Cineworld

Cineworld's acquisition of Regal Entertainment Group

Cineworld's acquisition of Regal Entertainment Group has created the second largest cinema business in the world (by number of screens).

Google Shifts Focus: Embrace CTV, Ditch the Funnel

Google used its NewFronts presentation to tell advertisers the traditional funnel is over, urging DV360 as the go-to platform for all ad buys, including CTV. Kristen O’Hara described consumer behavior as overlapping activities—streaming, scrolling, searching, and shopping—and outlined new features for DV360. Google says DV360 now reaches 98% of US CTV households and accounts for 5 billion hours of ad-supported watching per month, roughly 40% more than The Trade Desk and 90% more than Amazon DSP. Live inventory becomes biddable through DV360, with sources including YouTube and NBCUniversal’s Peacock. Retail media expands into DV360 via Google’s commerce suite, plus partnerships with Costco, Intuit, Regal Cinemas, and United Airlines’ Kinective Media, plus YouTube integration, launching later this summer after testing. Google also showcased generative AI capabilities that reportedly cut median CPA by 60% for users of audience persona and commitment optimizer, and can generate custom inventory packages and templates from natural language prompts.

Skydance and Paramount Merge; Cineworld Eyes UK Cinema Cuts

Skydance Media and Paramount Global have reached a definitive agreement to merge and form New Paramount, following the acquisition of National Amusements Inc., which holds Paramount's controlling stake. The merger will combine Skydance Investor Group’s financial resources and technology with Paramount’s platforms (linear and streaming) and its film and television library. In the cinema sector, Cineworld is considering closing a quarter of its 100 UK cinemas and renegotiating rents at 50+ UK sites as part of a broader restructure. In gaming, Apple has approved Epic Games’ third-party marketplace app for launch in the EU under the Digital Markets Act, after initial rejections; Apple required changes to some buttons and labels, while Epic argued the design adheres to standard conventions, and Epic had notified the European Commission.