The news: YouTube TV may drop Fox News, Fox Sports, and Fox Broadcast Network this week if Google and Fox Corporation don’t agree on renewal terms. A blackout removing seven Fox channels could ding YouTube TV’s engagement—especially during live sports and election season, when Fox’s properties pull massive audiences, per CNBC. Our take: Fox Sports specifically drives real-time viewership. Losing it weakens YouTube TV’s live-programming value proposition. For streaming platforms like YouTube TV, it’s a warning—content gatekeepers are no longer willing to share access without premium payouts. YouTube can negotiate partial or sports-only rights to minimize disruption, but the cost will likely be passed on to subscribers. If Fox goes dark on YouTube TV, advertisers must reallocate spend or risk diminished ad performance.

The news: Two months after its streaming-only release, Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” is thriving in a limited box office run—emphasizing the company’s evolving strategy as the streaming market becomes increasingly saturated. Our take: Netflix’s current box office success shows its evolution beyond a streaming platform and toward a broader entertainment brand. The company is placing its bet on diversification to drive sustained growth, hinting at a future that integrates a platform-agnostic approach with successful content distributed to wherever viewers are most likely to engage.

The news: YouTube Music is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a slate of new features, bringing it closer to serving as a full Spotify replacement. Our take: As music platforms evolve into social ecosystems, brand strategies should adapt from passive ad placements to active participation. Testing new ad formats in Taste Match playlists and comments could provide organic brand presence, while partnering with artists who already bridge YouTube’s properties opens access to engaged, music-first communities.

Streaming captured 47.3% of US TV viewing in July, a record share that underscores the medium’s dominance as linear declines. YouTube rose to 13.4% of TV use, its highest level yet, while Netflix surged 5% month-over-month to 8.8%, leading the top 10 streaming titles. The Roku Channel and Peacock also hit records, fueled by strong franchises and creator-driven content. Meanwhile, cable slid to 22.2% and broadcast fell to a new low of 18.4%. With YouTube and Netflix now equaling cable’s share, streaming has become the default destination for mass viewing—even as subscription fatigue looms.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss if the death of the Late Show is “the canary in the linear coal mine” and the biggest takeaways from the landmark NFL and ESPN deal. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Editor, Daniel Konstantinovic, and Vice President of Content, Paul Verna. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

The news: YouTube has made an official inquiry about purchasing the rights to future Academy Awards ceremonies in its latest live events push, per Bloomberg. The move comes after viewership increased slightly for the most recent Oscars ceremony, driven by simultaneous airing on ABC and Hulu. Our take: Rather than competing head-on with broadcast, YouTube can position itself as a complementary streaming partner that extends the Oscars’ reach by highlighting shifting viewership trends that capture audiences broadcast alone struggles to reach and its edge in premium video advertising.

The news: Gamers are more involved in gaming content than ever before, thanks in large part to titles like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite. And they’re not keeping that interest solely on-platform. 46% of gamers say their time spent creating in-game video game content has somewhat or significantly increased over a year ago, per Bain & Company’s Gaming Report 2025. About 20% say they spend less time. 27% of gamers’ social media time and 25% of their streaming video time is spent focused on gaming-related content. Our take: The gaming audience is growing, and it’s not focused on a single platform or console. Gamers’ interests reach through the game and into social media, streaming, TV, and audio, giving marketers a wide path to reach gamers where they are.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how the world’s largest online retailer is weathering tariffs so far, the biggest takeaway from Prime Day, and why Amazon’s AI future could be wearables. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, and Analyst, Rachel Wolff. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

The news: Upfront spending on primetime TV declined for the third year in a row as viewers shift to streaming and advertisers follow suit, per Media Dynamics. Our take: Though linear still commands more ad spending than streaming for now, money and viewership are becoming more entrenched within streaming.

