What is a modern media company if not a targeted advertising company?
replyThe amount of subscription driven media today is relatively a very small part of the industry.
Are they even that? Their modus operandi has been to steal user credentials. Ads (which aren't targeted at all, the ads aren't even good, according to what people have said) are just an excuse to gather more data (Facebook syncs with your phone, it wipes out addresses in your phone book). It comes down to Zuck and who he is
replyThe ads are effective, and the way they are effective is via targeting.
replyFrom the customer perspective, it works. The main problem is price competition for access to audiences. That's why fb revenues are what they are. The ads work, largely because ofntracmjng/targeting.