Village Soapbox: Media News of the Week

Here's the Top Media News of the Week:

California Proposition 24, the Consumer Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) which expands on the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) passed by a narrow margin. This law goes into effect January 1, 2023 and is enforceable on July 1, 2023. The hardest hit area of this new law will be locationbased data companies, which are specifically called out.

• Removes the ability of a business to fix a violation prior to being fined.
• Provides consumers with an optin for sensitive personal information
• Triple fines for businesses found collecting and selling children's private information (aka violations of COPPA), but also requires optin consent for the sale of personal information from consumers under 16 (COPPA was 13 and under)
• Establishes an official agency in California to protect consumer rights and give consumers control over their personal data.
• Removes a loophole that certain advertising industry organizations had relied on to continue datatargeting usage in California. Specifically, the original CCPA only spoke about consumer rights when it came to the 'sale' of their data. The ad industry's argument was that much of that data-targeting was done with "shared" data. The new low clarifies that sharing of data is also not allowed without consumer consent.

Comcast is in talks with Walmart to develop and distribute a line of X1 powered Smart TVs that run Comcast software. For consumers, the set-top box is twilighting in favor of apps in Smart TVs. For Comcast to keep on top of a wealth of viewing data, this seems a wise path to pursue, with the added advantage of being able to spotlight OTT service Peacock. However, these are just currently talks.

A big shout out to all those election coverage anchors and teams that have been literally working 24 hours a day since Tuesday; often having to repeat the same analysis ad infinitum while waiting for the final states to complete the ballot count. Looking specifically at first night coverage, overall ratings of the major networks was down from 2016 with Nielsen saying that 56.9 million viewers tuned into coverage during prime time, down 20% from 71.4 million. FOX News had the most viewers this year averaging 13.8 million, which broke a record for cable news coverage. CNN was second at 9.1 million viewers. MSNBC was third with 7.3 million. Watch for further commentary on MSNBC’s decision not to cover President Trump’s November 6^th comments and other coverage decisions to run it uninterrupted and with limited factchecking.

Roku announced strong earnings for Q3 2020 and continues to benefit from increased OTT adoption. Roku added 2.9 million incremental accounts bringing them to 46 million up 43% year over year. Monetized ad impressions were up 90% year over year. During their earnings call, Senior Vice President, General Manager Scott Rosenberg gave an update on OneView (previously DataXu) which now has the ability to manage reach and frequency whether the marketer is buying media on a Roku owned channel, a publisher on Roku or even off Roku, while leveraging Roku's identity and data information.

This Week in MediaVillage:

If you're looking for bright spots in the ad economy, James Fennessy, global CEO of Standard Media Index has found one. Pharma ad-spend was up 8% in Q2, the only category to be up. Fennessy digs into it in Standard Media Index Finds Pharma Advertising Holding Strong Despite COVID-19.

Cadent, the experts in advanced TV advertising, recently held their Future of TV Virtual Summit. Our expert in all things TV, Simon Applebaum attended and provides you insights from the opening keynote that featured a conversation between Cadent's Jim Tricarico and Empower Advertising's Cathy Shaffner. Check it out in Cadent and Empower Advertising See a TV Industry 'Flopped on Its Head'.

AdvancingDiversity.org's Executive Director, Philip McKenzie informs us of an important and vital new program launched by Comcast to support Black and diversity-owned businesses that have been dramatically impacted by the pandemic. Comcast RISE (Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment) is part of a larger outreach to combat systemic inequality with a commitment of $100MM. Read the details in Comcast Offers Small Businesses an Opportunity to RISE.

Trisha Patterson gives us a report from a discussion that Chief Data Officer of Cadent, Jamie Power, held with Dana Bhargava, head of experience planning & media at Sanofi Consumer Health during Cadent's Future of TV Virtual Summit. The two discussed the best ways to find audiences in a world where TV means something very different than it did a few years ago or even a few months ago. You'll definitely learn something when you read Sanofi's Dana Bhargava and Cadent's Jamie Power on Success with OTT and CTV.

Jeff Minsky and Simon Applebaum got the VIP tour (virtually!) of The Weather Channel's IMR Studio which allows unprecedented immersive visualization that gives consumers ways to better understand weather and its impact. This is only the beginning with new AR and VR platforms growing daily. Read more in Virtual Weather: A Tour of The Weather Channel's New Cutting Edge Studio.

According to Pandora's new 2021 Definitive Guide to Audio, digital audio now commands more listening time than traditional AM/FM radio, accounting for 53% of all daily audio consumption. Alli Romano digs into the study in For 2021, Brands Should Book Digital Audio Now.

If you're a media strategist or buyer, you now have a new centralized destination to research FOX's ad offerings and review case studies to back up your recommendations. FOX has also launched a digital promotional campaign, "The Power of FOX" that highlights the breadth and depth of their entertainment, sports, news and Tubi, their recently acquired OTT AVOD play. They have also launched @FoxAdSolutions on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Simon Applebaum provides all the details in FOX Launches New Ad Sales Portal and Marketing Campaign.

If there was ever a week where we all need a laugh it's this one! Ed Martin, our TV/Video Download editor, looks at the current state of broadcast TV and how situation comedies are standing out. If you are in need of a smile now, you'll want to read Broadcast Comedies Excel as They Tackle the Many Miseries of 2020.

Our columnist,Michael Farmer, takes us into NBCUniversal's BOLD (Building Opportunity for Leadership & Diversity) program, which develops leaders for the next generation of advertising and partnership professionals from groups like those who have served our country. On November 11, Veterans Day, NBCUniversal will conduct a virtual Veterans Day Event with speakers, panels, and special guests to honor military veterans. You can read all about this important event and larger program in Michael's article Comcast NBCUniversal Continues Commitment to Veterans with Annual Veterans Day Event.

With Veteran's Day around the corner and Christmas decorations already out in retail stores everywhere, Lifetime's new movie, A Welcome Home Christmasfits right in. We are all looking for uplifting content and, as Jacqueline Cutler reports, this one should go on everyone's watch list when it is telecast on Veteran's Day (November 11). Read her exclusive interview with actor and Army Vet Craig Morgan who plays Colonel Doug Cole in Lifetime Salutes Veterans inA Welcome Home Christmas.

Simon Applebaum, who pens the Tomorrow Will Be Televised column, examines how the diverse makeup of WGN America's NewsNation staff positively impacts their diversity of storytelling in NewsNation: A Rich Melting Pot of Our Nation's Stories.

Discussions between police officers and the Black Community are always incredibly important, and especially now. Please check out Oriana Schwindt' s latest, Dentsu's Christena Pyle and Tulsa PD's Major Matt McCord on Bridging the Police/Community Gap. Christena Pyle, chief equity officer, Americas for Dentsu recently had a frank and open discussion with Major Matt McCord at Allyship & Action's 'The State of Equity' summit.

Columnist Erich J. Prince of News On-The-Record has written a piece that we really encourage you to read. Erich has spotted a trend of top and celebrated writers leaving their publications as "they no longer feel welcome to describe the world as they see it." Erich details the story of Glenn Greenwald who exited a company that he co-founded. Please don't miss this important piece Glenn Greenwald: When a Co-Founder Has to Leave His Own Publication.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend.

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The opinions expressed here are the author's views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet.