The Media Leader Podcast

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.

  1. 2D AGO

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

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

    33 min

  2. MAR 2

    Unpacking agency employment decline and progress on gender and diversity efforts — with Lianre Robinson

    In February, the Institute for Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) released its latest Agency Census. The findings showed an agency market in contraction: employment at creative agencies fell 14.3% last year – and that’s before Omnicom completed its acquisition of IPG and subsequently announced it would cut thousands more jobs globally. New hiring dropped over 40%, with young people especially finding careers in media and advertising hard to break into, let alone remain in. However, the Census also registered continued progress in gender representation and ethnic diversity at agencies, even if pay gaps persist and geographical diversity is lacking. Lianree Robinson is the campaigning chair for Women in Advertising & Communications Leadership (WACL). She also works as the CEO of The Marketing Academy Foundation and as a mentor for Who’s Your Momma London. If that wasn’t enough to keep Robinson busy, she’s also begun writing a monthly column for us at The Media Leader. Robinson joins host Jack Benjamin to discuss the findings of the IPA Agency Census, and provide a sense check of the progress the media and advertising industries have made with regard to gender and ethnicity inclusion. Highlights: 5:38: IPA Agency Census toplines 7:16: What has caused the creative agency labour market contraction? 10:20: Challenges faced by under-25s employees 19:24: Progress, but "relatively slow progress", on gender representation and ethnic diversity 24:43: Persistent gender and ethnic pay gaps 27:59: WACL's key priorities 31:33: Geographical diversity needed Related articles: Agency employment declines 6.8% as creative roles hollowed out Why do female-founded agencies remain the exception? I didn’t take the ‘traditional’ route into media. That’s exactly why it worked Ask Nabs Anything: Handling redundancy, rejection and mental health — with Nabs’ Annabel McCaffrey --- Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode. --> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audience Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media.  LinkedIn: The Media Leader YouTube: The Media Leader

    35 min

  3. FEB 23

    Inside the anonymous group of senior leaders warning of advertising's moral failing — with Inside Track's Ned Younger

    In January, an anonymous group of senior leaders at creative, media and adtech agencies released a memo warning that the industry is failing in its moral and civic duties to society. The memo argued that without an interruption to the status quo, advertising will “be a critical enabler to tech platforms that stoke hatred and division, facilitate hate groups to monetise their content at a time of increasing division in this country and many others, support the social license of the fossil fuel industry and provide broader greenwashing and social-washing services to industries that are under public scrutiny, and roll over in the face of anti-DEI rhetoric and desert those individuals, teams and communities that our industry has made commitments to.” It also argued that British business interests are losing independence to US political interests, that working groups have failed to drive internal change, and that the presence of Big Tech companies at industry-wide events and initiatives has stymied attempts at progress. The memo caused a stir, particularly given its timing just days ahead of the annual LEAD conference convened much of media and advertising's top brass to discuss the importance of trust. Its authors were criticised for remaining anonymous, but they nevertheless succeeded in sparking a conversation and renewed interest in key ethical issues that have arguably been suppressed since Trump’s re-election as US president in late 2024. Ned Younger is the director of Inside Track, the non-profit that was responsible for convening these anonymous individuals and facilitating their production of the memo. He sat down with The Media Leader earlier this month to discuss his takeaways from the group, and whether he thinks they will drive real change in the advertising industry. Highlights: 2:04: What is Inside Track and how did it convene this anonymous group? 6:41: Main concerns expressed by the group 10:27: Future direction, calls to action, and the need for better forums of conversation 15:16: Why remain anonymous? 22:58: The risk of insufficient progress Related articles: Anonymous group of senior ad industry leaders warns of industry-wide moral failing Government plans new powers to tackle online harms: ‘No platform gets a free pass’ Meta admits revenue from fraud and scam ads ‘might’ have accounted for 3-4% of total revenue The crisis in advertising: things we can do today Act Climate Labs launches blueprint to phase out fossil fuel advertising --- Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode. --> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audience Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media.  LinkedIn: The Media Leader YouTube: The Media Leader

    30 min

  4. FEB 16

    Why magazine brands united to launch the single marketplace Atria — with Immediate Media's Cath Waller

