TIVO‘s STOP/WATCH service announced the top commercials for the June ratings period. According to TiVo data, the ten most-watched commercials all ran during the May 29th season finale of “House” on Fox. The commercials ranged from a 9.4 rating to a 12.1 rating, when all views were accounted for. However, the episode itself received a 17.7 rating.
DIRECTV will offer NFL “Sunday Ticket” subscribers an added feature: broadband and mobile viewing rights. For an extra $99, subscribers will be able to log onto DirecTV.com to watch live games. When viewed from mobile phones, the site will offer real-time video highlights. The premium Sunday Ticket package will also come with an extra 180 live high-def games.
MICROSOFT has officially closed the $6 billion acquisition of aQuantive. The company will now have two ad-sales groups. The Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group will be headed by aQuantive CEO Brian McAndrews. It will focus on selling the ad platform and the ad network. Steve Berkowitz will head the Direct Ad Sales group, focusing on high-end brands.
THE ONLINE PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION has released the results of a four-year analysis of Internet use. The study found that 47% of time online is currently spent viewing content. 33% is spent communicating via email, instant messenger, and other forms of contact. Four years ago, those numbers were reversed: 46% of time online was spent communicating and only 34% was spent viewing content.
MICROSOFT rejects the FCC’s ruling that its prototype wireless Internet access device interferes with other TV signals. The device is meant to detect and run on unused television spectrum. However, on July 31st, the FCC said the device failed to adequately detect spectrum that was not being used, causing television interference. Microsoft has a perfectly Microsoft reason for the interference: the submitted device was simply broken.