Ebiquity Transmit - Wires

Ebiquity Transmit

Tags

Ad Fraud

Advertising To Children

Agency Management

Antitrust

Artificial Intelligence

Attention Economy

Audio Advertising

Brand Safety

Carbon Emissions

Contextual Advertising

Cookie Deprecation

Digital Out-Of-Home

Disinformation

Diversity & Inclusion

Gaming / Metaverse

Hate Speech

Influencer Marketing

Investment Rounds

Lawsuits

Layoffs

Leadership Transitions

Made For Advertising

Marketing Effectiveness

Measurement

Media Spend

News Publishing

Pitches

Political Ads

Privacy

Recession

Responsible Media

Retail Media

Sports Marketing

Streaming Wars

Supply Chain

User Identifiers

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Companies

4A's

Adalytics

Adform

Alphabet

Amazon

ANA

Apple

Comcast

Comscore

Comvergence

Criteo

Dentsu

Disney

DoubleVerify

Ebiquity

eMarketer

Fox Corp

Havas

Integral Ad Science

Interpublic Group

ISBA

Jounce Media

Kantar

Kroger

Liveramp

Magnite

MediaMath

Meta

Microsoft

Netflix

News Corp

Nielsen

Omnicom Media Group

OpenAI

Outbrain

Paramount

Pinterest

Publicis Groupe

PubMatic

Reddit

Roblox

Roku

S4 Capital

Scope3

Snap

Spotify

Taboola

Teads

The Trade Desk

TikTok

Twitter (X)

Walmart

WARC

Warner Bros Disc.

WFA

WPP (GroupM)

Yahoo

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

X’s advertiser base is beginning to resemble its pre-Musk era, reports Digiday

General

Jun 1, 2026

X has regained many major advertisers, with top US spenders including Comcast, Amazon, the NFL, Google and American Express.

Sensor Tower data supports X’s claim that most top advertisers have returned, though spending is concentrated around specific moments rather than always-on campaigns.

X’s ad revenue remains weakened after a major 2024 decline, and analysts say user growth challenges, policy changes and competition from Threads and Bluesky may limit recovery. A recent ad platform overhaul aims to rebuild confidence.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Disney is poised to ramp its already booming advertising business. Rita Ferro is behind the push, reports CNBC

General

May 31, 2026

Disney advertising chief Rita Ferro is central to the company’s push to monetise fandom across streaming, TV, sports and global markets.

Her role spans Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, entertainment and news, aligning with CEO Josh D’Amaro’s “One Disney” strategy.

Ferro is driving ad growth through sports, streaming, first-party data and an in-house ad tech stack designed to compete with Google and Meta. She is also focused on expanding Disney’s ad-supported streaming business internationally.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Google appears to be testing new branded search controls in AI Max campaigns, reports Search Engibe L

General

May 29, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Google Ads appears to be testing branded search controls for AI Max campaigns.

The setting could let advertisers show ads on all relevant searches, manage branded searches with inclusions and exclusions, or run only on unbranded searches.

The feature would address concerns that AI Max may cannibalise branded traffic, increase costs and complicate attribution. It is not yet clear whether this is a limited test, beta or wider rollout.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

OpenAI Has Discussed Adding Citigroup, JPMorgan to Bank Lineup for IPO, reports Bloomberg

General

May 29, 2026

OpenAI has reportedly held talks with Citigroup and JPMorgan about roles in its planned IPO.

The banks could join Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley in preparing the listing.

The discussions suggest OpenAI is broadening its adviser group as it moves towards a potential public market debut.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Social media companies to pay $27 million to settle Kentucky school district's lawsuit, records show, reports Reuters

General

May 29, 2026

A Kentucky school district secured about $27m in settlements from Meta, TikTok, Snap and YouTube over alleged youth mental health harms.

Meta paid $9m, TikTok and Snap $8m each, and YouTube $2.01m, with no admission of liability or required platform changes.

The Breathitt County case was a bellwether for more than 1,200 school district claims. Larger districts, including Tucson, Los Angeles and New York City, are pursuing similar lawsuits seeking far higher damages.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Indian court ruling on Google keyword ads could reshape online advertising, reports Reuters

General

May 29, 2026

An Indian court has ruled Google infringed Hindware’s trademark by allowing rivals to use its name as an ad keyword.

Google was ordered to pay $31,600 in damages, with the court saying it effectively sold or auctioned trademark use without authorisation.

Indian business leaders say the ruling could reshape online advertising by giving brands legal recourse against competitors bidding on their names. Google says it complies with local laws and challenges overbroad orders through legal processes.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

US senator presses TikTok US joint venture and Oracle on user data safeguards, reports Reuters

General

May 29, 2026

Senator Ed Markey has asked TikTok USDS and Oracle to explain how they protect US user data and prevent foreign influence over recommendations.

The request follows ByteDance’s deal transferring TikTok’s US data and operations to a joint venture to avoid a ban.

Markey questioned whether the arrangement creates national security risks, including Chinese-driven algorithmic manipulation. He also asked Oracle to disclose details of its review of ByteDance source code and cloud security role.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Amazon Has New Tools To Help Publishers Prove Which Bidstream Signals Drive Demand, reports AdExchanger

General

May 29, 2026

Amazon Publisher Services is expanding Signal IQ to show publishers which bidstream signals actually improve advertiser demand and revenue.

The tool now evaluates signals beyond alternative IDs, including placement IDs, transaction IDs, contextual data and video classifications, with bidder-level insights and benchmarking.

APS also announced AI tools to analyse performance and flag issues, plus expanded Shopping Insights and Amazon Publisher Cloud capabilities. The updates aim to help publishers package inventory around purchase intent, transparency and measurable advertiser outcomes.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Publishers quietly cut six-figure deals via Snowflake’s AI licensing platform, reports Digiday

General

May 29, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Publishers are signing six-figure AI licensing deals through Snowflake’s Cortex Knowledge Extensions.

The platform lets enterprises query paywalled publisher content inside Snowflake’s AI environment without exposing raw feeds or using content for model training. Partners include The Washington Post, AP, People Inc. and USA Today Network.

Snowflake says it does not take a revenue share, instead earning from storage and compute. Publishers see RAG licensing as a promising incremental revenue stream, though not enough to offset AI-driven traffic declines.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Disney is preparing for a world without the Hulu app, reports Insider

General

May 28, 2026

Disney is reportedly working on Project Gemini to fold Hulu content and features into Disney+ by year-end.

An internal document says Hulu’s app and tech stack would be decommissioned once users transition, though Disney says there are no current plans to sunset Hulu.

