In this week’s Week in Review: Havas talks up AI in H1 earnings, France approves a social media ban for under-15s, and ProSieben adds public service content from ZDF to the Joyn streaming service.
Top Stories
Havas’ Bolloré Says AI is No Longer Seen as Threat to Agency Survival
Havas delivered net revenue growth of 2.5 percent YoY in H1 2026, according to the agency group’s half-year earnings update on Thursday, largely driven by North America which saw 6.9 percent organic growth during the six-month period. However, revenues in APAC and Africa declined by 4.8 percent, due to weaker performance in China and war in the Middle East.
Havas CEO Yannick Bolloré cited the impact of the group’s AI transformation, noting that the company has “automated everything that we can automate,” including launching generative AI production for video as well as print. He added that Havas has surpassed 90 percent AI proficiency among its teams, and that agencies have disproved the notion that AI is an existential threat to their business.
“It was very impressive to see that in Cannes, we had no more questions on first, survival of the agencies,” Bolloré said on the earnings call. “We are no longer perceived as being AI losers for sure. Secondly, clients, they don’t question anymore the fact that agencies are very well advanced in mastering AI, in harnessing all AI capabilities.”
France Approves Under-15s Social Media Ban
France’s parliament has approved a social media ban for under-15s, as part of efforts across Europe to safeguard children’s mental health. Starting in September 2026, people under 15 will not be able to open accounts, and age verification will be required on all new accounts. Then in January 2027, the rule will be applied to all existing accounts, so every user in France will have to prove they are over 15 to access social media.
The legislation makes France the first EU country to ban social media for children, a move that is sure to be watched closely by other European nations. According to The Guardian, 20 countries around the world have proposed or introduced such measures, with Australia becoming the first to enact a ban back in December.
ProSieben to Add ZDF Content to Joyn
ProSiebenSat.1 will integrate on-demand content from ZDF, a German public service broadcaster (PSB), into its Joyn streaming service, the media group announced on Tuesday. From Q4 2026, Joyn users will be able to watch ZDF content for free and without ads.
ZDF said the move strengthens the visibility of PSB content in the digital space, while ProSieben noted the strength of a “dual system” in the face of intense competition for eyeballs.
“This partnership demonstrates how public and private media can work together to find innovative responses to digital competition,” said Nicole Agudo Berbel, Chief Distribution & Partnerships Officer at ProSiebenSat.1. “In doing so, we’re sending a strong, forward-looking signal for the dual system and the media industry as a whole.”
The Week in Tech
YouTube Posts Double-Digit Ad Revenue Growth
YouTube ad revenue jumped 13 percent YoY in Q2 2026, according to Google’s earnings update on Wednesday, surpassing $11 billion in sales. Google’s total revenues rose by 24 percent to reach $120 billion, with Cloud revenues climbing 82 percent during the quarter. Despite the strong results, Alphabet’s stock price fell more than six percent in early trading on Thursday, thanks to increased AI spending squeezing the tech giant’s cash flow. “We expect that free cash flow will remain under pressure driven by our investments in technical infrastructure, which enable us to capitalise on the AI opportunity and continue to drive attractive returns,” said Google CFO Anat Ashkenazi.
Snap Reaches “Tentative” Settlement in Social Media Addiction Case
Snap has reached a “tentative” agreement to settle a US case alleging that social media services are addictive to minors, Bloomberg reported on Monday, following YouTube and TikTok which have also reached settlements. This leaves Meta as the only defendant in the trial due to start next week in Los Angeles. The terms of Snap’s agreement were not disclosed.
Dailymotion Advertising Launches Viewing Data Platform ‘Pulse’ in UK
Dailymotion Advertising has launched a new platform in the UK called ‘Pulse’, which is designed to help brands reach audiences using first-party viewing data. Powered by Dailymotion’s AI engine ‘Ray’, Pulse tracks real-time viewing behaviour on CTV, desktop and mobile, and across Dailymotion, Canal+ and MultiChoice. “Every platform talks about following the audience. Very few own the first-party viewing signals needed to do it effectively,” said Bruno Latapie, General Manager EMEA at Dailymotion Advertising. “Pulse combines those signals with AI-powered audience viewing patterns to help brands make smarter decisions across every screen.”
