The Media Leader Podcast

Jack Benjamin and Omar Oakes discuss the major media and advertising stories of the week, including YouTube rejoining Barb, TV audience trends from the latest Ofcom Media Nations report and why Warner Bros Discovery could end its HBO exclusivity deal with Sky in the UK.Highlights:00:30: YouTube rejoins Barb, why it matters and Media Nations reaction07:00: Should WBD end its HBO deal with Sky in the UK?11:00: OpenAI's challenge to Google17:30: Omar's debut for the news round-upRelated links:YouTube rejoins BarbOpenAI seeks to reassure publishers over SearchGPT---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader

Dr Grace Kite, a business economist and founder of Magic Numbers and Magic Works, joins Omar Oakes to discuss the importance of independence in media consulting, trends in effectiveness, Cannes Lions and what it takes to be a successful business founder.Kite is one of the industry's most respected voices on what makes advertising effective and has just sold Magic Numbers to US-based tech consultancy Analytic Partners.She says: "My experience as an independent is that the client themselves will tell you more stuff and they'll treat you more as a partner because you're not trying to sell them the next media campaign, you're not trying to steer them towards your media partners who can get you a better deal and you can get more commission on them."---Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode.--> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audienceVisit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader

Reporters Jack Benjamin and Ella Sagar look at the stories that mattered most in media and advertising this week.The pair discuss Google's reversal on cookie deprecation, plus coverage around the latest earnings from Alphabet, Spotify, Netflix and others, as well as an odd match for Teads and Outbrain.Highlights00:21: Google's U-turn on cookie deprecation6:46: Alphabet earnings 8:23: Netflix earnings 11:22: Spotify earnings14:30: Warner Bros Discovery considers split16:45: Teads and Outbrain's potential merger15:45: News round-up: Publicis Groupe's stronger-than-expected Q2 earnings; Vivendi's plans to list its business on separate stock exchanges; Ofcom fines TikTok; City AM agrees content-sharing deal with Reach; UK Q1 adspend according to AA/Warc---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader

Laurence Green, the IPA's effectiveness director, speaks to Omar Oakes about the rise of media agencies submitting entries for the new IPA Effectiveness Awards, whose shortlist is published this week.The awards, which run every two years, have seen a "dramatic" increase in media agencies submitting best-in-class advertising effectiveness work. Green discusses the reasons behind this and whether advertising and marketing are being more led by media planning and buying.Green, who has founded ad agencies and is one of the UK's most renowned brand strategists, also discusses the state of Cannes Lions and the work showcased this year at the world's biggest advertising show.Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode.---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader

Reporters Jack Benjamin and Ella Sagar look at the stories that mattered most in media and advertising this week.The pair discuss media coverage around the Euros and Olympics, takeaways from the latest IPA Bellwether, how Labour intends to support the current BBC funding model and more.Highlights:00:24: Summer of Sport – Olympics and Paralympics coverage; keyword-blocking of Reach articles8:14: IPA Bellwether shows business optimism10:51: Labour's commitment to the BBC's licensing arrangements15:45: News round-up: UKTV's U masterbrand; another Telegraph Media Group auction; Omnicom earnings; Taboola and Apple strike adtech deal; Euros viewing figuresRelated Links:UKTV launches U masterbrand with ‘biggest-ever’ campaign starring CherChannel 4 creates ‘most accessible’ sponsorship idents yet for Paralympics 2024Half of Reach’s Euro 2024 coverage wrongly identified by brands as unsafeLabour quietens BBC funding chatter for now as it commits to licence fee to 2027ITVX pulls in its biggest live-stream audience for England semi-final victory---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader

Kate Harris, former CEO and current regional director at Nabs, talks to Omar Oakes about mental health in the media and advertising industry.Harris, a former ad agency executive who now runs a recruitment business, discusses the challenges of managing work-from-home stress and the benefits of art and creativity for mental wellbeing.They also explore the need for open conversation and practical support for women going through the menopause at work and why the industry is still "ageist", despite making improvements over the last 20 years.Further reading:Omar Oakes: 'Is it time to cut back on 'junk media'?Lessons in supporting your teams’ mental wellnessCreate, donate and participate at the Nabs Art Auction---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader

