01/13/25: Cynopsis Media Tech Update

Monday January 13, 2025

Mark Zuckerberg defended Meta’s elimination of its fact-checking program during a three-hour interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast last week. The company succumbed to “massive, massive institutional pressure to basically start censoring content on ideological grounds” after the 2016 election and Brexit in the UK, said the Meta CEO, adding that he “gave too much deference to a lot of folks in the media” and the fact-checking system led to “too many mistakes and too much censorship.” Zuckerberg maintained that now, he is taking the company back to its roots. “The whole point of social media is basically giving people the ability to share what they want. It goes back to our original mission to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected,” he told Rogan.

Xumo, a streaming platform joint venture between Comcast and Charter Communications, announced that Sharp will introduce a new line of QLED 4K UHD TVs featuring the Xumo TV operating system, launching across the US. in spring 2025.
The TVs, which will be available in 50”, 55”, 65”, 75” and 85” screen class sizes, will offer features and functionality built to solve the issue of content discoverability.

Heading into next week’s National Retail Federation event, Microsoft Advertising unveiled two retail platforms. Curate for Commerce helps retailers monetize first-party data through non-endemic advertising partnerships, with Microsoft handling advertiser relationships and deal operations, while Sponsored Promotions by Brands, which operates on a cost-per-sale model, enables brands to reach shoppers across Microsoft Edge, Bing, and retail partner sites. Both launched in limited beta with partners Kohl’s and Publicis.

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   ADVERTISING

Comcast announced Universal Ads, a platform aimed at simplifying the buying process for advertisers of all sizes. “Universal Ads has been purpose-built in response to what advertisers have been asking from Comcast. That is, make TV simpler to buy, scale and measure in a way that is compatible with the needs of performance marketers, and really, all marketers,” said James Rooke, President, Comcast Advertising. “Comcast has tremendous assets across tech, media and data. Universal Ads brings those assets together in a way that has never been done before.” Launching this quarter, Universal Ads is built on top of FreeWheel’s ad technology. Committed launch partners include A+E, AMC Networks, DirecTV, Fox Corporation, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Roku, TelevisaUnivision, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Xumo.

Taking the stage Disney’s fifth annual Global Tech & Data Showcase, Disney’s Global Advertising President, Rita Ferro shared some numbers: Disney Advertising’s ad-supported monthly active users across the company’s streaming platforms have reached an estimated 157 million globally, including 112 million domestically, on average per month over the last six months. Touting Disney’s advanced solutions, Ferro said, “By combining our unparalleled content with innovative tools, we’re creating opportunities for brands to become part of the cultural conversations that shape our world – and we invite them to push the limits with us.”

New interactive and targeted strategies, especially leveraging social media, can have a positive impact on purchase decisions, particularly among younger consumers (ages 18-34), according to Horowitz study, State of Media, Entertainment, and Tech: Advertising in a Digital World. One in three consumers surveyed say that “one of the most valuable aspects of social media for me is the ability to follow influencers and creators who help me learn about new brands and products,” and over half of younger consumers say they are more likely to purchase from a brand that shows ads on media feeds (56%) or appears in an influencer’s social media page (55%). “Digital and social media has taught consumers to have new behaviors and new expectations when it comes to how they interact with content, brands, advertisers, and commerce,” noted Adriana Waterston, EVP and Insights & Strategy Lead for Horowitz Research. “Traditional advertising strategies need to be re-thought to better fit new consumer behaviors and generate new revenue streams.”

Comcast Technology Solutions and Mediaocean are building upon their previous successful integrations with one that will empower agencies and brands to seamlessly manage creative traffic and distribution directly within Comcast Technology Solutions’ AdFusion platform. “This partnership represents a major leap forward in how agencies and brands manage their TV advertising,” said Bart Spriester, SVP & GM of CTS. “By breaking down silos and integrating creative and media buy data seamlessly, we are giving advertisers the tools they need to act faster, more accurately, and with singular efficiency.” Launch is anticipated in 2Q25.

Circana announced an expansion of Circana YouTube Sales Lift Solution, which supports the measurement of Video Reach and Video View campaigns, including shorts and In-feed ad formats. The solution allows CPG advertisers to measure additional YouTube ad formats alongside existing formats such as bumpers and non-skippable ads. “Advertisers need clear insights into the performance and impact of their media campaigns to make informed decisions and maximize the return on their advertising investments,” said Dave Slowik, EVP, Global Solutions, Circana. “This enhancement provides greater precision and relevance, empowering advertisers with actionable insights to drive business growth.”

