Week in Review: MFE Hails "Decisive Step" of ProSieben Acquisition, Gemini Comes to Google TV, and Marketers Plan to Up Streaming Spend

In this week’s Week in Review: MFE hails “decisive step” of ProSieben acquisition, Google brings Gemini AI to smart TVs, and global marketers plan to turn up their streaming investments.

The Week in Tech

IAS to be Acquired by PE Firm Novacap for $1.9 Billion

Media measurement and verification platform Integral Ad Science (IAS) announced on Wednesday it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by private equity firm Novacap in an all-cash transaction worth around $1.9 billion. The ad tech firm says that Novacap’s investment will position IAS for further growth, and help it continue to invest in “AI-first technology”. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by IAS’s board of directors, is expected to close at the end of this year. IAS will continue operating under its current name and brand. Read more on VideoWeek.

Trump Hands TikTok Over to US Investors Including Oracle and Rupert Murdoch

Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday handing TikTok over to new US owners, who include tech giant Oracle, media mogul Rupert Murdoch and Dell CEO Michael Dell. Under the terms of the deal, TikTok’s algorithm will be copied and retrained using US user data, and the recommendation system will be audited by Oracle. The new company will be valued at $14 billion, according to US Vice President JD Vance.

PubMatic Launches AI-Driven Monetisation Platform for Publishers

PubMatic, a supply-side platform (SSP), has launched an AI-driven monetisation platform for publishers, offering automated revenue optimisation, first-party data monetisation, and direct access to high-value media budgets. The platform integrates PubMatic Assistant, enabling publishers to set up programmatic auctions using natural language, and PubMatic Connect, allowing publishers to curate and package their own data to help buyers optimise campaigns. “Publishers are the true value creators of the open internet and our new AI platform helps publishers gain transparency and insights to attract advertisers and control their monetisation for sustainable revenue streams from their content,” said Rajeev Goel, Co-Founder and CEO of PubMatic.

YouTube Announces New Formats and UK Viewership Stats

This week at YouTube’s annual London celebration YouTube Festival, the company announced a new AI-powered format which it says will help advertisers maximise their impact across screens. YouTube describes ‘Video Reach Campaign Non-Skip Mix’ as an AI-powered format solution comprising Non-Skips and Bumpers, which is focused on driving Non-Skip reach at more efficient CPMs. It is the most CTV-optimised format within YouTube’s AI-powered brand portfolio, according to the company. YouTube also revealed a number of new figures highlighting its big-screen reach in the UK, announcing that YouTube now reaches 51 percent of all adults in the UK on CTVs alone.

Anonymised Brings ID-Free Audiences to Bedrock Platform’s DSP

Anonymised, an ID-free targeting business, has partnered with Bedrock Platform, a demand-side platform (DSP), to make its ID-less audiences available through the DSP. The move enables advertisers to use Anonymised’s solution to reach incremental audiences on premium inventory across all digital channels and screens, according to the partners. “This partnership with Bedrock represents exactly the kind of next-generation programmatic innovation the industry needs,” said Anonymised CEO Mattia Fosci. “For too long, advertisers have been missing out on reaching previously unaddressable audiences. Together, we’re letting advertisers generate measurable, incremental conversions while supporting the kind of innovative brand-safe content ecosystem that benefits the wider ad industry.”

Samsung Ads Allows Advertisers to Target Competitor Audiences

Samsung Ads has introduced a Competitive Conquesting solution to its Optimal Reach offering across linear and streaming inventory. The new solution provides actionable share of voice (SOV) insights, according to Samsung Ads, allowing marketers to identify and activate against competitor audiences. “Our vision is to demystify CTV viewership by transforming a fragmented and opaque ecosystem into transparent, actionable insights,” said Michael Scott, Vice President and Head of Ad Sales and Operations at Samsung Ads. “Advertisers cannot afford to guess at impact and SOV. Benchmarking brings clarity to brand positioning. Our Competitive Conquesting offering helps brands reach the most valuable audiences, those reached by their competitors’ advertising, without wasted spend. Precision targeting ensures every dollar drives measurable impact.”