Reporter Ella Sagar and deputy editor Maria Iu look at the stories that mattered most in media and advertising this week.The pair discuss new culture secretary Lisa Nandy's in-tray, Ofcom’s ruling on BBC spin-off stations, Meta's view that news is "substitutable" and Paramount Global’s merger with Skydance Media.Highlights0:26: What you need to know about the new Labour government3:54: Ofcom delays early launch of BBC Radio 2's "pop nostalgia" service8:30: Industry reaction to Meta saying news is "substitutable"12:15: Paramount Global and Skydance Media merger14:30: Bundling could be "consolidation lite"16:57: News round-up: Channel 4's chief revenue officer will depart at the end of the year; Spotify has added a comments feature for podcasts; the UK and Ireland June box office is up 7%; The Independent has been having “more than half a dozen serious conversations” with global publishers about partnerships; and latest IPA TouchPoints data showing 38% of Brits "are not coping" on their current income.Related linksBig changes ahead in media under a new governmentOfcom delays launch of BBC Radio 2 ‘pop nostalgia’ serviceParamount ends merger saga after reaching ‘definitive’ Skydance agreementDisney bundling found to lower churn in USChannel 4 sales chief Veriça Djurdjevic exit: CEO’s letter to staff in fullJune box office up 7%The Independent’s CEO eyes publisher partnerships beyond BuzzFeed

Andrew Cole, board member of Liberty Global and one of the original backers of GB News, talks to Omar Oakes about shaking up the status quo of TV measurement and trading.Cole's new venture, Digital Audience Data, seeks to get all major telecoms operators in advanced economies to jointly share data for a "more accurate" TV measurement system than legacy ones such as those operated by Barb and Kantar Media in the UK.He also talks about his track record working with Steve Jobs and Apple on the iPhone's launch and how his career has been built on "disrupting" legacy systems.And, amid rumours of GB News following in TalkTV's footsteps by going online only, Cole answers questions about the rationale for launching the channel in 2021 – a move that attracted calls for an advertiser boycott before it began programming.Further reading:UK telcos plot audience measurement and ad sales platformTelcos can transform the UK ad industry for the better---Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode.--> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audience---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader

Omar Oakes and Maria Iu digest the big stories of the week and Les Binet talks to The Media Leader about why he's created an AI version of himself. Binet, group head of effectiveness at Adam & Eve/DDB and a renowned ad authority, talk to Oakes at Cannes Lions about his long history with AI, his Cannes diary and his battle against the industry's "shiny object" syndrome.Highlights:2:30: What will change in media and advertising under Labour?7:20: What analysts are saying about the economy under Labour10:00: Commissions from Netflix and Amazon are up – confidence returning to TV?12:30: Fox launches Tubi in the UK – is the market saturated?15:10: London's most attention-grabbing bus shelters – where and why?16:45: What to do about election leaflets posing as fake newspapers20:00: Les Binet interview---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader

Prioritising talent and creativity should be top of the list for media leaders this year, according to attendees at The Media Leader Summit.The Media Leader reporters Jack Benjamin and Ella Sagar bring you highlights in a special episode from their conversations with senior figures around what the top focus should be for the industry this year.Sustainability, measurement, inclusion, consistency and trust were also discussed as key topics.Some of the winners of The Media Leader Awards' Leader of the Year category — Patrick Affleck, CEO of Havas Media Network UK and Ireland; Thomas Bremond, senior vice-president and chief revenue officer, international, at FreeWheel; Rob Edwards, head of media and digital at Arla Foods; and Dominic Williams, chief revenue officer at Mail Metro Media — share their thoughts.We also hear from Cath Waller, managing director of advertising at Immediate Media, and Chloë Davies, founder of It Takes A Village.Highlights00:53: Dominic Williams on testing new things02:56: Patrick Affleck speaks about people and optimism06:10: Rob Edwards discusses the importance of measurement and creativity for advertisers08:48: Thomas Bremond's views on sustainability and building the future of TV11:14: Chloë Davies highlights the need for the media and advertising industry to "hold the line"14:36: Cath Waller calls for more action on trust in media---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader