TUBEMOGUL, a video analytics company, has conducted a fascinating study of video sites to determine how viewers are counted. YouTube, Yahoo Video, and Metacafe were found to have strict counting requirements – generally requiring long views, and often ignoring multiple views from the same computer. AOL, MySpace, and Revver were found to have much looser counting methods. These sites often count very short partial views, and reloads from the same computer. TubeMogul is recommending standardization of viewer-counting practices, to make Internet video a more credible advertising platform.
THE FTC issued a report on Wednesday recommending that policy-makers take no immediate action to institute Net Neutrality laws. The report states that the free market is working for broadband and that no signs of consumer harm have been demonstrated. FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras said that data prioritization can be beneficial to consumers, although the report admits that consumers have a strong preference for an open, single-tier internet.
NIELSEN will acquire Telephia, a firm that tracks mobile media usage in Europe, Canada, and the United States. Telephia tracks mobile calls, Web traffic, and video views. It will be integrated with Nielsen Wireless, and improve Nielsen’s ability to give a more complete view of media consumption.
THE MPAA has filed suit against two “linking sites,” on behalf of several Hollywood studios. The sites, YouTVPC.com and Peekvid.com, provide an index of direct links to video files stored on other sites. YouTVPC claims they are not committing copyright infringement, because they are merely cataloging links that are available on the public internet. This is the first time the studios have sued a linking site.
ESPN has signed an extensive multi-platform deal with the NBA through 2016. ESPN will have the rights to stream full NBA games on a live, delayed and on-demand basis across all of its platforms (including ESPN MobileTV, ESPN podcasts, and ESPN.com) and any new media platforms that ESPN creates or partners with.
NBC2Go will broadcast the Wimbledon tennis tournament live to mobile phones using Verizon’s V Cast service. Coverage will extend for ten days, beginning this Saturday.