In an article in today's Wall Street Journal, Pandora's Tim Westergren provides an inside look at ongoing discussions regarding music royalty rates for Internet broadcasters.
Both sides have more incentive to talk after a closed-door meeting with members of Congress last week. The message was, "Fix it," says Tim Westergren, founder of Pandora Media Inc., which allows users to create customized online radio stations. "If you don't, there's a bill waiting in the wings," he said referring to legislation on royalty rates introduced in both houses.
Clock Watchers
This development (which is reported in today's Wall Street Journal) bodes well for Pandora, whose users spend many hours on the site each month.
Nielsen/NetRatings, a leading online-measurement service, will scrap rankings based on the industry yardstick of page views and begin tracking how long visitors spend on Web sites.
The move, expected to be announced Tuesday, comes as online video and new technologies increasingly make page views less meaningful.
Although Nielsen already measures average time spent and average number of sessions per visitor for each site, it will start reporting total time spent and sessions for all visitors to give advertisers, investors and analysts a broader picture of what sites are most popular.
Currently, sites and advertisers often use page views, a figure that reflects the number of Web pages a visitor pulls from a site.
Nielsen/NetRatings, a leading online-measurement service, will scrap rankings based on the industry yardstick of page views and begin tracking how long visitors spend on Web sites.
The move, expected to be announced Tuesday, comes as online video and new technologies increasingly make page views less meaningful.
Although Nielsen already measures average time spent and average number of sessions per visitor for each site, it will start reporting total time spent and sessions for all visitors to give advertisers, investors and analysts a broader picture of what sites are most popular.
Currently, sites and advertisers often use page views, a figure that reflects the number of Web pages a visitor pulls from a site.
Glam Shows That Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep
Now pulling in more than 17 million unique visitors a month, Glam has surpassed iVillage on ComScore Media Metrix's Top 10 list of Women's Community Web Properties. It is also the fastest-growing 100 Web property year over year ending May, 2007. Here's the press release. Also, check out Matt Marshall's story on Glam in today's VentureBeat. Here's an excerpt:
The trends helping Glam are strengthening, [Glam CEO Samir Arora] says — as new blogs get created and advertisers search for new ways to reach readers beyond traditional media. “The deeper we go into this,” said Arora in an interview with VentureBeat last week, “the more it seems the fragmentation has increased. It is deeper and wider than we thought.”
The trends helping Glam are strengthening, [Glam CEO Samir Arora] says — as new blogs get created and advertisers search for new ways to reach readers beyond traditional media. “The deeper we go into this,” said Arora in an interview with VentureBeat last week, “the more it seems the fragmentation has increased. It is deeper and wider than we thought.”
Glam Teams Up with Google
The Wall Street Journal has a story in today's issue about Glam and Google. Here's an excerpt:
Glam Media Inc. plans to announce today that Google Inc. will begin brokering advertisements on Glam's fashion and lifestyle sites and some of the more than 300 blogs and sites affiliated with the company.
The agreement is part of Google's efforts to broker advertisements for high-end sites such as Glam, as the Internet giant tries to lure big-brand advertisers to purchase ads through its online system and expand aggressively in selling graphical and video ads.
Under the multi-year deal, Google will sell some of the video ads and graphical display ads such as banner ads that appear on Glam's sites, including its flagship Glam.com. Google will also provide search technology and sell small text ads that will appear alongside Web search results and selected content on Glam's sites and partner sites that opt for it.
Glam Media Inc. plans to announce today that Google Inc. will begin brokering advertisements on Glam's fashion and lifestyle sites and some of the more than 300 blogs and sites affiliated with the company.
The agreement is part of Google's efforts to broker advertisements for high-end sites such as Glam, as the Internet giant tries to lure big-brand advertisers to purchase ads through its online system and expand aggressively in selling graphical and video ads.
Under the multi-year deal, Google will sell some of the video ads and graphical display ads such as banner ads that appear on Glam's sites, including its flagship Glam.com. Google will also provide search technology and sell small text ads that will appear alongside Web search results and selected content on Glam's sites and partner sites that opt for it.
Everywhere at Once
Last night, Pandora launched the Pandora Everywhere platform, which encompasses Sprint mobile phones, Sonos home music adapters, and Xing handheld devices. Here is the Techcrunch story. The announcement was also covered by Wired, CNET, PC Magazine, Engadget, Gizmodo, Valleywag, VentureBeat, San Francisco Chronicle, Associated Press, CNN Money, Billboard Online, GigaOm, Scobleizer, USA Today, CBS News ... The list goes on.
