Good morning. It’s Monday, May 13, 2019 and this is your first Media Tech Update. Join us every Monday morning!

IN THE NEWS

At its annual I/O developer conference, Google announced new advertising privacy controls that make it easier for users to see which cookies websites have been installed on their browsers, and distinguish which ones help them have a better experience (like log-in autofill) and which just grab data for advertisers. “This change will enable users to clear all such cookies while leaving single domain cookies unaffected, preserving user logins and settings,” said Google. “It will also enable browsers to provide clear information about which sites are setting these cookies, so users can make informed choices about how their data is used.”

What are the implications of Google’s browser changes for advertisers? “If third-party tracking is deprecated across the browser, that's a significant amount of data that the programmatic industry needs to create identity,” said Jay Wells, senior director of strategy at Merkle, during a panel hosted by TripleLift. “That would look like 70% of traffic is gone.” Which means the winners in the short-term will be companies who can create first-party data, said Wells.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos unveiled a new moon lander, dubbed Blue Moon, last week. “It’s time to go back to the moon, this time to stay,” said Bezos at a press event in D.C., where he described future space colonies close to Earth. Tweeted Elon Musk, who is also developing rockets for space travel, “Oh stop teasing, Jeff.”

A new IDC Report found that while VR headset owners were generally happy with their devices, the average owner only spends about six hours per month using it. As for consumers who haven’t yet purchased a VR headset, price and ease of use are the factors most important in making a purchase.

Facebook responded to the argument its co-founder Chris Hughes made in an op-ed piece in the New York Times that the government should break up the social media powerhouse. “Facebook accepts that with success comes accountability,” said Nick Clegg, Facebook’s VP of global affairs and communications. “But you don’t enforce accountability by calling for the breakup of a successful American company. Accountability of tech companies can only be achieved through the painstaking introduction of new rules for the internet.”

The allegedly unhackable USB flash drive eyeDisk, which uses iris recognition to unlock the device, was hacked by UK-based cybersecurity firm Pen Test Partners. A researcher was able to find the device’s backup password – and also found the real password could be picked up even if the wrong password was entered. EyeDisk promised a fix.

Eurofins Digital Testing announced it will serve as the official test partner for the CI Plus 2.0 standard, an enhanced security system enabling manufacturers, operators and broadcasters to deliver secure content on digital TV receivers via the Common Interface and Conditional Access Module. The CI Plus 2.0 specification adds a USB-form factor, allowing consumers to receive pay-TV services by leveraging USB-based CAMs.

Tinder is planning to launch a new version of its dating app for emerging markets. The smaller version, Tinder Lite, is geared toward users short on data, bandwidth and storage. Match Group CEO Mandy Ginsberg told investors the app is “coming soon.”

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ADVERTISING

Baltimore startup clean.io (rebranded from Clean Creative), which combines adtech and cybersecurity skills to fight malvertising, raised a $2.5 million seed round. Funding was led by Real Ventures, with participation from Grit Capital Partners and Math Capital, as well as individual investors.

Commercial fitness equipment company Life Fitness announced the launch of Life Fitness Media, a digital advertising platform. The new offering will leverage the company’s installed base of cardio equipment to deliver content to fitness- and wellness-minded consumers that work out on Life Fitness equipment.

Mercedes-Benz is offering an Instagram Augmented Reality filter timed to the release of its CLA Coupé. The filter’s design is “inspired by the neon lights of Tokyo,” the location for the company’s short film, Play By Your Rules, which also features the CLA. The futuristic filter invites fans of the brand to become a part of #PlayByYourRules by following the Mercedes-Benz Instagram account and selecting the AR filter.

BrightEdge introduced BrightEdge Instant, allowing marketers to collect real-time mobile and desktop data to optimize campaigns. Capabilities include real-time research on demand, real-time rankings, and page-speed performance.

LiveIntent, the people-based marketing platform, has selected Narrative to accelerate the rollout of its recently launched onboarding service. As a result of the new partnership, LiveIntent’s onboarding service allows publishers, marketers, agencies, platforms and channel partners to onboard audience segments from offline to online identifiers via a simple interface and flexible pay-as-you-go business model.

FACEBOOK

Facebook said it is introducing a series of ranking updates in the coming months to further prioritize original videos people seek. The update includes three factors that impact video ranking: Loyalty and intent; video and viewing duration; and originality. “These are not new principles, but we will be strengthening their influence among the multiple factors that determine video distribution,” said the company. The changes will affect video distribution across Facebook, including News Feed, Facebook Watch and the “More Videos” recommendations.

In more Facebook news, the company is taking its third-party fact-checking partnership initiative for a test spin on Instagram, with new ways to prevent the spread of misinformation about vaccines. A pop-up warning that appears when users search certain anti-vax terms is one element of the feature, which is still in development.

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TOYS

Google trotted out a less powerful, mid-range phone. The new Pixel 3a, priced at $399, comes with a 5.6-inch display with screen resolution of 1,080 × 2,220 pixels. The company also is offering a larger version, the Pixel 3a Max, with a 6-inch screen, for $479.

