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[S2E7 - MB - Afternoon Coffee - June 5, 2013]
(Jack) Hello, and welcome to today's 'Monkey Business.'
This is 'Monkey Business' for June 5, 2013.
And, in today's Afternoon Coffee newser, we have...
Online retailer Amazon (AMZN) signs a multi-year deal with entertainment content provider Viacom (VIA),
adding thousands of favorite kids' shows like 'Dora the Explorer,' 'Blue's Clues' and 'The Backyardigans'
to their Amazon (AMZN) Prime video streaming service.
'Kids' shows are one of the most-watched TV genres on Prime Instant Video,' says Bill Carr, VP [vice president] of Digital Video and Music for Amazon (AMZN).
The company [Amazon (AMZN)] is also launching several original series, available exclusively on Amazon [Amazon.com] through the same [Amazon Prime video streaming] service.
Amazon (AMZN) was able to scoop up the rights to the Viacom (VIA) content after video streaming service
Netflix (NFLX) let their Viacom (VIA) content licensing deal for Nickelodeon, BET, and MTV content expire in May 2013.
(Marcel) Well, they're [Amazon (AMZN)] fast on their feet.
(Marcel) Drama!
(Jack) It is heating up a bit [companies jockeying for position to dominate video streaming market, etc.], isn't it.
(Jack) Of course, Netflix (NFLX) has also launched their own original programming as well, in addition to bringing
back fan favorite 'Arrested Development.' [Shown onscreen: MB S1E25, which covers this story.]
(Marcel) And let's not forget Hulu - they're still limping along, no?
Someone reports every other day that so-and-so is bidding some extraordinary amount for that video streaming service.
(Jack) True.
(Marcel) It's like a prize fight just warming up in the second round,
and then suddenly, someone jumps in over the ropes.
(Jack) Huh. Could be. And who do you think's going to walk away with Hulu?
Some of the potential bidders being buzzed about are Yahoo, DirectTV and a handful of others.
(Marcel) And none of them confirmed, eh? It's like they're all doing the hokey-pokey.
We put our big bid in...no, maybe we put our big bid out...And do the maybe-maybe and then we sit it out.
Anyway, someone will end up with Hulu.
All I can say for certain is - not me.
(Jack) What, you don't want to buy a video streaming service(s) company?
(Marcel) Who, me? Ah, no.
Too lazy. It's too much like work. You know, what's on today -- I don't know. What's hot, what's not, what's there,
what's new, what's not new, I don't care; stop asking me questions.
Just look.
(Jack) [Chuckles.] Fair enough. Of course, for related coverage on all three video streaming services, links may be found in the infobox.
(Jack) In economics news, from the Institute for Supply Management's [ISM] monthly Report on Business report - manufacturing contracted in May 2013 as
the PMI [formerly called the Purchasing Managers' Index, prior to 2001; ISM currently uses only the abbreviation 'PMI'] registered 49 percent, compared to April's [April 2013] reading of 50.7 percent.
The reading for May 2013 is the lowest reading for the PMI™ since June 2009, when the index registered 45.8 percent.
To place this in context, readings below 50 indicate contraction, while anything above 50 indicates expansion.
Also in economics news, payroll processor ADP (ADP) reports in their ADP National Employment Report that employers in the U.S. added 135,000 jobs in May 2013,
a slight increase over the figures for April 2013, which were revised downward to 113,000 from 119,000.
President and chief executive officer of ADP (ADP) Carlos A. Rodriguez does note that 'a gain of 5,000 jobs in the construction industry during May 2013
was offset by a decline of 6,000 lost jobs in the manufacturing industry,' and news agency Reuters adds that the May 2013 figures were lower than forecasts
for a gain of some 165,000, based on economists polled [by Reuters] ahead of the report [ADP National Employment Report] release.
Mark Zandi, chief economist of data firm Moody's Analytics, comments that, 'The [U.S.] job market
continues to expand, but growth has slowed since the beginning of the year. The slowdown is evident across all industries and [at] all but the largest companies.
Manufacturers are reducing payrolls. The softer job market this spring is largely due to significant
fiscal drag from tax increases and government spending cuts.' [Quote: Mark Zandi, chief economist, Moody's Analytics]
For additional details, just browse the links in the infobox, or click the episode above for coverage of another
economic indicator, the latest durable goods report released by the U.S. Department of Commerce on May 24, 2013. [Shown onscreen: MB S2E6]
And now, over to Marcel, for Nearly News.