    Late last month, a group of six magazine publishers – Bauer, Future, Hearst UK, Hello!, Immediate and Time Out – launched Atria, a single marketplace through which advertisers can engage with the combined reach of those publishers’ brands, equivalent to about 33m consumers. The effort is powered by publisher-owned first-party data. It is hosted by audience platform Permutive. Cath Waller is the managing director of advertising at Immediate Media. She is also the chair of PPA Magnetic, part of the Professional Publishers Association, the trade body for publishers. A leading voice behind the Atria effort, Waller sat down with host Jack Benjamin to discuss the marketplace's launch and where it might be headed next. The pair also discussed the current state of magazine publishing, and the headwinds and tailwinds facing Immediate. Highlights: 2:43: The launch of Atria: how it works and how it came together 10:12: "The industry is where it is": Magazine media is disinvested and publishers are under pressure 15:25: The value of trusted editorial and a cleaner supply chain 20:41: Future-facing goals 26:59: How to handle AI? Embracing innovation as AI search reduces traffic Related articles: Why quality pays: the power of trusted editorial in media planning – PPA Magnetic and The Media Leader CMOs on what makes publisher partnerships work: ‘Great partners push back’ PPA asks CMA to require greater transparency of Google’s AI search features The Fishbowl: Cath Waller, Immediate Media --- Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode. --> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audience Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media.  LinkedIn: The Media Leader YouTube: The Media Leader

    40 min

  5. FEB 9

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

    At the end of January, The Media Leader held its first ever Audio In Focus Week. The audio landscape is evolving at a breakneck pace – with growing digital audio audiences, and audio businesses moving into video production. So, we decided to dedicate an entire week’s worth of our coverage to exploring the innovations, strategies and voices shaping the media channel. The week was launched in partnership with Octave Audio, the digital audio marketplace owned by News Broadcasting. During the week, host Jack Benjamin sat down with Octave’s managing director Russell Pedrick, as well as News Broadcasting commercial director Dave Wilcox, at in News' London Bridge studio to discuss how the company’s audio offering has developed over the past year. Octave came under the full ownership of News UK last summer, after News bought out Bauer’s share. Bauer went on to launch its own digital audio marketplace, AudioXi. Pedrick was appointed MD in April ahead of the relaunch of Octave, and he’s since worked to expand the service to encompasses visual inventory as well, as News Broadcasting products talkSport, Times Radio, Virgin Radio and Talk Radio transform from radio and podcast shows to visual shows commonly watched online and on TV screens. Pedrick and Wilcox discussed audio's transition to video, Octave’s new AI product, and why they believe digital audio is undervalued in the current market. Hint: it involves needing better measurement standards.  Highlights: 5:03: Octave's strategic priorities 7:31: Octave AI: balancing generative AI creative with desire for the human element 12:04: Audio and video are merging, creating new commercial opportunities 18:53: Embracing an omnichannel approach and a platform-led audience strategy 24:04: Does podcasting need its own JIC? 27:24: World Cup opportunity and why digital audio is undervalued Related articles: Octave MD reflects on how ‘audio is becoming a bit of a bolt on’ in podcasting Predictions for audio in 2026 from industry experts Why the 2026 World Cup should be the ultimate multi-channel showcase  Rajar Q4 2025: Top Takeaways --- Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode. --> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audience Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media.  LinkedIn: The Media Leader YouTube: The Media Leader

    32 min

  6. FEB 2

    How to harness the value of trust — with Matt Bourn and James Best

    This month, advertising industry trade bodies the IPA, Isba and the Advertising Association are spending a great deal of combined energy highlighting the issue of trust. That includes at the annual LEAD conference, which takes place this Thursday, and in a report released last week by the IPA that found trust-building ad campaigns improve business outcomes. Trust is what drives consumers to purchase goods and services from one brand over another; to give their attention to one media channel over another. And in a world of AI slop, misinformation, and falling trust in traditional institutions — a world in which trust is increasingly at a premium — it’s no surprise that the issue has been a core topic among executives in recent months, particularly those leading media channels like publishing and audio. Matt Bourn is the communications director at the Advertising Association. James Best is chair of the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Credos, the Advertising Association’s think tank. On February 3rd, the duo are releasing a new book, published by Kogan Page, titled Trusted Advertising – How to harness the value of trust in your brand. Bourn and Best joined The Media Leader to discuss takeaways the book, whether advertisers are sufficiently valuing trusted media channels, and what they can do to better build trust in their brands. Highlights: 7:37: How the dynamics of trust have changed in the 21st century 15:27: Understanding the public's trust in the advertising industry and trust in individual ads 22:40: The business case for trust 28:18: The tricky phenomenon of trust in influencers 34:01: The AI issue: More slop, but also more monitoring 36:56: What makes a trusted advertising campaign? Media choice, creative, measuring trust as a KPI Related articles: Trust-building ad campaigns improve business outcomes, IPA research finds Bauer Media Advertising MD Simon Kilby: We’re in a world that needs to start supporting trusted environments Why quality pays: the power of trusted editorial in media planning – PPA Magnetic and The Media Leader Does trust matter in media? Trust is essential to the future of media. But how can advertisers measure it? --- Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode. --> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audience Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media.  LinkedIn: The Media Leader YouTube: The Media Leader

