Week in Review: BBC to Make Content for YouTube, AI Video Startup Higgsfield Raises $80 Million, and Channel 4 Reaches Streaming Tipping Point

In this week’s Week in Review: the BBC is reportedly set to announced a deal with YouTube, Channel 4 reaches a streaming tipping point, and AI video startup Higgsfield reaches a $1.4 billion valuation.

The Week in Tech

Ofcom Investigates X as Grok Continues to Pump Out Sexualised Imagery

X claims to have implemented measures to prevent its AI tool Grok from creating sexualised images of real people, after UK regulator Ofcom opened a formal investigation under the Online Safety Act. However, on Friday the Guardian reported that users are still able to generate and post the nonconsensual content. Ofcom said its investigation remains ongoing.

IAB UK Lays Out AI Disclosure Requirements in New Transparency Framework

IAB UK has released its first AI Transparency and Disclosure Framework, aimed at helping brands, agencies, publishers and platforms navigate responsible AI use. The Framework states that disclosure is required only when AI materially affects authenticity, identity, or representation in ways that could mislead consumers. “This means routine production tasks, background AI tools, and clearly stylised creative can proceed without disclosure, while use cases that risk misleading consumers require clear consumer-facing labels,” said IAB UK.

Snowflake to Acquire AI Company Observe

Snowflake, a cloud-based data business, has announced it intends to acquire Observe, an AI observability platform, for an undisclosed amount. Snowflake said the acquisition will enable the company to deliver next-generation AI-powered observability based on open standards, allowing businesses to ingest and retain their telemetry data at lower cost. Completion of the deal is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Musk Pledges to Make X’s Ad Algorithm Public

Elon Musk said on Saturday that X will make its algorithm open to the public, “including all code used to determine what organic and advertising posts are recommended to users.” Last month, the EU fined the social media company €120 million, over lack of transparency in its ad repository and failure to provide researchers access to the platform’s public data. Musk said the release “will be repeated every 4 weeks, with comprehensive developer notes, to help you understand what changed.”

Google DV360 Offers Programmatic Access to Live Sports Inventory From NBCU

Google has enabled programmatic access to NBCUniversal’s Olympic Winter Games inventory through its demand-side platform (DSP) DV360, the tech giant announced on Monday. DV360 also added new frequency management, cross-device conversion and curated inventory capabilities for live sports packages. “Marketers can now enjoy the high reach of live sports and the precision of our biddable CTV tools in Display & Video 360,” Google said in a blog post.

Spotify Pays Podcasters “Double or Triple” YouTube’s Payouts

Spotify payouts to podcasters are eclipsing those from YouTube, according to multiple podcasters as reported by Bloomberg. Chris Williamson, host of Modern Wisdom, said Spotify’s partner program offers revenue per thousand views that are “double or triple” those from YouTube. “YouTube needs to up their game if they want to compete,” he said.

Barb Issues NatCen, RSMB and Ipsos Contracts

Barb, the UK’s TV measurement body, has issued three new agency contracts, which will run from 2027 to 2029. Following a tender process, NatCen and RSMB have been appointed to deliver Barb’s Establishment Survey, while Ipsos will deliver its panel top-up recruitment.

Meta to Cut 10 Percent of Reality Labs Staff

Meta plans to cut around 10 percent of its Reality Labs staff, according to the NYT, as the tech giant pivots away from developing metaverse products and towards building AI. The company poured the bulk of its $72 billion capital expenditure into AI infrastructure and talent last year, and forecasts even higher spending this year. Meanwhile Realty Labs’ VR headsets have largely failed to catch on with consumers, despite tens of billions in investment.

