The Media Leader

News analysis, opinion and insight for media and advertising professionals

Upfronts 2026: Amazon, Disney, Mail Metro Media, Netflix kick off season of pomp and circumstance

The Media Leader will be publishing news, highlights, and takeaways from media owners’ upfront events this autumn. Among the announcements, Amazon has joined Barb’s CFlight, Mail Metro Media has unveiled new branding, and Netflix made its UK upfront debut.

Cumulative Attention: A new way to conceptualise effective frequency

Instead of counting the number of discrete ads served to a consumer, we should instead measure the cumulative attention they give to a campaign.

As the future becomes more automated, leaders will need to put human judgement first

As AI takes on more routine work, the relationship between people and technology will become more complicated. The CEO of AuraVeo explains.

When your greatest strengths become your biggest weakness

The value of personality frameworks is in providing a language for understanding your natural preferences, your strengths and, more importantly, your blind spots.

Are you in a promotion dependency spiral? 75% of marketers are unable to identify profitable promotions

Les Binet and Dom Boyd offer six steps to kicking the promotions habit.

The Media Leader

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Opinion

Sue Unerman

Ten years ago, Sue Unerman published The Glass Wall, a guide for driving change in gender equality and improving women’s careers. In new interviews for an updated edition, she reveals what’s changed.

Jan Gooding

Allyship is a verb, not a noun. You don’t become an ally by declaring yourself one. Others describe you as one because of what you do, Jan Gooding writes.

Helen Brown

Tracking brand sentiment uncovers conversion obstacles that brands can use to become super relevant to cohorts waiting to be convinced.

Data Snapshot

Data-led charts from across the UK media landscape

Find out more about the UK's most comprehensive aggregator of media data.

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22 Sep 2026

28 Jul 2026

Our next event

The Future of Media Manchester 2026 is the region's premier event bringing together media planners, strategists, and buyers to explore the biggest challenges and opportunities shaping the commercial media landscape. Hosted by The Media Leader, the event features expert speakers, thought-provoking debates and research-led sessions designed to spark honest conversations about where the industry is heading. Taking place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on 17 September, the event will bring together 600+ industry professionals and 40+ speakers for a full day of insight, discussion and networking. Attendees can expect sharp debates, fresh perspectives and valuable connections with senior leaders across the media ecosystem — making it a must-attend for anyone looking to stay ahead of the industry’s next chapter.
17 September 2026

News analysis, opinion and insight for media and advertising professionals

Upfronts 2026: Amazon, Disney, Mail Metro Media, Netflix kick off season of pomp and circumstance

The Media Leader will be publishing news, highlights, and takeaways from media owners’ upfront events this autumn. Among the announcements, Amazon has joined Barb’s CFlight, Mail Metro Media has unveiled new branding, and Netflix made its UK upfront debut.

Cumulative Attention: A new way to conceptualise effective frequency

Instead of counting the number of discrete ads served to a consumer, we should instead measure the cumulative attention they give to a campaign.

As the future becomes more automated, leaders will need to put human judgement first

As AI takes on more routine work, the relationship between people and technology will become more complicated. The CEO of AuraVeo explains.

When your greatest strengths become your biggest weakness

The value of personality frameworks is in providing a language for understanding your natural preferences, your strengths and, more importantly, your blind spots.

Are you in a promotion dependency spiral? 75% of marketers are unable to identify profitable promotions

Les Binet and Dom Boyd offer six steps to kicking the promotions habit.

The Media Leader

Opinion

The glass walls that still divide us

Allyship is something you do, not something you are

‘Why not’ is the most powerful question brands can build into campaigns to fuel growth

Industry News

Lots of bigs and lots of littles: Lumen finds cumulative attention drives brand outcomes

Stagwell transforms Assembly into global agency Stagwell Media

Marketers should be tracking ad awareness, says Thinkbox study

TikTok leans into agentic commerce ‘to take the operational load out of making purchase decisions’

How to traverse a non-linear career in media – with TheZoo.London’s Rachel Forde and Marco Bertozzi

A day in the life of a media planner: Ocean Outdoor

September box office up 3% as Resident Evil ends strong Q3

Channel 4 B Corp TV winners: “This is going to irritate the rest”

Data Analysis

Cities: A moving target for planners

How spectacular advertising can hijack the algorithm

Has Origin failed?

Mapping the UK agency landscape

Data Snapshot

End of year cinematic treats

Podcast Ad Promo Position Plays A Part In Perception

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The Future of Media Manchester 2026