Microsoft to buy Netflix?

Microsoft is mulling a bid for online video service Netflix, according to a report by Forbes, as competition in the video on demand sector heats up. The move would be one of the most significant purchases in the technology and television space. 
 The rumour mill began...

YouTube ads ‘making as much revenue as US TV networks’

YouTube’s skippable ad format is now making Google as much revenue per hour as ads on cable TV, according to YouTube’s global head of content. Speaking at the Mipcom TV industry event, YouTube global head of content Robert Kyncl claimed the group’s skippable ads...

Toys R Us debuts family-based online movie service

Toys R Us has launched a family-orientated online movie service, powered by Rovi, as the retail giant looks to expand its digital presence. ToysrusMovies.com is currently available to PCs, Macs and other Flash compatible devices, with an app planned for the Tabeo...

YouTube scouts talent for new mobile music project

YouTube is looking to expand its mobile music services, after posting a job ad looking for a manager to oversee an ambitious new music catalogue based on the music videos on the video sharing site. The job listing, first reported by GigaOm, announces a vacancy for a...

Vimeo debuts ‘tip jar’ for ad-free content

Video sharing site Vimeo is introducing a ‘tip jar’ to help contributors monetise their content without ads. The ‘tip jar’ lets a viewer click a button by a video to contribute money to the creator. For its part, Vimeo will take 15% commission. The...

Waitrose debuts food video channel

Waitrose is launching its own food-based video channel this autumn, as the supermarket chain looks to expand its digital reach. Dubbed ‘Waitrose TV’, the transactional site will be dedicated to food and will feature top chefs including Delia Smith, Heston Blumenthal,...

Online videos watched per user in Asia Pacific region

Japan has the highest number of online videos watched per user with 242.5, surpassing its closest contender Hong Kong by over 60 videos per user. The fewest videos watched per user were recorded in Indonesia with 53.5, four times less than Japan. View larger...

Topshop live shopping fashion show gets 2 million viewers

Topshop attracted more than 2 million people to its live streamed fashion show at London Fashion Week on Sunday, with the retailer claiming to sell out of some lines during the broadcast. The show, streamed live on Facebook, allowed users to share their favourite...

Web users ‘27 times more likely to click video ads’

The click-through rate (CTR) for online video is 27.4 times that of standard banners and almost 12 times that of rich media ads, according to new research. The study,from MediaMind, analysed over 3 billion ad impressions globally over the first six months of 2012,...

Google debuts YouTube app ahead of iPhone 5 purge

Google has released a new YouTube app for Apple users, ahead of the much-anticipated iPhone 5 launch today, which is expected to replace the preloaded YouTube app for Vimeo. YouTube will not be preloaded on the iPhone 5, and it looks like it will disappear from...

BBC iPlayer offers mobile downloads to watch on the tube

The BBC has updated its iPhone and iPad app, allowing mobile downloads as an alternative to streaming for the first time. Until now, programmes could only be downloaded to PCs and Macs for later viewing. The move opens up a new way for people to watch BBC content on...

Google axes TV ads division, focuses on mobile and video

Google has shut down its television advertising business, saying that it will focus instead on enhanced online and mobile opportunities for video ads. In a blog post at the end of last week, the search engine giant announced its plans to abandon its TV advertising...

5 characteristics of winning TV ads

With 38 ads on average airing per minute across national TV, breaking through the clutter is essential. According to a recent analysis from Nielsen, there are five common characteristics of TV ads that resonate with consumers. The top-five characteristics for ads that...