USA – Paramount has reportedly ended its decades-long partnership with WPP Media, formerly known as GroupM, as part of a cost-cutting effort tied to its proposed merger with Skydance Media.

The news, first reported by Deadline, came as a surprise to internal staff, as WPP Media had handled Paramount’s media business for more than two decades—dating back to when the studio was part of Viacom.

According to Deadline, citing sources familiar with the matter, Publicis is set to take over from WPP as the new media agency partner. The shift was reportedly communicated selectively within Paramount and to some external contacts last Friday, with word spreading quickly in the days that followed.

Sources said the decision bypassed the customary review period that typically gives an incumbent agency the opportunity to retain the account. While the exact cost savings remain unclear, the move has been described as a business decision driven by efficiency, planning, and workflow considerations. The transition is expected to lead to “significant cost savings”, the report added.

Feedback on WPP Media’s recent performance had been largely positive among Paramount employees, including directors and senior executives, according to the sources. It remains uncertain who made the final call to sever ties with WPP. However, Paramount’s agency relationships are said to fall under the remit of John Halley, president of Paramount Advertising.

When reached by Deadline, Paramount, Publicis, Skydance, and WPP Media all declined to comment.

The development comes ahead of Paramount’s annual stockholder meeting, scheduled for July 2.

Just a day prior, Reuters reported that Paramount Global had nominated three new directors to its board, increasing its size to seven, as it awaits regulatory approval for its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance.

The merger—initially seen as a likely outcome—has entered murkier territory following a $10 billion lawsuit filed in October by U.S. President Donald Trump against Paramount-owned CBS News over an edited interview. The deal still requires approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which must sign off on the transfer of CBS’s broadcast television licences.

Singapore – Yahoo Advertising has announced the launch of ‘Yahoo Identity Solutions’ for connected TV (CTV) environments, to give advertisers enhanced targeting and measurement for the ID-constrained world, backed by global partnerships with Paramount, Tubi, NBCUniversal, and FreeWheel.

Yahoo Identity Solutions aims to take an integrated, omnichannel approach to the identity-constrained world and consists of two components: Yahoo ConnectID for addressable environments and Next-Gen Solutions for non-addressable environments.

Through the launch of Yahoo Identity Solutions, Yahoo ConnectID and Next-Gen Solutions products will be made available for CTV buys through the Yahoo DSP in Australia and Singapore.

This initiative will then allow advertisers to better target and measure the omnichannel performance of their campaigns across CTV environments, as well as other addressable and non-addressable channels.

Talking about the launch, Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, chief revenue officer at Yahoo, said, “As CTV investments increase, identity signals are declining, impacting targeting and performance across channels, including CTV. Yahoo is committed to helping advertisers evolve with the landscape, safeguarding addressability and measurement for our partners while supporting consumer privacy. Today, we’re excited to introduce Yahoo Identity Solutions to CTV environments, furthering its momentum across the industry.”

Meanwhile, Leo O’Connor, SVP of advertising at Paramount, commented, “Implementing the Yahoo Identity Solution exemplifies Paramount’s commitment to providing best-in-class programmatic activation,” said Leo O’Connor, SVP of Advertising at Paramount. “The enrichment of our premium inventory with Yahoo ConnectID will allow our clients to optimise their campaigns with precision targeting and accurate performance insights.”