Spanish language versions.

ESPN is also putting live video for all games online. Not only will all 64 matches be live on ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC -- which is also owned by ESPN parent Disney -- but they'll all also be available live online, with the ESPN FC website hosting an embedded video player from WatchESPN and the ESPN FC app taking users straight to live video in the WatchESPN or WatchABC apps. All matches will be available online in Portuguese via ESPN Deportes as well, including some that won't get broadcast airplay.

ESPN

Changing tides

The online availability partly reflects how much viewing habits have changed since the 2010 South Africa tournament. In 2010, 113 million people watch ESPN and ABC World Cup coverage, according to Seth Ader, ESPN's senior director of sports marketing. Since then, smartphone penetration has risen from 67 million to 160 million, he said; tablets have rocketed from 13 million to 119 million in four years.

With ESPN's broad online-video availability, the fact soccer is generally played in daylight, and the Rio de Janeiro time zone lining up well with North America -- the best time zone for US viewing in 20 years -- "we fully expect workplace productivity to plummet," Ader said.

ESPN's online-video availability is also a tip of the hat to NBC's success with a similar strategy for the Sochi Olympics. People watched 10.8 million hours of video on NBC Olympics' digital platforms during Sochi, more than triple the number of hours of video streamed for the Vancouver games in 2010. The live stream of the Olympic men's ice hockey semifinal between the US and Canada generated more than 2.1 million unique users - believed to be the largest "TV Everywhere" verified streaming audience in U.S. history, according to NBC and Adobe Analytics.

Even with so much live video available online ahead of the delayed primetime broadcast, NBC primetime viewership was 6% higher on average in 2014 than the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, the last time a winter Olympics couldn't be broadcast live during primetime.

The authentication wall

Finally, part of the reason ESPN and NBC are both so willing to put up so much video online is the entrenchment of authentication -- the term for vetting viewers by requiring login credentials from a pay-TV provider. It means only people who already pay a company like a cable or satellite provider to get ESPN on their televisions can access the live video content online.

ESPN

That puts a ton of tantalizing video just beyond the grasp of "cord cutters," the small contingent of people forsaking a pay-TV service to cobble together online-only alternatives.

Authentication was still a nascent concept in 2010 during the last World Cup and Winter Olympics, but today most major pay-TV providers are on board. ESPN has deals with Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Dish -- three of the top four pay-TV providers by subscribers. (No. 2 DirecTV remains glaringly absent.)

The proliferation of authication deals has made online video availability feel safe for content rights holders like ESPN and the distributors they rely upon like Comcast -- the people who will watch have already paid up.

And those paying subscribers are watching a lot online. Authenticated live viewing represented the vast majority of online NBC video watched during the Winter Olympics -- about 80% of the video was through a "TV Everywhere" authenticated live stream on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports Live Extra app.

Though authentication creates a wall separating those who can watch online from those who can't, for ESPN it has fostered an environment that has allowed lines to blur between studio production and digital media.

"The idea behind this is that our World Cup production is not just a TV play any more, it's a multimedia presentation," said Kapadia "They're realizing that they have so much content, where else can you put it? FC is becoming an extension of TV."

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Google Glass Gets Even Creepier? Bad News Or Good?

Creepy technology not unique to Google.

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) is coming under fire (again) for the privacy implications of Google Glass.

On the one hand, being able to capture a photo with nothing but a wink is worryingly creepy. As is real-time facial recognition.

On The Other Hand, technology companies from LG to Microsoft to Apple are also raising privacy eyebrows. How can you prevent it happening to your business?

Robin Burks brings worrying news:

Google Glass is on a roll. … The newest update to Glass, however, includes…a photo app that lets you take a photo with just a wink.…
You wink with your right eye and Google Glass takes a photo. … If you’re just trying to flirt with someone…you might end up taking a series of photos of someone without their permission, getting once more into privacy concerns.

 So Brid-Aine Parnell explains further:

Of course, the wink-pics are bound to raise the hackles of privacy warriors, who are already concerned about the abilities of wearable tech to gather info on people without them realising.

If folks can snap images of each other with [a] wink…it becomes that much harder to tell…than if they’re saying, “OK Glass, take a picture” or fingering the side of their specs.

