April 29, 2014
in Blog/by Jonathan Barnard
Yahoo wants TV ad dollars, whether they be spent on original programming or augmenting TV spots.
During its Digital Content NewFronts presentation on Monday night, Yahoo presented its plans to siphon some of the $68 billion advertisers are expected to spend on U.S. TV this year. Those plans include: TV-length shows, live programming and the ability to retarget TV viewers with ads on Yahoo sites.
Next year Yahoo will premiere two half-hour comedies that will mark the portal’s first foray into TV-style long form programming. “Other Space” will be an outer-space laffer created by “Bridesmaids” director-and-producer Paul Feig. And “Varsity Blues” producer Mike Tollin and “The Office” director Bryan Gordon have teamed on “Sin City Saints,” a work-comedy set in a fictional pro basketball team’s front office. Both shows will release all eight of their episodes at once, a la Netflix with “House of Cards.”