Mediagazer: BIA estimates core US local ad spend to grow 6.1% YoY to $171B in 2025, with digital media having a 52.4% share and traditional media having 47.6% (Wayne Friedman/MediaPost)

12:40 PM ET, March 6, 2025

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Mandy Dalugdug / Music Business Worldwide:

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Wayne Friedman / MediaPost:

BIA estimates core US local ad spend to grow 6.1% YoY to $171B in 2025, with digital media having a 52.4% share and traditional media having 47.6% — Core, non-political U.S. local advertising is estimated to grow 6.1% in 2025 to $171 billion from a year ago, according to BIA Advisory Services.

Discussion: Inside Radio, TV Tech, Radio & Television …, TVNewsCheck and Barrett Media

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Netflix CFO Spencer Neumann says Netflix plans to spend ~$18B in cash on content in 2025, up nearly 11% YoY, and the amount is “not anywhere near a ceiling” — Netflix expects to spend in the neighborhood of $18 billion in cash on content in 2025 — and it sees plenty of runway …

Discussion: The Streamable, @tylerbishop, @tvgrimreaper, Deadline, The Wrap and Media Play News

Chris Welch / The Verge:

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Todd Spangler / Variety:

Neal Mohan says YouTube Originals didn't work because YouTube wasn't “good at picking content” and so the company decided to focus on building creator tools — YouTube has tried its hand at funding original content more than once — with disappointing results.

The Wrap:

Sources: LAT's Hector Becerra faced an HR probe in 2022 over alleged “insulting” behavior, including bullying; LAT says it has “been addressed and resolved” — The paper's De Los editor Paloma Esquivel resigned last week, accusing HR of dismissing her complaints against Becerra

Discussion: @sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman and @gstarr.bsky.social

Brian Stelter / CNN:

Washington Post Media Reporter Will Sommer joins The Bulwark, where he will be publishing a twice-a-week newsletter on “the forces driving today's far-right” — On a recent episode of the “Hard Fork” podcast, reporter Casey Newton said “you talk to folks who live in San Francisco …

Discussion: @timodc, @brianstelter and @willsommer

Andrew Cohen / Awful Announcing:

Gannett posts job listings for an AI sports editor and AI-assisted sports reporter; after flubs in 2023, it paused using LedeAI for high school sports stories — Gannett plans to hire an “AI Sports Editor” and “AI-Assisted Sports Reporter” as America's largest newspaper chain doubles-down on artificial intelligence in its newsrooms.

Discussion: @danrshafer, @aaronnagler, @andrew_cohen0, @joshua_newman and @michaelsocolow

Ray Schultz / MediaPost:
Gannett unionized employees and management have reached tentative contract deals at six newspapers in New Jersey and New York after threatened walkouts

Discussion: NewsGuild of New York and New Jersey Globe

Gordon Smith / Journalism.co.uk:

How the Financial Times is using online polls to engage readers and grow subscriptions; polls in FT newsletters regularly record engagement rates above 75% — The newspaper has a loyal, well-informed readership keen to share their opinions. Polls in its newsletters record engagement over 75 per cent

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