🎯Today's Entertainment Pulse
Updated 3h agoWhat's happening: Live Nation posts record $25 billion revenue in 2025
Live Nation Entertainment reported $25 billion in revenue for 2025, a 9% rise from the prior year. Quarterly earnings hit $6.3 billion, beating analysts' $6.1 billion estimate, while concert sales reached $20.9 billion and sponsorship revenue grew 11% to $1.33 billion.
Also developing:
By the numbers: The Pokémon Company International acquires Excell Brands
News•Feb 16, 2026
CRA Poaches Nine Growth Executive Helena O’Dowd to Drive Audio’s Commercial Push
The Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) has created a new Head of Commercial Strategy role and hired Nine’s Director of Growth and Retention, Helena O’Dowd, to fill it. O’Dowd will steer industry‑wide initiatives under CRA’s 2030 Strategic Plan, aiming to expand audience reach and increase advertising revenue across Australia’s audio landscape. Her mandate includes simplifying the ad‑buying process and strengthening audio’s commercial value amid fierce competition from global streaming and video platforms. The appointment precedes the HEARD ’26 showcase, where over a thousand marketers will discuss the sector’s commercial roadmap.
By Mediaweek (Australia)
News•Feb 16, 2026
Nintendo Strikes More Emulators with DMCA Takedown Notices
Anchor Point Studios, the Barcelona‑Seattle action‑adventure outfit founded by NetEase, announced it will spin out and operate as an independent studio. CEO Paul Ehreth thanked NetEase for resources and said the team will now seek investors and publishing partners to...
By GamesIndustry.biz
News•Feb 16, 2026
UK-Based Investor Independent Franchise Partners Takes 3% Stake in Universal Music Group Worth $1.2bn+
Independent Franchise Partners (IFP) has acquired a 3.01% stake in Universal Music Group (UMG), valued at roughly €1.09 billion ($1.29 bn). The holding makes IFP the sixth‑largest shareholder and adds to its existing positions in Vivendi, Rightmove and Warner Music, signalling a...
By Music Business Worldwide (MBW)
News•Feb 16, 2026
Ad Monetisation Basics in Mobile Gaming
The guide outlines how mobile game developers can monetize free titles through ads, emphasizing early design decisions. It breaks down three primary ad formats—banners, interstitials, and rewarded videos—and provides placement and frequency best practices. It explains mediation platforms such as...
By PocketGamer.biz
News•Feb 16, 2026
More than 10 Million Duolingo Users Have a 365-Day Streak
Duolingo disclosed that more than 10 million users have logged into the app every day for a full year, representing roughly 20 % of its 50 million daily active base. The language‑learning platform posted a record $88.9 million in gross user spending in January...
By PocketGamer.biz
News•Feb 16, 2026
Standard CEO Exits After Eight Months to Join Immediate
Tamar Riley is leaving the Evening Standard after just eight months to become portfolio managing director at Immediate, a media group that owns Good Food and other lifestyle brands. Riley, who previously spent nine years at Refinery29 driving audience‑first revenue...
By Press Gazette
Blog•Feb 16, 2026
Fan Burner Accounts Vs. Click Farms: Why the Difference Matters More Than Ever
The article clarifies the growing confusion between fan burner accounts and click farms in music streaming. Fan burners are human‑run secondary profiles that amplify organic buzz, while click farms are large‑scale operations that artificially inflate streams. Apple reported disabling roughly...
By Hypebot
News•Feb 16, 2026
TikTok Teams up with Apple Music for Full-Length Streams and Listening Parties
TikTok and Apple Music have launched a beta “Play Full Song” feature that lets Apple Music subscribers stream entire tracks inside the TikTok app, generating standard royalties. The button opens a full‑screen player powered by Apple’s MusicKit APIs and is...
By Music Ally
News•Feb 16, 2026
Brawl Cup Heads to Berlin as BLAST Unveils 2026 Brawl Stars Esports Plans
BLAST has sealed a multi‑year partnership with Supercell to bring the Brawl Cup to a live arena for the first time, staging the inaugural event in Berlin from May 15‑17, 2026. The three‑day showcase will be part of a nine‑month...
