Archives par mot-clé : video

How video production is helping Xero attract and retain customers

Video Marketing,

From his studio in Auckland, Pat MacFie leads a team of video professionals that would put some independent production houses to shame.

With a crew of more than 20 motion graphics and live action specialists spread around the world, together they produce hundreds of pieces of content each year.

But MacFie is not running an independent video production house. Instead, his group is part of an internal marketing agency producing content to help attract and retain customers for the online business software maker, Xero.

Xero TV has become a vital component of Xero’s marketing strategy, and the practices and workflows created by MacFie means the work can be done for a cost that delivers a strong return-on-investment.

“We are literally producing hundreds and hundreds of pieces of content on an annual basis,” MacFie told CMO. “We have an internal team that is well-educated in our product and understands our brand inside the organisation, with the ability to move quickly and have 24-hour production workflows.”

Xero's Pat MacFie
Xero’s Pat MacFie

All of this contributes to his teams’ ability to make a return for Xero beyond that which could be achieved with external agencies.

“One of the advantages of having that global team is having a 24-hour workflow,” MacFie said. “We can get up in the morning in New Zealand, work on something until lunchtime, and hand it off to the team in Melbourne. They work on it to the end of the day, and then hand it to the team in London. Because we have our creative system right, and everybody can access all content all of the time, other people are able to pick it up.

Chinese Marketing Firm Shunya To Acquire Video Streaming App Inke

Video Marketing,
Investment, Private Equity

Shunya International Brand Consulting (Beijing) Co., Ltd, a marketing and communications services firm, has agreed to acquire over 50% of Beijing Milaiwu Network Technology Co., the developer behind popular Chinese video streaming platform Inke.

No financial details were disclosed, but the company said the investment will be all cash. Two months ago, Sunya and Inke said they would establish a joint venture to develop marketing solutions on Inke’s live streaming platform. The investment would give Shunya control of Inke, and provide a popular channel for its marketing clients.

Founded in 2015, Inke is among a number of popular live video streaming apps where millions of young Chinese can watch Karaoke singing and other acts by follow users who post their performances on the platform. According to research firm Analysys, the platform recorded monthly active users of over 16 million in January this year, making it the number one app of its kind in terms of monthly active users.

The valuation of Inke has increased 18.5 times during an eight-month period. In January 2016, Shenzhen-listed online gaming firm Beijing Kunlun Tech Co., Ltd. acquired an 18% stake in Inke for RMB68 million (US$10 million). In September, Beijing Kunlun sold a 3% stake to Jiaxing Light Letter Investment Management, an obscure investment entity, for RMB210 million (US$30 million), according to a filing submitted by Beijing Kunlun.

Inke raised a series A round worth tens of million RMB in 2015 from investors including SAIF Partners, GSR Ventures and Shanghai Buttonwood Capital. The company later sold stakes to Beijing Kunlun Tech and GX Capital in 2016.

Founded in 2007, Shunya provides marketing services and consulting services in 34 cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Zhuhai. The company was listed on the ChiNext, a NASDAQ-style board of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, in February 2017. It recorded revenue of RMB470 million (US$68 million) and operating profit of RMB81 million (US$11 million) in 2016.

3 Ways to Use Online Video to Improve Your Content Marketing

Video Marketing,

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Ask any online business owner or marketing professional what they need more of, and they will likely say traffic and site content. However, what online marketers and content creators need to be focusing their efforts on is creating better content that will work for them for days, weeks, and even months.

But what we’ve been seeing lately is a never-ending amount of strictly text-based content that overwhelms an audience—something people don’t have time for (nor do you have time to create).

Keeping all of this in mind, it’s important to start shifting your focus from generic 500-word text articles to longer content that is packed with value, images, infographics, and, of course, video. The many benefits of using online video include:

  • To capture attention on Instagram
  • To optimize your video search on YouTube
  • To start trending on Facebook
  • To ask where your target audience is
  • To take advantage of multiple platforms
  • To play around with Snapchat
  • To reach a large audience with YouTube
  • To promote videos on Facebook

Using this information and various video marketing stats and resources from across the internet, today I am going to be focusing on the “video” aspect and highlighting a few different ways you can start using video today in your own content. Best of all, thanks to advancements in online technology and there no longer being a need to have advanced photography or video editing skills to produce videos, it’s easy enough for anyone to get started and begin implementing today.