    48 min

  7. JAN 26

    Open questions for the year ahead

    It's nearly the end of January, and from a macroeconomic perspective, it’s been an absolutely wild month. The US threatened to invade Greenland and institute tariffs on European countries mobilising to resist that effort. In Davos last week, Trump appeared to walk back some of those threats, but it’s safe to say uncertainty is and will continue to be at very high levels. Uncertainty raises questions for the media industry, which sits at the centre of global business activity. Earlier this month, The Media Leader convened its annual Year Ahead event in London. The invite-only event is always a great way to kick off the year. This year, Tom Standage, The Economist’s deputy editor, gave a fantastic run-down of some of those macro factors to look out for, and we separately interviewed him afterward to ask a couple follow up questions. In addition to Tom, The Media Leader's content director James Longhurst and senior reporter Jack Benjamin to the stage both to recap some of the key themes from last year, and also raise key questions to industry leaders on their plans for 2026. The duo wanted to involve the audience, so they also asked Mail Metro Media’s commercial chief Dominic Williams, Thinkbox CEO Lindsey Clay, Bauer Media Advertising MD Simon Kilby, and World Media Group CEO Jamie Credland to share their predictions for the year ahead, too. Highlights: 2:02: Key themes from 2025 in media: Consolidation, getting "easier to buy", AI search 5:30: Stories to watch in 2026: European-American business relations, trust, ROI on AI 9:30: Dominic Williams: The World Cup opportunity 11:12: Lindsey Clay: A return to brand building 13:39: Simon Kilby: Valuing trusted media amid AI slop and harmful images 16:05: Jamie Credland: Quality journalism in an age of AI Related articles: 2026 will be the year of… The Economist: A look at the political economy Inside the Grok CSAM scandal and how brands have faced ‘weaponised political pressure’ to spend with X World Media Group members on how AI will reshape the media industry in 2026 Nine AI tool announcements from CES 2026

    20 min

  8. JAN 19

    Will 2026 be the year of the indie agency? With Martin Woolley and Paul Phelps

    A year ago, the Alliance of Independent Agencies and the Land of Independents collaborated to launch a new initiative aimed at sharing knowledge and support for independent media agencies. Enter the Alliance of Media Independents (AMI), which has served as a single route to the indie media agency market for suppliers and media owners. The AMI has spent the last year expanding, now with over 30 members that represent combined billings that rival the global holding groups. Martin Woolley and Paul Phelps are co-founders and chairs of the AMI. Woolley also works as executive chair of indie media outfit What’s Possible Group, which owns agency The Specialist Works, and Phelps is CEO of AMS Media Group. The duo sits down with host Jack Benjamin to discuss how and why the alliance was founded, the benefits its delivered to members, their plans for expansion, and why indies might be the beneficiaries of a consolidating agency landscape. As Woolley points out, a few years ago there were “never indie-only pitch lists”. Now? “Half the pitches in our business are indie-only. So something’s changed.” Highlights: 3:20: Why and how was the AMI created? 13:10: Benefits of the Alliance: Media owner interest, incremental growth, resource sharing. 23:00: Competing with holdcos: Loss of trust amid trading deals, lack of transparency. 29:02: Could clients leave agencies in favour of self-serve platforms? 35:20: Why 2026 will be the year of indies. Related articles: Shaping the industry’ next phase: One year on as AMI Alliance of Media Independents announces Experian as first official partner Alliance of Media Independents adds 16 members and doubles billings Indie agencies team up for Alliance of Media Independents --- --> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audience Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media.  LinkedIn: The Media Leader YouTube: The Media Leader

    46 min
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    The Media Leader
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    215
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Adwanted UK
  • Show Website
    The Media Leader Podcast

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