HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS, NETWORKS and brands heard first hand about the new opportunity to take entertainment to the malls (written by Joyce Schwarz, author, analyst and free lance emerging entertainment and tech consultant)...when Robin Blunt, VP Promotions & Retailer Marketing, Simon Brand Ventures 
was speaking on the Retail Panel -- "At the Corner of Hollywood & Retail" at PMA's Starpower 2006 conference at Universal Studios earlier this week. Panel moderator Terry (T.L.) Stanley, Los Angeles Bureau Chief, Advertising Age seemed so interested in the new venture that she interrupted Blunt briefly to ask if the story had been in print yet?
VIDEOPOLIS: iMedia Connection: Welcome to Videopolis (Part 1)
BLOGGER DIGRESSION: as you've read in my columns on www.imediaconnection.com and in this blog I'm a big fan of 'public space' video. (CHECK OUT THE LINK ABOVE TO parts 1 and 2 about my version of what the public space has to offer video fans.) I'm not necessarily just what we call TV today -- but video designed and created for public spaces. I love the idea of running local "YOU TUBE" videos regionally and independent film trailers to promo new films. Imagine your son's Pee Wee League baseball highlights at the mall. What about LIVE TV and interviews with mall patrons on subjects of current events interest. When I was working in Hawaii as a VP for a major agency, we produced a television program carried on the NBC affiliate there and focusing on a debate/discussion with local business leaders called HOTLINE TO BUSINESS -- that show attracted much kudos including local EMMY's and promo in the national WALL STREET JOURNAL.
Yep, Terry, Hollywood2020.blogs.com blogger, Joyce Schwarz found this May 12, 2006 press release on the new joint venture Simon Property Group and Publicis Groupe Launch OnSpot Digital Network, Major New Digital Channel.
QUICK FACTS ON THE NEW ONSPOT DIGITAL NETWORK:
*High- definition digital network *OnSpot Digital Network is a 50/50 venture between Publicis Groupe and Simon Property Group *Prior to the rollout to a key handful of major cities, the OnSpot digital initiative was in testing at Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island, NY * According to the Simon press release, OnSpot Digital Network will broadcast content in high-definition on nearly 2,000 screens at 50 premier Simon Malls covering most of the nation's Top 10 markets by the end of the summer 2006 *an estimated 500 million shopper visits per year visit the 50 malls served by the netowrk (Simon has 300 shopping centers nationwide and their website says they attract 2.2 billion consumer visits annually.
ARBITRON INVOLVED: According to the press release and Blunt's announcement at Starpower, Arbitron is involved. The press release says "seeds for OnSpot Digital Network were planted in 2003 when SBV commissioned Arbitron to validate its mall pedestrian traffic ".(www.simon.com/arbitron). OnSpot's state-of-the-art, digital, high-definition screens will be positioned at strategic locations throughout the malls, including major entrances, center courts, food courts, escalators, major corridors and other high traffic areas, to ensure high frequency and optimal consumer contact.
According to a Reuters report, programming will run in eight-minute loops, with half the time devoted to ads. Nintendo, Visa and Subway were among advertisers with Coca-Cola that took part in the system's test run at New York's Roosevelt Field Mall.
MALL TV NOT TOTALLY NEW 
Simon's not the first to announce a mall television network -- they may be the first to announce High Def though-- I'll have to check on that. Last fall Clearchannel announced a deal with DAN Digital Advertising Network of Canada to roll out a mall TV network in 200 malls by this summer. Here's the link to that story: CC Launches Mall TV Net. That network launched with 15 minute loops with 15 and 30 second ads including content from Yahoo
The Reuters report says: A 30-second commercial to appear on On-Spot network all the screens will cost $350,000 a month, a Publicis spokeswoman said. By comparison, the best-placed billboards in Times Square cost between $200,000 and $350,000 a month, while a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl costs about $2.4 million.
URTV NETWORK ALSO LAUNCHES:At the ICSC Convention in Las Vegas in May, Urban Retail Properties Co. will unveil a new in-store television network, called URTV, aimed at retailers.The Mall Becomes TV Land -- Again
RISE OF THE FOURTH SCREEN:
Commenting on the recent interest again in Mall TV -- NY TIMES writer Stuart Elliot said, "The formation of OnSpot underlines the growing interest in what could be called the fourth screen, meaning all the screens that consumers see outside the home, in stadiums and arenas; the lobbies of movie theaters; public gathering places like Times Square, Piccadilly Circus or the Ginza; inside elevators in office buildings; and in airport terminals and train stations. Bringing Digital Ads to the Local Mall.
WHAT'S NEXT =3D
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