The Media Leader

News analysis, opinion and insight for media and advertising professionals

Mark Penn: ‘We’re it in terms of a fourth alternative’

Stagwell CEO Mark Penn discusses why he’s bullish about AI, the ad market, and the challenger holding group’s positioning against the Big Three.

Cities: A moving target for planners

The Six Nations returns to Edinburgh in February, bringing rugby fans and advertising opportunities galore. Ruth Chalisey looks at Route data with the city’s major events and ever-changing population in mind.

The campaign is live, but is it the one you approved?

The CEO of adnomaly explains why automated advertising needs continuous governance.

UK digital adspend in H1 2026 exceeds whole of 2020

The UK digital ad market grew 13% year-on-year in H1 2026 to £21.6bn, according to IAB UK. The expenditure is greater than £5bn more than was spent on digital channels in all of 2020.

How to get the most out of a universal BBC licence fee

There should be proper discussion about where BBC cuts should fall, rather than well-loved personalities and programmes simply disappearing without a trace.

The Media Leader

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Opinion

Sara Holt

Premium price point, premium brand? It depends on the media environments advertisers appear in, writes Center Parcs’ chief marketing officer.

Emily Fairhead-Keen

Emily Fairhead-Keen explains why she’ll be glad to see the back of September and how brands could reinvent this moment in the buying calendar.

Heather Dansie

Adding ‘cultural relevance’ through news brands to media plans sees a bigger impact on sales. Newsworks’ insights director has the data to back it up.

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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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

Mark Penn: ‘We’re it in terms of a fourth alternative’

Stagwell CEO Mark Penn discusses why he’s bullish about AI, the ad market, and the challenger holding group’s positioning against the Big Three.

Cities: A moving target for planners

The Six Nations returns to Edinburgh in February, bringing rugby fans and advertising opportunities galore. Ruth Chalisey looks at Route data with the city’s major events and ever-changing population in mind.

The campaign is live, but is it the one you approved?

The CEO of adnomaly explains why automated advertising needs continuous governance.

UK digital adspend in H1 2026 exceeds whole of 2020

The UK digital ad market grew 13% year-on-year in H1 2026 to £21.6bn, according to IAB UK. The expenditure is greater than £5bn more than was spent on digital channels in all of 2020.

How to get the most out of a universal BBC licence fee

There should be proper discussion about where BBC cuts should fall, rather than well-loved personalities and programmes simply disappearing without a trace.

The Media Leader

Opinion

Because we’re worth it

Where’s my new pencil case?

Culture is everywhere. So why is it rarely planned for?

Industry News

Reallocating search and social budget into audio could add £1m to profit, Radiocentre research finds

Retail leads global programmatic DOOH spend as omni-channel buying gains ground

Consumers don’t trust AI assistants for product recommendations. Brands are investing anyway

Global brands are shifting to paying for outputs, not time

What we learned from ‘the first digital-first’ World Cup – with The Guardian, Mirror, Sun and Daily Mail

Britain’s teens want safer social media, not an outright ban, finds Channel 4 research

Global launches Radio Plus: Should advertisers be worried?

Will ‘media planner’ still be a job title in 10 years? Nine specialists weigh in

Data Analysis

How spectacular advertising can hijack the algorithm

Has Origin failed?

Mapping the UK agency landscape

The industry is calling it cross-media. It’s not

Data Snapshot

End of year cinematic treats

Podcast Ad Promo Position Plays A Part In Perception

Our next event

Upcoming Event

The Future of Media Manchester 2026