Image: Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
Comcast is reportedly in talks to acquire online advertising platform FreeWheel for around $320 million, as the television cable provider continues to bolster its online assets.
FreeWheel allows online video content creators to serve ads alongside videos, and counts the likes of NBC Universal, Fox and ESPN among its clients. The news was first reported by TechCrunch. Comcast reps could not be reached for comment.
While much smaller than its acquisition of Time Warner Cable, the move would give Comcast a valuable asset as it continues to build out its streaming business. Comcast already offers the X1, a streaming content box, and Streampix, a streaming movie service.
The growth of online video, along with the ads that run before and after those videos, has spurred investment in companies and technology. The move also highlights the arms race between various companies that have not traditionally been competitors. AOL bought Adap.tv, a similar service as FreeWheel, in August for $405 million.
The ability to serve ads online now gives Comcast a just about complete vertical integration from content â€" it owns NBC Universal â€" and now ads that run through Comcast broadband through the company's cable boxes. This is a business position that is almost unrivaled by any other content creator or Internet service provider.
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