Whiteboard explainer videos

We’ve all seen whiteboard explainer videos and been sucked in by their amazing ability to keep an audience engaged. However, as amazing as these videos are to watch, it would be even more exciting to have one created for your own business or brand. In previous years, to accomplish something like this you would need to hire an outside design company and likely spend a couple thousand dollars.

Thanks to recent advancements in technology and the use of software-as-a-solution, it’s now a simple process of drag and drop to create animated videos of your own. MySimpleShow, for example, has created a solution for creating explainer videos in just a few minutes, while also offering the full customization of adding your own images and voice-overs. Solutions like these are quickly putting more opportunity into the hands of content creators around the world, while also taking away business from expensive video design teams. This is something we’ve also seen take place in the world of graphic design with drag and drop solutions like Canva.

When it comes to video or graphic design, brands and marketers just want to be able to create something quick and easy without the need to go out and hire an expert or freelance designer. Thanks to software solutions, this is becoming more achievable every day. We already know the power of online video and great visuals for driving leads and traffic. Just don’t forget how powerful video can be for improving site content and helping it go viral.

Quick inspirational videos on social media

We’ve all heard about the power of social media and how it can instantly connect you to billions of users around the world. While this is something we know, not many people are doing this correctly. However, Gary Vaynerchuk is.

127 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About The Video Marketing.

Video Marketing, , , ,

Thus it’s no wonder we’re seeing new features and innovative uses by various destinations and travel brands in order to reach potential customers during their decision-making process, through compelling and aspirational storytelling.

Here are a few recent examples that speak to this phenomenon.

View the full InfoGraphic at WebsiteBuilder here.

Eyeview Expands into Europe to Further its Growth in Leading the …

Video Marketing, , , ,

NEW YORK, May 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Video marketing technology company Eyeview today announced it has opened a UK office to further its growth, building and leading a new category of marketing, outcome-based video marketing.  The European expansion builds upon a 60 percent increase in U.S. client growth and doubling revenue year-over-year.  

“The UK is the 2nd fastest growing video market and we are excited to bring Eyeview’s outcome based video marketing solution to the client base,” says Oren Harnevo, CEO and co-founder of Eyeview.  “‘Clients first’ is our mission and the demand to support campaigns locally in the UK and Europe make for an opportune time to invest.  Whether they are in Europe or the United States, today’s marketers must prove a measured return in sales on every dollar they spend. Our differentiated technology, ability to provide proven, incremental sales for our clients set us apart from competition.”

Across a growing client base including Fortune 1000 brands such as PG, Walgreens, BMW, and Priceline, Eyeview has shifted the conversation around video beyond media metrics and ad delivery to proving that video can drive sales outcomes.   With the expansion of video consumption, Eyeview is delivering on the long-awaited promise of 1-to-1 video, marrying the engagement and appeal of television quality video advertising with precision targeting and personalized creative to drive sales.

To lead the UK expansion, Eyeview has hired Jonathan Setty for the newly-created role of Managing Director, UK, where he will launch the Eyeview London office effective immediately.  Setty will be charged to expand U.S. client demand of outcome-based video marketing across Retail, FMCG, Automotive and Travel segments to marketers across Europe.  Digital video usage is becoming a significant part of UK adults’ media consumption. According to eMarketer’s first digital video viewing forecast, adults in the UK will spend an average of 53 minutes per day watching digital video this year, which is more than double what it was five years ago.

Setty has more than 15 years of digital and ecommerce marketing experience, including seven years at comScore.   Jonathan has also led sales teams across mobile marketing, bid management software and display advertising, including leading sales and partnerships at Criteo from UK market entry in 2010 to its IPO in 2013.  Jonathan joins Eyeview from at AppNexus, where he served as the Director, Advertiser Sales EMEA and prior to AppNexus, Setty was UK’s Commercial Director at Sociomantic.