The move supports Disney’s “One Disney” strategy, aiming to reduce fragmentation, improve efficiency, boost streaming profits and cut cancellations. Disney+ is also expected to gain Hulu features such as live TV channels, DVR and synced viewing histories.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Google expands customer acquisition targeting with new prospects mode, reports Search Engine Land

General

May 28, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Google is launching a “new prospects” targeting mode to help advertisers reach brand-unaware consumers.

The AI-powered tool excludes people who have previously bought, searched brand terms, visited a brand’s site or app, or engaged with its content on Google or YouTube.

The feature expands Google’s New Customer Acquisition tools and aims to help brands grow incrementally by reaching cold audiences earlier in discovery, though effectiveness will depend on accurate audience identification and privacy limits.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Disney’s ABC Calls FCC’s License Review a Threat to Speech. What to Know About the Feud, reports WSJ

General

May 28, 2026

Disney’s ABC complied under protest with an FCC order to file early licence renewals for eight local stations.

ABC called the move unconstitutional and said it was aimed at suppressing speech, while FCC chairman Brendan Carr says the probe concerns Disney’s DEI practices and potential discrimination.

The FCC could pursue fines or licence challenges, though such action faces a high legal bar. It is also reviewing whether The View qualifies for an equal-time rules exemption.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Meta commits $13 million in additional funding for oversight board until 2028, reports Reuters

General

May 28, 2026

Responsible Media

Meta’s Oversight Board has secured $13m in additional funding from Meta to support operations through 2028.

The independent watchdog makes binding decisions and recommendations on content moderation across Meta’s platforms.

The funding follows the board’s criticism of Meta for quickly dismantling US fact-checking and easing rules on contentious topics. Meta has shifted towards community notes after Mark Zuckerberg argued previous moderation caused too much censorship.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Walmart names Yahoo and Magnite as partners in its ad tech tuneup, reports AdAge

General

May 28, 2026

Walmart Connect is adding Yahoo’s DSP and Magnite as new ad tech partners beyond its former exclusive Trade Desk arrangement.

The integrations connect Walmart retail data to CTV buying, starting with Vizio inventory, to improve targeting, measurement and sales attribution.

Walmart says supply-side decisioning should reduce signal loss and make Vizio campaigns easier for agencies to buy using Walmart audiences. It also launched Connect Select, a curated CTV inventory marketplace within its Trade Desk-powered DSP.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Universal Ads must pass the pizza test if it’s to steal ad dollars from social, reports Digiday

General

May 28, 2026

Comcast is expanding Universal Ads to attract small and mid-sized businesses into connected TV advertising.

Recent updates include AI agent integrations, retail data targeting, linear inventory, app-install measurement and AI creative tools designed to lower barriers for smaller advertisers.

Early tests, including local pizzerias using Olympics inventory, showed sales lifts and longer-term awareness gains. But publishers and platforms face strong competition from Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, FAST channels and mobile ad networks, while SMBs still need proof CTV can deliver performance consistently.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

OpenAI turns on cost-per-action ads inside ChatGPT, reports Digiday

General

May 28, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI has enabled cost-per-action ads in its ads manager for selected advertisers.

The feature lets brands pay only when users complete actions such as clicks, sign-ups or purchases, supported by OpenAI’s new conversion pixel.

The move pushes ChatGPT ads closer to Meta and Google’s performance models. It follows rapid updates including CPCs, product catalogue ads, wider US ads manager access, cheaper CPMs and new hires, as OpenAI targets major ad revenue before a potential IPO.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Google Ads will start deleting historical reporting data after set retention periods, reports Search Engine Land

General

May 27, 2026

Google Ads will start deleting granular reporting data older than 37 months from 1 June unless advertisers export it first.

Hourly, daily and weekly data will be limited to 37 months, while monthly, quarterly and annual data will remain available for 11 years.

Reach and frequency metrics will be kept for only three years. Advertisers using long-term reporting, forecasting or modelling may need automated exports or data warehouses to preserve historical performance records.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions, with more to come, including AI plans, reports TechCrunch

General

May 27, 2026

Meta is rolling out paid consumer subscriptions globally for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, offering extra features such as customisation, insights and premium reactions.

The company says these Plus plans will not replace Meta Verified, which focuses on verification and support.

Meta is also testing Meta One subscriptions for creators, businesses and AI users, including higher-capacity AI features and professional tools such as boosted visibility, deeper analytics, enhanced links and account management.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

The Trade Desk’s Fall From $69 Billion Digital-Ad Darling, reports WSJ

General

May 27, 2026

The Trade Desk’s stock has fallen about 70% over the past year as growth slows and competitive pressure rises.

Amazon, Google and Meta are tightening their grip on digital advertising, while agency partners have raised concerns over The Trade Desk’s fees and transparency.

The company has also faced executive departures, board turnover and slower revenue growth. CEO Jeff Green remains optimistic, pointing to opportunities in streaming, audio and international markets.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Meta to Sell AI Chatbot Subscriptions in Bid to Offset Spending, reports Bloomberg

General

May 27, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Europe's push to break Big Tech's grip tempered by internal debate, reports Reuters

General

May 27, 2026

EU leaders are split over how far to restrict Big Tech while strengthening European tech sovereignty.

Brussels may reserve most mobile satellite spectrum for European firms while leaving some room for Starlink and Amazon. Separate cloud rules are expected to limit, but not block, US providers in sensitive public procurement.

The debate reflects concerns about reliance on US and Chinese technology, but officials disagree over protectionism, investment gaps and potential backlash from Washington.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

ByteDance offers AI team special stock to fend off poaching, reports FT

General

May 26, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

ByteDance is offering Seed AI employees special low-priced stock options tied to the AI lab’s growth.

The move aims to retain elite researchers as rivals including Tencent and DeepSeek compete aggressively for scarce AI talent in China.

Seed is seen as one of China’s strongest AI teams, but insiders say bureaucracy has made it vulnerable to poaching. The stock structure could offer significant upside, though it may create internal divisions and complicate collaboration.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

US Supreme Court won't hear Meta's challenge to Vermont social media addiction lawsuit, reports Reuters

General

May 26, 2026

Responsible Media

The US Supreme Court declined to hear Meta’s challenge to a Vermont lawsuit over alleged Instagram addiction harms.

Vermont accuses Meta of designing Instagram to exploit teenagers’ vulnerabilities, encourage compulsive use and mislead users about safety. Meta argued Vermont courts lacked jurisdiction.

