The Community Exchange Podcast by OpenWeb

In this fascinating discussion, David Jacobs, CEO of Contxtful and a pioneer in digital advertising, shares his journey from the early days at Advertising.com to current challenges in ad tech. He analyzes the potential breakup of Google and its consequences for publishers, alongside the shift towards e-commerce ads amidst a decline in search traffic. David also weighs in on the role of AI in targeting and the future of digital revenue models. With insights on the evolving landscape, he highlights the need for innovative strategies in a cookie-less world.

In this enlightening chat, Jeremy Kaplan, Content Director at Future PLC, shares his journey from tech enthusiast to editorial leader. He discusses the growing significance of niche media and the challenges AI poses to original content. Kaplan critiques content aggregation platforms and highlights the evolving publishing landscape under Google's influence. Personal anecdotes about cooking and his ambitions in writing historical fiction add a relatable touch, showcasing how to merge passions for a unique career path.

David Rowley, VP of Revenue Technology at News Corp, shares his fascinating journey from artist to media executive. He delves into the crucial need for publisher alignment in today's ad tech landscape, addressing challenges posed by tech giants. Rowley emphasizes the interdependence of journalism and advertising, discusses the emergence of new ad servers, and highlights strategies for building strong ad ops teams. His insights are a must-listen for anyone navigating the evolving digital publishing world.

Andrew Q Kraft, former President and COO of The Arena Group, shares his insights from a listening tour with 200 media professionals. He discusses the critical role of generative AI in reshaping editorial content and the importance of curation in publishing. Kraft reflects on his journey from engineering to media leadership, highlighting adaptability and mentorship. He emphasizes the value of diverse perspectives in understanding the industry's complexities and the potential of listening tours to foster connections and insights.

On this episode of The Community Exchange Podcast, we welcome Andrew Casale, President and CEO at Index Exchange. In our discussion, MSG and Andrew discuss: Andrew’s journey building Index Exchange How publishers can navigate the loss of signals by becoming a destination The current state of measurement and attribution in publishing and CTV How curation can help publishers increase CPMs Index Exchange’s biggest strategic initiatives for 2025 And more. New episodes of The Community Exchange Podcast are released each week. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts to get the latest right in your feed. About OpenWeb: OpenWeb's mission is to improve the quality of conversations online, building a healthier web where content creators of all kinds are empowered to thrive in the emerging community economy. As a product company, OpenWeb partners with publishers and brands to build strong, direct relationships with their audiences. OpenWeb's technology empowers its partners to build vibrant communities rooted in healthy conversations and robust social experiences. OpenWeb works with more than 5,000 top-tier publishers, hosting more than 150 million active users each month. Founded in 2015, OpenWeb has over 350 employees in New York City, Tel Aviv, Kiev, San Diego, Canada, London, and Paris and is backed by world-class investors including Georgian, Insight Partners, Entrée Capital, The New York Times, Samsung Next, Dentsu, and ScaleUp. To date, the company has raised $393 million in funding and is currently valued at $1.5 billion. To learn more about OpenWeb's platform visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠OpenWeb.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or follow @OpenWebHQ on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Could separating buy and sell at Google drive innovation in adtech? On this episode of The Community Exchange Podcast, we welcome Paul Bannister, Chief Strategy Officer at Raptive to dig into that and more, including: Adtech at the dawn of programmatic Generative AI’s role in changing news and information consumption habits The effect of declining search traffic on lifestyle publishers Building and maintaining a remote company Combining your passions to forge a unique career path. And more. About OpenWeb: OpenWeb's mission is to improve the quality of conversations online, building a healthier web where content creators of all kinds are empowered to thrive in the emerging community economy. As a product company, OpenWeb partners with publishers and brands to build strong, direct relationships with their audiences. OpenWeb's technology empowers its partners to build vibrant communities rooted in healthy conversations and robust social experiences. OpenWeb works with more than 5,000 top-tier publishers, hosting more than 150 million active users each month. Founded in 2015, OpenWeb has over 350 employees in New York City, Tel Aviv, Kiev, San Diego, Canada, London, and Paris and is backed by world-class investors including Georgian, Insight Partners, Entrée Capital, The New York Times, Samsung Next, Dentsu, and ScaleUp. To date, the company has raised $393 million in funding and is currently valued at $1.5 billion. To learn more about OpenWeb's platform visit ⁠⁠⁠OpenWeb.com⁠⁠⁠ or follow @OpenWebHQ on LinkedIn and Twitter.