“For me, what is most exciting is that Eyeview has proven that video can deliver on the long-awaited promise of marrying the engagement and appeal of television quality video advertising with data and targeting capabilities in order to drive sales,” said Setty. “One-to-one marketing across devices, including Facebook and addressable television, presents a new opportunity for marketers.  As an industry we’re at a key inflection point across video advertising, where marketers have become frustrated with legacy ad serving platforms and traditional measurement. Clients demand more creative personalization, financial accountability and quite simply, results.”

“I’m excited to add a leader with deep digital marketing retail, FMCG, automotive and travel experience to lead our European expansion,” said Jason Baadsgaard, Chief Revenue Officer, Eyeview.  “Jonathan joins Eyeview at a point where we’re confident he can continue the rapid adoption of 1-to-1 video and outcome-based video success we’ve had within the US to brands and marketers across Europe.  Jonathan’s extensive experience makes him a tremendous addition as we push the video and industry towards more targeted and accountable solutions. »

About Eyeview
Eyeview is a video marketing technology company and the industry leader in outcome-based video marketing. Eyeview delivers superior return on investment through 1-to-1 video.

Through proprietary VideoIQ® technology, Eyeview easily leverages brand, product and consumer data to create and deliver 1-to-1 video ads to every consumer and ultimately drive sales. VideoIQ® provides an elemental knowledge of video variables that powers a results-driven decisioning engine, capable of making billions of decisions each day, delivering the most relevant message to every consumer across television, desktop, mobile and Facebook.

Headquartered in New York City, with offices in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, London and Seattle, Eyeview serves the nation’s top brands, including PG, Walgreens, Lowes, Honda, BMW and Priceline. Eyeview was ranked as the 2nd fastest growing company in the New York area by Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500TM.

Elizabeth Wynnemer
(612) 205-3637
lwynnemer@eyeviewdigital.com

Comey firing: Reaction from members of Congress on FBI director’s dismissal

Video Marketing, , , ,

President Trump fired James B. Comey as the director of the FBI. The decision came as Comey was leading a counterintelligence investigation into potential Russian interference in the 2016 election. Officials said it resulted from a conclusion by Justice Department officials that he had mishandled a probe of Hillary Clinton’s emails.

Here is reaction from members of Congress:

FROM THE SENATE

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)

On CNN: “It is an abuse of power if the FBI was in fact investigating the president of the United States. For the president to fire someone who has him under active investigation is in my view an abuse of power.”

“If there was every any doubt about the need for a special independent prosecutor, which I’ve been advocating for months, there is no question now.”

“Only a special prosecutor can hold accountable anyone who colluded with the Russians … and the president himself has to be deemed a potential target. If not right at this moment then a potential target in the future because his associates in that campaign are targets right now.”

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)

“Director Comey has served the country well in a number of different roles. Many, including myself, have questioned his actions more than once over the past year. I believe new leadership at the FBI will restore confidence in the organization and among the people who do the hard work to carry out its mission.”

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.)

“I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey’s termination. I have found Director Comey to be a public servant of the highest order, and his dismissal further confuses an already difficult investigation by the Committee. In my interactions with the Director and with the Bureau under his leadership, he and the FBI have always been straightforward with our Committee. Director Comey has been more forthcoming with information than any FBI Director I can recall in my tenure on the congressional intelligence committees. His dismissal, I believe, is a loss for the Bureau and the nation.”

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.)

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)

“The Justice Department was really understaffed for a long time, it took a while for the attorney general to be confirmed and his deputy was just confirmed I believe a week or so ago, and it’s the deputy who is a career prosecutor who had been designated to do the analysis so the FBI director’s actions and came up with the recommendation.

“The president did not fire the entire FBI. He fired the director of the FBI. And any suggestion that this is somehow going to stop the FBI’s investigation of the attempts by the Russians to influence the elections last fall is really patently absurd. This is just one person, it’s the director, the investigation is going forward both at the FBI and in the Senate Intel Committee in a bipartisan way. SO I don’t think there’s any link at all.”

