Around the World: Trump’s media shakeup, 20k sign petition against WFH policy

Antony Young rounds up media news from beyond Aotearoa in a regular column for StopPress. This week we take a look at how Trump’s second term is shaking up the media industry, the backlash again work from office mandates, waning trust in supermarkets and Netflix’s 2025 revenue goals.

Trump’s media shakeup begins

Just one week into President Trump’s second term, his impact on the media and advertising industries is being sharply felt. His announcement to not enforce the TikTok ban delighted its 90,000 creators and 170 million US followers. 

However, news outlets are on the back foot. The Washington Post in what looks to be a nod to pacify Trump announced just a few days prior to the inauguration a new editorial direction to deliver “riveting story telling for All of America.” The President’s pick to lead the FCC, Brendan Carr, will be reviewing complaints Trump had filed for alleged liberal media bias against NBC for featuring opponent Vice President Kamala Harris in a Saturday Night Live skit four days before the election, and a second complaint to ABC News for the alleged unfair treatment in the Trump-Harris debate. 

His administration has signalled an aggressive stance against “woke culture,” prompting brands to reassess their messaging strategies amid fears of political backlash. Digiday reported that media buyers are now reviewing inclusion lists more frequently—to ensure brand safety in a volatile news cycle.  

WPP faces WFH backlash

Global holding company agencies are meeting resistance as they pare back their WFH policies. 

The petition against WPP’s mandate requiring employees to be in the office at least four days a week starting in April has accumulated nearly 20,000 signatures in opposition. According to Campaign UK, WPP has introduced the strictest policy while dentsu and IPG operate more flexible models, requiring two to three days and 50% in-office attendance per fortnight. Omnicom and Havas follow a three-day-per-week policy, with some variation by location or agency. Publicis Groupe have enforced a three-day minimum, mandating Mondays in-office and disallowing consecutive remote days. These policies reflect the ongoing tension between promoting collaboration, meeting client needs, and retaining employee flexibility.

From trusted to distrusted

Woolworths and Coles, once Australia’s most trusted brands during the pandemic, have become the most distrusted, according to Roy Morgan’s consumer sentiment rankings. 

In 2022 and 2023, Woolworths and Coles were Australia’s most trusted brands. However, by October 2024, Woolworths had plummeted 239 places to become the nation’s most distrusted brand, with Coles close behind, falling 237 places.

Perceptions of profit-driven strategies and price hikes amid the cost-of-living crisis have contributed to their dramatic fall from grace. 

Short-form video soars

The Sensor Tower State of Mobile 2025 report highlights the significant rise of short-form video, with Meta benefiting greatly from its focus on Reels.

Time spent on Facebook Reels in the U.S. increased by 17 percentage points in 2024, reflecting millions of additional engagement hours, and Meta plans to further prioritise Reels and AI-based recommendations.

The report also underscores growing competition for X (formerly Twitter), as users increasingly turn to alternative platforms like Threads or Bluesky and are shifting their attention to other forms of entertainment, such as short-form videos or streaming. X is responding by rebranding itself as a “video-first” platform to align with these trends and regain momentum.

Netflix wanting to double revenue in 2025

Netflix is aggressively expanding its ad-supported tier, aiming to double ad revenue in 2025 after a strong 2024 performance, with ad-supported plans accounting for over 55% of signups in key markets like Australia, Japan, and Korea. Its 2024 revenue grew 16% to $ 10.2 billion, supported by subscriber and ad growth, as global subscribers reached 302 million after adding 19 million in Q4 alone.

Netflix is focusing on building its own ad stack to enhance targeting, programmatic buying, and advertiser flexibility while leveraging brand partnerships, such as with Squid Game. Price hikes are expected to generate $ 1.6 billion in additional US revenue.

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