Overview
Dave Charmatz,
Principal
Charmatz founded Mediaxiom LLC, a media consultancy and multi-platform production company, in 2010. Charmatz is an expert in original programming; new programming models; broadband, video and infrastructure; multi-platform displays; interactive media; and media ecosystems. Charmatz worked for Starz Entertainment in a variety senior executive positions. He also was the EVP/COO of ASI Entertainment, the premiere televisual media research and analysis firm. ASIE tested programs for nearly every broadcast network and Hollywood studio, every top tier and middle tier cable network, and all major program syndicators. As VP of Site Planning for Nickelodeon Online, Charmatz planned the design of the Nick jr Parents, Nick at Nite, and TV Land websites. While at MTV Networks Online, Charmatz was responsible for all online metrics and usability testing for all of MTV Networks brands internationally. He also held other research and planning positions within MTV Networks. Charmatz was Director of Research for A&E TV Networks and a Senior Analyst for Turner Broadcasting, Inc. He also holds advisory positions with both the Colorado Film School and The Denver Foundation and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Media Leaders Roundtable and was the Chairman of the Board of the Denver Film Society.
New Media Marketing / Product Development / Strategic Planning / Programming / BI
Market Analysis & Development / Branding / Project Management / Advertising / Promotions / Packaging
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Starz Denver Film Festival 2011 Opening Night: Like Crazy works like crazy
Denver Westword By Michael RobertsThu., Nov. 3 2011 Just after 8 p.m., the lights dimmed and Denver Film Society board chairman David Charmatz -- once Starz's Senior Vice President of Product Planning and Development, now an independent media consultant -- took to the podium. He's a dynamic speaker, striking just the right mix of movie love and boosterism. He noted that the fest is considered one of the fifty best on the planet (by indieWIRE) and pointed out that more than 270 pictures will unspool in the coming days, making this year's model the most ambitious ever, at least from a volume perspective. Ostrow: Why wait? Movies, TV shows are now available early and everywhere By Joanne Ostrow, Denver Post Television Critic ... Getting folks to pay actual dollars for online content remains tricky. "Someone ultimately has to make money. If the numbers don't work it's harder to spend $5 million on a network drama," said Mediaxiom's David Charmatz, a Denver-based consultant and industry veteran. The numbers tell the story, according to Charmatz, a veteran of Starz, MTV and A&E. Television is a business of tens of billions of dollars based on advertising revenue. The money made from Netflix, Hulu, iTunes and the rest, he said, is "gravy." Mess with the traditional marketplace, and you jeopardize the whole ecosystem of ad-based TV. There's an odd "sociological piece" in consumer behavior: Charmatz marvels at the way people are willing to buy apps that make something more convenient or that are just cool, "but the same people will not spend a penny to buy content. ... They won't buy a TV show; they won't buy a song. Right now, there is a whole group of people — millions of potentially billions of people — who don't see the value proposition in buying content." ... Online Viewers Just as Likely to Watch on TV Set, Study Says TelevisonWeek By Daisy Whitney People who watch movies and television shows online and on alternative devices are just as likely to also watch programming on the television set. That’s the finding from a study conducted this fall by premium cable network Starz and shared with TelevisionWeek. The online survey of 5,500 individuals 12 and older found hat about 18% of that group watched TV shows and movies online, on broadband-connected gaming consoles such as the Xbox, or on cell phones. Of this group, 77% also watch live television on the TV set itself, compared to 75% of the general population who do so. “The sky is not falling,” said David Charmatz, senior VP of product planning and development at Starz. “TV viewing online is additive. It’s not a net down.” Video Distribution and Mobile Apps: Telecom Trends and Changes The Carmel Group By: Jimmy Schaeffler Indeed, currently some young, restless, and creative software applications developer is honing in now on an application that will jump start the actual alliance between video content and what I will, for today and this column, call Enhanced Mobile Entertainment. EME is an actual hybrid of the two somewhat similar terms, Locations Based Services and Geographical Information Systems, both of which deal with this rather complex and arcane industry subsector involving informational mapping. The term and acronym “EME” is the brainchild of Starz Encore senior vice president David Charmatz. |
Knowledge Networks Interview