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)

“While the case for removal of Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey laid out by Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein was thorough, his removal at this particular time will raise questions. It is essential that ongoing investigations are fulsome and free of political interference until their completion, and it is imperative that President Trump nominate a well-respected and qualified individual to lead the bureau at this critical time.”

Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.)

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)

“President Trump called me at 5:30 p.m. and indicated he would be removing Director Comey, saying the FBI needed a change. The next FBI director must be strong and independent and will receive a fair hearing in the Judiciary Committee.”

Sen. Kirsten Gillbrand (D-N.Y.)

Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee

“Over the course of the last several months, Director Comey’s decisions on controversial matters have prompted concern from across the political spectrum and from career law enforcement experts.

“The handling of the Clinton email investigation is a clear example of how Comey’s decisions have called into question the trust and political independence of the FBI. In my efforts to get answers, the FBI, under Comey’s leadership, has been slow or failed to provide information that Comey himself pledged to provide.
“The effectiveness of the FBI depends upon the public trust and confidence. Unfortunately, this has clearly been lost.

“The FBI Director serves at the pleasure of the president. Under these circumstances, President Trump accepted the recommendation of the Justice Department that the Director lacked the confidence needed to carry out his important duties.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

“I know this was a difficult decision for all concerned.

“I appreciate Director Comey’s service to our nation in a variety of roles.

“Given the recent controversies surrounding the director, I believe a fresh start will serve the FBI and the nation well. I encourage the President to select the most qualified professional available who will serve our nation’s interests.”

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.)

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.)

“James Comey had an incredibly difficult job in his role as FBI Director and I am grateful for his service. The issues that our law enforcement, intelligence community, and congressional committees deal with each day are very sensitive and have life or death implications. Director Comey has been the public face representing thousands of committed law enforcement officers and civil servants within the intelligence community. In the days ahead, the American people need clarity and deserve an explanation for his immediate firing. It is unfortunate that over the past year the Director had lost the trust of so many people on both sides of the aisle. It is now important that the Senate confirm the next FBI Director with a thorough and fair process.”

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)

The President’s action, and the way it has been handled, is shocking. No one should accept President Trump’s absurd justification that he is now concerned that FBI Director Comey treated Secretary Clinton unfairly. The President in fact celebrated the Director’s mistakes in that investigation. That fig leaf explanation seeks to cover the undeniable truth: The President has removed the sitting FBI Director in the midst of one of the most critical national security investigations in the history of our country — one that implicates senior officials in the Trump campaign and administration. This is nothing less than Nixonian.

Given that the Attorney General supposedly recused himself from the Russia investigation, he should not have played any role in removing the lead investigator from his duties. Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein now has no choice but to appoint a Special Counsel. His integrity, and the integrity of the entire Justice Department, are at stake.

The President’s letter, in which he refers to Russian interference and possible collusion with the President’s associates, is bizarre and raises troubling questions about the President’s motivations.

There simply is no avoiding the compelling fact that this cascading situation demands the prompt appointment of an independent Special Counsel to pick up the pieces of these investigations.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)

Manchin said the firing would “not impede the committee’s investigation” into Russia and the election. He wanted to know more about why the firing took place, but brushed off a question about whether the president had abused his power.

“I can’t say whether it was right or wrong, but it’s very shocking,” Manchin said of Comey’s firing. “He got involved a political campaign. There’s a lot of blame and there were a lot of high emotions.”

Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.)

“President Trump’s firing of Director Comey sets a deeply alarming precedent as multiple investigations into possible Trump campaign or administration collusion with Russia remain ongoing, including an FBI investigation. This episode is disturbingly reminiscent of the Saturday Night Massacre during the Watergate scandal and the national turmoil that it caused. We are careening ever closer to a Constitutional crisis, and this development only underscores why we must appoint a special prosecutor to fully investigate any dealings the Trump campaign or administration had with Russia.”