In related news, Google’s Android Auto smartphone-powered entertainment and information system will get a refresh that aims to make it more intuitive and actionable, with a more dynamic navigation bar. It also will offer a new default dark mode theme.

Shipments of wearables will rise to 239 million units by 2023, estimates Berg Insight, up from 117 million shipped in 2018. China’s Xiaomi tops the connected fitness activity tracker segment, while Apple leads the smartwatch market.

Smart speaker ownership has grown nearly 100% in a year, according to a study from the Consumer Technology Association, with 31% of households owning a smart speaker. That’s up from 8% three years ago. Home devices will have the largest gains in household adoption next year, forecasts CTA. “Americans are embracing AI tech in the home at unprecedented levels," states Steve Koenig, vice president of research, CTA. “The dramatic rise in household ownership of intelligent devices like smart speakers shows American consumers endorse the benefits and convenience of artificial intelligence and voice recognition to help them with everyday tasks.”

On the other hand, Amazon smart speakers for children could violate federal privacy law, four senators have warned the FTC. In a letter to the commission, Sens. Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) and Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) said voice recognition technology and AI tools like Amazon’s Echo Dot Kids Edition present “significant privacy concern” that merit investigation. Amazon said the device complies with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

Lynn Leahey Editorial Director @Lynn_Leahey
Kerry Smith Division President Access Intelligence Roberta Caploe Publisher @robertacaploe	Cynopsis Ad Sales Mike Farina 203-218-6480 Albert Nassour 917-545-3129	Cynopsis Job Listings Sales Trish Pihonak 203-899-8459 Director of Operations

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JOB OF THE DAY

VP, PARTNERSHIPS, DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Viacom
NYC

Resp for driving revenue w/new & existing partners thru distribution of Viacom Media Networks content. 10+ yrs of work exp, incl sales or business development exp. Strong knowledge of the content distribution landscape both traditional/digital.

Full info HERE

DIR, DISTRIBUTION/Nexstar Media/Irving TX: Resp for managing relationship & contract negotiations with Nexstar Media’s valued Multichannel Video Prgrmng Dist (MVPD). Able to mng full scope of acct mngmnt & affiliate sales processes. 8+yrs of affil sales & negotiation exp in the cable and TV industry, incl acct mngmnt exp. Proven track rec delivering results. Full info HERE (5/25)

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MGR/Frederator Digital/NYC: Proven track record as dig producer resp for oversight of the Frederator Digital, channel, and show brands incl maintaining on brand identity and delivering on brand promises. 4-6 yrs of aud development and/or digital mktg exp. Full info HERE (5/25)

NATIONAL SALES ASSISTANT/UP/NYC: Asst AEs, Sales Plners & Pricing/Inv. Edit PowerPt presentations & excel spreadsheets. Work w/ agency buyers. Maintain order entry, inv moves & prod allocations. Effective verbal skills. Strong attn to details. Prior internship exp at TV ntwk pref’d. Full info HERE (5/24)

VP, PARTNERSHIPS, DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT/Viacom/NYC: Resp for driving revenue w/new & existing partners thru distribution of Viacom Media Networks content. 10+ yrs of work exp, incl sales or business development exp. Strong knowledge of the content distribution landscape both traditional/digital. Full info HERE (5/23)

HEAD OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS/Counter Logic Gaming/Culver City CA: Oversee all bus. Operations & resp for the team’s P&L, business strategy and operations, and coord with MSG Marketing and Sponsorship. 7+ yrs exp w/at least 3-5 yrs exp in a Sr leadership running bus. operations role in a corp environment. Full info HERE (5/23)

DIRECT RESPONSE MEDIA BUYER/Icon International/Greenwich CT: Must have ability to negotiate with clients on media cost and possess the ability to work constructively with other buyers and assistants in the dept. DR exp. A must 5-7 yrs. Detail oriented w/solid communication skills. Full info HERE (5/22)

MGR, NATIONAL ACCOUNTS/Ad Council/NYC: Build/mng relationships w/ existing & potential media partners that help drive impact for Ad Council's 40+ social impact campaigns. Asst VP, Media in prospecting new biz w/focus on growth areas. 3+ yrs digital & traditional media/cross-platform sales exp. Full info HERE (5/22)

VP STRATEGIC INSIGHTS & RESEARCH/Discovery/NYC or LA: Thought leader & strategist to connect research methods w/new data analytics. Utilize primary research, Nielsen data & consumer databases to develop programming, scheduling & marketing strategy for Discovery & Science Channels & stay competitive in industry trends/changes. 10+ yrs media exp req. Apply HERE (5/17)

NETWORK OPERATIONS, VP/Ion Media/Clearwater FL: Provide strategic technical leadership in post-prod operations, network satellite dist, quality control, engineering, content management, TV traffic, & scheduling systems. 15+ yrs exp in media operations & 10 of those in ntwk ops mgnmnt. Full info HERE (5/17)

