In this week’s Week in Review: WBD asks bidders to sweeten their deals, Swedish media companies report Zuckerberg to the police, and Omnicom completes its merger with IPG.
Top Stories
Warner Bros. Discovery Asks Bidders to Up Their Offers
Having found itself unexpectedly at the centre of a bidding war, media group Warner Bros. Discovery has asked its suitors to submit improved offers by 1st December, Bloomberg reported this week, as the company considers its options.
Earlier this year, WBD announced plans to split itself into two independent companies, with one part taking ownership of the traditional TV networks, and the other running the streaming and studios businesses. But an unsolicited bid from Paramount caused Warner Bros. Discovery to consider other options. And with other bidders entering the fray, it’s looking increasingly likely that a sale may be agreed.
Alongside Paramount, Netflix and Comcast are both known to have submitted bids, according to Bloomberg. Netflix and Comcast are believed to be primarily interested in getting access to Warner Bros.’s film and TV library, a move which would bolster their existing content slates significantly. Paramount meanwhile is sizing up a bid for the whole business.
Should a deal be agreed, the question remains of whether any of WBD’s potential buyers would pass antitrust scrutiny. President Donald Trump’s influence could prove critical — and on that front Paramount may stand to benefit, given chairman David Ellison’s ties to the president via his father, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.
Swedish Media Companies File Police Report Against Mark Zuckerberg
A collection of Swedish media companies including TV4, SVT, SR, and UR, have filed a police report against Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, following recent reporting claiming that Zuckerberg’s company has generated billions of dollars from scam ads.
Reuters reported recently that internal documents suggest ads linked to fraud accounted for as much as ten percent of revenues last year, amounting to around $16 billion. In some cases, these fraudulent ads lean on the reputation of respected publishers to appear legitimate, for example through domain spoofing tactics where ads lead to websites that closely mimic mainstream publishers. The media companies, under trade group Utgivarna, say that they have repeatedly tried to speak with Facebook representatives, but claim that no action has been taken.
Utgivarna says Meta has tried to shift responsibility onto the media companies themselves, suggesting measures which it says are cumbersome and ineffective. Thus, the group has decided to report Zuckerberg personally to the police for fraud, complicity in fraud, and preparation for fraud.
Omnicom Completes Merger with Interpublic Group
Just under a year since the deal was first announced, agency holding group Omnicom this week formally completed its merger with rival company Interpublic, creating the world’s largest agency business by most measures.
“This is a defining moment for our company and our industry,” said John Wren, Chairman and CEO of Omnicom. “With the completion of the deal, Omnicom is setting a new standard for modern marketing and sales leadership — creating stronger brands, delivering superior business outcomes, and driving sustainable growth. We’re excited about this next chapter. I want to thank our people, clients, and shareholders for the trust they have placed in us.”
The deal completed shortly after the European Commission granted unconditional permission for the merger to proceed. The antitrust process has been straightforward in most markets, barring the US, where the FTC mandated that the combined company mustn’t deny advertising dollars to media publishers based on their political or ideological viewpoint, unless explicitly told to do so by a client.
The Week in Tech
US Senators Call for Probe Over Facebook Scam Ad Revenues
Republican senator Josh Hawley and Democrat Richard Blumenthal have called on the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch a probe into Meta, following reporting earlier this month from Reuters that the tech giant is generating billions of dollars from ads that promote scams. In a letter addressed to the two agencies, the two senators said the FTC and SEC should investigate whether the reporting is accurate, and pursue “vigorous enforcement action where appropriate”, according to Reuters.
IAB Europe Report Highlights Cross-Platform Data Access as Key Addressability Challenge
IAB Europe this week released its first pan-European report on the adoption of addressability and measurement solutions, outlining how players across the ecosystem are shifting towards privacy-first advertising. Cross-platform data access was found to be the top industry challenge, while standardisation remains a “clear and urgent need” according to IAB Europe, with inconsistent frameworks and fragmented practices across platforms and markets.