DirecTV Advertising is launching a dedicated OOH network, DirecTV Remote, activating video ads across the DirecTV footprint in commercial establishments like hotels, planes, and small businesses. DirecTV Advertising is currently in market with Starcom, with Best Buy as the first partner to advertise. “As the advertising landscape becomes increasingly omnichannel, the line between online and offline continues to blur,” said Alyssa Kelly, SVP, Strategy and Planning at Starcom. “OOH is no longer just a standalone tactic—it’s a critical component of comprehensive media strategies that drive results.”

KERV.ai struck a strategic partnership with PubMatic that enables marketers to layer KERV’s portfolio of AI-powered interactive and shoppable video capabilities across PubMatic’s premium inventory. “PubMatic’s curation platform provides a turnkey and scalable conduit to bring KERV’s cutting-edge tech and data to the masses,” said Ryan Schoenfeld, VP of Technical Partnerships at KERV. “While the partnership immediately unlocks KERV’s comprehensive suite of interactive and commerce-based ad products to buyers on premium supply, it will also serve as the launching pad to further accelerate additional data-driven and content-based solutions.”

Integral Ad Science announced the launch of its AI-driven Total Media Performance™ solution. TMP enables advertisers to achieve better campaign outcomes by integrating IAS’s media quality signals with in-flight optimization. “The launch of TMP marks a significant evolution for IAS as we expand beyond media efficiency and brand protection to deliver a unified marketing performance solution,” said Lisa Utzschneider, CEO of IAS. “We’re uniquely positioned to help advertisers unlock data to transform media quality insights into actionable, revenue-driving strategies and achieve superior results across the increasingly fragmented digital media ecosystem.”

EX.CO, the machine-learning video platform, announced the expansion of its ad server to support new channels beyond online video. The multichannel programmatic solution empowers connected CTV and DOOH media owners to drive higher revenue through smarter, automated ad auctions. “We discovered that the programmatic bid stream, originally designed for the web, presents significant complexities when applied in other environments,” said Tom Pachys, co-founder and CEO at EX.CO. “To solve this, our ad server leverages cutting-edge machine-learning algorithms that dynamically optimize auctions in real-time, reflecting a new generation of unified auction technology.”

GumGum is launching the first multicultural partnership for its In-Video ad solution with Fuse Media, aimed at empowering brands and advertisers to engage multicultural audiences at scale, with In-Video ads that can increase attention rates by more than 30%. The solution solution allows placement of ads directly into video content on Fuse Media’s FAST channels in a way that feels natural and non-intrusive for viewers. “Multicultural audiences are the new general market,” said Ken Weiner, CTO of GumGum. “By combining our In-Video solution with Fuse Media’s diverse channels, we provide brands with a powerful and effective way to deliver culturally relevant ads without disrupting the viewer experience.”

Kevel, provider of API-based retail media ad serving technology, and Vantage announced a partnership enabling retailers, marketplaces, and eCommerce platforms to more easily manage their advertising operations. The collaboration combines Kevel’s customizable ad serving capabilities with Vantage’s workflow automation and data orchestration platform to offer retailers an end-to-end solution for building high-performing retail media networks. “This partnership with Kevel represents a critical step forward for retail media innovation,” said Aran Hamilton, CEO and Co-Founder at Vantage. “Our combined solution helps retailers better orchestrate their media businesses through automated workflows and data-driven ad solutions tailored to their specific requirements.”

   STREAMING

FuboTV and Disney have struck a deal for Disney to combine its Hulu + Live TV business with Fubo, forming a combined virtual MVPD company. The deal also ends Fubo’s antitrust litigation against the formation of Venu Sports by Disney, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery; Fubo has agreed to a $220 million cash payment to settle its case. At closing, Disney will own approximately 70% of Fubo, and Fubo’s existing management team, led by Fubo Co-founder and CEO David Gandler, will operate the new businesses. “This combination enables us to deliver on our promise to provide consumers with greater choice and flexibility” said Gandler. “Additionally, this agreement allows us to scale effectively, strengthens Fubo’s balance sheet and positions us for positive cash flow. It’s a win for consumers, our shareholders, and the entire streaming industry.” The transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Disney’s purchase of Fubo hasn’t eliminated objections to Venu, however. DirecTV has joined EchoStar in raising concerns about the dismissal of Fubo’s claims against Venu. “This settlement clears the path for Venu to launch unencumbered by removing the injunction the Court imposed to preliminarily prevent the irreparable harms the JV launch presents,” read DirecTV’s letter to the judge who denied the JV partners’ motion to dismiss the case. “DirecTV is just one of several non-parties that expressed ‘grave concerns’ about the impact Venu would have on competition for sports programming.”