By Esports News UK
News•Feb 16, 2026
How Warner Bros. Could Supercharge Netflix’s Advertising Business | Analysis
Netflix’s potential acquisition of Warner Bros. and HBO Max could dramatically accelerate its fledgling advertising business. By adding Warner Bros.’ premium library, Netflix would expand ad inventory and attract higher‑value advertisers, pushing its ad‑supported revenue toward a $9 billion target by...
By The Wrap
News•Feb 16, 2026
Grand Theft Auto 6 Needs Marketing to Create Energy Around November 19 Release, Says Take-Two CEO
Take‑Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 remains on schedule for a November 19, 2026 launch, with a summer‑time marketing push designed to convert existing awareness into genuine consumer energy. He emphasized that the campaign must feel authentic, showcasing...
By GamingBolt
Social•Feb 16, 2026
Data Guides Positioning, Yet Quality Creativity Wins
Working in entertainment analytics I am often asked how best to position a title for success. But data can help you aim more accurately and efficiently. What it can’t do is provide the single most important element to success: a...
By Brandon Katz
Social•Feb 16, 2026
RAM Shortage Could Postpone PS6 Launch Until 2028
this RAM crisis feels like it’s going to ruin consumer electronics over the next decade. Bloomberg reports that Sony is considering pushing the PS6 release to 2028 or even 2029 https://t.co/vyvkDH8iPy https://t.co/g0ENxQkMW8
By Tom Warren
News•Feb 16, 2026
Westpac NZ Deploys Immersive ‘Laneway Loot’ Campaign at Laneway Festival 2026
Westpac NZ, together with Saatchi & Saatchi NZ and Spark Foundry NZ, launched the immersive “Laneway Loot” experience at Laneway Festival 2026. The activation featured limited‑edition street posters that were ripped down and claimed within 24 hours, and a Westpac‑branded...
By Mumbrella Australia
Social•Feb 16, 2026
Investors Fear Unstable Pricing for Switch 2,
Why investors are concerned about price stability this year for Switch 2 and PS5 this year (+ why Steam's upcoming devices still have no price):
By Serkan Toto
Social•Feb 15, 2026
Amazon's Hemsworth Thriller Beats Pratt, Relies on Streaming
At #AmazonMGM at least, #ChrisHemsworth is the best Chris over #ChrisPratt as R-rated crime thriller #Crime101 with #HalleBerry grossed 12M on its 5-day Opening overseas (vs #MERCY’s 11.6M) over 60 intl. markets. Allied to 15.1M debut at US #BoxOffice, the actioner...
By Luiz Fernando
News•Feb 15, 2026
Bytedance's Seedance 2.0 Is so Good at Copying Disney Characters the Company Calls It a "Virtual Smash-and-Grab"
Bytedance’s new AI video generator, Seedance 2.0, can recreate Disney, Marvel and Star Wars characters with photorealistic fidelity, prompting Disney to issue a cease‑and‑desist letter that calls the practice a “virtual smash‑and‑grab.” The tool is already flooding social media with short...
By THE DECODER
Social•Feb 15, 2026
YouTube Views Vs. Nielsen Ratings: Incomparable Metrics
Comparing YouTube views to Nielsen ratings is a mistake. YouTube’s views aren’t unique and only needs to be seen good a few seconds to count as a view. Nielsen measures unique concurrent viewers in an average minute. Apples and oranges.
By Dan Runcie
Social•Feb 15, 2026
Markiplier's IronLung R‑Rated Game Nets $3.5
Even YouTuber @markiplier had a nice #ValentinesDay at US #BoxOffice, after his own #MarkiplierStudios’ R-rated game adaptation #IronLung grosses STRONG 3.5M on 3rd 3-day weekend, just a -49.4% drop from last weekend (vs #ReturntoSilentHill’s 116k, -88.2%, #UntilDawn’s 2M, -49%, #ResidentEvil’s...
