Headline Story

Reddit Hires Ad Veteran as It Ramps Up Agency Partnerships
Reddit has made a key hire — Sharb Farjami, formerly CEO of WPP Media North America — to lead its global agency development and deepen relationships with major ad agencies.
This signals Reddit’s aggressive push into the advertising ecosystem, aiming to convert its engaged communities into more direct revenue streams. Its ad revenue already surged ~84% year-over-year in Q2 2025 (≈ $465M).

🧪Media & Creator Economy: Trends to Watch

📊 The Bigger Picture

  • The global entertainment & media (E&M) industry is expected to grow from ~$2.9T in 2024 to ~$3.5T by 2029 (CAGR ~3.7%)

  • AI-powered advertising is a major growth driver, especially in digital formats and connected TV.

  • Social video platforms are now competing head-on with traditional media for consumer attention and advertising budgets.

🔍 Key Trends Shaping 2025

  • Creators vs. Traditional Media: 2025 may be the year creators overtake traditional media in ad revenue.

  • Short-form video dominance: Platforms like TikTok, Reels, Shorts continue to be central to content strategies.

  • From scale to relationship: Major media houses are shifting away from chasing anonymous traffic to focusing on known, loyal audiences.

  • AI in newsrooms: More news orgs are integrating AI in workflows, but with tension between automation and editorial integrity.

  • Press freedom under pressure: Economic constraints now rank as a top threat to global journalism, dragging the global press freedom index down.

📌 Feature Spotlight

YouTube Creators Fueling the UK Economy — £2.2 Billion Impact
A recent Oxford Economics report reveals that UK-based YouTube creators contributed an estimated £2.2 billion in 2024, supporting ~45,000 jobs.
This underscores how creators have moved from niche side-hustles to significant economic stakeholders. As that happens, how brands, platforms, and policy respond will matter even more.

Also in focus:

  • The Independent’s “Google risk” strategy: In a media landscape where Google algorithms dominate discovery, The Independent is rolling out a four-pillar growth plan to mitigate overdependence.

  • India’s media push: The Indian government and TRAI are positioning the country as a global media & entertainment hub via supportive policy reforms.

📌 Quick Hits

Item

Insight

Pope Leo’s media plea

At a global media conference, Pope Leo urged news outlets not to “sell out” to clickbait, warning against the erosion of trustworthy journalism.

Guardian’s global sports bet

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, The Guardian is expanding its U.S. and global soccer coverage with new roles, live content, and enhanced interactivity.

Netflix eyes Champions League

Netflix reportedly plans to bid for live Champions League rights from 2027–28 onward, disrupting the traditional sports rights model.

🧭 Final Thought:

What You Should Do (if you’re a creator, media brand, or strategist)

  • Creators: diversify your platform portfolio (don’t bet on one); lean into short-form + evergreen content formats.

  • Media brands / publications: build direct audience relationships, not dependency on platforms’ algorithms.

  • Strategists / marketers: invest in AI-driven ad tools, test multimedia formats, and rethink monetization models for creators vs. platforms.

📩 Enjoying Linked Outlook?
Stay updated with tech, media, and innovation that shape your world—3x a week.
🔗 [Subscribe here]

📬 Share this newsletter
Like today’s insights? Share with your creator friends or tech-loving peers.