The news: Microdramas may be the next big thing on mobile, at least that’s what a new Hollywood startup is hoping. MicroCo plans to use AI to help create 1- to 3-minute vertical-video shows meant for the mobile screens. Microdrama seasons would be 30- to 100-episode arcs—think telenovelas in short bursts. Our take: Microdramas are a growing venture and are ideal for the quick-hits crowd occupying social media. MicroCo could come out ahead if it can create and monetize buzzworthy content. While brands have the opportunity to advertise within short videos, they might fare better creating their own microdramas to appease consumers who are tired of ads.

The news: Paramount outlined the future of its cable and studio assets on Wednesday a week after completing its merger with Skydance Media. Paramount president Jeff Shell characterized the company’s vision for its cable networks, including MTV, BET, and Nickelodeon, not as shrinking linear assets, but as “brands that we have to redefine.” Our take: Paramount’s emphasis on growing its traditional media businesses signals a bet that legacy channels can drive meaningful revenues when accounting for shifting viewing habits and pursuing higher-volume content pipelines.

The news: As budgets tighten, consumers are altering their streaming habits, per Hub Research’s annual Monetizing Video report. While the average user is unwilling to pay much more than they’re already paying for streaming subscriptions, 42% say they are much more likely to maintain bundled subscriptions compared with individual streaming subscriptions. Our take: Advertisers must pay attention to platforms that offer bundle packages as key areas for investment due to their lower churn. Bundles consolidate audience attention and offer more predictable engagement.

This report compares our 2025 US ad spending and time spent with media forecasts. It identifies incongruities between how marketers are spending ad dollars and where consumers are spending their time.

Some high-engagement platforms are still undermonetized—creating opportunities for advertisers to connect with audiences in less-saturated environments.

The news: Fox is teaming up with ESPN to bundle their upcoming sports streaming services, per Deadline. The bundle will focus on Fox One and ESPN and marks the first major sports rights package, though programming from Fox’s broadcast network and its local stations will also be available. Our take: An ESPN and Fox bundle will undoubtedly unlock major advertising opportunities for the channels as advertisers turn to sports as a key driver of revenues.

The news: Live-streamer Sling TV debuted day, weekend, and weeklong streaming passes as monthly subscription costs escalate. Consumers can buy a Day Pass for $4.99, a Friday-Sunday pass for $9.99, or a Week Pass for $14.99. Passes don’t auto-renew. All three passes offer access to the same 34 channels on Sling’s Orange package, including ESPN, TNT, A&E, Comedy Central, and more. Our take: If its short-term passes are successful, we can expect more streamers to follow suit and potentially offer popular IP for rent—think “Squid Game” on Netflix or “The Gilded Age” on HBO Max. That would allow advertisers to target specific, price-conscious audiences.

The news: Podcast ads are the most effective way to drive action through advertising across media types, per a new study from Sounds Profitable and Signal Hill Insights. 22% of monthly podcast listeners have made an immediate purchase after hearing an ad on a podcast in the past six months, per the study. Podcasts outperformed users of premium TV streaming services like Peacock and Netflix (13%), Instagram (13%), YouTube (12%), and TikTok (5%). Our take: As audiences shift to digital, podcasts demand advertiser investment. Brands that pay attention to the format and take steps to innovate will succeed long-term.

Warner Bros. Discovery posted strong Q2 2025 results, with studio revenues rising 55% YoY to $3.8 billion and HBO Max adding 3.4 million subscribers. A major company split is planned for 2026, separating Max and the studio from WBD’s legacy TV networks. Max is gaining momentum in a crowded market, with restrained ad loads and projected 85% growth in US ad revenues by 2027. With $10.76 billion earmarked for original content next year and major IP releases coming, WBD is positioning Max and its studios for standalone success. The split could offer investors a clearer, more compelling growth story.

The news: YouTube is testing a collaboration option that allows all creators to share credit on individual videos, boosting visibility across channels. MrBeast is among the first to trial the co-author credits. Our take: YouTube is copying an offering that Instagram and TikTok have already rolled out—a common tactic across social media. It will likely give influencers—YouTube’s bread and butter—a helping hand to increase collaborations and subscriber counts. But it could also decrease production as multiple creators share a single video without producing their own individual content.

This is the first installment of our “Mexico Ad Spending Benchmarks” series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.