In this week’s Week in Review: LiveRail dropped by Facebook, Periscope to be broadcast direct on Twitter and Paramount partners up with Rightster. To receive weekly summary of industry news and other VAN interviews and videos, sign up to the weekly Video Round-Up.
Facebook Retires LiveRail Ad Server, Celebrates Messenger App
Facebook has also announced it has dropped the LiveRail ad server and current clients will be moved to other ad servers. LiveRail, the ad server, SSP and publisher monetisation platform that Facebook acquired in 2014, will be exiting the ad-serving business. The company also announced that by the end of 2015 more than 800 million people were using the Facebook messenger app.
Periscope To Broadcast Videos Direct on Twitter
Periscope users will no longer need to open a separate app or browser to watch live clips and replays on mobile and desktop, the Twitter livestreaming service has announced. Periscope explained in a blog that this will “add a whole new dimension to Twitter”.
Rightster Signs Deal With Paramount
Digital video multi-platform company, Rightster, has announced a channel management and audience development partnership with Paramount Pictures International. Paramount Pictures will get Rightster’s expert support with live YouTube channel reporting and insight, as well as rights management on a global scale.
MediaCom Partners with Realeyes to Integrate Emoticon Measurement
MediaCom and Realeyes have announced a partnership that will incorporate emoticon measurement technology into its content testing and media planning for clients.
INSIDE Secure Collaborates with Microsoft
Mobile security company, INSIDE Secure will be collaborating with Microsoft to upgrade its DRM Fusion implementation of PlayReady. The move is set to enhance the security of OTT content distribution by combining hardware and software security.
Irdeto and Aspera Enable Real-Time Watermarking
IBM company, Aspera, has formed a strategic partnership with digital-platform security company, Irdeto, to enable forensic watermarking capabilities. The technology inserts watermarks in real-time with no impact on delivery quality or speed.
Parents Post 4.2 Times More Videos Than Non-Parents
New parents post 2.5 more updates on Facebook and 4.2 times more videos than non-parents, a study from Ipsos and Facebook has revealed. Surveying 8,000 people, the study also found that re parents use Facebook 1.3 times more often than non-parents.
Mobile Devices Are Most Popular Devices For OTT
The most popular devices for watching paid OTT TV content are mobile, according to new research from Paywizard. The standout CES 2016 trend towards multiscreen TV experiences is supported by Paywizard’s new research, which shows that 66 per cent of consumers globally preferring to access Internet TV via a mobile, tablet or laptop.
ThinkAnalytics Hires Former Cisco VP
Analytics company, ThinkAnalytics, have hired former Cisco Vice President, Stuart McGeechan, as SVP of Services and Operations. McGeechan’s role is to lead efforts to further strengthen the continued adoption and support of ThinkAnalytics technology worldwide.
Maker Studios launches Revelmode YouTube ‘Squad’ Led by PewDiePie
Disney talent network Maker Studios has tapped the marketing power of YouTube’s top earner PewDiePie to lead a premium gaming network called Revelmode. Popular YouTubers PewDiePie, JackSepticEye, Mark Fischbach, Ken Morrison and Emma Blackery have formed an “Avengers-like talent squad” to create videos, branded games, merchandise and greater commercial opportunities.
Wireless Carriers Fuel Mobile Video Boom
AT&T have announced a plan that gives new and existing subscribers unlimited video on their smartphone, in the latest evidence that wireless carriers will be responsible for a boom in unlimited mobile video viewing.
One-Third of UK Broadband Households Have OTT
As of Q3 2015, 33 per cent of UK broadband households had subscribed to an OTT service, new research from Parks Associates has found. The study also found that only 15 per cent of UK households with pay TV subscribe to premium movie channels.
Millennials Are Major Threat to TV
New media channels are the preference for millennials, putting pressure on traditional TV channels, according to a new study from L.E.K Consulting. The study has found that 45 per cent of millennials without children have an OTT subscription, with two-thirds of those planning to cancel or reduce their pay TV spend.
