Autoplay anniversary

August 17, 2011 11:43

Are you as hopeless as me at remembering anniversaries?

If so, then as a special service, let me remind you of this one, so it doesn’t slip by. This coming weekend it will be the four month anniversary since Fairfax Media promised to stop autoplaying videos “in the next few months”.

Happy anniversary, Fairfax.

Why not celebrate by listening to a journalist read out a story over a picture of the Fairfax logo? It’s how I’ll be spending it.

Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large. He now writes industry newsletter Unmade - subscribe at unmade.media

topics autoplay Fairfax Media online Video

Comments: 11

Al 17 Aug 11

That’s really more of a lunaversary.

Just sayin’

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Tim Bennett 17 Aug 11

I’m pretty sure my instructions for blocking these videos still work. (Of course, they block the videos entirely, not just the autoplaying.)

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Caterina 17 Aug 11

I dont go to their site simply for that reason. If they stop the auto video play, then i will happily use their site.

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Alison_F 17 Aug 11

Gosh, how 4 months flies by….

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Natf 17 Aug 11

Infuriating for both consumers and advertisers. Why would you advertise with them if you run the risk of creating a bad brand experience and can’t accurately measure engagement beyond the number of people who frantically try to close it down.

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Logic 17 Aug 11

it is clear from the inaction FD don’t give a shit really … for them this autoplay stuff is a non issue.

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Slack Mathews 17 Aug 11

Why would they give a shit? They are sold through on video, charging sky high cpms, their ub’s are up and they have the best SMI numbers out of the big 4 for the last 12 months.

Yes it’s annoying, yes it’s a crap user experience , yes they should do the right thing but fcuk why would they change it?

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Logic 18 Aug 11

agree slack. industry outlets seem to care but somehow the industry is lining up for more.

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Wolf 24 Aug 11

Can’t remember the source, but I have been thinking about this in the last week or so.

I think I remember them saying they will go in September when contracts expired.

So I hoping for that.

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Craig 27 Aug 11

I turn off the sound on my computer and ignore them. The main loser is the chump advertiser paying eyeball rates for a video ad played offscreen.

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Lilly The Vid 13 Sep 11

Cowboys are evidently calling the shots at Fairfax. I know what I would do if I were a client.

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