Ballmer: no offline media
in a decade
Ad Networks and Analytics:
- Ad network Oridian rolled out a new channel targeted to users that live in the UK but were born elsewhere.
- After soft-launching it in May, Quantcast officially introduced its Media Planner platform.
- In-text ad firm Kontera launched a "One Click" plug-in that legs Blogger and WordPress users place ads on their sites.
Agencies and Marketing Execs:
- Numerous executive shifts at Rodale were made in hopes of strengthening the publisher's various online presences.
- Online media company Kaboose named Alexandra Aleskovsky, former CMO at ClubMom and SVP at iVillage, its GM and SVP of Digital Properties.
- Matt Freeman departed as CEO of Tribal DDB to lead kiddie site GoFish.
Biz Buzz:
- Online video sites JumpTV and NeuLion are merging, bringing the latter's set-top box technology together with the former's streaming video services.
- Knowledge management software provider AskMe sold two of its core business units to two different buyers, suggesting a major business model revamp ahead.
- Panelists at an AdAge conference predicted an increase in the number of deals that bring old and new media companies together in the coming months.
- Yahoo is pushing to retain its current board of directors, which Carl Icahn seeks to oust.
- Kaiser Permanente will partner with Microsoft on its Health Vault online records management program, beginning a test that involves all 156,000 of Kaiser's employees.
Broadband:
- Sony Pictures announced a slate of new original series for its Crackle.com online video hub that, judging by descriptions that are heavy on gaming and stunts, seem to be aiming primarily for younger guys.
Campaigns of Note:
- FedEx worked with Facebook on an application dubbed "Launch a Package," which lets people send digital goodies to friends through virtual FedEx packaging.
- The Body by Milk campaign used social network connections to build a strong presence online, supplemented by celebrities from its ads.
- Waldo, that hard-to-find icon, is joining social networks left and right as part of the CanYouFindWaldo.com online hunt/campaign that lets people create their own Waldo avatars and hide it in pictures.
Cross Media:
- CBS added video game retailer GameStop to its Outernet network, placing video screens in 4,000 store locations across the country.
- NBC Universal will use agency NextMedium to help with product placement in its programming. It will also use NextMedium's Embed tracking service to gauge whether the placements met goals.
Legal, Government and Regulation
- Time Warner Cable has been sued by the City of Los Angeles, which accuses the company of deceptive practices and pricing.
- The FCC's Kevin Martin, who permitted bandwidth bidding by companies who could make a "no porn" promise, has hit a speed bump. Some say it interferes with free speech and is infeasible.
Mobile:
- Microsoft cited the user music experience as a point of improvement in the next version of its Windows Mobile software.
Publishing:
- The Chicago Tribune is partnering with Chicago Public Schools on a publication and website called "The Mash," which will be targeted at high school students.
- Publisher American City Business Journals is introducing a digital version of Sporting News Today.
Signs of What's to Come:
Social Networks:
- Slide, the creator of numerous popular Facebook applications, has announced it will stop creating new ones and focus on monetizing existing properties instead.
- Disney is planning the launch of a social network that lets parents create avatars of their whole family and meet other families in similar situations as theirs across the network. A variety of marketer-friendly tools will be available on the new network.
- Universal Music UK is partnering with Bebo for a web series that tells the story of a fictitious Universal employee.
Tools and Software:
- Yahoo has signed a deal with software distribution firm Acresso Software to have its Yahoo Toolbar included in the list of software people can add as part of a new PC installation and setup package.
- AOL introduced AIM Money, a program that enables developers on the AIM API to share in ad revenue from their creations.
User Experience:
- New Sony LCD flat-panel television owners will be able to buy an add-on module that allows them to watch YouTube videos and view Wired.com content on their TVs.
- Verizon, Time Warner Cable and Sprint made moves to block access at the ISP level to forums and sites that deal with child pornography.
- Amazon continued to have troubles on Monday. Both its US and UK sites yielded site outages or slowed response times.
