The New York Post reported today that:
Google, the company that dominates online advertising, would like to try its hand at buying and selling television ad time. Google, already dabbling in print ads, recently confirmed that it's "mulling" ways to extend its ad-brokering system to television spots as well.
If Google succeeds, it would mark a major turning point for an industry that has rebuffed other attempts at creating new ways to buy and sell TV ad time. Traditional media companies have learned never to underestimate Google, but television and ad execs say the complicated, research-driven model of selling TV time will be tough – if not impossible – to crack.
"I've seen brokering ideas like this before and they end up fizzling," said Steven Saslow, a veteran media exec and the chief of ConfirMedia, which helps advertisers track ad placement.
Link to story (Thanks, David Ahrendts).
I asked Google spokesperson Barry Schnitt about the report, and he passed along this prepared statement:
We are always considering new ways to extend Google's advertising program to benefit our users, advertisers and publishers. Television offers one such
possible extension among many others. We do not have any specific product plans in this area or additional details to share at this time.
