Mary Knox has joined Curious Pictures, New York , as its executive producer of commercials. She succeeds company partner David Starr who becomes Curious’ executive producer of branded entertainment. Curious is active in branded entertainment fare for such clients as AOL, Mattel and Burger King. Meanwhile Knox–who recently served as a partner in New York-based independent rep firm Commercial Artists Management–has helped to bring some new talent aboard Curious, including the helming duo Ugly, which consists of Abraham Spear and Rohitash Rao. Furthermore, Knox had a hand in inking Baltimore animation studio Buoyant Duck whose directors are now handled via Curious….Feature film directors Christopher Noonan (Babe) and Vincent Ward (What Dreams May Come) have signed with Saville Productions, Beverly Hills, for exclusive U.S. spot representation…..Production execs Joby Barnhart and Jamie Miller have launched Savant, a Santa Monica-based production house. The new venture opens with a directorial roster that includes John Bonito, Matt Carter, Jake Knowles and the Swedish collective Waytion……Director Susie Roberson has joined Taxi Films, New York….Editor Jonathan Silver has returned to Venice, Calif.-based Room. He had most recently been freelancing on the East Coast…..As part of the Advertising Week proceedings in New York, music/post house Fluid, New York, presented its third annual Battle of the Ad Bands. Coming in first place for the second consecutive year was Pants, the band out of McKinney, Raleigh, N.C.. Taking second were The Subliminals from Grey, New York, and finishing third was World Grope from McCann Erickson, New York. The event benefits VH1’s Save The Music foundation, which is dedicated to saving music programs in public schools….
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More