In this week’s Week in Review: Germany considers a new tax on tech giants, ProSieben’s suitors consider a joint takeover, and AI video ad startup Creatify gets backing from Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Top Stories
Germany Considers Ten Percent Ad Tax on Tech Giants
Germany’s government is putting together plans to place a new tax on specific large international tech companies, in a move which would raise funds to help protect German media companies.
Germany’s culture minister Wolfram Weimer, the former editor of German newspaper Die Welt, told Stern magazine that companies including Google and Meta are on his agenda, and that leaders and representatives from some of these companies have been invited to discuss measures which might avoid such a tax, including voluntary commitments to pay more tax in Germany.
If no agreement is reached, one proposed solution could be a ten percent tax on companies’ ad revenues in Germany specifically. Weimer highlighted the Austrian market, where large online platforms pay a five percent tax on their Austrian ad revenues, as a potential model to follow.
Such a tax could raise tensions with the US, amid the ongoing global spat over tariffs. The EU was reported earlier this year to be considering a tax on digital ad revenues for US tech companies as a means of retaliation against a US tariff hike.
PPF and MFE Reportedly Considering Teaming Up for ProSieben Bid
PPF and MFE, the two bidders circling German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1, could consider teaming up for a combined takeover, according to sources cited by Reuters. The report suggests Czech firm PPF is “open to considering a joint bid with MFE”, although no decision has been made.
MFE, the Berlusconi-owned pan-European media group that holds a 30.14 percent stake in ProSieben, opened its offer to shareholders earlier this month at the minimum price required under German takeover law. But last week saw the ProSieben board recommend its shareholders reject the offer, which it called “inadequate from a financial perspective.”
Meanwhile the German company’s management favours the PPF deal, representing a 21 percent premium on the price of MFE’s bid. The Czech investment group, which is ProSieben’s second-largest shareholder after MFE, has also lent its support to the broadcaster’s current strategy. This could complicate a potential joint bid as MFE has been vocal in seeking to change the company’s direction.
AI Video Company Creatify Raises $15.5 Million
Creatify, an AI video advertising firm, has raised $15.5 million in a Series A funding round co-led by Dreamworks founder Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo and Kindred Ventures, bringing the company’s total funding to $23 million. The business, which counts Alibaba.com, Comcast and Zumper among its clients, uses generative AI models to automate “the entire video ad lifecycle,” from creative and generation to testing and optimisation.
“Video is the most valuable format in digital advertising, but it’s still the hardest to produce at scale,” said Creatify co-founder and CEO Yinan Na. “We built Creatify to remove these barriers. Just as Shopify revolutionised e-commerce, we’re doing the same for video ads – making them fast, effective, and accessible to businesses of all sizes.”
“It’s not just making video ads easier to produce, it’s redefining how modern advertising works,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, who will join Creatify’s board of directors. “In a world where brands must show up everywhere, all the time, Creatify is purpose-built to meet that demand at scale.”
The Week in Tech
Channel Factory Rolls Out AI Contextual Tools
Channel Factory, a brand suitability and contextual advertising business, has unveiled Channel Factory Intelligence, an AI product suite for brand suitability and contextual placements across digital video platforms. The company is also releasing a unified reporting dashboard called Media Intelligence Hub, alongside an AI Chatbot Assistant. “Running ad campaigns requires you to dig through mountains of data,” said Anudit Vikram, Chief Product Officer at Channel Factory. “Some of it is valuable, but so much can be insignificant, forcing you to spend time digging through unnecessary metrics to find actionable insights. Our industry is only tapping the surface of what’s possible when you can apply AI to solve this problem. Our new Chatbot Assistant and Media Intelligence Hub surface the insights that truly drive performance, giving advertisers the clarity they need to make confident, strategic decisions.”
FreeWheel and Innity Partner on Video Inventory in Southeast Asia
FreeWheel, a video ad tech firm owned by Comcast, has partnered with media company Innity in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong. Innity’s advertiser clients will have access to premium video sellers in the region, via FreeWheel’s ad server and supply-side platform (SSP). “This strategic partnership with Innity aligns with our global vision to deliver simplified and unified advertising experiences for advertisers and addresses some of the industry’s key needs: removing unnecessary friction in media buying, improving addressability, and driving greater return for marketers,” said Alvin Tan, Commercial Director, APAC at FreeWheel.