Sky Sports Online Video Views Up 175 Per Cent
Sky Sports was the number one digital destination for sport in 2015 for the first time. Online video views increased by approximately 175 per cent, totalling just under 300 million by December.
Netflix To Add 20 Million Subscribers in 2016
Thanks to Netflix’s 130 nation expansion, the SVoD company is set to add 20m subscribers to its service during 2016, Ovum’s Senior Analyst, TV and OTT Video has forecast. The new markets make Netflix a “global network” available in more than 190 markets across the world.
Vyking Secures €1 Million
Video ad server Vyking has secured €1m from private investors to enable it to expand across Europe. The cloud-based platform enables publishers to maximize ad revenue from instream, outstream and native video advertising units.
Marcus S Tan Appointed SpotX JAPAC MD
Marcus S Tan, previously PubMatic’s Head of High Growth Solutions in JAPAC, has been appointed SpotX’s MD JAPAC. The appointment is set to lead the company’s expansion into new Asian markets and build new partnerships in cross-screen video and programmatic linear TV.
Teads Hires AOL Head of Programmatic
Video company Teads have hired former AOL Head of Programmatic and Head of Video in the UK, Jonathan Nash, as Head of Programmatic, UK and Ireland. Nash will be responsible for developing and enriching key relationships with programmatic players throughout the market.
Mashable Announces Teads as Native Video Partner
Media company Mashable has named video advertising company, Teads, as their partner for native video advertising, Teads has announced. Mashable is hoping this partnership will increase its on site video viewability for advertisers. Teads will be a provider for native video advertising with its flagship inRead format, which places video advertising within editorial content while the video is visible.
RedPill Takes on Jon Williams as Strategy Director
Social video agency RedPill has hired Jon Williams to join the board as strategy director. He joins them from Opera Mediaworks.
50 Per Cent of Marketers Buy Programmatically
Despite 45 per cent of marketers claiming not to know how programmatic works, over half are buying mobile inventory using programmatic media, according to new research from the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB). Nearly 3 in 10 respondents said they felt they had an “excellent” understanding of mobile advertising.
Consumer Virtual Reality Revenue To Top $18 Billion
Virtual Reality (VR), which involves the use of a head-mounted display that tracks the user’s head movements and translates them into an immersive wide-angle video display, revenue is set to top $18bn by 2025, according to ‘The Future of Consumer VR and Its Impact on Video Viewing, 2016-2025’ from TDG Research.
Apple App Store Has Record-Breaking Christmas
The Apple App Store has set new records over the festive season, with consumers spending $1.1bn on apps and in-app purchases during the two weeks ending January 3rd 2016, Apple has announced. January 1, 2016 marked the biggest day in App Store history with customers spending over $144 million.
Vidgo Promises Cable Access on Tablet
New streaming service, Vidgo, has promised to deliver the most live linear TV channels of any OTT streaming service. Vidgo will work on tablets and smartphones, and it is planning to launch in 15 markets by early 2016.
Live Streaming App Usage to Rise
Live streaming apps are set to become more popular in 2016, according to the Global Web Index trend predictions for 2016. At the moment, only around 1.5 per cent globally are engaging with Meerkat and just under 2 per cent are using Periscope.
iPlayer Connected TV requests Increase 32 Per Cent
Connected TVs were the most popular way to watch BBC iPlayer over the festive period, with unique browsers on connected TVs up 32 per cent on the same period in 2014. Connected TVs accounted for 38 per cent of unique browsers, with 24 per cent on tablets and 17 per cent on mobiles.
Bewkes To Remain CEO At Time Warner
Chairman and CEO of Time Warner, Jeff Bewkes, has extended his contract for another three years through 2020, the company has announced.
Ad of the Week: Exxon Mobil, BBDO NY, ‘Be an Engineer’
Dry humour from BBDO New York highlighting why the world needs engineers. Our favourite highlights how different our transportation system might look without them.
