• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, June 16, 2025

Software platform DoubleVerify has formed a group that it calls the News Accelerator Publisher Council.  

The goal is to create “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,” says Jack Marshall, head of news, policy & content partnerships at DoubleVerify.  

According to DoubleVerify, the News Accelerator Publisher Council will: 

• Inform product innovation 
• Drive advertiser education  
• Promote suitability and scale 

What do these things mean in practical terms? For starters, they will help reframe the conversation around news content, DoubleVerify contends. Advertisers will be able to reach engaged audiences through nuanced suitability controls without unnecessary blocking or restrictions. 

Any thought that this is strictly a promotional venture may be negated by the names that have signed up. The Council now includes The Associated Press, The Atlantic, CNN, Euronews, The Guardian, The Local Media Consortium and The New York Times and others are soon expected to join.  

"We welcome the opportunity to work with our peers and DoubleVerify to ensure news content is supported by meaningful advertiser investment,” says Holly Davis-Markowski, ad operations director at the New York Times. “This is a critical step toward building a more sustainable ecosystem for journalism."

“Advertisers are increasingly looking for environments that drive real impact, and news delivers on that need,” adds Rob Bradley, senior vice president of digital revenue, strategy and operations at CNN International Commercial. “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."

DoubleVerify plans to launch more granular content categories later this year. 

Of course, it remains to be seen if this group will have any real influence, but there is no doubt it is needed. As Marshall says, “News organizations play a vital role in fostering an open, informed society, and advertisers need the right independent tools to engage with journalism objectively and effectively.”