Streaming Services Keep Expanding; is the NFL Looking at a Digital Future?

There are a lot of podcasts out there, and with the sheer number of choices, we wouldn't blame you for needing some recommendations on what to listen to in a given week. So TV[R]EV decided to help with that.

Each week, we're highlighting the episodes that are most worth a minute (or 30) of your time, plus a quick synopsis of why you should listen. This week, ViacomCBS and sports streaming take the headlines and manage to rise above the Super Tuesday chatter.

ViacomCBS gets into the streaming wars, too. Sort of. (Recode Media)

Recode's Peter Kafka talks to CNBC's Alex Sherman about ViacomCBS's streaming ambitions and how those stack up with the likes of Netflix, Amazon and others. Related to some recent conversations here at TV[R]EV, there's also a discussion around NFL television rights -- and how streaming services plan to factor into the future of the NFL on TV.

Bleacher Report’s Sam Toles on building franchises that last (Digiday Podcast)

At one point, Bleacher Report was pretty slideshow-focused, duking it out with the likes of Deadspin, SB Nation, FanSided and others for sports blog clicks. In recent years, however, B/R's been all about larger brand building, creating engagement and unique video content -- which is the topic of this week's Digiday Podcast. And for the NBA fans among you, House of Highlights is a hot topic as it continues to grow as part of both B/R's and the NBA's social video strategy.

Live Sports Streaming Grows; CTV Ad Share in 2019 (VideoNuze Podcast)

Speaking of sports, Will Richmond and Collin Dixon dive into sports streaming data, and recent Verizon Media research showing that 53% of fans are paying for an extra subscription service. Some of that boost potentially comes from ESPN+, though there are plenty more sports-focused options out there, no matter your preferred sport or team. Previously in this space, we've argued the NBA is ahead of the curve there, and that should curb any concerns around "lower TV ratings." The league's presence on digital platforms is likely to grow even more in the coming years, which should drive sports streaming up even more.

 'TikTok is Thirsty for Brands,' says New York Times Reporter who Covers TikTok (AdAge Ad Lib)

AdAge's latest guest is the New York Times' Taylor Lorenz, who covers internet culture -- an odd and volatile beat, especially in recent years. of particular interest to her lately is how (now former) Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg was using influencers as part of his campaign strategy and TikTok's brand play (or rather, brands' TikTok play). I'll admit, it's entertaining to watch, and that I've watched this (incredibly pointless) Oreo video no less than 40 times... and laughed every time.

The Difference in Differential Privacy (AdExchanger: The Big Story)

If you have even a passing interest in digital privacy, this week's episode is an interesting deep dive into the weeds of differential privacy. But beyond that, the AdExchanger staff looks at the coming marriage of programmatic advertising an local TV, and how new and old tech vendors alike plan to jump into that pool (and make it a whole lot bigger).