Yahoo is also producing two new shows with global news anchor
Katie Couric. In addition to the interview series she has been
filming for Yahoo News, "World 3.0" will highlight people "who are
'hacking' life as we know it," according to a company announcement.
Ms. Couric's other new show, "Now I Get It," looks to be the video
version of the company's news-summary app Yahoo News Digest. Each
of the program's short videos will explain the day's news and be
designed for social sharing.
Live programming
In addition to scheduling scripted and non-scripted series, Yahoo
is also ordering up some live programming. The company has
partnered with live-events giant Live Nation to create a dedicated
video channel on the Yahoo Screen streaming service. The channel
will air music performances and artist interviews, and the two
companies will co-produce a year's worth of daily concert
livestreams. Kellogg's has
signed on the sponsor the channel.
A major consideration for media buyers will be whether Yahoo's
new shows can deliver enough eyeballs to merit their ad dollars.
The six shows Yahoo presented at last year's NewFronts have
combined to receive a paltry 13 million views. Of those series,
"Tiny Commando" was the only show to secure a sponsor (Energizer),
while a number of advertisers bought ads against Yahoo's three-show
comedy slate. The three lifestyle shows Yahoo presented did not
receive sponsors.
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TV-like measurement
To assuage advertisers used to the way their TV ads are measured,
Yahoo has partnered with comScore to validate campaigns'
demographic targets. The hope is the measurement will create a more
apples-to-apples comparison with TV and make buyers more
comfortable bringing their budgets online.
Yahoo isn't only selling its own content. Borrowing Twitter's
and Facebook's strategy as a TV advertiser's best friend, the
company is also pitching advertisers on a new way to augment their
TV buys. The company will be using its recently updated Smart TV
service and registered user base to retarget people who see a
brand's spot on traditional TV with ads online. Yahoo Americas
chief Ned Brody said the company has been able to "link back on an
80% basis to our cookie pools." However the program has its own
size issues. Yahoo's Smart TV software currently runs on just over
2 million TVs, though Mr. Brody said that number will hit 4 million
by the end of the year.
Taking advantage of all the brand marketers tuned in to
NewFronts, Yahoo also announced a new so-called "digital magazine,"
Yahoo Travel. As with predecessors Yahoo Tech and Yahoo Food, the
new lifestyle property will run sponsored articles and videos. Las
Vegas and Walt Disney
Parks and Resorts have signed on as launch sponsors.