Latest news with #PaulGallagher
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Advertising's Trillion-Dollar Accessibility Gap: Only 1 in 10 TV Ads Use Accessibility Features, New XR Report Finds
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- XR, the global leader in creative operations, today released the 2025 Global Accessibility Maturity Index & Trends Report, which reveals that just 10% of global TV ads include accessibility features such as closed captions or audio descriptions. XR's data shows that most TV ads remain inaccessible, which indicates brands are losing reach and excluding audiences with disabilities, representing $8 trillion in spending power. Beyond audiences with disabilities, watching TV with captioning on is becoming a mainstream trend—recent studies show that over 50% of adults, and more than 75% of millennials and Gen Z, regularly have closed captioning enabled, even when content is in their native language. Research indicates that adding captions improves ad performance, contributing to an 8% lift in recall and an 18% increase in brand linkage. Now in its second year, the global report evaluates market maturity of accessible TV advertising across three core dimensions—brand adoption, broadcaster enablement and market-level enablers such as regulation and policy guidance. 'At P&G, we know that superior reach and communication lead to a superior shopping and product usage experience. That is why, together with the industry, we work with partners like XR who champion accessibility standards and help expand reach. We're working to make sure everyone can access our ads, so we can better reach all our consumers,' said Paul Gallagher, Global Brand Accessibility Leader, Procter & Gamble. Key findings from the 2025 report include: Accessible advertising can expand reach: Only 9% of TV ads in 2024 included closed captions, and just 1% included audio description — despite over 1.3 billion people globally living with a disability and a significant portion of viewers often watching with captions. Brand adoption lags behind broadcaster readiness: While broadcaster readiness ranges from 30–100%, brand adoption of accessibility features still lags below 30% in most markets—revealing a clear gap between platform capability and brand usage. CTV ads are still far behind: Adoption of accessibility features on connected TV remains negligible, with less than 1% of streaming ads including captions or audio description. Audio description is still in its infancy: Only 4 markets featured in the report saw audio description adoption rise above 1% in 2024. Accessibility maturity remains low in most markets: The global average Accessibility Maturity Index across 15 markets featured in the report is 2.3, placing most countries in the 'Emerging' or 'Developing' stage. XR's analysis includes 650,000 creative video assets and nearly 12 million ad deliveries across over 100 countries, providing a comprehensive assessment of the state of accessibility in TV advertising. 'Making ads more accessible isn't just the right thing to do, it's a smart business decision. Brand leaders know that if your content can't be seen, heard or navigated, you're shutting out entire market segments,' said Donna Bungard, CPWA, Director, Accessibility, Indeed. 'Inclusive design expands your reach, plain and simple. And what's exciting is that features like captions, often built with accessibility in mind, are resonating far beyond their original intent. From folks watching in busy waiting rooms or noisy restaurants to younger audiences who default to captions on small screens, accessibility is good for everyone.' 'Our report reveals a significant gap between viewer preferences and execution—but the brands, broadcasters and publishers that close it will gain an edge in reach, loyalty and performance across every channel, from linear to CTV,' said John Batter, CEO at XR. 'Millions of impressions are lost when people can't understand video content. Accessible advertising ensures every impression can connect, whether audiences have disabilities, are watching in public or simply prefer to keep captioning turned on." XR has enabled closed captioning and audio description for hundreds of thousands of creative video assets, helping advertisers embed accessibility features across campaigns running on linear and streaming platforms. The full 2025 Global Accessibility Maturity Index & Trends Report is available here. About XR XR is the global leader in creative operations, giving brands, agencies, studios and publishers complete control of the creative lifecycle. Its AI-powered platform centralizes creative management and streamlines workflows—connecting assets, rights data, omnichannel ad distribution, intelligence and production payments into a single solution that drives growth, boosts efficiency and maximizes creative investments. Thousands of customers trust XR to manage and deliver content flawlessly to more than 50,000 media endpoints in 140 countries, and to oversee more than $1.5 billion in annual production payments to talent, crew and vendors. XR is headquartered in North America, with offices in Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information, visit
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Advertising's Trillion-Dollar Accessibility Gap: Only 1 in 10 TV Ads Use Accessibility Features, New XR Report Finds
A majority of viewers now watch TV with captions turned on—yet inaccessible ads cost brands millions of lost impressions, impacting reach and consumer spending NEW YORK, June 18, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--XR, the global leader in creative operations, today released the 2025 Global Accessibility Maturity Index & Trends Report, which reveals that just 10% of global TV ads include accessibility features such as closed captions or audio descriptions. XR's data shows that most TV ads remain inaccessible, which indicates brands are losing reach and excluding audiences with disabilities, representing $8 trillion in spending power. Beyond audiences with disabilities, watching TV with captioning on is becoming a mainstream trend—recent studies show that over 50% of adults, and more than 75% of millennials and Gen Z, regularly have closed captioning enabled, even when content is in their native language. Research indicates that adding captions improves ad performance, contributing to an 8% lift in recall and an 18% increase in brand linkage. Now in its second year, the global report evaluates market maturity of accessible TV advertising across three core dimensions—brand adoption, broadcaster enablement and market-level enablers such as regulation and policy