Nexxen Integrates Acxiom’s Audience Data
Nexxen, a video ad tech firm, has expanded its partnership with Acxiom, Omnicom’s identity business, whose audience data will be integrated into Nexxen’s proprietary insights tool, Nexxen Discovery. The companies said the move combines Acxiom’s interest, purchase, and household-level insights with Nexxen Discovery’s contextual, behavioural, and viewership signals, to help advertisers refine audiences and extend reach across verticals and channels. “Bringing Acxiom’s insights into Nexxen Discovery allows us to give advertisers a more dynamic understanding of their audiences – enabling them to move beyond static targeting, uncover opportunities for incremental reach and activate more relevant, adaptive campaigns across screens,” said Nexxen CPO Karim Rayes.
Adte Adds Sports FAST Channels From C15 Studio to Inventory Package
Adte, a CTV unified advertising platform, has announced a partnership with C15 Studio, a global sports media company, to add a lineup of sports FAST channels to its inventory package. The channels include F1 Channel, Yahoo! Sports Network, MotoGP Channel, DP World Tour, Triton Poker, and One Championship TV. Adte’s brand and agency clients can now access inventory on those channels, the company announced on Tuesday.
Permutive and Adform Partner for Publishers to Activate First-Party Data
Ad tech company Permutive has partnered with Adform, to enable publishers to activate their first-party audiences directly in Adform FLOW, the company’s omnichannel media buying platform. The partnership allows publishers to leverage their owned audiences across programmatic campaigns, according to the partners, using “every major identifier type” on the market. “Unlike point solutions, Adform’s full-stack technology, including our ID Fusion identity solution, combined with Permutive’s data collaboration and activation platform, gives publishers a direct, transparent path from first-party signal to programmatic activation across the open web,” said Stefan Sommer, Chief Growth Officer at Permutive.
StackAdapt Launches Political Ads Suite
StackAdapt has launched a targeting and measurement suite for the US political ad market, the ad tech business announced on Tuesday, ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. The solution brings political audience creation, voter intelligence, campaign measurement, and optimisation into a single connected workflow, according to the company. “By bringing verified voter intelligence, audience activation, and measurement together in one workflow, we’re giving political advertisers the insights they need to make smarter decisions faster and maximise every advertising dollar,” said Mark Positano, Head of Political at StackAdapt.
The Week in TV
Paramount’s WBD Acquisition Temporarily Blocked in US but Granted Conditional EU Approval
A US federal judge has temporarily blocked Paramount’s proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), following a lawsuit brought by a coalition of 12 US states aiming to halt the deal due to competition concerns. Meanwhile the European Commission has granted the deal conditional approval, after Paramount offered to end its film distribution joint venture with Universal Pictures. “These commitments fully address the competition concerns identified by the commission by ensuring that the films of the merged entity will not be distributed jointly with those of Universal or Disney,” EU competition regulators said in a statement.
Peacock Sees First Profitable Quarter
NBCUniversal-owned streaming service Peacock saw its first profitable quarter in Q2, according to Comcast’s earnings update on Thursday, with revenues up 54 percent YoY to reach $1.9 billion. Comcast cited the NBA Playoffs, FIFA World Cup and the US version of Love Island as key growth drivers during the quarter. The company’s Co-CEO Mike Cavanagh said future profitability will continue to improve steadily but will “vary quarter by quarter,” based on the timing of sports schedules and other content.
MFE to Merge Mediaset and R.T.I. to Create Mediaset Italia
MFE-MediaForEurope has implemented a new strategic and organisational framework to simplify leadership chains across its various markets and businesses. The reorganisation includes the merger of broadcasters Mediaset and R.T.I., which will create a new entity called Mediaset Italia. “The future is increasingly complex, and competition from new platforms is extremely strong,” said MFE CEO Pier Silvio Berlusconi. “Although we have grown, our scale remains relatively small. That is why we need to take another step forward. To do so, we need a new strategy and a new organisation capable of turning that strategy into results with greater speed and effectiveness. This is the purpose of the new structure: a shorter chain of command, clearer responsibilities and, above all, a stronger focus on developing our internal resources and talent.”
