MediaBizBuzz: NewFronts, Hulu, YouTube, Disney and Quarterly Results

IAB Suggests Digital Video Will Continue to SurgeDollars are increasingly flowing from traditional ads to digital, as strong growth in mobile, video, and social spending continue to change the face of the U.S. media market (via Business Insider).+ IAB Digital Video Study Illustrates Growth -- Pivotal Research+ Legacy Media Ad Spend Will Continue to Outpace Digital Advertising Until 2021&#160;With Newfronts, Digital Publishers Buy Expensive Lottery TicketsThe sheer number of events and the companies involved suggests it's an exciting time to be in the video business. It also reeks of desperation (via Digiday).+ Stuart Elliott: It's What's "Upfront" that Counts -- Or is It?+ Upfront Yellow Flag: Has the Bull Market Turned Bearish?&#160;Hulu Officially Confirms Cable-Like Digital Bundle, Says It's Set to Reach 12 Million SubscribersCable-like digital service, expected to launch in 2017, would stream feeds of live programming from broadcast and cable TV channels (via LA Times).&#160;YouTube Said to Plan 'Unplugged' Online TV Service for 2017In one scenario, it would build a bundle of channels with the four U.S. broadcast networks and a smattering of popular cable channels (via Bloomberg).&#160;Magna Global Pours $250 Million into YouTube Ads as TV Audiences Drop"For the first time ever in the U.S., Magna Global is predicting digital spend will eclipse that of total television" (via Adweek).+ YouTube &amp; Hulu Exceptionally Well Positioned for TV Upfront&#160;Vice Media and ESPN Enter Production and Distribution Deal Across Digital, Mobile, and TVVice Sports will produce new original series to air exclusively on ESPN properties and select films from ESPN's documentary series 30 for 30 will air on Viceland (via ESPN).&#160;Disney Wants to Write a Very Big Check to Buy Part of MLB's Video Streaming CompanyDisney would presumably be interested in owning the company so it could build out its own direct-to-consumer streaming services (via Re/code).&#160;CBS Beats Forecasts as Super Bowl, Grammys Fuel Ad GainsCBS's broadcast network contributed most of the growth, as ad sales jumped 49% and affiliate fees grew 42%, though viewership has declined slightly from a year ago (via Bloomberg).&#160;HBO, Turner Lift Time Warner EarningsRevenues at HBO increased 8% to $1.5 billion, due to subscription growth, and at Turner they increased 7% to $2.9 billion due to improved subscription and advertising results (via Variety).&#160;Univision Swings to First-Quarter Profit, Ad Revenue Rises 5.1%After advertisers held back in the Upfront last year and paid higher scatter prices, the company expects more spending in the Upfront this year (via Hollywood Reporter).+ Univision Signs New Nielsen Ratings Deal (via Broadcasting &amp; Cable)&#160;Political Ads Buoyed Earnings for Sinclair in First QuarterWithout political ads, Sinclair's advertising revenue at TV stations and online grew by 2% in the first quarter, driven by strong results in the automotive category (via Baltimore Sun).+ Sinclair Reveals National Capabilities and Data Insights&#160;iHeartMedia Narrows First-Quarter Loss to $88.5 MillionThe company generated $1.36 billion in revenue during the quarter, up from $1.34 billion a year ago, helped by election-year campaign advertising and tighter operational controls (via mySanAntonio).&#160;Tribune Publishing Says No to Gannett's $815 Million OfferGannett's bid was an unconventional move in the newspaper industry, and Tribune's rejection was not surprising (via NY Times).&#160;AOL Is Launching a 360-Degree Public-Facing Video Studio in Downtown New YorkThe company's goal is to increase its video content production threefold this year across all properties (via Adweek).&#160;Nielsen is Now Tracking Mobile Games in an Effort to Expand In a Streaming TV WorldIt's calling the new program Mobile Game Tracking (MGT), and Nielsen will base it off of info gathered from a group of 1,200 mobile gamers each week (via VentureBeat).+ Nielsen's Megan Clarken: Is the Closed Data Loop Grading Your Own Test?&#160;Spotify-backed Soundtrack Your Brand launches in U.S., inks global deal with McDonald'sSoundtrack Your Brand, which streams music in business locations, is launching in the U.S. and is now streaming music across the fast food giant's more than 36,000 restaurants and other venues (via TechCrunch).People on the MoveHavas Media Group Promotes Lori Hiltz to CEO of Global BrandsFormer Mindshare executive Colin Kinsella succeeds Ms. Hiltz as CEO of Havas Media North America (via WSJ).CBS Taps Catrice Monson as SVP Diversity &amp; InclusionMonson will spearhead West Coast-based components of the company's multicultural and women's employee resource groups (via Deadline).Video PicksCBS CEO Moonves on Advertising, Radio, and ContentLes Moonves, chairman and chief executive officer at CBS, discusses the surge in broadcast television advertising, success of the CBS digital platforms, the future of the radio division (via Bloomberg).Advertising Adds Message of Growth to Media StocksBrian Wieser, senior analyst at Pivotal Research Group, and Ralph Schlosstein, chief executive officer at Evercore Partners, discuss the renewed growth of advertising as it boosts results for CBS and Time Warner and an uptick from political advertising in a presidential election year (via Bloomberg).The opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet, Inc. management or associated bloggers. &#160;&#160;

MediaBizBuzz: NewFronts, Hulu, YouTube, Disney and Quarterly Results

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Philip Goldsmith

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