Some quotes are memorable because they’re insightful, others because they come on a tin coffee cup.

Welcome to the season finale of The Media Odyssey Podcast, where hosts Marion Ranchet and Evan Shapiro close out season one by sharing their last favorite clips – and the behind-the-scenes stories that came with them. From public spats with self-aware CEOs to surprising platform performance data and perfectly ripe metaphors, this episode is both a celebration of what they’ve learned and a preview of what’s next.

A sendoff for a season that redefined how we think about creators, broadcasters, platforms, and the future of television.

Key Takeaways:

1. Trade Desk’s OS Play Was the Curveball of the Year

Marion and Evan revisit their early skepticism about The Trade Desk’s Ventura OS – a move that felt like a left-field land grab. But after a live episode at StreamTV with Ventura chief Matthew Henick, Marion admits she’s convinced. The takeaway: even the boldest tech plays can make sense when they challenge broken systems.

2. CBC Proved YouTube and Public Broadcasting Can Coexist

Paul McGrath of CBC shares how prioritizing long-form YouTube content not only grew audience and watch time, but surprisingly lifted engagement on their owned streaming service. His key stat: 20% of their content (20+ mins) now drives nearly half of total usage.

3. Connected TV Is Fueling Long-Form Growth

With up to 50% of CBC’s watch time now coming from connected TVs, the myth that YouTube means short-form is unraveling. Long-form is thriving, especially in living room contexts—and for public broadcasters, it’s creating younger, distinct audiences.

4. The Loch Ness Monster of Cannibalization Isn’t Real

Paul McGrath debunks the long-standing fear that publishing full episodes on YouTube cannibalizes streaming services. The data showed the opposite: cross-platform release boosted both. As Evan puts it, “Everyone talks about it, but no one’s ever seen it.”

5. FAST in Europe Has Hit Peak Ripeness

In a metaphor that instantly stuck, Ryan Afsha of LG Ads likens the European FAST market to an avocado: “Not yet, not yet, not yet... eat me now, too late.” According to him, 2025 is the sweet spot for content owners and advertisers alike. The window is open and the ecosystem is aligned.

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• (00:00) - Introduction and Welcome

On this special episode of The Media Odyssey Podcast, hosts Marion Ranchet and Evan Shapiro discuss their favorite moments from Season 1.

Evan and Marion select standout clips that capture the biggest themes, surprises, and insights from across the year. It’s a thoughtful, high-energy wrap-up on the state of media through the lens of prediction, collaboration, tech disruption, and creator evolution.

This isn’t just a recap, it’s a snapshot of the tectonic shifts reshaping the global content economy, from bundling to content discovery to fandom as KPI.

Key Takeaways:

1. Europe Is Driving Media Innovation
In a moment of validation for Marion’s early prediction that 2024 would be the year of France, the episode revisits a conversation with Bedrock CEO Jonas Engwall. His vision of a shared pan-European tech platform reflects a new path forward: regional collaboration and infrastructure investment over a singular SVOD champion.

2. Bundling Is the New Normal, but Not Just for Video
Bango’s Anil Malhotra explores how telcos, retailers, and even social media apps are bundling subscriptions in new, creative ways. Gen Z is paying not just for Netflix, but also for AI tools and retail. The subscription economy is no longer just about entertainment; it’s a trillion-dollar convergence.

3. Discovery Fatigue Is Real—and Fixable
Content discovery is one of the industry’s most overlooked problems. Calle Sjönell of Swipefinder shares a startling stat: 20 minutes spent searching per streaming session, with 20% of users giving up entirely. Fixing discovery isn’t a UI tweak—it’s central to retention, monetization, and consumer loyalty.

4. Traditional Studios Must Think Like Creators
The BBC’s Jasmine Dawson breaks down how a legacy studio can reorient KPIs toward fandom, not views. Alongside creator Amelia Dimoldenberg, she illustrates how creators and institutions alike must evolve together and adopt flexible metrics, platform-specific content, and pure-play IP strategies.

5. Media Alignment, Not Chaos
Despite the perceived chaos of streaming, Marion and Evan argue that we’re entering a phase of settling and strategic realignment. From France Télévisions teaming with Amazon to platform consolidations and retail bundling, the market is moving from fragmentation to formation.

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• (00:00) - Introduction and Season Highlights

Welcome to a new episode of The Media Odyssey Podcast, where we explore the people and ideas reshaping the media landscape. Hosts Marion Ranchet and Evan Shapiro sit down with Dhar Mann, one of the most successful independent creators in the world, to unpack what it really means to build an owned-and-operated media empire in the age of platforms. With over 70 billion views across social media, Dhar has mastered the art of storytelling at scale—without relying on traditional Hollywood systems.

