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AI鈥檚 role in Hollywood expands: The Russo brothers' new studio will explore AI-assisted filmmaking AI skepticism persists in the industry.

Streaming services are offering a multitude of bundles as they try to expand their ad-supported audiences.

New forecasts for US Amazon CTV ad revenues and ad-supported viewers for select streaming services.

Samsung GameBreaks turns ads into games: A new CTV ad unit lifts brand recall by 53% and signals a shift toward high-engagement, opt-in formats.

2024 has been a disruptive year for generative AI (genAI), which transformed from a buzzword into a practical part of marketing workflows, and commerce media as more platforms launch. Meanwhile, advertisers are still figuring out the lifespan of third-party cookies. And connected TV (CTV) advertising got a big boost from Prime Video.

India鈥檚 growing importance as an ad market: The world鈥檚 most populous country is seeing major shifts in time spent with media as competition ramps up.

Podcasts represent a small, but growing, revenue stream for creators. Brands want in on creator-led podcasts, especially as video becomes a more crucial component of podcasting. But both sides face challenges over concerns related to scale, brand safety, and ad loads.

This is the Q1 2025 installment of our quarterly 鈥淎d Spending Benchmarks鈥� series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.

India鈥檚 commerce landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, fueled by booming ecommerce, rising mobile shopping, and the growing influence of social media.

Short-form 鈥渕icrodrama鈥� content is surging in China. As the format gains popularity, streaming platforms are exploring new ways to monetize and export the phenomenon to overseas markets.

The news: Paramount has settled a lawsuit with Donald Trump after the president sued the company following a 鈥�60 Minutes鈥� interview with Kamala Harris that he argued contained 鈥渄eceptive doctoring,鈥� the company announced Tuesday. Sources cited by The Hollywood Reporter claim the lawsuit posed a threat to Paramount鈥檚 pending merger with Skydance, which will require the Trump administration鈥檚 approval. Our take: While the settlement could pave the way for Paramount and Skydance鈥檚 merger, it raises questions about the future of media companies who are perceived as holding a liberal bias鈥攁nd concerns about increasing censorship in the current political environment.

The news: National TV ad revenues will fall 11.4% this year, hitting $35.3 billion, while streamers are expected to rise 26% to $7.8 billion, per a Madison and Wall projection reported by MediaPost. Our take: Advertisers should continue shifting strategies to align with viewing habits and consumer behaviors鈥攂ut remain cautious about complete CTV adoption, as opaque ad placements and looming economic pressures spell an uncertain future.

The news: Spotify鈥檚 Partner Program has opened new monetization paths for video podcasters, enabling MP4 uploads and revenue through ads and subscriptions. Creators like Ryth report earning over $55,000 per month, surpassing YouTube earnings. However, the model doesn鈥檛 support dynamic ads for premium subscribers, prompting networks to hold back. Why it matters: Nearly half of all digital media time is spent on video, and Spotify is betting big on that trend鈥攅specially among Gen Z, who increasingly prefer video-first podcast formats. Our take: Spotify鈥檚 approach may alienate ad-heavy networks for now, but video鈥檚 growth and creator enthusiasm suggest its long-term strategy is sound.

Most consumers divide their time across gaming, music, podcasts, and social, but streaming remains on top鈥攅ven as mobile becomes the default for short- and long-form video.

The traditional TV bundle will further decay as more live sports embrace streaming.

OTT digital video services are now popular everywhere, although fee-based sub OTT is not yet mainstream in every country. The outlook is positive for both free and paid OTT around the world, but growth will slow significantly.

YouTube鈥檚 hiring of ESPN veteran Justin Connolly triggers a Disney lawsuit: The clash underscores rising tensions over live sports streaming supremacy.

TelevisaUnivision is doubling down on young Hispanic audiences: With music festivals, microdramas, and dual-language content built for mobile.

Most consumers accept ads in streaming: An Attest study highlighted the growing preference for ad-supported options as streaming proves sustainable.

Latin America鈥檚 digital economy will undergo significant changes in 2025 as retail innovation and regulatory changes redefine business dynamics for global and local players alike.

Nielsen is sunsetting its legacy panel-only measurement this year. What do advertisers need to know as they prepare to transact on big data-based metrics at scale?

Apple鈥檚 Prime Video deal draws the lines of power in streaming: Growth in SVOD is slowing significantly, leaving services little choice but to piggyback off larger platforms.

Shorts now dominate prime screen space on connected TVs, signaling YouTube鈥檚 bid to normalize mobile-first formats in the living room鈥攚hether users like it or not.