Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Midwestern Media Dynasty Faces Internal Power Struggle Over Potential Sale
The Block family, owners of the Pittsburgh Post‑Gazette and Toledo Blade, are locked in a feud as twin heirs John Robinson Block and Allan Block clash over the future of Block Communications. John has commissioned a valuation to explore a possible sale, while Allan, the CEO, opposes any transaction, warning he would "destroy" the company.
Also developing:
By the numbers: K‑Love seeks FCC approval to acquire WFCC
Cable One shed 10,900 broadband subscribers in Q4 2025, a smaller decline than the 21,300 lost in Q3, as disconnect rates improved. CFO Todd Koetje cited intense competition from fixed‑wireless and fiber overbuilds and a challenging macro environment. New CEO Jim Holanda is expected to launch mobile bundling and lower pricing to boost the company’s 34.5% penetration rate, now at 999,100 subscribers. Meanwhile, Shentel added 5,385 broadband customers, primarily through its Glo Fiber rollout, and is on track to reach 510,000 fiber passings by year‑end 2026.
French streaming service Qobuz has rolled out a proprietary AI detection system that scans both its existing catalog and new uploads. Tracks identified as 100 % AI‑generated are flagged with visible labels across all Qobuz applications. The move targets the rapid...
TikTok returns to Albania after government-imposed ban Albania has lifted its government-imposed ban on TikTok. The suspension followed the death of a teenage boy, with officials citing online bullying concerns. The Albanian government says TikTok has introduced stronger safety and moderation measures. The platform...
Red Team Games has launched Cards and Castles Ultimate on Android, extending its tactical card‑board franchise to mobile. The third installment blends deck‑building with grid‑based combat, offering seven distinct factions and more than 350 collectible cards. New systems include Draft...
ESPN deployed POVORA’s CapCam and EarCam wearables during the NBA All‑Star Celebrity Game and the Shriner’s Children’s Clearwater Invitational college softball tournament. The CapCam houses a 4K camera, battery, RF transmitter and servo motor inside a cap, offering remote tilt...
Turkey has overhauled its tech incentive framework, consolidating fragmented programs into a single model for mobile‑game studios and software exporters. The new scheme offers up to 25 million TL in marketing subsidies, 50 million TL for digital product promotion, and a 50 %...
#EmeraldFennell felt the impact of #Scream7 monstrous previews, but remains at #1 and only 1M+ grosser among holdovers yesterday at US #BoxOffice, as romance #WutheringHeights starring #MargotRobbie & #JacobElordi grossed a solid 1.1M on 2nd THU, a -53.9% drop from...
Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM) will convert its 94.5 FM frequency from a non‑commercial classical format to a commercial news‑and‑music station after a $2.2 million federal funding cut. NPR programming, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, will shift to 88.7 FM, along...
The TEGNA Board of Directors approved a regular quarterly cash dividend as the company prepares to release its Q4 and full‑year 2025 results. The decision comes while TEGNA and Nexstar Media Group await final regulatory clearance from the FCC and...
Danish media body DPCMO filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the AI giant trained ChatGPT on member publishers’ content without consent. The filing follows a wave of US lawsuits, including actions by The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, US News...
BC.Game topped ESL’s February Annual Incentive standings after its appearance at IEM Kraków 2026, posting the highest average viewership of 569,201 and earning eight Viewership Points. The squad advanced through the Play‑In round, beating Legacy and Ninjas in Pyjamas, but...
Activist fund Irenic Capital Management has lodged an unsolicited takeover offer for Reservoir Media, valuing the Nasdaq‑listed music rights company at $1.1‑$1.2 billion, or $10‑$11 per share. Irenic, which owns roughly 9.2% of Reservoir, triggered a 15% surge in the stock...
Cinema United, the leading exhibitors’ trade group, is ramping up its lobbying campaign against the proposed Paramount‑Warner Bros. merger after Netflix abandoned its $82.7 billion bid. David Ellison’s Skydance‑backed bid to acquire Warner Bros. now hinges on a combined deal that...
