Neil Long

On this MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire CEO Rachel Smith is joined by COO Lindsay Rowntree and editorial lead Mat Broughton to discuss the latest in the media, marketing, and ad tech ecosystem.  They examine Google’s final arguments in its ad stack case against the DOJ, how AI Overviews are reducing traffic for publishers and investors considering takeover bids for ITV.  https://lnkd.in/eDidE9Qm #AI #Broadcasters #Google #Search

1

Last week on the MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire CEO Rachel Smith was joined by COO Lindsay Rowntree and research lead Mat Broughton, to discuss the latest in the media, marketing, and ad tech ecosystem. They examined Google’s final arguments in its ad stack case against the DOJ, how AI Overviews are reducing traffic for publishers and investors considering takeover bids for ITV.  https://lnkd.in/eDidE9Qm #Google #AI #Podcast

1

Can Bluesky become PR’s new playground?   Our very own Chris Owen, General Manager for UK , shares his thoughts in PRmoment on why Bluesky might just be the next big thing for PR pros. Could it bring back the excitement and connectivity of early Twitter?   Find out more in the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dJZZDAfE #TheHoffmanAgency #PRpros #TechPR #Blusky

4

FAO: All my #founder #CEO and #entrepreneur friends. Entries are open in the Barclays Entrepreneur Awards, with nine categories covering a whole range of business sectors. One category is focused upon innovation in games - so a lot of people across #Scotland and the #UK should think seriously about getting an entry in for themselves, or someone who's work you admire. #games #Scotland #UK #business #videogames

9

This week's Video Games Industry Memo took a depressingly timely look at new research exploring the intersection between the far right and video games. In a week where Donald Trump appeared on a Kick stream with an influencer who has previously hosted a leading white supremacist and the UK was rocked by far right rioting, I summarised research which showed: 🚨 Alarmingly lax moderation by Steam, which allows demonstrably far right groups to use its community functions to spread its message and recruit. 📺 Extremist challenges on a range of streaming platforms, with particular concern focusing on Kick's willingness to allow far right activists and consipiracy theorists a platform. 🤝 Constructive research exploring how the industry and the public sector can address challenges via practical partnerships built on trust - rather than reaching for regulation. This week's newsletter also explores the news that Warner Bros is exploring the sale of its game division, highlights some great jobs going (including one at Major League Soccer) and picks out unofficial Love Island simulator The Crush House as the release to watch. Subscribers received Video Games Industry Memo earlier this morning straight to their inbox. Get it sent to yours too by signing up via the link in my bio or by searching on it on Substack or a search engine of your choice.

21

1 Comment

👀 Read why dmg media's chief executive thinks the future of news is bright. 😎 🗣 At Press Gazette's Future of Media Technology Conference this month, Rich Caccappolo spoke about: 💻 New UK tech regulation bringing huge benefits to news publishers 🎧🎥🤳 dmg media's diversification and success of Mail+ 🤖 Use of AI 👉 https://lnkd.in/erEZUZR4

76

2 Comments

Today's headlines: 🗞 20 media groups sign open letter against BBC ad-funded podcasts 🍎 Publishers raise concern of Apple's 'web eraser' 👩‍⚖️ European Commission set to hit Microsoft with new antitrust charges Read all about it, or listen to the MadTech Daily, at the link below: #news #apple #microsoft #antitrust #bbc #podcast

1

UK news publishers are experimenting with generative AI to realise newsroom efficiencies—its role in delivering new products and revenue streams is much less certain. Different businesses see a different balance of risk and reward: some eager locals are already using generative AI for newsgathering and content creation, while quality nationals hold back from reader-facing uses. Publishers must protect the integrity of their content. Beyond hallucinations, overuse of generative AI carries the longer-term commercial and reputational risk of losing what makes a news product distinctive. Read here: https://bit.ly/3NntZA9

9

This week's Video Games Industry Memo - sponsored by Sumo Digital Ltd - hit over 2000 inboxes earlier today with an article exploring the economic impact of Roblox creators on the American economy. Between 2017 and 2023, experience makers have added $1.2bn in GDP, supported nearly 18,000 full time equivalents (jobs) and contributed more than $300m in tax. But while the headline figures may be a little less impressive than they sound, the trends driving those figures suggest the UGC economy could be a force for genuine economic value in the years to come. Along with the deep dive into Roblox, VGIM also contained: 📰 News about Russian intelligence agents targeting US gamers for misinformation campaigns 💼 All the big job moves and some great open roles at major games companies 📅 Forthcoming conferences including Nexus in Dublin, Tokyo Game Show and Game Connect Asia Pacific in Melbourne 🎮 Funko Pop Fusion heading up the round-up of the week's releases You can read Video Games Industry Memo now by searching for it on Substack, Google or by clicking the Newsletter link in my LinkedIn profile. And if you're not subscribed, make sure to sign up ahead of next Thursday's edition where we'll take a look inside a building described as the Large Hadron Collider for the Mind...

