DoubleVerify launches council to support ads on news sites
DoubleVerify (DV), a software platform specialising in media quality verification and campaign optimisation, has announced the creation of the 'News Accelerator Publisher Council,' a new initiative aimed at strengthening collaboration between DV and news organisations. The move builds on DV’s existing News Accelerator programme and is intended to help align its tools more closely with the specific needs of publishers and advertisers working in the news space.
The council convened for the first time last week and will serve as a recurring forum where participating publishers can share operational insights, surface industry challenges, and provide direct feedback to DV on product development. Founding members of the council include The Associated Press, The Atlantic, CNN, Euronews, The Guardian, The Local Media Consortium and The New York Times, with additional members expected to join in the coming weeks.
“News organisations play a vital role in fostering an open, informed society, and advertisers need the right independent tools to engage with journalism objectively and effectively,” said Jack Marshall, Head of News, Policy & Content Partnerships at DoubleVerify. “DV’s News Accelerator Publisher Council creates an ongoing forum for collaboration, where publishers can share insights, highlight challenges, and provide direct feedback to help shape our tools so brands can navigate all news content with greater confidence and clarity.”
Key Objectives
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Informing product innovation by incorporating publisher input into the development of DV’s tools.
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Driving advertiser education through joint research and thought leadership to highlight the value of advertising in news.
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Promoting suitability and scale by reframing how advertisers view news content and helping them reach audiences through more nuanced suitability controls.
Rob Bradley, SVP of Digital Revenue, Strategy and Operations at CNN International Commercial, said, “Advertisers are increasingly looking for environments that drive real impact, and news delivers on that need. By joining DV’s News Accelerator Publisher Council, we’re ensuring the voice of the publisher is heard as tools and standards evolve, and we’re working to demonstrate the power of news to engage audiences and drive brand outcomes."
Holly Davis-Markowski, Ad Operations Director at the New York Times, added, “We welcome the opportunity to work with our peers and DoubleVerify to ensure news content is supported by meaningful advertiser investment. This is a critical step toward building a more sustainable ecosystem for journalism."
Dave Strauss, Vice President of Revenue Operations and Strategy for the Guardian US, said, “In today’s world, quality journalism is more essential than ever. Through this council, we’re hopeful we can develop meaningful solutions that enable advertisers to invest confidently in news, while achieving stronger performance and greater scale.”
Fran Wills, CEO at the Local Media Consortium, noted, “We’re excited to partner with DoubleVerify and the broader publisher community to ensure local news continues to attract meaningful, sustained advertiser investment. The DV News Accelerator Publisher Council offers a critical forum for collaboration, helping publishers showcase the unique value of news audiences and unlock the full potential of the news opportunity for advertisers.”
The council follows a series of recent features introduced by DV aimed at enhancing advertiser suitability controls without compromising news monetisation. These include AI-powered keyword optimisation, refined keyword controls, and new contextual targeting segments under News Plus and News Lite. Later this year, the company plans to expand content categories for news to allow more granular classification.
With the publisher council now in place, DV aims to create a continuous feedback loop between its technology teams and the news ecosystem, with the goal of increasing advertiser confidence and investment in journalism.
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