Hot List: AI Creators, Amazon’s Attack on TTD, YouTube wins Late Night
“Just think: the computer industry has been largely the same for 60 years, and now, with AI and accelerated computing, every single layer of the computing stack is being changed,” said Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. “All of the computers we’ve created in the past, a trillion dollars, maybe more, of computers needs to now be transitioned, shifted to the new computing platform.”
The TL;DR
Amazon Offers Free DSP Face-Off for Media Buyers, Leaked Slides Show [Adweek]
TL;DR: Amazon is offering advertisers the chance to run free head-to-head comparisons of its demand-side platform against competitors, with Amazon picking up costs for inventory and measurement. The strategy underscores Amazon’s push to grow its programmatic ad business by proving performance and pressuring rivals for share.
Consumer Trends Reshaping CTV Advertising In 2025 [Forbes]
TL;DR: Consumers are increasingly asserting control over their viewing experience—skipping, muting, or blocking ads—and that’s pushing advertisers to rethink how they reach audiences in CTV environments. The piece argues for more responsive, permission-based, and contextually relevant ad formats that respect viewers’ preferences.
Disney Closes Deal Merging Hulu Live TV With Fubo [Variety]
TL;DR: Disney and Fubo have officially closed their merger, combining Hulu + Live TV with Fubo under a new joint company in which Disney holds a 70% stake and Fubo shareholders retain 30%. The combined platform instantly becomes the second-largest virtual pay-TV provider in the U.S. with nearly 6 million subscribers, trailing only YouTube TV’s 10 million+.The Department of Justice approved the deal, which dissolves prior legal disputes between the companies and grants Fubo access to a $145 million Disney loan in 2026. While Hulu + Live TV and Fubo will remain separate consumer brands, their ad sales now fall under Disney’s organization, promising synergies in content costs, marketing, and ad monetization.
Netflix's Ad Tier Has Almost Half of Its Household Viewing Hours, According to Comscore [Adweek]
TL;DR: According to Comscore, roughly 45 % of Netflix’s total U.S. household viewing hours now take place on its ad-supported tier—a notable jump from 34 % just a year ago. This shift underlines the strength of hybrid SVOD/AVOD models in driving consumption and monetization.
Recommended Reading:
Walmart’s CTV OS Is Set To “Dominate” North American Market, Suggests Omdia Data - Tim Cross-Kovoor [Videoweek]
Why ‘Yellowstone’ Mastermind Taylor Sheridan Decided to Ditch Paramount - Joe Flint [The Wall Street Journal]
Disney Senior Execs on YouTube TV Blackout: Google Is ‘Not Interested in Achieving a Fair Deal With Us’ - Todd Spangler [Variety]
The White House and Hollywood’s Ongoing Renovations of Power - Kevin Dolak [The Hollywood Reporter]
Hanlon’s Local Links:
FCC Votes To Accelerate NextGen TV Transition With Flexible Framework - Dak Dillon [NCS|NewscastStudio]
Will The 'NextGen TV' Transition Deliver A Bounty Of Bucks Or A Hill Of Beans? - Jeff Baumgartner [Light Reading]
E.W. Scripps To Sell Indianapolis ABC Affiliate WRTV To Circle City Broadcasting For $83 Million - Lucas Manfredi [The Wrap]
A Record-Breaking M&A Year For Local TV? Not So Fast - Janet Stilson [TVNewsCheck]
Carr Says FCC Doesn’t Need Congress To Update Radio Ownership Caps - [Inside Radio]
Who’s Going To Save Local Newspaper Archives? - Liam Scott [Columbia Journalism Review]
