This morning, YouTube shared the news that it is expanding Shorts into Video reach campaigns, which use Google AI to serve the best combination of ads, and improve reach and efficiency on YouTube. YouTube is also adding In-feed video ads to Video reach campaigns to bring more opportunities to connect with audience across YouTube. Paramount+ was an early partner to test the latest version of Video reach campaigns, hoping to drive efficient reach and brand impact around its new movie, “At Midnight.” The result? Paramount+ spread the message across YouTube’s in-stream, In-feed and Shorts ad experiences and in addition to reaching new audiences, the campaign drove higher efficiencies and higher ad recall (compared to in-stream ads alone).

Onstage for the YouTube presentation, Kristen O’Hara, VP, Agency and Brand Solutions for Google, recalled asking hit movie director Barry Sonnenfeld years ago why he still directed commercials. “As a creator, nothing keeps you fresher than having to tell a short story,” he responded.

AMC Networks is launching its ad-supported version of AMC+ by this October. The streamer’s premium bundle includes access to Shudder, IFC Films Unlimited and Sundance Now services. Kim Keller, Chief Commercial Officer at AMC Networks, called this a “big moment” for the network and its advertising partners, “because it not only creates a fully-ad supported distribution ecosystem, it also allows advertisers to buy our shows, genres and franchises in a much more comprehensive and impactful way.”

Amazon Freevee made a series of announcements related to programming, including the return of “Bosch: Legacy” for a third season, ahead of the crime drama’s second season premiere this fall. Also renewed is “Justice on Trial” for two seasons. The streamer also plans to add over 100 Amazon Original series and films from Prime Video, including titles such as “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” “Reacher” and “The Wheel of Time.” Regarding new content, Amazon Freevee greenlit reality competition series “The Goat” and “Mock the Week,” a half-hour satirical panel show executive produced by Trevor Noah.

Amazon Freevee recently launched the original comedy series “Jury Duty,” starring James Marsden, and has drawn in over 200 million views across social in the past couple of weeks. Said Head of Freevee Ryan Pirozzi, “A series with this organic fan buzz drives awareness for all our content on Amazon Freevee from additional exclusive Originals, to our highly sought-after licensed content, to over 250 FAST linear channels.”

“In my mind, it is sort of weaponizing the Media Rating Council,” said Paramount’s President of Advertising John Halley, speaking out about Nielsen and Comscore’s comments on MRC accreditation, at the Joint Industry Committee’s April 27 presentation. Earlier in the day, the measurement companies had issued statements endorsing MRC accreditation as a requisite for being a trading currency. “There’s no other way to look at it… Saying that JIC certification should require MRC accreditation just doesn’t really make sense,” said Halley.

As for NBCUniversal, EVP Kelly Abcarian said, “We’re going to continue to offer our clients the ability to transact in a multi-currency world using data we trust and have confidence in.”

Outcomes, content and currency: These are the three subjects that Innovid CTO and Co-founder Tal Chalozin predicts will matter most at this year’s Upfront/NewFront events. “As advertisers get more comfortable transacting in a converged TV environment, we should expect them to decrease reliance on the traditional TV upfronts; and instead turn to the flexibility and measurement of CTV and digital video advertising to drive more calibrated targeting and measurement,” said Chalozin. According to Advertiser Perceptions, 54% of advertisers and agencies said that ROI/ROAS will be the most important topic at both the upfronts and NewFronts this year.

On April 26, Allen Media Group CEO Byron Allen emceed the company’s first-ever Upfront event, an intimate presentation at Avra Rockefeller Center. “This is a family company and it is people before profits,” said Allen, “I’m not publicly traded. I don’t have a board of directors. I’m not meeting with anybody every 90 days trying to explain something.” Speaking of his team at the company, Allen said they will “win the championship because [they] have the best people…When we stay put and stay focused, watch us rise rapidly.”

Allen described Allen Media Group’s Black-owned TV network TheGrio as “the Black CBS” that keeps education and Black history at its center. As for the Local Now station, Allen suggested the elimination of its subscription fee, observing, “‘Free’ is America’s favorite word.”

Just in time for Upfront/NewFront season, Chicken Soup for the Soul announced that their sales platform, Crackle Connex, is now a member of Geopath. Crackle Connex will work with the not-for-profit organization that provides industry standard metrics for out-of-home (OOH) advertising to understand audience targeting and measurement, and return on ad spend. Crackle Connex Chief Revenue Officer Philippe Guelton called this a “massive asset” for their brand partners’ campaigns on Redbox kiosk video screens.

Gijsbert Pols, Adjust head of CTV and new channels, encouraged advertisers to “recognize that CTV will soon be a part of most marketing strategies and a necessary tool for achieving success in today’s environment.” According to Pols, strong incentives for advertisers are driving a shift in budgets from linear to CTV.

As non-traditional formats are muscling into the media space, the business of buying and selling ad space is rapidly evolving. Stephani Estes, Goodway Group’s Chief Media Officer, is convinced CTV will play a starring role: “This year, we’ll continue to see more non-traditional TV entrants dive into the space, including digital and CTV players, which heavily impacts how buyers approach media buys for today’s converged landscape.”

Tomorrow, we’ll hear about the event Amazon is holding tonight featuring “some very special guests, along with the latest from Samsung, Snap and more….