Google has acquired ad agency DoubleClick for $3.1 billion, beating Microsoft in the bidding and cementing its dominancy in the online ad world. Google wanted to get into the display advertising business in a big way, and now they got the relationships with Web publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies to make it happen. In addition, the sale offers Google access to DoubleClick’s advertisement software. And keeping
This early pioneer company, founded in 1996, was the leading providing ads on Web sites ($300 million in revenue last year), while Google made its name from search and contextual text ads. For Google keeping Microsoft away from DoubleClick is worth billions, according to analysts.
CBS will distribute its best programming for free
CBS has decided to distribute much of its best programming across the web to a new host of online distribution partners: MSN, AOL, Joost, CNET (TV.com), Comcast (Comcast.net and Fancast), Bebo, Brightcove, Sling media, Veoh and Netvibes.
All content will be free and ad-supported, and the distributors will get a 10 percent cut of the revenue. In essence, people will be able to watch CBS shows just about everywhere online.
CBS’s Interactive explained: “Each of these partners offers value to our audience and our advertisers, who can now come to CBS not only for the most watched network on television, but for the most widely distributed professional content online.”
“It’s really all about the user and in building the CBS Interactive Audience Network, we are bringing our content to each unique platform of their choice.
Some partners will implement their own features. For example, Brightcove’s user will be able to post comments, interact with other users, remix content through interactive editing tools, share video through personal channels, and the watch shows in a full-screen mode.
TV.com will create an interactive environment for CSI allowing its audience to discuss the latest buzz around the show. Joost’s viewers will enjoy a variety of plug-in applications, such as instant messaging, message boards and news ticker.
Drudge Report keeps growing just doing the same aggregating job
Drudge Report, launched 12 years ago, producing very little original content (and many time inaccurate) and never undergoing a redesign, keeps growing. Last month it set a traffic record, with 425 million home page views, up from 287 million last March.
Drudge Report makes thousands of ad dollars a month; just consider a $1 average for 425 million page views is $425,000, almost five million dollars a year. The secret of Matt Drudge, founder of the site, is to do a great job aggregating interesting stories and keeping them fresh.
LonelyPlanet.tv, a merge of user generated video and original clips
LonelyPlanet has launched a social site that combines user-submitted travel videos with original clips produced by the travel media company and mapping location. It is called LonelyPlanet.tv. Users who upload their clips are entered to win $5,000 plus a HD video set up.
Some of the user clips will end up in LonelyPlanet’s TV programming at Discovery or Current.
ComcastCh1.com features an original way to promote its On Demand service
See how fresh is the entrance at the control room of the newly created Comcast Channel 1, ComcastCh1.com. It is a way to promote their On Demand service.