Reddit Offers Option to Show Video Ads to Users Who Watch for Six Seconds

Reddit has launched a six-second Engaged Video Views product in beta in efforts to optimise ad spend for advertisers on the social sharing platform. Where its traditional video view objective optimises for two-second views, Reddit said the new billing and delivery option ensures video ads are shown to users “who are likely to watch to completion or for at least six seconds.” The company added that alpha testers saw an average 71 percent increase in video completion rate (VCR), and 83 percent decrease in cost per view (CPV).

LG Ad Solutions Launches UK Product for Turning Social Assets into CTV Ads

LG Ad Solutions has launched a product allowing brands to transform digital and social content into CTV ads in the UK. First announced in the US and now available globally, Social Sync powered by Spaceback is compatible with assets from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube and X, and is fully integrated across LG’s owned-and-operated inventory and content partner network. “Social Sync is the next evolution in creative storytelling for television,” said Ed Wale, VP, International at LG Ad Solutions. “Brands now have a powerful way to extend their most engaging social campaigns into premium CTV environments – maintaining creative consistency across screens, amplifying performance, and delivering measurable impact without reinventing the wheel.”

The Week in TV

Channel 4 Launches First FAST Channels on Freely

One year since its launch, Freely, the joint streaming service backed by the UK’s public service broadcasters (PSB), revealed it now has over half a million weekly viewers using the app to watch live and on-demand content from the PSBs, as well as content from UKTV, AMC Networks, PBS America, GB News and QVC. And this week, Everyone TV, the joint venture (JV) that operates Freely, announced further additions to its lineup, with Channel 4 bringing three new free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels exclusively to the free CTV app. The channels are:

4Reality (channel 67) – a reality TV channel whose shows include Married at First Sight, Naked Attraction, First Dates and Made in Chelsea
4Homes (channel 68) – property shows such as Grand Designs, A Place in the Sun and Location, Location, Location
4Life (channel 82) – lifestyle, travel, nature and food programming including The Dog House and Travel Man

Read more on VideoWeek.

Netflix Rumoured to be Considering Warner Bros. Discovery Bid

Weeks after rumours surfaced that Paramount was considering a bid for rival studio Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), reports emerged last Friday that Netflix is also eyeing up the US media company. Where Paramount (which itself was recently acquired by Skydance Media) would look to take control of the entire WBD business, including its cable networks, Netflix would likely focus on the studio and streaming divisions. The news comes as WBD moves to separate its TV networks from its streaming and studio businesses, potentially altering its course.

Canal+ Takes Control of MultiChoice

Canal+ said on Monday it has taken effective control of South African broadcaster MultiChoice, with the tender offer now unconditional. The French pay-TV business also announced a new board to steer the company, chaired by Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada. The 35 billion rand ($2.02 billion) acquisition gives Canal+ a dominant foothold in Africa’s fast-growing pay-TV market, according to Reuters, with MultiChoice operating across 50 countries.

M6 Publicité Becomes M6 Unlimited

M6 Publicité, the ad sales arm of French broadcaster M6, is rebranding as M6 Unlimited, the company announced on Tuesday. The new name reflects a changing role for the sales house, which says it is “no longer limited to selling space: we are creating powerful, engaging environments for expression on the infinite playing field of the M6 Group, to transform emotion into impact.” M6 Unlimited added that its business has recently evolved through the establishment of the M6+ streaming service, a growing series of data partnerships with companies including Unlimitail, Valiuz and Infinity, and the newly announced AI-enhanced Ad Manager for small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) customers.

TF1 Pub to Launch AI-Enhanced Ad Manager in January

TF1 Pub, the French broadcaster’s ad sales unit, is launching TF1 Ad Manager in January 2026, which will use AI and machine learning features to help advertisers plan TV and streaming campaigns. The sales house also announced a ‘Prime’ segmentation offering to insert ads at prime time, and a multi-channel ‘Reach’ option to maximise coverage. In addition, the company plans to “make advertising more responsible, inclusive, and less carbon-intensive”, introducing new audio description features and a “Low Carbon Challenge” workshop.

Future Today Launches Scholastic Streaming App

Ad-supported streaming business Future Today is launching a Scholastic-branded streaming app on Roku and Amazon Fire TV, housing more than 400 hours of children’s content, including Clifford the Big Red Dog, The Magic School Bus and Goosebumps. The launch follows Scholastic’s strategic investment in 9 Story Media Group, whose digital team has brought the company’s library of children’s content into the streaming space. “We’re seeing strong demand for quality nostalgic content, and the Scholastic brand is trusted by families everywhere,” said Elianne Friend, VP of Digital & Distribution at 9 Story. “Future Today was the ideal partner to help us bring Scholastic’s beloved stories to new audiences. We’re excited to build on this momentum and continue expanding Scholastic Entertainment’s incredible catalogue across global streaming platforms.”

