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Nexstar's $6.2B TEGNA Deal Faces New Legal Hurdle
A U.S. District Judge extended a temporary restraining order by a week, delaying a ruling on a potential permanent injunction that could block Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion acquisition of TEGNA. The deal, already cleared by the FCC and DOJ, faces lawsuits from DIRECTV and a coalition of eight state attorneys general alleging antitrust concerns.
Also developing:
Grass Valley is using the NAB Show in Las Vegas to demonstrate a growing suite of AMPP Alliance integrations that connect best‑of‑breed tools across live production, graphics, automation and transport. The open‑by‑design AMPP platform leverages public SDKs and the Media eXchange Layer (MXL) to let partners such as Digital Joy, Telestream, Motion Impossible and TVU operate within a single compute environment. New capabilities include NDI 6.3, native Dante audio, AI‑Media real‑time captioning and FinOps cost visibility. Grass Valley says the approach reduces duplicated infrastructure, speeds deployment and simplifies hybrid workflows for broadcasters.
Stereo 93 Inc. is selling Fort Smith’s KISR‑FM 93.7 to Pearson Broadcasting of Northwest Arkansas for $1.235 million, with a $65,000 escrow deposit and the balance due in cash at closing. Pearson, which operates the ESPN Arkansas sports network, is expected to convert the frequency...
CBS has ordered "Eternally Yours," a vampire‑centered comedy from the creators of the hit series Ghost. The show follows a 500‑year‑old vampire couple whose marriage has gone stale until their daughter’s human boyfriend shakes things up. Starring Ed Weeks, Allegra...
Resorts World Las Vegas is deploying Ordr Technologies' AI‑enabled point‑of‑sale platform at its Zouk Nightclub and Ayu Dayclub venues. The system consolidates purchase, payment processing, fees, consumer protections, and guest marketing into a single transaction flow while generating data‑driven guest...
Bungie’s live‑service shooter Marathon, built on an estimated $250 M USD development budget, is seeing a dramatic 68% drop in Steam concurrent users within a month, falling from a peak of 144,000 to just over 20,000. Revenue estimates suggest the game...
Futuresource Consulting reports that global streaming video‑on‑demand (SVOD) subscriptions have reached 2.2 billion, generating roughly $150 billion in consumer spending. The firm projects 2.6 billion subscribers by 2030, driven more by pricing discipline, bundling, distribution partnerships and strategic content investment than by pure...
Universal will shift two high‑profile titles, *The Black Phone 2* and *Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie*, to Netflix US in May 2026 after four‑month Peacock runs. Each film will enjoy a 10‑month exclusive streaming window before returning to Peacock for the final...
MotoAmerica Superbike will air on Vice TV beginning April 18‑19, 2026, marking the series’ 50th anniversary. The partnership with V10 Entertainment brings nine Superbike rounds and a total of 20 races to the network, reaching an estimated 40 million U.S. households....
Hearst Television’s NBC affiliate WVTM in Birmingham is adding the Steve Harvey‑hosted *Family Feud* to its weekday lineup beginning Sept. 7. The game show will air at 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., sandwiched between a refreshed midday block featuring Tamron Hall, NBC...
The article reminds prospective authors that agent calls are two‑way conversations. While writers often bring checklists of questions for agents, agents also probe authors about their career goals, work habits, and expectations for representation. The piece outlines common topics agents...
Wurl’s EMEA general manager Keith Bedford told the Inside the Stream podcast that free‑ad‑supported streaming TV (FAST) offers a sizable, untapped opportunity for live sports. He highlighted early success stories where European broadcasters and sports rights holders have launched FAST...
Nippon Ichi Software has joined the Gamemide digital‑key store, allowing Japanese gamers to buy Steam activation codes for titles such as Disgaea 7, Classic Dungeon X3 and Yomawari 3. Each game is priced between ¥4,378 and ¥7,920 (approximately $29‑$53) and comes with...
d&b solutions has partnered with Pixotope Technologies to integrate the latter’s Unreal Engine‑based virtual production software into its broadcast and corporate AV portfolio, with offerings slated for launch in Q2 2026. Pixotope’s platform, already used on events such as the Super...
Indonesia’s House of Representatives Commission VII is weighing a mandatory screen‑quota law to guarantee exhibition time for locally produced movies amid concerns that foreign blockbusters dominate cinema schedules. The proposal has split the industry: independent producers argue quotas would give...
YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Subscription Prices Are Going Up in the U.S. https://t.co/uOQv05VFDo via @variety
Does YouTube realize that the way to get people to *stop* using ad blockers is to make Premium subscriptions *cheaper*? https://t.co/X0ul6PjsvP
Jack White has expanded his 2026 world tour with a slate of new North American and European concerts, adding multiple nights at Brooklyn Paramount, Hollywood Palladium and a two‑night finale in Atlanta. The extension also secures a surprise Saturday‑afternoon main‑stage...
Acquired, the business‑history podcast hosted by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal, limits itself to eight deep‑dive episodes a year, a scarcity strategy that has enabled it to command presenting sponsorships up to $6.5 million through Fall 2029. Each episode attracts over one...
Jesse “Jesser” Riedel has created JesserCo, a parent company that will house his existing ventures, including Jesser Media and the basketball‑lifestyle apparel brand Bucketsquad. The 27‑year‑old will stay founder while Zach Miller, former Bucketsquad president, becomes JesserCo’s president. Jesser Media...
Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming biopic Michael, starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, opens on April 24, 2026 with a $155 million production budget. Fuqua’s five highest‑grossing films range from King Arthur’s $203.6 million worldwide take to The Equalizer’s $192.3 million, but the...
Cumulus Media disclosed its FY 2025 results, revealing a 10.3% drop in total revenue to $741.7 million and a net loss of $200.7 million, which improved 29% versus the prior year but remains sizable. In the fourth quarter, revenue fell 14% to $188.07 million...
Thai Randolph, former CEO of Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat, announced the launch of NILE & Co., a content and commerce platform for cultural creators. The new venture has already purchased BuzzFeed’s As/Is and Goodful brands, signaling an aggressive growth strategy for...
MultiDyne will unveil two fiber‑optic transport solutions at NAB 2026: the FiberSaver‑10G multiplexer, which consolidates multiple 10 Gbps streams onto a single fiber with up to 94% fiber savings, and the VF‑9100 platform, the next‑gen version of its VF‑9000 with a RESTful...
Cumulus Media reported a 14% drop in Q4 2025 net revenue to $188 million and a 10.3% decline for the full year, ending 2025 with $741.6 million in revenue. Broadcast revenue fell 22.2% to $116.2 million, while digital revenue slipped 1.9% to $151.3 million....
PepsiCo revived its Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle Cheetos as a permanent SKU after it became the fastest‑selling limited‑edition flavor in brand history. To celebrate the comeback, the company and agency Gut Miami produced a four‑minute music video titled “Pickle’s Back,”...
Amazon Prime Video will air four hours of exclusive Masters coverage this spring, marking the first streaming foray into the traditionally broadcast‑only tournament. CBS Sports, which has aired the Masters for 71 consecutive years, retains the bulk of the live...
Six Flags disclosed a $1.5 billion non‑cash write‑down after an accounting test revealed that Magic Mountain’s goodwill was overstated by $533.7 million. The impairment also hit other parks, trimming the trade‑name value by $169.3 million, roughly a 20% decline. The adjustments stem from...
IAAPA’s 2025 Middle East & Africa Economic Impact Study reveals that attractions in the region logged 738 million visits in 2024 and generated $19.2 billion in direct revenue, supporting over 520,000 jobs. Including indirect and induced effects, the total economic contribution rose...
YouTube Premium announced a U.S. price increase across all tiers effective next month. The individual plan climbs to $15.99 per month, the family plan to $26.99, and the student plan to $8.99. Annual subscriptions rise to $159.99, while the company...
Will be important to distinguish marketing shifts from actual on the ground changes with Xbox. So far there's every indication this is the same post-platform future the company's been teasing, just with more buying from the community. https://t.co/ReCIHue4iz
Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) dedicated a special episode of its newly launched Indian version of Wheel of Fortune to its distribution partners, inviting them onto the set as audience members and contestants. Hosted by Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, the...
Movistar Plus+ has expanded its basketball coverage through a new agreement with streaming service DAZN, offering two Liga Endesa games per matchday to all of its subscribers. Full league coverage remains on DAZN Basketball for dedicated sports packages, while the...
