Report: Comcast To Acquire Online Ad Tech Firm FreeWheel In $300+ Million Deal
By Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Comcast reportedly is snatching up an online advertising technology firm for more than a quarter of a billion dollars.
KYW tech editor Ian Bush reports it's to give the cable and Internet giant a leg up on the changing way we watch TV and other content.
Comcast's latest conquest is FreeWheel Media.
"It will give Comcast a new platform for delivering video ads to customers, to broadcast networks, and other major media organizations streaming online," says TechCrunch writer Ryan Lawler.
Lawler says FreeWheel's servers analyze your location and recent viewing history to serve up better-tailored ads. For the Philly-based media empire, the $300-plus million deal keeps it ahead of the curve in the booming mobile ad market.
"In general, online streams allow advertisers to better target the customer, simply because they have better information about the person who's watching the ad. Whereas on your TV, they have no idea -- which is why they do big national video ad campaigns. Online, you're able to get the right ad spot to the right customer. So it will be a lot more personalized," Lawler said.
Which they hope will lead to more clicks -- or taps -- on a screen, as Comcast pushes further into online video.