Google Faces £25 Billion UK Lawsuit Over Search Advertising
Google is facing a £25 billion lawsuit in the UK, accusing the tech giant of abusing its dominant position in the online search advertising market. The claim alleges that the company’s payments to device manufacturers, to make Google their default search engine, have resulted in “excessive and unfair prices” for search advertising. The case seeks damages on behalf of some 500,000 to 1.5 million UK advertisers who have purchased Google search ads since 2011.
IAB Europe Launches Retail Media Certification Programme for Retailers
IAB Europe has launched its Retail Media Certification Programme for retailers, aiming to set standards for “transparency, consistency, and accountability” in retail media measurement across Europe. Two retail media businesses, Nectar360 and Albert Heijn, are set to become the first certified retailers under the programme. “A lack of standardisation has long been a barrier to retail media investment,” said Jason Wescott, Global Head of Commerce Solutions at GroupM and Chair of IAB Europe’s Retail & Commerce Media Committee. “We’ve addressed this by delivering both measurement standards and now a certification programme to give advertisers confidence in the networks they work with.”
Google Updates AI-Driven Measurement Tools
Google has updated its AI-driven measurement tools, making incrementality testing “more accessible” by lowering the spending thresholds required to run the tests. The company has also upgraded its cross-channel measurement solution in Google Analytics to help “better measure the entire customer journey and marketing ROI.” Google additionally announced plans to add recommendations within its Data Manager to help marketers boost performance.
The Week in TV
RTL AdAlliance Adds Eurosport 1 to Addressable TV Portfolio
RTL AdAlliance, RTL Group’s international sales house, has added Eurosport 1 to its portfolio, enabling European and US advertisers and agencies to reach audiences on the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned sports channel. The addition marks an expansion of RTL Ad Alliance’s partnership with WBD, which dates back to 2018. “Addressable TV enables advertisers to apply data-driven strategies to reach specific audiences based on demographics, interests and viewing behaviours,” said Stephen Byrne, VP Global Supply at RTL AdAlliance. “Live sports present a particularly powerful environment: fans are highly engaged and actively tuned in, making it the perfect moment for impactful, unmissable advertising that captures the audience’s interest.”
IPL Cricket Drives 280 Million Subscribers to India’s JioHotstar
JioHotstar, the Indian streaming service formed from the merger of Disney and Reliance, has amassed 280 million subscribers during six months in operation, according to the company. The growth is driven by the popularity of Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket, bringing its subscriber count close to Netflix’s global total. The network hopes that cricket viewers will stick around after the season ends next week, according to the FT, and watch the Paramount, Pixar and HBO titles to which it has exclusive rights.
EBU Monitors Meta’s Plans to Train AI Models on Public Posts
The European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) Social Media Group is looking into the implications of Meta’s recent privacy policy changes, which would allow the tech giant to use public posts from Facebook and Instagram to train its AI models. The trade body is seeking clarity over whether administrators of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp business pages, such as those run by public service media, will also opt out their organisation’s entire profile when they submit a personal opt-out request. “The consequences of doing nothing could be significant,” said the EBU. “Public service media routinely publish original, editorially controlled content via Meta’s platforms. But if the material is used to train proprietary AI systems without consent, it raises questions around data governance, copyright, reputational risk, and the wider role of public content in commercial AI development.”
FuboTV Launches Programmatic Pause Ads
FuboTV has launched programmatic pause ads on the sport streaming service. The format is available in programmatic guaranteed (PG) and biddable private marketplaces through ClearLine, Magnite’s self-service buying solution. The ads appear a few seconds after a viewer presses pause during the content stream, according to FuboTV, and can be outfitted with QR codes for additional engagement opportunities.
ProSieben Violated German Media Law in Embedding ARD and ZDF Content, Court Rules
A German court has ruled against ProSiebenSat.1 in its ongoing conflict with public broadcasters ARD and ZDF, whose media libraries ProSieben embedded into its streaming service Joyn. The Munich Regional Court ruled that the integration was conducted without prior consent and therefore violates German media law. The decision follows a similar ruling by the Cologne District Court last month, which also found in favour of ARD.