Paramount Pictures is banking on the seventh installment of the Scream franchise to deliver a blockbuster opening, projecting a $51 million weekend in North America. The film posted a record $7.8 million from Thursday preview screenings in select markets, despite mixed critical...
The Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Bros. deal can be best understood through four objectives. 1. Buying IP that audiences already love — because nobody builds DC or Harry Potter from scratch. 2. Protecting valuable IP—after this deal closes, Netflix will lose "fat tail"...
The 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas is extending its Sports Summit to a four‑day program, bringing together league executives, broadcasters, streaming platforms and technology partners. Highlighted by a fireside chat with NBC Sports’ Jon Miller, the summit will examine...
Team Liquid and Sunderland AFC announced a strategic partnership to field a joint squad in EA Sports FC’s ePremier League. EA Sports FC players Paulo Neto and Gabriel “Young” Freitas will compete under a co‑branded jersey, representing both entities. The...
Skittle Media, founded in 2024 by Richard and Clare Springham, has carved a profitable niche in pharma‑focused B2B media by concentrating exclusively on paid advertising. The company’s flagship brand, Solli, delivers daily news, thought leadership and on‑demand professional‑development lessons, attracting...
The Traitors Live Experience opened in London’s Covent Garden, selling roughly £2 million in tickets within its first week and beating revenue forecasts. The production was built as a four‑floor, modular set that can be scaled up or down, allowing the...
Netflix has soft‑launched Netflix Playground, a kids‑focused gaming hub, in the Philippines. The ad‑free service is bundled at no extra cost with a standard Netflix subscription and targets preschool‑ and kindergarten‑age children. It offers a suite of minigames featuring familiar...
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D‑NJ) and a Texas Republican introduced a bill to impose a strict timeline, or “shot clock,” on the Federal Communications Commission’s license review process. The legislation aims to curb prolonged delays in approving broadcast and wireless spectrum...
SummitMedia has taken KXSP-AM off the air in Omaha after selling the station’s tower land. The frequency began broadcasting in 1923 as WOAW, later rebranded as WOW, and famously launched Johnny Carson’s career. In 2005 the call letters changed to...
Podtrac has launched its first multi‑channel podcast ranker for January 2026, measuring consumption across audio, video and short‑form clips. Meidas Touch Network’s “The Meidas Touch Podcast” topped the list, driven by strong video podcast and clip views. The “Joe Rogan Experience” placed second...
Triton Digital’s January 2026 U.S. Podcast Ranker shows iHeart’s “Stuff You Should Know” retaining the top spot, followed by Audacy’s “48 Hours.” Salem’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” slipped just one position to #4, maintaining a strong presence among the nation’s...
Beasley Media Group announced that FOX Sports Radio’s "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" will join the weekday lineup on WJBR‑AM 1010 in Tampa, airing from noon to 3 p.m. ET. The show will also be simulcast on 92.1 FM in Hillsborough County, 103.1 FM...
Spotify announced the launch of weekly Audiobook Charts in the United States and United Kingdom, mirroring its Music and Podcast rankings. The charts, which rank titles by listening behavior and engagement, are visible to both free and premium users within...
CBS reported that the "Survivor 50" premiere on February 25, 2026 attracted an average 5.06 million viewers, making it the network’s most‑watched Wednesday night since 2022. The episode outperformed NBC by 81 % and peaked at 6.18 million viewers, retaining at least 90 % of its audience...
Sierra H Multimedia announced the launch of Sunny 104.3 (KAJM), a Soft Adult Contemporary station, marking its third property in the Phoenix market. To accommodate the new frequency, the existing Mega 104.3 format will move to 99.3 FM while retaining its on‑air talent...
MOUZ has extended its strategic partnership with gaming hardware leader Razer for an additional two years, marking the longest‑standing collaboration in the German organization’s history. The renewal emphasizes joint local engagement initiatives, leveraging both companies’ Hamburg headquarters for smoother operations....
Frank Poe, former general counsel at Creators Entertainment, launched Poe Law PLLC in December 2023 to provide dedicated legal services for the rapidly expanding creator economy. His firm represents agencies, managers, creators, and brands, focusing on influencer contracts, payment structures,...
