I don’t know when they started doing it, but currently residing in Chicago, I read the Tribune Online often and this is the first time I’ve seen it. You can view the story in question via this Google News link without subscription.
While I highly applaud the video being added to this story as it adds an emotional element, I have one major problem with it. That is that the ad and the video starting running and stream audio without my permission. They should immediately add a YouTube like feature to allow the user to choose when and if in fact if they want to view this ad and story. This is a serious issue as I frequently edit audio, record streaming audio or am listening to music as I surf. What if a viewer is in a public place with a laptop and the audio launches when they don’t expect it? This is bad news. Anything that launches audio automatically is going to get on my bad side towards the publisher at one point or another. They should listen to this feedback and take swift action. I would welcome discussions with Dan Hess or anyone else over at the Tribune on this issue. Since Ryland Homes is the sponsor, it would be great if they led the charge on making this change.
In addition, how does this advertising model work exactly? If I’m an advertiser, how do I know how many people are actually listening to the 10 second ad that it is automatically launching without permission? There are people in offices and other places with no professional speakers who will never hear it for example. How do you charge for something so variable and uncertain?
If the Tribune wants to be innovative, I would suggest a Sphere This link or the ability to add blog trackbacks directly to a news story would be a good move!
UPDATE: It appears that all video has now been changed to starting with a click.
IAB recognizes that most internet users feel the same way as you do and as such STRONGLY RECOMENDS (since the net is not governed the same way as FCC areas of regulation) that all video be user prompted or enabled. Most sites adhere to this recommendation even if this change is made later on. Concerning the way that this is measured is on a CPM (cost per thousand impressions) and while it may vary from company to company the result that most advertisers are looking for is strong branding – based on the fact that television has widely been accepted as the medium with the strongest ability to brand that early forms of online video are directed towards the same accomplishments.
Sorry didn’t mean to get off track but having the video be “user enabled” offers a significant boost to any of the sites advertisers – it shows that they are interested in the message/product and as such will interact. It also gives a much more accurate picture of statistics other than just how many times the ad ran. There are advertisers who are starting to become more educated in interactive advertising – how it is different and what the possibilities are, and this can be seen in the interactivity aspect being given more thought and attention than just showing a commercial. This will grow and improve in time as more publishers and advertisers become aware of what interactive advertising is truly capable of. As the saying goes “with great power comes great responsibility”, after the dot-com crash of 2000 we have a responsibility not to demand attention/revenue simply because we are better, (in part that mentality is what caused the downfall to begin with) we must educate, direct and explain – often more than once. And in doing so remember that as publishers (websites) we have a responsibility to not only to our advertisers but to our audience as well.