In a sharp, insightful conversation, Dhar shares the mechanics behind his studio’s meteoric rise, the values that drive his content, and why creators should think like CEOs. From data-driven production to brand-safe storytelling, this episode offers a rare look into what it takes to succeed at the intersection of commerce, creativity, and community.

Key Takeaways:

1. Dhar Mann Studios Operates Like a Scalable, Independent Media Company
Dhar built his studio from scratch with full vertical integration: in-house scripting, production, post, and distribution. Producing more than 100 episodes a year with over 100 full-time employees, he’s proving that creator-led companies can compete with—and outperform—traditional studios.

2. Storytelling is Engineered for Impact
The key to Dhar’s success is emotional storytelling. Every script is optimized through data, test reads, and feedback loops. His team analyzes performance daily, adjusts thumbnails, titles, and narrative arcs in real time—and shoots with Shorts and long-form in mind across YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and beyond.

3. Brand Safety Doesn’t Mean Boring
Dhar Mann’s content is deeply family-friendly and advertiser-safe, which makes it attractive to brands. But it’s not sanitized—it tackles real issues like bullying, poverty, and prejudice through emotionally resonant narratives that audiences connect with.

4. Platform Diversification is Strategic
From Facebook and YouTube to Snapchat, TikTok, and even theatrical releases, Dhar doesn’t rely on one platform. His team adapts content formats to fit algorithmic behaviors—using Shorts for reach and long-form for retention and monetization.

5. Creators Should Think Like CEOs
 Dhar’s biggest advice to creators: treat your channel like a business. Build teams, invest in infrastructure, understand your audience, and create repeatable systems. Virality is nice—but building a long-term, sustainable operation is the real win.

Thank you Dhar Mann for joining the pod!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharmann/

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• (00:00) - Introduction and Welcome

Welcome to a special edition of The Media Odyssey Podcast from the Croisette at Cannes Lions! Hosts Marion Ranchet and Evan Shapiro sit down with Pedro Pina, Vice President of YouTube EMEA, for a sharp and forward-looking conversation about creators, monetization, and YouTube’s role in the evolving media landscape. As YouTube celebrates its 20th anniversary, the platform is no longer just a distribution tool—it’s a full-fledged ecosystem reshaping how content is created, monetized, and valued.

Pina shares candid insights on how YouTube is adapting to the needs of both creators and legacy media players, what’s holding some studios back, and why this Cannes Lions marks a turning point in the creator–brand relationship. 

From auction-based CPMs to theatrical YouTube crossovers, it’s a masterclass in what it means to follow the audience.

Key Takeaways:

1. Creators Have Moved from “Why” to “How”
At Cannes, the conversation around creators has matured. Legacy brands are no longer asking why they should work with creators—they’re urgently asking how. YouTube’s role is now to connect creators, agencies, and advertisers at scale, turning what was once a fragmented process into a global growth engine.

2. YouTube’s Partner Sales Program Is Evolving
Studios and publishers can set their own CPMs and sell directly on YouTube via the Partner Sales Program. But Pedro acknowledges the current system is friction-filled and underinvested—YouTube plans to improve training, tooling, and support to help partners succeed at selling in the platform-native environment.

3. Open Call Streamlines Creator–Brand Collabs
YouTube’s new Open Call tool enables brands to post creative briefs that thousands of creators can respond to with custom videos. It’s a tech-forward answer to the biggest pain point in influencer marketing: scale, speed, and quality control—all on-platform.

4. CPMs Are Rising on the Big Screen
YouTube CPMs on CTV are now comparable to or higher than cable TV in many mature markets. As viewing shifts to the living room, YouTube’s auction-based pricing model reflects growing advertiser demand for premium, long-form video.

5. Follow the Audience, or Get Left Behind
From creator-driven theatrical releases (like Inoxtag’s Kaizen documentary about climbing Everest) to Shorts monetization, Pedro emphasizes one core principle: follow the user. Those clinging to old cost structures or windowing hierarchies will struggle. Those who adapt—like BBC Studios—are already seeing incremental revenue, reach, and relevance.

Thank you Pedro Pina for joining the pod!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-pina-06a413/ 

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• (00:00) - Introduction and Changing Landscape

Welcome to a special edition of The Media Odyssey Podcast from the buzzing beachfront of Cannes Lions! Hosts Marion Ranchet and Evan Shapiro explore the collision of traditional media, streaming giants, and the creator economy in an environment buzzing with brand activations and bold narratives. With viewership migrating to digital but ad dollars lagging behind, the episode dives into how media organizations are rethinking measurement, monetization, and storytelling.