Made to Measure
In its current issue, BusinessWeek explores the resasoning behind recent M&A activity in the online advertising sector and calls out BlueLithium as a company to watch.
Now marketers are spoiled. And as big-brand advertisers move online in greater force, they're demanding the ability to apply the same kind of targeting and measurability they get from paid search to all the other ads they run. "Everybody's got the mindset that everything should be measurable," says Erik Qualman, head of North America marketing for travel site Travelzoo Inc. (TZOO) One reason: While targeted ads online may cost about twice as much as untargeted ads, they can produce twice the return on investment. As a result, says David R. Verklin, chief executive of Carat Americas, the agency that buys online ads for the likes of Pfizer Inc. (PFE), "data and data analytics are the next big battleground in marketing."
And on the Internet. Ad networks such as Specific Media, Blue Lithium, and 24/7 Real Media (TFSM) appear to be on the short list for acquisition by major media and tech companies.
Now marketers are spoiled. And as big-brand advertisers move online in greater force, they're demanding the ability to apply the same kind of targeting and measurability they get from paid search to all the other ads they run. "Everybody's got the mindset that everything should be measurable," says Erik Qualman, head of North America marketing for travel site Travelzoo Inc. (TZOO) One reason: While targeted ads online may cost about twice as much as untargeted ads, they can produce twice the return on investment. As a result, says David R. Verklin, chief executive of Carat Americas, the agency that buys online ads for the likes of Pfizer Inc. (PFE), "data and data analytics are the next big battleground in marketing."
And on the Internet. Ad networks such as Specific Media, Blue Lithium, and 24/7 Real Media (TFSM) appear to be on the short list for acquisition by major media and tech companies.
Make Music, Not War
The Defense Department has decided to block soldiers' access to a number of popular Web sites, including Pandora.
"This recreational traffic impacts our official DoD network and bandwidth ability, while posing a significant operational security challenge," [a Defense Department] memo said.
The armed services have long barred members of the military from sharing information that could jeopardize their missions or safety, whether electronically or by other means.
The new policy is different because it creates a blanket ban on several sites used by military personnel to exchange messages, pictures, video and audio with family and friends.
Members of the military can still access the sites on their own computers and networks, but Defense Department computers and networks are the only ones available to many soldiers and sailors in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"This recreational traffic impacts our official DoD network and bandwidth ability, while posing a significant operational security challenge," [a Defense Department] memo said.
The armed services have long barred members of the military from sharing information that could jeopardize their missions or safety, whether electronically or by other means.
The new policy is different because it creates a blanket ban on several sites used by military personnel to exchange messages, pictures, video and audio with family and friends.
Members of the military can still access the sites on their own computers and networks, but Defense Department computers and networks are the only ones available to many soldiers and sailors in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Verizon to Acquire Cybertrust
Walden is proud to announce that Verizon has agreed to acquire Cybertrust. Here's a link to the release.
Verizon Business today announced a definitive agreement under which it will acquire Cybertrust, a privately held provider of global information security services. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The combination will make Verizon Business the leading provider of managed information security services to large-business and government customers worldwide. By combining Cybertrust’s global presence and customer base, focused security expertise and professional services with Verizon Business' “cloud-to-core” security portfolio, global IP network and financial strength, the acquisition creates a powerful and unique player that will redefine the global security landscape.
Verizon Business today announced a definitive agreement under which it will acquire Cybertrust, a privately held provider of global information security services. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The combination will make Verizon Business the leading provider of managed information security services to large-business and government customers worldwide. By combining Cybertrust’s global presence and customer base, focused security expertise and professional services with Verizon Business' “cloud-to-core” security portfolio, global IP network and financial strength, the acquisition creates a powerful and unique player that will redefine the global security landscape.
Google/DoubleClick Backlash
According to The New York Post, Google's pending acquisition of DoubleClick has stirred up concern in the advertising world that Google will hold too much power. As as result, demand for BlueLithium's services has never been greater. Here's an excerpt from the article:
DoubleClick swears the information it collects about its customers ad campaigns can't be shared with Google, which already dominates the lucrative market for search advertising, without running afoul of its long-term contracts with clients.
But few in the ad business are buying it. Many believe Google will find ways to leverage DoubleClick's display data to increase its Internet ad clout.
Some suggest Google and DoubleClick set rules sooner rather than later to avoid the inevitable conflicts.
