Google Acquires Fitbit; $80bn Spent on More 5G Airwaves
In this weekly segment, ExchangeWire sums up key industry updates in ad tech from around the globe. In this edition: Google takes over Fitbit, despite ongoing protests against the acquisition; the FCC rakes in $80bn in a 5G airwaves auction; Netflix grows its subscriber base to over 200 million; and Gannett Co. reveals its plans to gain 10 million paid digital subscriptions by 2026. Google takes ownership of Fitbit Google has successfully acquired wearable health tech manufacturer Fitbit. Announced last week on [...]
FCC Argues for Looser Media Ownership Rules; Gannett Aims for 10m Paid Digital Subs
In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: the FCC brings its case for a relaxation of media ownership rules to the Supreme Court; Gannett announces it aims to acquire 10 million* paid digital subscribers by 2026; and Facebook reveals it will cease investment in Australia in response to the News Media Bargaining Code. FCC case for looser media ownership goes to Supreme Court The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has presented its latest case for the relaxation of media ownership rules to the Supreme Court. [...]
US Opposes Australia's Media Bill; Netflix Exceeds Q4 Projections
In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: the US Office of Trade Representative voices opposition to Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code; Netflix reports out-performing subscriber and revenue forecasts for Q4 2020; and ad-supported media sees engagement decline in the US and beyond. US objects to Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code The Office of the US Trade Representative has voiced opposition to a draft bill in Australia that will force big digital platforms to pay for news content. Australia’s parliament is currently reviewing a draft [...]
Publishers Know their Audiences Best: Q&A with David Folgueira, Prisma Media
As the walls close in on third-party cookies and regulators increasingly put data practices under the microscope, the ad tech industry has had to find and develop new ways to target audiences whilst upholding their right to privacy. One such solution which is still under development, is Google’s Privacy Sandbox, which will purportedly support targeting through the use of anonymised data. We spoke to David Folgueira (pictured below), deputy executive director at Prisma Media, to find out what he thinks [...]
UK Introduces New Big Tech Regulator; Facebook Agrees to Pay for News Content
In this weekly segment, ExchangeWire sums up key industry updates in ad tech from around the globe. In this edition: the UK announces the creation of a new regulatory body to govern Big Tech; Facebook agrees to pay UK news outlets to publish their content on its platform; Salesforce closes in on Miscrosoft after acquiring Slack for $27bn; and LinkedIn is taken to court over allegations that it ‘inflated’ its ad metrics. UK sets up new Big Tech regulator The UK government [...]
Facebook Will Pay UK News Outlets for Content; AWS Could be Huge Alone, Predicts Galloway
In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: Facebook agrees to pay UK news outlets to include their content on Facebook News; Professor Scott Galloway predicts that AWS could become the world’s biggest company if spun out from Amazon; and Zoom remains optimistic about fiscal forecasts despite cost of growing free user base. Facebook agrees to pay UK news outlets for content Facebook has agreed to pay UK news outlets for some of their content from January next year. The announcement comes as the social [...]
YouTube Inserts Ads on Non-Partner Videos; BuzzFeed Acquires HuffPost
In this weekly segment, ExchangeWire sums up key industry updates in ad tech from around the globe. In this edition: YouTube receives widespread criticism after deciding to insert ads into videos from non-partnered creators, without giving them a cut of the revenue; BuzzFeed agrees to buy HuffPost as part of its larger deal with Verizon; the UK proposes a new bill that will formally ban Huawei from involvement in its 5G mobile network and impose tougher sanction for telco non-compliance; [...]
France Proceeds with Big Tech Tax; ViacomCBS Sells Simon & Schuster
In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: the French government resumes taxing tech giants as international tax reform talks continue; ViacomCBS sells publishing business Simon & Schuster to Penguin Random House; and the latest DPRI finds that digital publisher revenues fell by less than expected in Q2. France pursues taxing big tech The French government will go ahead with its plan to tax big tech. The ministry of finance has notified leading tech companies, including Facebook and Amazon, informing them that they will be [...]
BuzzFeed Acquires HuffPost; MOW Urges CMA to Block Google's Privacy Sandbox
In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: BuzzFeed agrees to buy HuffPost as part of its deal with Verizon Media; Marketers for an Open Web calls on the CMA to delay Google’s implementation of its Privacy Sandbox; and Publicis Groupe’s Marcel Sydney is absorbed into Saatchi & Saatchi Australia. BuzzFeed buys HuffPost Online publisher BuzzFeed has reached a deal to acquire HuffPost. The agreement, which was announced last Thursday (19th November), forms part of a larger deal in which saw BuzzFeed join forces with [...]
China Proposes New Ecommerce Rules; WhatsApp Pay Launches in India
In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: the government of China introduces a draft set of news rules to tackle “monopolistic behaviour” amongst the country’s ecommerce leaders; WhatsApp launches its payment service in India; and Bloomberg Media announces the launch of its 24-hour news network, Bloomberg Quicktake. Chinese government introduces draft antitrust laws The governing Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has revealed a draft set of rules that aim to combat alleged anticompetitive behaviour by the country’s leading ecommerce companies. The announcement comes just one [...]