HSN Has Started Streaming HSN2 Live On HSN.com

You can now watch HSN’s spinoff network, HSN2, live online.

The live video stream has been added to HSN’s website.

The second network launched on Dish Network Aug. 1, but that’s the only distribution it has so far.

According to the original press release on HSN2, it
is “designed to offer customers a curated assortment of encore airings of HSN’s must-see shows, products, brands and personalities.”

The announcement also said, “Programming for the new channel, which will be either complementary or counter to the programming on HSN, will be developed in unique and different ways to excite customers. The channel will also serve as a platform to test different ideas and develop new business opportunities for the company.”

QVC Will Watch Performance Of Second Networks In UK, Germany Before Considering One In U.S.

QVC Mike George

Don’t expect to see QVC launch a second network in the United States any time soon, even though rival HSA debuted HSN2 on Aug. 1.

QVC this fall does plan to launch second channels in the United Kingdom and Germany, QVC CEO Mike George said during a second-quarter conference call for parent Liberty Media Monday.

Those new shopping networks “will feature the best-of content, and expose QVC to more consumers,” according George.

And QVC in the second quarter started doing a late-night simulcast of its UK network on ITV, and a hour simulcast its Japanese home shopping nework in that country.

But you won’t see any of this happening in America yet, he added.

“The reason we chose UK and Germany for second channel is that it’s relatively low cost to get incremental distribution,” George said. In those countries the new QVCs will be “largely leveraging content off the main channel” but will have some original programming.

In the UK, the second network will focus on bearty, while the one Germany will be “more mixed,” with some focus on beauty, according to George.

“These taped channels provide modest revenue potential,” he said. “I don’t want to overstate the impact, and the key is to do it at a very low cost. In the U.S. we may at some point explore a second channel, but it’s a little bit lower down on our priority list…the equation for us is in terms of amount of revenue potential relative to the cost and caliber of the distribution. It’s not as clear cut a case (in the U.S.) as it is in the UK and Germany. So we’ll watch those two markets…At some point we might consider bringing it to the U.S., but that’s unclear at this point.”

HSN2, which debuted on Dish Network, is using taped content from HSN, content that was shot but never aired on HSN and some original programming.

HSN2 Will Be Streamed On HSN.com, Says HSN CEO Mindy Grossman

We’re going to have to give you an abbreviated post on HSN’s second-quarter conference call Wednesday, because we’ve been writing since 8 a.m., and it’s 10:30 p.m., and we’re tired.

During the Q-&-A part of the call, HSN CEO Mindy Grossman spent a lot of time talking about HSN2, the sister channel to HSN that launched Aug. 1 on Dish Network.

“It expands our shelf space,” Grossman said of the new network, adding, “It’s not going to be a clearance channel.”

HSN2 is now in 13 million homes, and Grossman said she expects to have additional distribution soon.

Video from HSN2, which “will offer a curated assortment of encore airings of HSN’s must-see shows, products, brands and personalities,” so we are told, will be streamed on HSN.com, just like HSN, Grossman told analysts. That’s good news for us, because we’re curious to see what HSN2 looks like, and we’re a Comcast subscriber, not Dish.

Grossman reiterated what’s already said about HSN2, namely that it will not only repackage content from HSN but will also be a test vehicle for the mothership network. HSN2 will also have original programming.

“We will be creating original programming for HSN2 that could and would be different than what we traditionally do on HSN,” Grossman said.

She pointed out that HSN shoots video that it doesn’t get a chance to run.

“We already do a lot of B-roll for a lot of our shows,” said Grossman, and that “B-roll” can air on HSN2.

Grossman also touted HSN’s “Eat, Pray, Love” promotion coming up this weekend, a partrnership with Sony Pictures. It ties in with the movie based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestseller, which stars Julia Roberts and debuts Aug. 13.

The HSN “Eat, Pray, Love” event will feature 30 brands and designers, with 400 new products, Grossman said.