UK Competition Watchdog Seeks Views on Sky’s ITV Acquisition
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking views on Sky’s proposed acquisition of ITV’s broadcast and streaming business, inviting interested parties to submit “any initial views on the impact that the transaction could have on competition in the UK.” The regulator said the window for submissions closes on 6th August 2026. It has not yet launched its formal investigation into the transaction.
Democrats Warn of Antitrust Issues in Fox’s Roku Acquisition
A group of congressional Democrats, including Elizabeth Warren, have warned of antitrust implications in Fox Corporation’s proposed $22 billion acquisition of Roku, according to Deadline. In a letter to Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, the politicians warned that “eliminating a significant competitor would reduce consumer choice for free streaming services and could give the combined entity market power to start charging for a previously free service.” They also sought commitments from Woodward that the DOJ’s review of the deal “will be conducted free from political interference and in an impartial fashion.”
Broadband-Only World Cup Viewing Was Four Times Higher Than 2022
The share of viewing from broadband-only homes for England’s group-stage matches in the FIFA World Cup was more than four times higher than during the 2022 World Cup, according to Everyone TV, the operator of Freely, Freeview and Freesat, citing Barb data. Everyone TV added that Freely, the joint streaming app from the UK public service broadcasters, surpassed two million monthly active users during the competition, and recorded its highest viewing day since launch. “Compared with 2022, significantly more viewing took place over the internet, highlighting the growing role of broadband in delivering free television and the changing ways audiences are watching live TV,” said Everyone TV CEO Jonathan Thompson.
Deutsche Telekom Scores 2030 World Cup Rights
Deutsche Telekom has secured the exclusive German media rights for the 2030 men’s FIFA World Cup, the telco announced on Monday. The broadcaster will show all 104 matches on the company’s MagentaTV platform, with a sub-licensing deal for the public broadcasters, ARD and ZDF, expected to be arranged. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The Week for Publishers
Reach is “At the Start” of Monetising Content in the AI Era
UK news publisher Reach saw is revenues decline by nine percent YoY in H1 2026, with digital revenues down by 11 percent, due to the ongoing impact of AI overviews and chatbots on publishers’ search traffic. But Reach CEO Piers North said the business was moving “further away from a reliance on referral traffic”, and is working on the assumption that Google traffic is “unlikely to recover.” As a result, the publisher is focusing on “original content, paid subscriptions, quality video, social engagement, off-platform distribution, and a range of moves in the AI licencing space.” Read more on VideoWeek.
Google Traffic to Halve by Q3 2027 in AOP Forecast
Publisher traffic delivered by Google are on track to halve by Q3 2027, according to AOP research shared with Press Gazzette. The study found that organic Google Search referrals fell by 7.1 percent between Q1 and Q2 2025. “Given the company’s intention to make its zero-click AI Mode central to its future search experience, it’s not unreasonable to expect declines to accelerate,” said the report.
News UK Launches In-Person Audience Panel
News UK, publisher of The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun, has launched Nucleus Panel, an in-person audience insight panel designed to give brands and agencies direct access to the company’s readers. Hosted at News UK’s office, each session will be followed by a report highlighting key themes, audience reactions and strategic recommendations. “AI-powered tools are transforming the way marketers identify patterns, surface insights and explore trends, but the richest understanding comes from combining those capabilities with direct conversations with real people,” said Charlie Celino, Commercial Services Director at News UK.
Lower Ad Loads Drive Higher Recall in Mail Metro Media and Lumen Research
New research from Mail Metro Media, Lumen Research and Havas Media Network UK has found that premium digital environments with lower ad-loads increase reader experience, improve brand recall, and strengthen purchase intent. The study, ‘Centre for Attention: The Premium Edition’, compared test environments based on a simulated Daily Mail website with up to five ads per page on desktop and up to three on mobile, versus up to 15 ads in current environments. The findings showed that premium ad environments drove 1.6x higher attention and 2.4x higher spontaneous recall compared with current environments.
