| Today's Top Stories | | #1 | Publicis Groupe Close To Acquiring Walker Media
| | | The company confirmed that it is in talks to acquire a majority stake in the London-based agency which is currently 75% owned by M&C Saatchi. Publicis owns Saatchi & Saatchi, while M&C Saatchi was founded by Maurice and Charles Saatchi, who broke away from the original agency 18 years ago. Walker Media is valued at $75 million and Publicis would pay about $56 million for its stake. Speculation is that Walker would become part of ZenithOptimedia.
Why This Matters: While it waits for regulatory approval of its proposed merger with Omnicom, Publicis continues to be in a very aggressive acquisition mode. In London specifically, Publicis in September acquired agency Poke for $20 million.
Three Takes: Campaign Live | Ad Age | Adweek
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| | #2 | Voters Will Be All A-Twitter Over Choosing JLo Kohl's Commercial For AMAs
| | | A series of spots will feature Jennifer Lopez in a limo on her way to the American Music Awards where she will perform and which will be televised live by ABC on Sunday night. In the spots she will plug her clothing and accessories line sold at Kohl's. Viewers will vote on alternatives offered and the commercials a majority select will be the next ones aired during the telecast.
Why This Matters: Geri Wang, ad sales president at ABC, told The New York Times, "It's the first time for us working with a client in real time on how the creative is being portrayed inside a live show, completely controlled by the biggest fans and the Kohl's customer base." Wang says ABC hopes to do more such deals in the future.
A Take: NYT |
| | #3 | Proposed Cutback Of Ad Tax Deduction Leads 4As President To Urge Action
| | | Nancy Hill of the American Association of Advertising Agencies says the growth of the ad industry, its jobs and a free media are all at stake in this decision. Writing in Ad Age, Hill says eliminating the tax deduction ultimately is the equivalent of an ad tax which every company buying advertising would feel the burden of each year. She urged advertisers and agencies to contact their Congress members to protest.
Why This Matters: Hill said a study by research firm HIS Global Insight estimates that ad sales in the U.S. could be reduced by as much as $466 billion, and 1.7 million jobs would be placed at risk if the ad tax deduction is eliminated.
A Take: Ad Age
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#4 Horizon Media Rolls Out Video Optimization Platform (MediaPost)
#5 Foursquare Opens Up Home Screen To Big Brand Advertisers (Ad Age)
#6 Digital Gift Card Spending Expected To Grow (MediaPost)
#7 Sponsored Content Spending Increasing Faster Than Predicted (Ad Age)
#8 China's State-Run TV Grapples With Loss Of Ads To Digital Platforms (WSJ)
#9 Agencies Scramble To Keep Young Talent (Digiday)
#10 MillerCoors, Kay Jewelers, BudLight: Launch Sponsors Of Rebranded ESPN App (Ad Age)
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|  | • 4.82
Billions of ad dollars to be spent on digital advertising by the U.S. telecom industry in 2013.
– Reported by eMarketer
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| | MBPT Spotlight | (What follows is the next in a new series of Spotlight features, where MBPT asks a top industry research executive to comment on a study or a survey that's crossed their desk recently.)
Numbers Game: Content Still Holds the Throne. But Where are the Loyal Subjects?
By Laura Cowan, Research Director, LIN Media, and Chair, Council for Research Excellence's Media Consumption & Engagement Committee
More than ever, content is still king. The growing challenge, however, is figuring out how best to track the viewers of that content to mobile and other digital platforms.
There are more mobile viewers than ever, and at all age ranges. What we need to continually get a better handle on is: How and where are they watching all that content?
The Council for Research Excellence (CRE) recently released its "TV Untethered" study, conducted with the Boston-based research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey; from it, we learned more about video consumption on mobile devices (smartphones, tablets and computers), especially relative to how these devices affect and relate to viewing on a TV set.
Speaking of which, one thing the report refutes is the exasperating suggestion that "young people aren't watching TV." Pundits continue to imply this notion repeatedly, despite greater evidence that overall TV viewing is expanding. The fact is: Young people are watching more television.
What can advertisers do with this information—along with the statistic that baby boomers are spending more time online? And what are the statistics that show how much more focused the smartphone viewing is when compared to viewing on a TV set?
For more, click HERE
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| | Fates & Fortunes | • DARREN HERMAN is leaving his post as chief digital media officer at MDC Partners' The Media Kitchen. He made the announcement on his personal blog. MediaPost reported that he is expected to take a senior role at a global technology company. Herman joined The Media Kitchen in 2007. Prior to that he founded IGA, an in-game advertising network. During his time at The Media Kitchen he cofounded MDC Partners' agency trading desk Varick Media Managment and launched KPS+ Ventures, a strategic investment unit.
• DAN LAGANI was named president and chief revenue officer of social media company Glam Media, Inc. He was most recently president, North America, for Reader's Digest Association. Prior to that, he was group publisher of Conde Nast Bridal Group, publisher at Meredith's Better Homes & Gardens and Ladies' Home Journal and publisher of George magazine.
• AL ROKER and HODA KOTB will host NBC's live coverage of the 125th Rose Parade on Jan. 1. For Roker, the weather anchor on NBC's Today show, this will be his 17th year hosting the annual parade. It will be Kotb's first time hosting the event. NBC has been covering the parade for 87 years, initially on radio, and since 1954 on television.
