SHAPING WHAT’S NEXT IN MEDIA
Last chance to save on Digiday Publishing Summit passes is February 9
The Barbarian Group COO Rick Webb has some tough words for Silicon Valley. He has little time for those arguing there isn’t a bubble right now in tech company valuations, zeroing in on those that have ad-dependent business models. For all that Silicon Valley companies lament the lack of tech savvy in the advertising, the opposite is clearly true. Webb makes that point clear:
Brands don’t actually want or need any more media channels. As far as they’re concerned, the internet can stop now. We have enough channels. We were happy when we had like seven (TV, print, outdoor, radio, in-store, direct and theater), got a little interested in the first few new ones. Urinals? Uh, okay. Banners? Interesting. Google? Yes. Groupon, Farmville, GroupMe? OKAY I AM GETTING TIRED NOW. Silicon Valley seems to think that advertising’s appetite for new media channels is unending. It is not.
Read more on The Barbarian Group blog. For a counterpoint, see angel investor Chris Dixon and venture capitalist Brad Feld.
Trending in
Most Read
More in Media
Media Briefing: A solid Q4 gives publishers breathing room as they build revenue beyond search
February 5, 2026
Q4 gave publishers a win — but as ad dollars return, AI-driven discovery shifts mean growth in 2026 will hinge on relevance, not reach.
Bloomberg’s new video hub aims to keep audiences – and subscribers – on its own turf
February 4, 2026
Bloomberg launched a centralized video hub to improve discovery, boost engagement and keep audiences (and subscribers) on its own platform.
The Rundown: What YouTube creators should expect to change in 2026
February 4, 2026
YouTube has big changes slated for 2026 across AI content, Shorts, YouTube TV, and more – what does it all mean for creators?