By Luiz Fernando
News•Feb 14, 2026
SAG-AFTRA & Studios End First Week Of Contract Talks In Silence. That’s Probably A Good Thing.
SAG‑AFTRA wrapped up the first week of contract talks with the AMPTP under a mutually agreed media blackout, signaling a tentative but positive start. Both sides exchanged opening statements and refined initial proposals, laying groundwork for deeper bargaining next week....
By Deadline
Social•Feb 15, 2026
Submit Sync Licenses Free—No Payment Required
❌ Don't pay to submit for sync licensing opportunities. There are plenty of music libraries, music publishers and sync agents that'll listen to/audition music for free. They get paid when they get you paid. Here’s a list of sync libraries you can...
By Graham Cochrane (DIY Music Biz)
Social•Feb 15, 2026
Warner Bros Eyes Paramount Deal Despite Netflix Matching Right
New: Warner Bros. is considering re-engaging with Paramount following its latest offer + pressure from some shareholders. WB still has a binding deal with Netflix, which would have the right to match any offer. Scoop with @MichelleF_Davis https://t.co/WLdpdeS0gc
By Lucas Shaw
News•Feb 13, 2026
Spectrum Acquires New England Cable News From NBC
Charter Communications' Spectrum News has agreed to acquire New England Cable News (NECN) from NBC Universal, merging its Maine and Massachusetts newsrooms into a single operation called Spectrum News NECN. The rebranded channel will serve viewers across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,...
By The Desk
Social•Feb 15, 2026
2026 US Box Office Hits $800M, Distributors Surge
2026 distributors race at US #BoxOffice crosses 800M mark, Post-Covid record at same point thanks to strong #ValentinesDay,+7.9% over 2023, +8.2% over 2025! Distributors Top 5 YTD #20thCenturyStudios 193.8M (owned by $DIS) #Lionsgate 93.9M #Sony 86.2M #Disney 81.5M #A24 60.1M https://t.co/YEp2JgOXBq
By Luiz Fernando
Social•Feb 15, 2026
Cheburashka2 Leads 2026 Global Box Office Top Ten
Global #BoxOffice Top10 2026 releases ONLY #Cheburashka2 🇷🇺$78.4M #WutheringHeights 🇺🇸 76.8M #SendHelp 🇺🇸 72.1M #28YearsLaterTheBoneTemple 🇬🇧 56.6M #BackToThePast🇭🇰$53.8M #Mercy 🇺🇸 52.7M #IronLung 🇺🇸 46.5M #ReturntoSilentHill 🇺🇸 41.8M #GOAT 🇺🇸 41.6M #Primate 🇺🇸$40.7M https://t.co/LoyCWKHTUQ
By Luiz Fernando
News•Feb 13, 2026
NASCAR’s Reset Has It Yelling ‘Hell Yeah’ Ahead of Daytona 500
NASCAR entered the 2024 season after settling a 16‑month charter dispute that secured permanent slots for teams and a leadership transition following the commissioner’s exit. The series unveiled a revamped 2026 playoff format, eliminating automatic qualifications for race winners and...
By Sportico
Social•Feb 15, 2026
Zootopia2 Leads China’s Top‑10 Hollywood Box Office
Top10 Highest Grossing Hollywood Films OF ALL TIME in #China’s #BoxOffice: #Zootopia2 654.1M #Endgame 632.1M #TheFateOfTheFurious 392.8M #Furious7 390.9M #InfinityWar 359.5M #TransformersAgeOfExtinction 301M #Aquaman 298M #Venom 269.2M #Avatar 262.1M #JurassicWorldFallenKingdom 261.2M
By Luiz Fernando
Social•Feb 15, 2026
Wuthering Heights Falls Short of $50M Expectations
WUTHERING HEIGHTS is coming in well below pre-release tracking, now projecting mid to high $30m domestic (WB spinning $40m) for the 4-day weekend. Most services projected it at about $50m, some thought it would blow past that.
