On Tuesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sounded the alarm over the concentration of media power in the hands of a few ultra-wealthy individuals.Sanders Warns Of Media Oligarchy In U.S.Sanders took to X to outline his concerns, noting that in authoritarian societies, the media is often controlled by a small group.He then drew parallels to the U.S., pointing out that Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk owns X, Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg controls Facebook and Instagram ...

Core Insights - NIQ and Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) have partnered to analyze the effectiveness of cross-platform advertising in Italy, focusing on the impact of ads across linear TV and Amazon Ads [1][2] - The collaboration aims to provide advertisers with actionable insights into ad performance across various platforms, enhancing their campaign strategies and sales outcomes [2][4] Collaboration Details - The research utilizes high-quality data from Sinottica®, a consumer panel in Italy, combined with data from Amazon Marketing Cloud, including sources like Amazon DSP and Sponsored Ads [2][7] - This approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of how ad exposure influences consumer behavior on Amazon [2][4] Strategic Initiative - The project is part of AMC's Global Strategic Initiative, which aims to create scalable and privacy-safe advertising solutions for brands and agencies globally [3] Key Research Questions - The studies will address critical questions such as the reach of linear TV versus Amazon digital ads, audience composition across platforms, and the correlation between ad exposure and product purchases on Amazon [6][4]

Streaming platform Twitch added to Australia's teen social media ban https://t.co/m3KJXPxX7l ...

Core Points - Australia's internet watchdog will include Twitch, owned by Amazon.com, in its upcoming ban on teen social media platforms [1] - The image-sharing platform Pinterest will not be included in this ban [1] Group 1 - The decision reflects ongoing regulatory scrutiny of social media platforms and their impact on youth [1] - Twitch's inclusion indicates a focus on live streaming services as part of the broader social media landscape [1]

RT Reclaim The Net (@ReclaimTheNetHQ)Twitch Imposes Face Scans for UK Users to Comply with Government’s Censorship Lawhttps://t.co/XNPzPKXSzc ...

Core Insights - The article discusses Amazon's potential to join the elite $4 trillion market cap club, driven by its diverse growth engines and operational excellence [1][4]. Company Overview - Amazon currently has a market cap of approximately $2.7 trillion and is positioned to grow significantly, with a projected revenue of $714 billion in 2025 [10][11]. - The company has demonstrated a strong track record of performance, with stock price gains of 713% over the past decade, outperforming the S&P 500 [14]. Growth Drivers - Amazon leads the digital sales space, accounting for 43% of visits to online retailers globally and over 40% of the U.S. e-commerce market, with sales growth of 10% in North America and 11% internationally [5]. - Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a major growth driver, controlling roughly 30% of the cloud market and achieving a year-over-year growth rate of 20% in Q3, reaching a run rate of $132 billion [6]. - The advertising segment, while the smallest, is the fastest-growing, with revenue of $17.7 billion in Q3, increasing 24% year over year, making Amazon the third-largest digital advertiser [8]. Future Projections - To reach a $4 trillion market cap, Amazon's stock price would need to increase by about 47%, requiring annual revenue of roughly $1 trillion [11]. - Wall Street predicts Amazon's growth at approximately 11% annually over the next five years, potentially achieving a $4 trillion market cap by 2029 [12]. - Analyst Dan Ives has set a price target of $340 for Amazon, indicating potential gains of 39% over the next 12 to 18 months, supported by AWS's strong growth [13].

