Major Agencies Trim Ad Spending Growth Forecasts for 2016
MagnaGlobal, ZenithOptimedia and GroupM project global ad spending to rise less than 5% with double-digit growth rates forecast for digital media (via WSJ).
Magazine Print Audiences Fall, Digital Editions Fail To Deliver
Hearst's total print and digital edition magazine audience in the second half of 2015 fell 7.6%, according to figures from GfK MRI; Conde Nast fell 12.8%; and Rodale was down 10% (via MediaPost).
CBS Research Chief Sees 9.5 Percent Broadcast Networks Ad Growth in 2016
David Poltrack says U.S. broadcasters could even reach their first double-digit gain since 2004, with growth hitting 5% when adjusted for the expected boost from the Summer Olympics (via Hollywood Reporter).
+ The Future of National TV, Addressables, Content Creation -- Part 1
+ Fox CFO Touts Broad-Based Ad Market Strength (via Hollywood Reporter).
+ 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' TV Spend at $66 Million and Rising (via AdAge).
Yahoo is 'Most Likely' to be Sold in the Next 6 Months, Says the Most Accurate Yahoo Analyst in the World
"The board has fiduciary obligation to engage with any legitimate person that comes forward with a good offer" (via Business Insider).
+ The Rumor Mill: Yahoo, Comcast, Disney, Verizon and More
+ Hello, Yahoo! Verizon Says Its Media Business Needs to Grow Beyond AOL (via Re/code).
Streaming Services Now Account for Over 70% of Peak Traffic in North America
Netflix and YouTube dominate with 37% and 18%, respectively, on fixed-access networks. YouTube and Facebook dominate mobile (via VentureBeat).
+ Netflix's Ted Sarandos Claims 'We're No. 1' in Premium TV (via The Wrap).
+ Amazon Starts Building Its Own Bundle by Selling Showtime, Starz and More (via Re/code).
+ Apple Said to Suspend Effort to Develop Live TV Service (via Bloomberg).
Americans Cutting the Cable TV Cord at Increasing Pace
In 2015, 4.9 million US households will unsubscribe from traditional pay TV services, a jump of 10.9% over last year (via eMarketer).
+ TV of Tomorrow – Nielsen is There with Total Content Ratings
+ The Future of Television: More Choices and Greater Quality (via WSJ).
Research Indicates 33% of Consumers Likely to Try Ad Blocking Software in Next Three Months
"On a scale of one to ten, my concern is at a level eight or nine – our industry has ignored consumer concerns and now these same consumers are speaking up by installing ad blocking software" (via Digital Context Next).
+ Hulu: The Creative Imperative in the Fight Against Ad Blocking
Facebook Bends to Publishers, Tweaks Instant Articles Advertising
Publishers can include more advertising in each article and to sell Facebook-only ad campaigns to marketers if they wish (via WSJ).
+ Facebook service aimed at professionals to launch in coming months (via Reuters).
+ GroupM: Facebook, Google and the Loss of Perspective
Sinclair Acquires and Will Relaunch Mobile News Site Circa
"We were intrigued by their mobile app tech stack with a 'follow me' feature that allowed content personalization by the end user" (via WSJ).
+ Blendle, the Dutch 'iTunes for news,' will launch in the U.S. early next year (via Poynter).
Vevo Acquires Video Aggregation Startup Showyou
Company is now integrating most of Showyou's team to build out its own product development efforts and reduce reliance on YouTube (via Variety).
Disney Said to Double Investment in Vice Media to $400 Million
The funding values Vice at more than $4 billion and some of the money will reportedly be used to create shows for Viceland, a cable channel jointly owned with A&E Networks that debuts next year (via AdAge).
Turner Broadcasting Ad Sales Adopts Client-First Strategy
New client strategy and ad innovation group designed to focus on individual marketers and specific advertising categories to deepen direct relationships with marketers (via AdAge).
Dentsu Aegis Network Expands Its B2B Offerings with Acquisition of Band
Singapore-based Band will be working closely with Dentsu Aegis Network's current B2B capability to scale and replicate its offering into key markets throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa (via The Drum).
Aol On's Video Distribution Troubles Media Partners
Some of the network's partners worry that there's little tracking of where exactly Aol On is placing their videos (via WSJ).
Spotify Considers Allowing Some Artists to Withhold Music From Free Service
Test will reportedly allow some artists to start releasing albums only to Spotify's 20 million-plus subscribers while withholding the music temporarily from the company's 80 million free users (via WSJ).
+ iHeartMedia: AM/FM Radio Is Still in the Driver's Seat
Tribune Media will partner with the 'King of Clickbait
Company will be lead investor in a $25 million round of financing for Dose Media, a Spartz-run company whose expertise involves using algorithms to help stories go viral on the Internet (via Poynter).
Accounts on the Move
P&G Shifts Bulk of $2.6 Billion NA Media Assignment to Omnicom and Carat from SMG
Omnicom Media Group will be the primary agency supporting the majority of P&G's categories, with Dentsu Aegis Network's Carat supporting the others (via MediaPost).
L'Oreal Sends Its Media Business to WPP's MEC After an 8-Month Review
MEC will handle integrated media planning and buying for TV, print and digital. GroupM will oversee consolidated buying duties (via Adweek).
Clorox Launches Full Creative Agency Review
After nearly 20 years with Omnicom's DDB, the Clorox company has launched a creative review for all of its brands, which range from the titular bleach to Burt's Bees, Glad and Liquid-Plumr (via Adweek).
Video Picks
WPP's Modi Media Inks "Upfront" Addressable TV Buy with Cablevision (via Beet.TV)
Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam explains why he bought Aol (via Business Insider, see video below)
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