News
The latest stories published on The Desk.
Versant unveils brand identity refresh for USA Sports
USA Sports will exist as the flagship brand for live sports programming across Comcast's cable networks that are being separated into Versant.
Nielsen hires ex-Netflix ad exec Peter Naylor
Nielsen has appointed Peter Naylor as its first Chief Client Officer to strengthen partnerships across media and advertising.
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Stingray acquiring streaming audio platform TuneIn for $175 million
Stingray will acquire TuneIn for up to $175 million, expanding its global reach in digital audio streaming and advertising.
FIRST TO REPORT
Amazon: Prime Video ad tier grows to 315 million users
The data point was released as part of a broader presentation on Amazon's connected TV ad products and innovations.
Optimum gives TV, Internet subscribers free Netflix for one year
Optimum is now offering most of its Internet and TV customers a one-year subscription of Netflix with Ads as part of their service.
Parks: Streamers gravitating toward live sports services
More than one-third of streaming households are paying for a sports-specific app to stay on top of their favorite teams or games.
DATA
Beasley Media business woes extend into Q3
Beasley Media continued to experience pains in the traditional broadcasting sector as ad dollars shift from radio toward connected audio products.
WARC: Marketers should expect the unexpected in 2026
The influencer economy and the growing use of AI is giving way to cautious optimism about the state of the marketing economy heading into 2026.
Paramount to raise price of Paramount Plus in January
Executives justified the cost adjustment by citing Paramount's investment in more premium sports, including UFC.
Google pressures Disney to lower subscriber fees for ESPN as YouTube TV spat drags on
Google is holding out hope that Disney will offer it a lower rate for ESPN — something that could trigger similar demands from other companies, if Disney accepts Google's offer.
DIRECTV takes on local TV with political advertising product
DIRECTV is launching a new product called DIRECTV Elect that gives political ad buyers greater reach through connected TV platforms.
Paramount reports flat revenue during Q3, streaming subscribers up
Paramount posted mixed results in its first full quarter since merging with Skydance, as strength in streaming offset ongoing weakness in its traditional television business.
EARNINGS REPORT