Every year, hundreds of billions of dollars flow through the media industry. Studios greenlight shows. Platforms buy audiences. Newspapers disappear. Algorithms are built. Influencers get rich. Journalists get laid off.
All of it follows the money.
the spend is a daily publication that explains how the media business really works — not for insiders, but for everyone who watches, reads, scrolls, and occasionally wonders why things are the way they are.
Who decided Netflix would cancel your favorite show after one season? Follow the spend.
Why does your local newspaper no longer exist? Follow the spend.
Why does every streaming service suddenly have ads again? Follow the spend.
We publish one story a day. No noise, no filler. Just the business logic behind the headlines.
Our stories are sourced and inspired primarily by PPC Land, one of the leading publications covering the ad tech and programmatic advertising industry. We take the signals from inside the industry and translate them into something everyone can understand.
Nothing in media is free. We just explain who's paying — and why.
By who?
the spend was launched on April 25, 2025. It is written by Luís Rijo, a seasoned marketing professional with over 10 years of experience in digital marketing, programmatic advertising, search, social, display, video, and DOOH. Based in Europe.
Luís is the founder of PPC Land, a top-100 ad tech publication covering programmatic advertising, DSPs, SSPs, retail media, CTV, and digital marketing. PPC Land is the primary editorial source that powers the spend - its industry reporting, translated here for a broader audience.
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