Rogers Media has beta launched dynamic ad insertion (DAI) advertising on live and on-demand audio streams for all 55 of its radio stations. Using ad tech platform AdsWizz, the in-stream digital audio insertion capability will target listeners with tailored, unskippable ads. Ad buyers will be able to access inventory via AudioMatic, AdsWizz’s own audio DSP, as well as TheTradeDesk, MediaMath, AppNexus and Adobe (formally TubeMogul). Rogers Radio live streams are available on owned and operated sites and mobile apps, and through Radioplayer, TuneIn, and smart speakers.
The Coalition for Culture and Media, made up of nearly 50 creative industries associations including the Directors Guild of Canada and Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, has requested a meeting with federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau. The coalition is once again calling on Morneau to tax foreign streaming services like Netflix, saying it is not too late to take action before the next budget.
BritBox, the SVoD streaming service from BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, and ITV, the UK’s biggest commercial broadcaster, will launch in Canada in early 2018. Launched in the U.S. last March, the service is offered as a monthly subscription without a contract, and will be available online, via mobile (iOS and Android), Roku, AppleTV, and Chromecast.
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is funding 19 interactive digital media projects as part of the second round of production support from the 2017-18 Experimental Stream Innovation Program. Total funding of $11.3 million will support development of 12 games, five rich and interactive media, and two software applications. Find the list of projects here.
Facebook is making more changes to its News Feed algorithm that will prioritize posts from friends and family over public content. Facebook says posts that inspire back-and-forth commenting, shares and reactions will appear higher in the feed. Publishers and businesses are being warned they may see their Page reach, video watch time and referral traffic decrease, dependant on the type of content they produce and how people interact with it.
Facebook and We Matter will host the first-ever #HopeForum on Jan. 21-22 for Indigenous youth to address the suicide crisis impacting their communities. Last fall, We Matter and Facebook partnered on the launch of a PSA targeting Indigenous youth, which Facebook says are super users of the platform. #HopeForum participants will be offered a special training session on Facebook’s suicide prevention tools.
