MediaBizBuzz: Comcast, Gannett, Viacom, SNL, and Mobile Advertising

Programmers, Advertisers, Congress Back Pay-TV Operators in Battle Against FCC Set-Top Proposal

"Right now we have contracts with cable operators and programmers that determine when an ad is going to run, how it's going to run and spell out the remedies if those agreements are not met. But the new rules would eliminate those protections." (via FierceCable)

Comcast Buys DreamWorks Animation in an Effort to Rival Disney

The $3.9 billion purchase shows that NBC Universal is the only company that can come close to matching Disney's portfolio of franchises, theme parks and merchandising. (via The Economist)

+ Comcast Predicts Strong TV Upfront for NBCUniversal (via Variety)

Gannett Offers $815 Million to Buy Tribune Publishing

If Gannett were to complete the deal, it would own dominant newspapers in major metro areas, such as the Los Angeles Times, the Baltimore Sun, Hartford Courant, Chicago Tribune and the Orlando Sentinel. (via USA Today)

+ Gannett's Joanne Lipman on the Power of the USA Today Network

WPP Boosted by Leading Role in U.S. "Reviewageddon"

The strong performance helped WPP to report first-quarter like-for-like net sales growth of 3.2 percent, in line with forecasts and putting it on track for its full-year target. (via Reuters)

Viacom Reports Profit but Revenue Slips

At the media networks, which include cable channels like Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central, advertising and affiliate revenues both declined in the U.S. (via WSJ)

+ Viacom Strikes Advertising Deal with Roku as Its TV Ad Revenue Falls(via Adweek)

Time Warner Cable's Bad Behavior Helped Charter Win Merger Approval

Conditions would prohibit data caps and overage fees, charging large online content providers for network interconnection and restrictive clauses in contracts with programmers. (via Ars Technica)

+ Hey Cable, What Happens When You Can't Raise Prices Anymore?

"Saturday Night Live" Will Cut Ads by 30% Next Season

It will do this by removing two commercial breaks per episode, giving viewers more content. NBC will also be offering a limited opportunity to partner with "SNL" to create original branded content. (via Ad Age)

Why Facebook is Delivering Great Earnings When Other Big Tech Companies Are Not

Mobile now accounts for 82% of its advertising revenue and COO Sheryl Sandberg said many marketers have told Facebook that trying to figure out the shift to mobile advertising is like the early days of television. (via Washington Post)

GroupM: App Economy Raises Mobile Use – As Well as Walled Gardens

"Our thesis was that … the world has gone from set-top to desktop to mobile. [Now we're saying] maybe that's not true — maybe we went from channels to sites to apps." (via AdExchanger)

Turner to Launch Its First Direct-To-Consumer Service This Fall

Dubbed FilmStruck, the service will be managed in collaboration with the Criterion Collection, which will move its library from Hulu to the new service when it launches this fall. (via WSJ)

+ Turner's Michael Strober on Unlocking the Keys to Higher TV ROI

Spotify Buys Media Aggregator CrowdAlbum

Spotify said the deal enables it to help artists find their fans and engage with them, "especially around the ever important business of touring." (via WSJ)

Google Tests Feature That Lets Media Companies, Marketers Publish Directly to Search Results

Earlier this week, HBO published "news" articles related to fictitious characters in its popular show "Silicon Valley" to promote the season 3 premiere. (via WSJ)

Accounts on the Move

McDonald's Launches Creative Review, Moves to Consolidate U.S. Advertising Business

Omnicom's DDB and Publicis Groupe's Leo Burnett both currently play key roles on the business. (via Adweek)

Omnicom's PHD Wins Delta Airlines Media Assignment

The company has spent about $50 million on ads in the U.S. in the past couple of years. It is reportedly planning to double that number. (via MediaPost)

J.M. Smucker Company in Midst of Digital Review Across All 29 Brands

"It felt like it was a good time to evaluate the strategic nature in which we operate from an agency perspective." (via Ad Age)

People on the Move

Sheraton Kalouria Promoted to President and Chief Marketing Officer for Sony Pictures Television

In his new role, Kalouria will oversee consumer product licensing for Sony Pictures TV series and brands. He's been with the studio since 2010 and reports to TV chairman Steve Mosko. (via Variety)

Sir John Hegarty Joins Screenvision Media as Creative Chair in Residence

"Audiences, now more than ever, must be wholly captivated by the story being presented to them, thus making imaginative storytelling of paramount importance to Screenvision Media." (via Screenvision)

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