The decision lets the case proceed and adds to Meta’s mounting legal risks over child and teen safety, following recent losses, settlements and lawsuits from states, schools and individuals.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Spotify launches narrated articles from publications like The Atlantic, Vogue, reports Reuters

General

May 26, 2026

Audio Advertising

Spotify is adding more than 650 narrated long-form articles from publications including Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Vogue, Variety and Vanity Fair.

The articles, produced by Spotify’s audiobooks team, will be available to users with audiobook access and under two hours long.

Premium subscribers can use their audiobook allowance, while free users can buy individual articles for $1.99. The move expands Spotify’s content mix as it competes with AI music startups, YouTube and Netflix.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Spotify chief defends AI-generated music, reports FT

General

May 26, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Spotify co-CEO Alex Norström defended its AI music expansion, saying licensed, controlled tools are better than unregulated AI “slop”.

Spotify’s Universal Music deal will let paid users create AI covers and remixes using songs from participating artists, with rightsholder backing.

Norström said verification, licensing and recommendation systems will help protect artists and distinguish Spotify’s approach. The move marks a major step in mainstream AI-generated music, despite wider industry concerns about creative work and authenticity.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Omnicom’s fewer middlemen push is reaching publishers, just not their P&Ls, reports Digiday

General

May 26, 2026

Omnicom is encouraging agencies to route more media spend directly to publishers and reduce reliance on ad tech intermediaries.

The push supports CEO John Wren’s agentic media strategy, where simplified supply chains help software negotiate and execute buys more efficiently.

Publishers welcome the rhetoric but doubt major budgets will shift quickly, as few have meaningful publisher-owned tech infrastructure. Omnicom says shorter paths improve working media dollars, consumer visibility and campaign effectiveness.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

AI guardrails stripped from Meta and Google models in minutes, reports FT

General

May 25, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Open-source AI models from Meta, Google and others are being modified to remove safety guardrails.

Tests found altered models could answer harmful prompts involving biological weapons, malware and child exploitation, raising concerns that safeguards are harder to enforce once models are downloadable.

Tools such as Heretic can strip protections quickly and require little expertise. Google said this is a known challenge for open models, while GitHub said some risky code may have legitimate educational value.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

EU plans to fine Google high triple-digit million euro sum, Handelsblatt reports, reports Reuters

General

May 25, 2026

The EU is reportedly preparing a high triple-digit million euro fine against Google over alleged Digital Markets Act breaches.

The investigation concerns whether Google favours its own services in search results and whether it complies with EU rules.

A decision could come before the summer break and may become the largest DMA penalty so far. Google criticised the required search changes, saying they worsen the European user experience, while the Commission says compliance remains its priority.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

OpenAI expands Ads Manager Beta with new budgeting and geo targeting controls, reports Search Engine Land

General

May 22, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI is updating its Ads Manager Beta with daily budgets, more granular US geo-targeting and aggregate reporting totals.

Advertisers can now target by state, DMA or zip code, while campaign, ad group and ad-level tables show totals for impressions, clicks and spend.

OpenAI is also testing dynamic ChatGPT ad calls-to-action such as “Shop Now”, “Book Now” and “Sign Up”. The updates move ChatGPT ads closer to a more mature performance and brand advertising platform.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Meta quietly launches a new Reddit-like app called Forum, reports TechCrunch

General

May 22, 2026

Meta has quietly launched Forum, a stand-alone app for Facebook Groups focused on deeper community discussions.

Users sign in with Facebook, access their existing groups and can post with nicknames, while activity remains visible on Facebook.

Forum includes AI tools for asking questions across group discussions and helping admins manage communities. The launch reflects Meta’s broader push to create more stand-alone apps, though Forum follows an earlier Groups app that closed in 2017.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Activision shareholders reach $250 million settlement over Microsoft buyout, reports Reuters

M&A

May 22, 2026

Activision Blizzard shareholders have reached a $250m settlement over Microsoft’s $75.4bn acquisition of the games maker.

Investors alleged former executives, including Bobby Kotick, breached duties by accepting a $95-per-share price and rushing the deal to protect benefits and roles.

All sides denied wrongdoing. The settlement, pending court approval, will be funded partly by Microsoft and partly by directors’ and officers’ insurance.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Apple asks US Supreme Court to review contempt order in Epic Games lawsuit, reports Reuters

General

May 22, 2026

Apple has asked the US Supreme Court to review a contempt ruling in its long-running Epic Games lawsuit.

The dispute centres on Apple’s App Store payment rules, including a 27% commission on some purchases made through outside payment links.

Apple argues the injunction should not apply broadly beyond Epic and that it cannot be held in contempt for violating the order’s “spirit”. Epic called the appeal a delaying tactic against payment competition.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

OpenAI Is Hiring for a Top Marketing Exec To Promote Its Ads Business, reports AdWeek

General

May 22, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI is hiring a head of ads enterprise marketing as it expands its advertising ambitions.

The role will lead marketing for OpenAI’s ad business and shape its reputation among CMOs, agency executives and media buyers.

The executive will also grow OpenAI’s presence at events such as Cannes Lions, CES, Advertising Week and Possible, positioning the company around advertising, AI, creativity and measurement.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Google Appeals Landmark Ruling Declaring It a Monopolist in Search, reports NYT

General

May 22, 2026

Google has appealed a landmark ruling that found it illegally maintained a monopoly in online search.

The company argues the court misapplied antitrust law over deals making Google the default search engine on smartphones and browsers.

Google is also challenging remedies requiring it to share some search data with rivals, including search engines and AI chatbots. The appeal continues a major Justice Department antitrust battle against the company.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

WPP’s AI boss believes agents are still in the teenage sex stage of development, reports Digiday

General

May 22, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

WPP’s chief AI officer Daniel Hulme argued that agentic AI adoption is far behind industry hype.

He said most companies are still exploring, piloting or building business cases, while true deployment requires extensive testing because autonomous agents can quickly change the market conditions they are trained to predict.

Hulme warned that many agents will fail without proper validation. He said advertising is mostly using AI for sophisticated rule-following, while genuinely disruptive systems will make decisions, observe outcomes and adapt.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

TikTok Shop says sales from U.S. small businesses climbed 66% in 2025, reports Digiday

General

May 22, 2026

TikTok Shop says US small businesses grew sales by 66% in 2025, with more than 215,000 active small sellers on the platform.

A commissioned report found TikTok Shop leads product discovery, with many users finding and buying from small brands through creators, videos and livestreams.

Growth is being driven by entertainment-led shopping, creator recommendations and new tools such as countdown bidding and shoppable photos. TikTok Shop’s challenge is maintaining quality and customer experience as it expands.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Netflix, Disney to face higher costs under new Canada streaming rules, reports Bloomberg

General

May 21, 2026

Canada will require streaming platforms such as Netflix to spend 15% of annual Canadian revenue on local content.

