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EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
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:
Slovak pay‑TV platform Plustelka will migrate its second multiplex to the DVB‑T2 standard on April 14, 2026. The upgrade is part of a broader DTT modernization aimed at improving picture quality and freeing spectrum for new services. Viewers must retune their televisions or set‑top boxes, or risk losing channels such as TA3, JOJ Plus, JOJ Krimi and Sport 2. Plustelka assures that the channel lineup and pricing will stay the same after the transition.
The week’s game‑industry roundup highlighted several positive developments amid otherwise low expectations. Netflix rolled out Playground, a child‑focused, ad‑free gaming app, and its Game Controller app briefly topped the U.S. iOS free‑app chart. Indie studios Black Tabby Games and Landfall...
Fox News dominated cable news viewership during the week of March 30, 2026, capturing 4 million viewers for the Artemis II launch and 6.654 million for President Donald Trump’s primetime address. The network’s primetime average rose 4% week‑over‑week to 2.763 million total viewers and 16% in...
Neople, a Nexon subsidiary, announced a reorganization of its development teams as The First Berserker: Khazan moves into its final phase. The company emphasized that the shift is a strategic reallocation of talent, not a layoff, and will support live‑service...
Host Broadcast Services (HBS), the production arm behind the 2026 FIFA World Cup, announced that CEO Dan Miodownik and COO Luc‑Antoine Charial will leave their roles on September 30, 2026. Both executives have led HBS since 2018, overseeing coverage of...
Netflix and Amazon are nudging their flagship streaming plans up to just under $20 a month, widening the price gap between ad‑free and ad‑supported tiers. The moves aim to coax price‑sensitive subscribers onto ad‑supported plans, bolstering CTV inventory and CPM...
![[Industry News] GAMED Is the First Unified Identity and Monetization Layer for Gamers](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2026-04-10-091441.jpg)
GAMED, powered by Dizzaract, launched a unified identity and monetization platform for gamers, consolidating data from multiple gaming ecosystems into a single dashboard. The service follows a Telegram MVP that attracted over 900,000 users and tracked roughly $15 million in in‑game...
![[Guest Post] Chris Rowe: Co-Dev Without the Culture Clash](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/Chris-Rowe-portrait-Copy.png)
Chris Rowe argues that AAA studios can avoid costly culture clashes by keeping a small, high‑performing core team and scaling through phased co‑development rather than bulk hiring. He recommends building a solid prototype over 6‑12 months, then adding external specialists...
This week streaming platforms embraced AI and new partnerships while facing legal scrutiny. Tubi launched a ChatGPT‑native app, and Microsoft deepened its agentic‑marketing tie‑up with Publicis, signaling automated ad buying. CNN International Commercial announced an in‑house AI‑driven media‑trading infrastructure slated...
In this episode of This Old Marketing, hosts Joe Polizzi and Robert Rose imagine building a media company from scratch in 2026 with no audience, brand, or team. They explore which formats—newsletters, podcasts, or other digital content—offer the best path...
A weekly roundup highlighted nine standout ad campaigns ranging from fashion‑tech collaborations to sports league celebrations. Notable spots include Zendaya fronting On’s “Shape of Dreams,” Coca‑Cola’s refreshed “Hilltop” anthem for the America 250 project, and Wise’s tongue‑in‑cheek critique of legacy banks....
Audible has appointed Australian former NRL player and podcast host Luke Bateman as its new ambassador to drive audiobook adoption among Gen Z, especially young men. Bateman will front launches, events and social‑first content that showcase titles like Andy Weir’s *Project Hail Mary*. The initiative...
Netflix’s animated feature *KPop Demon Hunters* sparked its largest consumer‑brand partnership to date, teaming with McDonald’s on themed meals that drove roughly $100 million in sales within the first days. The movie amassed 569 million global Netflix views and 20.5 billion U.S. streaming...
The upcoming TV upfront season will be dominated by performance measurement as advertisers push for outcome‑based analytics, spurred by Nielsen’s delayed integration of the DASH TV Universe Study and a recent dip in reported streaming viewership. At IAB NewFronts, Tubi...
