In today’s Digest, we cover Disney selling a 10% ESPN stake to the NFL; Roku debuting its ad-free streaming service ‘Howdy’, and the Lib Dems urging TV-level checks on YouTube ads.

Disney Sells 10% ESPN Stake to NFL

Disney is selling its 10% stake in ESPN to the National Football League in a landmark deal that hands the entertainment giant control of the NFL Network and the league’s RedZone channel. The multibillion-dollar agreement, which also includes the NFL’s fantasy football business, strengthens Disney’s long-standing ties with American football’s biggest brand just as it prepares to relaunch ESPN’s standalone streaming service later this month. No valuation was disclosed, but analysts peg ESPN's worth at USD$25bn (£19.6bn), suggesting a USD$2–3bn (£1.57–2.35bn) price tag for the NFL's media assets.

Once approved by regulators, Disney will own 72% of ESPN, with Hearst holding the remaining 18%. Disney CEO Bob Iger framed the agreement as a pivotal step toward reimagining the sports viewing experience, combining ESPN’s reach with the NFL’s cultural dominance to offer what he called a “more compelling experience” for fans.

Roku Debuts Ad-Free Streaming Service, ‘Howdy’

Roku is rolling out Howdy, a new ad-free subscription streaming service priced at USD$2.99 (£2.34) per month. The service will feature nearly 10,000 hours of content from major studios including Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, and FilmRise, along with a curated slate of Roku Originals. Viewers can expect popular titles like Mad Max: Fury Road, The Blind Side, and Weeds, alongside nostalgic rom-coms and ‘90s comedies.

Howdy joins Roku’s existing content ecosystem as a paid, ad-free counterpart to The Roku Channel, the company’s free, ad-supported streaming (FAST) service, which has emerged as the category leader ahead of Tubi and Pluto TV. According to Roku, more than 125 million users engage with its platform daily, giving Howdy a massive advantage from day one. 

Lib Dems Urge TV-Level Checks on YouTube Ads

The Liberal Democrats are urging UK regulators to apply the same pre-vetting standards to YouTube advertising as they do to traditional broadcasters, arguing that the platform’s current “lighter touch” approach is enabling the spread of scams, misleading health products, and fake celebrity endorsements. The call comes amid YouTube’s surge in viewership now the UK’s second most-watched media service behind the BBC, overtaking ITV, according to Ofcom’s latest annual report.

Currently, TV and radio ads are pre-approved by bodies like Clearcast and Radiocentre, while online platforms like YouTube rely largely on post-broadcast complaints and reactive moderation. 

“It’s clearly not right that a platform now more watched than almost any traditional broadcaster is still operating under a lighter-touch advertising regime,” said Max Wilkinson MP, the Lib Dems’ culture spokesperson. “We cannot allow a two-tier system… It’s time for the regulator to treat YouTube adverts much more like TV and radio adverts, to protect UK consumers.”