Young people are increasingly turning to social media for their news and shopping, according to DoubleVerify’s Global Insights Report, which found:
· People aged 18–44 primarily get their news from native online video platforms (42%) or social media (40%), while those 45–65+ prefer traditional sources like TV news (59%) or legacy news websites (37%).
· Over half (54%) say influencers impact their purchasing decisions, and 30% have bought directly through a social platform in the past year.
· 57% report seeing AI-generated content on social media, more than double the share who’ve encountered it via search (26%).
· 46% of social media advertisers say reaching their target audience is their biggest hurdle.

“The appeal of advertising across social media platforms lies in their ability to blend entertainment, community and personalized experiences across both user-generated content and ads,” said Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify. “As advertisers ramp investments across these platforms, they’re also demanding campaign effectiveness and accountability. That’s why maximizing media quality, efficiency and performance across video-centric walled gardens remains a top priority.”

Meta did not create a monopoly in social networking when it bought rivals Instagram and WhatsApp, ruled a federal judge on Tuesday. The Federal Trade Commission had sued the company, accusing it of breaking antitrust law. “The court’s decision today recognizes that Meta faces fierce competition,” said a spokesman for Meta. “Our products are beneficial for people and businesses and exemplify American innovation and economic growth.” The FTC said it was reviewing its options but claimed the judge is biased against the Trump administration.

Tegna shareholders voted on Tuesday to adopt the merger plan that calls for the company to be acquired by Nexstar Media Group. The transaction is expected to close by the second half of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

“Twisted Metal,” based on the PlayStation game series, landed a season three renewal from Peacock. David Reed (“Supernatural”) is taking the showrunner and executive producer reins from Michael Jonathan Smith, who has “concluded his involvement,” said Peacock.

“You’re a terrible person and a terrible reporter,” President Donald Trump told ABC correspondent Mary Bruce during a Tuesday press conference after she questioned Trump about the Epstein files and other matters. “I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and it’s so wrong, and we have a great commissioner, the chairman [Brendan Carr], who should look at that,” added Trump. Posted Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) on X, “Trump again directs the FCC to rescind a broadcast license over a reporter’s question. Thin-skinned. Weak. Un-American. Authoritarian.”

At Convergent TV World 2026, industry leaders break down the shifts redefining cross-screen advertising—from converged planning and measurement to creative innovation and privacy-first strategies.

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British crime drama “Midsomer Murders” returns to Acorn TV for season 25 on Monday, December 8. Episodes will debut weekly.

Telemundo sports competition “Exatlon Estados Unidos” returns for season ten on Tuesday, December 2 at 7p. Among returning competitors will be Mexican-American soccer player Anisa Guajardo, Mexican-Colombian influencer and TV host Fernando Lozada, and Mexican actress and athlete Denisse Novoa, with new personalities including Olympic medalists, professional athletes, and international sports champions.

A new partnership between WunderKIND Ads and Cognitiv enables WunderKIND Ads to curate inventory to create custom deals for advertisers and align content with contextual intelligence across its network of publishers. “This is how contextual advertising should work,” said Adam Gendelman VP, Head of Sales, Supply & Operations at WunderKIND Ads. “While much of the publishing world braces for disruption, we’re using AI to help publishers grow revenue and give advertisers faster access to unique inventory that delivers better, more relevant experiences for their audiences.”

Albertsons Media Collective and NBCUniversal have introduced CTV closed-loop measurement, giving advertisers the ability to understand the impact of premium CTV ad exposure on sales performance. This capability is enabled through data collaboration between NBCU and Albertsons, linking both parties’ first-party data within a clean room to deterministically match NBCU’s premium CTV ad exposures with Albertsons’ in-store and digital transaction data. As part of the launch, the companies released results from a Chobani pilot campaign for its Protein Yogurt Drinks:
· 1.9x lift in new-to-brand social engagement
· $4.22 ROAS on premium CTV
· +69% ROAS onsite and +43% ROAS offsite versus benchmarks from a previous campaign activation that did not include CTV advertising in premium content.

“Through strategic partnerships that simplify how brands work with us – including Albertsons Media Collective – we’re giving them the flexibility and clarity to see TV as a true business-driving platform,” said Alison Levin, President, Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “These collaborations push the industry forward, and we’re proving it with partners like Chobani.”

Charter Communications announced a strategic agreement with Amazon Web Services that establishes AWS as one of Charter’s strategic GenAI providers. As part of the collaboration, Charter has standardized its software development processes to leverage GitLab Duo with Amazon Q Developer, AWS’s generative AI-powered assistant for building, operating, and transforming software development. The platform features agentic coding experiences and advanced capabilities for managing data and AI/ML workloads. GitLab Duo with Amazon Q Developer will enable Charter to accelerate new features and software development, directly enhancing experiences for Spectrum Internet, TV and Mobile customers.