The Week for Brands & Agencies
GenAI is Reshaping Agency Relationships Finds UK Advertiser Survey
Generative AI is beginning to have a “significant impact” for advertisers, according to a new study from UK trade body ISBA, with almost all (99 percent) of the UK advertisers surveyed saying they have started their GenAI journey. The organisation surveyed 200 respondents from brands, predominantly in marketing, media and procurement roles. The results found high levels of adoption of GenAI tools, with almost two-thirds (65 percent) of respondents now using GenAI at work. As a result, agency relationships are changing, according to the survey, particularly when it comes to content production and creative agencies. Read more on VideoWeek.
Domino’s Ad Banned Under LHF Rules
The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) published two further rulings on the new regulation around advertising ‘less healthy food and drink’ (LHF) products on Thursday. The regulator upheld complaints against a Domino’s pizza ad featuring a product that is not allowed to be shown before the watershed. Domino’s said it had used the wrong figures when calculating the Nutrient Profile for the Sausage and Bacon pizza, and has now withdrawn the actual product as well as the ad. But complaints against a McDonald’s ad were not upheld, as the products referenced (albeit not shown) in the ad did not count as HFSS products.
Uber Retains Omnicom Media Across Major Markets
Omnicom Media will continue to oversee media planning and buying for Uber’s $800 million account across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, with PHD named as the core agency supporting the business. The renewed agreement expands Omnicom Media’s remit in Brazil, while adding Uber’s sports marketing business. WPP also participated in the pitch, according to Adweek.
Dr. Martens Expands Arena Media UK Partnership
British footwear brand Dr. Martens has expanded its partnership with Havas-owned Arena Media UK, appointing the agency to lead performance media across DM’s largest European markets and the US. Havas said the move brings brand and performance activity together under a single global operating model. “Over the last four years, we’ve built a partnership with Dr. Martens grounded in trust, collaboration and shared ambition,” said Alex Sherr, Principal Partner at Arena Media UK. “Together, we’ve helped reshape how media works for the brand, connecting strategy and performance in a more meaningful way. Expanding into the US is a natural next step, evolving our role as consultants and strategic partners to take what’s worked, scale it internationally, and create a more unified model for growth.”
M&C Saatchi ANZ to Split From London-Based Parent Company
M&C Saatchi’s Australia and New Zealand business is splitting from its London-listed parent company, after its management team agreed a deal to acquire the agency and return it to local ownership. The business will become independent from the parent company but will continue to trade under the M&C Saatchi name. “The transaction will allow the locally led management team to focus entirely on the opportunities in front of us and to shape our future with speed and ambition,” said Dani BassilM+C Saatchi Group AUNZ.
Hires of the Week
Taboola Promotes Roxanne Becker to UK Publisher Director
Taboola has promoted Roxanne Becker to UK Publisher Director, responsible for growing the ad tech firm’s UK publisher portfolio. Becker will also lead relationships with the company’s existing partners, including Reach, The Independent, Future, JOE Media Group and Bauer Media. She has been with Taboola since 2016.
Ogury Appoints Ben Chesters as Country Director UK
Ogury, an ad tech firm specialising in data and privacy solutions, has named Ben Chesters as Country Director UK. He will lead Ogury’s operations in the region and drive expansion of the company’s audience intelligence and activation capabilities among brands and agencies. Chesters has spent almost 25 years in media, publishing and ad tech, including seven years at Hearst.
VideoAmp Names Andrea Zapata as SVP, Agency Partnerships
VideoAmp, a media performance business, has appointed Andrea Zapata as SVP, Agency Partnerships. Zapata will lead the company’s buy-side revenue organisation, reporting to CRO Bryan Goski. She joins from T-Mobile Advertising Solutions, where she served as Vice President of Advertising Data, Measurement, and Partnerships.
Amy Banks to Lead SEO and GEO at Havas Media Network UK
Havas Media Network UK has promoted Amy Banks to Head of SEO & GEO. Formerly Director of SEO, her expanded role is designed to help clients boost their visibility across both traditional search and AI-generated discovery. Banks first joined Havas Media Network as SEO Performance Content Manager in 2019.
This Week on VideoWeek
How Broadcasters Can Build Engagement Outside of Social Platforms
AI-Related Layoffs Are “Nothing More” Than Cost-Cutting Measures
GenAI is Reshaping Agency Relationships Finds UK Advertiser Survey
Reach is “At the Start” of Monetising Content in the AI Era
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