By Matthew Belloni
News•Feb 13, 2026
DAZN Offering 20% Garcia Vs. Barrios PPV for 24 Hours Only
DAZN is running a 24‑hour flash sale that gives a 20% discount on the Ryan Garcia vs. Mario Barrios pay‑per‑view, lowering the price from $70 to $56 for purchases made by Feb 14. The promotion also bundles a 7‑day free trial...
By The Streamable
Social•Feb 15, 2026
Paramount Issues Cease‑and‑Desist to ByteDance Over AI Video Infringement
Paramount Sends ByteDance Cease-and-Desist Letter Over Seedance AI Videos, Alleging Intellectual Property Infringement https://t.co/GkVqyddoc8 via @variety
By Todd Spangler
Social•Feb 14, 2026
Sony's GOAT Pulls $7M, Defying Non‑Disney Expectations
Sony’s GOAT scored a solid (especially for a non-Disney original toon) $7 million on Friday, as Amazon’s Crime 101 continued the curse of the Chris Hemsworth movie, and Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die opened pretty well by Briarcliff standards....
By Scott Mendelson
News•Feb 13, 2026
Peacock Strikes Gold With Outsized Olympics, Super Bowl Audiences
Peacock recorded its biggest week ever, powered by the Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl. The platform logged 6.3 billion minutes of Olympic streaming, a 60% increase over the 2022 Games, and helped NBCUniversal reach 25.7 million total Olympic viewers, double...
By The Hollywood Reporter (THR)
Social•Feb 14, 2026
Overseas Audiences Expected to Offset Soft NA Opening
A softer-than-hoped opening day in North America will hopefully be of less consequence for ‘Wuthering Heights’ as overseas audiences, who consistently embrace big-deal erotic thrillers and dramas, pick up the slack in the coming weeks. Plus, a quick history on...
By Scott Mendelson
Social•Feb 14, 2026
Briarcliff’s R‑Rated Sci‑Fi Flops Opening, Profit Uncertain
Small distributor #BriarcliffEntertainment’s sees muted reception to its R-rated comedic sci-fi #GoodLuckHaveFunDontDie, which debuted out of Top5 at US #BoxOffice after grossing 1.4M on FRI Opening Day over 1.610 theatres, including 450k THU Previews. With a 20M production price tag not even...
By Luiz Fernando
News•Feb 13, 2026
As Ilia Malinin Skates, the QuadGod Trademark Waits
Ilia Malinin, the 21‑year‑old figure‑skating phenom known as "QuadGod," has one trademark application left – for apparel, costumes and clothing – which is now in a 30‑day public review period. Two earlier requests for skating equipment and entertainment services were...
By Sportico
Social•Feb 14, 2026
A24's PILLION Sees 6‑fold Theater Expansion, $
On the other hand, #A24 is also surfing the #Valentines bonanza at US #BoxOffice, as #HarryLighton’s astonishing steamy romance #PILLION, starring #AlexanderSkarsgård & #HarryMelling expanded from 4 to 24 theatres and grossing SEXY 119k on 2nd limited FRI, STRONG $4.9k...
By Luiz Fernando
Social•Feb 14, 2026
Charli XCX’s Expanded Release Crashes Amid Competition
#CharliXCX suffered friendly fire from… #CharliXCX? Despite expanding from 581 theatres to 1.119 going nationwide yesterday, the #BRAT singer was hit hard by #WutheringHeights’s arrival at US #BoxOffice, as festival darling mockumentary #TheMoment grossed just 126k on 3rd FRI,...
By Luiz Fernando
News•Feb 13, 2026
Broadcasting Center Europe Opens Subsidiary in Hungary
Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE) has launched a new subsidiary, BCE Hungary Kft., in Budapest effective January 2026. The unit will handle playout and ingest operations for RTL Hungary, providing day‑to‑day broadcast continuity and operational monitoring. By situating a dedicated team...
By Broadband TV News
News•Feb 13, 2026
ESPN’s Audiences for College Basketball On Track for Major Growth
ESPN reports a 33% year‑over‑year rise in women’s college basketball viewership, positioning the sport for its strongest season in 17 years, while men’s basketball is up 25% and on track for the best season in 11 years. The network captured...