New York Fashion Week FW26 generated $275 million in total media value, a 73 % increase year‑over‑year. Calvin Klein led with $81.3 million, followed by Ralph Lauren ($58.4 million) and Michael Kors ($56.7 million). Their success stemmed from distinct tactics: APAC‑focused celebrity partnerships for Calvin Klein,...
🚨 NEW 🚨 Threads now supports rich link previews for podcast video clips, making it easier for creators to drive viewers from short clips to full episodes. Podcast creators can upload a video clip and add a link that directs audiences...
Warner Town Hall: Management sounds shell shocked about the Paramount deal. Do they really want to sell? https://t.co/XWnrLMB7zM
Primary Wave is in advanced talks to acquire Kobalt Music Group, with a potential valuation north of $1.5 billion—roughly double the price paid by private‑equity owner Francisco Partners in 2022. The deal would merge Primary Wave’s $6 billion catalog portfolio with Kobalt’s...
Paramount, Warner Bros deal would unite film, news and social media forces in the age of Trump My analysis for NPR: https://t.co/zsdkP7wB8K
Anderson, cooped. Jake, tapped. Erin, burnt. Kasie, hunted. Wolf, blitzed. Fears are running high among CNN staff after parent company Warner cleared the way for a sale to Paramount, which has been a shaky custodian of its own journalism assets https://t.co/c3LvI7HQXl
Oxford Road, a podcast advertising agency, has launched the Independent Podcast and Creator Awards to spotlight independent shows that operate outside major audio platforms. The inaugural ceremony, hosted by rapper Killer Mike, will take place at SXSW in Austin on...
CNN Staffers Fear Warner Bros.-Paramount Deal Will Hurt Their Journalism and Network’s Financial Health https://t.co/c3LvI7Hj7N via @variety
AT&T paid $85.4B for Warner Bros. and failed to create value. Disney paid $71.3B for Fox and has struggled to consistently wring value out of it. Discovery paid $43B for Warner Bros. and failed to create value. Paramount will pay $111B...
David Ellison secured a $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., beating Netflix’s $82 billion bid. The deal, financed by a consortium that includes Saudi and Qatari sovereign funds, gives him control of a studio with a $71 billion market cap and a portfolio...
Who really won in Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Discovery? Plus new details on the mountain of debt awaiting the Ellisons. My debate with Bill Cohan @PuckNews ⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/xl4sfxLQQD
California legislators could hit back at the Warner-Paramount deal by passing a strong state level merger law.
Australian TV veteran Karl Stefanovic launched an independent podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show, which surged to No. 2 on Apple Podcasts overall and topped the news category within four weeks. The series quickly amassed over 50,000 YouTube subscribers and its right‑wing...
#AmazonMGM is full on their iconic video game adaptations era, releasing our first look at the #GodofWar streaming series, unveiling a still of #Kratos and #Atreus, to announce that production of the series based on the popular game has officially...
Nuance and Depth are Paramount to Understanding this Story ... @crupicrupicrupi Delivers. See What I did There? Netflix Says No to Warner Bros. After Price War, Beltway Concerns: https://t.co/Yhskq9nksa via @sportico
Bandcamp has introduced dedicated publishing‑rights fields on its track and album upload pages, allowing artists to enter songwriter, publisher and ISWC information. The platform also offers bulk‑edit tools for retrofitting existing catalogs and a free guide to navigate collection societies....
The Ellisons nab Warner and CNN in the biggest leveraged buy-out in history. Who's going to run it? https://t.co/KOQeZ3NQTy
If you need something to look forward to, remember that Warner Bros. is Cootie Corp. It poisons all who swallow it: Time Inc. AOL, AT&T, Discovery. The only question is how long it will take the Warner curse--and debt--to kill...
Netflix has withdrawn its $83 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets, paving the way for Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion hostile offer, which the board has deemed superior. Paramount’s proposal, backed by Larry Ellison, now awaits regulatory clearance...
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (HKDL) has woven ESG into its operations, showcasing solar energy, water reuse, waste reduction, and community programs. The resort’s 200 kW solar canopy now expands to over 8,300 panels, expected to power roughly 1,200 households by 2026....
