Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Block family power struggle threatens sale of Pittsburgh Post‑Gazette empire
Twin heirs John Robinson Block and Allan Block are locked in a battle over the future of Block Communications. John has ordered a valuation to explore a possible sale, while Allan, the current CEO, says any transaction would destroy the family legacy.
Publishers face mounting pressure as AI developers scrape copyrighted material to train large language models. At the Definitive AI Forum in London, leaders from The Guardian, Alvarez & Marsal, and the PPA argued that no single solution exists, but collective action, strategic licensing, and stronger regulation can protect their interests. The panel highlighted ongoing class‑action lawsuits—over 50 cases worldwide—and existing licensing bodies such as the PLS and CLA as pathways to monetize AI use. They also warned that without statutory backing, technical blocks and voluntary agreements will have limited impact.
Comcast Business is again partnering with NBCUniversal to provide the backbone network for three marquee February events: Super Bowl LVII, the 2026 Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics, and the 2026 NBA All‑Star Game. The company will deliver dedicated, high‑capacity fiber connections linking...
Rain the Growth partnered with Spectrum Reach to leverage show‑level metadata for CTV placements during March Madness, delivering the agency’s highest response rate of the quarter. Using Nielsen Gracenote’s TMS IDs, the partnership identified exact game, recap and related content...
Michael Kassan’s 3C Ventures (3CV) posted $50 million in revenue within its first 15 months, surpassing early targets. About 35% of that income stems from multi‑stage, seven‑figure transformation projects for Fortune 500 clients such as Delta, JPMorgan Chase, AutoNation and Qualcomm. The firm...
LALIGA and Telefónica Audiovisual Digital secured precautionary court orders from Spain’s Commercial Court No. 1 in Córdoba against NordVPN and ProtonVPN. The rulings compel the VPN providers to block IP addresses linked to illegal streaming of protected football matches within Spain,...
A lot of music producers are one email away from a sync placement but keep moving the goal post Stick to something
Fun fact, I’ve spent over $1,000,000 recently on 3rd party compliance teams to be on set and verify Beast Games/MrBeast videos arnt rigged. They verify EVERY elimination to ensure my team didn’t interfered, make sure we don’t change rules to...
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has struck a partnership with Warner Bros Discovery to apply official BBFC age ratings and content advice to every title on HBO Max when the service launches in the UK on 26 March 2026. The BBFC will produce...
Simon Owens discusses why every news outlet should launch a video podcast, highlighting The Guardian’s new daily video show as a model. He argues that video podcasts are a low‑cost way to repurpose text journalism, build journalists’ personal brands, and...
I remember when I was posting AI video threads 2 years ago and talking about how AI video would disrupt Hollywood. So many people couldn’t see beyond the early versions. And still, people probably see this and aren’t realizing what comes...
More than half of Portugal’s adult population (53.3%, 4.6 million people) streamed video between September and December 2025, setting a new national record and adding 107 000 users year‑over‑year. Daily or near‑daily usage rose to 41.7% of viewers, while subscription penetration climbed to...
Warner Bros. Discovery announced that HBO Max will launch as a direct‑to‑consumer streaming service in New Zealand in mid‑2026. The rollout follows the service’s 2025 debut in Australia and recent launches in Germany, Italy, and the upcoming UK/Ireland launch. HBO Max...
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...
Round is hiring an Account Manager for its Influencer Marketing team in London, targeting music and entertainment clients. The role involves leading creator campaigns on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts while managing client relationships and presenting strategic decks. Candidates...
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...
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...
Disney sent a cease-and-desist to #Seedance over AI clips of Brad Pitt vs Tom Cruise. They are treating this as a copyright problem. It is not. Gaming's modding economics are coming to video—and half-measures will not stop it. https://t.co/OyzvSOwB7d https://t.co/fgCZBrnrNV
Apple Podcasts Is Launching New Video Features, Looking to Keep Pace With YouTube and Spotify https://t.co/mnCRH7Q9Bu
iSpot launched iSpot SAGE, an agentic AI platform that leverages its proprietary TV ad measurement data to deliver actionable insights. The system runs on NVIDIA AI servers and was built over two years with input from brands like General Motors...
CP Communications supplied the full‑scale broadcast communications backbone for NBC and Telemundo’s Super Bowl LX coverage, deploying an HD21 mobile unit, a private wireless network, and extensive intercom infrastructure. The company positioned nine radios across Levi’s Stadium, linked 64 Dante and...
Alexander Group, a revenue‑growth management consultancy, argues that attracting top talent in media sales requires a purpose‑driven culture. The firm highlights that the modern account executive must possess advanced technological skills that younger professionals naturally bring. By linking mission‑focused values...
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...
