2024 in review: Themes and challenges for the media industry

2024 is winding down and for their last weekly news podcast of the year, host Jack Benjamin and editor-in-chief Omar Oakes sat down to look back on the past year in media and advertising.

It was a year in which digital giants continued to grow, retail media surged, OOH prospered and TV streaming services became largely profitable. It was also a year that saw Big Tech facing renewed antitrust efforts, changes to Google and Meta's algorithms punishing online publishers and the industry reckoning with what a new AI-led era could look like.

The pair not only consider what 2024 meant for the wider media ecosystem, but also look ahead to the uncertainties to come in 2025.

Highlights:

2:56: What was the big trend in 2024? A year of two halves and political uncertainty

11:26: Tech regulation and profitable streaming services

19:06: Traditional media: OOH sees success; journalism and publishing challenged by headwinds

35:22: AI uses are broadening and changing working practice

43:41: The past week in news: Sky upfronts, Barb and Origin, Ofcom's BBC report and Guardian/Observer strikes

Related articles:

Sky failed our high standards, ads chief tells industry at upfronts

Ipsos eyes UK TV measurement space as it plots Kantar Media acquisition

Plan tabled for Barb to join Origin in hybrid reporting model

OOH tops £1bn in ad revenue in 2024 so far

Publishers say Google’s AI Overviews have reduced traffic potential

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