MySpace And TargetSpot Partner On Audio Ads

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MySpace And TargetSpot Partner On Audio Ads

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MySpace has begun rolling out 30-second audio ads, as the News Corp (NYSE: NWS). site continues its shift from a general social network to an entertainment showcase. The ads are being powered by CBS-backed TargetSpot. A rep for TargetSpot told paidContent that MySpace Music will place the audio ads alongside display ads. Specifically, the spots will be placed within MySpace’s catalogue of audio tracks. Eventually, TargetSpot hopes to attach ad support to the site’s e-commerce offerings, personal music players and user and artist playlists. But a rep said they aren’t there yet. TargetSpot promises that the ads won’t be too intrusive. The trade-off for MySpace Music listeners is that after the first listen, they will be able to listen to at least another 100 streams without hearing another commercial.

MySpace is under significant pressure to grow its revenues. During News Corp.‘s Q4 earnings call last week, CEO Rupert Murdoch didn’t touch on the MySpace unit’s revenues—which are included in the general “other” category—saying only that he was somewhat pleased by the site’s ability to stabilize traffic declines.

The TargetSpot audio ads probably won’t move the needle that much this quarter, but it certainly points MySpace in a direction that might help it make good on News Corp.‘s continued support.

A MySpace rep told us that this is just one example of several concepts the site is working on. “We’re testing some new ad products and the response from our users has been positive. As always, we’re interested in hearing feedback from our community and the advertising community as we roll out new functionality that creates the right balance between user experience and commerce.”

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By David Kaplan