Twitter Inc Asks Media Firms Not To Consider It A Competitor

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Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) is inviting the media companies all over the world to share information on its platform and is also convincing them that Twitter is not a competition. Media companies do consider Twitter as their rival as sharing info for free on Twitter may mean fewer people visit their site, but they also need the micro-blogging platform to reach larger audiences.

Win-win partnership

Clearing the dilemma, Katie Jacobs Stanton, Twitter VP of global media told Re/code’s Peter Kafka that Twitter is not a media company rather a communication platform that helps service the media company. According to Stanton, the relationship of Twitter with media companies is a win-win situation. The micro blogging company is allowing the media companies drive their business ahead and expand the audiences, and in return help Twitter to gain by posting their valuable content free of cost.

Television channels contribute significantly to Twitter by posting bits from live events such as sports and award shows. Audiences prefer tweeting during the breaks, but there arises a question whether these tweets enhance the ratings of the network. Stanton preferred not to answer the question clearly.

However, the micro-blogging site has indicated before that it helps in driving the ratings of the TV channel, and works with Nielsen to offer user data to networks who want to know the feedback’s of their viewers in the real-time ad. Stanton mentioned that such services are is still in a nascent stage.

Has Twitter lost steam?

The micro-blogging site grew tremendously for few years since it came into existence with active users increasing 50% at the beginning of 2013 to cross 200 million mark. At that time the company was still private, and enhanced its growth efforts to capture 400 million active users by the end of 2013.

However, by the end of 2013 they could garner only 241 million, and in the past three-quarters the number increased to just 284 million. There was a time, when the comparisons were drawn between Facebook and Twitter, but the latter failed to reach even one-third of the 1.35 billion monthly active users of the social networking site.

Twitter stock achieved its all-time high last December, when it reached $75. Also, in early October it was trading over $55, however now, it’s under $40, down around 50% from the all-time high. In recent months, the company has come out with many plans, but to regain the investors’ confidence it needs to execute them properly.

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