The Stack

ABOVE THE FOLD

A weekly digest of the conversations and hot topics that matter most across the ad ops and publishing community. That means actual signals from peers, publishers, and partners (what they’re asking, what’s breaking, what’s shifting), not recycled headlines. Above the Fold keeps you current without the scramble of piecing it together yourself.

Headlines only scratch the surface. Just the facts. Below the Fold is where the bigger problems get unpacked, giving you the context and clarity you need to make smarter decisions faster. It features brutally honest anonymous publisher editorials, unfiltered feedback from our exclusive ad ops community, and original expert analysis to help you connect the dots.

Above the Fold: September 22, 2025

In this issue of Above the Fold, we’re covering a lot of ground. Prebid’s post-hack analysis, USA Today rolling out a chatbot, and yet another IAB working group. On top of that, publishers are still wrestling with TIDs and Google keeps shifting the playing field. You’ll also see discussion around server-side ad servers, the fallout from NAI ending its opt-out tool, and mixed experiences with push notifications. There’s also community feedback on PMP spend, questions about forecasting tools, and a closer look at vertical ad spend trends in the UK automotive space.

READ THE FULL REPORT

Publishers don’t serve readers or advertisers, we serve shareholders

BY ANONYMOUS PUBLISHER

“Shareholders want growth at all costs, quarter after quarter. That’s why you see the clutter, the clickbait, the short-term revenue plays. No one thinks this is good for the audience, but no one cares. The only story Wall Street wants to hear is growth. It doesn’t matter if you’re torching your brand, chasing junk traffic, or completely gutting the user experience in service of more ad space. As long as the number’s bigger than last quarter, you’ve done your job.”

Publishers, chasing revenue at all costs is costing you

BY ROB BEELER

“When we tell our programmatic teams to ‘Just get more revenue, I don’t need to know how,’ we’re poisoning our own well as publishers. You flood the market, you train buyers to pay less, you chase every possible dollar, you strip away your own leverage, and (at some point) you dig yourself a hole so deep you can’t dig your way out. So while gambling isn’t without risk, if you don’t make that bet now, you may not have a business left to gamble with later.”