Those 8 Billion Video Ads in March? That's a Doubling from a Year Ago, Thanks to YouTube by Daisy Whitney

What's even more impressive than the record number of online video ads served up in March is the year-over-year growth. Late last week, comScore reported that Americans had watched more than 8.3 billion online video ads in March, a record month. That 8.3 billion figure is also a doubling of the number of ads served up just one year ago. According to an analysis of comScore's own figures, in March 2011 Americans had watched 4.3 billion online video ads. That makes the March 2012 number a 93% increase in one year. ...Read the whole story

  • Tribune Invests In Journatic, Extends Hyper-Local Content by Erik Sass

    Tribune Company has invested in Journatic, a provider of extensive local content to media companies and advertisers. Terms of the investment were not disclosed. Journatic helps publishers and advertisers create hyperlocal content -- people, places, events -- for customers. ...Read the whole story

  • Senate Urged To Probe Data Caps by Wendy Davis

    Broadband caps imposed by Internet service providers threaten the future of online video, a coalition of consumer advocacy groups told lawmakers. Broadband advocates also say caps will discourage people from getting in the habit of watching programs online -- where they don't need to pay pricey cable TV fees. ...Read the whole story

VideoDaily Roundup: IAC Chairman Takes Shot At Big Media At Senate Hearing by Ross Fadner

Today's VideoDaily Roundup focuses on big media, starting with Barry Diller, who throws a punch at media and telco firms in his written Senate hearing testimony. We follow this by profiling a TV Everywhere service that aims to play nice with big media firms. After that, Hulu investor Providence Equity Partners takes a stake in former News Corp. COO Peter Chernin's new media venture. Next, online video enters the classroom (in a good way), and finally: will premium publishers soon be forced to put their video inventory on ad exchanges? ...More

  • VideoDaily Roundup: Minority Targeted Shows Thrive on YouTube by Ross Fadner

    Happy Monday, folks. In today's VideoDaily Roundup, we'll start off by asking why minorities watch more online video. Next, we have one columnist's rant against the poor state of Web video content, and how to change it. Our third story highlights two marketers who claim to be shifting a portion of their TV budgets to Web video. Next, analysts talk up Netflix's prospects for the rest of the year, ahead of its Q1 earnings report. Finally, we have one CNET editor's lament on repurposed, 30-second pre-roll ads. Enjoy! ...More

  • Is YouTube Betting Its Future On Content Or Technology? by Ashkan Karbasfrooshan

    Once Facebook bought Instagram, some wondered if it was a matter of time before Google would acquire Pinterest. Indeed, once something becomes huge (like Pinterest), Google wants it. But if a young, small company addresses one of Google's problems earlier on in the company's lifecycle, Google thinks it can do it itself, in-house. ...More

  • Netflix Taps Lobbyists For Privacy Law Revision by Wendy Davis

    Netflix said last year that it was backing a bill to amend the federal Video Privacy Protection Act, in order to integrate with Facebook. The federal video privacy law prohibits movie rental companies from disclosing information about their customers without their written consent -- apparently on a movie-by-movie basis. The House recently voted to amend the bill by allowing people to consent online to the disclosure of their movie-rental records on an ongoing basis. But the amendment faced criticism in the Senate, where the measure has stalled. Now, Netflix is apparently getting ready to make a bigger push for the ...More