It’s time for some Friday ad questions.

It’s been hard not recognise the irony that the recent escalation in online ad blocking being driven by tech giants, Google and Apple, and not rogue startups . Google and Apple are both trying to rid the industry of those annoying, hijack-your-screen type ads that consumers hate.

The thing is, everyone in the industry seems to agree these kinds of ads need to go by the wayside. After all, there are countless initiatives and committees aimed at cleaning up the mess that is online advertising.

So why are people up so in arms?

Well, digital media executives sure don’t like it when two of the most powerful players in the tech world wield their power indiscriminately. It also doesn’t help when there is uncertainty. Google says it is on the side of publishers and wants to better the ad ecosystem. Apple hasn’t said much, and the company has historically been indifferent at best to advertising. What do they want here?

One thing that was striking this week: ad tech companies admittedly aren’t exactly sure how this all will play out. When will they know?

Lastly, it’s fair to ask, is this noise all that big a deal, since so much digital content consumption happens in mobile apps (like say Facebook and Snapchat) where browser-built ad blockers won’t have an impact?

In other news:

Pandora stock is soaring following a report that SiriusXM is in talks to buy it. Liberty Media, which controls the satellite-radio powerhouse. has been seen as the only real buyer in town.

Here’s how Apple’s HomePod speaker compares to the Amazon Echo and Google Home. The company that made the iPod and iTunes wants its new speaker to be about music.

Yahoo’s shareholders have officially approved the company’s sale to Verizon for $US4.48 billion. The deal is expected to close Tuesday.

A former executive for the mobile advertising company Kargo has been awarded more than $US40 million in a third-party arbitration ruling, reports Adweek. Alexis Berger had argued that she had been a victim of gender discrimination and several other violations.

20 million people tuned in on Wednesday to watch game 3 of the NBA Finals on ABC, reports the Hollywood Reporter. Ratings are up 10% compared to last year.

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