Morning Bulletin: Sainsbury’s discredited, Twitter buyout and Viceland slips from hero to zero
This morning’s summary of overnight news includes an embarrassing launch for the much hyped new TV station Viceland UK, which has suffered the ignominy of drawing zero viewers during some prime time slots on Sky. Elsewhere we look at the decision to ban a Sainsbury’s credit card ad and the looming buyout of Twitter.
Ad Exchanger brings word of a new addressable TV ad product being touted by Samsung to agencies and media partners, which it says can harness smart TV data to target ads even on traditional linear broadcasts.
New TV station Viceland has suffered the ignominy of drawing a meagre 14,000 viewers during the peak 21:00-23:00 slot over its first fortnight on air – with some nights attracting zero live viewers – according to Enders Analysis.
Google has already begun touting its new range of AI powered gadgets in a series of television ads just 24 hours after they were unveiled, as it seeks to reach out directly to consumers with its new smartphone, VR, home assistant, Chromecast and Wi-fi router.
Business Insider records the continuing fallout from reports that Yahoo’ had built secret tools to spy on users in real-time, with both Google and Apple forced to deny that they had undertaken similar covert work on behalf of US intelligence services.
The Guardian leads with a move by ITN to ensure that over 700 staff working on Channel 5 News and the Football League are paid on an individual ‘merit’ basis rather than union negotiated collected pay deals. Under the system salaries will be based on the prevailing market rate in addition to an individuals performance and that of their division.
The Times charts the rise of Amazon chief Jeff Bezos to the number two spot in the Forbes 400 rich list, with his personal fortune of $67bn putting him ahead of influential investor Warren Buffet who commands $65.5bn. Microsoft founder Bill Gates continues to dominate the list with a personal fortune of $81bn, a rise of $5bn on 2015.
Sainsbury’s Bank ad has been slammed by the Advertising Standards Authority, which has banned the commercial following a complaint that it trivialises credit card use by depicting a couple talking about using their card to pay for home renovations.
Reuters reports on some welcome respite for Samsung following its Note 7 battery disaster, with strong third quarter chip sales helping to offset the cost of lost sales and a mammoth product recall.
Twitter is likely to begin fielding acquisition offers this week according to the Wall Street Journal, with Salesforce leading the charge to pick up the micro blogging platform – attracted by its wealth of data and globally recognised brand.
Tesco may have turned a corner following publication of the retailer’s latest financial statement, in which it posted a rise in sales despite a dip in statutory profits, as it seeks to rebuild its diminished margin to four per cent.