OpenAI quietly rolled out a self‑serve ads manager last week, giving a limited group of advertisers real‑time control over impressions, clicks and spend. The pilot’s entry barrier was cut from $250,000 to $50,000, and the platform charges a $60 CPM...
Major advertisers such as Pfizer are moving SEO and AI discoverability functions in‑house, creating dedicated internal search hubs. Pfizer assembled its team in just 60 days, adding former agency talent, while peers like Georgia Pacific, U.S. Bank, Adobe and T‑Mobile have...
Ray‑Ban has appointed Blackpink’s Jennie Kim as its global brand ambassador, pairing the partnership with a six‑piece capsule collection. The line blends iconic silhouettes like the Daddy‑O and Alix with pieces from the brand’s Asian Design collection, featuring low‑bridge fits...
Meta announced it will remove all advertisements posted by attorneys seeking to recruit plaintiffs for social‑media addiction lawsuits. The decision comes after the company lost two high‑profile cases—one over sexual predators on Instagram and another involving alleged addiction harms. Meta...
Gong cha has launched a new global brand platform fronted by Stray Kids member Felix, developed by Jung von Matt HANGANG. The campaign shifts the tea brand from an occasional treat to an everyday lifestyle vibe, targeting 18‑34‑year‑old female consumers. It emphasizes customization through a...
The episode spotlights the new track “WX1” by hip‑hop duo Church & AP, created for an Auckland Transport advertising campaign. The hosts break down the song’s lyrical references to local landmarks, bus routes, and the city’s transport infrastructure, highlighting how...
Angry Robot announced it has signed a publishing deal for S Hati’s time‑travel romantasy novel "The Carousel of Forgotten Places," expanding the imprint’s catalog of speculative fiction. The move reflects growing publisher interest in genre‑blending titles that combine romance, sci‑fi, and...
OpenAI announced that it expects to generate $2.5 billion in advertising revenue in 2026 and to scale that figure to $100 billion by 2030. The forecast rests on a user base of roughly 2.75 billion people by the end of the decade. Achieving...
OpenAI announced the acquisition of the Technology Business Programming Network (TBPN), a niche streaming talk show with 345,000 X followers and 74,000 YouTube subscribers. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, is framed as a move to shape public...
The U.S. Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into the National Football League’s broadcast and streaming practices, alleging possible anti‑competitive tactics that may be inflating fan costs. Consumers complain they must juggle multiple subscriptions to watch all desired games,...
Sling TV introduced a new $20 per month "Sling Essentials" package that bundles ESPN, ESPN2 and more than a dozen family and classic channels, including Disney Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. The offering pulls content from the existing Sling...
AMC Global Media, operating under the Shudder brand, secured domestic streaming rights to HBO’s classic horror anthology “Tales from the Crypt.” The series will launch on Shudder on May 1, marking its first appearance on any streaming platform. All seven seasons...
Australian Community Media (ACM) reported a 30 million‑AUD (≈20 million‑USD) revenue decline to 214 million AUD and a net after‑tax loss of 7.9 million AUD (≈5.2 million‑USD) for FY2025, up from a 2.5 million‑AUD loss the prior year. The drop was driven by a 13 million‑AUD (≈8.6 million‑USD) fall in...
Disney+ has committed to three additional seasons of the Emmy‑winning docuseries *Welcome to Wrexham*, extending the show to an eighth season that will run through 2029. The renewal arrives as season five, which chronicles Wrexham AFC’s unprecedented chase for Premier...
Acast, the Swedish‑founded podcast network, has secured the return of Abbie Chatfield’s “It’s A Lot” podcast and highlighted a surge in “authentic integration” where ads extend beyond audio to social and video platforms. The company leverages its global footprint in...
Caving to the blandishments of pay-TV providers destroyed by cord cutting isn't leadership. If government won’t allow the private sector to rationalize local TV stations squeezed by the Big Four broadcast networks and Big Tech, it is guaranteed that a...
