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☆ Mark Penn's Stagwell Group is on the hunt for adtech as the ad company continues its acquisition spree
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Stagwell Group, the advertising agency holding group operated by Mark Penn, a former advisor to Bill and Hillary Clinton, is actively looking to buy adtech companies as it continues to grow through acquisitions. Penn's theory is that by bringing such adtech in-house, Stagwell can offer more self-service software to advertisers who want it while also shrinking those clients' ad prices and expanding its own margins. Challenger brand Stagwell is competing for bigger contractsPenn founded Stagwell Group in 2015 with $250 million in funding from investors, including former Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer. Stagwell recently made a near-$700-million bid for S4 Capital, another challenger ad company founded by longtime WPP CEO Martin Sorrell, The Wall Street Journal reported. Publicis Groupe has the biggest market capitalization of the largest holding companies, at $28.2 billion, while Stagwell is trading at around $1.6 billion.

Persons: Mark Penn, Bill, Hillary Clinton, Penn, we're, Stagwell, Penn didn't, Ana Milicevic, Milicevic, Brian Wieser, Wieser, Steve Ballmer, Sunny, GALE, Allison, Martin Sorrell, they're Organizations: Stagwell, Penn, Business, Google, Harris Poll, Next Partners, Sparrow, Madison, Challenger, Stagwell Group, Microsoft, MDC Partners, WPP, Publicis Groupe, Veritas, S4 Capital, Street Journal, S4, EMEA Locations: adtech, London

☆ How Spotify AI plans to know what's going on inside your head, and find the right track for it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Trevor Laurence Jockims | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Over the past decade or more, Spotify has been investing in AI and, in particular, in machine learning. Its recently launched AI DJ may be its biggest bet yet that technology will allow subscribers to better personalize listening sessions and discover new music. The AI DJ combines personalization technology, generative AI, and a dynamic AI voice, and listeners can tap the DJ button when they want to hear something new, and something less-directly-derived from their established likes. Behind the dulcet tones of an AI DJ there are people, tech experts and music experts, who aim to improve the recommendation capacity of Spotify's tools. A Spotify spokesperson said the generative AI tool allows the human experts to "scale their innate knowledge in ways never before possible."

Persons: Y, we've, they're, it's, Julie Knibbe, —, Knibbe, they've, Ben Ratliff, Ratliff Organizations: Spotify, Discover, Technology

☆ Congress cut funds cities need to handle the migrant surge
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Congress last month approved the fiscal year 2024 funding level for FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program in the federal funding package, nearly six months into the fiscal year. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Democrat who represents San Antonio, said that immigration is a federal responsibility. “Funding from the Shelter and Services Program (SSP) has helped Catholic Charities and other groups in my city of San Antonio offer basic migrant services without straining local resources. “Due to the substantial demand that exceeds the limited SSP program funding authorized by Congress, not all requests can be fulfilled,” a DHS spokesperson told CNN. The Migrant Resource Center opened in July 2022 as a temporary place for migrants traveling through San Antonio.

Persons: of San Antonio doesn’t, Biden, Joaquin Castro, ”, of San Antonio, Antonio Fernandez, Fernandez, Greg Abbott, Mark Ritacco, John Giles, Giles, Ron Nirenberg, he’s, Joe Biden, Carlos Kosienski, Priscilla Alvarez Organizations: CNN, of San, Resource Center, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Democrat, “, Shelter, Services, Catholic Charities, Catholic, San, FEMA, GOP Texas Gov, Democratic, Republicans, Department of Homeland Security, Congress, National Association of Counties, US Customs, Protection, US, Mayors, Migrant Resource Center Locations: San Antonio, Washington, DC, Cities, Mexico, Atlanta ; Chicago ; New York City, Albuquerque , New Mexico, Laredo , Texas, Riverside County , California, Pima County , Arizona, Mesa , Arizona, Texas

☆ A 'server anomaly' that made it look like some advertisers were bidding billions of dollars sent the adtech industry into chaos
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementBusiness Insider confirmed that the cause of the error was a brief "server anomaly" at PubMatic, an adtech company. A PubMatic spokesperson said the anomaly, at one of its US data centers, caused "abnormally high CPMs being passed to the publisher ad server on a limited number of impressions." The PubMatic error occurred in the communication that happened between the SSP and PubMatic's ad server, according to the company. The actual financial impact for individual publishers and adtech companies is likely to be minimal.

