The Media Rating Council, an organization that sets standards for media audience measurement to ensure data accuracy and reliability, has given Nielsen the green light to include data collected directly from streaming services into its national TV ratings. This approval allows Nielsen to combine first-party streaming data with its traditional panel-based ratings, marking a step forward for measuring TV and streaming viewership. Additionally, the council has renewed its accreditation for Nielsen’s national panel ratings. This endorsement could pave the way [...]

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is challenging Europe to manage power-hungry data centers while staying aligned with strict environmental goals. As companies like Nvidia develop high-performance, energy-intensive chips, European data centers are grappling with the need to cool these devices efficiently, often requiring much lower water temperatures. Steven Carlini of Schneider Electric emphasizes cooling as a major energy factor, second only to the IT load itself. “The energy use will rise” he explains, as Nvidia’s new Blackwell GB200 chips [...]

Starz and YouTube have renewed their partnership, securing a multi-year extension that will allow YouTube TV subscribers to continue adding the Starz premium channel for an extra monthly fee. This agreement not only sustains their existing collaboration but also paves the way for new bundling options and exclusive offers. Alison Hoffman, Starz Networks’ president, commented on the renewed partnership, highlighting the value it brings to audiences. “We are excited to deepen our partnership with YouTube TV, the fastest-growing pay TV [...]

Women’s Sports Gain Momentum as GroupM Doubled Media Spend Women’s sports are finally getting their time to shine. GroupM, a WPP-owned advertising firm, says that it has “exceeded” its goal to double the annual media spend on women’s sports programming, a target set earlier this year in connection with the widely viewed NCAA women’s basketball tournament. In just a few months, over 20 major brands, from Adidas and Google to Universal Pictures and DoorDash, including Adobe, Unilever, and Target, increased [...]

‘Lights, Camera, Jobs!’ That was the message emblazoned on the banner behind California Governor Gavin Newsom as he announced a major new effort to keep Hollywood production at home. Standing at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood alongside Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and key industry leaders, Newsom unveiled a proposal to more than double California’s annual film and TV tax credits from $330 million to $750 million. If approved by the Legislature, this $3.75 billion, five-year plan could take effect as [...]

Netflix and Universal are expanding their partnership, renewing their licensing agreement for animated films from Illumination and DreamWorks Animation (DWA) and adding live-action titles from Universal Pictures and Focus Features beginning in 2027. This move bolsters Netflix's content offerings and enhances its lineup with new titles from a trusted partner in animation and beyond. Under this new deal, Netflix retains exclusive streaming rights to Universal’s animated films no later than eight months after their theatrical release. After these films premiere [...]