Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.
Second Chance
Jezebel lives again. The snarky feminist digital pub relaunched Monday, and it is modeling its digital ad strategy on that of its new parent, indie publisher Paste Magazine, Adweek reports.
About a quarter of Paste’s revenue stems from private marketplace deals and brand sponsorships; the rest it credits to open-exchange programmatic. Sponsorship of Paste’s YouTube channel and newsletter comprises the majority of its direct advertising revenue.
And Jezebel will work from the same playbook. To up its direct advertising, it will court video sponsors and put on live events.
But the core of Jezebel’s revenue must come from open-exchange programmatic. And that may be a problem for the acid-tongued brand.
Brand safety concerns, which influenced previous Jezebel owner G/O Media’s decision to shutter the outlet, loom large. Keyword blocklists threaten the site’s ability to monetize open-exchange programmatic. The same goes for politics-focused pub Splinter, which Paste bought from G/O Media alongside Jezebel and plans to resurrect in time to cover the 2024 election.
Portentous Predictions
Streamers are still struggling with subscriber churn, and the problem’s only getting worse, according to media research firm Magid.
Even though the streaming industry is upping its game, so are users. People are jumping between streaming services more frequently nowadays, says Mike Bloxham, Magid’s EVP of global media and entertainment, speaking at the company’s virtual event on Monday.
“Serial churners,” who have canceled at least three subscriptions in the past two years, grew this year because customers are more cost-conscious and streamers are offering more options and permutations of subscriptions or advertising. There’s been less content (the Hollywood strikes) and higher prices, too, which doesn’t help (unless you’re rooting for churn).
And media subscription churn should grow more next year because studio production schedules are still far below the pace of recent years, Bloxham says.
Bottom line, he says, is consumers are getting much more selective about which services they’re willing to pay for.
Old Hat 🤝New Hat
Speaking of churn and content, as streaming services turn to bundling (an anti-churn measure), they’re mixing and matching between streaming and cable content.
For instance, starting in January, Paramount’s recently rebranded cable channel, Paramount+ with Showtime (doesn’t that roll off the tongue?), will air recent series originally created for streaming. The roster includes Paramount+ shows such as “Halo,” “Wolf Pack” and “Star Trek: Discovery.”
And earlier this year, CBS (which is owned by Paramount) broadcast Paramount+ shows “FBI True” and “SEAL Team.”
Paramount isn’t alone in bringing streaming programs to linear in an effort to expand audience reach (and provide linear channels with an oxygen mask).
Disney will soon show the popular Hulu original “Only Murders in the Building” on ABC. And in September, the House of Mouse inked a deal with Charter Communications to distribute its streaming services to Charter’s cable subscribers.
If you already own the linear channels, may as well put them to use.
But Wait, There’s More!
TikTok acquires Indonesian ecommerce company Tokopedia in a desperate attempt to revive TikTok Shop. [The Information]
But don’t feel too bad for TikTok. Its commerce aspirations may not be working out, but it just became the first non-game app to reach $10 billion in consumer spending. [TechCrunch]
European Union officials have come to a provisional agreement on the AI Act. [Variety]
Why MMPs aren’t included in Apple’s required privacy manifests SDK list. [Mobile Dev Memo]
Dozens of political candidates have paid for political ads on X this year. [Washington Post]
Brian Wieser discusses M&A deals that could be coming soon among traditional media companies and what the fallout would be. [Madison and Wall]
