Disney taps Dhar Mann for 20 episodes of vertical-style content
Disney signed digital creator Dhar Mann, who has 170 million followers, to produce 20 original episodes. The deal follows Disney’s Verts short-form launch and a recent TikTok tie-up, part of a push to expand Disney+ into a broader content ecosystem.
Wella’s AI-personalised audio campaign drives 70% engagement lift
ExchangeWire reports that Azerion and Digitas used AudioStack’s AI platform to turn one Nioxin script into 100 personalised audio ads across UK locations and audience segments. A brand lift study found 70% of exposed listeners took or intended to take action.
Havas Market wins Superdrug media account from WPP’s Mindshare
Campaign’s Shauna Lewis reports that aS Watson has moved UK media planning and buying for Superdrug, Superdrug Online Doctor and Savers to Havas Market, ending an 11-year run with WPP Media’s Mindshare. The Perfume Shop and other AS Watson brands are unaffected.
Ann Taylor relaunches with first major campaign since 2017
Marketing Dive’s Peter Adams reports that KnitWell-owned Ann Taylor debuts “This Is Ann,” its biggest integrated campaign in nearly a decade, plus a NYFW pop-up and 2026 ambassador program. It follows a February Substack launch aimed at building direct fan community.
Traffic to top 10 US news sites down a third since 2024 peak
Press Gazette’s analysis shows combined traffic to the ten biggest US news sites fell 32% since July 2024, with the top 50 sites down 37% from their July 2024 peak of 4.9 billion monthly visits.
Commerce media growth accelerates to 25% in Q2, outpacing retail
Madison and Wall reports that Madison & Wall reports U.S. commerce media grew 25% year-over-year in 2Q26 excluding political spend, up from 24% in 1Q26. E-commerce sales grew 12% versus 6.7% for total retail, fueling the channel’s lead.
Google, Range Media bet on Kenan Thompson-style microdramas
Google and Range Media Partners launched 100 Zeros to produce vertical microdramas, 60-episode series with minute-long installments and budgets averaging $250,000. Talent like Kenan Thompson are joining, drawn by creative freedom studios wouldn’t greenlight, even without upfront pay.
Wellness content tops YouTube Shorts engagement, data shows
eMarketer reports that Wellness Shorts hit 116% average percentage viewed in Q2 2026 in Dash Social data, beating beauty, retail, and the overall 84.6% benchmark. It’s the only category staying above 100% for six straight quarters.
YouTube dangles cash to keep top creators off Netflix
VideoWeek’s Tim Cross-Kovoor reports that YouTube is offering top creators millions to stay exclusive, per Bloomberg, countering Netflix’s push to sign YouTube-originated talent. Creators who work with Netflix risk losing marketing support, event features, and brand campaign inclusion on YouTube.
Microdramas now beat Netflix, Prime Video on daily time spent
eMarketer reports that ReelShort users average 35.7 minutes daily in-app, ahead of Prime Video, Netflix and Disney+, per Omdia/Sensor Tower data. Global microdrama revenue hit $11B in 2025, projected to reach $14B in 2026, with the US driving half of ex-China revenue.
Fox delays NFL renegotiation, punting a possible $1.1B cost hike to 2029
TheWrap’s A.J. Katz reports that Fox is holding its current NFL deal through 2029 rather than renegotiate early, avoiding a potential ~$1.1B annual increase Ampere estimates a 50% rights bump would cost. That would raise Fox’s total content spend roughly 15%.
Nielsen-DoubleVerify’s $2.15bn deal announcement muffles its own value
ExchangeWire reports that a positioning critique argues Nielsen and DoubleVerify’s merger press release buried genuinely differentiated value under a generic “media intelligence platform” label.
Nielsen’s Gauge hits streaming at 48.5% in its last pre-recalibration edition
Nielsen’s June Gauge shows streaming at 48.5%, broadcast up to 19.8% on World Cup and NBA Finals viewing, cable down to 19.5%. It’s the final report before Nielsen recalibrates using ARF’s DASH universe estimates this fall.
Amazon DSP starts wiring broadcast radio into its omnichannel stack
Inside Radio reports that Amazon DSP is building infrastructure with iHeartMedia to connect broadcast radio exposure to purchase and cart data, aiming for broad U.S. commercial radio and Sirius integration by 2027 alongside streaming, podcasts, CTV and display.
Paramount-WBD antitrust fight splits Hollywood as Ellison threatens exit
Ellison has threatened to move Paramount out of California absent a settlement, while California AG Bonta calls that “blackmail” and insists only structural remedies, not behavioral promises, will resolve the antitrust suit.
Channel 4 links streaming and YouTube ad targeting
Channel 4 launched two products, Streaming Extend: Genre and Inferred Demographic Targeting, letting advertisers extend streaming genre buys and demographic insights into its YouTube channels. It’s part of the broadcaster’s Fast Forward push toward a digital-first model by 2030.
LiveMode expands from World Cup viral hit to Premier League, Champions League rights
Tubefilter’s Sam Gutelle reports that CazéTV parent LiveMode, fresh off record YouTube concurrency during the 2026 World Cup, will stream a free weekly Premier League match on YouTube in Brazil and Portugal via deals with ESPN and DAZN.
Prime Video pledges $2B for Latin America content and sports through 2030
Prime Video will invest over $2 billion in Latin America from 2027-2030, spanning originals, licensed content, and sports across Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile. It also picked up Mexico National Team rights for 38 home matches starting September 26.
Netflix and AMC move from licensing to co-producing originals
The Hollywood Reporter’s Rick Porter reports that Netflix greenlit “Bannerman,” a Shane Black spy thriller, as its first original co-production with AMC Studios, building on their existing AMC Collection streaming licensing deal.
Netflix orders Colman Domingo thriller from AMC Studios
Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva reports that Netflix has landed The Headlands House, a thriller limited series starring Colman Domingo, in a competitive bidding situation. AMC Studios produces via Domingo’s first-look deal, marking AMC’s push into making shows for rival platforms.
YouTube dangles exclusivity money to keep creators from Netflix
eMarketer reports that YouTube is offering top creators millions for exclusive uploads, funding programming or cutting them into brand deals, as Netflix courts the same talent. Defectors risk losing YouTube marketing support and brand-deal revenue share.
FAST sports programming outpaces channel growth by 2-to-1
Nielsen reports that Gracenote data shows FAST sports channels rose 13.8% year over year, but unique program titles jumped 31.2% and individual games climbed 37.5%. Existing channels are packing in far more content rather than just multiplying.
Reacher season 4 knocks House of the Dragon off top of streaming chart
TheWrap reports that Samba TV’s weekly Wrap Report has Amazon’s Reacher debuting at No. 1, unseating HBO Max’s House of the Dragon, which had led even after its season finale aired. Ted Lasso’s new season lands fifth.