DoubleVerify (DV) has rolled out a suite of new AI-driven controls as part of its News Accelerator initiative. The tools, designed to improve keyword blocklists and safeguard publisher revenue, include an AI-powered keyword review tool, which limits keyword blocking to unclassified URLs and proactively flags outdated terms.

The updates from DV aim to reduce overblocking, enhance campaign reach, and support publisher monetisation. The company is also introducing News Plus and News Plus Lite segments, which are intended to unlock premium news inventory for advertisers.

In addition to these tools, DV is launching the DV News Accelerator Publisher Council. This council is intended to provide ongoing feedback from publishers, ensuring that the tools are refined and effective. Research conducted by DV suggests that advertising on news content generates nearly 10% more engagement than non-news content. Furthermore, 99.99% of content across the 500 most trafficked news sites is considered brand safe.

The new AI-powered feature from DV allows advertisers to optimise keyword lists and identify stale keywords. This is based on historical data insights and media trends, providing advertisers with a more targeted approach to their campaigns. The updates are expected to be available in the coming months.

DV is committed to ongoing collaboration with both publishers and advertisers. The company plans to refine its tools and strategies through this collaboration. To facilitate this, DV is launching formal working groups for regular discussions and feedback.

The company is also focusing on research initiatives. These include case studies, consumer research, and leveraging proprietary data to highlight news opportunities for advertisers.

VP of Ad Operations at The Daily Beast, Anthony Roque, said: "As a news publisher, we recognise that advertisers need a level of control over how their ad dollars are spent, and brand suitability is important. However, the broad application of keyword blocklists, which have been the norm, have had unintended consequences limiting advertisers’ reach and significantly impacting publisher revenue, particularly for news organisations navigating today’s complex and polarising political climate. DV’s changes provide a much-needed solution by ensuring that classified, suitable content isn’t unnecessarily blocked. We appreciate DV’s commitment to working directly with publishers to refine these tools."

"Now more than ever, it’s critical to support and ensure a suitable future for quality journalism. Companies like DoubleVerify are uniquely positioned to refine the tools that shape brand suitability strategies, ensuring they evolve in a way that protects advertisers while also fostering a sustainable future for publishers. We are excited about DV’s approach to providing a valuable forum for open dialogue, allowing us to share insights, address challenges, and help shape solutions that support both monetisation and media integrity," said Roque.