AP R I L 2 0 1 0 Century Plaza To Shed Top Floors The Century Plaza which, together with the Intercontinental, makes up the pillar hotels for the L.A. Screenings, is back in the news. New plans call for “sensitive rehabilitation” of the hotel to preserve 400 of the hotel’s 726 rooms, by converting those on the top floors to 45 condos. In addition, meeting space would be reduced, and a slightly smaller ballroom would replace the existing one. The Century Plaza Hotel, a Los Angeles landmark, was recently saved from the wrecking ball by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Los Angeles City Council. With the support of concerned citizens, the two city organizations intervened in the demolition of the hotel by the owner: real estate developer Michael Rosenfeld. Rosenfeld had planned to raze the Century Plaza to make way for two 50-story high-rises that would house condos, offices, a boutique hotel and shops. Los Angeles’ city councilman Paul Koretz, who represents the Century City neighborhood (an area in the heart of Los Angeles), led the negotiations with Rosenfeld, resulting in a compromise that will save over half of the hotel’s rooms. The Century Plaza was designed by Minoru Yamasaki and has been an industry hotspot since its opening in 1966. It plays a central role in May’s L.A. Screenings, playing host to network events and indie screenings alike. In response to the controversy, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has added the hotel to its annual list of America’s 11 most endangered historic sites. Click ‘n Buy, New TV Shows Tool Hyperspots has launched Advertising by Choice, a new technology used to generate newadvertisingopportunities online for TV shows. The approach is geared towards viewers who are willing to learn more about the products featured on TV shows and, possibly, buy the items with three easy clicks. Rather than using ads that interrupt the viewing experience, Hyperspots allows viewers to click on the item they see anytime and anywhere during the show to get more information about it. The system allows content owners to monetize the images and video they distribute online, making every element of a picture or video-frame clickable. Once an item is clicked on, information about its cost and how to buy it appears on the screen. “Viewers are already watching content online by the millions,” Hyperspots Marketing vp Alain Teale said. “However, everyone is still looking for that effective way to integrate the entertainment, the store and the sale all in one place, and Hyperspots has done just that, generating new revenue streams for all content publishers, content owners, content producers, brands and retailers alike.” Hyperspots CEO Scott Mahoney added, “Advertising by Choice changes everything. Now the viewer gets to choose the product he wants unobtrusively and as a result advertisers will be able to put their message in front of the right person at the right time.” TiVo Upgrades Its Set-Top Box TiVo Inc. has unveiled a new set-top box (STB) that will allow viewers to watch streaming videos from a variety of sources on their television. The so-called “Premiere” box debuts this month and will cost around $300. This is the first device that allows people to watch both regular broadcast television as well as Web videos from sites like YouTube and Netflix. In the past, TiVo’s STB only operated as a recording device, allowing users to store, playback, fast forward and rewind their favorite shows. TiVo’s “Premiere” model holds 45 hours of high-definition content, but customers can pay $500 for an increase to 150 hours. Research analysts are speculating that the new device will prompt consumers who already own TiVos to upgrade to the new model, rather than bring in new buyers. TiVo has partnerships with MSO Comcast, cable provider RCN, which services (Continued on Page 6) V I D E O • A G E 4
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