Ofcom Calls on Tech Firms to Step Up Action Against Online Misogynistic Abuse
Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, this week launched new industry guidance calling on tech firms to “step up to deliver” a safer online experience for women and girls in the UK. Research cited by Ofcom shows that women from all walks of life and backgrounds face disproportionate levels of harm online, and Ofcom has laid out specific steps tech businesses should consider taking to help lower the risk of online harms for women. These include specific steps to mitigate general abuse, prevent pile-ons and coordinated harassment, and prevent stalking or coercive control. The regulator says it expects tech companies to take immediate action in line with the guidance.
Adform Integrates with Spotify Ad Exchange
European media buying platform Adform this week announced an expansion of its partnership with audio streamer Spotify, which will see Adform directly integrated into Spotify’s proprietary ad tech tool Spotify Ad Exchange. Adform says this will give advertisers using its platform greater control and flexibility to plan and activate campaigns, driving quicker audio activations at lower costs. “We’re focused on making it easier for advertisers to buy, create, and measure success on Spotify. That’s just what our expanded partnership makes possible,” said Brian Berner, Spotify’s global co-head of advertising.
Samsung Reports Success from First European ‘GameBreaks’ Ads
Samsung’s advertising arm Samsung Ads this week released the results from its first European ‘GameBreaks’ ad campaign, a new format which incorporates a remote control-powered trivia quiz or game into the ad creative. The campaign was run with Domino’s Pizza and Havas, presenting viewers with a pizza-related trivia question. According to Samsung Ads, the campaign delivered an engagement rate of 3.84 percent and a 31 percent uplift in brand consideration.
Teads and XPLN Partner on Attention Measurement
Omnichannel ad tech business Teads this week announced a new partnership with attention measurement and optimisation specialist XPLN.AI. The partnership will be rolled out across EMEA and the US, giving Teads’ clients direct access to XPLN’s attention measurement solutions. The two companies will also work together to expand attention measurement capabilities to new ad formats, and to create dedicated standards for attention.
Azerion to Handle HBO Max Austrian Ad Sales
Azerion has been handed responsibility for ad sales for Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max streaming service in Austria when it launches next year. Azerion has had a significant sales house business in the Austrian market since acquiring Goldbach Austria last year. HBO Max will offer an ad-supported subscription tier from day one when it launches in Austria, with formats including pause ads and in-front ads, as well as regular in-stream slots.
The Week in TV
MFE’s European Project Takes Another Step Forward with Impresa Deal
Italy-based broadcaster MFE-MediaForEurope acquired a 32.9 percent stake in Portuguese media business Impresa for around €17.3 million, another step in its ongoing push to build a pan-European media giant able to stand up to US competitors. As part of the share purchase deal, MFE and Impresa will collaborate around joint advertising solutions and a shared digital platform. Impresa owns Portuguese TV network SIC, alongside digital and print properties including weekly newspaper Expresso. It’s a major player in the Portuguese media market — SIC has frequently ranked as Portugal’s most watched TV channel in recent years, and Expresso ranks as one of its most popular newspapers. Read more on VideoWeek.
Switzerland’s SRG Cuts Around 900 Jobs by 2029
Swiss public broadcaster SRG is looking to cut around 900 jobs, around 15 percent of its current total workforce, by 2029, Reuters reported this week. The company said in a statement that it is “pooling its resources, becoming more digital, leaner, and more agile, and will be working more closely across regions in the future”. SRG has been hit by budget cuts imposed by the Swiss government, after a decision was taken to reduce the national media levy which funds the broadcaster.
Dutch PSB NPO Allowed to Increase Ad Load
Dutch public service broadcaster NPO will be allowed to increase the volume of ads it’s allowed to air, up from a current limit of eight percent of total airtime to ten percent in 2027, after the Dutch government approved the measure. NPO has had its budget cut by €150 million according to the NL Times, and so the change to its ad load limit is designed to help the broadcaster cover some of this shortfall. It is projected to help NPO generate an extra €12 million annually.
