Core Insights - Future BookSea Technology Ltd. (FBT) has launched the Global Reading Initiative to promote reading equality, inclusive education, and cross-cultural exchange through digital technology [1] - The initiative aims to provide digital reading resources to over 10 million people in India, Southeast Asia, and several African countries [2] Company Overview - FBT, founded in 2022 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, focuses on cultural technology driven by AI and digital publishing innovation [3] - The company aims to bridge the gap between education and technology by delivering high-quality content to diverse audiences [3] Initiative Details - The first phase includes supplying digital reading terminals and e-book content packages to under-resourced regions, along with multilingual AI learning assistants [4] - In India, FBT plans to establish 30,000 digital reading hubs, supporting local language learning and vocational education, creating over 1 million local jobs in the next two years [4] Strategic Importance - India is identified as a crucial part of FBT's global strategy due to its young digital population, offering significant potential for inclusive learning [8] - Collaborations with local education departments and nonprofits are part of the strategy to enhance access to reading [8] Employment and Community Engagement - FBT is fostering employment opportunities and community engagement by establishing a regional operations center in Karnataka, hiring in technology, content, and customer service [9] - The "Read & Work" initiative offers training programs in digital publishing and cultural management to empower young professionals [10] Global Content Co-Creation Program - FBT has launched a program inviting collaboration from authors, educators, and cultural institutions for digital publishing and distribution [11] - The platform includes an open copyright system, multilingual translation services, and AI-powered content review tools to enhance visibility for Indian creators [11] Commitment to Sustainable Development - FBT plans to expand its reach to 50 countries by 2026, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in Quality Education and Reduced Inequalities [13] - The company aims to deepen local production and content partnerships in India and support community-level digital transformation efforts [13]

Los Angeles, CA , Oct. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Taciturn Studios is proud to announce that C.V. Wooster's groundbreaking new biography, Searching for Bowlby: The Life of John Bowlby – The Quiet Revolutionary Who Shaped Modern Attachment Theory, has achieved #1 Amazon Best Seller status in three categories: Biographies of Philosophers (Kindle Store), Historical U.K. Biographies, and Philosopher Biographies. Searching for Bowlby: The Life of John Bowlby – The Quiet Revolutionary Who Shaped Modern Attachm ...

The Financial Times has written off the majority of an investment into covering European start-ups amid a downturn in tech funding on the Continent. The FT said in recently filed accounts that it spent £614,000 on raising its stake in Sifted, a news site aimed at tech entrepreneurs and investors, from 14.4pc to 17.5pc in June 2024. However, accounts for the same year show it cut the value of its investment by £550,000 just months later. It means almost 90pc of the money pumped into Sifted was effectively ...

Core Viewpoint - The CEO of People, Inc. has accused Google of unfair practices by using the same crawler for both its search engine and AI products, which he claims leads to content theft [1][2][3] Group 1: Company Performance and Traffic - Three years ago, Google Search accounted for approximately 65% of People, Inc.'s traffic, which has since dropped to the "high 20s" percentage [4] - At one point, Google's traffic represented as much as 90% of People, Inc.'s traffic from the open web [4] - Despite the decline in traffic from Google, People, Inc. has managed to grow its audience and revenue [4] Group 2: AI Crawlers and Content Deals - The CEO believes that publishers need more leverage in the AI era and is advocating for blocking AI crawlers to negotiate better content deals [4] - People, Inc. has implemented Cloudflare's solution to block AI crawlers that do not pay, which has led to discussions with large LLM providers about potential content deals [4][9] - No deals have been finalized yet, but the company is reportedly "much further along" in negotiations since adopting the crawler-blocking solution [4] Group 3: Industry Perspectives on Big Tech - Other industry leaders, like the CEO of Ankler Media, have echoed similar sentiments, labeling big tech companies as "content kleptomaniacs" and expressing reluctance to partner with AI companies [8] - Cloudflare's CEO suggested that changes in AI company behavior may occur due to new regulations, and he questioned the effectiveness of using copyright law against AI companies [9][10] - There is speculation that Google may eventually pay content creators for the use of their content in AI models within the next year [11]

