Hearst Opens Out Real-Time Targeting Tool

US media group Hearst is to offer its trending content ratings platform Buzzing[at]Hearst, developed over two years in-house, to third parties, allowing advertisers to target its audiences.

Hearst has more than 360 businesses, including cable television networks such as HISTORY and ESPN; a majority share in ratings agency Fitch; a group of medical information and services businesses; 30 television stations; newspapers and magazines including the Houston Chronicle, Cosmopolitan and Harper's BAZAAR; and digital businesses and investments from iCrossing to shares in BuzzFeed, VICE and AwesomenessTV.

Buzzing[at]Hearst is an extension of the group's proprietary analytics-driven content distribution platform MediaOS. Buzzing monitors thousands of active articles across Hearst's digital ecosystem, and provides information about trending articles, including a 'Buzzing Score' rating from 1 to 20 which is generated for each page every 90 seconds. This allows marketers to serve ads on pages with appropriate audience engagement, alongside Hearst's editorial content, with real-time selection facilitated through a link to DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP).

CTO Phil Wiser says the solution is 'groundbreaking' for Hearst and its brand partners, and demonstrates 'a new model for publishers and advertisers looking to deliver a user experience that keeps readers and customers engaged and coming back'. The tool also helps editors to generate content that resonates with readers, according to Hearst.

Group home page: www.hearst.com .