• by Masha Geller , July 2, 2002

An article in eMarketer’s daily newsletter yesterday highlighted an interesting AdRelevance study, which found that the average pixel area claimed by online ads has risen from 22,582 pixels in Q1 2001 to 37,799 pixels in Q1 2002. (Don’t reach for the calculator – a 468x60 banner is 28,080 pixels)

In the report, AdRelevance (a division of Nielsen//NetRatings) notes that although rich media represents just 4% of total online ad impressions in 2002, the percentage represents a steady increase over the past few years.

The ads may be getting bigger, but three industry’s biggest players of years past are no longer with us. [How’s that for a smooth segue?] Following the yard sale of Jupiter Media Metrix parts and granddaddy DoubleClick giving up on the media side of its business, Ziff Davis Media's Yahoo! Internet Life announced yesterday that the title's August issue would be its last. That’s three of the original players in the online field throwing in the towel (in various forms, of course).

The good news is that it looks like the best parts of all these companies (save Internet Life) have been saved by the younger generation – Media Metrix is safe in the arms of comScore, which is hailed by many as the more probable winner of the web measurement war with NetRatings; and DoubleClick’s media network has passed into the hands of L90 - now MaxWorldwide - which seems to have weathered the SEC storm and is on its way to making some serious waves of its own.

Another piece of good news to send you off to the long weekend with is that there is still a bunch of funding out there for Internet companies. Just yesterday, 24/7 Real Media announced that it has secured an investment of at least $5 million in equity funding from Sunra Capital Holdings Limited, with an option to increase its investment by an additional $2 million.

Happy 4th!