Persons: —, Nicolas Schueller, Adomik, Friday's snafu, Kargo, aren't, PubMatic, Scott Messer Organizations: Service, Business, Publishers, CNN, AMC Networks, Fox, The New York Times, Delta Airlines, Comcast Locations: PubMatic, Friday's

☆ Volkswagen plans job cuts, further launch delays at software unit -manager magazin
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Volkswagen logo is pictured at the 2022 New York International Auto Show, in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., April 13, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) wants to cut 2,000 jobs at its troubled software unit Cariad as part of a restructuring plan which will see its long-awaited new software architectures delayed even further, news outlet manager magazin reported on Friday. There is no concrete information on where positions should be cut in terms of structure and tasks," a Volkswagen works council spokesperson said. A Cariad spokesperson declined to comment on the article, but said Cariad CEO Peter Bosch has been working on a "comprehensive transformation plan" for "repositioning" the company since the summer. Volkswagen appointed Bosch, formerly Bentley production chief, as head of the unit earlier this year in an effort to get Cariad back on track.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, magazin, Peter Bosch, Herbert Diess, Miranda Murray, Friederike Heine, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: New York, REUTERS, Rights, Audi, Porsche, VW, Volkswagen, Bosch, Bentley, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S

☆ Volkswagen's Trinity model to be built in Zwickau, Handelsblatt reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Buzz, a fresh take on the iconic vehicle of the Volkswagen brand, during its world premiere in Paris, France, March 9, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Volkswagen AG FollowSept 29 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) plans to build its Trinity electric vehicles (EV) at its factory in Zwickau, the German daily Handelsblatt reported on Friday, citing several company sources. The decision on the location for the prestige EV will be discussed at the Volkswagen supervisory board meeting on Friday, Handelsblatt reported. A spokesperson for the German carmaker declined to comment on the report. The Trinity electric car, which is to be based on the new SSP platform, was supposed to be launched in 2026.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Handelsblatt, Oliver Blume, Christina Amann, Amir Orusov, Miranda Murray, Rachel More Organizations: VW, Volkswagen, REUTERS, Trinity, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Zwickau, Wolfsburg

☆ Volkswagen: to build Trinity model at Zwickau, no further plant needed
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A Volkswagen logo is seen during the press day at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California, U.S. November 17, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) plans to build its Trinity electric vehicles (EV) at its factory in Zwickau, the company said in a statement on Friday. The carmaker added that its iconic Golf model would be "led into the electric future" at its main Wolfsburg plant. The Trinity electric car, which is to be based on the new SSP platform, was supposed to be launched in 2026. Volkswagen had initially planned to build a new factory for the model, but due to delays in developing the brand, the German carmaker was also considering converting its Wolfsburg factory.

Persons: Mike Blake, carmaker, Oliver Blume, Jan Schwartz, Friederike Heine, Miranda Murray Organizations: Los Angeles Auto, REUTERS, Rights, Trinity, Wolfsburg Warmenau, Volkswagen, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Zwickau, Wolfsburg

☆ Palmeiras' facial recognition on match tickets helps police arrest criminals
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sept 23 (Reuters) - Facial recognition technology used on match tickets by top flight soccer club Palmeiras has helped the Sao Paulo Public Security Secretariat (SSP) arrest 28 criminals in four games at the Allianz Parque stadium, the government body said on Friday. However, its use has also helped the SSP apprehend criminals before they enter the stadium to watch the team play. "We invested in the implementation of facial recognition to protect our greatest asset, which is the Palmeiras fans," club president Leila Pereira said in a statement. The facial recognition technology at matches allows real-time analysis to detect fans who have bought tickets from touts, the use of false or third-party documents, outstanding arrest warrants, non-compliance with court orders and sanctions. The SSP have issued arrest warrants related to theft, embezzlement, robbery and drug trafficking.