TV and Online Video – Finding an "Over-the-Top" Business Model KN Talks to Mediaxiom's David Charmatz – planning and research veteran from Starz, MTV, A&E Do you see a viable business model for your clients in "over the top" TV? Yes, but you've got to put it within the right context. It is a video business that's still buoyed by the advertising market; if the advertising market cannot support it, then it can't be supported as a business. If it winds up being a huge detriment to the existing traditional businesses, without enough gain to cover the difference, it jeopardizes the whole infrastructure. All those other models – transactional, subscription, and any hybrids thereof – cannot survive without an ad-supported model as a base. Is that your opinion, or is that a fact? No, that is a fact. It's a simple mathematical equation. ... if you're going to take 10 or 20 billion dollars out of that marketplace, and you can't replace it somewhere else, then it jeopardizes the whole ecosystem of delivering messages and delivering value that can sell products. What do you think about the research going on in this space? I think most of it is crap... People tend to run after shiny objects – that's what it comes down to. This forces other researchers – some of whom are very good – to react, because their management does not have the right tools to say that these numbers don't make any sense. It's not even improbable – it's impossible. Have you encountered cases in which your clients or colleagues have regretted going with cheaper research? All the time. If you are going to cut the research budget, or flatten it, but increase the demand, it forces people to make compromises. If you're a good researcher, you do the best you can to try to minimize those tradeoffs – but they're still tradeoffs. I've seen people make business decisions based on really poor information, and it winds up being wrong. There's no guarantee that any research is 100% right; but it can minimize risk. That is what good research does for you. What do you see as the future for DVDs? Our report still showed very strong usage, but it is clearly a medium in jeopardy. People are not going to spend a lot of money on the technology right now. Consumers have to get used to the electronic piece, the fear of "breakage" of electronic files versus hard goods. And content providers have to let go of incrementalization, the practice of trying to get another dollar out of people for a slightly different version of the same product they've bought 16 times before. Platforms like Disney's KeyChest can help consumers overcome their trepidation toward purchasing new homevideo products. What about use of mobile video? What do you think is the potential opportunity there? You've got to put mobile video into buckets, because it's not one thing. It is a whole series of things, and, depending on the client, you've got to figure which of those platforms make the most sense for your product and your brand. There's broadband streaming video, broadcast video – such as the networks' digital sideband channels – and video you download to a mobile device for later viewing. Do you think the behaviors of TV versus Internet use will meld, or do you think they will always be clearly distinct experiences? The answer depends on where you live. [laughs] For that to be a one to one relationship in this country, it's going to take a long time. If you go to parts of the world where they're building an IP all-digital platform infrastructure, the question of Internet/TV difference is basically moot – because the bits are the bits, and you can do anything you want on the same screen using the same type of device. If you have IP infrastructure and a really smart set top box, it's easy enough for you to make phone calls and go on the Internet and watch TV through any device. It just comes down to a convenience discussion. So what would you say is your core message to media clients right now, as they try to straddle the new and traditional platforms? Ultimately, the discussion is about the value proposition – that is what companies mostly forget. What is the value to the consumer to do anything? What is the value to the consumer to buy a product or service when they can get it for free and they have little risk if they pirate it? This is the other reason why I say the ad-supported model is the only way you can support content – because if you do not have that revenue, then the quality has to start to decline. Then the only high-quality content is going to be in a movie theater or some version thereof – because TV cannot continue to spend three to five million dollars an hour to produce this content when content life is shrinking. You don't have the same horizon to pay back your investment. So you need to monetize faster. |
New Media / Marketing / Product Development / Strategic Planning / Programming / BI
Market Analysis & Development / Branding / Project Management / Advertising / Promotions / Packaging