And Andy Greenberg adds another worry:

Since Google Glass first appeared, its potential for facial recognition has been seen either as a privacy nightmare or as one of the headset’s first truly intriguing uses. … Lambda Labs plan to release an unauthorized app for Glass that allows users to collect and catalog images of faces seen through its lens. … Lambda’s app, to be clear, isn’t meant for wide adoption.…
“Facial recognition is only going to get better, and soon you’ll be able to not only look at someone you’ve met once, but people you’ve never met before, and immediately see what you have in common,” says [Lambda's Stephen] Balaban. “You’ll be able to go to a conference and see all the engineers with Android experience or…see all the potential investors.” That’s not a prospect that pleases privacy advocates.

That sounds creepy. Only yesterday, Mike Elgan said Glass is not alone among creepy technology:

Some of the biggest trends in new technology these days are said to be “creepy.” … Opposition to Google Glass is based on the mistaken idea that the camera is recording all the time. … Who knows how your privacy might be violated?…
Too many companies creep customers out by not telling them about it or giving them control over it. Wrong! … You should strongly address both causes of that “creepy” feeling.…
Here are some more eye-opening examples, plus two important lessons for tomorrow’s business.

 Earlier, Mike also recommended that you develop a policy for wearable computing in the workplace:

Don’t look now, but here comes BYOG: “bring your own Glass.”…
It’s easy to dismiss Google Glass as an overpriced geek toy that will never go mainstream. But that would be a mistake. … Glass will never be as ubiquitous as the smartphone, but it will be mainstream. You need to start preparing now for [its] inevitable introduction…into your offices…inside the firewall.…
What are the implications…for the company’s BYOD policies? For regulatory compliance? For reputation management? … The benefits will outweigh the risks for most kinds of companies. But BYOD policies, procedures and management tools will need to be upgraded and augmented.

In fact, Mike foresaw this day, six months ago:

It’s becoming a true, proactive virtual assistant. … Once this capability is further refined and expanded, you can expect subtle nudges and reminders that guide you through your day.…
Although a face recognition feature has been disabled and banned by Google for now, it’s likely that Glass will eventually tell you the name of people you encounter, and remind you about your personal history with that person.…
Start making plans for how your business will communicate with customers who “wear” their computers, rather than carry them.

 Image credit: Sander Veenhof (cc:by) 

Usher Says Justin Bieber Is 'Unequivocally Not A Racist'

Iyana Robertson Posted June 7, 2014

Usher, essentially the man behind Justin Bieber’s music career, has finally given his two cents on the controversial videos that have dropped of the now 21-year-old singer using racial slurs. On his Instagram, Usher posted a throwback photo with Bieber, and included the following caption:

“At my core, I am a person that supports growth and understands without judgement, that growth often comes as a result of pain and continues effort. As I have watched Justin Bieber navigate difficult waters as a young man, I can tell you that he hasn't always chosen the path of his greatest potential, but he is unequivocally not a racist. What he was 5 years ago was a naive child who did not understand the negative power and degradation that comes from playing with racial slurs. What he is now is a young man faced with an opportunity to become his best self, an example to the millions of kids that follow him to not make the same mistakes.”

SEE ALSO: Justin Bieber’s Most Controversial Moments of 2014 (So Far)

In both videos recorded of Bieber about five years ago, he is captured dropping a series of N-bombs while telling racist jokes and playfully singing a “One Less Lonely N-gger” remix to one of his early singles. He has since garnered the support of Floyd Mayweather,Young Money and 50 Cent, who all have attested to the incidents as immature mistakes.

Bieber has also since released an apology.

TAGS Usher, Justin Bieber, justin bieber racist joke

U.S. economy regains all jobs lost in recession

Paul Davidson, USA TODAY



The Labor Department reports Friday that the United States in May added 217,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate remained at 6.3%. Moody's Analytics economist Ben Garber tells TheStreet's Joe Deaux the report came in-line with consensus expectation. Newslook

Employers added 217,000 jobs in May as the labor market reached a milestone with the recovery of all 8.7 million jobs lost in the recession.

The unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.3%, the Labor Department said Friday.

Economists surveyed by Action Economics estimated that 220,000 jobs were added last month.

