Streaming Services Putting Advertisers Ahead Of UX; Scatter Market Picks Up Upfront Losses

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Can You Hear Us?

In 2013, the FCC began enforcing regulations against TV broadcasters that aired commercials louder than programming. But streaming services slip through a loophole in that policy, and Vice reports on services like Sling TV and individual networks that have migrated the terrible practice online, placing marginal advertiser benefits ahead of user experience. More.

Scattering Cash

For a minute there it looked like networks and advertisers were going through a painful breakup, with upfront commitments shrinking as linear TV viewing stumbled. But declining upfront sales have been more than made up for by a thriving scatter market. Says a gloating Toby Byrne, Fox Networks Group president, “Unlike the last couple years, where scatter wasn’t as strong and they either chose to put those flexible numbers to the bottom line or to spend them in new opportunities or new media, the dollars have found their way into the premium television marketplace.” More at Adweek.

Petrified Publicis

L’Oréal announced late last week that it would be consolidating its media planning and buying with MEC, at the expense of Publicis. That came only days after Publicis found out it would be losing most of the budgets it managed on behalf of P&G, a longstanding client and the world’s largest advertiser. Dentsu also recently leapfrogged Publicis to take on more of the Mondelez media budget. Ouch.

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