News programming led pharma drug TV ad spend in H1
Prescription drug marketers directed the largest share of their TV ad dollars to news programming in the first half of the year, according to EMARKETER.
Workweek raises funding to open its creator platform beyond core network
Workweek, a B2B creator platform with a Puck-like model, raised new funding to offer its publishing tools to creators outside its vetted core network.
Netflix strikes global deal for true-crime podcast ‘Outlore’
Netflix has signed an exclusive global deal to host “Outlore with Eleanor Neale,” a UK true-crime podcast that has drawn more than 500 million YouTube views and 2.8 million subscribers.
VCs chase AI and live events as Hollywood’s next venture bet
The Ankler surveys eight venture capital firms betting on entertainment, finding investors drawn to AI and live experiences rather than traditional studio startups.
Streaming nears half of all US ad-supported TV viewing
Streaming made up 48.2 percent of ad-supported TV viewing time in the US during Q2 2026, per Nielsen’s Ad Supported Gauge.
Google launches Pics, an AI design tool baked into Workspace
Google is rolling out Pics, an AI image-creation and editing tool built on its Nano Banana model, to Workspace and Google AI Pro or Ultra subscribers starting with Docs and Slides.
Analyst: BBC, Netflix now chasing YouTube’s playbook as phones become the new TV
At Edinburgh TV Festival, YouTube’s Pedro Pina and BBC’s new DG both signaled convergence: YouTube called itself television while BBC floated an “iPlayer 2.0" with creator uploads and a public-service algorithm ahead of the license fee’s 2027 expiration.
Gracenote: 85% of sports fans want better TV navigation
Gracenote’s 2026 global sports fan report finds 26 percent often can’t identify which channel or service carries a specific event. Eighty-five percent want their TV home screen to show upcoming games and where-to-watch information for favorite teams and leagues.
Small radio owner signs digital ad deal with Townsquare’s Ignite unit
Lakes Media owner Tom Birch says agency revenue at his six-station North Carolina/Virginia group fell from 30 percent in 2005 to just 5-10 percent today.
SAGE data: FanDuel’s NFL ads split hard by viewer age
iSpot’s SAGE analyzed FanDuel’s 2025-26 NFL creative and found the top five ads scored well above the brand’s all-time Likeability average of 516, but reception diverged sharply by age group.
Nielsen tightens local TV currency with four methodology upgrades
Nielsen has activated four local TV methodology changes into its currency data ahead of the 2026/2027 broadcast season.
Digiday maps payout rules across every major creator platform
Digiday compiled the follower thresholds, activity minimums, invitation status and payout terms for Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, X, Facebook and Snap.
FreeWheel adds Truthset data ratings to its ad buying platform
FreeWheel is integrating Truthset’s audience data evaluations into its programmatic advertising platform for connected TV. The move lets advertisers configure data accuracy at the point of buying rather than checking quality after impressions are already delivered.
YouTube leads CTV ad spend for fourth straight year, but M&A looms
YouTube topped Modern Retail’s Q1 2026 survey of ad-supported streaming placements for a fourth consecutive year. The report, based on 125 brand and agency professionals, warns the CTV landscape faces major shifts over the next 12 months.
Nielsen shifts Local TV to a one-minute credit threshold
Nielsen activated four Local TV methodology changes on August 31, ahead of the 2026/2027 broadcast season. The headline shift replaces the five-minute qualifier with a one-minute one, previously leaving up to 24% of tuning events unreported.
19-year-old talent manager details path into creator economy careers
In a TVREV interview, 19-year-old Braden Blacker, founder of The Content Code, explains how he grew creator Asher Lara from 1.2 million to over 16 million followers by mining audience data to steer content toward proven niches like couples storylines.
Netflix, Disney+ eye free tiers as FAST goes mainstream
Sony launched a free ad-supported service on PS5, Paramount+ is testing free mobile content, and Disney’s Josh D’Amaro has floated a free Disney+ tier.
Parks Associates: live TV still sways streaming bundle choice
Parks Associates research finds live TV access remains a significant factor for consumers when picking a streaming bundle, even as on-demand and ad-supported tiers proliferate across the market.
NBA builds Gen Z pipeline through 2K, creators and social formats
The NBA is treating NBA 2K, athlete-run shows like Joakim Noah’s Nomad, and social-native formats as a coordinated content ecosystem rather than side projects.
Silverpush taps Happydemics to validate contextual ad performance
Contextual intelligence firm Silverpush is partnering with Happydemics, adding independent brand lift measurement to its AI-driven video targeting. The tie-up shifts reporting away from impressions and clicks toward recall, interest, attribution and consideration data.
Netflix licenses ‘Sex Lives of College Girls’ from Warner Bros.
Netflix added all three seasons of HBO Max’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls” via a non-exclusive licensing deal with Warner Bros. Television, joining Mindy Kaling’s Netflix original “Never Have I Ever.”
WTF is the Amazon ad surcharge lawsuit?
The FTC and 22 state attorneys general allege Amazon secretly abandoned its second-price search ad auction, inserting a fake “soft reserved” bidder to push prices higher.
Sony launches FAST service Live TV on PS5, adding ad inventory
Sony launched Live TV on PS5, a free ad-supported streaming service with over 100 channels, drawing on content from Lionsgate, Fox, NBCU, Bloomberg, Spotify and A+E. It’s live in the US now, with Canada and other markets planned.
Amazon’s Alexa can now nudge you to buy before you even ask
Amazon launched “Update Me When,” an Alexa for Shopping feature that sends personalized alerts on new product lines, show seasons, concert tours or book releases tied to a shopper’s interests.