 IN THE NEWS |
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Apple retained its top position in Kantar’s BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands ranking for the fourth year, with a brand value of $1.3 trillion, up 28% year-over-year. Apple represents more than 12% of the total value of the Global Top 100. Also of note:
· ChatGPT landed in 60th place, the highest newcomer since NVIDIA in 2021.
· Amazon’s brand value rose by 50% to $866 billion.
· Instagram and TikTok have posted growth of 101% and 25% respectively.“
In a world of digital saturation and tough consumer expectations, brands need to meet people’s needs, connect with them emotionally and offer something others don’t to succeed,” said Martin Guerrieria, Head of Kantar BrandZ. “They need to be not just different, but meaningfully so. The dominance of brands like Apple, Instagram and McDonald’s underlines the power of a consistent brand experience that people can relate to and remember. ChatGPT’s dramatic rise shows how a brand can find fame and influence society to the extent that it changes our daily lives. But with generative AI competition accelerating, OpenAI will need to invest in its brand to preserve it first-mover momentum.”
 Sudeep Reddy has been named Washington, DC Bureau Chief at MSNBC, effective June 16. Reddy, most recently Senior Managing Editor of Politico, takes the helm as the news net prepares to be spun off from NBCUniversal and Comcast later this year.
YouTube unveiled a new sponsorship package that enables advertisers to buy against cultural moments like the Oscars and Black Friday. “Today, YouTube has become the epicenter of culture — culture with a capital ‘C,’” said YouTube CEO Neal Mohan at the company’s Lincoln Center Upfront event. YouTube also announced a new feature that offers the ability to shop directly on connected TV’s with an interactive product feed, and a new ad format built with its Gemini AI model to identify and match ads with contextually relevant “peak moments” in YouTube content.
Michael J. Fox will guest star on season three of Apple TV+ comedy “Shrinking.” The cast also includes previously announced additions Jeff Daniels, who will guest star as Jimmy’s father, and Sherry Cola.
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the 2025 inductees into the Gold and Silver Circle Honor Society. The group will be recognized during the News and Documentary Emmys place on June 25 and 26 in NYC. For more, go here.
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| UPFRONT INSIGHTS |
| The media landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, a shift made evident at this year’s Upfront events. From the pivot to streaming, to the convergence of content and commerce, to AI-powered everything, it’s clear media companies are navigating a new era of evolution. We asked some leaders in the business, what were the biggest takeaways from this year’s presentations?
The ability for premium content to drive advertising effectiveness will be the biggest takeaway from the Upfronts this season. For marketers, it’s not just about finding scale — it’s about reaching the right audience at the right time, when they’re deeply engaged. That’s what drives real business results. – Alison Levin, President, Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal
Sports took center stage at the Upfronts for Fox, NBC, and Disney, underscoring the unmatched draw of live events. All three spotlighted college football, while NBC and Disney also leaned into new NBA content. NBC further elevated its pitch with a look ahead to the 2026 Winter Olympics. Fox, meanwhile, used its TUBI platform to target Gen Z with edgy comedy and influencer-driven content.
These moves reflect a shifting media landscape where live sports remain a safe bet amid market uncertainty. While some advertisers may hold back spend, we’re likely to see increased activity in the scatter market and local DMAs. Still, the one constant? Brands will keep investing in premium sports and the networks know it. – Mel Greve, SVP, Investment Solutions, Kelly Scott Madison
There’s a lot to be hopeful about right now. Yes, things are uncertain, but that also means we have a chance to build something better. The people I talk to want clarity. They want ideas and solutions that help them move forward. That starts with showing up, listening, and creating tools that help people do their jobs better. We don’t need all the answers today, but we do need to be willing to figure them out together. — David Cohen, CEO, IAB
Content and storytelling is still king, but data, technology and outcomes are table stakes for brands today. Advertisers are leaning in to the intersection of live events and sports in broadcast to drive engagement, and unlocking incremental reach across streaming to connect with discrete audiences. You’re also seeing strength in recurring, multi-year relationships rooted in trusted collaboration, which remain consistent despite our dynamic times. Brands continue to invest in impactful, custom creative and important tentpoles like women’s sports and live entertainment, where viewership has not only remained steady – but accelerated. – Adam Monaco, EVP of Sales, Disney Advertising
Buyers are seeking the integration of AI technology across campaign planning, execution and measurement for both managed and self-service deals. The availability of these AI-powered tools have allowed businesses of all sizes to benefit from programmatic buying and voice-to-execution capabilities – something that was not previously possible in a democratized way. Additionally, the introduction of generative AI video tools is lowering creative barriers for advertisers, making high-quality video and display advertising accessible to a broader range of clients through intuitive, self-service options. It’s a trend that benefits the viewer experience as well, providing them with hyper-relevant, interactive ad experiences within premium content. – Alan Moss, Vice President, Global Ad Sales, Amazon Ads
This year’s Upfront and NewFront presentations underscored that while premium content remains essential, flexibility has become a top priority. Advertisers are looking for partners who can move quickly, adjust to shifting consumer habits, and provide clear, transparent results. The push isn’t just for reach—it’s for smarter, more strategic alignment that delivers meaningful outcomes. As the lines between platforms continue to blur, success will depend on how well we adapt, stay accountable, and help brands connect with audiences in more agile and effective ways.