By TVTechnology
Social•Feb 13, 2026
Creators Must Vet Brands: Brand Safety Is Mutual
"Brand safety goes both ways" is something I've said a lot lately It used to be brands worried about creators as potential liabilities (what if they go rogue or get canceled?!) But with everything that's happening lately, it's just as important for...
By Lia Haberman
Social•Feb 13, 2026
Disney Sues ByteDance over Seedance 2.0 Copyright Breach
Scoop: @Disney today sent a cease and desist letter to @ByteDance over Seedance 2.0 for copyright infringement - Follows swift condemnation from Hollywood advocacy groups such as @motionpictures and Human Artistry Campaign - More on @axios https://t.co/0lpdhJs0GP
By Sara Fischer
News•Feb 13, 2026
God of War, Silent Hill, and More Big Games Are Getting a Much-Welcomed Indie Treatment
PlayStation’s State of Play unveiled new installments for God of War, Silent Hill, Castlevania, and Legacy of Kain, but development has shifted to indie studios such as Mega Cat, Screen Burn Interactive, Motion Twin, and Bit Bot Media. This marks a growing trend where...
By Polygon (Gaming)
Social•Feb 13, 2026
Paramount Skydance Appoints Ex‑Trump Lawyer to Lead Global Policy
Paramount Skydance Hires Former Trump White House Lawyer as Head of Global Public Policy https://t.co/lJBzlAmvzA via @variety
By Todd Spangler
News•Feb 13, 2026
Unrivaled Leans In to NBA Arenas After Making Millions in Philly
Unrivaled, the 3‑on‑3 women’s basketball league, turned a $2 million Philadelphia pop‑up into a springboard for larger NBA‑level venues, moving its March 2 semifinals from Miami to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The Philly stop delivered over $1 million in ticket sales and $400,000...
By Front Office Sports
News•Feb 13, 2026
End of an Era at Unity, Resident Evil Survival Unit's Future and Pokémon's Super Bowl Appearance | Week in Views
Former Unity co‑founder and CEO David Helgason left the company on February 5, 2026, while Bernard Kim was appointed as an independent director on the board. Resident Evil Survival Unit has exceeded 5 million downloads after its global launch, yet players criticize its...
By PocketGamer.biz
Blog•Feb 13, 2026
Blacklyte Reveals Partnership with Six Invitational 2026
Gaming furniture maker Blacklyte has been announced as the official desk and chair sponsor for the Six Invitational 2026, the world championship for Rainbow Six Siege X. Its Athena Pro gaming chair and Atlas Lite desk will be featured on‑stage...
By Esports Insider
News•Feb 13, 2026
‘Have to Pinch Myself’: Chris Berman Marvels at ESPN Getting Super Bowl
ESPN will broadcast its first Super Bowl in February 2027, followed by another in 2031, marking the network’s debut as the sole carrier of the NFL’s marquee event. Veteran sportscaster Chris Berman, a 46‑year ESPN veteran, expressed amazement and confirmed...
By Front Office Sports
News•Feb 13, 2026
Jazz Owner Defends Team After $500,000 Tanking Fine From NBA
The NBA levied a $500,000 fine on the Utah Jazz for benching stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the fourth quarter of two games, deeming the action “conduct detrimental to the league.” Coach Will Hardy defended the move as a minutes‑restriction...
By Front Office Sports
News•Feb 13, 2026
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner Says He Regrets Miramax Acquisition Due to Weinstein’s Behavior
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner told Graham Bensinger that he regrets the 1993 Miramax acquisition after witnessing co‑founder Harvey Weinstein’s abusive behavior. Disney bought Miramax for $70 million and later sold it in 2010 for $660 million, recouping a large profit but...
By The Hollywood Reporter (Business)
News•Feb 13, 2026
Wherever the Event, Pocket Gamer Connects Is All About Business
Pocket Gamer Connects (PGC) has become a business‑centric conference series that delivers tangible outcomes for the global games industry. Since its 2014 launch, the brand has hosted 57 events in 16 cities, attracting 70,000 attendees and scheduling more than 155,000...
By PocketGamer.biz