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Five of the biggest players in online video in the US are joining forces to launch a TV-style series of upfront events for digital content and media.
The Digital Content NewFronts will run from April 19 to May 2 and will include showcase events from each of the six founding partners – Hulu, Microsoft, Google/YouTube, Yahoo!, AOL and ad agency Digitas.
The partners say they aim to establish a new marketplace for “connecting the wealth of native digital content with brand marketers and their media and marketing agencies.”
The two-week series of invite-only events will bring together players from the digital content space, brand marketers and investors, and will be held in New York City.
Hulu, which recently launched its first original scripted series Battleground and pledged to spend half a billion dollars on content this year, will kick off proceedings, while YouTube – which has also begun to invest in content via its YouTube Next and original channels initiatives – will close the event.
“Today, the word ‘TV’ has taken on new meaning … [It] no longer refers to a piece of hardware. We are investing in smart and distinctive content – compelling storytelling is what makes great TV,” said Hulu senior VP of advertising JP Colaco.
The senior VP of Yahoo!’s Media Network, Mickie Rosen, said the NewFronts promised to “push the boundaries of a growing consumer medium.” Yahoo! claims its original programming already attracts some 35 million unique visitors a month.
