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The Media Leader Podcast

The Media Leader Podcast

By: The Media Leader
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The Media Leader is the leading source of analysis, data, opinion and trends in commercial media and advertising.

Hosted by senior reporter Jack Benjamin, we speak to senior industry leaders and rising stars about the key challenges media faces as part of our mission to stand up for courage, inclusion and excellence in media.

Find out more at uk.themedialeader.com and subscribe to our daily newsletter.

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Episodes
  • Can GB News scale its advertising business? With chief revenue officer Ross Sergeant

    Can GB News scale its advertising business? With chief revenue officer Ross Sergeant
    Mar 23 2026

    Earlier this month, Allwyn’s global media director Ross Sergeant announced he would be joining GB News as its chief revenue officer.

    The appointment comes amid what Sergeant has referred to as an “inflection point” for the company. GB News has cumulatively lost £131.5m since its inception in 2021, with funding provided by owners Sir Paul Marshall and Dubai-based investment firm Legatum. But losses have been narrowing amid double-digit revenue growth and audiences have been growing as well. According to Barb figures, GB News has beaten both BBC News and Sky News in average audience and audience share in seven of the last eight months.

    But with growth comes scrutiny – from us here at The Media Leader and elsewhere. An investigation by Alan Rusbridger at The New World last week found that “GB News has essentially become Reform TV”, while broadcasting regulator Ofcom has “more or less given up the ghost”.

    Not only is GB News regularly airing incendiary, biased political views that align with the Reform Party — including by employing the party's sitting MPs, such as Nigel Farage, as presenters — but it’s also arguably doing so in contradiction of Ofcom regulations that, seemingly, aren’t being enforced.

    The Media Leader wanted to raise these topics and more with Sergeant, who is now being tasked with selling GB News to advertisers. Many such advertisers, particularly larger brands, have been skittish over concerns around brand safety and suitability and the nascent nature of the fledgling broadcaster.

    Highlights:

    1:43: Sergeant's background in media and why he joined GB News.

    13:30: Is GB News 'Reform TV'?

    24:40: Flouting Ofcom rules and incendiary rhetoric — does GB News have a brand safety problem?

    39:23: GB News's growing audience and Sergeant's blueprint for making the broadcaster profitable.

    50:42: Considering the state of the wider TV market and GB News's sales strategy within it.

    Related articles:

    Ross Sergeant joins GB News as chief revenue officer amid growth push

    Twitter on TV: the real reasons why advertisers avoid GB News

    Screen scandal: How Ofcom lets GB News get away with it (The New World)
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • How the BBC will fulfill its remit as global streaming giants encroach — with BBC iPlayer's Kerensa Samanidis

    How the BBC will fulfill its remit as global streaming giants encroach — with BBC iPlayer's Kerensa Samanidis
    Mar 16 2026
    The BBC is at a critical moment as it looks to negotiate with the government over the renewal of its charter.This month, it published its response to the government’s consultation in which it highlighted the quote “need for radical reforms to its independence”.Preserving the status quo, the Corporation argued, will quote “not be enough to deliver a BBC that remains recognisable to audiences nor brings benefits to UK society and beyond.”Chiefly, the current funding model quote “cannot maintain the BBC’s public service mission for the future”, they argued.The Corporation is indeed facing a number of headwinds: it is losing an estimated £1bn pounds per year in potential license fee revenue as people evade required payments or forego TV ownership.A lack of funding has necessitated controversial cuts in recent years to a number of BBC services, most notably the World Service, which has seen a 21% drop in budget since 2021.It all comes as the Beeb is looking to hire a replacement for outgoing director-general Tim Davie. The aptly-named Matt Brittin, who led Google’s EMEA business for a decade, has been tightly linked to the opening.Amid it all, The Media Leader hosted the 15th annual Connected TV World Summit in London last week to discuss the future of TV business and TV technology.At the event, Kerensa Samanidis, the general manager of BBC iPlayer, sat down with Jack Benjamin to discuss the future of iPlayer.The pair spoke about the challenges faced by the BBC as it seeks to compete with global streaming giants, whether the BBC would look to partner with other public-service broadcasters on distribution, and the importance of producing distinctly British content for British audiences.Highlights:1:57: Will iPlayer open up to other public-service broadcasters?4:03: How iPlayer matches up to global streaming giants by being "all things to all people"9:10: Remaining prominent11:11: Considering distribution partnerships: Netflix, YouTube, and cannibalisation concerns16:23: How the BBC's range extends beyond entertainment and dramaRelated articles:‘Be careful who you put in your bed’: Broadcasters urged to partner with platforms cautiouslyHow a butterfly flapping its wings led to a tornado at the BBCBBC must remain ad-free and become more distinctive, Radiocentre analysis saysWhy advertisers need a strong BBC more than ever---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader
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    21 mins
  • What's behind double-digit digital ad market growth? With IAB UK's Elizabeth Lane

    What's behind double-digit digital ad market growth? With IAB UK's Elizabeth Lane
    Mar 9 2026

    Digital assets are have for several years been the main growth drivers for most media owners. This is as true of TV – ITV just announced it saw 10% growth in digital revenues compared to flat overall revenue growth – as it is in publishing, as seen in the latest consumer ABC figures, as it is OOH, as it is in, of course, social media and search.

    So it was little surprise that, according to IAB UK’s latest digital adspend report, in 2025 the UK’s digital ad market grew 10% to £40.5bn pounds. It’s a staggering number, especially when you consider that AA/Warc estimated the total UK ad market reached £46.9bn pounds last year.

    Adspend on social media grew 21% year on year to £11.5bn, even as industry leaders at both agencies and competing media owners made the case to "turn down the toxic" by divesting from social and reinvesting in more trusted media channels.

    Elizabeth Lane is the head of insight at IAB UK. She sat down with host Jack Benjamin her to unpack the latest adspend report, and why video in particular was a driving force for digital growth last year.

    The duo also discussed how AI is changing search to the detriment of publishers, what to watch out for in retail media, and why gaming and digital OOH also saw double-digit growth in 2025.

    Highlights:

    1:21: Toplines from IAB UK's 2025 Digital Adspend Report

    3:41: Social's pivot to video helps explain its 20% growth rate

    13:39: Search, retail media and gaming: disruption and missed opportunities

    24:06: How AI could change digital investment

    Related articles:

    UK adspend expected to surpass £50bn for first time in 2026

    High-attention media is more profitable, finds Peter Field, Lumen and Newsworks

    Reddit looks to scale through search, performance and insight

    Why audio is embracing video — with News Broadcasting’s Dave Wilcox and Russell Pedrick

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    Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media.

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    33 mins
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