Futuresource Consulting reports that the global subscription video‑on‑demand (SVOD) market has reached 2.2 billion subscribers and is expected to climb to 2.6 billion by 2030. As major territories near saturation, growth is becoming incremental, pushing platforms to prioritize pricing strategies, bundling, distribution...
Tickets9 has launched a Venue Partner Programme that pays UK venues a 12% share of every resold ticket’s value, delivered instantly via PayPal and without platform fees or contracts. The scheme also grants venues full buyer contact data for each...
CNN names Alex MacCallum chief operating officer, a move that appears to boost an exec known for her digital expertise over colleagues who specialize in more traditional journalism.... https://t.co/osNbVzRd7t via @variety
Encompass Digital Media has expanded its Riga, Latvia master control room, boosting capacity to handle more than 1,500 hours of live sports each month. The upgraded facility now oversees 277 channels for 22 broadcasters across Europe, Asia and the United States....
Nickerson has been appointed agency of record for Smartify Media, a digital‑out‑of‑home network that specializes in digital windows and retail displays. The firm will drive integrated marketing and communications to accelerate Smartify’s growth in the commercial‑real‑estate sector. In parallel, Meyocks...
France’s new national DTT channel NOVO19, owned by Sipa Ouest France, relies on Capta Prod’s remote production hub in Nantes for its news and live programming. Capta Center operates a fully mirrored A/B architecture across Nantes and Paris, using Blackmagic...
Steven Wilson launched Headphone Dust, a high‑resolution digital platform that sells "virtual Blu‑ray" albums as a single downloadable bundle rather than streaming. The service delivers Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround, hi‑res stereo, binaural mixes, visuals and PDFs in an MKV file,...
The civil antitrust trial against Live Nation and its ticketing arm Ticketmaster concluded in New York, and a jury began deliberations on April 10. The case, pursued by 34 states after the Department of Justice withdrew, alleges the companies abused...
Roku is refocusing its strategy on monetizing existing users abroad, rolling out ad platforms and premium subscriptions in Mexico, Canada and Brazil. The company expects its global streaming household base to exceed 100 million by 2026, supporting a projected $5.5 billion revenue...
Zynga has soft‑launched a free‑to‑play Borderlands mobile shooter on iOS in the United States, with Gearbox providing creative guidance. The limited‑time test aims to gauge player response before a wider rollout, highlighting the growing trend of bringing core console franchises...
Black filmmaker Nina Lee says studios are refusing to buy her completed rom‑com until they see how the upcoming Will Packer‑produced "You, Me & Tuscany" performs, despite evidence that Black‑led films are profitable. The film is projected to earn $12‑15 million...
Premium brands are pouring tens of millions into Coachella 2026, staging exclusive parties, pop‑ups and high‑end VIP experiences to capture Gen Z attention. Companies such as Guess, Rivian, Soho House and Ciroc are offering everything from luxury villas and IV drips to...
OnMic, the Vietnam‑based social‑audio startup that rode the pandemic wave, has shut down, underscoring the difficulty of turning fleeting user enthusiasm into a sustainable business. The platform attracted Gen Z micro‑communities during COVID‑19 but lacked a clear monetisation strategy and...
Advertising giant WPP has hired Anne‑Isabelle Choueiri, formerly SVP of transformation at Estée Lauder, as its chief transformation officer. Reporting to CEO Cindy Rose, she will lead the execution of the three‑year “Elevate28” turnaround plan aimed at returning the company...
Matt Stockman, Pillar Media’s brand director, highlighted research showing radio playlists closely resemble streaming habits, with listeners maintaining roughly 66 active titles and 5‑15 core artists. He warned that shrinking panel sizes in streaming research distort chart data, contrasting Nielsen’s...
Radio Ink’s April issue spotlights the people shaping radio’s future, from multicultural growth to policy advocacy. The cover story features MediaCo CRO Brian Fisher outlining a market‑by‑market strategy to build a national network anchored in multicultural broadcasting. The magazine also...
A Katz Radio Group case study of 600 auto‑insurance decision‑makers found that 77% would consider a new insurer after hearing a radio campaign. The research shows 82% of the 25‑54 target audience tunes AM/FM radio weekly, giving advertisers consistent reach...
Google removed the popular visual novel Doki Doki Literature Club (DDLC) from its Play Store on April 8, citing violations of its terms of service related to the game’s depiction of sensitive themes. The indie title, originally launched on PC in...
