Week in Review: IAB Sweden Kicks Out Meta, BuzzFeed Faces Liquidity Challenges, and Publicis Acquires AdgeAI

In this week’s Week in Review: IAB Sweden boots out Meta over deceptive advertising, BuzzFeed faces a liquidity crunch, and Publicis makes an AI acquisition.

The Week in Tech

Barb Adds Pre-Campaign Planning to New Ads Hub

Barb, the UK’s joint industry committee (JIC) for TV measurement, has on Monday added pre-campaign functionality to Barb Ads Hub, bringing campaign forecasting capabilities to the analytics system. Barb said the pre-campaign planner enables users to forecast the unduplicated reach and frequency delivered by campaigns on linear and VOD services over multiple screens. The JIC announced that buyers and sellers of UK TV advertising with access to Barb Ads Hub can now use the pre-campaign planner, which was previously known as Advanced Campaign Hub. The pre-campaign planner combines Barb panel data and first-party data with census-level impressions supplied by participating VOD services, which now include the major global streaming services. Read more on VideoWeek.

ShowHeroes Boosts German Publisher Network and Programmatic Capabilities with Traffective Acquisition

ShowHeroes, a Berlin-based ad tech business specialising in CTV and video advertising solutions, this week announced it has acquired fellow German ad tech outfit Traffective for an undisclosed fee. ShowHeroes says the deal is a step towards building “one of Europe’s largest independent monetisation platforms across CTV, video, and display”, with the combined company working with nearly 2,000 publisher partners, generating over 25 billion ad impressions per month. Traffective describes itself as a programmatic monetisation platform, offering a range of display advertising monetisation solutions for its publisher partners including yield management and an IAB-certified consent management platform. Read more on VideoWeek.

Tech Firms Must Protect Women and Girls From Online Misogyny Says UK Government

The UK Government has threatened action against tech companies that fail to protect women and girls from abuse and misogyny online. On Monday, Tech Secretary Liz Kendall held a roundtable with Snapchat, Meta, YouTube and TikTok, urging the companies to go further and faster in implementing safety measures. “This government has taken tough action to tackle intimate image abuse, deepfakes and the online harms women and girls face every day,” Kendall said in a statement. “Now, tech companies must go above and beyond to use the tools readily available to them to make their platforms safer. If they don’t, these companies are not innocent bystanders – they are enabling abuse to thrive.”

UK Regulators Order Tech Firms to Prove Commitment to Protecting Children Online

UK regulator Ofcom has ordered popular online services used by children to prove their commitment to protecting children online, including enforcing age assurance measures, tackling grooming, and making feeds safer. “We have set Facebook, Instagram, Roblox, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube a deadline of 30 April to report back to us on the action they will take, and we are urging them to publish this,” the watchdog said in a statement. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has also published an open letter to social media and video‑sharing platforms in the UK, calling on them to strengthen age assurance measures so young children can’t access services that are not designed for them.

IAB Tech Lab Releases AI Content Monetisation Protocol for Public Comment

IAB Tech Lab, a technical standard-setting body for digital advertising, has released the CoMP (Content Monetisation Protocol) Specification v1.0 for public comment. The initiative is designed to establish a standardised framework for content owners and marketplaces to communicate with AI systems on their content offerings, and ensure there are commercial terms in place before any crawling or content use occurs. The specification will be available for public comment until 9th April 2026. “If we expect high-quality content to continue fueling AI-driven products, we need clear terms of engagement and a mechanism that supports compensation, accountability, and long-term sustainability,” said IAB Tech Lab CEO Anthony Katsur. “CoMP is designed to help the industry move in that direction.”

Nexxen Brings ACR Data to Adform Clients in Strategic Partnership

Ad tech firm Nexxen has announced a strategic data partnership with demand-side platform (DSP) Adform, giving the DSP’s clients access to Nexxen’s automatic content recognition (ACR) data. Designed to enable cross-channel and cross-device targeting in digital media investments, the partnership will initially launch in Germany and the UK, followed by France later in 2026. “We recognise the significant potential of ACR data to provide advertisers with deep insights into their audiences’ viewing habits, guiding their multi-platform strategies,” said Oscar Rondon, Vice President, Data and Measurement Solutions at Nexxen “Our goal is to equip brands with comprehensive, actionable data that can be seamlessly utilised across their platform of choice, and our collaboration with Adform achieves just that – ultimately expanding the availability of our data-driven solutions.”

Viant Revenues Up 22 Percent in 2025

Ad tech business Viant posted 22 percent YoY revenue growth in 2025, reaching $110 million. Shares in Viant jumped 10 percent following the earnings update. CEO Tim Vanderhook also appeared to take a jab at The Trade Desk for downplaying the threat of Amazon on a recent earnings call. “I don’t want to discount Amazon as a competitor in the space like some others have,” he said.