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)

“While the President has the legal authority to remove the Director of the FBI, I am disappointed in the President’s decision to remove James Comey from office. James Comey is a man of honor and integrity, and he has led the FBI well in extraordinary circumstances. I have long called for a special congressional committee to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. The president’s decision to remove the FBI Director only confirms the need and the urgency of such a committee.”

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.)

“Now it is more clear than ever that we need an independent commission to get to the truth of Russia’s interference with our election.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)

“Donald Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey raises serious questions about what his administration is hiding. Why did President Trump fire the person leading the investigation into possible collusion between his campaign and the Russian government? I find it deeply troubling that this decision comes a day after damning testimony by former acting Attorney General Sally Yates on Russia’s ties to the Trump campaign and just days before Comey was scheduled to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

“President Trump has repeatedly taken steps to kill inquiries into Russia’s involvement in the U.S. election. It is clear that whomever President Trump handpicks to lead the FBI will not be able to objectively carry out this investigation. We need an independent investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.”

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.)

“I told the president, Mr President, with all due respect, you’re making a big mistake,” he said at a press conference. “The first question the administration has to answer is: Why now?”

“We know the FBI has been looking into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. Were these investigations getting too close to home for the president?

“Mr. Rosenstein, America depends on you to restore faith in our criminal justice system, which is going to be badly shattered after the administration’s actions.

“They fired Sally Yates. They fired Preet Bhahra. And they fired James Comey, the very man leading he investigation. This does not seem to be a coincidence.

“Any person that he appoints will be concerned that he will meet the same fate as Director Comey.

“The American people need to have faith that an investigation as serious as this one is being led impartially.

“If Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein does not appoint an independent prosecutor, every American will rightly suspect that the decision to fire Director Comey was part of a cover-up.”

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)

Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.)

Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.)

“The President’s actions today are shocking. It is deeply troubling that the President has fired the FBI director during an active counterintelligence investigation into improper contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia.

“The administration insists there’s no ‘there there,’ yet President Trump has so far fired the acting Attorney General, nearly every U.S. attorney, and now the Director of the FBI. In addition, this President’s choice for Attorney General has been forced to recuse himself, and the National Security Advisor has resigned, as a result of undisclosed contacts with Russian officials.

“Now more than ever, it is vital that our ongoing investigation is completed in a credible and bipartisan way. We also need to hear directly from former Director Comey about the FBI investigation and related events.

“The President’s actions today make it clear to me that a Special Counsel also must be appointed. That’s the only way the American people will be able to trust the results of any DOJ investigation. The only way this Administration can begin to demonstrate a commitment to the rule of law, which has so far been sorely lacking, is to cooperate fully with the ongoing congressional investigations and to support the appointment of an independent special counsel.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)

“While the White House is under investigation by the FBI, firing the head of the FBI raises massive questions, and the Senate should get to the bottom of it. America needs to have confidence that the Department of Justice will fill its traditional role of following the facts fearlessly, and prosecuting whomever has violated the law no matter the office they hold.”

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

“I have been long been a critic of Director Comey, for his views about surveillance and torture, his stance on secret law and his conduct during the investigation into Secretary Clinton. But Donald Trump’s decision to fire him now, in the midst of an investigation into Trump associates and their ties to Russia, is outrageous. Director Comey should be immediately called to testify in an open hearing about the status of the investigation into Russia and Trump associates at the time he was fired.

“There can be no question that a fully independent special counsel must be appointed to lead this investigation. At this point, no one in Trump’s chain of command can be trusted to carry out an impartial investigation.

“The president would do well to remember that in America, the truth always comes out.”

FROM THE HOUSE

Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.)

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.)

Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.)

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.)

Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.)

Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.)

“Today’s action by President Trump completely obliterates any semblance of an independent investigation into Russian efforts to influence our election, and places our nation on the verge of a constitutional crisis. There is little doubt that the President’s actions harken our nation back to Watergate and the “Saturday Night Massacre.” This decision makes it clear that we must have an independent, non-partisan commission to investigate both Russian interference in the U.S. election and allegations of collusion between the government of Vladimir Putin and the Trump campaign. Today’s actions reek of a cover up and appear to be part of an ongoing effort by the Trump White House to impede the investigation into Russian ties and interference in our elections.