The Week in TV

TV4 Shuts Down Terrestrial Broadcasts in Watershed Moment

Swedish free-to-air broadcaster TV4 shut off its terrestrial broadcasts on Monday, thirty-four years after it was first awarded a government licence to broadcast a free ad-funded channel terrestrially, in something of a watershed moment. The company announced the decision last year, stating that the role of terrestrial TV has shrunk significantly due to changing media habits in Sweden, and that the economics of terrestrial broadcasts no longer add up. The move leaves Swedish public broadcaster SVT in a tough spot as the sole supporter of terrestrial TV in the market, and could hasten the end of terrestrial TV in the country as a whole. Read more on VideoWeek.

Netflix to Become Streaming Home for Sony Movies

Netflix and Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) have announced a Pay-1 licensing deal to stream Sony’s feature films on Netflix worldwide after their full theatrical and home entertainment windows. The agreement will roll out gradually from this year as individual territory rights become available, with full global availability on Netflix in early 2029. The announcement follows a deal between Amazon and Netflix announced last week that will bring Amazon-owned titles to the streaming service.

Paramount’s Lawsuit Against WBD Denied

A US judge has denied Paramount’s request to force Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) to disclose additional information about its merger deal with Netflix, after Paramount sued WBD for more information. On Thursday, Delaware Chancery Court Judge Morgan Zurn said Paramount failed to prove it would suffer irreparable harm from omissions of information, adding that Paramount has other ways to find that information. Paramount has also said it plans to launch a proxy fight for board seats at WBD in order to secure a deal.

Netflix Prepares to Make WBD Bid an All-Cash Offer

Netflix is preparing to make its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) studios and HBO Max business into an all-cash offer, the WSJ reported on Tuesday. Netflix struck a $72 billion cash-and-stock deal with WBD in December, but reportedly plans to simplify the deal, and aims to sway some shareholders away from Paramount’s rival offer.

FIFA Lets Broadcasters Live-Stream on TikTok in World Cup Partnership

Five months until the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off in North America, FIFA has announced a partnership with TikTok to expand distribution of content on the short-form video platform, while enabling media partners to live-stream parts of matches. FIFA named the ByteDance-owned company its “first-ever Preferred Platform”, a new concept designed to make TikTok “the go-to place for fans and creators throughout the tournament.” The content will be housed in a dedicated World Cup hub on the video platform, where users can access original and curated content from media partners and global creators, alongside match ticket and viewing information, custom stickers, filters and gamification features. As part of the agreement, the tournament’s official media partners will be able to live-stream parts of matches, post curated clips, and access original content produced by FIFA for TikTok. Read more on VideoWeek.

Sky Media Takes on Disney Jr. Inventory in UK

Disney has expanded its ad sales agreement with Sky Media in the UK, adding linear advertising and sponsorship for the Disney Jr. channel, alongside VOD content across Sky’s TV platforms and Sky Go. Disney Jr. returned to Sky in November 2025, and is available to viewers via the Sky Kids package. The agreement builds on Disney’s partnership with Sky Media, which has represented ad sales across the National Geographic linear channels since 2004.

HBO Max Launches in Eight New Countries

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has launched HBO Max in Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Israel and Greece. The latest roll-out moves the streaming service “closer to being available across all of Europe”, according to WBD, with the UK and Ireland launch coming at the end of March.

WWE Reached 525 Million Viewing Hours on Netflix Last Year

Netflix subscribers watched 525 million hours of WWE content in 2025, the streaming service announced on the anniversary of wrestling’s Netflix debut. The company said flagship show RAW made the Global English TV Top 10 for 47 out of 52 weeks. Other WWE events also made the Top 10 in 42 countries, according to Netflix, ranking highest in Bolivia, Canada, the UK, Egypt, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The Week for Publishers

Penske Media, The Atlantic, and Vox Media Sue Google Over Ad Market Manipulation

Variety and Rolling Stone-publisher Penske Media, The Atlantic, and Vox Media all filed separate lawsuits against Google this week, each claiming that Google has maintained an illegal ad tech monopoly which has harmed publisher revenues. The lawsuits build on last year’s ruling in the US Justice Department’s case against Google that the search giant has illegally built and maintained monopolies in the open-web display publisher ad market and the open-web display ad server market, and has also illegally tied its publisher ad server and ad exchange. The publishing groups each claim that Google’s behaviour has cost publishers billions of dollars worth of revenue, and are seeking monetary damages and court-ordered changes to Google’s ad tech business.

