Yahoo! has acquired Maven Networks, a start-up offering an online video platform, for approximately $160 million. Maven’s platform is currently used to manage, distribute and monetize premium online video content for over 30 major media companies, including Fox News, Sony BMG, CBS Sports, Hearst, Gannett, Scripps Networks, and the Financial Times as well as hundreds of their affiliates. Maven is based in Cambridge, Mass.
Yahoo! plans to use the Maven platform to offer publishers a full portfolio of technology and advertising solutions.
Yahoo! said it already has a large library of professionally produced legally licensed video content and has video advertising relationships with over 75% of the top TV advertisers. Additionally, Yahoo! has advertising relationships with a growing number of premium publishers including eBay, Comcast, Newspaper Consortium, Forbes.com and others.
http://www.yahoo.com http://www.maven.net
- In October 2007, Maven Networks launched its Internet TV Advertising Platform, which aims to increase video advertising inventory and revenue via new ad formats, an intelligent and dynamic video ad insertion engine, and video ad inventory management tools. Maven said its platform introduces a series of new, non-proprietary formats that take advantage of in-video interactivity through the use of transparent overlays and video telescoping, and are intelligently placed within video streams to create additional, previously unavailable ad inventory.
Maven also announced the formation of the Internet TV Advertising Forum, which aims to define next-generation online video advertising standards. Inaugural members of the Forum include Fox News Digital, Scripps Networks, Ogilvy, Digitas, TV Guide, 4Kids Entertainment, Microsoft Corp., DoubleClick and 24/7 Real Media. The industry collaborative was established to help solve the challenges and deficiencies associated with current online video advertising models.“Ogilvy is working with Maven to help evolve the platform to create new formats in online video advertising that truly reach the right target at the right time with the right message — it is the holy grail of advertising that marketers have been searching for,�? said Maria Mandel, Senior Partner and Executive Director of Digital Innovation, Ogilvy.