Twitter Nets Bluefin

Site acquires startup that analyzes TV-related social media

By Todd Spangler, Multichannel News -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/6/2013 12:39:58 PM

Twitter announced late Tuesday that it had acquired Bluefin Labs, a startup that analyzes social media activity related to TV and sells that data to advertisers, agencies and TV networks including CBS, Turner Broadcasting System, Fox and Discovery Communications.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Privately held Twitter is paying between $90 million and $100 million for Bluefin, according to multiple reports.

"We believe that Bluefin's data science capabilities and social TV expertise will help us create innovative new ad products and consumer experiences in the exciting intersection of Twitter and TV," Twitter chief operating officer Ali Rowghani wrote in a blog post.

According to Twitter, the Bluefin acquisition will build on its exclusive partnership with Nielsen, announced in December. Under that deal, the companies plan to develop the Nielsen Twitter TV Rating, based on the platform developed by SocialGuide, which Nielsen acquired last fall.

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