Goalhanger Plans to Expand Written Content with Editorial Hire

British podcast production and distribution company Goalhanger, known for its The Rest Is… umbrella brand, looks to be expanding into written content, as the company has hired a new editorial director charged with overseeing written output. Emily Kent Smith, previously of the Sunday Times, will guide written content strategy across Goalhanger’s shows, including newsletters and long-form content. “Goalhanger is changing the world of journalism and entertainment, with millions already engaging with ‘The Rest Is…’ across audio, video and live events,” said Kent Smith. “Expanding the brand into written formats – giving fans more ways to spend time with the shows they love while reaching new audiences – feels like the natural next step.”

Google Executive Says Tech Companies Should Pay for Data in AI Training

A Google executive told a House of Lords committee in the UK last week that tech companies shouldn’t have to pay for access to publisher data when it’s used to train AI models, but added that payment may be expected whenever an AI chatbot explicitly replicates publisher content. Roxanne Carter, Google’s global IP lead, government affairs and public policy, giving evidence on AI and copyright, drew a distinction between the two different ways AI products use publisher data. “If you’re asking us to pay for every single piece of content for the training of the model, and if that content is freely available on the web, then no [AI companies shouldn’t be expected to pay],” she said.

Over Three Thousand Journalist Job Cuts Recorded in 2025

Around 3,400 journalism job cuts were recorded in the UK and US last year, according to analysis from Press Gazette based on company accounts and reports. This figure wouldn’t include any job cuts which weren’t made public or reported in the press. The figure, while high, was down on the previous two years: over 7,900 job cuts were recorded in 2023, and nearly 3,900 more in 2024. People Inc. saw the highest number of job losses from an individual company, with over 365 in two rounds of layoffs.

Google Reportedly Prioritises X and YouTube Over Publishers in Discover

Google is now reportedly prioritising links to content on X and YouTube over publisher content in Discover, its scrollable feed which appears underneath the Google home page and is embedded in Android devices, according to data seen by Press Gazette. Web analytics business Marfeel says its data shows this to be the case, a belief shared by UK publishing group Reach’s head of SEO and Discover. Marfeel claims that in the US, Brazil and Mexico, over half of the Discover feed is made up of AI summaries which encourage users to click through to YouTube links.

I Squared Drops Interest in Ströer Billboard Business

Private equity company I Squared Capital has dropped its interest in acquiring Ströer’s out-of-home ads business, Bloomberg reported this week, as it has failed to secure sufficient backing to proceed with a deal. The acquisition could have valued the German media company’s out-of-home arm at €3.5 billion, according to Bloomberg, higher than Ströer’s total market cap of €2.1 billion. The company may still look to sell its OOH to a different buyer further down the line, according to Bloomberg’s sources.

The Week for Brands & Agencies

Dentsu’s Sale Efforts Reportedly Near Collapse

Japanese agency group Dentsu’s efforts to offload its international operations are on the verge of collapse, the Financial Times reported this week, as potential buyers have either already walked away from talks or look set to do so. The FT first reported last August that Dentsu was considering strategic options for its struggling international business, including a possible sale. But while a number of buyers including private equity firm Apollo have shown interest, the majority have walked away from discussions. The last interested party, Bain Capital, has “significant reservations” according to an FT source, and Dentsu’s president Hiroshi Igarashi is said to have told the board that Bain is unlikely to continue talks.

Golden Quarter Marked by “Budgetary Stasis” as UK Marketers Prioritise Performance Channels

As data from UK retailers emerges to indicate disappointing Christmas sales, reports on the advertising front suggest the final quarter of 2025 delivered a mixed bag for marketing spend. The latest IPA Bellwether report reveals that UK marketing budgets flatlined during the quarter. The net balance, derived from subtracting the proportion of marketers who reported a decrease in spend from those whose budgets increased, came in at 0.0 percent, suggesting that the year ended on a neutral note. Respondents noted that cost pressures, muted economic activity and budget constraints prompted budget re-evaluation, while the Autumn Budget was cited as a headwind in the final quarter. Read more on VideoWeek.

