Why Brands Should Stop Avoiding News with Jack Marshall

Brands have long shied away from advertising in news, fearing controversy or association with “negative” stories; but that hesitation is costing them results. This week, Mike Shields talks with Jack Marshall, Head of News at DoubleVerify, about why avoiding news is a missed opportunity and how advertisers can take a smarter, more nuanced approach to brand safety and suitability.

Jack shares insights from DV’s research, which shows that news content drives 16% more engagement than non-news media, and explains how AI-driven tools are helping advertisers target responsibly while supporting trusted journalism. The conversation covers the shifting perceptions of news advertising, AI’s role in brand safety, and why authentic reporting may soon stand out as the antidote to AI-generated “slop.”

Highlights:

📰 The News Opportunity – DV data shows that news content generates 16% more engagement than non-news, yet many advertisers still block it.

🔒 Brand Safety vs. Suitability – Safety covers truly unsafe content (malware, spam, copyright infringement); suitability is where nuanced strategy is needed.

🧠 Educating the Industry – Jack’s role includes helping advertisers, agencies, and publishers understand how to unlock news environments safely.

🛠️ Smarter Tools, Less Risk – DV’s AI-driven keyword optimization helps reduce false blocks and allows brands to use a scalpel instead of a sledgehammer.

⚙️ Product Innovation – DV’s News Accelerator initiative and contextual categories like News+ and News+ Light make it easier to advertise in quality news at scale.

📉 Myth-busting Fear – Consumers can separate ads from content; most don’t associate a brand with a nearby tough headline.

🤖 AI & Trust – As AI-generated misinformation spreads, real journalism becomes more valuable — “the real connections stand out among the weirdness.”

💬 Shift in Attitude – Advertisers are realizing they’ve been too conservative and are reopening budgets for trusted news environments.

🪶 Publishers Adapting – From the New York Times’ strong ad growth to the rise of news creators, publishers are learning to leverage trust, voice, and engagement.

🌍 Future Outlook – Expect closer ties between news brands and influencers, merging authenticity with scale in ad models.

Resources and links:

🔗 Follow Jack Marshall on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackmarshall/

🌐 Learn more about DoubleVerify’s News Accelerator → doubleverify.com

Explore Sabio’s platform: sabioctv.com

⭐ Rate & Review to help more listeners discover the show

🎧Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts

Chapters:

00:00 Research shows advertisers miss out by avoiding news

00:40 Introducing Jack Marshall, Head of News at DoubleVerify

02:00 Why DV created a Head of News role

03:20 Educating advertisers and publishers on news investment

04:50 The CMO vs. junior buyer disconnect

06:00 Brand safety vs. brand suitability explained

07:30 When it’s reasonable to exclude content — and when it’s not

08:20 Modern tools vs. blunt keyword blocking

09:20 Overgeneralizations and nuanced strategies

10:00 The myth of “negative adjacency”

11:10 How consumers actually perceive ads near news

12:10 DV research: news drives 16% higher engagement

13:30 Why advertisers should rethink “news avoidance”

15:40 The DV News Accelerator and new AI keyword tools

17:10 Cutting bloated keyword lists with automation

18:30 Helping brands use a scalpel instead of a sledgehammer

19:30 Making nuance easy for media buyers

20:20 Is the pendulum swinging back toward openness?

21:30 AI slop and why real news stands out

23:00 Publishers finding optimism amid change

24:20 Diversifying revenue and growing brand trust

25:20 The rise of news creators and influencer-style partnerships

26:00 Closing thoughts — supporting real journalism and connection