Tag: Online content

Sydney, Australia – News Corp Australia has signed a new multi-year agreement with technology platform Outbrain to elevate audiences’ online news experience across the news publisher’s digital properties.

News Corp Australia will leverage Outbrain’s Smartlogic, an AI-powered recommendation technology, to improve the online content discovery experience and how audiences explore and consume media across their digital platforms.

Outbrain’s advanced publisher suite, including its monetisation, audience development, and total revenue optimisation technology, will be integrated into News Corp Australia’s expansive online portfolio to enhance the content recommendation experience on high-traffic sites like news.com.au and taste.com.au.

Through this collaboration, advertisers can also gain new opportunities to reach a more diverse and engaged audience with Outbrain’s network for content discovery.

Combining News Corp Australia’s premium publisher content with Outbrain’s expertise in predicting engagement, the agreement aims to deliver enriched digital experiences to audiences that also drive sustainable, year-round revenue growth.

The collaboration builds on Outbrain’s market-leading network of publishers in Australia, which includes major Nine Entertainment properties, Daily Mail Australia, and Australian Community Media, further solidifying its position in the Australian market.

Eve Solomon, vice president and managing director of publisher business development at Outbrain, commented, “This collaboration with News Corp Australia is a monumental milestone for Outbrain. It epitomises our commitment to innovating and growing alongside leading media houses.”

“We are thrilled about the opportunities this opens up for advertisers aiming to reach premium audiences. Our advanced predictive technology, combined with News Corp Australia’s extensive online footprint, will usher in a new chapter of digital excellence and audience engagement, creating meaningful experiences for readers and advertisers in the Australian market,” she added.

Also speaking on the deal, Paul Blackburn, director for commercial data video and product at News Corp Australia, explained, “Outbrain’s sophisticated technology, experience, and focus on audience engagement complement our vision for growth and innovation. We are delighted to be working with them and eager to see the positive impact it will have on our digital platforms.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (Content Forum) has rolled out its inaugural supplementary guideline, ‘The OCC Guidelines’ on updated best practices for online curated content service providers.

Developed through extensive collaboration among local and international industry leaders, the pioneer initiative is set to function as a self-regulation tool for online curated content (OCC) platforms.

The guidelines aim to emphasise and underscore Content Forum’s dedication to nurturing a dynamic creative content environment while ensuring compliance with Malaysian laws and regulations.

Content Forum’s ‘The OCC Guidelines’ will encompass national and public interest, racial and religious sensitivities, as well as improved accessibility standards for persons with disabilities.

Other than this, the guidelines will also cover key points such as content classifications allowing for informed viewing choices, safety features and advisory, consideration of underage viewers on content promotional materials, news contents that cover diverse perspectives and presentations, more accessible consumer feedback mechanisms, and open dialogues with relevant stakeholders.

The formation of the OCC Guidelines highlights how self-regulation can serve to elevate the industry further.

Mediha Mahmood, chief executive officer of the Content Forum, explained, “This guideline is designed as a supportive tool for both local and international service providers, enabling them to self-assess their programming quality and streamline compliance with Malaysian content standards. In line with our dedication to promoting self-regulation, we expect that these recommendations and best practices will further our ongoing mission to foster a creative, forward-thinking, and inclusive content industry.”

Also commenting on the guidelines, Euan Smith, group chief executive officer at ASTRO, said, “The dedication of the Content Forum and the Working Group underscores the power of industry cooperation in crafting meaningful guidelines.”

Echoing this sentiment, Zuraidah Mohd Yatim, general manager of regulatory affairs and intellectual property at Media Prima, shared, “The success of this collaborative policy-making process reflects the strength of industry unity in shaping responsible content practices.”

Also part of the collaborative effort, Clare Bloomfield, chief policy officer at the Asia Video Industry Association, commented, “AVIA has been a strong proponent of self-governance for online-curated content. We are honoured to have been a part of Content Forum’s collaborative effort to deliver this OCC approach for Malaysia.”

Meanwhile, Ruben Hattari, director of public policy for Southeast Asia at Netflix, also shared, “The collective effort behind this monumental task is a true reflection of Malaysia’s progressive mindset and is worthy to be emulated by other policymakers in the region.”

Sydney, Australia – Despite 87% of Australian respondents saying that they support advertising measures among online content providers who offer free content, around 70% of Australian respondents are still unaware on how these online content providers generate their revenue despite being a ‘free service’ to customers, according to insights provided by market research company Ipsos during the latest IAB Australia MeasureUp conference.

The report leans heavily on facts relating to importance of transparency and control over data, stating that 81% of consumers stating they want ‘more control and choice’ over the collection and use of their personal information, and 46% stating they wanted companies to stop sharing their information with third parties without consent as a high priority.

Transparency on what data is collected and how it is used is the key driver to a high level of trust in providing personal information (43% ), however sound corporate values such as having a good corporate reputation (40%) and being ethical (39%) are nearly equally key trust drivers.

It also noted that customers who are loyal to certain brands are most likely to share their information out of brand trust. About 47% of respondents say that they are more comfortable about sharing their data, provided that brands need to be more upfront with how the data collected will be used.

In addition, 46% of respondents say that they are willing to share information to these online providers, provided they are the only data needed.

For specific instances, 38% feel comfortable sharing their purchase history with a brand online if requested, 34% feel comfortable sharing browsing history and 38% feel comfortable sharing personal details to online content providers such as email, phone, or address. 

For Gai Le Roy, CEO of IAB Australia, while it is great news that consumers are so supportive of an ad-funded model to these online content providers, the insights suggests the industry has some work to do.

“Trust with a digital brand, including openness to provide data, goes well beyond reading consent notices and extends across all their interactions with the brand online and offline. To ensure the strength and sustainability of the industry, we need to build on existing levels of trust, and respect consumer’s preferences for more transparency and more control in relation to how their data is used,” Le Roy stated.

While nearly all Australians think privacy of their information is important when choosing digital content and services, only 3 in 10 people feel their understanding of data protection and privacy rights is of a high standard. Ultimately 8 in 10 people want more control and choice over the collection of their personal information, while 69% care about their data privacy but don’t know what to do about it.