Anushka Singh

Netflix’s attempt to buy Warner Bros. Discovery isn’t just a merger, it’s a hostile takeover battle that could rewrite the rules for ad buyers. Currently, 40% of Paramount Pictures’s top titles are licensed from WBD, if Netflix pulls that content to fuel its own ad-supported tier, it could trigger a structural collapse for its rivals. Read about it in State of Streaming 📺 [article linked below]

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🚨Breaking: Netflix bows out of Warner Bros. Discovery takeover race! Co-CEO Ted Sarandos calls it "no longer financially attractive" after WBD's board picked Paramount's superior $31/share bid. No counteroffer from Netflix-ending months of media giant drama. Key marketing takeaway? In M&A battles, superior value trumps deep pockets. Netflix's pivot shows smart capital allocation over ego-driven deals, freeing billions for original content firepower amid streaming wars. Paramount's win? A powerhouse combo of studios, cable nets, and IP goldmine. Hollywood's landscape just got reshaped-hello, consolidated content empires! What’s your read: Gamechanger for streaming dominance or regulatory roadblock ahead? Drop thoughts below! 👇 #MediaMergers #StreamingWars #MarketingStrategy #EntertainmentBiz #MNAInsights

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Walmart+ is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a bold move 📺 Starting September 15, members can switch between ad-supported plans of NBCUniversal Peacock Premium (a net-new streaming partnership) and Paramount+ Essential, every 90 days at no extra cost. This new streaming perk is more than just entertainment. It’s a strategic play to deepen consumer while unlocking richer insights for brands. Curious how this shift impacts Walmart’s retail media ecosystem and what it means for brands? Watch the full video with Flywheel's Bernie Che below ⏬ #Walmart #STV #StreamingTV #retailmedia

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Netflix just made one of the boldest moves in Hollywood. The streaming giant has reached a definitive agreement to buy Warner Bros., including its film and TV studios as well as HBO and HBO Max. The deal values the business at roughly $82.7 billion and is expected to close after WBD spins off its Global Networks division in Q3 2026.⁠ ⁠ The move puts some of the most recognizable franchises in entertainment under one roof. Warner Bros. IP — from Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, and Casablanca to the entire DC Universe — will now sit alongside Netflix hits like Stranger Things, Wednesday, Bridgerton, and Squid Game.⁠ ⁠ Together, the combined library forms a catalog of cultural staples that spans generations, formats, and genres. It’s a play built on deep IP, global reach, and the power of stories fans return to again and again.⁠ ⁠ (via Netflix)

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Under the new deal, US TikTok is valued at $14 billion. That’s exactly in line with EMARKETER’s estimate for US TikTok ad revenues in 2025 ($14.26 billion). But TikTok is undermonetized, given its reach and influence. Even as time spent on TikTok has started to plateau, its influence in US society and economy is undeniable. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been a line of companies trying to get their hands on it. Previous estimates valued the company at around $30 billion or more. That’s at least double the price tag that the Trump administration gave the app. ByteDance is currently valued at $330 billion. Surely the US, which is TikTok’s most lucrative market, is worth more than ~4% of that. And there’s so much runway for growth in its business. The valuation is likely to raise advertiser eyebrows, especially as key elements of the deal remain unclear. That includes unanswered questions about how the business will operate, like how global ad buys will (or won’t) work and what will happen to TikTok Shop.

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TikTok Shop is changing the game, and Los Angeles Brands is proof. Founder Brian Hollowaty breaks down how pairing the right strategy with the right partners is driving massive results. From teaming up with an agency, to sampling with creators, to amplifying content through ads, TikTok Shop has become a powerful engine for growth. Brian says it best: “it levels the playing field.” Making success accessible to all brands, and the numbers speak for themselves. Stream the episode now on startuptelevision.com or PBS.org, and see why this strategy is winning big. #StartUpTV #LosAngelesBrands #TikTokShop

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$SPOT: Spotify crushed Q3 expectations, smashing MAU targets with 713M users—up 17% YoY! Their multi-format strategy is firing on all cylinders, driving engagement across music, podcasts, and audiobooks. Video podcasts are booming, doubling YoY, and a Netflix partnership is on the horizon for early 2026. Product execution is at record pace, with over 30 new core features shipped recently. AI is a major focus, powering everything from development to "Personalization 2.0" and new creator tools. Despite ad business transformation, the outlook for 2026 is strong for revenue growth and margin improvement. Guidance for next quarter's revenue was also a beat. The company is strategically increasing prices and exploring new monetization via add-on subscriptions like Audiobooks+. With a leadership transition to co-CEOs, Spotify is well-positioned for continued long-term value creation. #Spotify #Earnings #Audio

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Entering the Nigerian market requires more than generic data. Learn how localized market research in Nigeria, powered by deep consumer insights, is the key to successful brand launches.