Nexxen “Off to a Strong Start” in Q1

Nexxen is “off to a strong start in 2026,” according to CEO Ofer Druker, with programmatic revenues exceeding initial expectations so far in Q1. Nexxen now expects full-year programmatic revenue growth of 10 percent YoY in 2026, the company said in its earnings report. The forecast follows a stable 2025 for the ad tech company, with flat revenue growth across the full year, and 5 percent YoY growth in programmatic revenues.

Meta to Pass Costs of Digital Services Taxes to Advertisers

Meta is asking advertisers to cover the costs of digital services taxes, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, as the tech giant seeks to pass on the cost of levies imposed by countries on local sales made by tech firms. The company reportedly emailed advertisers to inform them of new “location fees”, extra charges to kick in from July. Meta said it had absorbed the fees until now.

YouTube Rolls Out Unskippable 30-Second CTV Ads

Google is rolling out unskippable 30-second YouTube ads on CTV, the tech giant has confirmed. YouTube will now insert non-skippable 30-second spots, alongside existing 6-second bumper ads and 15-second units, on smart TVs, streaming sticks and games consoles. Advertisers are now able to access and publish ads using the new format, according to Google.

The Week in TV

RTL Approaches Inflection Point with Streaming Profitability Expected This Year

This week’s full year earnings from European broadcaster RTL Group in some ways tell a very familiar story. Total group revenues were down year-on-year, falling 3.8 percent to €6.02 billion. Tough market conditions dented TV ad revenues, as linear ad spend in RTL’s markets fell. And while digital revenues grew, they didn’t grow fast enough to counterbalance the linear decline. But the media giant says an inflection point is on the horizon. After years of investment, RTL says its overall streaming business came close to profitability at the end of 2025, and is expected to tip into the black this year. Total group revenues meanwhile are predicted to return to growth, pegged at between €6.1 and €6.2 billion this year (ignoring the impact of any completed M&A). Read more on VideoWeek.

Swiss Voters Reject SRG Funding Cut in Vote of Confidence for PSBs

In a referendum on Sunday, Swiss voters rejected a proposal to slash public funding for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG), a vote of confidence in the public sector broadcaster which has been under attack from opponents on the political right. A campaign led by the conservative Swiss People’s Party had sought to cut the annual licence fee paid by Swiss households from 335 Swiss francs to 200 francs. Under the slogan “200 francs is enough!”, critics of the SRG claimed that the price of the licence — the highest in the world, according to Reuters — was too high, and that the broadcaster’s offering had become too sprawling. In Sunday’s referendum, the motion was rejected, with 62 percent of those who voted opposing the proposal.

“Today is a decisive moment for the future of SRG. We are very pleased that the electorate has once again placed its trust in us,” said Jean-Michel Cina, chairman of the SRG Board of Directors. “We are relieved that we were able to demonstrate the added value that SRG provides for the whole of Switzerland.” Read more on VideoWeek.

Netflix Acquires Ben Affleck’s AI Film Company InterPositive for Reported $600 Million

Netflix has acquired Ben Affleck’s AI film tech company InterPositive, the streaming giant announced last week. Financial terms were not officially disclosed, but Bloomberg reported a price tag of $600 million. “Our approach to AI has always been focused on meaningfully serving the needs of the creative community and our members,” said Elizabeth Stone, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Netflix. “The InterPositive team is joining Netflix because of our shared belief that innovation should empower storytellers, not replace them.”

ProSieben to Keep Flaconi and ParshipMeet but Could Divest Longer-Term

ProSiebenSat.1 has begun approaching potential buyers for parts of its digital portfolio, according to Reuters, but intends to retain dating platform ParshipMeet Group and e-commerce business Flaconi. Prior to taking full ownership of the German media group, MFE had been pushing ProSieben to divest its non-TV assets. ParshipMeet and Flaconi are both cash-generating businesses and will remain in the group for now, according to sources familiar with the matter, though their sale reportedly remains a longer-term goal.

FranceTV Publicité Introduces Interactive, Pause and CTV Ad Formats

FranceTV Publicité is launching six new digital ad formats, the French sales house announced on Wednesday, designed to maximise attention, enrich the user experience, and boost full-funnel effectiveness. The formats are:

Shoppable Experience – an interactive format integrated natively into the content of France.tv’s web and app pages
Animated Coverbreak and Animated Coverlook – animated pause ads available in all environments including CTV
Coverplay CTV – an event format located in the top slideshow on the France.tv homepage
Sponsored collections – brand placements within premium, thematic collections from France.tv
Skin Content Event – brand placements within editorial events in “L” format that surrounds content

TF1 PUB Integrates Reworld Media Advertising Segments into New AdManager

TF1 PUB is renewing its partnership with data targeting specialist Reworld Media, the French broadcaster’s sales house announced on Thursday. Reworld Media’s advertising segments are now directly integrated into TF1 AdManager, TF1 PUB’s new self-serve platform for TV and streaming campaigns. “This renewal is fully aligned with TF1 PUB’s strategy: to allow advertisers with regional or national objectives to access the quality and reach of the TF1 Group’s media environments with more targeted campaigns,” the company said in a statement.

