Week in Review: UK Lords Propose Gambling Ad Ban, NYT Claims OpenAI Execs Knew of AI’s Harm to Publishers, and Channel 4 Sales to Represent Channel 5

September 19, 2026

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In this week’s Week in Review: the UK’s House of Lords proposed a ban on gambling ads, a filing in the NYT’s lawsuit against OpenAI says execs at the tech company knew of the damage their tools would do to publishers, and Channel 4 Sales seals deal to represent Channel 5 advertising.

The Week in Tech

US Court Reveals Remedies Against Google’s Ad Tech Monopoly

Judge Leonie Brinkema’s remedies in the antitrust trial against Google’s ad tech monopoly were unsealed on Wednesday, ordering Google to alter some of the infrastructure that favours its own ads business. Under the remedies, Google must build API integrations connecting its ad exchange (AdX) and ad server (DFP) to Prebid, the open-source framework behind header bidding; to submit AdX bids to rival publisher ad servers on the same terms as DFP; and to share bid data with publishers. Google’s AdWords ad platform is also prohibited from bidding directly into DFP. In addition, a court-appointed “technical monitor” will spend six years with full access to Google’s employees, systems and source code.

EU to Propose Under-15s Social Media Restrictions

The European Commission is set to propose restrictions for under-15s on social media, President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, including “only mini accounts from 13 to under 15s, set up and supervised by parents, with limited features and time restrictions.” Under the EU Kids Act, minors would be barred from having personal accounts on the likes of Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, alongside new safety requirements for online services, including video games and AI chatbots. “We do not have to accept addictive features,” von der Leyen told the European Parliament. “We do not have to accept children being drawn into ever more extreme content. We do not have to accept that girls have their photos used for AI-generated sexualised images.”

Nexxen Makes Pause Ads Available Through SSP

Nexxen has made pause ads available through its supply-side platform, Nexxen SSP, the ad tech business announced on Tuesday. Through partnerships with premium streaming publishers, including DIRECTV Advertising and Philo, advertisers can now activate CTV pause ads via programmatic workflows. “By opening this inventory to the Nexxen DSP as well as approved, third-party demand-side partners, including Simpli.fi, Nexxen is helping buyers access premium pause inventory within their existing platforms, reducing friction and expanding reach,” the company said in the announcement.

Magnite Adds Agentic Decisioning Capabilities for TV

Magnite, a sell-side ad tech firm, has announced expanded omnichannel capabilities and third-party integrations for Magnite Orchestration, its coordination layer for connecting AI agents. By extending real-time agentic workflows across TV, Magnite Orchestration can now connect digital-first buyers to local linear inventory. The update also extends its decisioning into native TV environments, including interactive home screen unit ad placements, across supply from Samsung Ads.

Keynes Launches AI Performance Tool for Channel Analysis

Keynes, a performance CTV tech company, has launched kAI, a new AI-powered analysis capability for its Kortex platform. kAI allows marketers to ask questions across their paid media data in plain language, and receive analysis, visualisations and explanations, in order to provide a clear view of how channels influence one another and contribute to business performance. “Marketing teams have no shortage of data, but turning that information into a decision often depends on the availability of an analyst,” said Dan Larkman, Founder and CEO of Keynes. “kAI makes that analytical process directly accessible inside Kortex. Marketers can ask a question, understand the reasoning behind the answer and determine their next action without waiting for another report or moving sensitive media data into a tool their company does not control.”

Genius Sports, Equativ and StackAdapt Team Up for Dynamic Sports Ads

Genius Sports, a sports data, analytics and tech specialist, has partnered with Equativ and StackAdapt to help advertisers and agencies reach sports fans with dynamic creative via programmatic channels. Genius Sports’ Moment Engine uses live game data to identify high-engagement moments, while Equativ’s creative technology is used to adapt campaign messaging as events unfold. The new capabilities are directly integrated into StackAdapt’s programmatic buying workflow.

IAB Tech Lab Makes Programmatic Standard Practices Available for Public Comment

IAB Tech Lab, the global digital advertising technical standards-setting body, has made its Programmatic Standard Practices available for public comment. The inaugural work from the Programmatic Governance Council outlines how buyers and sellers should use existing standards in programmatic transactions to support a healthy digital media ecosystem. Programmatic Standard Practices v1 is available for public comment until 16th October 2026. “Programmatic advertising depends on buyers and sellers having a common understanding of how transactions should work,” said IAB Tech Lab CEO Anthony Katsur. “These practices are about making that understanding clearer and giving the industry a practical framework for using the standards that already exist.”