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Learn how to create comprehensive media reports that deliver actionable insights, using key metrics like reach, sentiment, and Share of Voice to drive PR success. Our comprehensive guide shows you exactly how to structure reports that drive PR success. Read more🔗 https://lnkd.in/g6qZXc-3

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The Whole Truth Foods has appointed Shreya Agarwal, former head of FilterCopy, to lead its in-house Media Lab. Announcing the move on LinkedIn, Agarwal said her role will be to carry forward the brand’s core value of honesty into storytelling, creating content that simplifies health, food, and nutrition. With nearly seven years at FilterCopy and stints at FoxyMoron and Mid-Day, she brings rich experience in digital content and storytelling. #TheWholeTruthFoods #ShreyaAgarwal #FilterCopy #Leadership

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Attention is the new currency. Get the playbook behind how top agencies are cashing in on conversions: https://lnkd.in/e98CiTyw High-performing teams are breaking down silos, integrating stacks, and aligning brand with performance to drive consistency across the funnel. Download our latest research report to see how top marketers are shaping their conversion strategies: https://lnkd.in/e98CiTyw

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The creator economy M&A is booming. 52 deals closed in the first half of 2025. Up 73% from last year. Private equity firms are writing 9-figure checks. Publicis bought Captiv8 for $175M. PSG dropped $150M on Uscreen. Zooming in, here's what PE firms are seeing: 💃 Influencer marketing hitting $13B by 2027 💰 Real ROI data (finally) 🤙 Repeatable processes 🖖 Diversified revenue models Translation for newsletter and podcast operators: Your media business isn't just a side project anymore. It's an asset class. Smarter people than me think the consolidation wave is coming. Indies will partner, sell, or compete with PE-backed competitors. Build like you're going to sell. Even if you're not.

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iHeartMedia and TikTok have launched a cross-platform partnership expanding TikTok creators' reach across podcasts, radio, and live events. The collaboration includes the TikTok Podcast Network with up to 25 creator-hosted podcasts, co-branded studios in LA, New York, and Atlanta, plus TikTok Radio—a nationwide broadcast station pairing creators with iHeartRadio personalities. Get more details: https://lnkd.in/gFYDMQdj #TikTok #iHeartMedia #CreatorPartnerships #PodcastNetwork #CreatorEconomy

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Massive growth for TikTok Shop, expect TikTok, brands and influencers to lean into livestreaming going forward considering: 🛒 Most top influencers now rely heavily on live selling, with over 90 percent of their GMV coming from livestreams 🎇 Live shoppable streams convert at 30% vs 2-3% for standard ecommerce #livestreaming #tiktok #tiktokshop #ecommerce https://lnkd.in/gUzk-kWa

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From the NYT: Netflix announced plans on Friday to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming business, in a deal that will send shock waves through #Hollywood and the broader #media landscape. The cash-and-stock deal values the business at $82.7 billion, including debt. The acquisition is expected to close after Warner Bros. Discovery carves out its cable unit, which the companies expected be completed by the third quarter of 2026. That means there will be a separate public company controlling channels like CNN, TNT and Discovery Inc. Netflix is already the world’s largest paid #streaming service, with more than 300 million subscribers. Bulking up with Warner Bros. Discovery assets would create a colossus with greater leverage over theater owners and #entertainment-industry unions. It could force smaller companies to merge as they scramble to compete.

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Chalice Jones, Director of Social + Influencer, is reporting from Social Media Week! Here are her first top takeaways from #NYC: 1️⃣ Influencers as a Performance Engine: AAA partnered with Props to use creators for bottom-of-funnel conversions — no logos, no salesy content, just story-driven, high-impact storytelling. 2️⃣ Creator Content is Everywhere: From TikTok to CTV and billboards, creators are bringing brand stories to every platform. 3️⃣ AI + Data = Results: AI-driven vetting and paid media strategies are helping brands measure and optimize creator campaigns for performance. 4️⃣ Community > Influence: Macy’s & L’Oréal are prioritizing community-first strategies — UGC, events, and relationship-based advocacy. As answer engines and AI Overviews change discovery, social media is about co-creating authentic, authoritative content that resonates and delivers unique value. 🌟 What do you think? Let’s discuss! 👇 #SocialMedia #CreatorMarketing #InfluencerStrategy #BrandStorytelling #SocialMediaWeek #PerformanceMarketing #SMW ADWEEK

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