The rules bring global streamers further into Canada’s broadcasting system, while lowering traditional broadcasters’ contribution requirement to 25%.

Streamers can meet much of the obligation through direct content spending, with some funds supporting Canadian and Indigenous productions. US industry groups argue the rules are unfair, costly and may breach trade agreements.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

WPP Media Shows Signs of New Business Bounceback, Report Finds, reports AdWeek

General

May 21, 2026

WPP Media led global media new business rankings in Q1 2026, suggesting signs of recovery.

COMvergence said WPP generated $1.5bn in new client billings, helped by wins including Jaguar Land Rover, Estée Lauder and SC Johnson North America.

Omnicom Media Group ranked second, with $1bn in new wins and $1bn in retentions, combining results across its agency networks after acquiring Interpublic Group.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Meta Settles School Suit Over Social Media, Averting Trial, reports Bloomberg

General

May 21, 2026

Responsible Media

Meta has settled a landmark lawsuit alleging social media addiction harmed US students and forced schools to spend heavily on mental health support.

It was the last defendant in the Breathitt County School District case after Snap, YouTube and TikTok settled earlier. Terms were not disclosed.

Plaintiffs’ lawyers say they will continue pursuing claims for 1,200 other school districts. Meta says it remains focused on teen safety tools, while further child safety cases against the company are scheduled this year.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Walmart Earnings For Q1 2026 Show +7.3% YoY Revenue Growth, Net Income Up By +18.3% YoY

+ 7% YoY Opinions

Earnings

May 21, 2026

CNBC reports:

Walmart issued weaker-than-expected guidance, sending shares down despite first-quarter revenue rising 7% to $177.8bn.

The retailer warned higher fuel prices and fading tax refund benefits could pressure consumers, especially lower-income shoppers, in the current quarter.

Walmart said its business remains strong, with gains in e-commerce, marketplace sales, advertising and higher-income customers. However, signs of financial stress among lower-income consumers are widening the gap in spending behaviour.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Spotify soars 15% after announcing AI music deal with UMG, guidance, reports CNBC

General

May 21, 2026

Audio Advertising

Spotify shares rose 15% after the company set 2030 ambitions and announced an AI deal with Universal Music.

It aims for mid-teens annual revenue growth, 35%-40% gross margins, 1bn subscribers and $100bn in revenue.

The Universal deal will let premium users create paid AI covers and remixes using opted-in artists’ voices, creating new revenue for musicians. Spotify also announced creator subscriptions, audiobook updates and early concert ticket access for superfans.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Netflix Pushes Further Into Live Programming With The Breakfast Club, reports WSJ

General

May 21, 2026

The Breakfast Club will stream live on Netflix on weekdays, becoming the platform’s first daily live programme.

From 1 June, Netflix will carry around three hours of the New York radio show, adding behind-the-scenes content and bonus segments during radio ad breaks.

The move expands Netflix’s live and video podcast strategy, following strong performance from The Breakfast Club’s existing podcast episodes. Charlamagne tha God said the live format meets demand for authentic, unscripted connection.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Manus Weighs Raising $1 Billion to Unwind Meta Takeover, reports Bloomberg

M&A

May 21, 2026

Manus’s founders are exploring ways to unwind Meta’s $2bn acquisition after Beijing ordered the deal reversed.

Options include raising about $1bn from external investors, adding founder funds and setting Manus up as a Chinese joint venture before a possible Hong Kong IPO.

The talks remain early and complex, as Manus staff, technology and investor proceeds have already moved into Meta. The dispute highlights China’s efforts to stop sensitive AI technology and talent shifting to US companies.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Google, Meta, TikTok hit by EU consumer complaints about handling of financial scams, reports Reuters

General

May 21, 2026

Responsible Media

Google, Meta and TikTok face EU consumer group complaints over alleged failures to protect users from financial scam ads.

BEUC and member groups say the platforms do not remove fraudulent ads proactively enough or respond adequately when notified.

The companies deny the claims, citing policies, AI tools and large-scale removals. Consumer groups want regulators to investigate under the Digital Services Act, which allows fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Elon Musk's X loses Australia child protection compliance lawsuit, reports Reuters

General

May 21, 2026

Responsible Media

An Australian court upheld a fine against Elon Musk’s X after the company admitted breaching online safety law.

The case concerned X’s failure to provide adequate information to the eSafety regulator about child protection measures and anti-child exploitation processes.

The court increased the penalty to A$650,000 and ordered X to pay A$100,000 in legal costs. X said the issue related to historic delays during a period of corporate transition.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

TikTok, YouTube lag on UK child safety as rivals act, regulator says, reports Reuters

General

May 21, 2026

Responsible Media

Ofcom said TikTok and YouTube have failed to set out meaningful new steps to protect UK children from harmful content.

Research found 73% of 11- to 17-year-olds saw harmful material over four weeks, mainly through personalised recommendation feeds. Ofcom said both platforms’ feeds remain insufficiently safe.

Snap, Meta and Roblox have agreed stronger protections, while Ofcom urged the government to strengthen online safety laws, particularly around underage users and minimum age enforcement.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Publishers brace themselves for the zero-click era amid Google’s AI search overhaul, reports Digiday

General

May 21, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Google’s AI search overhaul is deepening publisher fears that referral traffic from Search will keep declining.

AI Overviews, AI Mode and follow-up prompts keep users inside Google, shifting publishers from destinations to information suppliers for AI answers.

Publishers are not surprised, but are preparing for a zero-click future by building direct audiences, newsletters, social channels and non-traffic-dependent revenue. Some hope Google will eventually pay for quality content to avoid weakening the sources its AI relies on.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

OpenAI gives ChatGPT ads a visual upgrade, reports Digiday

General

May 21, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI is testing new ChatGPT ad formats, including larger images, custom call-to-action buttons and e-commerce units with prices and reviews.

The updates give advertisers more creative control and direct-response options as OpenAI expands self-serve tools, conversion tracking, budgets and reporting.

Bigger spending may depend on scale and outcome-based optimisation, including CPA or ROAS targeting. OpenAI is also developing audience targeting and more campaign controls as it builds its ad business ahead of a potential IPO.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Marketers grapple with Google’s new suite of AI-powered ad agents, reports Digiday

General

May 21, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Google has unveiled new Gemini-powered agentic ad tools, including Ask Advisor and more ads in AI Mode.

The tools let marketers set goals while AI pulls data, builds campaigns, surfaces insights and optimises performance across Google products.