Publicis Agrees Strategic Partnership with LiveRamp

French holding company Publicis has agreed a strategic partnership with data and identity business LiveRamp, AdAge has reported, in a deal which will combine Publicis’s AI capabilities and assets with LiveRamp’s data collaboration technology. The partnership will allow brands to integrate their own first-party data alongside third-party sources and feed that data into Publicis’s AI models, while maintaining control over privacy and governance. Publicis clients will also get access to LiveRamp’s broad network of partnered data sources. Interestingly, AdAge reported that Publicis had sounded out a potential acquisition of LiveRamp last year, though no such deal materialised.

Hershey Bumps Up Marketing Budget by 20 Percent

Snack and confectionery maker Hershey has increased its marketing budget for its flagship Hershey’s brand by 20 percent, the Wall Street Journal reported this week, to fund the chocolate brand’s first new ad campaign in eight years. The campaign will use a mix of linear TV and CTV, as well as other digital channels, according to the WSJ. Hershey said it expects a campaign boosting its core Hershey’s product to have wider benefits across the company and its other snack brands.

Omnicom Folds TPN into Flywheel

American holdco Omnicom this week announced it is folding TPN, which it describes as its flagship retail and commerce agency, into its overall commerce practice Flywheel. The change will see TPN’s operations, staff, and client relationships become part of the Flywheel brand, with TPN president Sarah Cunningham becoming Flywheel’s chief retail experience officer. Omnicom says the combination will “empower clients to seamlessly connect strategy, creativity, data, and activation, both in-store and online, within one unified global platform”.

WPP Media Wins Norwegian Cruise Line’s $102 Million US Media Account

British agency group WPP has won Norwegian Cruise Line’s US Media account, Adweek reported this week, taking over from Publicis-owned Digitas, which didn’t defend the business. The account is worth around $102 million, according to Adweek. A brand spokesperson told Adweek that the company is looking to redefine its brand, and hopes to expand its presence in the media marketplace through its partnership with WPP.

VCCP Put Up for Sale

London-based ad agency VCCP has been put up for sale by its owner, private equity firm Providence Equity Partners, which expects to receive up to £450 million for the company. Providence has appointed investment bankers from Moelis to explore a sale, according to The Times. VCCP’s total worldwide revenues in 2024 were £307 million, with total earnings of £39 million, though The Times’ sources say earnings rose to £45 million last year.

Hires of the Week

Paramount Appoints Dennis K. Cinelli as CFO

Paramount has named Dennis K. Cinelli as Chief Financial Officer. The appointment sees Cinelli resign his Board of Directors seat. Cinelli joins from Scale AI where he also served as CFO.

Madhive Announces New CRO and SVP Operations

Madhive, a US ad tech firm, has appointed Nicki Harkrider-Probey as Chief Revenue Officer, and Mindy Buckalew as Senior Vice President of Operations. Harkrider-Probey previously served as CRO at News-Press & Gazette Company, while Buckalew joins from Cox Media Group.

Ozone Promotes Danny Geelan to Head of Commercial Trading

UK publisher alliance Ozone has promoted Danny Geelan to Head of Commercial Trading. In the newly created role, Geelan will take on responsibility for managing and growing Ozone’s UK agency relationships. The appointment expands on his previous position as Head of Sales for the agency holdcos.

OpenX Expands Publisher Development Team

OpenX, an omnichannel supply-side platform (SSP), has announced Akhil Savani as Vice President of Publisher Development, and Rebecca Bonell as Regional Vice President of Publisher Development, The Americas. Savani previously spent nine years at The Trade Desk, while Bonell has been with OpenX for almost ten years.