Employment, at 138.5 million, exceeds its pre-recession level for the first time in the nearly five-year-old recovery. Payrolls fell by 8.7 million from January 2008 through February 2010, but since then non-farm jobs have risen by 8.8 million.

FIRST TAKE: More jobs but no cheer on wage gains

While the milestone is noteworthy, U.S. employment is still below where it should be after taking into account the growth in population and the labor force since the recession.

May's tally also mark the fourth straight month that job gains have topped 200,000 — the first such stretch since October 1999-January 2000.

Businesses added 216,000 jobs, while federal, state and local governments added 1,000 as professional and business services, health care and leisure and hospitality led the additions.

April's job gains of 288,000 were revised down slightly to 282,000.

Despite harsh winter weather that caused the economy to contract in the first quarter for the first time in three years, the labor market has shifted into a higher gear this year, gaining an average 213,000 jobs a month, vs. 194,000 in 2013. Such an increase can create a virtuous cycle, with job growth fueling more consumer and business spending and even stronger payroll gains.

Paul Ballew, chief economist of Dun & Bradstreet, expects monthly job additions to average 235,000 to 240,000 this year.

"Clearly the labor market is picking up some momentum," he says. "At some point that's going to translate into wage increases."

Ballew, however, noted the jobs recovery is uneven, with business services and health care leading and middle-wage sectors such as manufacturing and construction growing but recouping only a fraction of the positions lost in the recession.

In May, education and health services led job gains with 63,000. Professional and business services added 55,000. And leisure and hospitality added 39,000.

Manufacturing, meanwhile, added 10,000 and construction, 6,000.

Some other labor market indicators were encouraging. A broader measure of pain in the job market that includes part-time employees who prefer full-time jobs, Americans who've given up looking for work and the unemployed — dipped to 12.2% from 12.3%.

And the number of Americans out of work at least six months dropped by 78,000 to 3.4 million. The long-term unemployed still make up 34.6% of all the jobless.

The average work week was unchanged at 34.5 hours for the second straight month. Employers often add hours before beefing up staff. Hourly earnings rose 5 cents to $24.38.

Several analysts were optimistic ahead of Friday's employment report, noting that initial jobless claims — a barometer of layoffs — have continued to fall to pre-recession levels recently. And a measure of service-sector employment rose last month.

Others expected the job market to take a breather after April's booming gains. Private payroll processor ADP reported this week that businesses added 179,000 jobs in May, below the 200,000-plus expected.

The economy generally has rebounded recently after shrinking in the first quarter amid cold and snowy weather. Manufacturing activity, business investment and home sales have picked up, but consumer spending has lagged.

Google takes users inside 2014 World Cup stadiums

Can't make it to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup this summer? Google Street View has you covered. The virtual mapping folks at Google have created a World Cup web page that allows users to take a virtual tour of each of the country's 12 World Cup venues.

Users are placed in the center circle of any stadium they click on and, like any Street View interface, can then select many directions to move the vantage point.

The World Cup kicks off June 12 when host country Brazil takes on Croatia in Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo.

United States soccer fans can check out the stadiums in which the Americans will play in the group stage of the World Cup: Estadio das Dunas in Natal (June 16 vs. Ghana), Arena Amazonia in Manaus (June 22 vs. Portugal) and Arena Pernambuco in Recife (June 26 vs. Germany).

(Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba/GETTY)

10 Obvious Signs a Guy Is Flirting with You

Ever wonder if that nice guy is flirting with you? There are a few proven ways that can tell you if he is interested in you. While it’s difficult to read body language at times, it’s possible if you know where to start. Here are 10 ways that men unconsciously and even consciously let you know that they like you. Take a look, see what you see and maybe you will find your love right now.

1. Lovely smile

A lovely smile is actually a good sign and, when it comes to flirting, it’s one of the surest signs he is interested in you. If you notice that he is smiling at you, there’s a good chance he likes you and wants to approach you. Maybe he is shy, so why not show him your confidence and courage by approaching him first? Of course, if you like him. After all, there is nothing to be ashamed of if you approach a man first. Just smile back, initiate a conversation with him and don’t try to play hard to get. Playing hard to get is a great boost, but often it’s a big turn off for guys.

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