And HSN’s 33rd birthday celebration, live from Las Vegas, Aug. 14 to 15, will be telecast from Planet Hollywood and magician Chriss Angel will make a special appearance, according to Grossman.

HSN Lands Patents For HSN Shop By Remote And E-Commerce Options

HSN has secured two patents, including one for HSN Shop by Remote, which is in 30 million homes, and is the only U.S. service of its kind to allow customers to buy products with just a few clicks of their remote control, the company said Wednesday.

“This patent reinforces our position as a revolutionary force in television and retail as we continue to bring exciting innovations to our customers that enable them to shop whenever and however they choose,” John McDevitt, HSN’s vice president of advanced services, said in a canned statement.

The HSN patent entitled “System for Improved Interactive Television Processing” covers many of the proprietary aspects of the HSN Shop By Remote platform and provides for a transactional environment between a server and one or more display devices. Using the unique identity of a given customer operating a display device, the HSN Shop by Remote system generates and transmits customized transaction data, creating an individualized transactional experience.

In addition, HSN secured a patent called “Method and System for Improved E-Commerce Shopping.” The patent includes many of the proprietary features of the HSN.com platform that allows consumers to view multiple video product presentations.

The system provides both a live video feed as well as pre-recorded video segments that may be related to one or more product presentations.

“Consumer appetite for online video viewing and shopping options is rapidly expanding, creating tremendous opportunities for e-commerce providers to monetize these channels,” McDevitt said. “Our second patent helps protect our video and e-commerce technology and reaffirms our leadership position in transactional innovation.”

As part of its strategy to provide customers with access to great shopping experiences across multiple platforms, HSN has deployed the HSN Shop by Remote interactive television service and is also today the only retailer streaming live HD video on three screens: TV, online and mobile.

With a focus on capturing additional growth opportunities in mobile, HSN has over the last year launched an i-phone app, an android app and, most recently, a WAP site. And Aug. 1 HSN will launch HSN2, effectively becoming the only home shopping network with a second TV shopping channel. HSN2 will provide customers with more viewing and shopping options as it offers 24 hours of encore airings of HSN’s favorite brands, products and personalities.

Has Liza Minnelli’s Train-Wreck Appearance On HSN Gone Viral? At The Least, It Went International

You read it here first, folks. But the media is now having a field day writing about diva Liza Minnelli’s disastrous appearance on HSN earlier this week.

All the stories include all or or part of a 5-minute YouTube video (condensed from a two-hour appearance) of Liza selling her clothing and jewely line on the home shopping channel.

Liza was not very coherent, made statements that were non sequiturs, scolded the HSN host and was just not all there.

The New York Post’s story today is headlined “Shop Dead Diva: Liza’s Kooky HSN One-Nighter.”

The Post story says that the video of Liza’s appearance had gone viral on YouTube. Well, when we saw it yesterday it had about 450 views. This morning it was at 26,500.

The only thing inaccurate about the Post story is that it described HSN host Bobbi Ray Carter as “busty.” Carter is a stick, about 80 pounds wet, and she’s not well-endowed.

At one point during Liza’s appearance poor Carter, trying to keep the show rolling and the diva engaged, said, “You have a beautiful wrist Liza.” That was just one of a flurry of overly flattering comments Carter made to Liza throughout the night.

When Carter suggested viewers might want to pile on some of Liza’s bracelets, Liza corrected her and said, “One will do.” That meant a couple of less bracelet sales for HSN right there.

The Huffington Post even wrote about Liza’s HSN debut, as did Entertainment Weekly online.

Huffington Post mocked Liza’s line about a sequined dress in her HSN: “You don’t have to sell it, it sells you.”

Entertainment Weekly said that Liza deserves her own reality show, based on her performance on HSN. Its item made fun of Liza’s comment to one of her adoring fans who called in. The woman said she considered Liza her mentor, and the star replied. “You’re my mentor, too.” Huh?