YouTube has quietly raised Premium prices again in the US ✅ Details - https://t.co/weytAqTLSb https://t.co/0jq7I4sNSb
Grammy‑winning superstar Cardi B announced the Little Miss Drama Tour, her first headline arena run in six years, to promote her forthcoming second album Am I The Drama?. The 30‑plus‑date North American leg kicks off at State Farm Arena in...
BRANDNEW MUSIC shares that AB6IX's group activities will take a "temporary hiatus" after their May 23-24 concerts BNM says "We are currently engaged in in-depth discussions with the members regarding contract renewals and we will fully respect and support each member’s...
Why the DOJ Investigation of NFL TV Deals May Just Be Bravado https://t.co/Xg4GQNDyc1 via @sportico @McCannSportsLaw
The Michael Jackson biopic, titled "Michael," released its first trailer and confirmed a simultaneous worldwide launch on April 24. Starring the pop star’s nephew Jaafar Jackson and produced by his son Prince Michael Jackson, the film has been re‑edited to...
Oh no! In my April news video, I said I hoped YouTube Premium wouldn't be next for a price hike. Now it's happened. $15.99/month for Premium; $8.99/month for Premium Lite and $26.99/month for the Family plan. https://t.co/IMbFeWK0pf
Correct. Now think through the next steps. We're taking the full Guns N' Roses catalog on a worldwide tour. 🇺🇸
Disney announced plans to eliminate roughly 1,000 marketing positions, representing under 1% of its 231,000‑strong workforce. The cuts are part of a broader restructuring led by a new chief marketing officer under the internal "Project Imagine" initiative, and come as...
Spotify gets hundreds of thousands of pitches a week. Here's how to make yours stand out. https://t.co/x4oWfIVR3s
I’ll be at The Long Play SF next Tuesday speaking with @pkafka on how I’m continuing to set-up Blumhouse to thrive in a time of shifting consumer behaviors. Register here: https://t.co/bMWAWiAX3R https://t.co/bwhQ1XaWpE
The Writers Guild of America reached a tentative agreement with the major studios, injecting $321 million into its health plan while raising deductibles and premiums. The contract shifts from the traditional three‑year cycle to a four‑year bargaining period and includes modest...
Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) has signed a multiyear agreement with Great American Media (GAM) to provide managed channel origination, playout and transmission services via the Comcast MediaOrigination platform. The partnership will cover GAM's linear channels, including Great American Family and...
Liza Burnett Fefferman, former EVP of Communications at Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, has been hired as Anonymous Content’s inaugural Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, a role created to centralize the studio’s messaging and brand strategy. Telecom provider TDS announced a slate of...
Cable and media executives surveyed by CFX in Q1 2026 reveal AI is being adopted primarily to boost operational efficiency, with 32% citing performance gains as the top driver. Cost reduction follows at 21%, while only 9% view AI as a...
The Digital Equity Los Angeles Coalition (DELAC) has been granted party status in the California Public Utilities Commission’s review of the proposed $34.5 billion merger between Charter Communications and Cox Communications. DELAC argues the merger lacks enforceable commitments to low‑income broadband,...
A federal judge has extended the temporary restraining order blocking Nexstar's acquisition of Tegna until April 17, 6 pm PT, citing the need to preserve the status quo and prevent irreparable harm. The order reinforces earlier findings that there is no...
Fox Corporation filed a public comment with the FCC urging regulators to extend the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act protections to streaming platforms, arguing that pay‑walled services threaten free over‑the‑air sports and local news. The move comes as broadcast sports inventories...
Disney Promotes April Carretta to EVP of Communications, Exec to Lead PR for Dana Walden https://t.co/wy9hbwI6GF
Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds have fronted a new advertising spot for the BONDS Flying Roos, co‑owned by the duo, in partnership with work‑management platform monday.com. The campaign, released ahead of the SailGP Rio Grand Prix on April...
#CBS has picked up comedy pilot #EternallyYours and is passing on #TheTillbrooks. Eternally Yours is single-cam & from CBS Studios; The Tillbrooks is multicam & from WB. Eternally Yours is a vampire comedy, which is believed to couple well with...