Advertisers remain concerned about transparency, hallucinations and loss of control, echoing past criticism of Performance Max. However, spending is expected to continue as AI search becomes more conversational and Google adds reporting tools such as AI Performance Insights and Meridian in Analytics 360.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

OpenAI is allowing financial services brands into the ChatGPT ads pilot, reports Marketing Brew

General

May 20, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI is expanding its ChatGPT ads pilot to include financial services brands, with Robinhood and BestMoney already appearing.

The pilot, running since February for logged-in adult users on Free and Go tiers, initially included many travel advertisers.

OpenAI is building out its ad business through flexible pricing, cost-per-click bidding, a self-serve ads manager, ad-tech partnerships and new executive hires, while saying it is expanding deliberately to improve the user experience.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

TikTok's middle class is gaining power, reports Insider

General

May 20, 2026

Influencer Marketing

TikTok micro-influencers are seeing sharp fee increases as brands shift budgets towards smaller creators.

Upfluence data shows high-end micro creators’ average fees rose 125% year on year, while macro and mega creator rates fell. Marketers are using smaller creators for stronger engagement, conversion and more affordable creative assets.

TikTok’s algorithm, TikTok Shop and paid boosting are driving the trend, as follower count matters less than performance. Managing larger pools of smaller creators, however, requires more contracts, vetting and content review.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

James Murdoch to Buy New York Magazine, Other Vox Assets for Around $300 Million, reports WSJ

M&A

May 20, 2026

News Publishing

James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems will buy New York magazine, Vox.com and Vox Media Podcast Network for about $300m.

The acquired assets will keep the Vox Media name, with Jim Bankoff remaining CEO after the deal closes in four to six weeks.

Vox Media will retain brands including The Verge, Eater, Popsugar and SB Nation. The sale reflects investor interest in Vox’s podcast business and expands James and Kathryn Murdoch’s media portfolio.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Google Pushes AI-Generated Ads Further Into Search Results, reports WSJ

General

May 20, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Google is testing new ad formats in Search and AI Mode as it seeks to monetise generative AI.

AI-generated sponsored ads will appear below some AI Mode responses, while formats such as direct offers, conversational discovery and highlighted answers use Gemini to create ads from brand materials.

Google says ads will be labelled and protected by guardrails, but must balance monetisation with user trust as Meta and OpenAI increase pressure in AI-driven advertising.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

OpenAI Is Preparing to File for an IPO Very Soon, reports WSJ

General

May 20, 2026

OpenAI is reportedly preparing to file confidential IPO paperwork with regulators, possibly within days.

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are helping draft the prospectus, with OpenAI aiming to go public as early as September, though plans remain uncertain.

The company recently cleared a legal hurdle against Elon Musk but still faces questions over revenue, data-centre spending and competition from Anthropic and Google. Its potential listing could join major IPOs from SpaceX and possibly Anthropic.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

US watchdog urged to probe Roblox over child safety and marketing, reports Reuters

General

May 20, 2026

Responsible Media

Children’s advocacy groups Fairplay and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation have asked the FTC to investigate Roblox.

They allege Roblox deceives the public about platform safety and unfairly pressures children to spend money for in-game privileges.

The complaint adds to growing scrutiny, including lawsuits accusing Roblox of facilitating child sexual exploitation. Roblox strongly disputes the claims and says it has introduced age checks and limits on minors’ ability to chat with other users.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Meta CEO tells employees he does not expect more company-wide layoffs this year, reports Reuters

General

May 20, 2026

Mark Zuckerberg told Meta employees he does not expect more company-wide layoffs this year.

The message came as Meta laid off 10% of its workforce and transferred 7,000 employees into AI workflow initiatives.

The restructuring affects about 20% of staff overall and is part of Meta’s wider push to embed AI agents into products and internal work. Some employees questioned the wording of Zuckerberg’s reassurance.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Google Challenges Amazon With New Native Checkout, Rolls Out AI Ad Explainers, reports AdWeek

General

May 20, 2026

Google is expanding native checkout across Search, YouTube and Gemini through Universal Cart, letting shoppers buy from multiple merchants without leaving Google.

Retail partners include Sephora, Target, Nike, Walmart, Wayfair and Shopify, though Google says merchants still own transactions.

The company also announced new AI Mode ad formats, including conversational ads, sponsored recommendations and explainers, plus Ask Advisor, an AI layer to help marketers manage campaigns, reporting and workflows across Google’s ad products.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Snap Stops Grading Its Own Homework, reports AdExchanger

General

May 20, 2026

Snap is launching Unified Attribution to combine its own performance data with third-party mobile measurement partner data.

The beta product, initially integrated with AppsFlyer, lets app advertisers optimise Snapchat campaigns using both Snap’s attribution framework and external measurement signals.

Snap says the approach should reduce discrepancies between platform and MMP reporting, giving advertisers a clearer view of how Snapchat contributes to app downloads alongside other channels.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Omnicom accelerates LiveRamp exit after Publicis deal, reports Digiday

General

May 20, 2026

User Identifiers

Omnicom plans to end its LiveRamp relationship sooner after Publicis agreed to buy the data company.

CEO John Wren said LiveRamp’s value depended on neutrality, which rivals may question once it sits inside Publicis. Omnicom will instead rely on Acxiom’s Real ID, built to reduce dependence on third-party identity providers.

Other holding companies may find leaving LiveRamp harder due to deeper contracts and integrations. Omnicom says its transition should be cleaner, with clients seeing little immediate disruption.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Jaguar Land Rover appoints WPP, reports Campaign

General

May 20, 2026

Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed WPP as its global partner for creative, media, production, customer experience and marketing strategy.

The partnership will use an outcome-based payment model tied to agreed business and brand metrics, with a dedicated team based at WPP’s London campus.

WPP’s remit covers Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar. JLR said combining creative and media should improve global consistency, effectiveness and use of AI through WPP Open, with first work expected later this year.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Tom George steps down as Origin CEO, reports The Media Leader

General

May 19, 2026

Leadership Transitions

Tom George has stepped down as CEO of Origin, the UK cross-media measurement initiative.

Isba media director Steve Chester will become interim managing director while a permanent successor is sought, with former Isba director general Phil Smith continuing as adviser.

George led Origin from concept to live platform, launching last July. Origin now has more than 60 participating brands and plans to reorganise for faster growth.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Google DeepMind hires staff from Contextual AI in licensing deal, source says, reports Reuters

General

May 19, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Google DeepMind has agreed to hire more than 20 researchers from Contextual AI and license its technology.