Persons: Leila Pereira, Guilherme Derrite, Angelica Medina, Ken Ferris Organizations: Palmeiras, Sao Paulo Public Security Secretariat, Allianz Parque, Paulista, SSP, Thomson Locations: Mexico City

☆ The Trade Desk is exerting its power in the ad industry, and some insiders fear it's becoming more like Google
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementPublisher-focused adtech firms that traditionally work with The Trade Desk, which helps advertisers buy digital ads, are now in competition with it. The Trade Desk has been aggressively building products that will undercut the business of publisher-focused adtech companies, or "supply-side platforms," according to industry insiders. The Trade Desk has not traditionally competed with SSPs, which help publishers of online content price their ad inventory and make it available to buy. "By saying this publicly, The Trade Desk is throwing down the gauntlet." He added that other ad-buying platforms besides The Trade Desk have direct deals with publishers, similar to OpenPath.

Persons: SSPs, Ari Paparo, Matt Prohaska, Will Doherty, Prohaska, Rajeev Goel, Shiv Gupta, Gupta, Desk's Doherty, Magnite, PubMatic, Adam Soroca, they're Organizations: Google, SSPs, Marketecture, Prohaska Consulting, Trade, Exchange, Microsoft, Publishers Locations: OpenPath

☆ Adtech firm The Trade Desk has a plan to reduce the cost of digital ads
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Trade Desk will start undercutting the fees publisher adtech firms tack on to digital ads. The adtech used by publishers often inaccurately prices their inventory, said a Trade Desk exec. Adtech firm The Trade Desk is about to execute a plan to lower the price advertisers pay for digital ads. The Trade Desk operates software called a "demand-side platform" that advertisers use to buy ads across the internet. While other DSPs occasionally send low-ball bids, publishers might be more willing to look at The Trade Desk's bids due to the large amount of advertisers using its platform.

Persons: SSPs, Will Doherty, Doherty, Chris Kane, Adam Soroca, aren't Organizations: Google, Jounce Media, Trade

☆ Amazon is quietly building a publisher-focused ad product team to grow its $37 billion ad business
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The tech will help publishers sell ads on and off Amazon, according to job postings. The retail giant has 11 job postings for a new team called "PubTech" that will be part of Amazon Ads. The Amazon Ads' team is building products for first-party publishers that have channels on Amazon — like Twitch, FireTV, and Freevee — as well as third-party web publishers, according to the job listings. While Amazon does help publishers sell ads through a unit called Amazon Publisher Services, that unit is not part of Amazon Ads, and those services require publishers work with third-party SSPs. The core of Amazon's $37 billion ad business are search ads, and its ad division has mostly focused on building tools for advertisers.

Persons: Twitch, Freevee —, Ameet Shah, Magnite Organizations: Amazon, Google, PubTech, Ads, Amazon Publisher Services, Prohaska Consulting, Exchange, Microsoft, Trade Locations: what's

In this article SBGINXSTGTNSSP Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTChristian Petersen | Getty Images Sport | Getty ImagesTensions are building among broadcast station owners and pay TV providers as the local rights to air NBA, NHL and MLB games go up for grabs. Pay-TV providers are also exploring alternatives to keep local games in the bundle. The NBA's Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz recently reached deals to be be aired on local broadcast networks run by Gray and Sinclair, respectively. "The reality is that the issue people keep talking about is the rights fees. But the rights fees aren't necessarily the question," said Berke.

Persons: Christian Petersen, Sinclair, Diamond, Bill Morrow, RSNs, George Kubas, Lee Berke, There's, Gray, Brian Lawlor, Lawlor, Jeff Speer, —, Ion, Berke, David Peralta, Kole Calhoun, Starling Marte Organizations: Getty, NBA, NHL, MLB, Scripps Co, Gray Television, Nexstar Media Group, Diamond Sports Group, Warner Bros, Broadcasters, Comcast, Charter, DirecTV, Gray, Nexstar, Communications, Ohio, Bally Sports, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Progressive, Diamond Sports, Diamond, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Clipper, Las Vegas Golden Knights, NHL Stanley, Scripps, Scripps Sports, Knights, Warnes Bros, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, Mobile, — ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, CW Network, Nexstar's CW Network, ACC, Nascar, Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, Oakland Athletics, Chase Field, The Diamondbacks Locations: Cleveland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Las Vegas , Nevada, Phoenix , Arizona

