Are DSP fees holding back indie agencies?

Indie agencies have client ad dollars to spend, but demand side platforms don’t seem eager to take said dollars. At least, that’s the sentiment coming from indie agencies as of late. Indies say they're fed up with DSP fees, barriers to direct access and are starting to question the value of the platforms. At the same time, AI agents promise to automate media buying and negotiations. The question is whether DSPs could lose their grip on the market. Digiday's senior marketing reporter Kimeko McCoy and Tim Peterson, executive editor of video and audio, unpack the agency backlash and what comes next for ad tech.