The Week in TV

MFE’s Consolidation Strategy Delivers Profits, but Revenue Lags Behind

European broadcasting group MFE-MediaForEurope released its H1 earnings this week, giving an early look at its finances are looking following its acquisition of German TV group ProSiebenSat.1. The biggest positive from the H1 report was substantial growth in MFE’s pro forma profits (which include ProSieben’s 2025 numbers prior to the acquisition, to enable a direct comparison). However total revenues across the group were down by 6.1 percent year-on-year, falling to €2.95 billion. And CEO and chairman Pier Silvio Berlusconi mentioned specific struggles within MFE’s ad business. Read more on VideoWeek.

ITV to Make Subtitles Mandatory on All Ads and Launches Subtitling Service for SMEs

ITV has announced closed-caption subtitling will be required on all ads by January 2027, across all of its channels and ITVX. The UK broadcaster has also created a “new low-cost service” providing subtitles specifically for its new-to-TV SME (small and medium enterprise) advertisers. “Reaching 100% subtitled advertising has been a long-term goal, but has been a unique challenge due to the number of small brands that we work with regionally,” said Jason Spencer, ITV Business Development Director. “We’re proud that not only are we mandating subtitles across our advertising, but that we’re ensuring that it is also available at a low cost point for our smaller advertisers that we work with, marking a milestone for both our advertisers and viewers.”

European Coalition Develops Sovereign AI Platform for PSBs

The Joint Innovation Lab, a European coalition led by ORF Innovation, is developing a sovereign AI platform designed specifically for public service broadcasters (PSBs). The group, which brings together the ARD Cloud Unit, EBU Technology & Innovation, and Schwarz Digits, have devised a platform that integrates locally hosted LLMs, speech-to-text, text-to-speech and other generative media services. “Digital sovereignty must be a practical capability,” said Stefan Kollinger, Chief Innovation Officer at ORF. “This Joint Innovation Lab combines European technology, public service values and innovation expertise to actively shape the future of AI for media.”

Pay-TV Subscriptions Are on the Rise in Germany Finds VAUNET Report

Cord-cutting has long been the prevailing narrative across the TV landscape, but certain European markets appear to be less affected by the trend than the US. In Germany, pay-TV subscriptions are actually on the rise, according to a new report from German trade body VAUNET, even as pay-TV revenues continue to decline. The report, ‘Pay-TV & Paid VOD in Germany 2025/2026’, found that the number of pay-TV subscriptions stood at 15.8 million in 2025, up from 15.2 million in 2024. And this is expected to rise by a further 3 percent in 2026, bringing the total to 16.4 million by the end of the year. Read more on VideoWeek.

Amazon Prime Video Adds News Clips

Amazon Prime Video is adding short-form news clips in the US, offering both local and national stories. The clips will be available in the News destination within the Prime Video app on TVs and other living room devices, before rolling out to its web and mobile apps. The announcement follows the launch of Clips, Prime Video’s vertical short-form video feed, as part of efforts by streaming services to compete with (or at least emulate) short-form video apps such as TikTok.

Canal+ and LaLiga Join Forces to Tackle Piracy

Canal+ and LaLiga have signed an anti-piracy agreement spanning almost 50 countries, Reuters reported last week, as the French broadcaster and Spanish football league join forces to combat illegal streaming. The partnership covers markets in Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti where Canal+ broadcasts LaLiga, and will cover anti-piracy technology, joint investigations and lobbying work. LaLiga President Javier Tebas noted the impact of piracy on LaLiga’s broadcast income, which fell 5.2 percent in 2024/25.

TF1 PUB Launches Carousel Retail Ads on CTV

TF1 PUB has launched Carrousel Retail Ads on the TF1+ streaming service, bringing the interactive display format to CTV. Developed in partnership with Brightline, the format allows users to explore an interactive carousel and discover several products or key messages using their remote. The new format has been deployed by L’Oréal’s Garnier brand.

Comcast and Paramount Consider SkyShowtime Closure

Comcast and Paramount are considering winding down their SkyShowtime joint venture (JV), Reuters reported on Monday, due to ongoing market challenges. Launched in 2022, the streaming service is available in 22 European markets, including Spain, Portugal, Denmark ‌and ⁠Sweden. The SkyShowtime board told CEO Monty Sarhan that it is considering strategic options for the business, including shuttering the platform, according to the report.

