Paramount's decision to merge Pluto TV and My5 in the UK by the second half of 2024 is a welcome development for viewers. This move addresses a key issue in the current media landscape: the fragmentation of viewing platforms and channels, which often makes it difficult to navigate content.

However, it's crucial that there is also consolidation from a sale side perspective. The media market's high fragmentation leads to confusion and duplicated efforts. There's a pressing need for the market to unite, ensuring full transparency in inventory sales. Such consolidation would significantly aid advertisers in navigating what is currently an opaque ecosystem.

Pluto TV is a great example, and not a unique one; its multiple buying routes exemplify the challenges of the current system. Advertisers can access Pluto TV inventory through various routes, including Sky VOD buys, programmatic DSP buys, and even through OEMs like LG TV. This results in varying CPMs for the same inventory, causing inefficiencies and confusion.

To mitigate these issues, advertisers must be proactive. They should challenge the grey areas of the publisher mix in their AV plans and implement strict inclusion lists. Without such measures, inefficiencies caused by supply chain fragmentation will persist.

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US media behemoth Paramount is set to merge and reboot its complimentary online services in the UK in 2024, responding to the increasing number of viewers shifting to internet-based TV.

The merger will integrate Channel 5's My5 video-on-demand platform with the online service Pluto TV. Maria Kyriacou, president for broadcast and studios at Paramount International Markets, highlighted that this merger represents a significant technology investment. The revamped service will be ad-supported and offer both exclusive and archived content from Channel 5 and on-demand shows from Pluto TV.

The move aims to cater better to the evolving preferences of audiences and offer enhanced personalisation and data-driven advertising.