Scripps Uses Poison Pill to Stall $538 Million Sinclair Bid
US broadcaster E.W. Scripps has adopted a ‘poison pill’ tactic to buy time after receiving a $538 million bid from fellow US broadcaster Sinclair, Reuters reported this week. Sinclair announced last week it has built up an 8.2 percent stake in Scripps, and made a $7 per share full takeover offer on Monday. In order to buy time to consider the deal and other options, Scripps has adopted a shareholder rights plan which would help fend off a hostile takeover, by creating a means to dilute the holdings of any business that builds a stake worth more than ten percent of the whole company.
Sky Sports Shutters Controversial Female-Focused Social Channel ‘Halo’
Sky Sports has shut down Halo, a TikTok channel aimed at younger female audiences, just days after launch, following a backlash which saw TikTok users and commentators describe the account as sexist and condescending. Sky branded Halo as the ‘lil sis’ of its main Sky Sports channel, with posts referencing “hot girl walks”, matcha and Barbies according to The Guardian. “We’ve listened. We didn’t get it right. As a result we’re stopping all activity on this account,” Sky Sports said in a statement.
DAZN Backs Out of Belgian Football Rights Deal Following Carriage Trouble
Sports streamer DAZN has backed out of its domestic rights deal for Belgium’s top football league, the Jupiler Pro League, following a failure to agree carriage deals with Belgium’s top distributors. DAZN was awarded broadcasting rights from 2025-2030 last year, but talks with telcos and Belgian clubs have hit a standstill. Without wider distribution, DAZN says that broadcasting top flight games is not commercially viable, and says it has backed out of its contract in accordance with Belgian law. The move raises the prospect of a TV blackout for the Pro League, which has threatened legal action against the sports streamer.
The Week for Publishers
DMGT Agrees £500 Million Deal for The Telegraph
The Daily Mail & General Trust, publisher of UK newspaper the Daily Mail as well as the i and the Metro, has agreed a £500 million deal to buy fellow right-wing newspaper the Daily and Sunday Telegraph. The deal, if allowed by regulators, would bring together two of Britain’s largest right-leaning news outlets. The Telegraph’s future has been in limbo since it was seized by Lloyds bank from previous owners the Barclay brothers over unpaid debts. DMGT chairman Lord Rothermere said he intends to give the Mail “the resources to invest in the newsroom,” adding that under DMGT ownership, “the Daily Telegraph will become a global brand, just as the Daily Mail has”.
BuzzFeed, Vox, and USA Today Join RSL AI Licensing Initiative
BuzzFeed, USA Today Co, Vox Media, and Arena Group have all signed up to the Really Simple Licensing (RSL) Collective’s AI licensing framework, an initiative to standardise the way digital publishers license their content to AI tools, Digiday reported this week. The initiative standardises how publishers communicate with AI scrapers about what content they’re allowed to use, and what their payment terms are for licensing content. People Inc., Ziff Davis, Reddit, and Yahoo are among those already involved with the effort, according to Digiday.
Metro Cuts Staff and Focuses on Video as Traffic Declines
UK newspaper the Metro has told staff it is planning job cuts, which the publisher attributes to falling web traffic, Press Gazette reported this week. An internal email circulated to staff cited the need to focus resources on areas with the highest potential for growth — a key issue for publishers, with many attributing falls in web traffic to the growth of AI search. Areas of focus for the Metro include social video and licensing deals, according to Press Gazette.
Observer and MEN Launch Paywalls
Two UK newspapers, Reach-owned Manchester Evening News and the newly independent Observer, both announced the launch of paid subscriptions this week. The Manchester Evening News, which is the UK’s most read local news title according to Reach, has started putting some premium articles behind a paywall, with paid subscribers also getting an ad-lite version of the site. The Observer meanwhile has shifted to a paywall model following its sale by the holding company which owns The Guardian.
Condé Nast’s Bon Appétit Opens JFK Restaurant and Market
Condé Nast-owned food publisher Bon Appétit is opening a restaurant and food market in New York’s JFK International Airport Terminal One, the title’s parent company announced this week. A number of magazine brands have looked to build new revenue streams based around real-world products and services in recent years, in response to declining ad revenues. Condé Nast says the location ties together Bon Appétit’s editorial skew towards food, culture, and travel.