21

How should media companies approach AI partnerships? Jose Puga, CEO of Imaginario spoke to BroadcastNow.co.uk and gave some ways media orgs can handle working with big AI companies. With his work at Imaginario AI, they’ve been working with clients like NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery on how they should approach partnerships while at the same time making sure the industry is not negatively impacted. Here’s what he said: 1. Equal-term partnerships with specialist AI providers: Custom service agreements that can be used by smaller, boutique orgs to sort out copyright issues at the outset and avoid the risk of future legal issues. 2. Enhancing data transparency and model explainability: Detailed info on sourcing, cleaning, storing processes and all documentation available to the public will boost trust over fairness of the model used. Transparency is key. 3. Licensing agreements and using AI tools to speed-up curation processes: When it comes to licensing deals, Jose recommends a cautious approach. Although media orgs may get millions of $$ today for their data from AI companies, there is a big danger of losing way more revenue in the future if its not very clearly laid out how the datasets will be used. This issue becomes even sticker when media orgs have no control over how these models can mimic content and there could be greater loss market share in the future. 4. Establishing Guardrails and Controls: Clear safeguards are needed to ensure your data is protected. Read the T&Cs of AI you're using. For instance, you may find that some AI tools can use your protected IP so be careful what you’re giving AI tools. Adobe recently got into big trouble changing their T&Cs so that they can take users content they create / IP. Being clear about how and when you’re using AI will be very crucial for keeping credibility and trust. 5. Customizing AI models with proprietary data: A growing trend among media orgs is the development of their own in-house specialized AI models through a third party using secure cloud. These custom models have to be trained using proprietary data in secure environments. This can really reduce the IP risks and also would ensure you’re on the right side of the law and ethics. By tailoring AI models to specific needs, companies can have have results, but this approach can be very costly potentially both in terms of time and financial investment.

1

Recently, Uswitch posted an article titled, 'UK online streaming statistics 2024', where it included the numbers of subscribers per streaming platform, the revenue they make and their viewing habits of their customers. Top 10 UK online streaming statistics 2024 - Between 2015 and 2023, SVoD (Streaming Video on Demand) penetration in UK households more than tripled, from a fifth (20%) to two-thirds (66%), respectively.  - In 2023, two-fifths (42.2%) of all new streaming subscribers joined Amazon Prime Video. - Between 2017 and 2027, the average revenue per user for streaming companies is expected to more than double, increasing from around £56 to £199 per user. - From Q1 2019 to Q3 2023, Netflix’s global revenue increased by more than four-fifths (88%). - In Q1 2022, Netflix’s UK subscriber numbers peaked at 17.3 million. - From Q1 2019 to Q3 2023, the number of Amazon Prime Video members more than doubled (+118%). - Disney Plus increased its subscriber numbers by almost two-fifths (+37.5%) between Q2 2021 and Q2 2022. - Adults aged 75+ spend around twice as much time watching content on screens than children aged 4-15, with more than three-quarters (78%) of screen time for the over 75s coming from TV viewing.  - Netflix has the strongest brand awareness of all online streaming services, with 96% of people in the UK having heard of it. or the full article, check out; https://lnkd.in/eaNrnrXe #redmediaplus #SVOD #TVOD #Streaming #CTV #ConnectedTV

5

Mobile games publisher Zynga has sold mobile ads and monetisation platform Chartboost to LoopMe for an undisclosed fee. LoopMe said the deal is part of its plans to expand its own AI-powered brand advertising and performance platform and grow its presence in the mobile apps ecosystem.

2

Forgive me, I want to repost this Games London update to do a classic LinkedIn 'reflect and tease' post. But hear me out. For just over eight years our Accelerator and other programmes (like the Pitch Training Bootcamp of old and now Game Changer) have supported new games businesses with workshops, mentoring and more. Today we pass another milestone as we kickstart the second Game Changer cohort with their first workshop, hosted at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly - fittingly the location for our first bootcamp back in 2017! - we've supported over 150 games studios with these programmes, giving them fast-track insight and connections. Well done again to the 2024 Accelerator cohort and thanks to our speakers, mentors and partners. Giving promising new businesses access and learning is so crucial to ensure emerging games studios can be sustainable and successful. Good luck to the Game Changer cohort who start their journey today (we'll be officially unveiling the cohort next week) - you're another ambitious and promising cohort. That said... there's now a bit of an oversupply in these programmes, we've got to admit. After we debuted the Accelerator in 2020, there's now similar programmes up and down the country. Brilliant! But there's nothing in the market to help studio start-ups convert to their first successful release, right? Publishers and investors faced with industry turmoil (or at least the perception of it!) are increasingly demanding that prospective developer partners have released at least one game on their own stead before starting a conversation. So now we're cooking something up to help businesses go from 'accelerator graduate' to successful debut launch. More news in Sept. Watch this space.

26

1 Comment

Choice Paralysis: TiVo’s UK Video Trends Report Finds 84% of Viewers Scroll Aimlessly as Streaming Services Multiply TiVo, a wholly owned subsidiary of entertainment technology company Xperi Inc. (NYSE: XPER), has found that users are overwhelmed by the rising amount of video providers, adding to increased viewer irritation when deciding what to watch. According to the latest 2024 #TiVo Video Trends Report: U.K. only 16% of viewers know what they want to watch when they start browsing, resulting in ‘habit browsing’ for the majority of viewers. https://lnkd.in/dePznAtq

3

1 Comment

📈Ad Tier subscriptions are growing in the UK BARB have released their latest quarterly Establishment Survey, some of the headlines from the latest report are 📺Netflix and Disney have grown Q-o-Q in take-up of their ad tier. Netflix has increased from 2.8m to 3.8m homes, Disney+ is 1.2m, up from 0.8m in Q2. 🏠The Amazon Prime ad-tier is the biggest platform as users were automatically transferred to the ad-tier when it was launched. 86% of homes using Amazon Prime Video are on the ad-tier 📊20.1m homes now subscribe to a major streaming service, a very small increase from 20m homes in Q2 Read the full report findings here: https://lnkd.in/daQfwdb6

2

Why YOU should add mobile gaming to your digital strategy! 🫵 Find out more in the post below! #GenerationMedia #PreciseTV #MobileGaming

21

2 Comments