Disney Sues YouTube to Stop Hire of Former Disney Exec
Disney is suing YouTube to stop the Google-owned company hiring former Disney executive Justin Connolly as its Global Head of Media and Sports, Bloomberg reported last week. The entertainment giant accuses YouTube of breach of contract, claiming that Connolly signed a three-year contract with Disney in November 2024. His contested role at YouTube would put him in charge of the video service’s relationships with media companies that supply programming to YouTube TV, as well as its live sports portfolio.
The Week for Publishers
RedBird Completes $500 Million Deal to Buy The Telegraph
US investment firm RedBird Capital Partners has completed a $500 million deal to acquire UK newspaper The Telegraph, ending a protracted sales process for the media business. RedBird, alongside Abu Dhabi investment fund IMI, originally bought The Telegraph a few years back, but that deal was left in limbo after the UK government pushed through news laws to prevent investment funds linked to foreign states from owning large portions of UK media companies. RedBird will now be the sole controlling owner of The Telegraph, though IMI will still hold a minority stake below the legal threshold.
The New York Times Strikes AI Deal with Amazon
US newspaper the New York Times has struck a deal with Amazon which will allow the tech giant to use the Times’s editorial content in its AI platforms. The deal “will bring Times editorial content to a variety of Amazon customer experiences,” according to the Times. Terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed, though the NYT’s CEO Meredith Kopit Levien said that the deal “is consistent with our long-held principle that high-quality journalism is worth paying for”. The NYT is currently in the process of suing AI giant OpenAI for alleged copyright infringement.
Business Insider Announces Widespread Layoffs
Business focussed publisher Business Insider has laid off 21 percent of its staff, according to reports this week, according to an internal memo circulated by CEO Barbara Peng seen by The Wrap. The layoffs will affect teams across departments, according to the memo. “The media industry is at a crossroads,” said the note from Peng. “Business models are under pressure, distribution is unstable and competition for attention is fiercer than ever. At the same time, there’s a huge opportunity for companies who harness AI first. Our strategy is strong, but we don’t have the luxury of time. The pace of change combined with the opportunity ahead demands bold, focused action — and it’s our chance to lead the pack.”
Washington Post Offers Voluntary Buyouts Amid Newsroom “Reimagining”
The Washington Post is offering voluntary buyouts to news employees who have worked at the newspaper for more than ten years, as well as members of its video team and workers on its copy and sports copy desks. The voluntary buyouts come amid “ongoing newsroom transformation” at the Post, according to an internal memo, and are being framed as a way out of the company for anyone who might find that transformation “uncomfortable”. On the video front specifically, the post is focussing more on personality-driven formats and repeatable for social platforms.
The Guardian Sees Significant Revenue Growth
The Guardian’s revenues for the year to March 2025 grew by 6.7 percent, according to unaudited figures reported by Press Gazette, while cash losses fell to below £25 million. There was significant growth in digital reader revenues, which come from subscriptions, memberships, and donations, but an internal email to staff also mentioned “increased growth in [the Guardian’s] advertising business, after a couple of challenging years”.
The Week for Brands & Agencies
WPP Confirms GroupM Rebrand to WPP Media
UK-based agency group WPP announced on Wednesday it is rebranding its media unit GroupM as WPP Media. Rumours first emerged that WPP was planning to sunset the GroupM brand a few weeks back, as internal memos discussing internal reorganisation leaked to the press, and news emerged of layoffs relating to the restructure. The name change emphasises a few strategic shifts for the company. WPP has emphasised the central role it foresees AI playing in media, and played up WPP Media’s AI credentials in today’s announcement. It also signals a shift to a more unified structure, with more resources and talent pooled across the three sub-brands: Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom. Read more on VideoWeek.
India’s Competition Authority Found Global Ad Agencies Colluding on Fees
India’s antitrust body found evidence of global ad agencies breaking competition law by coordinating on the fees they charge advertiser clients, according to a document seen by Reuters. The competition regulator conducted surprise raids earlier this year on local offices of WPP, Interpublic Group, Publicis, and Dentsu, as well as several industry trade groups. Three industry groups — the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) — are said to have operated three separate cartels which aligned on prices and discussed retaliation against members which didn’t follow guidelines.
