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Twitter confirms buying social TV analytics company Bluefin Labs

The social-networking giant announced the acquisition, which will give Twitter the ability to better understand how users mix social media and TV.

Daniel Terdiman Former Senior Writer / News
Daniel Terdiman is a senior writer at CNET News covering Twitter, Net culture, and everything in between.
Daniel Terdiman
2 min read

Twitter said today that it has bought Bluefin Labs, a company specializing in social TV analytics.

The deal, first reported by Business Insider, would give Twitter the inside scoop on information such as which Super Bowl commercials drove the social conversation. It would likely also help Twitter become more of a media company as it tries to bolster its advertising revenue by working hand-in-hand with brands and with TV networks.

In its blog post today, Twitter said, "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 added that the deal will augment the work it has done with Nielsen to create the Nielsen Twitter TV Rating. Because there's likely to be some crossover in clientele, Twitter wrote that "We intend to honor existing Bluefin customer contracts, but we will not continue to sell Bluefin's product suite beyond the existing contracts. We plan to collaborate closely with Nielsen and SocialGuide on product development and research to help brands, agencies, and networks fully understand the combined value of Twitter and TV."

For its part, BlueFin has aimed to become a leader in the space by offering top-tier analysis of how "brands, agencies, and TV networks can tap into viewer commentary about shows and commercials to power insights, ad sales, and media buys." In its own blog post today, Bluefin said, "We look forward to working closely with Nielsen, TV networks, advertisers, agencies, and the rest of the TV ecosystem to help shape the future of social TV."