The Week for Brands & Agencies
S4 Capital and M&C Saatchi Downgrade Full-Year Outlooks
UK-based advertising groups S4 Capital and M&C Saatchi both downgraded their full-year expectations on Monday, Reuters reported this week, as macroeconomic conditions and global events have continued to dampen client spend. M&C Saatchi says it has been affected by the lengthy shutdown of the federal government in the US, while S4 Capital said that early data for October showed that results were worse than expected. For S4 Capital, this was the fourth time the company cut its full year revenue guidance in 2025.
WPP Set to Drop Out of FTSE 100
British agency group WPP is set to drop out of the FTSE 100, the index of the 100 largest publicly traded companies in the UK, the Wall Street Journal reported this week. WPP looks likely to drop out of the index next week, following a tough year for the company which has seen its share price fall by around 64 percent since the start of the year. WPP has been listed in the FTSE 100 since 1998, according to the WSJ.
Marketing Procurement Teams See Rising Financial Pressure
A new report on the marketing procurement sector from the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) found that a significant number of marketing procurement specialists are facing rising financial pressure. Of those surveyed, 26 percent said they don’t have enough resources, and 17 percent said they are too focussed on cost-saving, as they’re being asked to deliver on cost cutting and supporting competitiveness. Meanwhile 78 percent said their teams are undergoing either significant or moderate change, with 67 percent listing AI experimentation as a high priority or important.
Publicis Sports Strikes Data Deal with Genius Sports
Publicis Groupe’s sports arm has announced a new deal with sports data business Genius Sports, which will make the latter’s real-time fan engagement data available to Publicis Sports clients. Publicis Sports clients will have access to FANHub, Genius’s AI-driven platform that it says connects brands with specific, verified fans at peak moments of attention. The partnership will focus on targeting, ad innovation, and measurement, according to the two companies.
Stagwell Partners with Gradial for Agentic Execution
Agency group Stagwell has announced a new partnership with agentic AI company Gradial, which it says will see Gradial’s agentic execution engine paired with Stagwell’s design, global creative and AI expertise. The two will work together to build autonomous systems around agents, which they say will help brands connect their marketing workflows, remove operational bottlenecks, and deliver personalised experiences.
UK Junk Food Ad Rules Cut Cravings from Christmas Ads
New rules barring junk foods from TV ads is having an impact on audiences’ emotional responses to this year’s batch of Christmas ads, according to data from creative testing platform DAIVID. This year’s festive ads are 24 percent less likely on average than last year’s crop to elicit the emotion of ‘craving’ in audiences, according to DAIVID. However this year’s ads are four percent more effective overall, with DAIVID’s data showing they’re more likely to generate higher attention and more intense positive emotions.
Hires of the Week
Ex-WPP Boss Mark Read Appointed Chair of Kantar Media
Mark Read, the former boss of WPP who stepped down in June, has been appointed chair of Kantar Media, the data and audience measurement company that was acquired by HIG Capital back in January. Read is familiar with Kantar Media having spent seven years as CEO of agency giant WPP, which established Kantar Group as its market research division in 1992. Read more on VideoWeek.
Ogury Appoints Nicolas Bidon as CEO
Ogury this week announced it has appointed Nicolas Bidon as its new CEO, starting December 1st. Bidon was most recently global CEO of GroupM Nexus, and has also held positions at Xaxis, plista, and Yahoo. Ogury says Bidon will handle global strategy, growth, business development, and operational leadership across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC.
This Week on VideoWeek
Ex-WPP Boss Mark Read Appointed Chair of Kantar Media
Curation Needs to Happen but Progress is Slow
How The Independent is Marrying Trusted Journalism with AI
US and UK Advertisers Are Split on User-Generated Content
There’s an Opportunity for Advertisers in CTV Viewers’ Moments of Indecision
VideoWeek Podcast: #52 Mike Shaw, Roku
Broadcasters Have to Start Looking at CPM Per Second
MFE’s European Project Takes Another Step Forward with Impresa Deal
Ad of the Week
Apple, A Critter Carol
Follow VideoWeek on LinkedIn.