The deal is worth about $80m to $90m, with Contextual co-founder and CEO Douwe Kiela among those joining DeepMind.

It follows similar AI talent-and-licensing deals by Google and others, as large tech companies seek expertise without formal acquisitions. Regulators increasingly view such acquihires as a possible way to avoid merger scrutiny.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Meta offers AI rival chatbots limited free WhatsApp access, sources say, reports Reuters

General

May 19, 2026

Meta has offered rival AI chatbots, including OpenAI, free WhatsApp access in Europe, but only up to a message limit.

The proposal aims to address EU antitrust concerns after regulators considered forcing Meta to open WhatsApp to competitors during an investigation.

Smaller rivals criticised the offer as insufficient and potentially discriminatory, arguing Meta should provide a stronger remedy. The Commission is reviewing feedback before deciding whether to accept Meta’s proposal.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Microsoft Ad Chief Kya Sainsbury-Carter Departs, LinkedIn's Matt Derella Takes Over, reports AdWeek

General

May 19, 2026

Leadership Transitions

Microsoft advertising chief Kya Sainsbury-Carter is leaving after three years in the role.

Matt Derella, who has led global ad sales at LinkedIn since late 2024, will take over as senior vice-president of both LinkedIn Marketing Solutions and Microsoft Advertising.

Microsoft and LinkedIn said they will continue operating as distinct organisations, despite Derella overseeing advertising across both businesses.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Meta lays out details of May 20 restructuring in internal document, reports Reuters

General

May 18, 2026

Meta plans to cut 10% of its workforce while moving 7,000 employees into AI-related initiatives.

The restructuring aims to create flatter teams and improve AI workflows, including groups developing agents to automate tasks currently done by staff.

The changes, alongside closed roles and expected further cuts, have sparked employee unrest. Staff have protested layoffs and raised privacy concerns over mouse-tracking software used to train AI models.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Google Revamps Its Iconic Search Bar for the First Time in 25 Years, reports AdWeek

General

May 18, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Google is making major AI-driven changes to Search, turning its familiar keyword box into a more assistant-like experience.

Users will be able to ask longer conversational questions, upload files, videos and images, and search across Chrome tabs.

Google says Search will still include web links and AI summaries, but generative AI will be more deeply integrated into its core product.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Jury dismisses all claims in Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, reports NPR

General

May 18, 2026

A California jury ruled that Elon Musk waited too long to sue Sam Altman, OpenAI and Microsoft over OpenAI’s shift from nonprofit to for-profit.

The judge agreed, dismissing the case without deciding whether Altman and OpenAI breached their founding mission or charitable trust.

OpenAI called the lawsuit a failed attempt to sabotage a competitor, while Musk’s lawyer said he would appeal. Musk had sought up to $150bn in damages, leadership changes and dismantling of OpenAI’s for-profit entity.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Amazon Cut Affiliate Commissions Up to 50% for Some Publishers, Leaving Them Reeling, reports AdWeek

General

May 18, 2026

Amazon has quietly changed its Associates affiliate programme, cutting commission rates by up to 50%.

It has also removed milestone-based bonuses for top-performing publishers and weakened reporting tools used to optimise campaigns.

The changes began in Asia-Pacific markets in late 2025 and reached the US in March. Publishers were informed privately by account managers and are now assessing whether to shift activity to rival platforms.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Meta layoffs starting this week stress harsh AI reality inside Zuckerberg’s company, reports CNBC

General

May 18, 2026

Meta is cutting about 10% of its workforce, around 8,000 jobs, while increasing AI-related capital spending.

The cuts follow earlier reductions and cancelled hiring plans, creating anxiety among employees as more layoffs may follow. Morale has reportedly fallen, with staff questioning Meta’s AI strategy.

Workers are also concerned about an internal tracking tool that collects computer activity to train AI models, raising privacy and consent fears. Analysts say AI-driven restructuring is reshaping tech work and pleasing investors.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Senators Work to Ban Gambling Ads Targeting Minors, reports WSJ

General

May 18, 2026

Advertising To Children

US senators Katie Britt and Richard Blumenthal are introducing bipartisan legislation to ban digital gambling ads targeting under-18s.

The bill would let the Federal Trade Commission enforce penalties of up to $100,000 per advert on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

Supporters say minors are increasingly exposed to betting through social media, influencers and gaming, amid wider concern over online child safety and gambling addiction.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Indian court tells Apple to 'cooperate' in antitrust case, reports Reuters

General

May 18, 2026

An Indian court has ordered Apple to fully cooperate with an antitrust investigation into the iPhone apps market.

The court rejected Apple’s request to pause the case while it challenges India’s antitrust penalty rules, but told regulators not to issue a final order before 15 July.

India’s competition watchdog is seeking Apple’s financial information after a 2024 investigation found alleged abuse of dominance. Apple denies wrongdoing and says the regulator should wait.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Meta advertisers hit automation challenges in rush to use AI, reports AdAge

General

May 18, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Meta’s Ads AI Connectors beta lets advertisers link tools such as Claude and ChatGPT to manage, optimise and create campaigns.

However, advertisers report limited eligibility, unclear access timelines and frustration with being blocked from Meta’s MCP server despite interest in automation.

Some agencies are also cautious about integrating, fearing Meta could mistakenly flag or ban accounts using outside AI agents. The rollout reflects broader industry momentum towards AI-led, goals-only advertising, but trust remains fragile.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Influencer boost budgets are throwing gas on social video spending fire, reports Digiday

General

May 18, 2026

Influencer Marketing

Brand spending on influencer video amplification is rising as creator marketing becomes more video-led and performance-focused.

Once an afterthought, boosting creator posts is now built into campaign planning, with budgets increasingly used to extend reach, support strong organic posts or rescue weaker content.

The line between influencer and paid media budgets is blurring, as brands seek predictable outcomes such as clicks, sales and commerce performance. Spending on amplification is expected to surpass creator production fees by 2028.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

France's Publicis to buy US data firm LiveRamp for $2.2 billion, reports Reuters

M&A

May 17, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Publicis Groupe has agreed to buy US data collaboration company LiveRamp for about $2.2bn in cash.

The deal strengthens Publicis’s data capabilities, building on its 2019 Epsilon acquisition and supporting more precise consumer targeting and secure data matching.

Publicis will pay $38.50 per share, with completion expected by the end of 2026 subject to approvals. The group also raised its 2027 and 2028 growth targets following the announcement.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Political Money Is Flowing to Influencers, reports NYT

General

May 16, 2026

Paid political influencer campaigns are growing, often with limited disclosure requirements.