– Scott Kohn, REELZ EVP and Head of Ad Sales
One of the biggest takeaways from this year’s Upfront is that in a climate of uncertainty, durability and differentiation win. Growth will come to those who know who they are and who they serve. At TelevisaUnivision, we’re leaning into our legacy — and evolving it — with a content-first approach built to connect with young, passionate Hispanic audiences.” – Donna Speciale, President of US Advertising Sales and Marketing
1) AI has arrived!!!
2) Streaming and CTV continue to achieve unprecedented growth.
3) Live sports is a must.
4) Advanced measurement is key.
We are very optimistic that clients will continue to lean in this upfront season and reward media companies like Allen Media Group that have demonstrated tremendous growth across linear, streaming, and live sports. Most importantly, we must continue to deliver 100 percent of their ad buy in the quarter and flight dates purchased, because none of our clients in this economy can afford ANY under-delivery. – Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group
“In a media landscape that often shifts with social trends, we believe there’s enduring value in content rooted in faith, family, and country. At Great American Media, we’re not just telling stories — we’re creating destinations for connection, reflection, and shared values. Our goal is to offer audiences a consistent, meaningful, no-surprises alternative in a fragmented entertainment environment.” – Bill Abbott, President and CEO, Great American Media |
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SCREENSHIFT
WHERE MEDIA DEALS GET DONE
Digital is set to claim 60% of TV/video ad spend. Agencies and brands need smarter, faster CTV solutions.
That’s where you come in. Showcase your tech, content, or data solutions to decision-makers shaping what’s next.
Our audience consists of: 78% decision-makers | 30% brands & agencies | 4+ hours of networking. If you’re interested in claiming stake in the top players of media’s ecosystem, inquire now for more information.
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| NEW & RETURNING SERIES |
| Drama series “Task,” focused on an FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo) heading a Task Force to put an end to a string of violent robberies, debuts this September on HBO.
Season three of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” premieres Thursday, July 17 on Paramount+ with two episodes. What’s ahead? “Season three takes characters both new and beloved to new heights, and dives into thrilling adventures of faith, duty, romance, comedy and mystery, with varying genres never before seen on any other ‘Star Trek,’” promises the streamer. New episodes will drop weekly on Thursdays, with the season finale on September 11. |
 Viaplay thriller “Mafia,” inspired by real events in 1990s Sweden, kicks off Thursday, June 19.
BBC Studios has launched a new “Bluey” digital series “Bluey Dancealongs,” featuring “Strictly Come Dancing” professional dancer Dianne Buswell. The series can be found on the Official Bluey YouTube, Bluey.tv and Bluey social channels.
CBS game show “Raid the Cage” returns Wednesday, May 18 at 9p. Damon Wayans Jr. hosts and executive produces. |
Today’s Premieres
Apple TV+: Murderbot
Netflix: Football Parents; Dear Hongrang; Rotten Legacy
Paramount+ with Showtime: The Chi
Sunday’s Premieres
Discovery: Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing at 8p
Great American Family: Vindications at 8p
Nat Geo: Tucci in Italy at 9p
Oxygen: Unknown Serial Killers of America at 7p |
| PRODUCTION |
| Telemundo Studios Brazilian media company and Globo have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop and co-produce scripted content. Under the MoU, Telemundo and Globo will collaborate on the development and co-production of original films and series to be released as Globoplay Originals in Brazil and across Telemundo’s broadcast and streaming platforms in the US. “This collaboration marks an important step in expanding our storytelling reach and building a creative bridge between Brazil and the broader Hispanic world,” said Javier Pons, Chief Content Officer & Head of Telemundo Studios, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. “This partnership is going to strengthen our editorial alignment and paves the way for premium scripted projects that connect with audiences across borders.”
