Latest in TV Advertising

While the angst level is high going into Sunday’s Academy Awards given overall viewership trends, Disney Advertising Sales says it has sold out ad inventory for the telecast. While the company did not divulge any rate information or financials as reports circulate of significant declines, people familiar with…

Hispanic media giant Univision Communications swung to a loss in the fourth quarter from a profit in the year ago period, as revenue inched up 4%. The privately held company reported revenue in the period of $722.9 million, up from $692.9 million and a loss from continuing operations of $39.1 million. In the same…

Vizio, the No. 2 maker of smart TVs in North America and a rising player in streaming distribution and advertising, had its initial public offering this morning. While Covid-19 safety restrictions are limiting the numbers and high-fives, executives from the Irvine, CA-based company are ringing the bell at the New York…

NBCUniversal is expanding the number of households reachable with addressable advertising — a newer form of brand messages based on metrics beyond traditional demos — by 40% through a new deal with Charter Communications. The media company will now be able to serve addressable ads to 45 million households, which it…

UPDATED with WarnerMedia and Fox plans. ViacomCBS, Disney, WarnerMedia and Fox have staked out familiar ground during mid-May for their upfront pitches to advertisers, but early signs indicate that 2021 will see continued rethinking of the annual ad-buying ritual. The ViacomCBS event will be held May 19, in virtual…

In a move its head of sales calls a “radical” departure from the long-held orthodoxy of catering to youth, A+E Networks has decided to embrace TV viewers 55 and older. The owner of networks like A&E, History and Lifetime says it will transact with advertisers on a total-audience basis, departing from the industry’s…

EXCLUSIVE: Disney’s flagship streaming service, Disney+, and its established sibling Hulu lead the list of streamers in total TV advertising impressions in 2020, according to ad tracking firm iSpot. The rankings (see them in full below) define an impression as a verified playing of an ad on a TV screen for at least…

Roku CFO Steve Louden, in an online appearance Tuesday at an RBC Capital Markets conference, said he didn’t “have any specific update” on the company’s discussions with HBO Max, but said “we continue to talk to folks.” The question came up in light of the news Monday that Amazon reached a deal with the WarnerMedia str…

Shares in Roku rose in after-hours trading, following an upswing during the main Thursday session, after the company released third-quarter results well above Wall Street expectations. Revenue jumped 73% from the year-ago period and profit reached 9 cents a diluted share, compared with a loss of 22 cents a share a…

EXCLUSIVE: Quibi’s struggles since launching in April did not stem from a lack of promotion. As it looks for a rebound after a pause for reassessment, new third-party research provided to Deadline shows the startup is starting to blow the trumpets again, only in a different key. Looking to break through in a crowded st…

UPDATED at 2:50PM PT with Nielsen restoring previous plan. Nielsen, bowing to pressure from major TV networks, has reversed course and will once again aim to include out-of-home viewership with overall TV ratings starting this fall. “After speaking with many clients and learning more about your specific agreements for…

Ford Motor Co. and the Walt Disney Co. have made a precedent-setting deal for a “roadblock” across all of Disney’s broadcast, cable, digital and streaming channels in prime time to unveil the new Bronco. On July 13, starting at 8PM ET, Ford will introduce the new Bronco lineup across Disney platforms. Three custom…