ABC News’ New Disney+ Show Explores Ad Integration in News Ticker
Disney’s new streaming news program on Disney+ is testing boundaries by exploring the integration of sponsor logos into its breaking news ticker.
Disney is shaking up the news landscape with a bold advertising pitch for its new ABC News streaming program, What You Need to Know, on Disney+. Now, the company is exploring embedding sponsor logos in the show’s news ticker, a move that could redefine how ads coexist with journalism in the streaming era.
What’s Happening:
- According to Variety, Disney’s ad-sales team has proposed embedding sponsor logos in the news ticker of What You Need to Know, a fast-paced streaming news show on Disney+ hosted by James Longman and Rachel Scott.
- The show, launched on July 21, 2025, delivers an 8-to-10-minute daily digest of breaking news with bold graphics and viral videos, updated every morning.
- The ticker ad concept involves displaying a sponsor’s logo after every three or four headlines in the bottom-of-the-screen scroll, though no tickers have appeared in the show’s initial episodes.
- Discussions with media buyers and advertisers are in early stages, with no final decisions on execution details.
- News tickers, popularized after 9/11, are typically editorial spaces free of ads across major outlets like CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC News, and CBS News.
- News programs attract large, live audiences, making them valuable for advertisers despite risks of association with controversial topics like war or disasters.
- Disney’s pitch comes as Fox Corp. and NBCUniversal report renewed advertiser interest in news programming.
- Embedding ads in tickers could disrupt credibility or annoy streaming-savvy viewers, particularly younger audiences sensitive to commercialism in news.
- Disney must adhere to FCC guidelines requiring clear disclosure of sponsored content, likely through on-screen disclaimers like “Sponsored by [Brand]."
- Media companies are increasingly creative with ad formats in news, driven by live audiences. Examples include sponsored segments on NBC’s Today (e.g., Visit Anchorage, MSC Cruises) and ABC’s Good Morning America (e.g., a 2020 Outlander segment sponsored by Starz).
- Clips of What You Need to Know shared on social media could amplify ticker ads across Disney’s ecosystem, boosting sponsor visibility.
- While specific brands approached by Disney are undisclosed, entertainment, travel, and consumer goods companies (e.g., MSC Cruises, Visit Anchorage) may be prime candidates based on prior ABC News sponsorships.
The Current Age of Ads and News:
- In 2015, CNN explored embedding sponsor logos in its news ticker to boost ad revenue amid a decline.
- Platforms like Peacock and Paramount+ use interactive overlays and sponsored news breaks to monetize streaming news, balancing revenue and viewer experience in ad-supported tiers.
- Streaming news targets 18–34-year-olds who prefer concise, engaging content and tolerate seamless integrated ads over traditional commercial breaks.
- Dynamic ad insertion could enable tailored ticker ads based on viewer data.
- UK and Australian platforms like BBC iPlayer and 9Now use subtle sponsorships (e.g., pre-roll ads), but regulations limit editorial ad integration, unlike Disney’s U.S. plan.
- Over 50% of U.S. adults under 30 get news from platforms like X and TikTok (2025 Pew data).
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