…advertisers say their tracking software shows clicks on their ads are 20% to 100% lower than the amount Facebook is asking them pay for. – Silicon Alley Insider

For the year to March 31, Economist Group posted operating profits 26 percent higher than last year at £56 million and revenue 17 percent better revenue of £313 million. – Paid Content

“The new MSFT-NBCU deal, slated to start in Q4 this year, will NOT involve auction, and the two parties will share revenue from the ads. Also, NBC is staying away from offering any inventory from the current upfront season, the story says.” – PaidContent

“An official with the [Joint Venture] says Canoe uncovered a number of operational limitations during a set of technical trials that were being used to define the CAM product. Among them, the system, which had to be retrofitted with cable’s myriad of legacy ad insertion platforms, had trouble reconciling the national and local ad scheduling systems of programmers.” – Digital Cable News

There are really only a few times to use a cover letter (according to David Silverman – HBR)

1. When you know the name of the person hiring
2. When you know something about the job requirement
3. When you’ve been personally referred (which might include 1 and 2)

(article here)

The migration to digital entertainment will accelerate as companies seek efficiencies in advertising and distribution in a downturn and consumers want greater control and higher value, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2009-2013, released on Tuesday. – Reuters

‘The [PWC] report describes a profound structural shift to more efficient digital ad models, and it warns, “This in turn may result in a permanent reduction in total advertising spend, as dollars formerly ‘wasted’ through inaccurate targeting are saved and reallocated to other priorities.”’ – Media Life Magazine

Original video content will, eventually, explode like blogging for journalism…my sense is that production standards are still too high to make original content work on a scalable level. Where are the film & edit students, why don’t we see more raw creativity?

From PaidContent: “The weak ad market is forcing breakout online video studio EQAL out of the original content business, and into the arms of old-school media giants like CBS. EQAL is halting development of new standalone series, in favor of running the online video properties for existing brands like CBS’ Harpers Island (called Harper’s Globe) or Food Network icon Paula Deen (with a new property called Get Cookin’). It’s just the latest twist in the ongoing online video shakeout—though EQAL remains in better standing than shuttered studios like ManiaTV or 60Frames.” (full story here)

“Every profession bears the responsibility to understand the circumstance which enables its existence”
- Robert Gutman

One surprising piece of news in the TNS report is the 8.2% rise in online display advertising. Despite rumors of the impending death of display, marketers are taking advantage of bargain ad prices and key segments like telecom, travel and retail moved money towards digital to find efficiencies. – MIN Online

An interview with NYTimes exec ed Bill Keller ended with him asked, “What’s black and white and read all over?” Keller answered “a newspaper,” of course, but Jason Jones corrected him, “No, your balance sheet.” – Greg MItchell

Talk about kicking the Grey Lady when she is down…