Carlos Eduardo Espina promoted California governor candidate Tom Steyer without noting in later posts that Steyer’s campaign paid him $100,000 for strategic advice and campaign surrogacy.

The case highlights a wider transparency gap, as influencers and marketing firms are increasingly paid to shape political opinion online. Watchdogs want clearer disclosure rules, while some states have introduced requirements for paid political content.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

YouTube, Snap and TikTok settle school district's social media addiction claims, reports Reuters

General

May 16, 2026

YouTube, Snap and TikTok have settled claims from a Kentucky school district over alleged social media addiction harms.

The case was the first scheduled trial among thousands of lawsuits seeking to make platforms cover school costs linked to youth mental health impacts.

Settlement terms were undisclosed, while Meta still faces trial in June. The district seeks damages, funding for mental health support and platform changes to reduce addictive features.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

One Quarter of North American Agencies Have Shifted to Fixed-Fee Pricing, reports AdWeek

General

May 15, 2026

Agency Management

A Forrester Consulting study with Dentsu Creative found 25% of agencies have fully moved to fixed-fee pricing.

Among those using the model, 63% said they were satisfied or extremely satisfied.

The report suggests growing openness as AI pressures agency commercial models. More than half of marketers not using fixed fees are interested in adopting them, with another 28% somewhat interested.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Tech CEOs summoned to Capitol for June hearing, reports Axios

General

May 15, 2026

Meta, Alphabet, TikTok and Snap CEOs have been invited to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on 23 June.

The hearing will examine social media and AI safety, user and family harms, whistleblower retaliation and whether social media faces a “Big Tobacco moment”.

It comes amid mounting lawsuits against platforms and renewed congressional momentum behind children’s online safety legislation. Formal RSVPs have not yet been received.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Elon Musk’s X promises stronger action on illegal hate and terror speech after Ofcom probe, reports FT

General

May 15, 2026

Responsible Media

X has pledged stronger UK safeguards against illegal terrorist and hate content after an Ofcom probe.

The platform will aim to review reported illegal hate and terror material within 24 hours and assess most suspected content within 48 hours.

Ofcom will monitor X’s performance over the next year. The commitments follow concerns about antisemitic, anti-Muslim and extremist material, while Ofcom continues investigating X’s Grok chatbot over sexualised image risks.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Amazon bets creator video podcasts can be the next TV network, if it can fix measurement, reports Digiday

General

May 15, 2026

Influencer Marketing

Amazon is pitching creator-led video podcasts as TV-like franchises that can attract television ad budgets.

Through Wondery, it aims to turn podcasts into multiplatform properties spanning long-form shows, social clips, retail, livestreaming and live events, supported by Amazon’s commerce ecosystem.

The company sees creator-led podcasts as personal, habitual and scalable, but says better measurement is needed to connect audiences across platforms. Amazon wants creators who can build flexible, long-term communities rather than sell isolated ad slots.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Microsoft Advertising expands LinkedIn profile targeting to CTV, reports Search Engine Land

General

May 14, 2026

Microsoft Advertising is adding LinkedIn profile targeting to connected TV campaigns.

Advertisers will be able to reach streaming audiences using professional signals such as industry, job function, company category and professional identity.

The move extends Microsoft’s LinkedIn data advantage into CTV, particularly for B2B marketers seeking more precise upper-funnel targeting. Questions remain around availability, measurement, segmentation depth, attribution and privacy controls.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

YouTube viewers watch 2 billion hours of Shorts on TVs each month, reports TechCrunch

General

May 14, 2026

YouTube says Shorts are increasingly being watched on TVs, despite being designed for mobile screens.

Viewers now watch more than 2bn hours of Shorts on televisions each month, while YouTube is adapting the format for living rooms with features such as comments beside videos.

The trend reflects YouTube’s wider push into big-screen viewing, including podcasts, which reached 700m monthly living-room hours in 2025, as streaming platforms bet on video-first podcast formats.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Spotify to adopt Apple’s new video podcast tech, offering creators easier cross-platform distribution, reports TechCrunch

General

May 14, 2026

Spotify will adopt Apple’s HLS video technology to improve video podcast quality and enable Spotify-hosted shows to distribute and monetise on Apple Podcasts.

HLS automatically adjusts video quality based on connection speed, reducing buffering and playback issues. Spotify plans to roll out the upgrades later this year.

The company is also expanding creator monetisation through hosting partner integrations and its Partner Program, as video podcasts continue to grow across Spotify’s platform.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Paramount in talks with Katie Miller for podcast deal as it eyes expansion, reports Axios

General

May 14, 2026

Audio Advertising

Paramount is exploring a podcast distribution and monetisation push, including a potential deal with Katie Miller.

The company has also spoken with podcasters and platforms such as Paragon Collective as it evaluates a small test group for the new business line.

Paramount already produces podcasts, but the new effort would likely be more video-focused. Talks with Miller suggest it may seek diverse voices, including conservative creators.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Musk accused of selective amnesia, Altman of lying as OpenAI trial nears end, reports Reuters

General

May 14, 2026

Elon Musk’s lawyer attacked Sam Altman’s credibility in closing arguments, accusing OpenAI leaders of turning the nonprofit into a vehicle for enrichment.

Musk seeks about $150bn in damages for OpenAI’s nonprofit and wants Altman and Greg Brockman removed, alleging Microsoft aided wrongdoing.

OpenAI argued Musk sued too late, knew about its plans and only objected because he failed to gain control. The jury is expected to deliberate on Monday.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

OpenAI considering legal action against Apple over iPhone AI deal, reports FT

General

May 14, 2026

OpenAI is considering legal action against Apple over delays in implementing their 2024 ChatGPT iPhone integration deal.

The company is reportedly frustrated that Apple has not invested enough resources or promoted OpenAI’s tools more widely to iPhone users.

Tensions have grown since Apple partnered with Google’s Gemini for Apple Intelligence, while OpenAI has hired Apple talent and brought in former design chief Jony Ive to work on a potential iPhone rival.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Italy parents' group faces Meta, TikTok in Milan court over minors' social media use, reports Reuters

General

May 14, 2026

Advertising To Children

An Italian parents’ group and families have taken Meta and TikTok to court over minors’ access to social media.

The lawsuit seeks stronger age verification for users under 14, removal of potentially manipulative algorithms and clearer information about harms from overuse.

MOIGE says millions of Italian children are illegally active on platforms. Meta and TikTok deny wrongdoing and cite existing safety measures, while the case reflects wider European efforts to regulate harmful and addictive social media design.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Marketers put up guardrails as AI agents reshape programmatic buying, reports Digiday

General

May 14, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

AI agents are increasingly being used in media buying, but marketers remain wary of giving them full control.

