Weekly Roundup – Week of July 1st, 2024

"A lawsuit against Disney targeting its dual role as a content supplier and distributor in business dealings has cleared a legal hurdle, with a federal judge advancing a key antitrust claim over the entertainment monolith’s ownership of ESPN and Hulu.
U.S. District Judge Edward Davila on Tuesday rebuffed arguments to dismiss the lawsuit, finding that the company could’ve leveraged its purchase of Hulu to raise prices of live TV streamed over the internet across the market. Disney may have imposed anticompetitive terms on rivals, including AT&T’s DirectTV and Dish’s Sling TV, by forcing them to carry ESPN as part of the cheapest bundle they offer and instituting so-called most favored nation clauses, which ensure that ESPN affiliate fees negotiated with any given competitor represent an industrywide price floor, the court concluded."

"Earlier this year a record 67.8 million American adults bet on Super Bowl – that's more than a quarter of the U.S. adult population and a 35% increase from the previous year, according to the American Gaming Association.
For 25 years, sports betting had been banned outside of Nevada – then in 2018 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. In the following six years, sports betting quickly became one of the most popular forms of gambling. Now 38 states and Washington, D.C. allow for online or in-person betting.
Sports betting may look like putting a wager on a basketball game or betting money on a horse race. It's the fastest-growing source of state tax revenue, The Washington Post reported. The tax revenue that sports betting generates helps fund state resources, including roads and highway construction, public education, law enforcement and gambling addiction programs."

"When it comes to sports, the current buzzword in the broadcast game is “bundling.”
Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery announced in February plans to launch Venu Sports, promoted as a “big deal for cord-cutters” who seek sports coverage in one place.
The parent companies of ESPN, Fox Sports and TNT Sports next announced plans to provide their combined inventory in a sports streaming app.
Comcast packaged Peacock with Netflix and Apple TV+ in a bundle called StreamSaver, offered to customers at a discounted price compared to purchasing the three separately.
Companies, leagues and conferences hope for a subscriber boon from such packaging plans, but an expert on how and why people subscribe to such services said the rush toward bundling has left consumers hovering between “confusion and annoyance.”"

"The European Commission has raised concerns over Meta‘s “pay or consent” advertising model for Facebook and Instagram users in the EU. In preliminary findings released on Monday, regulators suggest the social media giant’s approach may not comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Meta introduced the model in November 2023, offering EU users two options: pay a monthly fee for an ad-free experience or continue using the platforms for free with personalized ads. However, the Commission argues this binary choice fails to provide users with a less personalized but equivalent alternative, as required by the DMA."

"Roughly 51.3 million people tuned into the first general election debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden Thursday night, according to funal ratings from Nielsen, marking a significant decline in television viewership compared to the first general election debates of the last two presidential races.
Why it matters: Biden's train wreck performance coupled with Trump's highly-anticipated return to the debate stage drew a sizable audience in an era when the value of political debates had been in question, but very few young people watched.
Of the 51.3 million that tuned in on live TV, only 3.9 million were between the ages of 18 and 34.
By the numbers: A total of 47.9 million people watched the debate on live television Thursday across several networks, according early figures."

"When kids want to watch SpongeBob SquarePants, Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol, they’re going to YouTube, not cable or media company streaming services, according to a new study from Precise TV and Giraffe Insights.
The new volume of the Precise Advertiser Report: Kids found a 30% increase in kids using YouTube, while paid streaming services usage was down 53% and free VOD services were down 40%.
Content from Paramount’s Nickelodeon, which used to dominate kids viewing on cable, is now being consumed more on YouTube than on streaming services Netflix or Hulu."

"With more commuters returning to offices, Americans’ average time spent in traffic during peak periods increased to 42 hours in 2023, an added four hours year-over-year, according to an analysis from transportation analytics company INRIX.
A report from Katz Radio Group shows that congestion was above that average in 14 U.S. cities, indexing significantly higher in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston. Additionally, peak-time traffic in other cities such as Miami, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Houston was anywhere from 20 to 28 hours above that average of 42.
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Taking into account Edison Research’s “Share of Ear” survey results for Q1 2024, showing AM/FM radio’s commanding 86% share of ad-supported audio in vehicles, Katz’s report suggests that advertisers can benefit more than ever from its captive audience in that increased traffic time."

In her latest blog exploring current advertising trends, Katie Miller talks about how digital video ad spends are set to surpass traditional TV this year. However, radio already excels in building trusted, personalized connections with listeners, both OTA and via streaming. This unique audio intimacy and local relevance position radio as a powerful choice for advertisers seeking authentic audience engagement, ahead of the digital video curve. Ready to showcase your station’s impact? Partner with Harker Bos Group for tailored advertising research and compelling sales strategies.