In this week's guest member blog post, we hear from Emma Newman, Chief Revenue Officer at PubMatic as she explores why safeguarding the ad-funded ecosystem is essential for preserving quality content, consumer value, and cultural progress across EMEA and beyond.
We’re living through a seismic shift — not in a sci-fi, robot-apocalypse kind of way, but in a real, tangible erosion of how people find and trust content on the internet.
AI is rapidly reshaping how we access information — and not always for the better. Search behaviours are evolving, publishers are losing traffic, and historical posts are vanishing. Transparency is being sacrificed.
Meanwhile, professional journalism is under siege. Euronews announced nearly 200 layoffs in early 2023, while Germany’s Axel Springer cut around 200 roles and shuttered a third of its regional editions. In Switzerland, Tamedia is laying off almost 300 employees, including 90 editorial staff. These are warning signs.
And here’s the thing: whether or not we reverse this trend has everything to do with advertising.
At PubMatic, we launched the #FundedbyAdvertising movement because we believe — no, we know — that great content, powerful storytelling, and an open internet are worth protecting and supporting. And they are all, quite literally, funded by advertising.
Advertising sustains the journalists who expose corruption. It fuels the creatives behind culture-shaping TV and film. It empowers the platforms that make world-class content accessible to everyone.
This isn’t theoretical — it’s happening every day. WARC projects that global advertising spend will reach $1.07 trillion in 2025, with online-only businesses (excluding major social and search platforms) accounting for $735.7 billion of this total. That’s not just budget — it’s belief. Belief in the value of quality content, in creativity, and in the richness of diverse voices.
GroupM’s Chris Keenan captured this perfectly during our conversation at Advertising Week Europe. Last year, in March, GroupM set out to double its investment in annual media spend in women’s sports advertising. Since launching its dedicated women's sports marketplace, over 20 brands have expanded their investments to prioritise and monetise women's sports. GroupM secured 25 first-to-market opportunities with major media players.
This significant investment marks a milestone for both GroupM and the industry, shifting the focus to deeper engagement, premium content, and innovative advertising strategies. GroupM’s efforts reflect a growing cultural shift towards women's sports, driven by increasing demand and successful ad performance. It opened up new advertising opportunities across broadcast, sponsorships, grassroots, and athlete-owned media. By October, GroupM had already hit their goal.
They didn’t just unlock new revenue streams — they elevated underrepresented athletes, creators, and stories. That’s the kind of impact we’re talking about; new voices, new audiences, new culture… all #FundedbyAdvertising.
Journalism That Holds Power to Account
We also need to talk about journalism — because without it, the internet becomes little more than a noisy comments thread.
Alex Wright from Channel 4 put it starkly at Advertising Week Europe: today’s younger audiences, shaped by algorithms, often don’t know where to find trustworthy content. Channel 4 is proposing a “trust mark” — a way to help audiences identify professional, credible journalism. That’s the kind of innovation we need more of.
At PubMatic, we’re proud to support partners like The Guardian, Schibsted, Le Figaro, El País, Die Zeit, and Le Monde through ethical, privacy-conscious advertising. This work matters — and it needs to be sustained.
The latest study from IAB Europe underscores just how crucial the value exchange is in sustaining the open internet. One stat really hits home: the average European consumer receives €212 worth of free access to digital services each month, largely funded by advertising. That’s a powerful reminder of the core of our industry — advertising fuels the digital services we rely on every day. What’s encouraging is that 60% of consumers believe a ‘pay or consent’ model feels fair, but only when the value exchange is made clear. And that’s where we come in. We have the responsibility to ensure consumers understand the value they’re receiving, and that’s key to preserving the open, free internet we all cherish.
This campaign isn’t just about raising awareness. It’s a call to action — for advertisers, agencies, publishers, and consumers. We must actively support the ecosystem that brings us news, art and entertainment.
Because at the end of the day, the open internet isn’t powered by goodwill alone. It’s #FundedbyAdvertising.
So, let’s celebrate the publishers, journalists, athletes, storytellers, and creators. Let’s invest in the content that shapes our world and the infrastructure that keeps it accessible, affordable, and inclusive.
This is especially vital in the EMEA region, where countries have long been known for their cultural and creative excellence — from groundbreaking journalism to world-renowned music, fashion, and cinema. If we don’t protect and fund this output through sustainable advertising models, we risk becoming not only economically, but also intellectually poorer.
Join us. Share the stories. Champion the cause.
Because when we get this right, we don’t just preserve the internet — we make it better.