Concerns include hallucinations, budget mistakes, poor transparency and agents drifting beyond intended instructions. Agencies and brands are therefore adding guardrails such as spend caps, brand-voice checks and data safeguards.

Industry groups are also developing governance standards, but until decision-making becomes clearer, marketers expect humans to keep overseeing AI agents in campaign planning and optimisation.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Google says Search Query Reports may not show actual user searches, reports Search Engine Land

General

May 13, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Google says Search Query Reports may no longer show the exact words users typed.

As Google Ads relies more on AI-driven intent matching, reports may display the closest approximation of a query rather than a literal search term.

This shift could reduce advertisers’ visibility into what triggers ads, making query analysis, negative keyword decisions and match-type strategies more difficult.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

YouTube Promises All Things to All Advertisers, With Some Help from AI, reports WSJ

General

May 13, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

YouTube is pitching itself as a destination for TV, social, discovery and performance ad budgets.

Its upfront push highlights AI tools, Shorts, creator partnerships and themed content packages around creators, sports and cultural events.

However, advertisers still want clearer fundamentals, premium inventory and TV-like structures. YouTube says most buying remains auction-based through AI-powered formats, while creators such as MrBeast are building their own media businesses around the platform.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Roblox just hired an Amazon exec to unlock its next phase of growth, reports Insider

General

May 13, 2026

Leadership Transitions

Roblox has appointed John Ciancutti, formerly of Amazon, as its first chief growth officer.

He will lead discovery, including Roblox’s recommendation algorithm, and drive international expansion, including China, as the company targets 1bn users and 10% of the global gaming content market.

The hire comes as Roblox balances growth with safety improvements, AI-powered creation tools and falling user numbers. Opportunities include older audiences, global markets, advertising, creator development and possibly bringing major external games onto the platform.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Anthropic Was Behind. Now It’s the AI Boom’s Front-Runner, reports WSJ

General

May 13, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Anthropic is rapidly narrowing OpenAI’s lead, with fundraising offers reportedly valuing it above $900bn.

Its revenue run-rate has accelerated sharply, helped by strong business adoption, coding tools such as Claude Code and agentic products like Cowork.

OpenAI still leads in consumer reach through ChatGPT, but Anthropic is gaining among businesses and investors. Challenges remain, including computing constraints, outages, Google’s threat and OpenAI’s growing Codex momentum.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

TikTok launches MCP server to let AI agents run campaigns, reports Digiday

General

May 13, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

TikTok has launched TikTok Ads MCP, allowing advertisers to connect AI agents directly to its ads platform.

The tool lets AI systems plan, launch and optimise campaigns, handling creatives, bids, budgets and targeting without manual dashboard work.

At TikTok World, the platform also announced new ad formats, creator discovery tools, AI video integrations, Smart+ updates, commerce features, TikTok Growth Max and TikTok GO, reflecting a wider push into automation, performance and on-platform discovery.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Nielsen co-viewing methodology upgrade lifts live US sports viewing figures 4.2%, reports The Media Leader

General

May 13, 2026

Nielsen is testing an enhanced co-viewing methodology for US TV ratings, aiming to include it in currency measurement for the 2026/2027 season.

The pilot used wearable devices to measure in-home viewing across major events including the Super Bowl, Olympics and NBA All-Star Game.

The update produced an average 4.2% lift in total viewers, supporting Nielsen’s goal of more accurately reflecting live TV’s audience reach.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Spain pushes ahead with social media, AI rules despite Big Tech lobbying pressure, reports Reuters

General

May 13, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Spain will proceed with new social media and AI rules despite lobbying from major technology companies.

Planned measures include curbs on teenage social media use, algorithm transparency, limits on high-risk AI and personal liability for executives over hate speech.

Digital transformation minister Oscar Lopez said regulation is needed to protect minors, privacy, democracy and public safety, particularly amid concerns over cyberbullying, sexual harassment and AI-generated deepfakes.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Amazon Puts Alexa Inside the Shopping Search Bar in AI Push, reports Bloomberg

General

May 13, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

Amazon is adding AI-generated answers to its search bar through Alexa for Shopping, replacing the Rufus shopping assistant.

The tool will appear by default for US users, offering product comparisons, personalised recommendations, routines and gift suggestions for more complex queries, while simple searches still show standard listings.

Amazon hopes the feature will keep shoppers on its platform as ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI tools compete in product discovery. The service is free for all users.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Netflix Secures Three More Football Games in New NFL Deal, reports WSJ

General

May 13, 2026

Sports Marketing

The NFL has signed a four-year deal giving Netflix rights to more live games, including an opening-week international match, Thanksgiving Eve game and late-season fixture.

Netflix will also continue carrying at least one Christmas Day game and NFL Honors, strengthening its live sports offer for advertisers and subscribers.

Separately, Fox and NBC gained extra games, while CBS can move one Sunday game to Saturday prime time, reflecting the NFL’s push for more stand-alone fixtures.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

Apple criticises EU measures to help AI rivals access Google services, reports Reuters

General

May 13, 2026

Apple backed Google’s criticism of EU draft measures that would force greater access for rival AI services.

The proposals aim to help Google comply with the Digital Markets Act by allowing competing AI tools to interact with Android apps and services.

Apple warned the measures could threaten privacy, security, safety, device integrity and performance, especially as AI systems remain unpredictable. It also questioned the European Commission’s technical expertise and motives.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

LinkedIn planning to lay off 5% of staff in latest tech-sector cuts, source says, reports Reuters

General

May 13, 2026

LinkedIn plans to cut about 5% of its workforce as it reorganises teams and prioritises growth areas.

The Microsoft-owned company has more than 17,500 full-time employees globally, though the affected teams were not identified. Its revenue rose 12% in the latest quarter.

Sources said the cuts are not aimed at replacing jobs with AI, but they come amid wider technology-sector layoffs and industry concerns about AI-driven disruption.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.

US SEC, Musk to argue for Twitter settlement before DC judge, reports Reuters

General

May 13, 2026

The SEC and Elon Musk will ask a Washington judge to approve a $1.5m settlement over Musk’s delayed disclosure of his Twitter stake.

The SEC accused Musk of waiting too long in 2022 to reveal he had acquired 5% of Twitter, allegedly saving $150m before later buying the company.

The judge will assess whether the deal is fair and in the public interest. Musk does not admit wrongdoing and says the delay was inadvertent.

Primary Source Earnings Report

🔗

Expert Opinions

No items found.