"They are going to have to write some rules of engagement on the type of information that can be shared," said Gurbaksh Chahal, chief executive of online ad company BlueLithium. "It will be interesting to see them."
DoubleClick swears the information it collects about its customers ad campaigns can't be shared with Google, which already dominates the lucrative market for search advertising, without running afoul of its long-term contracts with clients.
But few in the ad business are buying it. Many believe Google will find ways to leverage DoubleClick's display data to increase its Internet ad clout.
Some suggest Google and DoubleClick set rules sooner rather than later to avoid the inevitable conflicts.
"They are going to have to write some rules of engagement on the type of information that can be shared," said Gurbaksh Chahal, chief executive of online ad company BlueLithium. "It will be interesting to see them."
Internet Radio Equality Now!
Thanks to the millions of people who have contacted their representatives directly or through the auspices of organizations like SaveNetRadio.org, Rep. Jay Inslee (Democrat, Washington), Rep. Donald Manzullo (Republican, Illinois), and ten co-sponsors have introduced the Internet Radio Equality Act. This bill will invalidate the Copyright Review Board's recent ruling to increase royalty rates for Internet radio broadcasters and require that Internet radio broadcasters pay no more than satellite radio broadcasters. If you haven't registered your support for Internet radio, please stand up and be counted. The world will be a very boring place without it.
Glam in WSJ
Glam received prominent coverage in an article in The Wall Street Journal entitled "Web Network Offers Reebok Flexibility." Here's an excerpt:
When Reebok launched a new line of shoes and apparel endorsed by actress Scarlett Johansson last month, it took a different approach to Internet marketing. Instead of buying ads on mass-audience portals like MySpace, as it had done for past campaigns, Reebok struck an exclusive online deal with fashion and lifestyle Web concern Glam Media.
Glam worked with Reebok International, a unit of Adidas AG, to put together a marketing campaign aimed at young women that ranged from the traditional -- banner ads -- to less-traditional promotions that looked more like editorial features, such as interactive quizzes about Ms. Johansson and mentions in Glam blogs.
And the ads didn't show up just on Glam.com. Glam has assembled a network of roughly 300 similarly themed blogs, Web sites and magazines that it links to -- broadening Glam's reach. Glam's female-oriented network drew 10 million unique U.S. visitors in March, making it the second-largest women's online property after NBC Universal's iVillage, according to comScore Media Metrix.
"You are not just hitting one portal; you have thousands of these other sites. By showing up incrementally on these other sites, you are getting more bang for your buck," says Marc Fireman, head of digital marketing for Reebok.
When Reebok launched a new line of shoes and apparel endorsed by actress Scarlett Johansson last month, it took a different approach to Internet marketing. Instead of buying ads on mass-audience portals like MySpace, as it had done for past campaigns, Reebok struck an exclusive online deal with fashion and lifestyle Web concern Glam Media.
Glam worked with Reebok International, a unit of Adidas AG, to put together a marketing campaign aimed at young women that ranged from the traditional -- banner ads -- to less-traditional promotions that looked more like editorial features, such as interactive quizzes about Ms. Johansson and mentions in Glam blogs.
And the ads didn't show up just on Glam.com. Glam has assembled a network of roughly 300 similarly themed blogs, Web sites and magazines that it links to -- broadening Glam's reach. Glam's female-oriented network drew 10 million unique U.S. visitors in March, making it the second-largest women's online property after NBC Universal's iVillage, according to comScore Media Metrix.
"You are not just hitting one portal; you have thousands of these other sites. By showing up incrementally on these other sites, you are getting more bang for your buck," says Marc Fireman, head of digital marketing for Reebok.
Walden Invests in Telekenex
We are pleased to announce that we have invested the first institutional capital in Telekenex, a profitable, business-grade IP service provider for small to medium-sized businesses. Here are the details.
Standards Procedure
The final release of the open source GPL version 3 license is about to go live, and Palamida CEO Mark Tolliver has been very popular with reporters who are trying to gauge the impact of the shift.
"GPL 3 will certainly force awareness of licensing issues to grow, tools like ours or others that can detect and report on licenses and incompatibilities will be a standard part of peoples' IP use and software development environment," Tolliver said.
"To operate without that in this world of increasingly complex licensing will be more difficult and more risky."
"GPL 3 will certainly force awareness of licensing issues to grow, tools like ours or others that can detect and report on licenses and incompatibilities will be a standard part of peoples' IP use and software development environment," Tolliver said.
"To operate without that in this world of increasingly complex licensing will be more difficult and more risky."
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