Sean Cunningham

From clear-eyed looks at the industry’s shortcomings and conflicts of interest to prognostications that presage the next batch of conference panel talking points, you can count on these astute industry voices to drive the conversation.

The second round of ad fraud (and worse) alleged by Adalytics on the part of Google/YouTube provides yet another definitive example of the problem with mega walled gardens.

It’s only fitting that YouTube, which has long coveted TV’s ad dollars and advertisers, should find out what it feels like to be treated as if it were TV.

This year, TV upfront spend will likely be softer, and buyers will be slower to make long-term commitments. Consider it a plateau.

Nielsen is reverting back to its panel-based C3 and C7 ratings that track average commercial time over three or seven days. The currency switch-up just weeks ahead of the upfronts has only added to the industry’s mounting frustrations with Nielsen.

We’re close to the onset of true cross-media measurement – with the understanding that all video impressions are not created equal. That seems obvious, but one key player in the ecosystem, YouTube, disagrees.

Broadcasters have long been dissatisfied with Nielsen’s panel-based approach. But now, panels are making headlines again as a fresh way to measure streaming and TV consumption. But this time, the TV industry says it’s talking about “calibration panels,” not audience panels.

Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here. Plus Interest The idea of a “subscription economy” has grown beyond news and entertainment – and as subscription-based relationships become more valuable, it creates a new way for businesses to work together. Case in point: Walmart talked to Comcast, Paramount and Disney execs about a […]

Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here. Lyft Off The latest non-advertising company to launch an ad business comes as no surprise. Ride-hailing app Lyft has introduced Lyft Media, to be helmed by Kenan Saleh, co-founder and former CEO of Halo Cars. Halo, a startup that places digital billboards on rideshare […]

You’d be forgiven for thinking of the Video Advertising Bureau as a professional thorn in Nielsen’s side. The TV ad industry trade org is largely responsible for the chain of events that led to Nielsen losing its MRC accreditations last year. But “this isn’t personal,” says VAB CEO Sean Cunningham on this week’s episode. “I don’t know that anyone’s rooting harder than we are for [Nielsen] to get it right.”