guidance. "At P&G, we know that superior reach and communication lead to a superior shopping and product usage experience. That is why, together with the industry, we work with partners like XR who champion accessibility standards and help expand reach. We're working to make sure everyone can access our ads, so we can better reach all our consumers," said Paul Gallagher, Global Brand Accessibility Leader, Procter & Gamble. Key findings from the 2025 report include: Accessible advertising can expand reach: Only 9% of TV ads in 2024 included closed captions, and just 1% included audio description — despite over 1.3 billion people globally living with a disability and a significant portion of viewers often watching with captions. Brand adoption lags behind broadcaster readiness: While broadcaster readiness ranges from 30–100%, brand adoption of accessibility features still lags below 30% in most markets—revealing a clear gap between platform capability and brand usage. CTV ads are still far behind: Adoption of accessibility features on connected TV remains negligible, with less than 1% of streaming ads including captions or audio description. Audio description is still in its infancy: Only 4 markets featured in the report saw audio description adoption rise above 1% in 2024. Accessibility maturity remains low in most markets: The global average Accessibility Maturity Index across 15 markets featured in the report is 2.3, placing most countries in the "Emerging" or "Developing" stage. XR's analysis includes 650,000 creative video assets and nearly 12 million ad deliveries across over 100 countries, providing a comprehensive assessment of the state of accessibility in TV advertising. "Making ads more accessible isn't just the right thing to do, it's a smart business decision. Brand leaders know that if your content can't be seen, heard or navigated, you're shutting out entire market segments," said Donna Bungard, CPWA, Director, Accessibility, Indeed. "Inclusive design expands your reach, plain and simple. And what's exciting is that features like captions, often built with accessibility in mind, are resonating far beyond their original intent. From folks watching in busy waiting rooms or noisy restaurants to younger audiences who default to captions on small screens, accessibility is good for everyone." "Our report reveals a significant gap between viewer preferences and execution—but the brands, broadcasters and publishers that close it will gain an edge in reach, loyalty and performance across every channel, from linear to CTV," said John Batter, CEO at XR. "Millions of impressions are lost when people can't understand video content. Accessible advertising ensures every impression can connect, whether audiences have disabilities, are watching in public or simply prefer to keep captioning turned on." XR has enabled closed captioning and audio description for hundreds of thousands of creative video assets, helping advertisers embed accessibility features across campaigns running on linear and streaming platforms. The full 2025 Global Accessibility Maturity Index & Trends Report is available here. About XR XR is the global leader in creative operations, giving brands, agencies, studios and publishers complete control of the creative lifecycle. Its AI-powered platform centralizes creative management and streamlines workflows—connecting assets, rights data, omnichannel ad distribution, intelligence and production payments into a single solution that drives growth, boosts efficiency and maximizes creative investments. Thousands of customers trust XR to manage and deliver content flawlessly to more than 50,000 media endpoints in 140 countries, and to oversee more than $1.5 billion in annual production payments to talent, crew and vendors. XR is headquartered in North America, with offices in Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Alexis Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CTV News
4 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Marchand magic: Nova Scotians cheer on Panthers' star forward
Florida Panthers' Brad Marchand (63) celebrates his goal as Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid, back right, looks on during the second period in Game 2 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final, in Edmonton, on Friday, June 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck As the Florida Panthers and Brad Marchand gear up for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, many Nova Scotians aren't just watching – their cheering on one of their own. A veteran forward and proud Nova Scotian, Marchand has the chance to add a second Stanley Cup ring to his collection Tuesday. The 37-year-old won his first as a member of the Boston Bruins in 2011 and, after a mid-season trade, is looking to help the Panthers win back-to-back championship titles. Marchand has six goals in five Stanley Cup games this season and has become a key piece of the Panthers' playoff puzzle. Fans in Nova Scotia are taking notice. Paul Gallagher is a retired NHL scout who spent 10 seasons working wit the Florida Panters. He says Marchand has fit in seamlessly with Florida. 'Brad fits in so well, because he's a hard worker,' said Gallagher, who has been watching Marchand since he played Midget hockey with his son. 'And he really fits in with this style of play, because he likes the rough going and he likes to get in the corner. It was the perfect fit at the trade deadline.' Glace Bay native Logan Shaw is part of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and captain of the Toronto Marlies, but he's still cheering for his friend. 'The way that he (Marchand) works and his personality itself, it's not going to be hard for him to fit in anywhere he went,' said Shaw. 'It just so happens that Florida plays the exact way that he's built. He plays hard, he's going to compete every shift, he'll finish his checks, but he'll score goals, he's just a great hockey player.' With his playoff push and strong play in the Stanley Cup Finals, Marchand is now in the conversation to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup MVP. 'I think he's warranted a real good chance at being MVP,' said Brad Crossley, a hockey coach who helps trains many NHLers during the offseason. 'Should Florida win, Brad certainly deserves the call.' When it comes to calls, Hockey Canada announced its first six selections for the 2026 men's Olympic roster. Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon are the only two Nova Scotians on the list right now but, with the way Marchand is playing, Crossley says it wouldn't come as a surprise to see him get the Olympic call. 'Brad deserves a real strong look,' said Crossley. 'He's still a difference maker and you can't not have those kind of guys on your team.' For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Irish Examiner
