The NBA is experiencing one of its biggest advertising booms in decades following a record $76 billion media rights deal with Disney, NBC, and Amazon. Ad spend on NBA programming jumped 15% last season to $1.52 billion, with NBCUniversal selling out its first-year inventory after returning to coverage for the first time in 23 years. ESPN, ABC, and Prime Video are also thriving—drawing hundreds of advertisers across broadcast and streaming. Amazon is fusing ecommerce and live sports with shoppable ad formats, while NBC and Disney leverage cross-platform studio content. The result: the NBA is redefining what live sports monetization looks like.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how much TV streaming is really going on around the world, in which countries radio is holding its own, and short-form video’s place in the social media world. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Principal Analyst, Paul Briggs, Vice President of Research, Jennifer Pearson, and Chief Insight Officer at GWI, Jason Mander. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Spotify signed a slate of deals with Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Merlin to develop “responsible AI” tools that ensure fair compensation, respect for copyright, and let artists decide whether they want to allow AI use. The music streamer didn’t clarify what kinds of tools it’s developing. Creative platforms are under pressure to show they can harness AI responsibly without eroding creator economics. Brands should vet creative partners and platform placements for reach, transparency, brand safety, and ethical AI practices.

Streaming is becoming a critical investment for marketers as the format evolves and continues to chip away at linear TV’s dominance. In an exclusive EMARKETER interview at Advertising Week New York, Reed Kiely, director of data insights and trends at the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB), outlined how marketers can tap into streaming’s potential and what will define success in a fragmented ecosystem. Marketers should follow audience attention and gradually allocate more budget to streaming services—but “prioritize quality content and ad experiences” as fragmentation heats up.

Tubi is giving advertisers a broader arsenal of contextual targeting tools through an expanded partnership with Viant. The free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) platform is tagging its on-demand content based on emotional and thematic cues, per Digiday, with categories such as “hopeful” or “suspenseful.” For CMOs, this represents a turning point—contextual intelligence is a strategic advantage for brand safety, emotional alignment, and performance in an increasingly fragmented streaming landscape. Leaning into emotional targeting tools will let marketers fully capitalize on FAST’s growth, the platforms’ broad range of content, and the opportunity to dominate ad fill.

Linear TV ad spending grew in Q3 despite total TV ad impressions declining, per iSpot data. Ad spend increased 4% YoY, reaching $8.77 billion—but total impressions fell 2.7% to 1.67 trillion. Total ad minutes rose 2.4% YoY to 5.3 million, driven by the rise of sports inventory. Marketers must understand that a successful ad strategy requires a balance— investing in linear to drive outcomes while slowly shifting toward CTV for better targeting and to align with audience viewing habits.

At Advertising Week New York 2025, Paramount announced Streaming Fixed Units, an update to its ad offerings for Paramount+ that gives brands premium, fixed ad placements for the debut week of episodes for Paramount series. Brands can leverage Paramount’s newest offering to take advantage of cultural moments, increasing the chances that streaming ads will connect at the right time—but should consider that other platforms with bigger audiences could also tap into this shift more effectively.

The news: The latest actress generating buzz across Hollywood isn’t real. “Tilly Norwood,” an AI-generated persona created by Particle6, drew sharp critiques from Hollywood personalities and unions. Our take: Consumers still report a deep distrust of AI influencers. For now, partnering with corporeal influencers is the safer path for most brands.

Pause ads are proving their potential in the crowded connected TV (CTV) landscape after marketing service Wunderkind Ads saw massive success with a pause ad campaign for jewelry brand Zales. Pause ads are proving to be one of the most promising CTV innovations yet, and advertisers who haven’t experimented with the format should tap in—but must also understand what makes these ads work.

Streaming is outplaying movie theaters for most consumers, despite frustration around streamers’ rising subscription prices. Three-quarters of US adults have streamed a recently released movie in the past year instead of watching it in a theater, per an AP-NORC poll. Brands shouldn’t abandon theaters for streaming or vice versa but should instead focus on approaching each channel with a clear strategy. Streaming, especially ad-free tiers, offers data-driven targeting, while theaters offer cultural impact and immersive experiences. Strong campaigns will employ both, using streaming for precision and theaters for impact.

Disney is raising streaming prices again; Disney+ ad-free will climb to $18.99 per month, Hulu’s ad tier will rise to $11.99, and bundles will increase by up to $3. The hikes follow similar moves by Apple TV+ and Peacock, as subscription inflation outpaces consumer budgets. Nearly half of US adults have altered streaming subscriptions in the past six months, with two-thirds of cancellations tied to high costs. Disney can point to premium franchises, ESPN, and bundles as value, but modest daily engagement gains make retention a tougher challenge in a saturated market.

DirecTV has launched on Vizio Smart TVs, broadening its reach and opening fresh advertising opportunities for brands, the companies announced Monday. DirecTV’s expansion into Vizio’s smart TVs dramatically widens its streaming footprint and gives advertisers a more measurable, performance-driven environment.

YouTube is an effective channel for reaching Gen Zers as use and creators influence expand, per our 2025 Gen Z Social Media Usage report. Over half (56%) of Gen Z social media users are spending more time on YouTube than they did a year ago, per YouGov. YouTube’s momentum with Gen Z shows its evolution from an entertainment hub to a discovery and shopping engine. Brands need to not only show up, but also design for searchability, optimize creator partnerships, and explore cross-screen viewing and messaging outreach.

Netflix has struck a global marketing deal with AB InBev spanning programming sponsorships, live events like NFL Christmas Day games and the Women’s World Cup, and even beer packaging featuring Netflix IP. For AB InBev, aligning beer with Netflix viewing occasions connects drinking culture to shared entertainment rituals. More than a sponsorship, the deal positions both brands as co-authors of cultural moments across sports, shows, and global viewing events.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss our ‘very specific, but highly unlikely’ predictions for the end of 2025 and start of 2026. Whether Snap’s Spectacles will gain traction faster than Meta’s Ray-Bans have, if Netflix will start showing users shoppable product placement ads, and if TikTok will introduce a GenAI assistant to the app with commercial intent. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Director of Reports Editing, Rahul Chadha, Senior Analyst, Max Willens, and Principal Analyst, Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

YouTube wants to be the home for both product discovery and ecommerce as it rolls out new shopping features across long-form videos and Shorts, per The Verge. Incoming additions include dynamic brand segments for swapping out sponsors, AI tagging of eligible products, and brand links in Shorts. YouTube is announcing new features—like shoppable masthead ads and text-to-video tools—at a breakneck pace, looking to capitalize on its growth across platforms. Brands should partner with both top creators and smaller influencers to boost discovery and purchases.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss which of the over 500 sessions will be the most interesting conversation at this year’s Advertising Week 2025 in New York. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings, Jeremy Goldman, Analyst, Marisa Jones, and Senior Editor, Daniel Konstantinovic. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Hispanic audiences are leading shifts in digital behaviors, streaming at high levels, adopting AI tools, and using creator apps that position them as both content producers and consumers. That demographic is embracing streaming more than the general population, per Nielsen’s Curating the Narrative report, with a cord-cutting rate about 35% higher. Hispanic audiences aren’t just passive consumers—they’re actively crafting and customizing their media experiences and leading early tech adoption. Brands should diversify media outreach—instead of leaning solely on traditional TV or linear content—to avoid missing engagement opportunities.