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| | What They're Watching | BROADCAST RATINGS
CBS Wins Wednesday as 'Criminal Minds,' 'CSI' Rise
CBS led Wednesday. Criminal Minds rose 4% and CSI improved 11%. Earlier, Survivor dipped 4%. ABC took second. The Middle fell 8% tying its series low. Modern Family shed 13% from last week and Super Fun Night lost 5%. At 10 p.m., Nashville rose 7%. Fox was in third as The X Factor fell 6%. NBC aired the fall finales of both Revolution and Law & Order: SVU. Revolution tied its series low, falling 7% from last week, while Law & Order was flat with last week. Dateline was also even. NBC finished fourth. The CW rounded out the evening. With 18-49s, Arrow dipped three tenths, while Tomorrow People was even. In the net's targeted adults 18-34 demo, Arrow dipped three tenths as well, while Tomorrow People rose a tenth.
For more, click HERE
CABLE RATINGS
'Sons of Anarchy' Roars Ahead Of Tuesday Cable Pack
FX's Sons of Anarchy topped Tuesday's cable rankings with a 2.2 adults 18-49 rating and 4.2 million viewers. TBS airings of The Big Bang Theory at 9:30 and 10:00 p.m. came in second and third, earning each a 1.2 in the demo and 2.8 and 2.6 million watchers, respectively.
For more, click HERE
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| Overnight Ratings: Wednesday, November 20
| | 8 PM | | NET | SHOW | A18-49
Rating | TOTAL VIEWERS
(MILLIONS) | CBS
| SURVIVOR
| 2.4
| 10.1
| UNIVISION
| PORQUE EL AMOR MANDA
| 1.9
| 5.0
| ABC
| THE MIDDLE (8:00)
BACK IN THE GAME (8:30)
| 2.2
1.6
| 8.4
6.1
| FOX
| THE X FACTOR
| 1.6
| 5.5
| NBC
| REVOLUTION
| 1.4
| 5.2
| CW
| ARROW
| 0.9
| 2.5
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| | 9 PM | | NET | SHOW | A18-49
Rating | TOTAL VIEWERS
(MILLIONS) | CBS
| CRIMINAL MINDS
| 2.8
| 12.3
| ABC
| MODERN FAMILY (9:00)
SUPER FUN NIGHT (9:30)
| 3.3
1.9
| 10.0
5.7
| FOX
| THE X FACTOR
| 1.7
| 5.5
| NBC
| LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
| 1.6
| 5.9
| UNIVISION
| LO QUE LA VIDA ME ROBÓ
| 1.4
| 3.8
| CW
| THE TOMORROW PEOPLE
| 0.6
| 1.7
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| | 10 PM | | NET | SHOW | A18-49
Rating | TOTAL VIEWERS
(MILLIONS) | CBS
| CSI:CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
| 2.1
| 11.0
| ABC
| NASHVILLE
| 1.6
| 5.6
| NBC
| DATELINE
| 1.1
| 4.8
| UNIVISION
| MENTIR PARA VIVIR
| 1.0
| 2.5
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| | TOMORROW'S BIG RATINGS STORIES TODAY | • 'Pawn Stars' Still Dealin' With Success In Season Eight
The hit History reality series returned for its eight season in its 10 p.m. Thursday night time period on Oct. 10 and has been averaging a solid 3.3 million viewers and a 1.0 18-49 demo rating for back-to-back first-run, half-hour episodes. That's down a bit from season seven but last season ran during this past summer when there was less first-run competition from the broadcast and other cable networks on Thursday nights. The series is also down from its season six ratings. However, on most Thursday nights, History has been running back-to-back repeat half-hours between 9 and 10, leading into the new episodes, and those are averaging north of 2 million viewers. The upshot: Despite the saturation of episodes aired on Thursday nights, Pawn Stars continues to put up large viewer numbers and that's good for History, which can sell lots of ads to retailers and movie studios that want to reach consumers before the weekends, particularly with the holidays coming up.
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| • Plain Truth For 'Covert Affairs'—Move To Thursdays Hurts
This USA Network international spy drama, starring Piper Perabo, ends its season on Thursday night at 10 with an episode that could resolve some issues and also raise a few more for season five. The series averaged about 2.5 million viewers and a 0.7 18-49 demo rating in the first part of season four, but in the second half of the season, after about a month-long hiatus, it returned in mid-October and has averaged only 1.8 million viewers and a 0.5 demo rating. The upshot: Covert Affairs is still one of USA's prime drama series, but the network moved it from Tuesday nights during the first part of season four to Thursday nights during the second part and ratings took a hit. Granted, shows change time periods and nights often, especially on cable, and the results aren't always bad. In this case, the move certainly didn't help Covert Affairs.
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| • 'Glee' Hopes Viewers Are In a Billy Joel State of Mind
Well, Joel himself is not going to guest star on Thursday's 9 p.m. episode on Fox, but the still struggling musical dramedy, now in its fifth season, will have a story line in which its cast performs an homage to the "Piano Man" by singing several of his songs. The series this season is averaging only 4.5 million viewers and a 1.7 18-49 demo rating, but that includes one repeat that already aired. Without that paltry watched repeat, the series is averaging 5 million viewers and a 1.9 demo rating. And that's down from last season's average in the same time period of 5.6 million viewers and a 2.1 in the demo. During the first few weeks of the November sweeps so far, Glee has finished third or fourth in its time period in both viewers and the demo. The upshot: Fox, in a head scratcher at the end of last season, renewed Glee not only for this season but for another season after that. The series has a median age audience of 41, but not enough of them are watching. Glee needs to re-energize its audience base quickly to justify the faith the network has shown in it.
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