“I am particularly concerned that President Trump fired Director Comey based in part on the recommendation of Attorney General Sessions–who was forced to recuse himself from the underlying investigation based on his own actions and misconduct. This shocking decision by the President is beyond the pale and itself warrants independent inquiry and hearings, and reinforces the need for the Attorney General himself to step down given his own obvious and ongoing conflicts.

“Though we may not have always agreed with James Comey, he was critical to overseeing the ongoing investigation into Russian interference with the 2016 election. The Administration’s after-the-fact efforts to rationalize this blatantly self-serving political firing–by complaining about the manner Director Comey handled the investigation into Secretary Clinton’s emails—is too cute by half and does not even pass the smell test.”

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.)

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.)

“Congress needs to have immediate emergency hearings to obtain testimony directly from Attorney General Sessions, the deputy attorney general, and FBI Director Comey. The White House was already covering up for Michael Flynn by refusing to provide a single document to Congress, and now the President fired the one independent person who was doing the most to investigate President Trump and his campaign over allegations of coordination with Russia. It is mindboggling that the Attorney General — who claimed to have recused himself — was directly involved in the decision to fire Director Comey according to the White House itself. There is now a crisis of confidence at the Justice Department, and President Trump is not being held accountable because House Republicans refuse to work with us to do our job. Congress must restore credibility, accountability, and transparency to this investigation and finally pass legislation to create a truly independent commission.”

Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.)

Rep. Suzan DeLBene (D-Wash.)

Rep. Theodore Deutch (D-Fla.)

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.)

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.)

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.)

“Director Comey had a very difficult job. I appreciate his service to our country as both a federal prosecutor and the head of the FBI. I had my differences with him on some matters but never lost sight of the fact that he had a very difficult job and undoubtedly had access to facts that perhaps the rest of us did not. I am thankful for his service to our country and am hopeful our President will select an independent minded person to serve as the head of our nation’s premier law enforcement agency. Our justice system is the foundation of our republic. It must be both respected and fully worthy of our respect.”

Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.)

Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-Ill.)

Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla.)

Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.)

Rep. William R. Keating (D-Mass.)

Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis)

“Today’s rash decision by President Trump to fire FBI Director James Comey is a grotesque abuse of power. I am unaware of any justifiable reason that would show just cause for the firing of the FBI Director. I call on congressional leadership to schedule hearings so we can get to the bottom of this. I hope and pray this had nothing to do with the FBI’s independent investigation into Russian interference and possible collusion of Trump associates with Russia during the 2016 election.”

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.)

Rep. Sander M. Levin (D-Mich.)

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.)

“I find Donald Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey to be deeply shocking. As a former prosecutor, I believe his action suggests consciousness of guilt and is similar to what former President Richard Nixon did when faced with investigations against his own associates.”

“Under the leadership of Director Comey, the FBI Counterintelligence Division is currently investigating associates of Donald Trump and perhaps Trump himself. The FBI may also be investigating Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The recommendation by Attorney General Sessions to fire Comey and the President’s action of firing Comey suggest evidence of a massive cover up.”

“In addition, Attorney General Sessions violated his own recusal terms by taking part in removing the head of the FBI who was leading a counterintelligence investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.”

“I again call for a Special Prosecutor to investigate this grave matter. I also call for the House Judiciary Committee to subpoena Attorney General Sessions and FBI Director Comey to testify in an open hearing as soon as possible.”

Rep. Sean Maloney (D-N.Y.)

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.)

Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.)

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.)

Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.)

Rep. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Md.)

Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.)

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio)

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)

“The decision by a President whose campaign associates are under investigation by the FBI for collusion with Russia to fire the man overseeing that investigation, upon the recommendation of an Attorney General who has recused himself from that investigation, raises profound questions about whether the White House is brazenly interfering in a criminal matter. While I had deep reservations with the way Director Comey handled the investigation into the Clinton emails which I made clear at the time and since, to take this action without addressing the profound conflict of interest of the President and Attorney General harkens back to a similarly tainted decision by President Nixon.