Core Insights - Bright Mountain Media, Inc. reported strong financial momentum in Q2 2025, with revenue reaching $15.4 million, an 18% increase from $13.0 million in Q2 2024, driven primarily by its advertising technology division [2][3][4] Financial Performance - Q2 2025 revenue was $15.4 million, up $2.4 million from Q2 2024, with the advertising technology division being the main contributor [3][4] - For the first half of 2025, total revenue was $29.6 million, a 16% increase from $25.5 million in the same period of 2024 [4][7] - Advertising technology revenue for Q2 2025 was approximately $5.1 million, while digital publishing revenue was approximately $359,000 [3][7] - Cost of revenue for Q2 2025 was $12.4 million, an increase of 29% from $9.6 million in Q2 2024, primarily due to increased publisher costs and direct project costs [3][5] - General and administrative expenses decreased by 24% to $4.0 million in Q2 2025 compared to $5.3 million in Q2 2024 [5][10] - The net loss for Q2 2025 was $4.1 million, a 22% improvement from a net loss of $5.2 million in Q2 2024 [5][10] Adjusted EBITDA - Adjusted EBITDA loss for Q2 2025 was $218,000, showing a 76% improvement from a loss of $920,000 in Q2 2024 [6][18] - For the first half of 2025, adjusted EBITDA was $599,000, compared to a loss of $2.0 million in the same period of 2024 [6][19] Revenue Breakdown - Revenue breakdown for Q2 2025 included approximately $5.1 million from advertising technology, $359,000 from digital publishing, $7.3 million from consumer insights, $1.7 million from creative services, and $869,000 from media services [3][7] - For the first half of 2025, advertising technology revenue was approximately $9.3 million, digital publishing revenue was approximately $942,000, consumer insights revenue was approximately $14.4 million, creative services revenue was approximately $3.2 million, and media services revenue was approximately $1.7 million [7]

