Podcast hosts earn trust as advertisers invest: Podcast ads gain appeal as host credibility drives purchases, prompting brands to increase spending.
Paramount merger hits hurdles: Paramount’s WBD deal draws new lawsuits, leaving advertisers planning for both a merger and a standalone future.
Streamer content recommendations lose influence: Fragmented discovery journeys add impression touchpoints but remove platforms’ control.
The agency forms an entertainment practice to compete for integrated brand work as rivals broaden their sports and culture capabilities.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss why Fox buying Roku could be good for both companies, bad for both companies, and who stands to be affected the most beyond Fox and Roku. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Senior Analyst Ross Benes and Principal Forecasting Writer Ethan Cramer-Flood. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.
States move to challenge Paramount: Twelve states seek to block Paramount’s WBD acquisition, leaving advertisers in limbo over 2027 media buying.
Story-driven integrations extend from the screen to shoppers’ carts.
Disney+ eyes free streaming: A no-cost tier could draw more viewers, challenge YouTube's lead, and broaden Disney's ad-supported reach.
FIFA rights draw bidders: Netflix, Disney, and YouTube weigh $1.5B+ World Cup bids as tougher US kickoff times cloud the investment.
Time spent on Netflix is crawling: Show viewership plummets during second seasons, and other video offerings aren’t driving attention.
Sky builds TV scale: An ITV deal creates a UK ad powerhouse as legacy TV seeks scale while streaming draws viewers and ad budgets.
Entertainment apps hold attention: App sessions hit a period high while music apps lost engagement, reflecting consumers' preference for active media.
UK review could alter the Paramount-WBD deal: Regulators may force asset sales, weakening the merger’s streaming and CTV ad advantages.
Media splits test marketers: Comcast and NBCU’s breakup could alter premium video buying, putting upfronts and bundles under scrutiny.
Disney’s AI ad tool: Disney opens AI-powered TV ad creation to smaller brands as disclosure emerges as a trust advantage.
One voice, global reach: McConaughey's cloned voice speaks six languages, turning a single ad into a World Cup-scale campaign.
Live sports keep delivering: But record audiences and billions of ad impressions are making premium rights harder to secure—and costlier.
Reddit's entertainment edge: Reddit turns fandom into measurable ROI, delivering results from discovery through retention.
Paramount-WBD deal is official: DOJ approval sets the stage for a mega-merger that will impact advertisers.
CBS upheaval clouds merger math: 60 Minutes exits and Colbert’s end add brand risk to Paramount-WBD talks.