BASK Insights

The Rapid Growth of TikTok and Podcasts as Trusted News Sources

In just five years, the way that Americans consume news has fundamentally changed. Reports from Pew Research Center highlight that as less people rely on traditional media to remain informed, more are embracing the rise of TikTok and podcasts as trusted news sources. For campaigns and coalitions, this trend underscores the need to adapt outreach and persuasion strategies to meet voters where they are and tailor messages that resonate in the digital age.

Jack Uribe & Simona Ruderman

Oct 3, 2025

by Jack Uribe & Simona Ruderman
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iOS 26: What Campaigns Really Need to Know

Our team has been digging past the headlines to figure out what iOS 26 will actually mean for political campaigns. Rolling out in mid-September, this feature will allow users to automatically filter text messages into an “unknown senders” folder. Only available on iPhone 11 and newer, the feature is currently in beta where it is defaulted to “off”, although that may change by the full release.

Anna Blaszkiw

Aug 22, 2025

by Anna Blaszkiw
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The Rise of AI Browsers: What Advocacy Efforts and Election Campaigns Need to Know

OpenAI’s upcoming launch of a new AI-powered browser marks a major shift in how users interact with the web, moving from clicks to conversations. As AI browsers and chat-based search tools rise, traditional web traffic, SEO performance, and digital ad visibility are all being disrupted. News publishers are seeing sharp declines in search-driven traffic, while campaigns and advertisers must rethink how they reach voters and audiences online. Advertisers must adapt their strategies for the AI-driven ecosystem, and shift towards AI-optimized content, diversified media buys, and smarter audience targeting.

Paige Severson

Jul 11, 2025

by Paige Severson
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Adapting to the Shift: Reaching Voters in an AI-Driven Search Landscape

Search ads remain both effective and necessary, especially as AI tools like Google’s Gemini are limited in their ability to answer politically related queries as elections approach. While current AI features haven’t reduced the performance of political search campaigns, political advertisers should anticipate future changes as Google and ChatGPT will likely move to monetize AI-driven search with new ad formats. This shift may also elevate the importance of SEO or “AI optimization” as AI models prioritize well-ranked, content-rich sites, making assets like Wikipedia pages and sponsored articles more valuable. In the long term, the advertising industry will likely require tools to test how campaigns appear in AI-generated answers to ensure visibility and relevance.

Samantha Dee

May 2, 2025

by Samantha Dee
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Industry Insight: What Google’s Antitrust Ruling Means for Advocacy and Issue Advertising

For the second time in a year, a federal court has ruled that Google illegally maintained monopolies in key areas of the digital ad ecosystem. The latest ruling targets Google’s dominance over both its ad server and ad exchange. The court found that this dual control allowed Google to favor its own marketplace, stifling competition and making it harder for publishers and advertisers to access alternative partners, pricing, or inventory options.

Katie Castigliola

Apr 18, 2025

by Katie Castigliola
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Concerns of AI Chatbots Spreading Election Misinformation in the EU

Democracy Reporting International’s analysis reveals that AI chatbots are disseminating false information about the upcoming European Union elections, with incorrect dates and voting details. Due to the phenomenon of “hallucination,” where chatbots invent facts, developers caution against using them for crucial tasks like obtaining election information. We have been concerned about this issue ever since the initial release of ChatGPT and continue to monitor the ongoing effects of AI in the political landscape.

Clayton Duke

Apr 12, 2024

by Clayton Duke
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YouTube TV Booms with 48% Subscriber Growth

YouTube TV continues to implement new innovative strategies that expand possibilities and increase reach for advertisers. The key driver for their 48% growth this year was their purchase of NFL Sunday Ticket.

Delancey Showers

Apr 11, 2024

by Delancey Showers
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Where People are Watching TV

While both digital and linear TV remain essential to advertisers, digital video consumption continues to rise steadily and is anticipated to increase by 5.7% this year. As consumption increases, so does ad inventory on major streaming platforms.

Delancey Showers

Feb 23, 2024

by Delancey Showers
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Unlocking the 2024 Election: Dive into the Trends Shaping the Race

In the midst of a crucial election year in the US, where record-breaking political ad spend is anticipated, a few key trends are set to shape the political landscape. Among these trends, the prioritization of Connected TV (CTV) stands out prominently. As spending on CTV rises steadily, the competition for available inventory becomes more intense, underscoring the importance of strategic planning for placements in advance.

Samantha Dee

Feb 21, 2024

by Samantha Dee
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Industry Alert: ESPN, Fox, and WarnerBros. Discovery Join Forces With New Streaming Service

Three of the largest U.S. sports TV companies – ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery – just announced a joint venture to create a streaming service featuring all their linear sports TV content. This announcement carries considerable weight in the industry, given the established role of live sporting events in upholding the traditional cable bundle model. This new app is strategically positioned, offering sports enthusiasts a cost-effective alternative to prompt them to ditch their pricey cable bundles.

Katie Castigliola

Feb 6, 2024

by Katie Castigliola
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BREAKING: Potential Merger Among Streaming Giants

Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery CEOs have met to discuss a possible merger that would create a news and entertainment giant. Consolidation in the streaming landscape is exciting for advertisers, who would have access to more users across less streaming platforms, increasing the ways to reach elusive cord cutters.

Paige Severson

Dec 20, 2023

by Paige Severson
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New AI on the Block

Google announced its more sophisticated AI model called PaLM 2, which will be used in over a dozen products including search. Ads are slated to be included in the generative AI search results, although Google is still coming up with how that will look.

Paige Severson

May 12, 2023

by Paige Severson
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Social Media Is Evolving and Gen Z Is Driving the Change

Social media is in a transition phase and Gen Z is driving the change. Marketers should pay attention as Gen Z continues to reject old-school social media and turn to these newly-emerging platforms, opening up new opportunities to reach younger audiences.

Natalie Lima

Dec 13, 2022

by Natalie Lima
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Streaming Soars this Summer

Americans continue to shift their TV viewing habits, with streaming taking the top spot in terms of TV viewership in July, claiming 34.8% of total TV share in July, higher than broadcast and surpassing cable for the first time.

Shelby Moddelmog

Aug 25, 2022

by Shelby Moddelmog
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Major Facebook Changes Mirror TikTok’s Image

Major changes to the Facebook app will make it look and feel more like TikTok. Content from personal connections will be filtered out of the main Home page, transforming its experience into a more TikTok-like selection of algorithmically chosen videos.

Natalie Lima

Jul 22, 2022

by Natalie Lima
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The Summer of Streaming

Streaming viewership hit a new high this past May, claiming 31.9% of total TV time. Summer is typically known as a lull “season” for traditional tv, however,streaming services have found new ways to keep viewers engaged.

Shelby Moddelmog

Jul 21, 2022

by Shelby Moddelmog
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HBO Max and Discovery Plus Merging to One Platform

HBO Max and Discovery Plus will combine to be one platform with a user base of nearly 100 million. Once launched, this service will offer ad-free and ad-lite products, creating an incredible opportunity for advertisers.

Jake Morris

Mar 15, 2022

by Jake Morris
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Solutions for the Cookieless Future

The future is bright for our industry. This we all know. And despite cookie deprecation and new privacy laws, there’s no doubt that our resilient industry will unquestionably arrive, as it always does, in a better place. A place where consumers – and their privacy – come first.

Jake Morris

Feb 24, 2022

by Jake Morris
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