ITV Celebrates 70 Years of TV Advertising

ITV is celebrating 70 years since it launched on 22nd September 1955, which also marks 70 years of TV advertising in the UK. To celebrate, the commercial broadcaster has launched a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel on ITVX to showcase its broadcasting over the years, with the shows also available on a dedicated rail on the streaming service. “As we celebrate this milestone, we are proud of our heritage and achievements and of how we are succeeding in a dramatically different world to when ITV was created,” said ITV CEO Carolyn McCall. “We are also proud of the crucial role we play in Britain, with impartial and accurate news reporting and investigations, supporting democracy whilst also reflecting and shaping British culture with UK originated shows that matter to our viewers.”

Disney+ Announces Price Hikes Amid Kimmel Row

Disney has announced price hikes for Disney+ in the US, effective from 21st October. Disney+ with ads will increase from $9.99 to $11.99 per month, while the ad-free tier will jump from $15.99 to $18.99 per month. The news follows a backlash against the company for cancelling Jimmy Kimmel Live amid pressure from the White House, which led users to cancel their Disney+ and Hulu accounts, before Disney reinstated the show on Tuesday.

The Week for Publishers

Independent Passes One Billion On-Site Video Views as Growth Continues

UK news owner Independent Digital News and Media Ltd released its annual results for 2024 this week, reporting an eighth consecutive year of growth and profit, with total revenues topping £53.2 million. The Independent’s growth in the US, investment in video, and a rise in total traffic all contributed to the strong results. The paper also reported passing a significant video landmark last year, reaching more than one billion on-site video views for the first time — not counting platforms like YouTube or TikTok.

German Media and Digital Businesses File DSA Complaint Over Google’s AI Overviews

A coalition of German media companies and digital businesses have filed a complaint against Google’s AI overviews under the European Union’s Digital Services Act, saying that the introduction of AI overviews into search results “has serious consequences for media diversity, freedom of opinion, and democratic discourse”. Daniela Beaujean, managing director of VAUNET, one of the trade groups backing the complaint, described AI overviews as a “traffic killer”, saying that they reduce “the reach and findability of independent and democracy-relevant private media”.

The Economist Launches New Video Product ‘The Economist Insider’

News and current affairs magazine The Economist this week announced the launch of a new premium video product, ‘The Economist Insider’, which will feature twice weekly shows hosted by The Economist’s senior editors. The company describes them as long-form shows which will feature interviews with world leaders, influential thinkers, and policymakers, who will debate their views with Economist journalists. There will also be four monthly shows covering defence, economics, geopolitics, and tech. The Economist Insider will be available at no extra cost to The Economist’s subscribers.

Future Announces Digital Creator Partnership Initiative ‘Collab’

Specialist media publisher Future this week launched ‘Collab’, a new initiative which it says will combine the “cultural power and influence” of top digital creators with its own portfolio of media brands. Through Collab, Future says it will spotlight creators across its digital and social platforms, opening up opportunities for partnerships and brand collaborations. “We know the creator economy is going to continue to be a vital part of the future of digital media,” said Hillary Kerr, SVP of women and luxury at Future. “The Collab program offers a mutually beneficial solution, uniting the cultural relevancy of creators with the established authority of our brands.”

Financial Times Earnings Rise Despite Ad Fall

The Financial Times’ total revenues passed £454 million in 2024, according to full year accounts posted this week, thanks in part to growing paying readership across print and digital. The business news outlet said that ad revenues were down in a “challenging market”, falling from £151.6 million in 2023 to £146 million last year, but the FT says it maintained its market share. Operating profit for the company fell by £1.7 million to £7.3 million.

Hearst UK Revenues Fall as Search Changes Bite

The National Magazine Company Limited, owner of Hearst UK, says total group revenues fell from £111.9 million in 2023 to £104.6 million last year, leading to a pre-tax loss of £5.2 million. The company says digital ad revenues suffered as total page views fell by 12 percent year-on-year. A number of factors were at play here, including changes to search engine algorithms which led to a fall in search referrals. While digital ad revenues fell by £6.5 million year-on-year, print ad revenues and subscription revenues both rose.

