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Amazon debuts three new CTV ad formats: The updates are part of Amazon’s Prime Video ads push and promise to help brands reach highly engaged audiences.

HBO Max is back after a lengthy branding misstep: The pivot reflects the enduring power of HBO’s cultural and commercial identity.

The update introduces a My Netflix hub and real-time personalization tools, all aimed at helping users find something fast—and not flee to YouTube.

Disney’s streaming bundle is driving subscriber gains and lower churn: But fiscal caution and ad headwinds may limit future momentum.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how ready Netflix is for a potential recession, if video podcasts and content creators fit nicely into its offering, and whether AI can help improve search for the streaming giant. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Analyst Ross Benes, and Vice President of Content Paul Verna. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Max adds new paid sharing feature with profile transfer tools: As inflation rises, Max bets on flexibility over price hikes to reduce churn and increase retention.

In light of rising watch time on YouTube and a booming podcast ad market, video podcasts could be Netflix’s next frontier for new content.

Netflix Q1 proves its resilience amid economic volatility: Strong revenue growth is setting the company up to weather uncertainty.

The trend: Gen Z is opting out of both traditional pay TV and ad-supported streaming tiers, signaling deeper changes in viewing behavior. Just 42% of Gen Z subscribers use ad-supported SVOD, while less than half of all US households now maintain a pay TV subscription. Our take: Streaming’s future depends on reaching the next generation, but current models—especially ad-supported tiers—aren’t meeting Gen Z where they are. With only 1.3 hours of streaming and 0.8 hours of traditional TV per day, Gen Z prefers social video, gaming, and music. To stay relevant, platforms must prioritize native formats, interactivity, and creator integration over legacy ad models.

The news: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) plans to split into two separate public companies by 2026, one focused on streaming and studios and the other on global cable networks, the company announced. Its streaming company will include HBO Max and WBD’s movie properties, while the global networks company will include TNT Sports, Discovery, and CNN. Our take: WBD’s move emphasizes that sticking with a one-size-fits-all model is no longer viable given traditional TV declines and the rise of streaming. Managing decline while pursuing growth requires two fundamentally different playbooks.

The news: YouTube Shorts now average 200 billion daily views, a 186% increase from 70 billion in 2024. The platform also sees 1 billion daily TV watch hours, leading Nielsen’s streaming rankings with 12.5% of total TV viewership, surpassing Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video. Our take: As audiences increasingly favor quick, viral videos, marketers have the opportunity to explore partnering with rising creators and scaling campaigns across mobile and CTV to maximize reach and impact.

The news: Apple’s F1: The Movie made $144 million globally in its opening weekend, becoming the company’s first box office success after prior flops. With standout reviews and marketing synced across the Apple ecosystem, the Brad Pitt-led film was driven by premium formats like IMAX and high youth turnout. Our take: F1 validates Apple’s blockbuster ambitions, but success here is about more than ticket sales. It’s a brand-building tool, aimed at strengthening Apple TV+ and its wider services. Turning big-screen moments into lasting streaming growth is the next test—especially as Apple balances cost, competition, and the evolving economics of global theatrical releases.

The news: Global ad spend growth is slowing but staying positive, with WARC projecting a 6.2% rise to $1.16 trillion in 2025 and MAGNA forecasting a 4.9% climb to $979 billion. Retail media is outpacing linear TV for the first time, and Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon continue to control the majority of digital revenues. Measurable channels like short-form video, retail media, and ad-supported VOD are gaining ground. Our take: Amid economic pressures and trade concerns, advertisers are prioritizing performance, shifting budgets geographically and platform-wise. With elections, AI, and major global events on the horizon, platforms that prove outcomes—not impressions—will shape the next era.

YouTube has more users than Facebook, Netflix, or Spotify. But its advertising revenues do not match its vast reach. This report contextualizes the opportunities and scope for growth in various media spheres.

The trend: Most healthcare and pharma marketers plan to increase their CTV/over-the-top (OTT) spending in the next year, according to Nielsen’s Global Annual Marketing Survey. Our take: CTV’s gain of healthcare and pharma ad dollars isn’t necessarily linear TV’s loss. Campaign strategies for linear should focus on brand awareness, while CTV allows drug ads to be highly targeted.

Netflix’s AI search test takes aim at content fatigue: By letting users search more intuitively, Netflix hopes to edge out rivals and helps viewers navigate its library.