Kelli Kiddish is returning to NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU” as a series regular for the procedural’s 27th season. Kiddish left her series regular midway through season 24, though she has made guest appearances.
Pickford AI, creator of Pickford, the interactive AI storytelling platform, has partnered with Peabody and director and showrunner Bernie Su (“Artificial”) to develop and produce an AI experience. In interactive thriller “Whispers,” viewers collaborate, compete, and strategize in real-time to work with or against each other to uncover a mystery and identify a killer. |
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| SPORTS MEDIA AWARDS
OWN THE ROOM WHERE SPORTS MEDIA MEETS MOMENTUM
At the Cynopsis Sports Media Awards, the power players aren’t just being honored—they’re making moves. From groundbreaking campaigns to game-changing partnerships, this event brings together the brands, networks, agencies, and platforms that are setting the pace in 2025.
Sponsorship gives you more than a logo—it gives you presence. Whether it’s a VIP dinner, a branded photo moment, or presenting a top category on stage, you’ll align your brand with the industry’s most influential voices in an environment built for conversation and connection.
Ready to create a moment that lasts beyond the night?
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| TECH |
| Microsoft will shut down its demand-side platform, Invest (fka Xandr), by March of next year, as the company focuses on AI priorities. “We are entering a new era — one defined by conversational AI experiences, agentic systems that simplify decision making and bring brands closer to people, and predictive design models that fundamentally reshape what people expect from digital services,” said Microsoft in a blog post. “This new era will be enabled by purpose-built AI-powered advertising platforms that make personalized advertising simple.” Supply-side platform Microsoft Monetize will remain.
AdImpact announced the integration of Comcast Technology Solutions’ creative management platform, AdFusion, into its data-driven political media buying solution, Potomac. The joint solution enables political advertisers and agencies using Potomac to streamline complex workflows, from media planning and buying to traffic management, content delivery and reconciliation. “Thanks to recent technological advancements, the political ad landscape has evolved rapidly, but many aspects of the media buying process have remained complex and manual,” said Kyle Roberts, CEO of AdImpact. “While Potomac has helped automate key steps to ensure campaigns are delivered on time and on budget, this integration marks a major milestone in our mission to modernize media buying.” |
| COMING UP |
 Performers for the 2025 American Music Awards will include Blake Shelton, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Reneé Rapp, Benson Boone and Lainey Wilson. Jennifer Lopez hosts the show on Monday, May 26 at 8p, airing live on CBS.
Paramount+ and Pluto TV are bringing free movie screenings to audiences across New York and Chicago this summer. The Paramount+ Movie Nights series will return for a third year with 23 outdoor screenings of from the service’s library of films, including recent blockbusters, classics and critically acclaimed movies. As part of the program, Paramount+ will return as the official sponsor of Bryant Park Movie Nights.
“Cleaner” will make its streaming debut exclusively on Max in the US on Friday, June 13 and premiere the following night on HBO at 8p. The British action thriller was released in US theaters in February. |
| SPORTS REPORT |
| DIRECTV and Scripps Sports are offering all of ION’s 15 weeks of “State Farm® WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION” regular season games to subscribers of DIRECTV packages that include ION Television. Beginning tonight on and Fridays throughout the regular season, DIRECTV will deliver live WNBA games from regional or local broadcasts to its streaming, satellite and U-verse customers to ION’s weekly national doubleheaders.
Starting this weekend, Xfinity users can access Sunday Night Soccer on MLS Season Pass free, with no additional subscriptions required. The weekly matches will be available within the channel guide on Xfinity X1 and the Xfinity Stream app.
ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” schedule kicks off with 11 games in the first seven weeks. Signature matchups include Vikings at Bears, Lions at Ravens, Chiefs at Jaguars, Commanders at Chiefs, Eagles at Packers, Cardinals at Cowboys, Cowboys at Raiders and Eagles at Chargers. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters return for their fourth year together, while The ManningCast enters its fifth season.
FOX’ 18-week schedule features appearances from a lineup of NFC teams, including the Eagles, Cowboys, Lions, Packers, Giants, 49ers and Commanders, as well as its strongest showing of AFC teams, including the Bills, Bengals, Ravens and Chiefs.