Core Insights - Amazon is laying off 14,000 employees to reduce bureaucracy and invest in artificial intelligence, following a report about plans to replace 75% of its workforce with robots [1][4] - The layoffs are the largest in Amazon's history and are part of a broader trend among tech companies to cut jobs while investing in AI [3][4] - The global AI infrastructure market is projected to grow significantly, from $26.18 billion in 2024 to $221.40 billion by 2034, indicating a strong demand for AI-related investments [4] Group 1: Layoffs and Workforce Changes - Amazon's layoffs will primarily affect departments such as devices, advertising, Prime Video, HR, and Amazon Web Services, with potential future job cuts bringing total losses to 30,000 [3] - The company currently employs over 1 million robots, which constitute two-thirds of its human workforce, and aims to automate 75% of its operations [5] Group 2: AI Investment and Strategy - Amazon's CEO Andy Jassy has emphasized the need for rapid development of generative AI and AI agents, stating that the company has over 1,000 AI services and applications in progress [6] - The company could save $4 billion annually by 2027 through its automation plans in warehouses, highlighting the financial incentives behind the shift to AI [5]

Core Viewpoint - Amazon is set to lay off 30,000 corporate employees, representing 9% of its global office workforce, as part of a significant restructuring effort focused on artificial intelligence and automation [1][4][8]. Group 1: Layoff Details - The layoffs will begin on Tuesday and may take several weeks to complete, affecting multiple departments including human resources, devices, services, and operations [3][5]. - This marks the largest job reduction under CEO Andy Jassy, who has already cut 27,000 jobs since taking over in 2021, primarily in Amazon Web Services and entertainment units [2][8]. Group 2: Strategic Shift - Amazon is intensifying its focus on artificial intelligence and robotics, with Jassy emphasizing the need for employees to adapt to automation to remain relevant [4][9]. - The company aims to automate 75% of its fulfillment operations by 2033, potentially replacing over 500,000 jobs with robots [10]. Group 3: Financial Context - Amazon has committed over $100 billion in capital spending this year to enhance its cloud and AI infrastructure, indicating a strong push towards cost efficiency [9]. - Despite the layoffs, Amazon plans to hire 250,000 seasonal workers for the holiday season, primarily for temporary roles [14]. Group 4: Management and Operational Changes - Jassy is implementing a campaign to streamline Amazon's management structure, addressing inefficiencies and reducing unnecessary oversight [12][14]. - The company's corporate workforce had expanded significantly during the pandemic, and Jassy is now redirecting resources towards more profitable segments like AWS and advertising [13].

Fairly certain mention markets are the Twitch moment for event contracts/predictions.Twitch added live chat to streaming.Mentions add a financial layer to news, culture, and major world events.It's the unlock that allows people to participate instead of just consume.People want to be part of something now more than ever.Extremely sticky user experience. ...

Core Viewpoint - Amazon is facing both challenges and opportunities as it approaches its third-quarter earnings release on October 31, with significant attention from investors on its performance across various business segments [1][3]. Digital Retail Challenges - The uncertainty surrounding the long-term impact of tariffs poses a potential risk to Amazon's online retail business, which could materially affect quarterly results [2][4]. - Amazon's third-party merchants account for 62% of unit sales, with 24% of revenue derived from seller fees, many of which involve goods imported from China, raising concerns about the impact of tariffs [5][6]. Cloud Computing Growth - Amazon Web Services (AWS) remains the leading player in cloud infrastructure, holding a 30% market share and experiencing a 17% year-over-year growth, contributing 18% of Amazon's total revenue and 53% of its operating income [7]. - The CEO believes that generative AI will serve as a significant catalyst for AWS, as more applications and data are expected to run within its infrastructure [8][10]. Advertising Revenue Expansion - Amazon's advertising segment is rapidly growing, with a 23% year-over-year increase in ad revenue, driven by live sports programming and Amazon Prime Video [8][9]. - The advertising business has evolved from a supplementary revenue stream to a major growth avenue, with initiatives including partnerships with Roku and expansion into platforms like Freevee and Twitch [9]. Investment Sentiment - A strong majority of analysts are bullish on Amazon, with 96% rating the stock as a buy or strong buy, and an average price target suggesting a 23% upside [11]. - Mizuho analyst has set a price target of $300, indicating potential gains of 38%, citing strong demand and additional AWS capacity as key drivers [12]. Valuation Perspective - Amazon's stock is currently trading at approximately 33 times trailing 12-month earnings, which is below its three-year average multiple of 76, suggesting it may be undervalued from a historical standpoint [13].