An investor group that included Edgar Bronfman Jr., Len Blavatnik’s Access Industries and media executive Ynon Kreiz informed the publisher of its withdrawal on Wednesday evening. Seeking growth, Time Inc. has been investing in digital media properties and buying up ad tech companies as it strives to become a data-driven ad sales platform. Are those moves more about long-term strategy or making the company look as pretty as possible to a potential buyer? Print still accounts for the lion’s share of Time Inc.’s business, but digital is becoming substantial: the publisher forecasts digital ad revenue of more than $600 million this year. AD PACT: As marketers increasingly shift their ad budgets to digital, it’s getting harder for media companies of all stripes to compete with online ad behemoths Facebook and Google.

Source: Wall Street Journal March 09, 2017 12:54 UTC