MS NOW launches DTC streaming membership at $7.99 a month
MS NOW, the rebranded MSNBC, launches a direct-to-consumer membership Wednesday priced at $7.99 monthly or $79.99 yearly, with an introductory $39.99 annual rate through September 30. Subscribers get 24/7 streaming plus talent Q&As.
DOJ widens antitrust probe into Fox’s $22 billion Roku acquisition
The Justice Department plans a “second request” for more data from Fox and Roku, people familiar said, signaling skepticism about a deal merging Fox’s content with Roku’s dominant connected-TV operating system.
New streaming series orders plunge, study finds
A new study finds streaming platforms sharply cut the number of new original series they greenlit, continuing a multi-year pullback in original programming.
Retail media creative, not just placement, is deciding sales lift
EMARKETER’s latest guidance argues that as retail media inventory becomes commoditized, the creative shown in on-site and off-site placements is what separates campaigns that convert from those that don’t.
Netflix agrees to report box office for six upcoming theatrical releases
Netflix will report box office grosses for six upcoming films, including Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” Variety learned.
iHeartMedia gives Netflix exclusive video rights to 15 top podcasts
iHeartMedia struck an exclusive video podcast deal with Netflix covering more than 15 shows, including The Breakfast Club and My Favorite Murder, starting early 2026. iHeart keeps all audio rights and distribution; only Netflix will carry the video versions.
Streaming ad loads jump 18%, raising the creative bar
Streaming ad loads climbed 18% as platforms pack in more commercial minutes per hour, narrowing the gap with linear TV’s traditional load.
Google’s automated promotions feature ties online discovery to in-store shopping
Google is testing a new automated promotions feature that connects online product discovery directly to in-store shopping behavior, according to EMARKETER.
Ad sector set for worst earnings growth of 2026, Bloomberg data shows
Bloomberg Intelligence data shows the S&P 500 media index will post the weakest earnings growth of any sector in 2026, dragged down by Trade Desk.
Can AI predict which ads will actually work?
System1’s Andrew Tindall pits AI creative testing against human panels across ten major ads, checking whether machine scores match established effectiveness benchmarks.
EDO: NFL ads outperformed typical primetime spots 73-to-1 last season
EDO analyzed every national TV ad aired during the 2025-26 NFL regular season and found the average NFL spot drove the same consumer-behavior impact as 73 typical primetime ads, up 15% year over year.
Ipsos exec: culture can’t be reduced to a single metric
In Ad Age’s Data Unfiltered series, Ipsos’ Janelle A. James argues culture resists standard measurement and requires context, pointing to emerging, influential segments like Gen Z as “vibrant fringes” that defy neat categorization.
Digiday’s Q4 ins and outs for the creator economy
Digiday’s quarterly ins-and-outs list flags diversification over platform dependency, employee creators over firing them, and creator marketplaces folding into major platforms rather than standing apart.
US linear orders fall less sharply than streaming, Ampere finds
Ampere Analysis found US linear orders fell 26% between 2022 and 2025, from 1,773 to 1,304, while streaming orders dropped 41%, from 1,144 to 678, over the same span.
11 retail media networks pitch their own version of differentiation
At Ascendant’s Showcase upfront, 11 retail media networks — from Home Depot to PayPal to Chase — each pitched a different edge: proprietary data, cross-merchant reach, or niche audience depth, while executives flagged incrementality and interoperability as shared industry asks.
Netflix households log 3.5 hours daily, most of any streamer
US households spent an average of 3.5 hours a day on Netflix in June 2026, up from 3.1 hours in March, ahead of every rival streaming service, per a Comscore survey.
Retail media’s tech gap isn’t the tools — it’s the org chart
A Drum column traces four eras of retail media tech, from in-house builds to composable cloud stacks to AI-ready data, arguing today’s networks have more good technology available than ever but little organizational appetite to install it.
Adelaide brings its attention-scoring metric to podcasts and radio
Adelaide is expanding its zero-to-100 attention-quality score beyond digital and video into audio, partnering with NPR, Westwood One and SiriusXM.
YouTube terminates 20 ‘ghost creator’ channels after Semafor exposé
YouTube removed 20 channels tied to a network of AI-scripted “ghost creators,” days after Semafor exposed the operation.
Crooked Media’s nonprofit launches political creator drive for 2028
Crooked Ideas is launching video programming and brands to reach young, politically skeptical voters ahead of 2028, hiring digital strategist Kyle Tharp to lead it.
Brands loosen return policies to win holiday shoppers
Retailers expect about 17% of holiday sales to be returned, so brands are testing temporary Q4 policies like free returns and longer windows.