Netflix, Amazon and YouTube Form Industry Body in Sports Streaming Dispute

Netflix, Amazon and YouTube have formed a new industry body designed to represent streaming services amid criticism about the rising cost of watching live sport in the US, according to SportsPro. Led by tech industry trade group TechNet, the Streaming Access and Choice Alliance (SACA) intends to lobby lawmakers and regulators who have proposed measures to keep sport on linear TV. SACA seeks to make the case that streaming provides audiences and sports fans with more choice and control.

The Week for Publishers

Google Trials Pay-Per-Use AI Model for Publishers

Google is trialling a new programme which pays publishers whose content significantly feeds into AI-generated answers across its products, Digiday reported this week. Registered publishers can see total payments within Google’s Search Console platform, though Digiday reports that no information is given on how these earnings are calculated. Google has been exploring various publisher remuneration approaches relating to its AI tools, though it has not yet struck the same sort of wide-ranging licensing deals which some of its competitors have opted for.

The Telegraph Targets SMEs with Self-Serve Ads Platform

British newspaper The Telegraph this week launched The Telegraph Ads Manager, a new self-serve advertising platform geared towards small and medium-sized enterprises. “While a number of ad platforms have entered the market, our proposition is distinct: premium reach, a trusted brand environment and a self-serve platform designed to support growing businesses,” said Rachael Philpot, head of strategic sales at The Telegraph, in a LinkedIn post. The platform, built in partnership with self-serve specialist DanAds, only offers display formats at launch.

Ozone Launches New Performance Product ‘Arc’

UK premium publisher sales house Ozone on Tuesday announced the launch of Arc, a new product which it says helps advertisers optimise their campaigns towards performance outcomes. Arc uses Ozone’s audience data to score individuals based on how far along the purchase journey they’re likely to be within a specific category. Its models then judge which users are most likely to deliver a specified outcome, and when they’re most likely to do it. A trial campaign with Medialab for the Alzheimer’s Society delivered 59 percent growth in donations per user reached.

WIRED Launches New Global App

Condé Nast-owned tech publication WIRED has launched a new global app, which hosts WIRED’s articles, videos, podcasts, and community features. “There are so many different ways to enjoy our journalism, and the app now gives us an entirely new and direct way to connect our audience with the brand – and the people behind it,” said Katie Drummond, WIRED’s global editorial director. “I’m thrilled to be building a true community around our work.”

AI Tools Becoming a Gateway to News, Finds Ofcom

Ofcom’s News Report 2026, released on Tuesday, found that AI chatbots are increasingly being used as a gateway to news. Ofcom’s survey revealed that 21 percent of adults had used an AI app to access news content within the last month. Younger adults and people from affluent households were most likely to turn to AI for news, and ChatGPT was the most popular platform, used by 13 percent of respondents. But 56 percent said they are less trusting of AI-written news than they are of stories written by and individual journalist.

The Observer Raises £10 Million to Fuel Growth Push

British Sunday newspaper The Observer, which was separated from its former sister title the Guardian last year when it was sold to Tortoise Media, has raised £10 million to provide financial sustainability as it seeks digital readership growth, the Financial Times reported this week. Print circulation for the title has fallen by around 20 percent since the sale, according to the FT, though Tortoise co-founder James Harding is primarily concerned with growing digital subscriptions.

Reach Plans Editorial Cuts Amid Shift Away from Page Views

UK newspaper group Reach is cutting 220 editorial jobs, while also creating 60 new roles, Press Gazette reported this week, amid a wider strategy shift which will see the company focus less on driving page views and more on active engagement. As traffic from search has declined in recent years, many publishers — Reach included — are focussing on revenue streams which are less dependent on traffic volumes. In a memo to staff seen by Press Gazette, chief content officer David Higgerson said that the new roles will help drive digital revenue growth, particularly in subscriptions and longer-form video. The group is also shutting down three of its online-only brands: Kent Live, Aberdeen Live, and Galway Beo.

The Week for Brands & Agencies

UK Ad Industry Counts Potential Cost of Junk Food Ad Ban Rule Tweak

Research from Oxford Economics, commissioned by the Advertising Association, projects that a proposed tweak to the UK’s junk food advertising restrictions would “significantly increase the number of products in the scope of the restrictions”. The government is considering switching the model used to determine which food and drink products are covered by the rules, and Oxford Economics estimates that this change would affect hundreds of millions of pounds’ worth of ad spend. “Our members and their clients have already adapted to the restrictions introduced earlier this year,” said Richard Casofsky, director of public affairs at industry trade group the IPA. “Before extending those restrictions further, policymakers should assess whether the current measures are delivering their intended objectives and fully understand the potential impact on investment, growth and jobs.” Read more on VideoWeek.

