DoubleVerify (DV), a global software platform for media quality verification and ad performance optimization, has released new research indicating strengthened confidence in news advertising. Surveying 1,970 marketers worldwide, the company found that 60% believe advertising within news environments performs better than their campaign baselines.
The study positions news as a high-performing and cost-efficient channel, echoing DV’s earlier findings that consumers appreciate brands supporting news publishers through advertising.
News outperforms other environments
According to the research, 60% of marketers said ads placed in news settings exceeded campaign baselines, while 27% reported performance on par. Only 11% believed news inventory underperformed relative to other media channels.
Strong suitability perception across news types
Just 1% of respondents considered all news categories unsuitable for advertising. Suitability varied slightly across content types:
- 95% deemed “soft” news-such as sports and entertainment-appropriate
- 93% felt news homepages were suitable
- 88% viewed current events as suitable
- 84% said breaking news was appropriate
These insights highlight the importance of nuanced suitability controls, enabling advertisers to benefit from news environments while managing risk.
Growing investment momentum
Fifty-three percent of marketers currently advertise in news, and another 28% plan to. Among existing investors, an average of 28% of budgets is allocated to news placements. DV also reported a 58% increase in impressions across major news publishers in the first half of 2025, driven by sectors like automotive and healthcare.
Agencies, however, expressed greater sensitivity to controversial subjects, with concerns about negative news remaining the biggest barrier to increased investment.
To address this, DV has introduced three suitability categories-Sensitive Breaking News, Current Events, and Opinion & Editorial-powered by AI-driven classification to offer deeper control. DV’s News Accelerator continues to support brands in responsibly maximizing the value of news advertising.
