Prime Video to join Barb CFlight in 2027
Advanced Television’s Nik Roseveare reports that Prime Video will become the first streaming service to join Barb CFlight, the UK’s unified TV measurement framework, with the integration landing in 2027.
Skydance shares fall again as Wall Street waits for proof
Deadline’s Jill Goldsmith reports that Skydance stock closed down 6.8% Wednesday, a second straight losing session after the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger closed, with analysts calling the stock a “show me story.”
Disney CMO details plan to move creators beyond marketing into development
The Ankler’s Natalie Jarvey reports Disney CMO Asad Ayaz is expanding creator partnerships beyond marketing activations into development and programming, following the company’s costly Maker Studios experiment and its sponsorship of the Created in LA conference.
Merging Paramount+ and HBO Max will be a subscriber-math headache
Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter argues that Skydance faces a logistical mess in combining Paramount+ and HBO Max, since tens of millions of logins run through third parties like Amazon Prime that don’t share billing data.
Ellison says HBO Max, Paramount+ will merge, contradicting Bloys
The Hollywood Reporter’s Tony Maglio reports that Skydance CEO David Ellison said long term he plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into one service, with bundling available in the relatively short term.
The Only Agency buys London’s The Blogger Agent
TheWrap’s Lucas Manfredi reports that The Only Agency is acquiring The Blogger Agent, a London creator talent shop with a combined roster reach of over 100 million followers across fashion and beauty.
Streaming brand equity needs more than 30-second spots, eMarketer argues
eMarketer’s Gadjo Sevilla reports that premium streaming advertisers are shifting focus from single-spot completion metrics toward sustained brand equity, pushing marketers to rethink creative strategy and measurement across the full viewing experience rather than isolated ad breaks.
Agencies told: specialize or lose to AI generalists, says Apostra’s O’Kelley
AdExchanger’s Allison Schiff reports that at Advertising Week New York, Apostra CEO Brian O’Kelley said agencies can’t keep being everything to everyone as AI models match generalist analyst work.
HBO moves fast while rest of new Skydance braces for cuts
The Ankler’s Lesley Goldberg reports agency sources say Casey Bloys’ HBO team has been unusually aggressive in the first 48 hours after the Skydance-Paramount-WBD merger closed, even as Ellison must still find six billion dollars in promised synergies.
Dear Media exec: letting creators rewrite brand scripts drives results
Adweek’s Mark Stenberg reports that at Advertising HQ, Dear Media’s Mark Mullett and host Amanda Hirsch said brands still err by scripting talent instead of letting them shape host-read ads.
Fitch cuts Skydance’s debt rating as merger leverage hits 7.8x
Deadline’s Jill Goldsmith reports that Fitch downgraded Skydance’s credit rating, citing “significant execution and integration risks” and leverage of 7.8 times earnings after the $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger closed, following a similar S&P Global cut in late September.
Disney licenses franchise content to Netflix to drive discovery
eMarketer’s Grace Harmon reports that Disney is turning Netflix into a discovery engine for its streaming franchises through content licensing deals.
Vizio loads WatchFree+ with MrBeast, creator channels and original films
Adweek’s Mitchell Parton reports that Vizio is expanding its free ad-supported service WatchFree+ with 40 digital creator channels including MrBeast, plus new studio partnerships and its first original holiday film.
TripleLift exec: CTV commerce data finally proves performance, not just reach
TVREV reports that TripleLift’s Taylor Stewart argues retailers are now piping first-party purchase data into CTV through clean rooms that match records without exposing raw data.
Madhive CEO: local media sales must shift from reach to outcomes
TVREV reports that Madhive CEO Jim Wilson told the In the Vicinity podcast local sellers can no longer rely on ratings and reach, since small-business advertisers now demand qualified leads, store visits and sales as proof of performance.
GEICO sponsors Vizio Christmas movie as WatchFree+ adds creator channels
The Measure’s Jon Lafayette reports GEICO is the presenting sponsor of Vizio WatchFree+‘s original holiday film, Jingle Bells Wedding Bells, arranged through Omnicom and Walmart Connect.
Opinion: AI is making imperial ads cheaper, not more native
TVREV’s Emanuele Landi argues advertising solved addressing but never language, shipping one imperial message into a thousand fragmented media “duchies.”
iSpot’s SAGE breaks down why Progressive’s Dr. Rick ads top Likeability
The Measure’s Eleanor Semeraro reports that iSpot’s SAGE tool found Progressive’s “Dr. Rick: Rules” leads 2026 Likeability at 671, but drives 82% Purchase Intent Top-2-Box versus 40% and 31% for its two closest Dr. Rick rivals.
Retired NFL stars dominate ad airings three weeks into the season
The Measure’s John Cassillo reports that iSpot data shared with Sportico shows Jason and Kylie Kelce led all NFL ad spokespeople with 191 airings through three weeks, 62 ahead of Peyton Manning.
NBCU, FreeWheel, Carat and Newton launch agentic buying for streaming TV
AdExchanger reports that NBCUniversal, FreeWheel, Dentsu’s Carat and Newton launched custom buying agents pairing identity and audience data to recommend NBCU inventory against advertiser outcomes, with an unnamed luxury retailer as first user.
Moloco is first ad-tech firm to earn IAB Europe retail media certification
ExchangeWire reports that IAB Europe certified Moloco under its Retail Media Certification Programme, the first ad-tech company to pass after retailer Albert Heijn and network Nectar360.