Got a Moment? Here's An Extremely Brief Report on Short Attention Span Video Ads by P.J. Bednarski

According to new research commissioned by Aol, consumers would rather be pitched prior to watching short videos rather than being pitched at the beginning and middle while watching longer videos online. In short-and short seems to be the operative word here--consumers aren't so interested in replicating the TV style mix of advertising and content when they are watching video online. Why would the AOL On Network care so much? Well, it claims to have the largest, premium short-form video library on the Web, and so, this is a study that is saying, "Hey! Aren't we suddenly more attractive?" When Aol ...Read the whole story

  • Hulu Posts Big Revenue In 2012 by Gavin O'Malley

    In 2012, Hulu grew revenue 65% to reach approximately $695 million, the premium streamer said Monday. Among other factors, CEO Jason Kilar attributed the site's success to better content and more ad partners. ...Read the whole story

  • AOL App Open To Xbox Subscribers by Gavin O'Malley

    Continuing to grow its footprint, the AOL On Network this week is making its app available to some 40 million Xbox Live subscribers. Advertisers can reach more users on Xbox360's platforms, including Sony, Roku and Samsung. ...Read the whole story

  • Nielsen: Online Company Most Liked TV Ad by Laurie Sullivan

    The integration of online and television occur in more than numbers from organizations like the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). An ad from the online site Ancestry.com took the No. 1 spot in Nielsen's ranking for the most-liked new commercial in 2012. ...Read the whole story

The Other Reason Why Music Startups Have Crappy Business Models by Ashkan Karbasfrooshan

Last.fm is going pay-only. Spotify loses more money the more it scales. Pandora is a hot mess. The overriding reason, of course, is that digital music startups face horrible economics -- and no matter how much money investors are willing to throw at them (and how many blogs they write), that won't change. In fact, when consumers are spending less money buying (remember that?) your albums, do ya really think that the record labels will cut you some slack with royalty payments? The other reason, perhaps, is that YouTube is eating away at their business at the consumer end. ...More

  • Lighting Up TV Screens For 48 Years: A Brief History Of Rudolph by Karen Herman

    It's been 48 years since the holiday stop-motion perennial "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" first hit TV screens on Dec. 6, 1964. This year, things were looking down for Rudolph, when Deadline.com headlined that the CBS broadcast was off 28% in ratings from last year. One commenter said the special was timeworn and remake-worthy, others said that their own kids were watching on other platforms (iPad, DVD, etc.). Is Rudolph headed for the Island of Poorly Rated Specials? Still, it's been a good run. A few years ago, we interviewed the program's co-producer, Arthur Rankin, Jr., who filled us in on ...More