Times Internet is making friends of old foes: Network18, a major rival of Times Internet, has joined as a publisher partner for the Colombia Audience Network, Times Internet's programmatic ad-buying platform. Colombia ads are content recommendations, branded content and videos, which are displayed - at least on TimesofIndia.com - below the story content. Traditionally, this is a space that is occupied, for most publishers, by content-promoting ad networks like Taboola and Outbrain. So are Times Internet and Network18 no longer competing? There's always been a bit of an ego involved between publishers, and they have typically competed, not collaborated. "Look, like with everybody, we work with people as partners and competition, "Gulshan Verma, Chief Revenue Officer, Times Internet, told MediaNama. "Just like within Times Internet, I have a Times of India and I have an Economic Times, and Times of India has a large business section. At some point it makes sense for them to work together, and at some point it makes sense for them to compete to give the best offer. The way I look at it, this is a market that is growing, and digital is getting money that is moving in from TV, Print and Radio. How do we work together to maximise the share of that? What we've done with Colombia is beginning to show value. This is an example." This reminds us of when the Times of India's pitched its print business versus digital and TV, effectively also pitching against its own digital business. Does Colombia…