UPDATE: Our talented friend and fellow blogger Lisa Swan, whose “Subway Squawkers” Yankee-Mets baseball blog who also blogs for The Huffington Post, e-mailed us to say that even the British papers, namely The Daily Mail had picked up the Liza-HSN story.

Well, HSN certainly got a lot of press out of Liza’s appearance, that’s for sure. We don’t know if the folks down in St. Petersburg are happy about it or not.

HSN Rock Star Jay King’s Buddy Marty Colbaugh, Owner Of THE Kingman Mine, Doesn’t Play Favorites: He Sells Turquoise To HSN Rival QVC

Kingman Mine owner Marty Colbaugh (on the right, we think)

Marty Colbaugh, the owner of the Kingman Mine in Arizona, doesn’t play favorites in terms of which home shopping network he sells his turquoise to.

QVC’s Today’s Special Value Saturday is a blue Kingman turquoise necklance and enhancer made from Kingman turquoise that was found in a huge vein in the mine last year.
So Colbaugh is appearing in on-air promos on QVC and on videos on the network’s website.

But Colbaugh is also a business associate and friend of Jay King, who does the Mine Finds line for QVC rival HSN.

HSN's Jay King, Marty's friend and business associate

Just over a month ago, Colbaugh appeared live on HSN with King when the Today’s Special was a Kingman turquoise ring.

The blue Kingman turquoise used for both pieces is apparently from the same “find” last year, and there has not been such a turquoise score at the Arizona mine since the late 1960s or early 1970s, Colbaugh said on both HSN and one of his QVC videos.

When QVC host Jill Bauer said that the Today’s Special Valyue was manufactured in Albuquerque, N.M., we almost jumped out of our chair, because that’s where King’s factory is. But of course he is not making the QVC necklace.

Veteran QVC Southwestern jewelry vendor Carolyn Pollack, who like King is based in Albuquerque, is making it.

HSN To Launch Second Home Shopping Channel, HSN2, On Dish Network Aug. 1

HSN2 is coming Aug. 1

It never fails. The one morning we sleep in (after getting just four hours of sleep each of the past five nights), which for us meant getting up at 8:30 a.m., HSN has some real news.

Monday HSN announced that it is launching a second home shopping channel Aug. 1 that will be offered on Dish Network. The network, called HSN2 (there’s a creative name), will essentially air reruns of HSN’s shows.

Or, as HSN’s talented writers put it, HSN2 is “designed to offer customers a curated assortment of encore airings of HSN’s must-see shows, products, brands and personalities.”

So, unlike HSN, HSN2 won’t be live.

“We are excited to launch HSN2 and provide our customers greater access to additional viewing and shopping options,” cleavage-baring HSN CEO Mindy Grossman said in a canned statement. “With different personalities, great brands and products airing simultaneously on each of our channels, customers will enjoy twice the entertainment, inspiration and discoveries.”

And Dish Network, who we used to cover when we were at Multichannel News, chimed in as well.

“Dish Network is pleased to support HSN on the launch of their new channel, and we look forward to offering HSN2 to our customers later this summer,” said Jerry Grasmick, Dish’s vice president of commercial services and sales.

Very illuminating, Jerry.

For the first several months, the channel will focus on feedback from HSN2 viewers and customers and respond accordingly.

“HSN is committed to being a leader in transactional innovation and exploring ways to grow and reach our customers through multiple platforms,” John McDevitt, HSN’s vice president of advanced services, said in his canned satatement. “HSN2 offers yet another means for our customers to access the high quality production and engaging shopping experiences they have come to expect of HSN.”

Programming for the new channel, we are told in the press release, “will be either complementary or counter to the programming on HSN, will be developed in unique and different ways to excite customers. The channel will also serve as a platform to test different ideas and develop new business opportunities for the company.”

HSN leaked the story to The New York Times, which ran it under the headline “Up Next: Reruns From HSN.”

The story quotes Grossman as saying that HSN2 will have original content.

And HSN2 will be in Dish’s 14 million homes. HSN is in 95 million households.