MAM
Yahoo and Google ink display ad deal
MUMBAI: Internet giants Yahoo and Google have inked an agreement to have the latter serve up advertising on some Yahoo websites.
According to the deal, Google can display contextual ads on Yahoo properties. Contextual ads are display ads which are related to the text featured on a website and are placed on the same page.
Yahoo said it has recently signed a nonexclusive agreement that will have Google displaying ads on unspecified Yahoo Web properties “and certain co-branded sites” using the latter‘s ad programmes for both traditional computers and mobile devices.
The financial details of the partnership were not disclosed but it was revealed that the ads will be displayed using Google‘s AdSense and AdMob services. It was also clarified by Yahoo that Google will be just one of its contextual ads partners.
Yahoo further said, “By adding Google to our list of world-class contextual ads partners, we‘ll be able to expand our network, which means we can serve users with ads that are even more meaningful.”
The two internet biggies have been competitors in the market for online search advertising. Yahoo has also formed a partnership with Microsoft Corp so that the two companies are teaming up to try to counter Google‘s dominance in that market. Concurrently, Google has also become a major force in area of display advertising which is Yahoo‘s core business.
Yahoo earlier had sought out a search partnership with Google in 2008, but the deal was ultimately rejected by the antitrust regulators at the U.S. Justice Department.
MAM
Sameer Nair steps down as CEO of Applause Entertainment
Veteran media executive exits after a decade at the Aditya Birla Group-backed studio.
MUMBAI: After a decade of calling the shots, Sameer Nair is taking a bow from Applause Entertainment. The veteran industry leader and CEO of the prominent content studio is stepping down from his role, according to sources familiar with the development. This marks a significant leadership transition at one of India’s key players in the television and digital content space.
Applause Entertainment, part of the Aditya Birla Group, has built a strong reputation under Nair’s leadership for its high-quality adaptations of international formats and a slate of original series across OTT platforms. Nair, who joined the company a decade ago, was instrumental in shaping its growth and positioning it as a notable force in India’s evolving streaming landscape.
Prior to Applause, he held senior roles at major media organisations, including Star India, where he played a pivotal part in the launch of the iconic show Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2000. He also worked with Balaji Telefilms and NDTV Imagine.
It remains unclear who will succeed Nair or what his next professional move will be. Queries sent to Nair did not receive a response, and Applause Entertainment declined to comment on the matter.
His exit comes at a time when the Indian content ecosystem is undergoing rapid changes, with streaming platforms recalibrating investments, focusing on profitability, and adjusting content strategies amid shifting viewer preferences and increasing competition.
Industry insiders suggest the transition could signal a strategic reset for Applause as it navigates the next phase of growth.
In the fast-paced world of Indian entertainment, where hits can fade as quickly as they rise, Sameer Nair has enjoyed a remarkably steady and influential run. As he steps off the stage at Applause, the spotlight now turns to what comes next for both the executive and the studio he helped build.
