In this week’s WPP Media Intelligence Podcast, Kate Scott-Dawkins, Jeff Foster, and Nidhi Shah break down the biggest media and advertising stories shaping the global market. From last-minute US carriage deals to the NFL’s free-to-air push in the UK, and a major European media merger, we explore what these moves mean for advertisers. Plus, we look at newspaper ad revenue trends, China’s growing media players, and how AI investment is fueling economic growth.

Key takeaways:

• How Fox and YouTube TV avoided a blackout before football season
• Why Disney is suing Sling TV over $5/day streaming passes
• NFL’s new free-to-air deal in the UK and its impact on sports rights
• The MFE + ProSiebenSat.1 merger and European media consolidation
• Newspaper ad revenue trends in the US and UK
• Xiaomi and ByteDance’s role in the global ad market
• How AI investment is driving ad spend growth into 2026

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction & Episode Preview
01:25 – Fox & YouTube TV Carriage Dispute and Skinny Sports Bundles
05:44 – Disney Sues Sling TV Over Short-Term Streaming Passes
08:18 – NFL Goes Free-to-Air in the UK & Sports Rights Landscape
11:22 – European Media Consolidation: MFE and ProSiebenSat.1 Deal
14:45 – Newspaper Ad Revenue Trends in US and UK
17:27 – China-Based Players: Xiaomi, ByteDance & AI Investments
20:17 – Closing Thoughts & Upcoming Sports Events

This Year Next Year Midyear Forecast 2025: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/tyny-midyear-2025