The U.S. may be the world’s largest mobile ad market, but the U.K. is tops when it comes to the amount spent per mobile Web user, according to new data from eMarketer. A close second to the U.K. was Norway, at $35.71, followed by the U.S., at $31.50. Last month, eMarketer raised its estimate for U.S. mobile ad revenue in 2012 to $4 billion from $2.6 billion. The outlook for this year has mobile advertising in the U.S. rising 77% to $7.2 billion. Beyond mobile, the research firm Norway had the highest total media ad spending per person, …

Earlier today, I sent the below email to the Hulu team: In what is an understatement, this email has proven difficult for me to both write and send. I've decided to depart Hulu in Q1. I am currently working with the Board to ensure there is ample runway to manage this transition. Rich Tom will be doing the same, with roughly the same departure date. Rich and I have been fortunate to build and innovate alongside each other these past 5+ years and our plan is to do more of that on the road ahead. It is impossible to state …

The RTB marketplace for online video is forecast go grow at a compound average annual rate of 55.1% through 2016, according to TechNavio's just-released "Online Video Real-Time Bidding Spend in the U.S.: 2012-2016" report.

U.S. online holiday sales rose 14% to $42.3 billion from a year ago, according to new data from comScore, falling short of the firm’s projection of 16% e-commerce growth for the November-December period. After starting the season strong with sales up 16% during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, that rate slowed failed to top 12% in the first three weeks of December because of concerns about the economic implications of the fiscal cliff, according to comScore. “With Congress deadlocked throughout December, growth rates softened even further and never quite made up enough ground to reach our original …

Stepping up its social TV efforts, CBS has launched the CBS Connect app for the iPad. The free new app is a tablet extension of the “Connect” social media hub the network launched online last May, aggregating Facebook and Twitter conversations related to its programming across all dayparts. The app also offers second-screen content synced to CBS shows including CSI, Hawaii Five-O, and NCIS: Los Angeles, with more on the way. The network has previously created an app specifically for NCIS in connection with the series’ season 4 premiere. The second-screen programming from CBS includes episode-specific insights and anecdotes …

Erika Nardini has joined AOL as vice president-head of marketing solutions for AOL Advertising, reporting to Jim Norton, senior vice president of AOL Advertising.

The Federal Trade Commission has cleared Google of violating antitrust laws by promoting its own services in its search results.

The Washington Post has announced plans to launch a video channel focused on politics this summer. Similar to video platforms like the Wall Street Journal’s WSJ Live and Politico Live, the Post’s forthcoming channel will broadcast shows featuring the newspaper’s journalists and commentators as well as appearances by key newsmakers. The planned programming will total over 30 hours of air-time per month, with video content positioned prominently on both the home page and within articles. “As news consumers increasingly turn to video, a video channel centered on politics is a natural for The Post,” said Martin Baron, the newspaper’s …

Google’s Android platform was running on 53.7% of U.S. smartphones in November, up from 52.6% in August, according to the latest data from comScore. Apple’s share of the smartphone OS market increased slightly over the same period to 35%, while BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion, Microsoft and Symbian all continued to see their small slices of the market get even smaller. BlackBerry dropped a percentage point to 7.3%, Windows Phone fell to 3%, and Symbian to 0.5% in November. Among device manufacturers, Samsung increased its share of U.S. mobile phones to 26.9%, up 1.2 points, while Apple’s share rose …

The 451 Group, which operates 451 Research and the Uptime Institute, on Thursday announced acquiring mobile-focused research firm Yankee Group from Boston private equity firm Alta Communications. New York-based 451 Group said the move would extend its capabilities as a global research, advisory, data and certification firm. Started in 1970 as an independent technology research firm, Yankee Group in recent years has narrowed its scope to market research and analytics on consumer mobile usage. Under the deal, Yankee Group will operate as an independent division of the 451 Group, with Terry Waters continuing as CEO of the unit and …