Take it away, Marcel.
(Marcel) You know, we covered the merchandising connected to wildly popular fantasy show
'Game of Thrones,' and you can find out more about that in the episode shown above. [Shown onscreen: MB S1E22]
[Clip from MB S1E22] (Marcel) Raaaagh! Oh. I forgot my sword.
Spptoo-spptoo.
What is this, yak hair? Spptoo-spptoo-spptoo.
Aha! Remember that? [MB S1E22]
Just how popular is this show ['Game of Thrones']?
Well, the first season of 'Game of Thrones,' produced by HBO and airing in over 70 countries, was released on DVD on March 6, 2012. [Clip - 'Game of Thrones' S1 trailer]
The box set sold 350,000 units in the first seven days, the largest first-week DVD sales ever for an HBO [production company, Home Box Office, or HBO] series.
Box sets and digital downloads of the second season were released on February 19, 2013. [Clip - 'Game of Thrones' S2 promo]
This time, sales were even brisker. 'Entertainment Weekly' magazine reports that the company moved 241,000 units on the first day alone,
further noting that HBO also sold 355,000 individual episodes as digital downloads, up 112 percent from season one.
As for pirated episodes, well, those numbers would be a little more iffy.
But TorrentFreak.com, which tracks that sort of thing, estimates that the first show in the third season,
which aired March 31, 2013 on HBO, has already been downloaded more than a million times.
Only months into 2013, there's almost no doubt that 'Game of Thrones' will once again win the dubious title of being the most pirated TV show of the year.
Meanwhile, what's happened in the latest season [S3E9] - season three - is a wedding that's left viewers totally traumatized.
What just happened?
[Various viewer reactions to 'Game of Thrones' S3E9 [season three, episode nine] are shown. The episode features The Red Wedding.] | Sounds: Yelling and sound of swords clashing, general mayhem, etc.
Oh là là.
Here we have a snapshot of 'Game of Thrones' star Maisie Williams sharing her reaction to the [S3E9] episode.
So, if that was your reaction, too - and who can say that it's not - then here we have a much more nice and mellow
MB ['Monkey Business'] episode on weddings, shown above. [Shown onscreen: MB S2E4]
There, there...you just watch that, you'll feel better. There's some disco dancing, no 'Game of Thrones' spoilers, and nobody dies.
Is that a spoiler? Well, in a show like 'Game of Thrones,' I think we can say of the note, 'Oh, and character meets a ghastly end' - just apply as necessary.
Maybe every five minutes or so.
But, aha, in the meantime, for masochists - I mean, fans of the show who are recklessly determined to continue on
with season three and into the final season [S4], already scheduled to premiere in 2014 - here we have an interesting take on the economics of 'Game of Thrones.' [Clip courtesy of Reason TV]
The clip, presented by Reason TV, features Auburn University Economics instructor Matthew McCaffrey,
who chats about the business behind all the alliances, finagling, scandals, battles, swords and blood.
So, there we are - you can enjoy that if you're curious about some of the real-life economics tidbits woven into the fantasy framework.
In the meantime, for the viewers still traumatized by all that gore, I'll try to take your mind off of it.
Let's see, how about a 'Game of Thrones' joke.
Ah!
What happens if you get invited to a wedding in 'Game of Thrones'? (pause)
Don't go!
And that's today's 'Monkey Business.'
Take care, folks, there are gritty fantasy series out there. And swords, intrigues, and unpleasantness at weddings.
[Notices someone offscreen.] Ah, Grimsy. [See: MB S1E23] You were invited? Nice to see you!
Oh, wait a second... [Shown onscreen: MB S1E25 feat. Grimsy a.k.a. The Grim Reaper.]
...that's not good. [Ominous music starts to play.]
Oh-hoo-hoo-hoo. Gotta go. [Sounds that play during segment: Ominous music, swords clashing, people yelling, dishes clattering, etc.]
What's that?
Raaagh!
Raaagh!
Ah, you know -- some of us are trying to eat, here.
Hey, duck!
[Marcel shown peeking out from under a table to scope out the scene, etc.]
I can't even look.
Oh là là.
[Reacting to some offscreen bit of horribleness.] That was just RUDE.
Everybody run.
Bye-bye.
Dah-dah-dah-DAH.
[Aftermath.] Oh là là.
Worst wedding ever.
Eh, is there any cake?
[Medieval-style music plays.]