04.30.2019Media and Entertainment
Verizon Media’s 2019 NewFront puts premium programming and 5G content innovation center stage
Media contact(s)
Christina MacDonald
Christina.MacDonald@verizonmedia.com
Courtnee Coburn
Courtnee.Coburn@verizonmedia.com
Verizon Media put a spotlight on its commitment to innovation designed to entertain, inform and streamline experiences for partners and consumers at its 2019 NewFront on April 30 in New York. With the power of Verizon and 5G, Verizon Media is combining unmatched premium content partnerships, unique distribution across mobile, TV and OTT, and more interactive data-powered ad formats to connect everything for its one billion global consumers.
Downloadable video and clips from the presentation available here.
Photos available for download here.
Additional assets here.
RYOT, a Verizon Media Company, presents 5B:
Verizon Media welcomed special guest presenter Julianne Moore and a small group of heroes for the announcement of the world premiere of 5B, a feature-length documentary film focused on the heartfelt humanity of nurses and caregivers in the midst of a devastating HIV/AIDS crisis. 5B shares the incredible story of a small group of heroes who banded together to form the very first AIDS/HIV care unit in the US, at San Francisco General Hospital. Verizon Media will distribute and support the film globally, continuing the company’s investment in prolific storytelling that impacts communities around the world.
“Hypezilla” and the power of 5G:
The new weekly shoppable series “Hypezilla” was featured on stage to illustrate 5G innovation for the consumer content experience. The series, coming soon to entertainment gaming and rewards app Yahoo Play, includes a special AR integration that will give the user the ability to virtually “try” on the showcased products, take part in related trivia, and shop and purchase their favorite picks of the week across tech, clothing and other hot product drops. The new, multi-faceted, motion capture and AR-enabled shoppable content series intersects premium content with commerce, powered by best in class data and ad tech at scale. “Hypezilla” will be produced at Verizon Media’s RYOT 5G Studio in Los Angeles, the first 5G-enabled content studio in the country. Yahoo Play currently has over twenty original series on its platform and over ten series in development including “Room of Doom” and “Beat the Street: Los Angeles.”
A First for Fantasy:
When football returns for the 2019-2020 season, in addition to NFL live streaming on the Yahoo Sports mobile app, Yahoo Sports will be extending NFL streaming rights into the Yahoo Fantasy Football mobile app for the first time ever. NFL fans can root for their favorite teams and watch all local and primetime games free and unauthenticated in the Yahoo Fantasy Football app, the Yahoo Sports app and other Verizon and NFL media properties on phones and tablets. New York Jets starting quarterback Sam Darnold joined Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football expert Liz Loza onstage to make the exciting announcement.
Immersive XR Journalism Platform from Yahoo News:
This cutting-edge Yahoo News XR Partner Program will offer unprecedented access to groundbreaking 5G technology at Verizon’s 5G Labs and the Verizon Media RYOT 5G Studio in Los Angeles, the first 5G production studio in the country. An innovative and immersive journalism alliance with leading news organizations including USA TODAY, Reuters, The Associated Press, TIME and NowThis will work with Yahoo News and Verizon Media’s RYOT to develop and aggregate next-gen experiential content that push the boundaries of what XR (extended reality) news and immersive journalism can be used to deepen understanding on important issues of a 5G world, and distribute these exciting new formats on Yahoo News. The program also enables new forms of XR media inventory for partners. Verizon Media is a leader in XR advertising debuting unique new formats at Cannes 2018, while recently unveiling a first-in-market programmatic VR offering for DSP users. The offering helps advertisers seamlessly extend existing display and video assets into fully immersive and consumer-first VR environments.
