The U.S. Department of Justice this week announced that former U.S. Army Specialist Stephanie Charboneau has been sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for her role in a plot to steal fuel from the U.S. Army.
Last September Charboneau pleaded guilty to the charges, which include bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery. Her thefts are estimated to have cost the U.S. over $1.2 million.

Article imported: Wed February 5, 2014, 11:49 pm

Twitter's ad business is flying ahead of schedule, but users are not flocking like advertisers. The company announced its fourth quarter and full year revenue today, its first financial results since going public last quarter. In 2013, Twitter's revenue reached $665 million and the company says 2014 will be the year it generates more than $1 billion in sales, according to the fourth quarter filings. Some forecasts had predicted the company would fall shy of the $600 million mark in 2013.

Article imported: Wed February 5, 2014, 11:49 pm

Netflix announced a new $400 million senior note offering this week, which it intends to use to fuel original content purchases and European expansion.
Apparently the company expects to spend about $3 billion on TV and film content this year. The Guardian reports:

Article imported: Wed February 5, 2014, 11:49 pm

Twitter has some more growing up to do.On the one hand, its ad business is clearly maturing and showing robust growth. On the other, growth is flattening, and CEO Dick Costolo conceded the company needs to do a better job making itself accessible and useful to the masses.Twitter reported revenue of $242.7 million for the fourth quarter of last year, up 116% from $112 million over the previous year.

Article imported: Wed February 5, 2014, 11:49 pm

Twitter has some more growing up to do.On the one hand, its ad business is clearly maturing and showing robust growth.

Article imported: Thu February 6, 2014, 3:11 am

EnergyBBDO Chief Creative Officer Dan Fietsam is leaving the agency."It's been a great five-and-a-half year run and Dan has contributed a great deal in terms of new business and creative accolades," said Tonise Paul, president-CEO of the Chicago-based Omnicom shop. "I know he'll go on to do great things." There is no replacement yet; the agency is undergoing a seach for a new creative chief. Mr.

Article imported: Wed February 5, 2014, 11:49 pm

Super Bowl XLVIII, a bona fide bore, improbably ended up being the most-viewed TV program in American history.

Article imported: Wed February 5, 2014, 11:49 pm

Budweiser, everybody knows by now, won the Super Bowl in terms of the social buzz and online views that its adorable horse-and-puppy commercial racked up.

Article imported: Wed February 5, 2014, 11:49 pm

Carat has won most of MasterCard’s global media business, with the exception of Latin America, which will remain at UM, sources said. Global media spending is estimated at $200 million, including $105 million in the U.S. alone. Sources identified the other review contenders as Omnicom's PHD; Publicis Groupe’s MediaVest; a team from WPP Group’s GroupM that was led by Mediacom; and the incumbent, Interpublic Group's UM.

Article imported: Wed February 5, 2014, 11:49 pm

Carat has won most of MasterCard’s global media business, with the exception of Latin America, which will remain at UM, sources said. Global media spending is estimated at $200 million, including $105 million in the U.S. alone. Sources identified the other review contenders as Omnicom's PHD; Publicis Groupe’s MediaVest; a team from WPP Group’s GroupM that was led by Mediacom; and the incumbent, Interpublic Group's UM.

Article imported: Wed February 5, 2014, 11:49 pm