Here are 4 short, but powerful things you should know:
- Perplexity is Pulling Back from Ads
AI search startup Perplexity is not going to sell ads.
Despite testing labeled sponsorship placements in its AI search platform, the company is now distancing itself from ads amid fears users won’t trust chatbots with an agenda to upsell.
- Meta Wins; Historic FTC Antitrust Case
A federal judge ruled that Meta does not hold a social networking monopoly.
It rejected FTC claims over Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions.
The judge sited rapid industry changes and competition from TikTok and YouTube as evidence that Meta lacks monopoly power today.
- Apple: New Integrated Video Podcast
There’s a new way to watch video podcasts.
Apple is launching a new integrated video podcast experience to Apple Podcasts allowing users to switch seamlessly between watching and listening to shows from the same feed, putting the podcast app more in line with its competitors.
- SiriusXM Overlooked Response Platform: Now Includes Podcasts and More
SiriusXM has long been a best kept secret for many direct response marketers. First, the audience pays a premium price to subscribe. Second, you can target your audience.
Now SirusXM has taken the podcasts and the other products to make the platform even better.
In fact, the podcast segment is “booming,” with revenue up nearly 50% year-over-year during the third quarter.
Sirius has a streaming side and a satellite side for advertisers including Pandora. Now Sirius is providing a unified buying process, a multi-platform reach strategy.
SiriusXM Media now reaches 170 million monthly podcast listeners.
SiriusXM total ad revenue rose 1% to $455 million during the third quarter, saying Pandora has 41.6 million monthly active users during Q3. On the paid user side, Pandora had 5.7 million subscribers in Q3.
SiriusXM is also preparing to launch addressable in-car advertising in early 2026, part of a broader strategy to “own the digital in-car ad experience” through 360L, CarPlay, and Android Auto Integrations.