UKTV Linear Channels Made Available to Internet-Only Samsung TV Viewers

UKTV’s free linear channels will be available to internet-only Samsung TV viewers in the UK, under a new partnership between the BBC Studios-owned broadcaster and TV manufacturer. The UK broadcaster’s U streaming service will also have a dedicated rail on the Samsung home screen. “This new deal builds on our already fruitful and wide-ranging partnership with Samsung,” said Jonathan Newman, General Manager, Commercial at UKTV and BBC Studios UK/Ireland. “It will make the U app even more accessible to Samsung’s customers and ensure UKTV’s rich mix of content remains highly visible across VOD and linear.”

eBay Live to Sponsor SNL UK Across Sky Platforms

Sky Media has named eBay as headline partner of Saturday Night Live UK, the comedy show launching on Sky next week, with a focus on interactive shopping livestream eBay Live. The shopping experience will be integrated across linear TV, VOD and social, according to Sky Media. “This partnership demonstrates how brands can use premium live television to drive momentum and then amplify that impact across every screen,” said Karin Seymour, Client and Marketing Director at Sky Media. “By integrating eBay across broadcast, social and live commerce, we’re creating a fully connected ecosystem around one of the most anticipated entertainment launches of the year.”

The Week for Publishers

Axel Springer Gazumps Daily Mail with Telegraph Deal

European media group Axel Springer announced last Friday it has agreed a £575 million deal to acquire UK newspaper the Telegraph, beating out the £500 million offer previously agreed with the Daily Mail & General Trust (DMGT). The deal, if approved by regulators, will see the Telegraph added to Axel Springer’s stable of publications which includes Business Insider, Politico, Bild, and Die Welt. “Editorial independence is sacrosanct at Axel Springer,” said Mathias Döpfner, Axel Springer’s CEO. “We believe that the best way to safeguard that is through financial and economic success. We see massive growth potential for [Telegraph Media Group]. Technological excellence and transformation with the best artificial intelligence tools is mission critical for this.”

DMG Media Doubles Down on Subscription with New Stack

DMG Media, owner of the Daily Mail, New Scientist, and i newspaper, announced this week it is launching a new bundle subscription across its publications called Stack, a B2B offering will allow partners to offer content across those publications at wholesale rates. Stack will give access to Daily Mail+, The i Paper, and New Scientist, but will only be available to business partners. Jack Barham, DMG Media’s head of subscriber partnerships, said the offering will help combat subscription churn. “Stack sidesteps that entirely,” he said. “In a B2B model, subscribers are retained by the partner’s ecosystem: their bank, their mobile provider, their loyalty programme.”

LADbible Lays Off Staff in Social Video Team

UK publisher LADbible has cut around a dozen staff from its Manchester-based social video team, Digiday reported this week, with affected roles including video editors, channel managers, and social editors. While staff cuts are sadly not uncommon in the publishing world, it’s often the case that companies cut editorial staff in order to free up funds to strengthen their video teams. CEO Solly Solomou hinted in a statement to Digiday that the cuts aren’t a move away from video. “Our strategy is increasingly focused on building scalable brand-led IP, deepening creator partnerships and investing in areas where we have greater control over distribution and long-term value creation,” he said. “As part of this strategic evolution we have begun a consultation process affecting some roles within our UK social and editorial teams.”

Publishers’ Licensing Services Launches New Collective AI Licensing Scheme

Publishers’ Licensing Services (PLS), a UK-based organisation which provides collective licensing services for book, journal, magazine, and website publishers, this week announced it is developing a new AI-specific offering. The first phase of the initiative invites publishers to opt-in to a collective licence scheme, which has been developed along with the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) and the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS). The scheme will create a content repository which will enable AI companies to legally access publisher works, accessible by paying a publisher and author-backed licence fee.

German Publishers Push For More Changes to Apple ATT

A group of German publishers and advertisers have called on the country’s competition authority to push back against changes which Apple has proposed for its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) mechanism, claiming that these changes won’t do enough to alleviate competition concerns. The regulator last year ruled that ATT, which requires apps to gain explicit consent for gaining access to Apple’s advertising ID, represents a misuse of Apple’s market power. Apple proposed a series of changes in response, but publishers and advertisers argue that these don’t address their core competition concerns, according to Reuters.