Family Entertainment Television, parent company of FETV and FMC, has named DIRECTV Advertising as its exclusive advertising sales agent for the commercial inventory on FETV and FMC, effective December 29., DIRECTV Advertising will oversee advertising sales for FETV and FMC across the networks’ full national footprint. “This exclusive new relationship marks an exciting new chapter for FETV and FMC,” said Drew Sumrall, President and CEO of Family Entertainment Television. “DIRECTV’s proven expertise and market access will unlock tremendous value for FETV and FMC.”

Daniel Dae Kim (“Hawaii Five-0”) will serve as host and executive producer of “K-Everything,” a travel series for CNN that explores the global pop culture movement sparked by South Korea. “I’ve been lucky enough to watch Korea over the years take center stage as a cultural and economic powerhouse,” said Kim. “It’s a genuine joy teaming up with CNN to explore the many qualities that make the country and its culture so special.”

Amplify Pictures has ordered a full season of scripts for indie series “The Earliest Show,” starring Ben Schwartz (“Parks and Recreation”) and adapted from his “Funny Or Die” web series of the same name. The series also stars Lauren Lapkus (“Orange is the New Black”).

Canadian TV content creator and producer Sphere Media (“Cardinal) and Quebec-based producer Zone 3, announced their merger. “In a context where demand for content has never been stronger, joining forces is the best way to promote our creations and get closer to the global giants. This merger brings countless new creative and commercial opportunities,” said Brigitte Lemonde, President of Zone 3.

“Opportunity Knocks” is back in production for season three, following three families across the country as they get support from local experts to work through the financial and real-world challenges. The new season – set to premiere on PBS stations and PBS Passport in 2026 – will also highlight online tool, The Opportunity Coach, allowing viewers to take the same steps they see on screen.

Keller/Noll (“Chopped”) has partnered with Goliath and its media rights holder, Perfect Game, to launch a “Shark Bite” game show based on the board game. “This is the ultimate family game show,” said Dave Noll. “A giant stage with five, mind-blowing animatronic sharks! And if you get the wrong answer… you must go into the shark’s mouth. ‘Shark Bite’ easily has the potential to be the biggest global game show launch of 2026.”

Movistar Plus+ (Spain), YLE (Finland), DR (Denmark), SVT (Sweden) and RTV (Slovenia) have acquired UK drama “Trespasses,” alongside Hellenic Telecommunications (Greece) and HOT (Israel). SBS in Australia has secured broadcast rights and Dazzler Media has acquired DVD rights for the UK and Eire.

LIV Golf announced the signing of golf presenter Henni Zuël as a LIV Golf Broadcaster ahead of the 2026 season. Zuël, a former professional golfer on the Ladies European Tour, has worked with Sky Sports and GolfTV.

The YES Network and CAMB.AI, a company that enables multilingual communication, have agreed to explore strategic initiatives to use artificial intelligence to enhance the fan experience. This marks the first time that CAMB.AI is teaming up with a US. sports television network to explore business opportunities.

Splash Sports, the contest platform that lets fans and creators compete for money, and golf content creator RickRunGood have launched the $1.25M Golf One & Done World Championship. Fans can join, make picks, and track standings directly from their phones, while competing for a share of $1.25 million in guaranteed prizes throughout the golf season. “Splash has given us the tools to take our community to the next level,” said Rick Gehman, founder of RickRunGood. “The Golf One & Done World Championship is something the golf world has never seen at this scale and now it’s open for anyone to play.”

Streaming technology company Kiswe announced the launch of Kiswe Core, a cloud-based platform designed to simplify the streaming distribution process for content owners by enabling them to automatically encode, format, authenticate, and deliver multiple streams for each of their distribution partners from a single source feed.

MyFree DIRECTV is expanding its sports offerings with NBA FAST, Red Bull TV, DAZN Ringside, and Pursuit UP set to join the lineup. DIRECTV is also introducing “Streamsgiving,” a seasonal celebration with new viewing options powered by DIRECTV’s 5-day free trial of Genre Packs.

Julie Chen Moonves (“Big Brother”) will host the 28th annual “Family Film and TV Awards, airing Saturday, December 13 at 8p on CBS. “Survivor” host Jeff Probst is set to receive the Icon Award.

Today’s Trivia Question
What kind of pet did the title character have on “Honey West” (1965-66)? (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.)