07/10/17: Fusion Media Group to rebrand and relaunch flagship website

Good morning. It’s Monday July 10, 2017 and this is your your first early morning Digital briefing!

TODAY’S CODEBREAKER

Digital Twin: The phrase digital twin refers to a computerized companion of a physical asset. Digital twins use data from sensors that are installed in real-world objects, in order to represent their real-time condition. For instance, a virtual wind turbine might be built to represent a real wind turbine. The digital version could than be analyzed and subjected to tests, with the goal of improving the real-world wind turbine’s functionality and efficiency.

JUST IN…

Fusion Media Group, the millennial-oriented media brand owned by Univision Communications, is relaunching the flagship Fusion website. Renamed Splinter, the site will focus on politics, news, science, culture, and entertainment. FMG says that Splinter will aim to be “justice-minded and inclusive.” The revamped site goes live on July 24.

In other Fusion Media Group news, FMG’s Gizmodo Media Group has added two new Senior Editors to The Root. Damon Young and Panama Jacksonwill join the African American-oriented news and culture site; the pair previously founded VerySmartBrothas.com. In addition to writing for The Root, they’ll work on its events and multimedia projects.

Facebook has done a lot to foster online communities; now it’s trying its hand at a real one. The company announced plans to create a small village directly across from its headquarters in Menlo, California. Built on a 56-acre site that Facebook bought for about $400 million in 2015, the “mixed-use village” will include 1,500 housing units, a hotel, and even a grocery store. Many of the residents will be Facebook employees.

ADVERTISING

The Interactive Advertising Bureau has rolled out the latest version of its Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definitions, a set of specifications geared toward streamlining the creative process for in-app ad creators. Creators use MRAID to communicate how their ads are meant to interact with the apps they’re served into, including functions such as resizing and expansion. The IAB says that the new version – Version 3.0 – adds features such as audibility measurement and increased support for viewability.

PROGRAMMING

Roughly a zillion comics have made their way to Netflix, but here’s a first: The streaming giant is set to launch its first Spanish-language stand-up special. Called Una y no mas, the special will star Spanish actor and comedian Joaquin Reyes. (Reyes is best known in Spain for his role on the sketch comedy show Muchachada Nui.) Stand-up specials have factored heavily into Netflix’s plans for domestic expansion.

Netflix has already renewed animated series Castlevania for a second season. The show, based on a popular video game series, only bowed its first season on July 7.

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PLATFORMS + APPS

Music video service Vevo has brought Prince’s music to its platform for the first time. Vevo’s new Prince-focused YouTube channel consists of six clips to start, including the official videos for When Doves Cry and Let’s Go Crazy. Prince himself was no fan of YouTube, complaining that the site pays subpar licensing fees to musicians. But his songs have been available on an increasing number of digital platforms since his death in April of last year.

POLICY

Google and Facebook are planning to join this week’s “Day of Action” rally in support of net neutrality. Hundreds of other web companies, including Mozilla and Amazon, were already on-board for the event. The rally, to be held on July 12, comes as the Ajit Pai-helmed FCC moves to reevaluate the 2015 order that reclassified broadband as a utility service. And make no mistake: No matter what Google, Facebook, or anyone else does, it’s overwhelmingly like that the 2015 order will be gutted sooner than later.

AUDIO

In the battle of the music streamers, SoundCloud seems to be getting the short end of the stick. The service, which has been in the process transitioning from a free model to subscription one, confirmed that it’s laying off 40 percent of its staff. That’s 173 jobs all told. In addition, the company is shutting down its offices in San Francisco and London. The news was first reported by Bloomberg.

INFLUENCERS

Snapchat could stand to be more hospitable to influencers, according to recent report from Digiday. The site points out that Snap Inc. has been pushing influencers to use the app just like everyday users do, instead of hawking products in a way that could cheapen Snapchat’s appeal to its younger user base. The app has also reportedly discouraged brands from using the platform (outside of buying ads). According to a recent survey of social media stars from the influencer agency Collective Bias, Snapchat was the most likely social network that influencers said they’d have a presence on but not be active on. And 46% of the 600 respondents said Snapchat would be the first social service they’d cut.

Streamlabs, a revenue-collection platform widely used by live video creators, announced that it’s now compatible with Facebook Live. The company already boasts over 60 million monthly active users. Streamers use it to improve monetization, increase their audiences, and engage with fans.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

The IBM supercomputer Watson now has its very own Chief Marketing Officer. Michael Mendenhall will be tasked with promoting IBM’s AI tech, as well as the company’s cloud computing platform. It couldn’t hurt to have a CMO; Artificial intelligence is now an extremely competitive space, with companies including Adobe, Salesforce, Google and Microsoft all promoting their own AI products.

Charter Communications announced that it has hired Andrew Ip as its new SVP of Emerging Technology & Innovation. He’ll be tasked with developing and commercializing new technology to expand into new markets and improve customer experiences. Ip most recently served as SVP and Managing Director at Madison Square Garden Ventures.

TRIVIA

Who created the Netflix series The Crown? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and state.)

Our Last Trivia Question: Master of None’s season 2 premiere closely mirrored the plot of which classic Italian film? Answer: The Bicycle Thief (or, if you insist on an accurate translation, Bicycle Thieves). Kudos to Dan Quitério-Understood/NY, Barbara Potasky-NBCUniversal/NY, Susan-Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/CA, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/CA, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union/CA, Kevin O’Donovan-AMC Networks/NY, Lorrie Shilling/CA, Phil Ranta-Studio71/CA, Joseph Schroeder-Independent Production Fund/NY, Cole Parks-Turner/GA, Zoë Wilschinsky-Madison Wells Media/CA, and James Devin-Sinclair Broadcast Group/NY

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DIGITAL SPOTLIGHT

Artificial intelligence, digital media, and even jetpacks – those are just a few of the things that executives discussed at this year’s Founders Forum. From the Wall Street Journal, learn more here.

David Teich
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