In the latest episode of the NDA Podcast, Justin Pearse, Editor-in-Chief of New Digital Age (NDA), is joined by Andy Oakes, Publisher of NDA, dialling in from a Miami hotel bathroom after three days at Possible, and Rebecca Sentance, Editor of Retail Media Age.

And we take a deep dive into the impact of AI on publishers with Ezoic's John Cole.

The conversation kicks off with a debrief from Possible Miami and a discussion the of the chaging purpose of different industry events for attendees hoping to drive ROI from the often not insigifcant investment needed.

This week's special guest is John Cole, Chief Customer Officer at Ezoic. With over 25 years of industry experience, Cole provides a sobering yet optimistic look at the "world-documented battle" publishers face today. Key discussion points include:

• The Impact of LLMs: How Google’s "no-click searches" and AI-driven content are fundamentally altering organic traffic patterns.
• The Shift to Unique Value: Why "commoditised content" is a losing game and how publishers must pivot toward unique, high-value newsletters and web apps to survive.
• AI as a Solution: Using AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) not just for content, but as a tool to disentangle complex "Frankenstein" tech stacks and provide clear, actionable data for business growth.

In this week's NDA Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Justin Pearse and Publisher Andy Oakes are joined by Adtech Personality of The Year, and MD at Mantis, Reach, Fi Salmon.

*Sound warning: Tech issues mean Justin's audio quality is very poor but luckily Fi and Andy's is crystal clear.

The discussion includes:

• AI's Impact on Publishing: Exploring how artificial intelligence is currently affecting the industry and strategies to get readers to "arrive and stay".
• The Surge in Video Budgets: Discussion on the significant increase in video investment, with some agency groups allocating up to 80% of revenue to video content.
• The "Bus Chat": A deeo dive into the team's favourite London bus routes, including a particular fondness for the 227.
• Brand Safety vs. Suitability: Moving the conversation from basic safety to "suitability," acknowledging that every brand has a different tolerance level for content.
• YouTube's Evolving Audience: How YouTube is increasingly attracting an older demographic through long-form sports broadcasting like county cricket.
• Conference Season: A look ahead to the Possible conference in Miami, debating the "shorts vs. trousers" dress code and the rise of the content creator.
• The Q1 Downturn: Reflecting on the "slow start" to the year and the impact of holiday timing on industry momentum.

In the latest edition of the NDA podcast, Justin Pearse, Editor-in-Chief, is joined by Rebecca Sentance, Editor of Retail Media Age, and Andy Oakes, Publisher of New Digital Age, to discuss optimism in the UK media landscape.

The team kicks off with the positive news from the latest IPA Bellwether report, which shows UK ad spend is up by 7.3. This positive shift is mirrored by the return of several industry veterans who are launching innovative new ventures, proving that experience and entrepreneurship remain the driving forces of the sector.

The conversation then turns to the "growing up" phase of retail media. Rebecca explains that as the sector matures, we are likely to see a consolidation of networks as the market moves away from explosive growth toward a more sustainable model. They explore how formats are evolving, particularly with Tesco’s introduction of video placements, which marks a shift from simple sponsored listings to high-end creative storytelling.

This week's special guest is Matt Barash, a veteran of the adtech world, who shares his perspective on why the industry needs to refocus on the "art" of advertising. Barash argues that while data and science have dominated the last decade, real creativity and authenticity, especially within social creative, are what truly drive consumer engagement.

Finally, the podcast previews the upcoming industry calendar, including the Possible event in Miami and the return of the Trinity lunch in London. With Claire Enders set to provide a macroeconomic view of the market at Trinity, the team emphasises that despite the rise of AI and automation, the most valuable currency in media remains in-person relationships and human connection.