Tired of seeing cheesy ads on the right side of Facebook pages? The social network may eventually give users the option of paying for an ad-free experience, according to a BGR report. It points to a patent Facebook has filed titled “Paid Profile Personalization” that could “replace advertisements or other elements that are normally displayed to visitors of the user’s profile page that are otherwise controlled by the social networking system.” Ad boxes might be placed with favorite photos, and paying users would also be able to rank their friends, display special status messages, and have more freedom …

When Twitter announced launching its ads API last week, it opened the door to new ways of advertising and more tools to help marketers to tailor campaigns on the platform. Among the first, is a service that capitalizes on Twitter’s popularity as a second-screen app, allowing advertisers to run Promoted Tweets during specific TV shows and live events. With the new Calendar Live tool built by TBG Digital—one of five initial Twitter Ads API partners—advertisers can align tweets with TV spots they’re running as well as  shows where they don’t have commercials. They can also take advantage of unscheduled …

Y&R has tapped one of its own-Matt Anthony-to succeed Carter Murray as North American CEO, the WPP agency network has confirmed. Murray was tapped by IPG's Draftfcb Wednesday to become its next CEO, replacing Laurence Boschetto. Draftfcb's search for a new leader had been ongoing since last fall. Anthony was a co-founder of VML, the Y&R digital shop and served as its CEO until 2011 when he named Jon Cook as his successor. He'll remain chairman emeritus at VML while taking on the broader Y&R NA CEO duties, the agency said. He was already a member of the Y&R Executive …

Interpublic Group's Draftfcb has poached Y&R North American CEO Carter Murray to become the agency's new Global CEO, the agency confirmed Wednesday. Draftfcb said last fall it had begun a search for new CEO to succeed Laurence Boschetto, who will remain with the agency through a transition period and shift into a consulting role for IPG with the title senior advisor. IPG CEO Michael Roth credited Murray with understanding "consumer advertising and brands," as well as having "demonstrated the ability to motivate diverse teams and raise the quality of creative work, nurture client relationships and win global business." It's that …

Interpublic Group ad agency Campbell Ewald is moving its headquarters back to Detroit from the nearby suburb of Warren where it relocated 35 years ago. The move is scheduled to take place early next year. Agency CEO Bill Ludwig made the announcement today at a press conference with city Mayor David Bing. The 102 year-old agency, which spent its first 65 years in the city, is currently renovating a 122,000 square-foot former auto storage facility to house the 600-plus employees that will work at the new company digs. Architect and design duties are being handled by Neumann Smith of Southfield, …

Android lost ground in the U.S. smartphone market at the start of 2013 even as Apple’s iOS surged on strong iPhone 5 sales. The share of smartphones running the Google operating system dropped to 52.3% from 53.6% for the three months ending January, according to the latest comScore data. In the same period, iOS picked up 3.5 percentage points to reach 37.8% share, according to new comScore data. Further, Apple accounted for 88% of new smartphone users over the three-month period. Apple reported selling 47.8 million iPhones in the December quarter, up from 37 million a year earlier. …

The U.S Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Sunbeam Television Corporation's antitrust lawsuit against Nielsen on March 4, 2013. "The District Court had found that Sunbeam failed to show that Nielsen blocked any competitor from establishing a syndicated television audience measurement service in the Miami market and lacked antitrust standing to assert its Sherman Act and Florida Antitrust Act claims against Nielsen," according to a statement releaed this morning by Nielsen. "The court also found that Nielsen was justified in rolling out its Local People Meter service in Miami, replacing the previous Meter-Diary system. The …

Next Issue, the digital magazine project of five major U.S. publishers, is taking its all-in-one app to Windows 8 devices. The newsstand app offers some 80 titles including Fast Company, Men’s Fitness, New York Magazine, Food & Wine, and ESPN The Magazine. As with the versions for the iPad and Android tablets, unlimited access to monthly and bi-weekly magazines in the Next Issue app for Windows 8 costs $9.99 a month. A “premium” plan for access to all titles is $14.99. Available for download in the Windows Store, the Next Issue app The Next Issue app works on Windows 8, …

A New York Court has dismissed a $1 billion law suit by Indian TV network New Delhi Television against Nielsen and WPP and some of their subsidiaries for breach of contract and negligence in connection with a TV ratings service the companies operate in India. The New York State Supreme Court indicated that New York was an inappropriate venue for the suit, ruling that since the ratings company joint venture run by WPP and Nielsen, known as TAM, is based in India, that's where the suit should be contested. Nielsen and WPP said they were pleased with the decision. NDTV …

Facebook is once again accepting applications for its Preferred Marketing Developer (PMD) Program after temporarily closing the ad program to new candidates last month pending updated requirements. The social network on Monday announced PMD applicants must now be referred by a Facebook employee or a current PMD vendor. Facebook also set additional requirements for earning badges for qualification across the four areas of expertise covered by its partners: ads, apps, insights and pages. "These new requirements will facilitate the implementation of features such as boosting Page content in news feed, accessing Open Graph insights for app developers or …