Magnite vs Sovrn

Starling Launches CTV Supply-Side Platform from Stealth

Starling, a new supply-side platform (SSP) purpose-built for connected TV (CTV), has officially launched. The company emerges from stealth with backing from MBL Partners and strategic investors, aiming to address fragmentation, lack of transparency, and underutilized audience intelligence in CTV advertising. Starling offers content and program-level intelligence, down to show-level reporting, and supports emerging formats like pause ads and home-screen placements. The leadership team includes Michael Bassik as Executive Chair and Acting CEO, Sean Miller as COO/CFO, Reshmi Nair as CTO (formerly of Magnite), and Wil Danielson as CRO (formerly of Nexstar). Starling has secured publisher relationships including Xumo, to provide access to premium inventory such as live sports.

• Starling launched as a CTV-focused supply-side platform (SSP).
• The company is backed by MBL Partners and strategic investors.
• Reshmi Nair, formerly of Magnite, joins as CTO.

Magnite Named Primary Video Ad Server and Programmatic Provider for HP TV+

Magnite, the largest independent sell-side advertising company, has been selected as the primary video ad server and programmatic technology provider for HP TV+, HP's free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) environment for personal PCs. This partnership enables HP TV+ to connect advertisers with active PC audiences across various content categories. Through Magnite's omnichannel suite and ClearLine Curation, HP Media Network can offer consent-based audience intelligence for programmatic activation, with access to nearly 100 off-the-shelf audience segments and over 1,200 PC apps. The integration aims to streamline advertising access to HP TV+'s banner and video inventory, supporting the growth of HP's streaming advertising business.

• Magnite is named the primary video ad server and programmatic technology provider for HP TV+.
• HP TV+ is HP's native free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) environment for personal PCs.
• The partnership provides programmatic access to HP TV+ banner and video inventory.

8-K Financial Filing Analysis for Magnite (2026-09-21)

On September 18, 2026, Magnite, Inc. announced key leadership appointments effective October 1, 2026. Brian Gephart, who has served as the Company's Chief Accounting Officer since June 2021, has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Principal Financial Officer. Concurrently, Haas Sullivan, previously Vice President of Accounting, was appointed Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) and Principal Accounting Officer. In connection with the promotions, Gephart will receive an equity award valued at $2.25 million (70% RSUs and 30% PSUs) alongside an amended severance agreement, while Sullivan will receive an RSU grant valued at approximately $600,000 and a new executive severance agreement.

• Brian Gephart was promoted to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective October 1, 2026, receiving an equity award package of $2.25 million ($1.575M in RSUs and $675K in PSUs).
• Haas Sullivan was promoted to Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) effective October 1, 2026, receiving an RSU grant valued at approximately $600,000.
• Both executives entered into amended or new Executive Severance and Vesting Acceleration Agreements defining severance terms in standard and sale-transaction scenarios.

Sovrn Partners With Multilocal to Expand Curated Deals Powered by Commerce Signals

Sovrn announces a partnership with Multilocal to expand curated deals powered by Commerce Signals.

Sovrn Partners with Multilocal to Scale Curation

Sovrn, a publisher technology and data company, and Multilocal, a curation intelligence firm, announced a partnership to scale curation across the Sovrn Ad Exchange. Multilocal's proprietary engine, cureon®, will support planning, activation, and optimization of private marketplace (PMP) deals on Sovrn's exchange. The collaboration combines Sovrn's supply, data, and commerce signals with Multilocal's curation intelligence. Sovrn reaches over 500 million consumers daily and has commerce data from over 50,000 retailers. This partnership aims to create more relevant and effective opportunities for buyers by translating data and supply into curated deals. Executives from both companies emphasized the importance of curation intelligence in programmatic advertising, moving beyond deal creation to continuous optimization.

• Sovrn and Multilocal announced a partnership to scale curation across the Sovrn Ad Exchange.
• Multilocal's curation intelligence engine, cureon®, will support PMP deal planning, activation, and optimization.
• Sovrn reaches over 500 million consumers daily across websites, mobile apps, and CTV.

Google Antitrust Remedies: Practical Effects on Ad Ecosystem

Ari Paparo analyzes the practical implications of the Google antitrust remedies for publishers, ad exchanges, agencies, and advertisers. Publishers may gain the ability to switch ad servers more easily, as AdX will be required to bid into other ad servers and Prebid, and the removal of Unified Pricing Rules (UPR) will allow them to manipulate demand pricing in GAM. Ad exchanges could benefit from non-discriminatory access to Google Ads demand, though technical and operational hurdles remain. Agencies with supply-path optimization strategies may find new leverage, and the exclusion of DV360 from remedies could create bidding differences between Google's DSP and ad network. The article outlines potential opportunities and challenges across the digital media ecosystem.

• Google antitrust remedies include allowing AdX to bid into other ad servers and Prebid, enabling easier ad server migration for publishers within six months.
• Unified Pricing Rules (UPR) in Google Ad Manager will be removed, restoring publishers' ability to set pricing preferences across exchanges.
• The remedies require non-discriminatory access to Google Ads (AdWords) demand, potentially shifting bids from AdX to other exchanges.