☆ US National Spelling Bee finalists vie for championship
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Brendan O'Brien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Competitors are adjusted by a person who is off camera as they celebrate moving to the semifinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition in National Harbor, Maryland U.S., May 31, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File PhotoJune 1 (Reuters) - Eleven of the sharpest young spellers in the U.S. will compete on Thursday in the finals of the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee, having survived three early rounds by nailing words like "zwitterion" (a type of molecule) and "polissoir" (a polishing tool). The finalists, who range from 11 to 14 years old, beat out a field of 220 other competitors who participated in the three-day contest, held in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. Scripps Co (SSP.O), the bee's sponsor, plus further monetary prizes and reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster. Last year, Harini Logan, 14, from San Antonio, Texas, correctly spelled 22 words during a 90-second spell-off to claim the top prize.

Persons: Leah Millis, Webster, The Merriam, Aryan Khedkar, Vikrant Chintanaboina, Harini Logan, Brendan O'Brien, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Scripps, Spelling, National Harbor , Maryland U.S, REUTERS, Scripps Co, Encyclopedia, The, Webster, ION, ESPN, Thomson Locations: National Harbor , Maryland, U.S, Washington ,, Encyclopedia Britannica, Merriam, Waterford , Michigan, San Ramon , California, San Antonio , Texas, Chicago

[1/7] Dev Shah, 14, reacts after winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition in National Harbor, Maryland U.S., June 1, 2023. REUTERS/Leah MillisJune 1 (Reuters) - Dev Shah, a 14-year-old boy from Largo, Florida, won the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, nailing the word "psammophile," meaning an organism that thrives in sandy soils, in the 15th round of the contest's finals. Shah, a student at Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School, had correctly, and swiftly, spelled "bathypitotmeter" in the 14th round, but under spelling bee rules needed to land one more word to be declared winner. Shah, who was crowned champion in a hail of confetti before being joined on stage by his parents and other relatives, takes home $50,000 cash from E.W. Dev, whose hobbies include reading, tennis, playing the cello and solving math problems, tied for 51st place in the 2019 edition of the spelling bee, and tied for 76th place in 2021.

Persons: Dev Shah, Leah Millis, Charlotte Walsh, Shah, Webster, The Merriam, Dev, Harini Logan, Brendan O'Brien, Steve Gorman, Matthew Lewis, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Scripps, Spelling, National Harbor , Maryland U.S, REUTERS, Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School, Scripps Co, Encyclopedia, The, Webster, ION, ESPN, Thomson Locations: National Harbor , Maryland, Largo , Florida, Arlington , Virginia, Encyclopedia Britannica, Merriam, Washington ,, San Antonio , Texas, Chicago, Los Angeles

☆ Four killed in blast targeting police vehicle in Pakistan's Quetta
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Gul Yousafzai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

QUETTA, Pakistan, April 10 (Reuters) - Four people were killed and fifteen injured in a bombing targeting a police vehicle in a marketplace in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Monday, a hospital official said. "The injured numbers reached fifteen, and four dead,” Wasim Baig, a spokesperson for the Quetta hospital, told Reuters. He said initial reports showed an improvised explosive device was planted in a motorcycle parked behind the vehicle. Two police officers who were sitting in the vehicle were among the dead, SSP operations Zohaib Mohsin Baloch said. Reporting by Gul Yousafzai in Quetta, Gibran Peshimam; Writing by Sakshi Dayal and Gibran Peshimam; Editing by Toby Chopra and Jan HarveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ PE firm Bridgepoint takes a majority stake in Equativ, valuing the adtech firm at around $370 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Bridgepoint Development Capital has taken a majority stake in the adtech firm Equativ. It values Equativ at 350 million euros, or $371 million, according to a person familiar with the matter. Private equity firm Bridgepoint has taken a majority stake in Equativ, the French adtech company formerly known as Smart Adserver, the pair said on Thursday. A person familiar with the matter said the deal values Equativ at 350 million euros, or around $371 million. Bridgepoint raised 1.7 billion euros for its BDC IV fund, while Croissance had raised 100 million euros.