Roku reports it passed 90 million streaming households in the first week of January, up from 85.5 million in October. “Roku’s extensive scale sets us apart in the streaming industry, with more engagement than any other TV OS platform in the US,” said founder and CEO Anthony Wood. “Thanks to our laser focus on simplifying and enhancing the streamer’s journey, Roku is the preferred choice for millions of viewers.”

Tubi hit the 97 million mark for monthly active users in 2024, and counted 10 billion streaming hours. “Tubi’s momentum is growing as audiences increasingly value a premium entertainment experience that is also 100% free, fun and reflective of culture,” said Tubi CEO Anjali Sud. “Our strategy is simple yet powerful: put viewers first by offering unique stories from unique storytellers, a vast selection of content to choose from and a delightful experience across devices. We let our viewers guide us and obsess over their engagement, and we are seeing the results.”

With 81% of Gen Z video viewers watching videos in vertical or portrait format weekly, and 79% saying adding a shorts feature to a streaming service would increase their weekly streamer app usage (that’s according to GenZ Insights in collaboration with Quickplay and Toluna), OTT solutions provider Quickplay has launched Quickplay Shorts. The new product creates and syndicates vertical short-form content from live and VOD long form video, and a social infinite vertical scroll front-end experience. “Quickplay Shorts redefines the game for streaming providers by seamlessly connecting with existing AV pipelines, enabling real-time delivery of both on-demand and live short-form content, and driving a rich, engaging user interface that enhances viewer engagement and retention,” said Juan Martin, CTO of Quickplay.

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   STRAIGHT FROM CES

Amazon Ads announced they are offering brands the ability to query up to five years of their Amazon store purchase signals within Amazon Marketing Cloud for measurement use cases, up from the current lookback window of 13 months. “We’re continually expanding AMC’s robust full-funnel planning, measurement, and optimization capabilities – while also making it increasingly simpler to use,” said Paula Despins, Vice President, Ads Measurement. “Extending a brand’s available lookback window from 13 months of their Amazon purchase signals to five years enables advertisers to more deeply understand key customer journey metrics, such as customer lifetime value or the percentage of customers buying the brand for the first time, by analyzing a broader timeframe based on a product’s lifecycle or their customers’ engagement with their brand portfolio over time.”

Yahoo DSP has partnered with Roku to streamline the TV buying process, simplifying how advertisers reach their audiences and reducing fragmentation in the ecosystem. “Roku’s collaboration with Yahoo DSP is intended to bridge the gap for advertisers seeking scalable and effective solutions in CTV,” said Miles Fisher, Senior Director of Strategic Advertising Partnerships at Roku. “By combining Roku’s extensive audience reach and Yahoo DSP’s advanced programmatic capabilities, we’re allowing brands to connect with viewers in ways that are more data-driven, measurable, and impactful. We believe this partnership represents a significant step forward in delivering a seamless and effective advertising experience across the growing CTV landscape.”

Disney touted the launch of a certification for live sports and entertainment, along with the introduction of biddable deals for live sports using Disney’s Ad Server. The company also announced Disney Compass, enabling advertisers access to activate against Disney’s data across an ecosystem of vendors and tools. “Through innovative solutions, like our proprietary Audience Graph, Clean Room and now Disney Compass, we are simplifying the complexity behind managing and utilizing first-party data, giving advertisers the tools they need to further succeed in the ever-changing advertising landscape,” said Nick Winfrey, Director of Data Science and Strategy. “With all critical data points available in one place, the possibilities for optimization and performance are endless.”

NBCUniversal unveiled new engagement capabilities within its One Platform technology stack as well as success metrics that demonstrate the effectiveness of TV advertising. This comes ahead of a two-year run of English and Spanish-language programming that kicks off this year, and the company’s 100th anniversary in 2026. “Our One Platform ecosystem has maximized our marketers’ reach and scale over the past five years to prove TV is a performance vehicle in a way no other product in the marketplace has,” said Mark Marshall, Chairman, Global Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “As we head into our next century, we are kicking off a slate of unrivaled content combined with cutting-edge technology and exceptional end-to-end advertising solutions that will drive demand in new ways and provide long-term viability for our clients.” Among the offerings are new viewer and advertiser experiences on Peacock; more predictive ad models; and the alignment of the emotional metadata of advertiser creative with the emotional metadata of content, using AI and machine-learning.

