The Brief – Wednesday 7 January – Global’s & The Overlap, Stagwell launches AI system, US Corporation for Public Broadcasting closes

🙏 Global has taken a majority stake in sports media YouTube group The Overlap, acquiring it from founder Gary Neville, who will remain as co-chair. Global will support growth of the company by hosting and distributing content and providing data insights and ad sales through DAX. (Global)

🤖 Stagwell is launching The Machine, an “AI-powered operating system” that aims to help clients improve their media and creative efficiency. (Stagwell)

💻 Havas has partnered with Akkio, an AI-powered infrastructure company to drive the agentic capabilities of the group’s Converged.AI operating system. Akkio will work with Havas to remove operational friction within Converge.AI and make it more accessible to Havas’ workforce. (Havas)

➡️ The US Corporation for Public Broadcasting has voted to shut itself down after 58 years following action by the Republican-led US Congress and US President Donald Trump to cut its federal funding. The CPB used its funding to support public radio and public television stations, including local stations, independent filmmakers and PBS. (Variety)

🗞️The Association of Online Publishers’ latest Digital Publishers’ Revenue Index showed that online publishers collectively grew revenues by 4.24% year on year to £159.73m in Q3, bolstered by a “surprise” 3.88% uplift in display advertising and an 11.55% increase in subscription revenues. (AOP/Deloitte)