Judge Dismisses Trump’s Case Against NYT Due to Lengthy Filing

A judge in Florida has dismissed a case filed by US president Donald Trump against the New York Times due to the filing being too long (at 85 pages), and for lacking a plain statement of the claim, according to the Financial Times. Trump is seeking $15 billion in damages for alleged defamation, relating to articles published in the Times about Trump’s path to fame and power. Trump has been given 28 days to refile the suit, which he has been told must be kept under 40 pages long.

The Week for Brands & Agencies

CTV and Retail Media Drive UK Ad Spend Growth

Increased advertiser investment in connected TV and retail media are helping drive continued strong growth in UK digital ad spend, according to IAB UK’s latest half year ad spend report. The new data projects that total UK digital ad spend will reach £45 billion by 2026, growing by around ten percent this year and next. While search remains the largest channel by a big margin, video accounted for 23 percent of total digital ad spend in the first half of the year, with ‘TV+’ (IAB UK’s term for CTV) making up a third of video spend.

Agencies Soften Sustainability Policies Amid Revenue Pressure

Agency groups are softening their sustainability policies and opening up to working with fossil fuel companies amid AI-induced pressure to shore up their own finances, the Financial Times reported this week. The number of contracts between fossil fuel companies and advertising/PR agencies has risen in the past year, according to Clean Creatives data shared with the FT. And even industry coalition Ad Net Zero has softened its tone, deleting a call to address the climate “emergency” from its website.

AB InBev Signs Wide-Ranging Netflix Deal

Drinks maker AB InBev, which owns brands including Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois, has signed a wide-ranging multi-year deal with Netflix which will see its beer brands integrated into Netflix content. The two will work together on co-marketing campaigns, including campaigns based around Netflix’s live events. Netflix says the partnership is “unprecedented in the global reach and scale of activations across AB InBev’s global portfolio of brands”.

IPA to Launch New Media Carbon Calculator

Industry trade group the IPA has announced plans to launch a new carbon emissions calculator for the media supply chain, which it says has been developed in line with Ad Net Zero’s Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF). The tool, developed in partnership with Good-Loop, will succeed the IPA’s existing Media Carbon Calculator, which isn’t GMSF-aligned.

IPG’s MRM Launches AI Relationship Management

Interpublic Group-owned marketing agency MRM has launched ‘AI Relationship Management’, a new product which it says will integrate CRM, customer experience, commerce, and media to help brands reach and influence audiences in a media landscape shaped by AI. IPG says the tool helps optimise brands for AI-mediated journeys, helping them establish an advantage over competitors.

Hires of the Week

Publicis Media Promotes UK CEO Niel Bornman

Agency holding company Publicis has promoted Publicis Media UK CEO Niel Bornman to CEO of Connected Media UK. In the newly created role, Bornman will take on responsibility for the Digitas, Epsilon, Lotame, Mars United Commerce and Influential brands. Bornman joined Publicis from GroupM Nexus in December 2023.

Reach Appoints First Head of Digital Subscriptions

UK publishing group Reach has named Harry Fawkes its first ever Head of Digital Subscriptions. Fawkes joins from The i Paper, where he was Head of Digital Subscriptions, Marketing and Business Data, and previously served as Head of Digital at Future-owned wine magazine Decanter.

DoubleVerify Revamps Commercial Leadership Team

DoubleVerify, a media verification business, has promoted Steve Mougis to Global Chief Commercial Officer, replacing Julie Eddleman who retires at the end of the year. Gian LaVecchia will take on Mougis’ current position as Chief Revenue Officer.

The Observer Names First Chief Commercial Officer

The Observer has appointed Mike Duffy as its first Chief Commercial Officer, leading the UK publisher’s advertising and partnership strategy. The news brand says it will be fully independent from The Guardian’s advertising team. Duffy’s previous experience includes senior leadership roles at TIME, Forbes and the Financial Times.

AudienceProject Hires Amazon’s Bruno Furnari

AudienceProject, an audience measurement business, has appointed Bruno Furnari as Chief Product & Technology Officer. Furnari brings more than 15 years experience in ad tech, most recently serving as Director of Product & Tech at Amazon Ads, following a ten-year stint at Nielsen.