JW Player (JWP), the leading video streaming and data insights platform, announced it is merging with Connatix, the leading video delivery and monetization solution, forming JWP Connatix. By unifying JWP’s broadcast-level live and on-demand streaming, data, and workflow capabilities with Connatix’s full stack advertising and content technology, JWP Connatix becomes the industry’s most comprehensive independent video technology and monetization platform for broadcasters, publishers, and advertisers.
This merger arrives as the digital video ecosystem is experiencing transformational change. Consumers are increasingly cutting the cord in favor of Connected TV (CTV) and streaming services, leading to rapid shifts in global advertising spend and the emergence of new direct-to-consumer subscription and pay-per-view offerings. In 2024, global CTV ad revenue will surpass $30 billion, while the top ten streaming services alone will support nearly 1 billion subscribers. Given this, publishers, broadcasters, and advertisers must transform their video strategies to meet these evolving viewer expectations and business needs.
“How and where viewers consume video is rapidly changing. As a result, media companies require innovative solutions that allow them to maximize audience engagement and help optimize revenue across disparate monetization models, whether it be advertising, subscriptions or commerce,” said David Kashak, Co-founder and CEO of Connatix. “Together, JWP Connatix fulfills that requirement, by accelerating our companies’ mutual visions to create environments where premium video viewing, powered by best-in-class technology, meets high-quality monetization experiences, enabling media leaders to deliver exceptional results.”
JWP Connatix creates an indispensable partner in this rapidly changing video ecosystem, powering streaming for over 2,000 blue-chip media companies, including 80% of the top 25 Comscore US publishers. As the largest independent global video network across CTV and OLV, the company reaches over 1 billion unique users and delivers 30 billion+ combined video plays and ad impressions every month. Key benefits for customers include:
- Global reach and reliable scale: Streaming 7 billion minutes of VOD and live content to over 1 billion unique users on any screen around the world
- Hybrid monetization models: Support for subscription, advertising and e-commerce business models, leveraging insights from content and audiences to help maximize revenue
- Unique insights to optimize outcomes: Leverage AI to combine trillions of contextual, consumption, and monetization data signals to match customers with content and ads, boosting engagement
- Single end-to-end platform for OLV and CTV: Streamlined video management platform enabling diverse monetization opportunities across content, commerce, and creative
“By joining forces, JWP Connatix ushers in a new era for digital video. The complementary nature of our businesses enables us to bring a unique combination of scale, product breadth, and industry expertise to the market,” added Dave Otten, CEO and Co-Founder of JWP. “Perhaps more importantly, we are bringing together two knowledgeable, and dedicated teams, whose skill-sets and values are a perfect match. We could not be more excited about this partnership and look forward to shaping the future of digital video together.”
As part of the transaction, Dave Otten will become CEO of the combined company, while David Kashak will serve as its Chairman. JWP Connatix will be headquartered in New York City with additional offices in London, Cluj-Napoca, Eindhoven, Skopje, and Tel Aviv.
SOURCE: PRNewsWire