TVA

Big Tech AI Investment Tests Europe’s Power Grid

SoftBank announced a €75 billion plan to build 3.1 GW of AI data-center capacity in France’s Hauts-de-France region (sites including Dunkirk, Bosquel and Bouchain) by 2031. The investment highlights how Europe’s high industrial electricity prices and regional energy mixes — including France’s heavy reliance on nuclear power — will shape where hyperscalers and AI firms locate energy‑intensive infrastructure. Companies and analysts cited growing interest in small modular reactors (SMRs), microgrids, and other localized power solutions, while U.S. firms such as Amazon and Google have explored SMR partnerships. Talent availability (notably London) also remains a driver for Big Tech’s European expansion, with firms like Runway, Anthropic, OpenAI and Google expanding footprints in the region.

Barb Launches Cloud Data Hub with Snowflake

Barb, the UK TV audience measurement body, announced the planned launch of Barb Data Hub, a cloud-based system to store, process, and distribute Barb’s viewing data to the wider industry. The hub will be built on Snowflake’s cloud data platform, with MediaSense selected to set up, develop, and maintain the data warehouse. Barb says the Data Hub will give clients easier access to data, greater flexibility, and sustainability by reducing data duplication and standardizing output; the release is scheduled for the second half of 2025. An in-house prototype has already been built, and Barb emphasizes a gradual transition for users as it expands data access across its ecosystem. Snowflake highlighted built-in analytics and ML capabilities that could enhance Barb’s media measurement offerings. Barb already covers data for Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video as part of its expanding dataset, and prototypes under Barb Panel Plus aim to fuse big data with panel data, including return-path data from Sky set-top boxes and HbbTV-enabled TVs.

ITV Studios Merger Talks; Google MMM Rollout; Channel 4 Regulation

This Week in Advertising Technology highlights ITV reportedly entering early talks to merge ITV Studios with All3Media (RedBird IMI), a move that could reshape ITV's content and distribution. Separately, Google expanded Meridian, its open-source marketing mix model (MMM), to all marketers globally and announced a partner program with agencies and measurement vendors. Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon urged strengthened social-media regulation to safeguard verified, independent news for younger audiences, warning of risks from rapid content and misleading algorithms. The coverage also notes Barb’s launch of two prototypes under its Barb Panel Plus initiative to fuse big data with traditional panel measurement, testing Sky set-top and HbbTV-based data sources. Overall, the week underscores ongoing shifts in M&A activity, measurement technology, and policy discussions impacting ad-supported media.