NowWith Partnership with Sofia Vergara & Manolo Gonzalez Vergara:
Yahoo Lifestyle’s NowWith network, the destination to discover and shop exclusive celebrity brands, is adding Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actress Sofia Vergara and her son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, to launch an exclusive line of swim and resort apparel called the Wet Line, inspired by his endless search for the perfect fit. The NowWith network connects consumers with top talent and products through premium storytelling, data and interactive shoppable experiences, giving brand partners an unparalleled inventory and engagement opportunity
New Slate of Programming from Yahoo Finance:
With a commitment to bringing unique, exclusive and brand-safe content, Verizon Media’sYahoo Finance unveiled a slate of new programming, including a new video series and podcast slate. In “My Three Cents,” out next week, Yahoo Finance’s Jen Rogers sits down with influencers, including Nick Kroll, Ellie Kemper and Chrissy Metz, as well as comedians, athletes and newsmakers for raw, spirited conversations about the role money plays in their lives. Then this summer, Yahoo Finance will release three new podcasts, at the intersection of money, politics and true-crime.
Ballots and Dollars, premiering later this month, is a weekly series hosted by Yahoo Finance columnist Rick Newman on the political issues affecting American pocketbooks. Newman and special guests will zero in on the critical political, financial and economic issues as we near the hotly-contested and historic 2020 presidential race.
The Art of the Exit, follows history’s greatest heists; from the Paris Museum of Modern Art’s “Spider-Man” robber to the Bitcoin Heist of Iceland, host Alex Sugg will take listeners inside some of the most infamous financial pilferages.
Illegal Tender, hosted by Yahoo Finance’s Ethan Wolff Mann kicks-off with a fresh look at tycoon Aubrey Mcclendon and the suspicious circumstances around his untimely death, with the help of Mcclendon expert Bethany Mclean the author of “Saudi America” and Vanity Fair contributor, who followed and covered Mcclendon closely.
Growth in Emerging Channels and Premium Activations:
In addition to the launch of new, premium podcasts from Yahoo Finance, Verizon Media continues to be a leader in emerging channels for advertisers, announcing it has expanded its DSP audio inventory through a global integration with AdsWizz, the world’s largest private audio marketplace. The AdsWizz audio advertising platform, which reaches over 500 million monthly unique users globally, brings music, talk, radio and podcast inventory from Pandora, iHeartRadio and other premium publishers. The integration extends Verizon Media’s programmatic audio inventory, which debuted in 2018, allowing advertisers using the Verizon Media DSP to buy, manage, and measure audio inventory alongside their display, video and native programmatic campaigns. The expansion also follows the recent launch of programmatic digital-out-of-home for Verizon Media’s DSP, bringing greater insight into programmatic omnichannel buys. In the US alone, over 60 percent of the population listen to digital audio and consume the content for nearly two hours every day.
Notable Quotes:
“We’re more focused than ever on transforming powerful intentions into real connections, performance and quality through data insights and content, deepening the connection between brands and consumers,” said Guru Gowrappan, Verizon Media CEO. “From unparalleled stories like 5B, to innovations like ‘Hypezilla,’ to the physical manifestation of our recent growth in our global studio spaces – we’re bringing our consumers the best content, technology and immersive experiences – all in one place, and in a meaningful way.”
“For us at Verizon this is a great moment to show how we, together, are innovating,” said Hans Vestberg, CEO, Verizon. “I hope there is no doubt about our commitment to Verizon Media and how it fits into our overall strategy. You’ve seen everything from Yahoo Finance, Sports, News in areas where we’re investing more – we want more content that will bring an even better experience for you, as partners.”
“Through innovation and scale, Verizon Media is connecting brands and consumers in unique and meaningful ways,” said Jeff Lucas, Head of North American Sales and Global Client Solutions. “We’re driving performance and quality through data insights, creating an ecosystem that spans content, commerce, search and social, and providing access to the industry’s most premium solutions built for brand safety and control.”
“We’re constantly looking for innovative ways to engage with and inform our audiences on the issues that are important to their lives,” said Alex Wallace, GM of News, Entertainment and Studios at Verizon Media. “Through the Yahoo News XR Partner Program, we want to accelerate the development of extended reality content from our trusted news partners and offer our audiences the best-in-class next-generation journalism.”
“USA TODAY has been at the forefront of immersive journalism and storytelling, and we have experienced the creative, technical and commercial challenges of this emerging new field first-hand,” said Ray Soto, Director Emerging Technology, USA TODAY. “We welcome gaining access to Verizon 5G Labs, RYOT 5G Studio and distribution on Yahoo News in order to revolutionize the content we produce.”
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