ESPN, MLB Agree To End Contract Early, Cord-Cutting, Profits Issues Remain

In a dramatic pullback against ever-higher sports rights fees, ESPN is opting out of the final three years of its contract with Major League Baseball, in a “mutually” agreed-upon agreement.

Here’s the Roundup for the Week Ending February 21

Happy Friday to all who celebrate. In this week’s edition of stories we didn’t post this week for one reason or another we see some rumblings of racism in Indianapolis, while an FCC commissioner takes a stand against the agency drumming up investigations all over the place. It’ll be a slow news day for TVSpy…

Tuesday, Feb. 18 Evening Cable News Ratings: Hannity’s Interview With Trump and Musk Delivers Over 5 Million Total Viewers

Sean Hannity’s interview with President Donald Trump and Elon Musk was the most-watched show of the night in total viewers and the demo. The interview, which aired on Hannity at 9 p.m. ET, delivered a +52% increase in total viewers and a +58% increase in the Adults 25-54 demo compared to what the show has…

Monday, Feb. 17 Evening Cable News Ratings: The Five Reaches Over 4 Million Total Viewers

Breaking news coverage of the Delta plane crash in Toronto, Canada, on President’s Day gave the news networks a slight lift in the ratings during the early evening hours. Meanwhile, Fox News’ The Five was the top performer of the evening and the only program on Fox News to finish with more than 4 million…

AI-Powered, Consumer-Driven: Verizon’s Blueprint for the Future

In this episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, Suzy founder and host Matt Britton sits down with Angie Klein, svp and growth marketing & chief content officer at Verizon, to discuss how the telecom provider is redefining consumer engagement through personalized content, AI-driven customer experiences, and the future of mobile and home connectivity. Angie…

Microsoft ‘AI ROI’ Guide: Analysis Changes Content, Targeting

Conversational interactions that create dialogue between a consumer and chatbot or AI agent strengthen intent signals, and analysis behind the sequence of words becomes the next phase in audience
engagement and ad targeting.

How Nivea is Using AI to Measure Creative Effectiveness

Beiersdorf chief digital officer Axel Adida has a tall order: market the conglomerate’s brands, including Nivea, Eucerin, and Aquaphor, across 89 markets–and prove that those efforts are working. “We produce content on every continent, [in a] multitude of languages, for many different brands,” Adida said. “The question is: how do you make sure that the…

Ikea Slides into DMs with a Cheeky Offer for Late-Night Scrollers

If someone sends the “u up?” text late at night, there’s usually a saucy connotation. But Ikea put a cheeky spin on the phrase in its latest marketing stunt. Just after Valentine’s Day, the brand began sliding into people’s DMs (direct messages) between 10pm and 5am with the simple message: “U up?” Those who responded…