MediaBytes

ACXIOM announced a targeted ad system that utilizes data it has collected on 133 million households. Acxiom’s massive database was created from public records and information received by partnering companies. It will now power “Relevance-X” on partner sites, displaying ads that correspond to a user’s data profile. Acxiom claims it will reach 60% of US Continue Reading →

GOOGLE has unveiled its piracy-fighting service for YouTube, calling it “YouTube Video Identification.” The system requires media companies to submit digital files to Google, who will process them and create a “digital fingerprint.” Videos uploaded by users will be checked against the fingerprint, and rejected if a match is found. The system was developed in-house, Continue Reading →

BLACKARROW will unveil its multi-platform ad management system today. The company will help manage, deliver, and measure targeted ads that appear in online video and VOD. In the future, BlackArrow will allow advertisers to update ads that have already been recorded to DVRs. The company is funded by some major players, including Comcast, Intel, and Continue Reading →

CURRENT TV will officially relaunch its website on October 16, and Al Gore has promised that the site will “take interactivity to a new level.” As part of the change, Current TV will drop the “TV” – and simply become “Current.” Current.com will act as a user-generated hub, accepting links to news stories, videos, and Continue Reading →

WARNER MUSIC has lost MADONNA from its stable of artists, in a high-profile deal that only adds to the record industry’s woes. Madonna has signed a deal worth $120 million with LIVE NATION, the concert promoter. The arrangement includes rights to three new studio albums, merchandising, and concert tours. The news follows a recent uptick Continue Reading →

JOOST is planning to offer live online TV. The company’s Executive Vice President of Content Strategy revealed that live programming will begin in Q1 of 2008. Live transmissions will include a “catch-up” option following the initial broadcast. Joost’s initial “live” focus seems to be on sports. The company is speaking with rights-holders for major professional Continue Reading →

GOOGLE will announce a new service that turns the AdSense network into a video distribution tool. Web sites will be allowed to embed ad-supported YouTube content that is contextually relevant to their site, similar to how they currently embed relevant ads. The move will give video creators a distribution channel that extends beyond YouTube.com, as Continue Reading →

GOOGLE‘s entry into the mobile phone market will come purely as a software provider, according to the NY Times. The search-giant has been working for two years on a mobile Linux-based operating system, which it will offer to handset makers for free. The company is seeking to extend its advertising dominance into the mobile market, Continue Reading →

IAG has done a study of over 1,000 “hybrid” ads, which closely merge advertising with content to combat ad-skipping. The ads generated 30% higher brand recall than traditional ads. The study found that Jay Leno’s recent live-to-air ad for Garmin doubled that company’s usual viewer recall numbers, and CW’s “content wraps” were among the highest-scoring Continue Reading →

JEFF ZUCKER told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that content owners are “losing the battle” against piracy. Citing piracy as a cause for massive losses in jobs, revenues, and taxes, Zucker urged the Chamber to make it a top priority. Zucker said NBC Universal is “ripping apart old business models” to deal with the new Continue Reading →