Blue Tiger Engage March 2026
BT Engage: March Newsletter
Welcome to Blue Tigers monthly newsletter Engage, bringing you all the latest news, trends and updates from across the media landscape. In this month’s edition we look at the major news stories capturing the headlines as we close out Q1.
YouTube and Fifa strike ‘game-changing’ World Cup streaming deal
YouTube has struck a World Cup deal with Fifa, allowing rights-holding broadcasters to stream live match action on the video platform in a move aimed at engaging younger, global audiences.
Fifa hailed the agreement as a “game-changing partnership”, which encourages World Cup rights holders to broadcast the initial 10 minutes of matches during the tournament, which runs from 11 June to 19 July.
This strategy is intended to serve as an “appetiser” to draw young fans towards traditional broadcast channels.
Furthermore, Fifa stated that broadcasters “will be able to stream a select number of matches in full on their YouTube channel, engaging global audiences and promoting where to watch more of the competition.”
The financial terms of the agreement for Fifa were not disclosed. The football governing body also committed to sharing parts of its extensive World Cup archive on YouTube, which will include “full length past matches and many more iconic moments in the sport’s history.”
YouTube previously served as a lower-tier sponsor at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, an arrangement that promised “creators will be on the ground capturing amazing behind the scenes content of the Fifa World Cup.”
For the forthcoming World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, Fifa plans to grant “a global cohort of YouTube creators unprecedented access” throughout the 104-game tournament.
This means part of England’s matches will be available for fans to watch on YouTube, with Thomas Tuchel’s side aiming to end 60 years of hurt for the national team.
Axel Springer agrees to buy Telegraph Media Group in £575m deal
European media firm Axel Springer has agreed to purchase the Telegraph Media Group (TMG) in a deal costing £575m.
The deal trumps the £500m takeover proposed late last year by the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT). The government had ordered an investigation into that deal on public interest and competition grounds.
TMG owns the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph, the Telegraph Magazine and the website and app.
Axel Springer chief executive Mathias Dopfner said he wanted to “preserve the distinctive character and legacy” of the Telegraph.
“More than 20 years ago, we tried to acquire the Telegraph and did not succeed. Now our dream comes true,” said.
“To be the owner of this institution of quality British journalism is a privilege and a duty.”
In a company statement, Axel Springer said it would back an investment programme into TMG to “grow and expand the business”.
It will also expand the reach of the Telegraph into the United States, it said.
Axel Springer is a large European media company based in Germany that owns several titles, including Bild, Die Welt, Politico and Business Insider.
It will be the company’s largest acquisition, after its 2021 purchase of Politico for roughly $1bn (£750m).
TMG has been without an owner since 2023, because of debts owed by the previous owners, the Barclay brothers.
Lloyds Banking Group effectively repossessed the Telegraph after the Barclay family fell into arears on debts secured against the media company.
Several attempts to buy the group have fallen through over the years.
US investment group RedBird Capital had attempted to buy the group twice.
The group paid off a £600m loan to Lloyds, effectively gaining control of TMG, but its bid for ownership was initially rebuffed by the previous Conservative government as it was majority funded by Abu Dhabi’s IMI group, which is owned by the Abu Dhabi royal family.
After announcing it would buy the papers in May last year, RedBird pulled out of the £500m agreement in November after it became known the Labour government would submit the deal for regulatory review.
Shortly after that deal fell through, the Daily Mail’s publisher announced it would buy the group for £500m.
But last month Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy launched a probe into the Mail’s proposed deal over concerns it could affect the “plurality of views” in the UK media.
The Daily Mail’s owner said in a statement it wished “every success” to Axel Springer and the Telegraph.
But it added: “We have worked hard to complete the acquisition of the Telegraph and were confident that the organisation would have thrived under our long-term stewardship.
“We were optimistic about our plans to invest in its exceptional journalism and secure the future of a respected British media brand.
“We believe that the protracted and out-of-date regulatory framework guarantees that UK-based national newspaper groups are at a huge competitive disadvantage in any merger process.”
IAB UK reaffirms Meta’s membership status after tech giant expelled from IAB Sweden
IAB UK has confirmed that Meta remains a member of the industry body for digital advertising, following IAB Sweden’s decision this week to expel the social media giant from its chapter.
A spokesperson for IAB UK said: “Meta continues to be a member of IAB UK. As a trade body, our aim is to work with the broadest possible membership to help make digital advertising better for everyone and address shared industry challenges.”
IAB Sweden’s board cited Meta’s insufficient efforts to tackle “deceptive ads” as the main factor in its decision.
In November, a Reuters report by Jeff Horwitz revealed that the tech giant internally projected it would earn about 10% of its overall annual revenue in 2024 (equivalent to $16bn) from running ads for scams and banned goods.
At the UK Advertising Association’s annual LEAD conference in February, Meta’s security policy manager for community defence, Rima Amin, disputed the report. She claimed that “real scams” on Meta “might” have accounted for 3-4% of Meta’s total annual revenue in 2024, equivalent to $5bn-$7bn.
She also revealed that just 55% of Meta’s 2024 ad revenue was derived from verified advertisers on its platform. Amin claimed Meta increased that figure to 70% in 2025 and hopes to increase it to 90% this year by expanding verification requirements for advertisers.
“IAB Sweden will continue to push for improvements to the advertising environment and continue to work for good marketing practices,” IAB Sweden chairman Daniel Weilar commented. “However, Meta will now have to present evidence in order to be able to re-enter as a member.”
IAB Sweden’s board initially sought to allow Meta to remain a member, on the condition that it not be given a board seat. When it was determined to be impossible, the board reconvened and decided to expel the tech giant.
IAB UK’s statement follows complaints from an anonymous group of advertising agency leaders that UK advertising industry associations have failed to “make a material stand” against tech platforms even as some flout transparency standards.
“The presence of Big Tech companies in industry-wide meetings and initiatives,” the group argued, has limited efforts to “reduce their negative impact rather than preventing digital harms.”
As Thinkbox’s Lindsey Clay pointed out, Meta was awarded the IAB’s Gold Standard certification in 2025 despite deriving substantial revenue from fraud.
For further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Blue Tiger Marketing, we’re here to help you navigate the changing landscape effectively, leveraging new opportunities while mitigating potential risks.
dan@bluetigermarketing.co.uk
Sources:
bbc.co.uk, ITV.com, The Media Leader, Tech Crunch, Video Week, Adexchanger, The Drum, Marketing Week