Adam R. Jacobson, editor‑in‑chief of RBR+TVBR, visited the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) headquarters on February 11, a day after the Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the national TV‑ownership reach cap. In the InFOCUS Video Podcast, he recaps key moments from...
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...
A broadcast group based in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, led by Bill Curtis (legal name William C. Gleich) and Tim Sabean, has operated 11 radio stations acquired from Northern Star Broadcasting for more than 15 years. The duo now confronts...
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...
The UK Parliament’s Women & Equalities Committee is pressing the government to extend the Employment Rights Act’s ban on non‑disclosure agreements (NDAs) to freelancers in the music sector. While the Act now voids NDAs that silence employees reporting harassment, it...
Spotify announced it is building a proprietary music‑generation AI platform that can produce remixes, covers, and other derivative works. The company has provided no details on the recordings or datasets used to train the models, leaving open the possibility that...
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...
PC Building Simulator 2, originally released for PC in October 2022, will launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles on February 26, 2026. The announcement comes from Epic Games Publishing and developer Spiral House. The game brings its detailed PC‑building career and free‑build modes...
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...
The Federal Communications Commission will discuss a Media Bureau proposal at its February open meeting to create new non‑commercial FM translator authorizations. Translators rebroadcast existing stations, extending coverage into underserved areas. The agenda item targets both religious and secular non‑commercial...
In September 2024 Cowboy Broadcasting Network announced the acquisition of KRXT‑FM, a 6 kW Class A station serving Rockdale, Texas. Stephen Laukhuf is now buying Jim Schwertner’s 50 % ownership for $262,844.09, with $225,844.09 already paid and the remaining $37,000 due by April 1,...
The Atlanta Braves have expanded their spring‑training partnership with Gray Media, adding 15 games to the broadcast lineup on WANF‑46 and WPCH‑17. The coverage will also be distributed free over‑the‑air to 26 Southeast markets within the Braves’ MLB territory. A...
Hoyoverse postponed Honkai: Star Rail’s major 4.0 update by two weeks. The official notice cited “better experience,” but no further details were given. Fans and leakers argue the delay aims to strip Japanese‑inspired elements after rising China‑Japan tensions. The move...
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...
Embracer Group reported a 26% year‑on‑year drop in net sales to SEK 11.9 billion ($1.3 billion) for the nine months ending December 31, 2025, with mobile revenues plunging 63% and PC/console sales down 22%. Despite the overall decline, CEO Phil Rogers called Q3 a “clear...
Microsoft’s February 2026 Xbox sale slashes prices on two Game Pass titles that are set to leave the service on February 28. Middle‑earth: Shadow of War Definitive Edition is 85 % off at $5.99, while Injustice 2 Legendary Edition is 90 % off at $5.99, both...
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...
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...
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...
Last week the streaming sector saw major consolidation and pricing shifts. Bell Media announced the CTV app will shut down in 2026, moving its library to the Crave platform to create a unified Canadian hub. AMC+ disclosed its ad‑free tier...
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
Orange is quietly testing the market for a sale of its video‑security subsidiary Viaccess‑Orca, appointing Oddo BHF to identify potential buyers. The move follows a similar exploratory process for its broadcast services arm Globecast and reflects a broader effort to streamline...
Venture capital firm Hiro Capital launched its advisory arm to guide fragmented game studios, recently steering The Chinese Room and Bulkhead Interactive out of Tencent‑owned entities toward independent UK/EU ownership. The firm argues that Europe’s talent, lower costs and restrictive...
Comcast’s Peacock and Paramount Global’s Paramount+ are both under pressure, with Peacock reporting 44 million paid subscribers but a $552 million quarterly loss, while Paramount+ reached 79.1 million subscribers and posted a $340 million profit. Analysts suggest a merger could give the two mid‑tier...
Six Flags Great Adventure announced the return of its Safari Off‑Road Adventure, dubbed a “wild ride,” for the spring‑summer 2026 season. The attraction now includes an extra boarding location near the park’s headline coasters, letting guests shift from high‑speed thrills...
All five seasons of the crime drama *Queen of the South* will exit Netflix in ten territories on March 9, 2026, with the United States losing the series a month later in April 2026. The show, an adaptation of the Spanish series *La Reina...
The Reuters Institute’s 2025 Digital News Report shows digital subscriptions have plateaued at about 18 % across twenty countries, indicating a ceiling for many publishers. In response, the FT Strategies and Google News Initiative Subscriptions Academy recommends shifting focus from full...
Sony Interactive Entertainment announced two new PlayStation Plus Classics titles: Tekken: Dark Resurrection and the original Time Crisis. The Tekken entry will be the PlayStation Portable version rather than the later PS3 port, while Time Crisis comes from its PlayStation One debut. Both...
