Jack Benjamin, a newly promoted senior reporter, and outgoing editor-in-chief Omar Oakes delved into a discussion regarding the evolving strategies of streaming services when it comes to premium versus ad-based models. They covered a range of topics including updates on user numbers, MediaSense’s recent acquisition, Spotify’s latest earnings, and a Newsworks study on youth news consumption habits.
During the conversation, they highlighted key points such as the takeaways from Barb’s Establishment Survey, which included insights on popular streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount+. They also discussed MediaSense’s acquisition of R3, shedding light on the reasons behind the move.
One interesting revelation was the findings from the Newsworks study, which showed that young people do consume news, contrary to some industry beliefs. This raised important questions about the industry’s understanding of youth news consumption habits.
The discussion also touched upon Spotify’s recent earnings report, which showcased a surge in profits despite a slowdown in advertising revenue. This led to a deeper exploration of how Spotify managed to maintain profitability in the face of challenges in the advertising market.
Looking ahead, there were concerns raised about a potentially challenging festive period for ITV, with expectations of a decline in ad revenue during the golden quarter.
In related articles, it was noted that total UK SVOD subscriptions remained flat while ad tier users saw significant growth. MediaSense’s expansion into the US and Asia through the acquisition of R3 was also highlighted, along with insights into how Spotify managed to deliver a profitable performance despite the advertising slowdown.
In previous episodes, discussions revolved around topics such as the future of origin with Isba’s Phil Smith, reflections on media coverage since Trump’s election in 2016, and insights from agency bosses on principal media challenges.
For those interested in the audio industry, Adwanted UK was highlighted as a key player in audio trading, distribution, and analytics. They offer services such as J-ET, Audiotrack, and the RAJAR data engine. To explore opportunities in the audio industry, individuals can visit audioscape.info for the audio industry directory or check out The Media Leader Jobs for media, advertising, and adtech roles.
