Media Beat: March 09, 2020
What Was Said:
How many Millennials does it take to change a light bulb?
By David Farrell
What Was Said:
How many Millennials does it take to change a light bulb?
We haven't picked on millennials for a while, so I feel obligated to redress that situation. UK research site, Study Finds, reports that "Many Millennials Can’t Change A Light Bulb By Themselves."
A survey conducted by OnePoll found that... "of 2,000 young British adults... many still need assistance with the simplest of tasks — like changing a light bulb!"
According to the report, several of the respondents would leave a dead light bulb in place for as much as three weeks until they could muster the courage to ask someone for help. About half either don't bother trying, or turn to someone else for help when faced with a "daunting" household chore.
But don't worry, there's one thing these geniuses are really good at. When something goes wrong, 87% turn to Google. – Bob Hoffman, The Ad Contrarian
Bell becomes exclusive Canadian partner for Quibi
The bite-size mobile video platform, founded by former Disney Chair and Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, has been described as the Netflix for mobile phones and its blue-chip backers have ponied up enough cash to invest $1B in content creation in the first year. The short-form platform launches on April 6. For Canadians, an ad-supported monthly subscription runs $6.99 in the first year, and an ad-free edition rings in $9.99 a month.
Natch, Bell Media topper Randy Lennox is hot on what is simply the hottest new media platform to launch since…you pick it!
Below, Katzenberg explains the plan, the concept and the execution to Amanda Lang on BNN Bloomberg, a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE.
Stingray acquires 30% of The Podcast Exchange (TPX)
Montreal-based media and technology company Stingray is entering the Canadian podcast market with a 30% acquisition of The Podcast Exchange (TPX), Canada’s leading podcast ad sales and production house. TPX is based in Toronto.
Finances of the deal are not disclosed.
Stingray is a multi-pronged content and tech company operating audio, video, and radio properties direct to consumer, and with B2B white-label products. The company also has a live events business. The company owns and operates 100 radio stations across Canada, and a selection of Ultra HD 4k TV channels.
The announcements hint that Stingray might develop a portfolio of wholly owned-and-operated podcasts. In general, the vision expressed by this deal is ambitious: “Stingray’s investment in The Podcast Exchange will provide Stingray and Stingray Radio with a toehold in the fast-growing ad-supported podcast market thus supplementing our radio and digital audio products,” said Eric Boyko, President, Co-founder, and CEO of Stingray. “This strategic investment is a bold move to show our continued commitment to deliver new and innovative content to Canadian consumers and brands. Having the means to deliver music, radio, and podcasts to listeners will pave the way for Stingray’s market position as Canada’s only true ‘Audio Everywhere’ provider.”
“This strategic investment will support TPX growth plans in media sales and launch our content production and consulting offerings in 2020,” said Jean-Marie Heimrath, Founder and CEO of TPX. — Brad Hill, RAIN News
Collision cancels 2020 In-Person conference over Covid 19 fears
Collision, the major North American tech conference set to be held in Toronto for its second year, announced on Friday that it has decided to cancel the event over concerns for Covid-19.
The annual tech conference that began its three-year stint in Toronto last year, was set to take place June 22 to 25. Collision had already announced the first 100 speakers, stages, and sold tickets for the event. The conference is currently offering refunds for anyone who had already bought tickets and offering to have tickets automatically transferred to Collision 2021. — Meagan Simpson, BetaKit
The cocaine smuggling ring inside Vice Media
When Vice Canada's music editor reached out to young journalists in the fall of 2015, they figured he’d be dangling freelance gigs. Instead, he asked them to act as drug couriers for nearly $20 million worth of cocaine.
This week, Canadaland launched Cool Mules — a six-part podcast series on the people who said yes, the people who said no, and the man who brought an international drug-running conspiracy to the offices of Vice Media. In some ways, it was the ultimate Vice story, but one that Vice never wanted told.
Why Canada needs a new social contract for the digital economy
I had hoped the internet would bring us together as societies and improve our democracies. But the opposite has occurred. We are often exposed solely to information and perspectives that reinforce our own views, with information and perspectives filtered to accommodate our pre-existing biases. The upshot has been more fractious and divisive public discourse and democratic institutions eroding before our eyes, as trust in politicians and the legitimacy of our governments is at an all-time low. — Don Tapscott, The Star
Aussie chain sets limit of one roll per customer for bog paper
Coles is running full-page ads in newspapers to introduce a limit on toilet paper, following widespread panic-buying.
As fears around coronavirus escalate, people across Australia have been stockpiling items such as toilet paper, rice and pasta - against the advice of most experts. — Mariam Cheik-Hussein, Ad News