DirecTV Advertising announced the programmatic enablement of its linear satellite inventory. Powered by the company’s proprietary ad tech stack, DirecTV Axis, programmatic buyers will now have access to increased inventory, scale and untapped audiences across satellite and streaming. In today’s rapidly evolving media landscape, buyers require a new level of flexibility. We’re excited to set TV free,said Amy Leifer, Chief Advertising Sales Officer, DirecTV Advertising. “By enabling satellite households to be accessed programmatically, we’re creating flexible, seamless solutions for marketers to reach premium TV inventory.”

   SUSTAINABILITY

Supply-side advertising platform Colossus Media announced a new integration with Scope3, provider of carbon emissions data and reduction strategies for the media industry, enabling Colossus SSP to offer its brands and agency partners green media solutions. “In the advertising industry, our partnership with Scope3 broadens our offerings by enabling green media buying, which often translates into higher-performing campaigns,” said Lashawnda Goffin, CEO of Colossus SSP. “We are excited to provide our clients with these capabilities as all brands, from large to mid-market, demand higher performing media.”

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Job of the day
SALES LEAD – AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS
UPWAVE
NEW YORK, NY

Build and manage relationships with our agency partners – mostly targeting media buyers and planners – and help them see the value of adding Upwave measurement to The Trade Desk campaigns. You will both leverage your existing network and open new doors to achieve aggressive but achievable sales targets. Full info HERE

VICE PRESIDENT, POLITICAL SALES >>
NEXSTAR MEDIA GROUP, INC./WASHINGTON, DC: Lead the company’s political advertising revenue across its dynamic portfolio of broadcast stations. Responsible for developing sales strategies tailored to the fast-paced, high-stakes political advertising market. You will possess an understanding of the political advertising landscape, and the ability to forge strong relationships with campaigns. Full info HERE

COUNSEL, LEGAL & BUSINESS AFFAIRS >>
MLB NETWORK/SECAUCUS, NJ: Responsible for a variety of matters, including services agreements, production related agreements, talent agreements, software and other technology related agreements, licensing and programming agreements, third party rights clearances, distribution agreements, contract summaries, confidentiality, and general contract matters. Full info HERE

SENIOR INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN PROJECT MANAGER
BEACON MEDIA GROUP
NY/NJ
Seeking a diligent, organized, and enthusiastic individual to join our team as we manage Integrated Marketing Campaigns for a candy manufacturer. Responsibilities include ensuring client satisfaction, managing project timelines, and optimizing campaign effectiveness. If you’re proactive and enjoy collaborating with teams, we want to hear from you! Full info HERE

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA
CSI SPORTS
JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY
Proven track record of monetizing digital assets on various social media platforms. Work closely with our production team in creating content and comprehensive marketing plans to increase market share. Full info HERE

INTERNATIONAL SALES EXECUTIVE
CSI SPORTS
JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY
Create and execute sales strategies and proposals- generating new sales from past, current and future leads by networking, building relationships and identifying valuable sales opportunities. Manage existing accounts and excel at identifying clients’ needs. Requires a self-driven individual who is passionate about the sports and media industry. Full info HERE

NATIONAL SALES EXECUTIVE
CSI SPORTS
JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY
Looking for another self-motivated, highly disciplined National AD Sales Executive that enjoys the sales process from beginning to close. If you bring the enthusiasm and determination we will supply the opportunity to make this the best position you’ve ever had. Full info HERE

LEAD BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE >>
CASTIFY.AI/HYBRID: Expand our client base in the digital advertising industry and focus on business development, securing new clients and partnerships, and negotiating contracts with leading advertising brands and agencies as well as experience in the digital advertising sector, showcasing a proven track record of achieving targets and excelling in business development. Full info HERE

ACCOUNT REP: MPT NATIONAL CORPORATE SALES

MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION FOUNDATION
REMOTE

Call on current and prospective sponsors, providing high-quality customer service, in a manner consistent with standard industry practice, for the customer/client accounts for which they have cultivated or have been assigned as well as build sustainable, long-lasting relationships with existing clients. Full info HERE

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF AD SALES
>>
HAYSTACK NEWS/NYNY, LA, CHICAGO: Responsible for developing large, meaningful partnerships to drive strategic and creative solutions for clients. You relish the opportunity to help advertisers build their brands by supporting the world’s most premium news publishers. Full info HERE

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

INTERSECTION
LOS ANGELES, CA

Drive new revenue for our media around Los Angeles and beyond as well as building relationships with prospects and clients. Full info HERE

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