FOX’s first Indianapolis 500 will include 60 hours of live coverage featuring INDYCAR play-by-play announcer Will Buxton joined by Indianapolis 500 entrant James Hinchcliffe and Indy 500 racer Townsend Bell on the call for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The action takes place Sunday, May 25, on FOX, FOX Deportes and the FOX Sports app. Pre-race coverage begins at 10a and the green flag drops at 12:45p.
WNBA’s Indiana Fever has launched the team’s first direct-to-consumer streaming service, Fever Direct. Subscribers will have access to up to 18 live regular season games alongside full game replays in eligible regions.
ShotTracker, provider of real-time data and AI-driven insights for basketball, is collaborating with ASB GlassFloor to place ShotTracker’s advanced analytics and entertainment graphics into the design of ASB’s LED glass surfaces for the first time. The ShotTracker’s Helix system has been installed in the ASB Glassfloor Athlete’s Lab in Orlando, which is currently in use by NBA teams and other visiting sports properties. |
| RATINGS |
| The May 1 episode of ABC’s “9-1-1” drew 9.18 million viewers in Live+7 cross-platform viewing. That’s up from 8.45 million viewers for the previous episode, which included a character’s shocking death.
FOX News Digital finished April with its third best month ever with total digital multiplatform unique visitors reaching 130,758,000 people, according to Comscore. |
| EXECUTIVE MOVES |
| Creative agency Saylor announced that Anaïs Bimpel will lead its expansion into trailers and premium AV as Creative Director of AV. Most recently, she spent six years at Netflix Creative Studio. |
This Day in History
1868 – The Senate failed to impeach President Andrew Johnson by one vote.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
What was the first international version of the “Real Housewives” franchise? “The Real Housewives of Athens.” Kudos to: Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Cindy Powers-Martin Retail Group/Albuquerque
Today’s Trivia Question
Which was the last Hanna-Barbera animated series to use a laugh track? (Email your answer to trivia@cynopsis.com and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four answers per time zone.) |
SR. DIRECTOR OF SALES, KSTU & KUPX >>
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SALES PLANNER, GENERAL RATE >>
GAC MEDIA, LLC/NEW YORK, NY: The Sales Planner, General Rate is responsible for providing support to the Advertising Sales department by working with Account Executives to service clients on a daily basis. The job requires attention to detail, industry knowledge, as well as strong communication skills. Full info HERE
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER>>
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DIGITAL MEDIA BUYER >>
FURMAN ROTH ADVERTISING/NY(HYBRID): Plan, launch, and optimize digital marketing campaigns across various paid media channels (including Display, Google products, Paid Social, CTV, and Programmatic, etc.) while managing budgets effectively. Support the execution of media plans across platforms, overseeing targeting, budget allocation, and performance tracking to drive campaign success. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR; CTV BRAND PARTNERSHIPS – MID WEST/WEST COAST
FUTURE TODAY
REMOTE
Build, maintain and expand a pipeline of sales targets, contacts, and sales opportunities leveraging your relationships with a heavy focus on new business revenue. Build/nurture relationships with the investment, strategy, precision and digital agencies as well as clients. Also maintain an ongoing knowledge of the streaming media landscape. Full info HERE
DIRECTOR, AD MARKETING & SALES >>
THE SHADE ROOM/REMOTE: Develop and execute a revenue growth strategy to drive direct advertising, branded content, and sponsorship sales as well as lead the development of compelling advertising and branded content offerings tailored for TSR’s audience and cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key advertisers, media agencies, and brand partners. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE DIRECT RESPONSE >>
OPPORTUNITY MEDIA/NY(REMOTE/HYBRID): Seeking an energetic achiever with excellent written & organizational skills for role to assist in growing revenue for dynamic Direct Response Team: required: BA Degree, Min 2 yrs DR Experience. Wide Orbit Exp a +. Full info HERE
PROFESSIONAL LECTURER OF COMMUNICATION/SPORTS BROADCASTING >>
MARIST UNIVERSITY/ POUGHKEEPSIE, NY: Teach studio and field broadcasting and new media courses in sports media and journalism as well as be able to teach a studio course on producing a newscast and help students live stream a podcast or produce short-form feature content suitable for social media streaming. Also demonstrate through their teaching, professional activity, and service. Full info HERE
SALES LEAD – AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS
UPWAVE
NEW YORK, NY
Build and manage relationships with our agency partners – mostly targeting media buyers and planners – and help them see the value of adding Upwave measurement to The Trade Desk campaigns. You will both leverage your existing network and open new doors to achieve aggressive but achievable sales targets. Full info HERE |
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