Spot Runner, which lets advertisers place to local TV stations via an online service, has laid off 50 of its employees as it realigns its strategy.
The Los Angeles company says the layoffs amount to 10 percent of its employees and it plans to hire another 40, said Rosabel Tao, a spokeswoman.... (Read more)
Reprinted with permission from VentureBeat. Story copyright 2008 VentureBeat Inc. All rights reserved.
Comments
The Emperor is not wearing any clothes. Rumors of mismanagement abound. Listen to what the former spot runner employees, and some present employees are saying. Importantly template based self-service ads are a fad and cost more in the long run because of spotrunner's extra commissions and fees. The few clients that still use spot runner are getting wise to spotrunners high cost game. Their competitor CheapTVSpots beat spot runner on quality and price and beat them to market nationally and internationally and via their web video and mobile ad system. So, what's left of that market? Look, Microsoft sniffed around spot runner and likely got a nose full. Microsoft probably feels that they can start their own TV ad agency for $15MM - $20MM without the baggage. The shills and investors who hype spot runner on blogs are going to have more than a bit of egg on their face when the walls come a tumbling down. Then again, maybe I'm completely wrong, and the thick hype and spin will cause it to float. Oh, to be a fly on the wall at spot runner, or better yet, that Microsoft boardroom. ;-)
Post new comment