Kirby makes the case that the full stack has become media’s most expensive flex. Sony is zeroing in on the moments where ownership actually drives revenue, while Comcast and Paramount are learning that scale can bring more scrutiny, more complexity,…

Sky's £1.6 billion acquisition of ITV's media and entertainment business would combine the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster with its largest pay TV operator, giving Sky ITVX, major broadcast networks, and a much larger advertising, audience, and first-party data footprint. ITV…

Skip examines why behavioral data doesn’t equal consumer understanding. Viewers may accept ads to save money or notice them while second-screening, but that doesn’t prove attention, enthusiasm, or permission for deeper targeting.

Sony Pictures is investing $100 million in Cosm, taking a minority stake in the immersive venue operator and adding CEO Ravi Ahuja to Cosm’s board. Sony’s move builds on its Alamo Drafthouse acquisition and gives the studio another direct path…

Media companies need to treat demand creation as an operating discipline, measuring how recommendations, creative resonance, fan communities, interfaces, and commerce signals drive viewing, subscriptions, and purchases. Walmart’s connected-TV commerce strategy, streaming’s ad-yield pressure, Big Tech distribution deals, and Paramount’s…

Kirby says media companies are overfocused on what audiences watch and underfocused on what they recommend. As discovery shifts to group chats, creators, social platforms, podcasts, and fan communities, viewers who persuade others to watch can create more value than…

Skip says advertising’s performance metrics, risk-heavy approvals, and platform-driven asset demands have stripped courage and distinctiveness from the creative process. The industry’s focus on measurable, defensible outcomes has improved targeting and accountability while producing too much work that’s technically optimized…

Walmart’s Vibe.co acquisition strengthens its push to make CTV a performance-driven retail media channel for SMBs. Vizio supplies the TV footprint, Vibe adds self-serve buying tools, and Walmart Connect provides commerce attribution, creating a stack designed to move streaming budgets…

Walmart's using Vizio to turn connected TV into a retail media engine, blending original programming, brand integrations, and purchase attribution inside one ecosystem. Shows like Backyard Escapes and Join the Club give advertisers a way to drive product discovery before…

New research finds viewers are increasingly willing to accept ads in exchange for lower streaming prices, making ad-free plans a premium option. The business challenge now, according to Kirby, is maximizing yield by pricing and designing ads around attention, break…