For the second time in 2017, a controversy is causing some of YouTube’s ad partners to suspend their campaigns. This time, it’s thanks to dark, sexual, and violent videos involving kid-friendly characters. YouTube has recently taken steps to make sure such content doesn’t reach children, but those efforts haven’t been enough to appease all advertisers. […]
Dish ends CBS blackout – but still no Sling TV deal
CBS reached a new multi-year licensing deal with Dish Network, ending the satellite service’s CBS blackout. The deal also restores Dish’s access to CBS Sports Network, Showtime, Pop, and Smithsonian Channel. There’s one big hole in the agreement, at least for now: The parties weren’t able to reach a deal to bundle CBS TV Network […]
Amazon Echo Show regains YouTube access
Amazon and Google seem to have worked out some of their issues. The Echo Show, the version of Amazon’s smart speaker that comes equipped with an integrated display, has regained access to YouTube videos. Google started preventing the device from accessing YouTube back in September; the company said that Amazon’s implementation of YouTube on the […]
FCC unveils plans to repeal net neutrality
The writing’s been on the wall for a while now. Ajit Pai’s FCC unveiled a plan to undo the agency’s existing net neutrality rules, which passed two years ago. The 2015 vote took place when Democrats controlled three of the agency’s five seats. Now those numbers are reversed, and the repeal is expected pass by […]
Study finds single “like” dramatically improves Facebook ad targeting
Advertisers would be wise to take note of a fascinating new study from Columbia Business School professor Sandra Matz. According to the new research, even a single “like” makes it far easier for advertisers to tailor ads to a user’s psychological profile. Simply relying on demographic traits like age or gender is significantly less effective. […]
Mozilla forms new division focused on “social mixed reality”
Web browser maker Mozilla has formed a new team dedicated to develop “social mixed reality” technologies for the web. The non-profit made the announcement Monday, highlighting mixed reality’s capacity to facilitate online social interactions. The new group will focus on areas such as search, developing avatars and virtual identities, and facilitating virtual communications using text […]
Report: AT&T nears deal to acquire all of Otter Media
AT&T is nearing a deal to acquire a full stake Otter Media, its joint digital video venture with the Chernin Group, according to a new report from Digiday. Otter Media – whose properties include Fullscreen, Crunchyroll, Hello Sunshine, and Gunpowder & Sky – was first formed in 2014. Since its inception, it’s been a purely […]
Fox TV CEO Dana Walden joins Hulu’s board
Dana Walden, the co-chair and CEO of Fox Television Group, has joined Hulu’s board of directors. Two other Fox execs already were already serving on the board: Peter Rice, the President of 21st Century Fox, and Brian Sullivan, the President and COO of Fox Networks Group’s Digital Consumer Group. 21st Century Fox currently owns a […]
Mashable sells to Ziff Davis for only $50 million
Mashable was just sold – and it didn’t exactly fetch a hefty price tag. The digital media company was purchased by Ziff Davis, a publisher of gaming, healthcare, and tech content. The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. According to the paper, Ziff Davis only paid about $50 million for the company. […]
Univision looks for minority stakeholder in Fusion Media Group
According to a new report from Recode, Univision is looking to bring in a minority investor to support Fusion Media Group. Along with the Fusion TV network and a production studio, FMG consists of a number of digital media properties, including The Onion and most of the sites formerly owned by Gawker Media. (Univision bought […]
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