NETWORK OPERATIONS, DIRECTOR/Ion Media/Clearwater FL: Oversee network broadcast and studio technical support teams and systems (hardware, software, storage, and networking) & 24/7 Master control operations. 10+ yrs exp in media operations & 5 of those in ntwk ops mgnmnt. Full info HERE (5/17)

AD SALES ASSISTANT/Baby First TV/NY: Reports to EVP & AE Ad Sales. Detailed & organized. Ability to multi-task in fast past env. Prof in EXL & PPT. College grad welcome! Full info HERE(5/17)

SALES PLANNER/Fuse Media/NY: Provide sales and support to the Pricing and Planning and Ad Sales teams for Fuse and FM. Maintain media schedules, build sales plans, manage added value. BA/BS & min 1 yr exp. req. Full info HERE (5/17)

CAMPAIGN ANALYST, DIGITAL AD SALES/Weather Channel/NYC: Manage digital campaigns for ES Digital advertiser activity, with a focus on theGrio. 2- 4 years digital/data optimization industry exp. Knwldg of digital tech systems. Full info HERE (5/17)

MGR, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT/NBCU/NYC: Help identify, develop, and implement business opps across & within the ELG network brands & studios portfolio. Creative strategic thinker w/3+ yrs media business dvlpment and/or investment banking exp. Full info HERE (5/17)

VP, DIGITAL/NESN/Boston: Part of Sr leadership team candidate to oversee digital media activities of our 20 professionals involved in dvlpmnt/dist of content via digital platforms. 10yrs dig. or multi-platform exp req’d w/extensive exp progressive digital tech & content responsibilities in media ind, pref sports or ent. Full info HERE (5/17)

SR. PUBLICIST/Acorn TV/Washington DC area: Love Television? Love Publicity? This is the job for you! Pitch, follow-up & secure reviews & features for Acorn TV, North America’s largest streaming service for high-quality British & international TV, and its series (Doc Martin, Line of Duty, Agatha Raisin). Full info HERE (5/17)

AD SALES ASSISTANT/KATZ NETWORKS/NYC: Support national Ad Sales team by working with AE’s & planners to service clients. Maintain sales orders, allocations, flighting & move req’s. Office admin duties. Must be detail oriented w/orgnzt’l skills, able to multitask in fast paced team envir. BA/BS req. prefer 1 yr exp in industry. Full info HERE (5/16)

ON AIR FASHION EXPERT: Represent fashion stylist apparel brand on QVC as a backup guest. Start in overnights and early morning shifts w/potential primetime. Must be located w/in 2 hrs of suburban Philadelphia. Res/recent photo and on air links to lghostcasting@gmail.com (5/16)

AD SALES- ACCOUNT SERVICE REP/Crown Media Family Networks/NY: Resp for maintaining/growing business on the assigned agency list; training & mentoring Sales Planners & Sales Assts in the co; acting as liaison for the Sales team in key areas of sales dvlpmnt, mktg & rsrch. BA/BS req & Min 2 yrs exp. Apply HERE (5/15)

AD SALES – SALES ASSISTANT/Crown Media Family Networks/NY: Responsible for working with Account Executives and Sales Planners to service and maintain agencies and clients on a daily basis, Marketing, Communication or Advertising. Apply HERE (5/15)

SUPERVISING PRODUCER, BRAND CREATIVE/Nickelodeon/NYC: Provide timely feedback on much of the team's creative work; Assist in the scheduling for assignments on our various platforms. 10+ yrs exp working for a major network brand or agency in a prod capacity. 5+ yrs exp leading creative teams. Full info HERE (5/14)

SR ANALYST, MULTIPLATFORM RESEARCH/NBCU/NYC: Collect, analyze, and interpret audience data (Nielsen) for recurring reports and ad hoc requests. BA deg comm, media statistics. Min 2 yrs exp aud rsrch for media co or ad agency. PP & Excel strong knwldg & ability to analyze/summarize data a must. Full info HERE (5/14)

DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR/ICON/NYC: Oversee dvlpmnt/execution of paid social, SEM, and programmatic campaigns & will work directly w/ICON's client Discovery Comm. 5+ yrs of digital media exp - incl experience directly mngg paid social and SEM campaigns. Ideally also exp w/programmatic buying platforms (DSPs). Full info HERE (5/14)

PROGRAMMATIC CAMPAIGN MGR/ICON/Greenwich CT: Responsible for the progression, operation/management of programmatic capabilities across the entire ICON Digital team, enabling the delivery of impactful results for ICON’s clients. 2-4 yrs industry exp, incl time at an agency trading desk or DSP. Full info HERE (5/14)

Sr DIGITAL RESEARCH ANALYST/AMC/NYC: Talented, highly motivated individual with strong data analysis with a focus on digital performance, data storytelling and project management skills. 3-4 yrs of related exp. Exp working w/measurement tools Tableau and SPSS/STATA software a plus. Full info HERE (5/14)