On this episode of The Community Exchange Podcast, we welcome Larry Allen, VP & GM of Data and Addressable Enablement at Comcast. In our discussion, MSG and Larry cover: Improvements and advancements in measurement and attribution The changes coming to CTV in the next 5 years How to use AI to optimize ad placement Comcast’s role in delivering great viewing experiences for users during major events like the 2024 Olympics The strategies behind Amazon and Hulu’s successful advertising activities The importance of data and signals in improving CTV experiences Stories from their time together at Tacoda And more. About OpenWeb: OpenWeb's mission is to improve the quality of conversations online, building a healthier web where content creators of all kinds are empowered to thrive in the emerging community economy. As a product company, OpenWeb partners with publishers and brands to build strong, direct relationships with their audiences. OpenWeb's technology empowers its partners to build vibrant communities rooted in healthy conversations and robust social experiences. OpenWeb works with more than 5,000 top-tier publishers, hosting more than 150 million active users each month. Founded in 2015, OpenWeb has over 350 employees in New York City, Tel Aviv, Kiev, San Diego, Canada, London, and Paris and is backed by world-class investors including Georgian, Insight Partners, Entrée Capital, The New York Times, Samsung Next, Dentsu, and ScaleUp. To date, the company has raised $393 million in funding and is currently valued at $1.5 billion. To learn more about OpenWeb's platform visit ⁠⁠OpenWeb.com⁠⁠ or follow @OpenWebHQ on LinkedIn and Twitter.

On this episode of The Community Exchange Podcast, we welcome Johnny Won, Global Head of Martech, Ad Tech, and Operations at EssenceMediacom. In our discussion, MSG and Johnny discuss: His entrepreneurial background and unlikely career path Building and scaling businesses The role of privacy sandbox and cookies in shaping the future of advertising The current advertising landscape and the new emerging signals Generative AI use cases at EssenceMediacom and in the industry And more.  About OpenWeb: OpenWeb's mission is to improve the quality of conversations online, building a healthier web where content creators of all kinds are empowered to thrive in the emerging community economy. As a product company, OpenWeb partners with publishers and brands to build strong, direct relationships with their audiences. OpenWeb's technology empowers its partners to build vibrant communities rooted in healthy conversations and robust social experiences. OpenWeb works with more than 5,000 top-tier publishers, hosting more than 150 million active users each month. Founded in 2015, OpenWeb has over 350 employees in New York City, Tel Aviv, Kiev, San Diego, Canada, London, and Paris and is backed by world-class investors including Georgian, Insight Partners, Entrée Capital, The New York Times, Samsung Next, Dentsu, and ScaleUp. To date, the company has raised $393 million in funding and is currently valued at $1.5 billion. To learn more about OpenWeb's platform visit ⁠OpenWeb.com⁠ or follow @OpenWebHQ on LinkedIn and Twitter.

On this episode of The Community Exchange Podcast, we welcome Jennie Baird, Chief Product Officer at BBC Studios. In our discussion, MSG and Jennie discuss: Her methods for building and leading product teams Building the product functions at News Corp Her role as Board Chair of the Ethical Tech Project and their work to ensure the ethical use of data and technology The effects of generative AI on the media landscape And more.  About OpenWeb:OpenWeb's mission is to improve the quality of conversations online, building a healthier web where content creators of all kinds are empowered to thrive in the emerging community economy. As a product company, OpenWeb partners with publishers and brands to build strong, direct relationships with their audiences. OpenWeb's technology empowers its partners to build vibrant communities rooted in healthy conversations and robust social experiences. OpenWeb works with more than 5,000 top-tier publishers, hosting more than 150 million active users each month. Founded in 2015, OpenWeb has over 350 employees in New York City, Tel Aviv, Kiev, San Diego, Canada, London, and Paris and is backed by world-class investors including Georgian, Insight Partners, Entrée Capital, The New York Times, Samsung Next, Dentsu, and ScaleUp. To date, the company has raised $393 million in funding and is currently valued at $1.5 billion. To learn more about OpenWeb's platform visit OpenWeb.com or follow @OpenWebHQ on LinkedIn and Twitter.

On this episode of The Community Exchange Podcast, we welcome Amanda Martin, Chief Revenue Officer at Mediavine. In our discussion, MSG and Amanda discuss: Her professional journey from buy to supply, Her experience working at Goodway Group, Her current role helping independent publishers build sustainable businesses with Mediavine, The current state of the media and publishing industry, and much more. About OpenWeb:OpenWeb's mission is to improve the quality of conversations online, building a healthier web where content creators of all kinds are empowered to thrive in the emerging community economy. As a product company, OpenWeb partners with publishers and brands to build strong, direct relationships with their audiences. OpenWeb's technology empowers its partners to build vibrant communities rooted in healthy conversations and robust social experiences. OpenWeb works with more than 5,000 top-tier publishers, hosting more than 150 million active users each month. Founded in 2015, OpenWeb has over 350 employees in New York City, Tel Aviv, Kiev, San Diego, Canada, London, and Paris and is backed by world-class investors including Georgian, Insight Partners, Entrée Capital, The New York Times, Samsung Next, Dentsu, and ScaleUp. To date, the company has raised $393 million in funding and is currently valued at $1.5 billion. To learn more about OpenWeb's platform visit OpenWeb.com or follow @OpenWebHQ on LinkedIn and Twitter.