Netflix, Amazon, YouTube form D.C. lobbying group over streaming sports costs
Variety’s Todd Spangler reports that Facing bipartisan criticism over the cost and complexity of watching sports on streaming, Netflix, Amazon and YouTube launched the Streaming Access and Choice Alliance, a Washington lobbying group led by trade association TechNet, on Monday.
Comcast, Paramount Skydance weigh shutting down SkyShowtime in Europe
Reuters’s Tasim Zahid reports that The SkyShowtime board told CEO Monty Sarhan it is weighing strategic options, including shutting down the platform, citing a competitive and challenging market.
Paramount and Netflix end animated film production pact
Deadline’s Anthony D’Alessandro reports that Paramount and Netflix mutually agreed to conclude their animated film agreement, originally struck between Netflix and Skydance Animation in 2023.
NFL Kickoff Game draws 25 million, tops Trump convention speech
Reuters’s Harshita Mary Varghese reports that Seahawks-Patriots Kickoff Game averaged over 25 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, NBC’s fourth straight year at that mark. Trump’s Fox News convention speech drew about 2.5 million, per Nielsen, despite his claim it beat the NFL.
Steven Bartlett, Authentic Brands launch OBSN to scale creator businesses
Variety’s Cynthia Littleton reports that Steven Bartlett’s Steven.com and Authentic Brands are launching OBSN, a venture pairing creator media expertise with licensing and retail infrastructure to build businesses around top creators, backed by up to $400 million in planned investment.
YouTube’s ad chief maps Oscars sponsorship push for 2029 broadcast
Variety’s Matt Donnelly reports that Google’s Americas ad sales lead Sean Downey tells Variety that YouTube’s first Academy Awards broadcast will let brands build sponsorship packages around live ad space, integrated creators and awards-season content.
BritBox doubles down on period drama as rivals retreat
The Ankler’s Elaine Low reports that BritBox is raising its originals slate to 25 percent period drama, betting against industry wisdom that the genre is too costly for audiences.
Byron Allen’s Local Now adds 111 Gray Media stations
TheWrap’s Lucas Manfredi reports that Local Now, Byron Allen’s FAST service, has added 111 free ad-supported channels carrying Gray Media’s local station coverage, expanding its lineup to nearly 600 channels spanning all 210 U.S. markets.
Grocery TV: 62% of shoppers buy after seeing in-store screen ads
Inside Radio reports that Grocery TV’s 2026 In-Store Shopper Perception Report finds 62% of shoppers bought a product after viewing an in-store ad. Acceptance of front-end screens rose 23 percentage points since 2023, from roughly a third of shoppers to just over half.
IAS-Neuro-Insight study finds ad frequency cap of three lifts CTV brand impact
IAS and Neuro-Insight measured brain activity across 137 viewers watching CTV ads matched or mismatched to show tone and context, and repeated up to four times, to gauge frequency’s effect on brand impact.
Sony, Amazon weigh four Spider-Man scripts after Spider-Noir cancellation
Amazon’s Prime Video canceled its Emmy-winning drama Spider-Noir, and Sony Television is now weighing four new scripts from buzzy writers for its next live-action Spider-Man play.
Visa data: the ‘couch economy’ outlasted the pandemic that created it
The Measure’s Jon Lafayette reports that Visa Business and Economic Insights finds U.S. online and in-app payment share rose from 48% in 2019 to 58% in 2026, with over 17% of cards holding active streaming subscriptions versus roughly 6% for cinema or concerts.
Netflix, Amazon, YouTube form streaming policy coalition
Axios’s Sara Fischer reports that Netflix, Amazon and YouTube launched the Streaming Access and Choice Alliance on Monday, a new policy coalition led by trade group TechNet.
Media War & Peace debuts the Affinity 100 creator ranking
Evan Shapiro, with Shira Lazar, Whalar Group, and Foam, launched the Affinity 100, ranking creators by a new “Affinity Quotient” instead of follower count.
Comcast, Paramount weigh shutting down SkyShowtime
The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Weprin reports that Comcast and Paramount Skydance are reviewing strategic options for European joint venture SkyShowtime, including a possible wind down. The board told CEO Monty Sarhan Monday that no decisions have been made yet.
Taboola’s Connexity quietly buys Howl’s creator affiliate business
Adweek’s Mark Stenberg reports that commerce platform Howl sold its creator division to Connexity, Taboola’s commerce arm, in August, a deal small enough that Taboola did not need to disclose it in earnings.
X and Samba launch outcomes measurement for entertainment marketers
Marketing Brew’s Jasmine Sheena reports that X and Samba are partnering on an outcomes measurement offering that shows entertainment advertisers whether X campaigns drove actions like movie ticket purchases or streaming, with a reported 55% lift across six streaming initiatives.
Ex-Spotify exec raises $5.5M for music apps that skip AI generation
TechCrunch’s Ivan Mehta reports that a Vinyl Bar in Shibuya raised a $5.5 million pre-seed round led by Mantis VC, with Spotify’s former ad chief Dawn Ostroff advising. Founder Máuhan Zonoozy builds interactive music toys instead of AI song generators, betting participation beats generation.
Omdia: 3 in 4 US TV viewers now dual-screen with phones
Advanced Television reports that Omdia research presented at IBC 2026 finds three in four US TV viewers regularly use smartphones while watching television.
OpenAI sponsors CBS’s NFL sideline reports, hours before 60 Minutes AI warning
The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Weprin reports that OpenAI is now presenting sponsor of NFL on CBS sideline report segments, its ChatGPT logo appearing during the Jets-Titans broadcast. Hours later, CBS’s 60 Minutes season premiere closed with a segment warning about AI escaping human control.
Six ad execs agree: CTV favors buyers, except for premium inventory
VideoWeek polled six buy- and sell-side leaders on whether CTV is a buyer’s or seller’s market. Consensus: growing inventory and programmatic access tilt power to buyers, but scarce premium content, live sport, and top platforms still command seller leverage.