WPP Set to Retain Coca-Cola’s Global Media Duties

British agency group WPP is set to retain The Coca-Cola Company’s global media and technology account, which excludes North America, Ad Age reported this week. Publicis was previously in the running for the account, but pulled out after being appointed media partner for Coca-Cola’s largest rival, PepsiCo. Publicis has since dropped Coca-Cola as a client in North America, sparking a fresh pitch process for that part of the business. Ad Age reports that WPP won’t be competing for the North America account, leaving Omnicom and Dentsu to battle it out.

UK Creator Partnership Revenues Set to Top £1 Billion This Year

Advertiser investment in creator partnerships is set to reach £1.22 billion this year, according to a new study from IAB UK, representing 26 percent year-on-year growth. This figure only covers revenues generated by creator campaigns on creators’ own digital platforms, and doesn’t include paid ads adjacent to creator content, or creator revenues outside of partnerships. “The fact that investment is now on course to exceed £1bn reflects what we’re seeing on the ground: brands are becoming more sophisticated in how they work with creators, partnerships are becoming longer-term, and the industry around them is maturing rapidly,” said Paul Greenwood, head of cultural strategy and insight EMEA at social specialist agency We Are Social.

Netflix Appoints Dentsu as EMEA Media Partner

Streaming giant Netflix has chosen Dentsu as its sole holding company media partner in EMEA, the agency group announced this week, following a competitive pitch process. Dentsu already works with Netflix in the UK, and will now handle 21 additional markets across the region. A bespoke team called Dentsu ENTS is being launched to handle the account, drawing talent from across Dentsu’s media arm and its R&D network. “Our teams have shown what is possible when we combine regional scale with genuine local strategic thinking, approaching client relationships with both humility and ambition,” said Amy Watt, president of Dentsu-owned media agency iProspect UK. “We look forward to building on the strong foundations of our UK partnership and delivering outstanding work for Netflix across EMEA.”

National Trust Sticks With Medialab as Media Planning and Buying Partner

UK independent agency Medialab has been reappointed by the National Trust as its media partner following a competitive pitch process, the agency announced this week. Medialab will handle media planning, buying, and strategy across channels including TV, social, out-of-home, display, and influencer marketing. “Throughout the pitch process, they showed that they have a deep understanding of our strategy and the challenges facing the heritage and conservation sector today,” said Lydia Hunter, head of digital and channels at the National Trust.

Hires of the Week

ProSieben Names Ingrid Heisserer Group CFO

ProSiebenSat.1 has appointed Ingrid Heisserer as new Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective 1st February 2027. She succeeds Bob Rajan, who has served as Interim Group CFO since October 2025. Heisserer brings more than 20 years of senior finance leadership experience, most recently serving as CFO and Chief Human Resources Officer at RTL Deutschland.

Stagwell Announces Liz Rutgersson as Assembly CEO

Assembly, a Stagwell-owned agency, has named Liz Rutgersson as CEO. In her new role, Rutgersson is tasked with driving growth and bolstering client partnerships in North America and globally. She previously served as North America CEO for Dentsu’s iProspect.

Mail Metro Media Appoints David White as Head of Creators

Mail Metro Media has hired David White as Head of Creators within its New Media division. In the newly created role, White will be responsible for an in-house talent agency designed to represent Mail Metro Media’s internal creators, as well as signing external talent. He joins from creator marketing agency Whalar.

Pubstack Hires Yann Stadnicki as CTO

Pubstack, a supply intelligence platform for digital publishers, has announced Yann Stadnicki as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Pubstack said the appointment strengthens its leadership team as the company enters its next phase of technology and international growth. Stadnicki’s career in technology, data and AI includes six years at Criteo and three years at Microsoft.

AdCellerant Names Allen Klosowski COO

AdCellerant, a digital ad tech business, has appointed Allen Klosowski as Chief Operating Officer. He replaces Shelby Carlson, AdCellerant’s Co-Founder and longtime COO, who will step away from day-to-day operations at the end of 2026, while remaining a member of AdCellerant’s Board of Directors. Klosowski previously served as Senior Vice President at Epsilon.

European Media Marketplace Appoints Christophe Parcot as Non-Executive Chairman

The European Media Marketplace, an advertising coalition launched in July, has enlisted Christophe Parcot as Non-Executive Chairman. The appointment marks the next phase in the development of the collaborative advertising marketplace, whose founding partners include Equativ, Experian and Vodafone. Parcot brings more than 25 years of experience in technology, media and advertising, including stints at Teads, Yahoo and Ogury.