They’re joined by three influential voices leading that transformation: Jasmine Dawson, SVP Digital at BBC Studios; Kiell Smith-Bynoe, actor on Ghosts and digital-native performer; and Amelia Dimoldenberg, creator of Chicken Shop Date and founder of Dimz Inc. Each brings a unique perspective on how legacy brands, emerging talent, and creator-first studios are navigating the fast-changing content and advertising landscape.

It’s a candid, energetic discussion about creator influence, IP ownership, and the evolving rules of engagement across platforms.

Key Takeaways:

1. Fandom is the KPI That Matters
 BBC Studios has redefined success around fandom, not just views—focusing on watch time, user-generated content (UGC), sentiment, and engagement to drive deeper audience value and commercial return.

2. Thinking Like a Creator Drives Growth
 With hits like Bluey, BBC Studios is behaving more like a creator: producing platform-native content, partnering with creators, and customizing formats across YouTube, TikTok, and TV—resulting in a 110% YoY revenue jump.

3. Owning IP is a Power Move
 Amelia Dimoldenberg built Chicken Shop Date independently after being rejected by broadcasters. By keeping full control of her brand and monetizing separately, she turned it into a cultural touchstone and launched her own production company.

4. Creators Aren’t Just Influencers—They’re Partners
 BBC Studios’ Talent Works program reflects a shift from hiring creators as ad vehicles to co-creating content with them. This partnership model fuels authentic storytelling and long-term brand growth.

5. The Creator Economy Is Equal (or Superior) to Traditional TV
 Whether it's Chicken Shop Date, improv tours, or digital-first IP expansions, creators are proving their work is just as professional, strategic, and impactful as broadcast content—often with more cultural relevance and flexibility.

Thank you Jasmine Dawson for joining the pod!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasminesdawson/?originalSubdomain=uk 

Thank you Kiell Smith-Bynoe for joining the pod!

Thank you Amelia Dimoldenberg for joining the pod!

https://www.youtube.com/@AmeliaDimoldenberg 

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• (00:00) - Introduction and Welcome

Welcome to a special edition of The Media Odyssey Podcast from the heart of the Croisette at Cannes Lions! Hosts Marion Ranchet and Evan Shapiro dive into the evolving mood and key narratives emerging from the industry’s most vibrant gathering. From linear TV’s staying power in Europe to the acceleration of addressable advertising and first-party data, they set the stage for a candid, high-energy conversation on the state of the market.

Joining them are two major voices shaping media’s future: Dan Callahan, newly appointed SVP and CRO at Spectrum Reach, and Dave Campanelli, President of Global Investments at Horizon Media. The group unpacks the dominance of sports in the upfronts, the murky waters of multi-currency measurement, and how AI is transforming both creative and campaign performance. It’s a sharp, forward-looking dialogue about attention, collaboration, and the tectonic shifts reshaping how we define effectiveness in a converging media world.

Key Takeaways:

1. Sports is the Anchor of Upfronts
 Sports content is driving upfront media buys more than ever, with brands aggressively securing placements around high-impact events like the Super Bowl well ahead of schedule.

2. Multi-Currency Measurement is a Work-in-Progress
The transition away from a single dominant currency (Nielsen) toward a fragmented, multi-currency ecosystem is proving complex and inconsistent. A lack of sell-side standardization remains a major hurdle to scalable adoption.

3. Creative + Context = Future of TV Advertising
With AI accelerating creative production and optimization, there's growing emphasis on aligning ad tone and mood with surrounding content. Matching emotional context is becoming a new frontier for premium video advertising effectiveness.

4. The Programmatic Model is Under Pressure
 As CTV gains ground, legacy programmatic models—filled with intermediaries and "ad tech tax"—are being questioned. With a more finite set of publishers, buyers are increasingly seeking direct, data-rich relationships. 

Thank you Dan Callahan for joining the pod!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-callahan-28956015

Thank you Dave Campanelli for joining the pod!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-campanelli-b9b39464/

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• (00:00) - Introduction and Welcome

Evan and Marion take The Media Odyssey Podcast live at Stream TV's Media Universe Summit, joined by two special guests shaking up the content discovery game. Matthew Henick of Ventura TV OS, revealed how Ventura is building a new kind of CTV OS: one that puts transparency, user experience, and publishers first. Then Alan d’Escragnolle, CEO of Filmhub, showed us what a true distribution machine looks like, connecting indie creators and major studios alike to over 100 territories and thousands of licensing deals, with hits like Bounce Patrol leading the charge.