28-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Irish hotels to join 'unprecedented' legal action against Booking.com
More than 900 Irish hotels have joined a landmark legal action against online travel agency over what they say were inflated rates of commission imposed for two decades. Joining with hotels across Europe, the group is seeking 'substantial financial compensation' from following a judgment from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) last September, which found that the platform's so-called parity clauses breached EU competition law. This judgement has binding effect across all EU members states. It is estimated that over 900 Irish hotels and guesthouses are eligible to join this legal action, having been negatively impacted by use of anti-competitive parity clauses that were in effect from 2004 to 2024, the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) has said. These clauses placed hotels and their customers at a significant competitive disadvantage by suppressing price competition between and other online platforms, IHF added, which resulted in hotels being charged inflated commission rates. The legal action will also argue that the clauses restricted hotels from offering better prices or availability on their own websites, limiting direct sales and autonomy. "Under the general principles of European competition law, hotels in Ireland and across Europe are now entitled to claim compensation from for the financial losses suffered," the IHF said. "Affected hotels may be eligible to recover a significant portion of commissions paid to in any period from 2004 to 2024 plus interest." Paul Gallagher, chief executive of the IHF said: "This is an unprecedented legal action which the Irish Hotels Federation is supporting on behalf of members, seeking to obtain full compensation for hotels affected by anti-competitive practices. "The platform's parity clauses have been a major issue for Irish hotels going back twenty years, resulting in significant financial harm due to the inflated levels of commissions charged. "We see this as an important opportunity to send a strong message to online booking platforms that unfair business practices will not go unchallenged.' The collective legal action is being supported by the European hospitality association and over 25 national hotel associations across Europe. It is being brought before the Amsterdam District Court in the Netherlands, where BV is headquartered. In addition to the Irish Hotels Federation, the action is supported by national hotel associations from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland.
RTÉ News
28-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
IHF to join legal action against Booking.com
The Irish Hotels Federation has announced it is joining with hotels from across Europe to support a landmark collective legal action against over its restrictions against hotels offering lower rates on their websites or on rival sites. It follows a judgment last September from the Court of Justice of the European Union indicating that parity clauses, which were contractual terms that prevented hotels from offering lower prices or better availability through other channels, violated EU competition rules. These parity clauses were inserted into contracts between online booking sites and hotels, and the practice triggered complaints by competitors and scrutiny from regulators across Europe concerned about fewer choices for consumers. Hotels are now seeking substantial financial compensation for damages resulting from what they claim were inflated commission rates charged by The collective legal action is being supported by the European hospitality association (HOTREC) as well as more than 25 national hotel associations across Europe. It is being brought before the Amsterdam District Court in the Netherlands, where is headquartered. The IHF estimates that over 900 Irish hotels and guesthouses are eligible to join this legal action, having been negatively impacted by use of anti-competitive parity clauses that were in effect from 2004 to 2024. The IHF said these clauses "placed hotels and their customers at a significant competitive disadvantage by suppressing price competition between and other online platforms" and that "this resulted in hotels being charged inflated levels of commissions". The clauses also restricted hotels from offering better prices or availability on their own websites, limiting direct sales and autonomy. Under EU competition law, affected hotels may be eligible to recover a significant portion of commissions paid to the platform between 2004 to 2024, in addition to interest. IHF Chief Executive Paul Gallagher described the legal action as "unprecedented". He added that the parity clauses "have been a major issue for Irish hotels going back 20 years, resulting in significant financial harm due to the inflated levels of commissions charged. "We see this as an important opportunity to send a strong message to online booking platforms that unfair business practices will not go unchallenged." In its judgment last year, the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the EU said there was no evidence to justify the parity clauses. "It has not been established that price parity clauses, whether wide or narrow, first, are objectively necessary for the implementation of that main operation and, second, are proportionate to the objective pursued by it," judges said. They said the restrictions may reduce competition between various hotel reservation platforms, force out small platforms and new entrants and do not appear to be necessary to ensure economic viability. However, the court also said the clauses could not be considered anti-competitive under EU competition laws. At the time, Booking Holdings (which owns the brand) expressed disappointment with the ruling. The company said it the parity clauses "were necessary and proportionate to the relationship between accommodation partners and and that operates in a competitive market". The IHF is in communication with all affected hotels and guesthouses in Ireland in relation to the next steps for joining the collective legal action. The case is being led and handled by the same competition lawyers, litigators and competition economists who worked on the case that led to the ECJ's judgment. In addition to the IHF, the action is supported by national hotel associations from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