Advertisers and Media Businesses Agree Voluntary Early Adoption of Junk Food Ad Ban
Last week the UK government announced it will delay enforcement of new restrictions on ads for unhealthy foods, in order to update legislation to provide a clear exemption for brand ads which don’t mention or show specific products. This week a number of advertisers, media companies, and trade groups including the Advertising Association, Channel 4, Disney, ISBA, ITV and Sky pledged to act as though the amended law will come into force on its original October 1st deadline, which was apparently a condition of the original delay. This means that from October 1st this year, ads which show or mention unhealthy foods won’t be shown on TV between 5:30am and 9:00pm, and won’t be shown online at all.
IPG Mediabrands Lays Off Staff in Analytics Division
Interpublic Group’s media arm has laid off between 35-40 staff in its analytics division, Adweek reported this week, with analytics roles being moved offshore to IPG’s Global Capability Centre in India. A statement shared with Adweek said the move was part of an “ongoing transformation to streamline operations and align with evolving organisational needs”.
Belgian Advertisers and Media Company Agree Voluntary Junk Food Restrictions
Belgian ad industry organisations have agreed to expand a prohibition on advertising unhealthy foods to minors to cover children under 16, up from the current age bar of 13. There are no legal restrictions limiting food advertising to minors in Belgium, but key organisations including Comeos (retail), Fevia (food industry) and UBA (advertising) have agreed to implement voluntary restrictions. The rules will apply to all media platforms whenever more than 30 percent of the audience is under the age of 16.
Personalised Advertising Estimated to Add €100 Billion Annual Sales Boost to EU Economy
Personalised advertising adds an extra €100 billion in additional sales for EU businesses each year, according to a report from Implement Consulting Group commissioned by Google. Small businesses and start-ups specifically earn €80 billion extra revenue each year from personalised ads, and the report predicts that generative AI-powered personalised ads could create an additional €250 billion in extra sales for EU businesses by 2030.
ISBA and AAR Partner to Develop Optimised Marketing Operating Models
UK advertiser trade group ISBA and marketing consultancy AAR have announced a new partnership which the two say will see the two work together to develop and embed robust, optimised marketing operating models. “Advertisers are increasing their focus on their operating models, and the opportunities organisational design can bring to marketing effectiveness,” said Nick Louisson, ISBA’s director of agency services. “AAR’s expertise and guidance has resonated with members and inspired great debates. We look forward to growing our industry’s understanding of effective operating models.”
Hires of the Week
ProSiebenSat.1 Names Maria Kyriacou Chairwoman of Supervisory Board
ProSiebenSat.1 has appointed Maria Kyriacou as Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board. The German media company said Kyriacou was elected at the Annual General Meeting with an approval rating over 98 percent. She succeeds Dr. Andreas Wiele who stood down after serving his three-year term.
WPP’s Lucia Mastromauro to Lead Deliveroo Advertising
Deliveroo has named Lucia Mastromauro as VP of Advertising, overseeing ad strategy, product innovation, commercial growth and operations across all markets. Mastromauro joins from Choreograph, WPP’s data and tech unit, where she served as Managing Director.
Dentsu Americas Announces Trio of Hires
Dentsu Americas has announced three senior leadership appointments: Grant Ogburn joins as Chief Growth Officer; Solange Claudio as Chief Operations Officer; and Jason Kodish as Chief Data and Analytics Officer. Ogburn previously worked as Global Chief Growth Officer at IPG-owned UM Worldwide, while Claudio and Kodish join from Publicis.
This Week on VideoWeek
Video Growth and Programmatic Resurgence: Key Stats from IAB Europe’s AdEx Report
tvScientific is Aiming to Become the “AppLovin of CTV”
WPP Confirms GroupM Rebrand to WPP Media
Why CTV Needs “the Most Support” in Addressability and Identity
Why Advertisers Should Focus More on Reaching Satisfied TV Audiences
Ad of the Week
Morrisons, Fresh From Market Street — Fish
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