From the chaos of fragmentation to the future of platform-personalized content, this episode dives deep into who really owns discovery, and what it takes to stand out in a sea of screens. It’s no longer enough to simply have great content; you need the tools, tech, and strategy to
ensure it’s seen. Whether you’re building an OS, distributing niche documentaries and films, or trying to reach Gen Alpha with serialized vertical video, the future belongs to those who can cut through the noise and deliver meaningful, personalized viewer experiences. Spoiler: it’s not just about eyeballs—it’s about building engines that find, serve, and grow loyal audiences.

Key Takeaways:

1. Discovery is broken, and both platforms and publishers must fix it.
Content discovery is fragmented, biased, and often user-hostile. Platforms must prioritize content over apps, while publishers need to invest in tools, data, and partnerships to help their content surface and thrive.

2. Filmhub is building the distribution engine indie creators need.
 With over 6,300 rights holders and 320,000 licenses delivered, Filmhub is using proprietary tech, AI-assisted curation, and human relationships to give creators access to 100+ platforms—scaling discoverability across a deeply fragmented ecosystem.

3. Personalization is the next frontier in discovery.

With massive libraries and fragmented audiences, platforms that master smart, personalized recommendations, like YouTube and Tubi, are winning attention and retention. Success now hinges on serving the right content, not just more content.

4. The creator economy is maturing, and it’s operational now.
 It’s not just about clicks and ad revenue anymore. Success in today’s creator economy requires infrastructure, rights management, marketing strategy, and relentless optimization. The “upload and hope” era is over.

Thank you Matthew Henick for joining the pod! 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-henick

Thank you Alan d’Escragnolle for joining the pod!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alandescragnolle

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• (00:00) - Introduction and Welcome

In this episode of "Chatting at GEMA", Marion Ranchet interviews Pierluigi Colantoni, Creative Director at RAI, Italy’s national broadcasting company, about creative packaging, branding and promotion, and the growing role of data in media.  Colantoni speaks to how data informs creative decisions and the delicate balance between creative instincts and data while warning that data may become too central and rising concerns over privacy. Colantoni highlights the importance of sincerity and localization in creative processes, especially in the age of AI, and what can be lost in the race for efficiency. 

Pierluigi Colantoni is the Creative Director at RAI. Since 2014, Colantoni and the RAI team have received more than 100 international awards (Clio Awards, Promax, Global BDA, Ebu Connect), including the prestigious Best Creative Team of the Year award. He was nominated Director of the New Formats Development Department in 2020, where among other projects he produced the documentary series Sogno Azzurro, before becoming Creative Director in 2023. 

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In this episode of "Chatting at GEMA", Marion Ranchet interviews Emmanuelle Lacaze, President and Owner of Gédéon Communications, about television design, the Olympics, and innovative collaboration.  Lacaze explains how Gédéon Communications, a design agency known for its work on media branding in France and internationally, contributed to the rise of television design with new ways of thinking about creativity and concept.  Lacaze also speaks to how Gédéon Communications was responsible for designing the 2024 Paris Olympic emblem as well as their elaborate pitch strategy and the five-year-long process of preparing for the Opening Ceremony.  

Emmanuelle Lacaze is the President of Gédéon, a design agency known for its work on media branding in France and internationally. She has managed award-winning projects across multiple countries, including branding for Paris 2024, where her agency played a key role in the games’ visual identity, campaigns, and opening ceremony. Emmanuelle also has a background in film production, having produced the movie La Vie d’une Autre and developed the digital series Joy for Canal+. She is an active board member of the French AD Club and a partner of the mentoring program Media Club Elles in France.

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In this episode of "Chatting at GEMA", Marion Ranchet interviews Unai Iparragirre, Head of Channels & OTT at EITB, the public broadcaster in the Basque Country, about being able to adapt to a changing landscape, brave content, and the intersection of public service and entertainment.  Iparragirre explains the importance of EITB beyond entertainment to preserve the Basque culture, identity, and language while serving the Basque community across the globe.  EITB’s I Need Help, a series about the mental health challenges teenagers faced as a result of the COVID pandemic, underlines Iparragirre’s commitment to public service and social responsibility while navigating the decline of traditional television formats. 

As Head of Channels at EITB, Unai Iparragirre is responsible for the TV portfolio as well as the OTT services at the Basque Public Broadcasting Corporation. This includes four local FTA networks, a pan-regional network as well as the recently launched streaming service, Primeran, which has received the prestigious 2023 Digital Award from the Association of Basque Journalists. Iparragirre’s journey in the broadcasting sector is marked by a dynamic and passionate leadership style. With extensive experience managing cross-functional teams across several EMEA markets during his tenure at Discovery Communications. Now at EITB, Iparragirre’s focus is on developing and implementing channel strategies that align with our business and strategic goals while exploring new opportunities, and on strengthening the role of EITB as a public media group that gives back to society through the content we produce. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Basque.

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