MadTech Daily: Paramount to Take Over Warner Bros as Netflix Drops Bid; Dentsu Names Takeshi Sano Global CEO

In this episode of The MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire CEO Rachel Smith and COO Lindsay Rowntree join head of marketing, Grainne Reid, to discuss the agentic commerce and streaming landscapes.They look into Meta's new shopping research tool and the conclusion to Netflix and Paramount's months-long battle to acquire Warner Bros Discovery.0:00 Introduction0:55 Meta tests AI shopping tool13:47 Netflix withdraws WBD bid

On today’s MadTech Daily we cover Amazon expanding its audience segments to Netflix, the BBC floating iPlayer as a home for rival broadcasters, and the ITV reporting its latest revenue figures. 

In today’s MadTech Daily, we cover Amazon eyeing a role in chatbot ad sales, News Corp landing a USD$50m (£37m) AI deal with Meta, and 85% of Europeans using ad-supported streaming.

In today’s Madtech Daily, we cover Meta trialling an AI shopping tool to challenge ChatGPT, Google planning to fill 150 tech roles in Singapore, Gemini, and eBay cutting 800 jobs, 6% of its workforce.

Today’s MadTech Daily covers the UK launching a consultation on a social media ban for under-16s, a Google patent hinting at AI-generated landing pages, and Roblox surpassing TikTok in Gen Z shopping growth.

Today’s MadTech Daily covers Netflix pulling out of the bidding war for Warner Bros, Dentsu naming Takeshi Sano as global CEO, and HubSpot expanding its media reach with a Starter Story deal.

In this episode of The MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire editor Aimee Newell Tarín is joined by COO Lindsay Rowntree and co-founder & advisor Ciaran O’Kane to discuss streaming, retail, and out-of-home.They look into Ofcom's regulation of video-on-demand platforms, backlash over in-game ads on the Six Nations debut, and Walmart’s AI-powered shopping assistant, Sparky.0:00 Introduction1:51 UK streamers face 'enhanced regulation'11:14 Rugby fans riled over in-game ads20:16 Walmart's AI boosts order value31:20 2025 out-of-home revenue

In today’s MadTech Daily, we cover WPP unveiling a £500m cost-cutting plan in an AI-led overhaul, ByteDance being valued at $550bn in a proposed General Atlantic stake sale, and UK news giants launching a ‘NATO for News’ AI coalition.

In today’s MadTech Daily, we look at DoorDash ending Deliveroo operations in Singapore, ITV Studios launching Studio 55 and opening its content library, as well as Apple rolling out global age-verification tools.

In today’s MadTech Daily, we cover video-on-demand services facing new Ofcom regulation in the UK, Canva buying animation and marketing startups, and OOH hitting record revenue in 2025.