The Week for Brands & Agencies

Stagwell Posts Solid Q4 Organic Revenue Growth

Marketing network Stagwell this week published its Q4 and full year earnings for 2025, reporting solid results and an optimistic forecast for the year ahead. Excluding revenues from its advocacy business (which includes politics-related revenues, and thus fluctuates with US election cycles), organic net revenues were up by 4.0 percent in Q4, and 3.1 percent for the whole year. Total net revenue growth for 2026 is projected to land between 8-12 percent, a significant acceleration from 2025’s growth rate of 6 percent. “In 2025, Stagwell increased its strategic pivot toward AI applications and services, building a powerful foundation for 2026,” said Stagwell’s chairman and CEO Mark Penn. “We see great opportunity in 2026 to capitalise on an industry distracted by restructurings and mergers, and bolster our position as a winner in the age of AI.”

Omnicom Media Wins Dyson’s Global Media Account

Electronics manufacturer Dyson has handed its global media planning and buying duties to Omnicom Media, following a competitive pitch process which Publicis and WPP also participated in, Campaign reported this week. The account was previously handled by Interpublic Group, prior to the completion of its merger with Omnicom earlier this year. Dyson’s global media investments last year topped $500 million, according to COMscore data quoted by Campaign.

M+C Saatchi CEO Zaid Al-Qassab Steps Down

Zaid Al-Qassab, CEO of British advertising group M+C Saatchi, announced this week that he is stepping down at the end of the month. Al-Qassab was appointed to the role just under two years ago, and the company has undergone significant transformation during that time, including a major consolidation of its internal structure. M+C Saatchi posted a seven percent decline in like-for-like net revenues last year as it struggled with tough macroeconomic conditions, but the company’s forecast for 2026 has been positive, predicting a return to profitable growth. Non-executive chair Heather Rabbatts has been appointed as interim executive chair until a new CEO is chosen.

IPA Launches New Pricing Playbook

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) this week launched a Pricing Playbook, which it says equips agencies to align their pricing strategies with the rapidly evolving market. The Playbook offers guidance and case studies covering a range of remuneration structures, including input-based models, output-based models, and outcome-based models. It highlights five key considerations which an agency should consider when choosing a pricing model: appetite for risk, levels of flexibility, stability of scope, commercial fluency, and confidence and measurability of outcomes. “This is about giving agencies the confidence, and the permission, to rethink how they price the value they actually deliver today,” said Jason Cobbold, chair of the IPA Commercial Leadership group.

Study Predicts Minor Impact from UK Junk Food Ad Ban

A study from social good innovation agency Nesta claims that the UK restrictions on ads featuring unhealthy food products, which came into force at the start of this year, are unlikely to have much of an impact on ad expenditure. Nesta says that the regulation only covers eight percent of the roughly £2.4 billion which is spent each year on food and drink ads, which it claims is the result of lobbying from the food industry which successfully narrowed the scope of the legislation. And as firms adjust their tactics in response to the ban, the impact is expected to fall further, affecting just £20 million worth of ad spend, according to the Guardian.

Stonegate Group Appoints Fifty As Strategic Media Partner

Stonegate Group, the UK owner of pub and bar brands including Slug & Lettuce, Be At One, and Craft Union, has appointed independent agency Fifty as its strategic media partner ahead of this year’s men’s World Cup. Fifty will lead all media strategy and buying across Stonegate’s portfolio, covering channels including CTV, digital audio, and digital out-of-home. “We were looking for a partner with the technology and insight to help us diversify our media mix and deliver better results, faster,” said Stonegate Group’s digital director Joe Comiskey. “Fifty’s platform gives us a unique view of audience intelligence, and their team knows how to turn that into activation that moves quickly and delivers.”

Hires of the Week

Caroline Baxter Picked as New Barb CEO

Barb, the UK’s joint industry committee (JIC) for TV measurement, this morning announced that Caroline Baxter has been appointed as Chief Executive. Her appointment follows Justin Sampson’s decision in November to step down as CEO, effective this September.

Baxter joined Barb as a Director in 2022, before becoming Chief Operating Officer (COO) in 2024. Prior to joining the JIC, she spent 27 years at marketing data and analytics business Kantar, rising from Head of Project Management to Program Director UK & EMEA. Read more on VideoWeek.

GB News Appoints Ross Sergeant as CRO

GB News has named Ross Sergeant as Chief Revenue Officer, where he will lead the right-wing broadcaster’s commercial team amid an expansion effort. Sergeant joins from lottery operator Allwyn, where he spent three years as Global Media Director.

Azerion Promotes Roxanne Harley to VP Strategy and Growth

Azerion, an omnichannel advertising platform, has promoted Roxanne Harley to VP Strategy and Growth. In the newly created position, Harley will bring Azerion’s creative studio into the company’s marketing insight, research and sales unit. She has been with Azerion for five years, most recently serving as Head of Growth.