YAHOO will announce Yahoo Smart Ads today. Smart Ads will utilize behavioral targeting to create more relevant advertisements. Using the new technology, ads will be created on the spot, utilizing several known factors about a user — including recently-visited sites, location, age, and income.
THE FCC issued waivers for the July 1st ban on integrated set-top boxes to multichannel video operators that are all-digital, or plan to be all-digital by February 17, 2009. More than 120 video providers will benefit from the blanket waiver.
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP has notified APPLE that it will not renew its annual contract to sell music through the iTunes Music Store. Universal, which is responsible for one out of every three new releases in the US, is seeking a short-term arrangement that will give it leverage in price negotiations.
FOX O&O’s have moved their media-buying to an in-house ad agency. The shift is part of an effort to coordinate and streamline marketing efforts for the 26 markets, and could cause layoffs for local and regional buying agencies.