“The same President who has called the investigation into the Russian hacking of our democracy and the potential complicity of his campaign a ‘fake,’ cannot pretend to have made such a decision uninfluenced by his concerns over Comey’s continued involvement in the investigation. It is more imperative than ever that an independent prosecutor be appointed to restore a modicum of public confidence – now completely lacking – that the criminal investigation will continue without further interference by the White House.”

Rep. Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.)

Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.)

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.)

“President Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey – who less than two months ago told the House Intelligence Committee that the President and his Administration were the subject of criminal and counterintelligence investigations regarding their close personal, political and financial ties to Russia and Russia’s active interference in our 2016 presidential election on Trump’s behalf – should send a chill down the spine of every American, no matter who they voted for. This is not what an innocent person would do; this is an abuse of power, and shows a consciousness of guilt.

“The administration of justice must remain free of political influence, and President Trump has just leaped over that line. If he thinks this will halt or even slow investigations into his and his associates’ conduct, he is sadly mistaken. The American people deserve to know what happened, and Trump’s ‘Tuesday Afternoon Massacre’ won’t interfere. Nobody recommended by this administration can be trusted to oversee this investigation, and so the need for an independent bipartisan commission is now more urgent than ever.”

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.)

READ MORE
–Trump dismisses James Comey as director of the FBI
–Letters from the White House and attorney general on the firing
–Analysis: Trump needed a good excuse to fire Comey. Comey gave it to him.
–Democrats hate Jim Comey. But they hate that Trump fired him even more.

Report: Facebook’s premium video content slate set to debut next month

Video Marketing, , , ,

Dive Brief:

  • Facebook is preparing to launch its premium, TV-like video content push in mid-June, right around the Cannes Lions advertising festival, multiple unnamed insiders told Business Insider in a report.
  • The initial slate of programming will include about two dozen shows across two tiers of content. One tier will include longer, big budget productions that would be structured like traditional TV episodes, while the other would focus on shorter, less expensive shows that run for five to 10 minutes in length and refresh every 24 hours.
  • Offerings also span video formats, with a virtual reality (VR) dating show from Conde Nast Entertainment already confirmed to be greenlit. Facebook shuttered its Oculus Story Studio, the arm behind producing original VR films, last week, which lead some marketers to speculate VR is not a priority at the social giant, according to Ad Age. 

Dive Insight:

On a recent Q1 earnings call, Facebook executives emphasized the importance of its push toward video as ad load continues to slow and affect revenue, especially in the back half of 2017. Long-form premium video content might come as one of the more dramatic switch-ups to Facebook’s structure to date, as video on the platform has previously been limited to short publisher postings and live broadcasts which have proved difficult to monetize and have frequently been awash in controversy.

The company is apparently seeking to spur more adoption and revenue for video content with « Ad Breaks, » its own take on the mid-roll format, though some advertisers, including WPP’s GroupM agency, have expressed skepticism as to how much users actually engage with traditional video marketing on the platform.

Debuting a relatively robust slate of programming right around a huge industry event like Cannes might change some minds if the pitch is strong enough — and it will need to be considering how crowded the original digital video space is at the moment. 

Facebook’s two-pronged video strategy of TV-like episodes and also shorter, easily digestible content pits the social giant against both over-the-top services like Netflix — sources told Business Insider that Netflix’s « House of Cards » is representative of the caliber of pitches Facebook has received — and also social rivals like YouTube and Snapchat. 

The shorter video content refreshing every 24 hours is particularly reminiscent of Snapchat’s ephemeral content model. Snapchat’s parent company Snap Inc. has similarly brokered a number of deals for short-form video programming from major media brands including NBCUniversal. 

Facebook is also battling traditional TV, which itself is grappling with a trend toward cord-cutting and declining ratings. Facebook recently unveiled a set-top box app that connects its video content to larger TV screens, pointing to just how much the line between digital video and TV programming is blurring as digital players push hard into the space.