Core Insights - Bright Mountain Media, Inc. reported a 14% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1 2025, reaching $14.2 million, driven primarily by its advertising technology division [2][3][6] - The gross margin increased by 36% to $4.3 million, indicating effective operational leverage and strategic execution [2][6] - The company experienced a net loss of $3.2 million, which is a 32% improvement compared to the net loss of $4.8 million in Q1 2024 [7][9] Financial Performance - Revenue for Q1 2025 was $14.2 million, up from $12.4 million in Q1 2024, an increase of $1.7 million [3][6] - Advertising technology revenue was approximately $4.2 million, while consumer insights revenue was about $7.0 million [3] - The cost of revenue rose to $9.9 million, a 7% increase from $9.3 million in the same period of 2024 [7] Operational Highlights - The increase in revenue was attributed to the advertising technology division's ability to attract high-value advertisers and onboard premium publishers [2][3] - General and administrative expenses decreased by 14% to $4.5 million compared to $5.2 million in Q1 2024 [7] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 was $816,000, a significant increase of 173% from an adjusted EBITDA loss of $1.1 million in Q1 2024 [7][16] Company Overview - Bright Mountain Media operates a diverse portfolio that includes digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and media services [4] - The company aims to deliver a full spectrum of advertising and media services, leveraging data-driven insights [4]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q1 2025 was described as a solid start to the year, with IAC reaffirming full year 2025 adjusted EBITDA guidance across all segments [6][18] - The company repurchased 4,500,000 shares and increased share repurchase authorization by 10,000,000 shares [6][12] - IAC's shares are trading below the value of its 23% stake in MGM and $900,000,000 in cash, indicating a significant value disconnect [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Dotdash Meredith (DDM) grew digital revenues by 7% in Q1 and increased EBITDA by 46%, excluding a one-time lease gain [8] - Licensing revenue at DDM grew by 30%, driven by the OpenAI license and strong performance at Apple News [36] - Performance marketing also showed strong growth at 11% [36] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The advertising market showed signs of stability, with premium demand remaining generally stable despite some weakness in food and beverage sectors [17] - Programmatic pricing has softened, running flat year over year after previously increasing [18] - Consumer spending through DDM's performance marketing has been solid, contrasting with weak consumer confidence numbers [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on executing growth across its businesses and capital allocation, including share buybacks and M&A opportunities [11][12] - IAC is pursuing strategic divestitures of smaller holdings to free up capital and simplify operations [13] - The strategy includes leveraging its strengths in capital investment and operational know-how to pursue acquisitions [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the uncertain macroeconomic outlook but remains optimistic about the company's performance and growth opportunities [6][18] - There are early signs of consumer pressure in some areas, but no significant moves have been observed yet [17] - Management is carefully monitoring the macroeconomic environment for signs of stability or weakness among consumers and brands [18] Other Important Information - The company reached an agreement to settle litigation related to the match separation, requiring only a $200,000 contribution beyond insurance coverage [9] - The appointment of Jim Lawson as President of Decipher was highlighted as a strategic move to enhance the product's commercial potential [48][50] Q&A Session All Questions and Answers Question: Key priorities for 2026 TDM revenue growth and capital allocation - Management discussed excitement about 2026, focusing on major projects like the People app and Decipher Plus for ad targeting [22][24] - Capital allocation will balance between share repurchases and M&A opportunities, with a cautious optimism for new opportunities in the private market [27][29] Question: Q1 trends in DDM Digital revenue - Q1 saw slower growth due to tough comps and a decline in core traffic, but March showed solid growth in digital advertising [34][36] - For Q2, guidance is set at 7% to 9% digital revenue growth, with expectations of stable traffic and continued solid performance marketing [38] Question: Impact of Google partnership and programmatic softness - The Google contract is focused on search, with no cloud savings involved, and the impact of Google's AI changes is still being assessed [113][114] - Programmatic pricing has softened, with a disconnect between direct revenues and programmatic performance [18][112] Question: Learnings from OpenAI partnership and AI opportunities - The partnership with OpenAI has been productive, aiding in the rollout of products and enhancing targeting capabilities [80] - AI applications are being explored across the portfolio, with significant potential in customer service and marketing optimization [81][84] Question: Challenges in the Care business - The Care segment is focusing on improving product matching, pricing, and marketing to regain stability and growth [100][103] - Leadership changes and strategic improvements are being implemented to enhance the consumer experience [101][105]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q1 2025 was described as a solid start to the year, with IAC reaffirming full year 2025 adjusted EBITDA guidance across all businesses [5][16] - DDM grew digital revenues by 7% in Q1 and increased EBITDA by 46%, excluding a one-time lease gain [7][16] - The company repurchased 4,500,000 shares and increased share repurchase authorization by 10,000,000 shares [5][11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - DDM's licensing revenue grew by 30%, driven by the OpenAI license and strong performance at Apple News [34] - Performance marketing also showed strong growth at 11% [34] - The Daily Beast achieved a revenue growth of 72% while reaching profitability [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Core traffic for DDM declined by 3% in Q1, with digital advertising only up by 1% due to fewer impressions available for programmatic sales [33] - Premium demand in advertising remained stable, with strength in pharma, tech, and beauty offsetting weaknesses in food and beverage [15][33] - Programmatic pricing softened, running flat year over year after previously increasing [15] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on executing growth across its businesses and capital allocation, including share buybacks and M&A opportunities [10][11] - IAC is pursuing strategic divestitures of smaller holdings to free up capital and simplify operations [12] - The company aims to create equity value and reduce the discount at which its shares are trading [9][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism regarding consumer spending, noting solid performance in DDM despite weak consumer confidence [14][16] - The macroeconomic outlook remains uncertain, but the company is monitoring trends closely and reaffirming guidance based on current business performance [16] - Management highlighted the importance of focusing on execution and controlling what can be controlled in an unpredictable environment [16] Other Important Information - The company reached an agreement to settle litigation related to the match separation, requiring only a $200,000 contribution beyond insurance coverage [8] - IAC has $800 million in net operating losses (NOLs) that could offset taxable gains on its MGM stake [9] Q&A Session Summary Question: Key priorities for 2026 TDM revenue growth and capital allocation - Management discussed excitement about 2026, highlighting projects like the People app and MyRecipes, and emphasized the importance of capital allocation between share repurchases and M&A [18][20][25] Question: Q1 trends in DDM Digital revenue - Management noted that Q1 faced tough comparisons and a decline in core traffic, but March showed solid growth in digital advertising [30][32] Question: DDM cash flow dynamics - Management explained that DDM can dividend cash to IAC if leverage ratios are below four times total debt to EBITDA, enhancing financial flexibility [43] Question: Appointment of Jim Lawson as President of Decipher - Management expressed excitement about Jim Lawson's appointment, emphasizing his experience and the potential for Decipher Plus to drive growth [46][48] Question: Impact of Google phasing out cookies - Management indicated that the cookie phase-out is not a significant concern, as their contextual targeting capabilities remain strong [58][60] Question: Strategic priorities for Care.com - Management outlined three core priorities for Care: improving product matching, optimizing pricing and packaging, and enhancing marketing efforts [100][104]