☆ Warren Buffett is missing out on this year’s market comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But the Oracle of Omaha has missed out on this year’s stock market rally. Buffett, in fact, has promoted that idea to investors many times, arguing that most individual stock pickers will not be able to beat the market. And to his credit, that usually pays dividends: Berkshire stock was up 3% last year in a down market. “High rates of inflation create a tax on capital that makes much corporate investment unwise,” Buffett said in his 1980 shareholder letter to Berkshire investors. Investors will get several more clues about consumer spending this week when several top retailers report earnings.

☆ How Scripps News, the streaming and broadcast network formerly known as Newsy, is pivoting to anti-partisan, 'fact-based' reporting
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Streaming and broadcast news network Newsy has been rebranded as Scripps News. The network formerly known as Newsy has a presence on TV stations owned by Scripps and its ION Media stations and is accessible via free over-the-air digital antenna and several streaming platforms — including Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV. The company, which pulled Newsy from cable packages in 2021, boasts that Scripps News offers the only free 24/7 national news broadcast. Scripps News is also absorbing scores of executives from a national desk that fed the company's 61 local stations. Its local stations pulled in $208 million in ad revenue thanks to the midterm elections.

☆ Britain's M&S to invest $587 mln in store estate
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( James Davey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

M&S's move shows the continuing importance of physical stores to retailers despite the rise of online shopping over the last two decades. Last October, M&S set out plans to accelerate what it calls its store rotation programme, delivering what was an initial five-year plan within three years by 2025-26. "Our store rotation programme is about making sure we have the right stores, in the right place, with the right space," said Machin. Twelve new M&S food halls are also planned. In addition to its owned store investment, M&S plans to extend its franchise model to expand its convenience stores offer, building on partnerships with BP, Moto, SSP and Costa.

☆ No more Newsy: The streaming and broadcast network rebrands as Scripps News under Warren Buffett-backed E.W. Scripps
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Streaming and broadcast news network Newsy is being scrapped and rebranded as Scripps News. Parent company E.W. Bellini is a San Francisco-based reporter for Newsy, the 14-year-old streaming news platform owned by E.W. Scripps News is also absorbing scores of executives from a national desk that fed the company's 61 local stations. Its local stations pulled in $208 million in ad revenue thanks to the midterm elections.

☆ Volkswagen's $2 bln Trinity electric vehicle plant in doubt
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Jan Schwartz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Volkswagen, the world's second-biggest carmaker, had planned to officially start production of its flagship electric sedan at the new factory in 2026. Manager Magazine reported that Blume wanted to delay this until 2030. The SSP model platform planned for the whole group will probably no longer be launched with the Trinity plant as originally planned, the magazine reported. It was too early for concrete statements as Volkswagen wants to decide on its revised investment plans in February, the source told Reuters. Volkwagen's supervisory board in March approved 2 billion euros ($2.07 billion) for the new Trinity factory, with construction due to start in spring 2023.

☆ Check out the pitch deck in-game advertising company Bidstack used to raise $11 million
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

In-game adtech company Bidstack recently raised an $11 million post-IPO equity round. Check out the key slides from the pitch deck that helped Bidstack land its latest investment. Founded in 2015, Bidstack started as an adtech company that helped advertisers buy space on digital billboards, using programmatic technology. Bidstack posted a loss of 6.3 million pounds ($6.9 million) last year and grew revenue by 55% to 2.6 million pounds ($2.9 million). Check out the key slides from the pitch deck that helped Bidstack snag $11 million in investment.

Potrivit ofițerei de presă, totul s-a întâmplat în seară de miercuri, în jurul orei 18:00, în localitatea Boghiceni din raionul Hâncești. Suspecții au deschis forțat automobilul și au deteriorat geamurile. Mai mult, un ciob de sticlă de la geamul spart i-a provocat o zgârietură în regiunea feței angajatului IP Hîncești. De asemenea, șoferului i-au fost aplicate multiple lovituri cu pumnii. Poliția cercetează cazul pentru a stabili toate circumstanțele producerii incidentului pentru a pedepsi vinovații.

Organizations: Volkswagen, Securitate Locations: Hâncești

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