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.
Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association, publicly condemned ByteDance’s new AI service Seedance 2.0 for massive unauthorised use of U.S. copyrighted works. He urged the company to halt the infringing activity immediately, emphasizing the threat to creators’ rights and American jobs. ByteDance responded that Seedance 2.0 delivers a “substantial leap” in visual realism and is designed for industrial‑grade creation. An AI‑generated fight scene featuring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt look‑alikes has already gone viral, spotlighting the dispute.
Talks between Sky and ITV over the £1.6 billion sale of ITV's Media and Entertainment division have slowed, according to Reuters sources. The deal was intended to create a top‑three UK streaming player capable of challenging global services such as Netflix...
Nineteen MENA game studios have graduated from the second cohort of Exel by Merak, an $80 million gaming accelerator launched by Merak Capital. Each studio receives $300,000 in seed funding plus mentorship and global network access. Cohort 2 has already produced $1.2 million...
The European Commission has cleared Universal Music Group’s purchase of Downtown Music Holdings, but only after the companies agreed to fully divest Downtown’s royalty‑accounting platform Curve. The conditional approval removes UMG’s ability to access Curve’s data on rival labels, which...
TF1 Group posted 2025 revenue of €2.297 bn, a 2.5% decline driven by a softening advertising market, especially in Q4. Media division revenue fell 4.5% to €1.921 bn while Studio TF1 grew 9.2% to €376 million. The digital platform TF1+ delivered a 35.8% jump...
Industry experts highlight how technology is fundamentally reshaping the live‑music ecosystem, from data‑driven marketing to streamlined tour logistics. First‑party fan data is now seen as essential for personalized campaigns, yet many artists lack full appreciation of its value. Human connection...
Bectu has warned that the BBC’s proposed £600 million, 10 percent spending cut over the next three years will cripple its core public‑service role. The corporation’s total public‑service budget last year exceeded £4 billion, making the cuts proportionally significant. Bectu’s head Philippa Childs...
YouTube TV is launching three lower‑priced "skinny" bundles that focus on sports, news, and entertainment, all priced below its $83 base tier. The move targets cord‑cutters and cord‑nevers while testing whether existing subscribers will downgrade. AMC reported that its domestic...
The latest Patch Notes roundup highlights three headline developments: indie rogue‑like Mewgenics recouped its development budget within three hours and sold half a million copies in 36 hours; Nexon’s Arc Raiders achieved “blockbuster” status with 14 million units sold and a peak...
NBA star Anthony Edwards is turning his on‑court fame into a media empire through Three‑Fifths Media, which now produces the unscripted series *Year Six* and the viral Believe That Awards. The company, co‑founded with manager Justin Holland, secured a production...
TVB’s 2026 Sports Survey reveals that traditional linear television continues to dominate sports consumption among enthusiasts, despite the rise of streaming platforms. The study shows 90% of sports fans consider local broadcast TV essential, and 75% tune in at least...
Sega Sammy’s Q3 report outlines a plan to launch four major new games for its core franchises by March 2027, alongside a push to boost sales capabilities. The only confirmed date is the Switch 2 release of Virtua Fighter 5 REVO World Stage...
The European Commission approved Universal Music Group’s $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings, conditional on divesting the Curve royalty‑accounting business. The decision ends a year‑long antitrust review and clears the way for UMG to integrate Downtown’s distribution and publishing services,...
Stuart Ford, veteran indie financier, warned that a Netflix‑Warner merger would likely harm the film ecosystem, likening future talent roles to “Uber drivers” for tech giants. He stressed that preserving proper theatrical windowing and backend participation is essential to keep...
Live broadcast is transitioning from SDI to IP workflows built on SMPTE ST 2110, raising the bar for performance and reliability. Purpose‑built media switches now incorporate redundant power, precise PTP timing and boundary‑clock support, eliminating the compromises of repurposed data‑center...
The Public Media Infrastructure, created in November with one of the final Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) grants, has announced its inaugural Board of Trustees. The organization was founded just before CPB’s wind‑down, which follows the cessation of federal funding...
Eutelsat’s mid‑year update highlighted a 60% surge in LEO (OneWeb) revenue, now accounting for more than one‑third of its Connectivity earnings. Overall revenue slipped to €574 million, while the Video division fell 12.3% amid continued Russian sanctions. Fixed Connectivity, Government services...
Cineverse announced the acquisition of ad‑tech firm IndiCue for up to $40 million, integrating its advertising and monetisation tools into the Matchpoint platform. The deal adds real‑time revenue optimisation across FAST, AVoD, CTV and other ad‑supported streaming channels. Financing combines cash,...
TV advertising is shifting from probabilistic to deterministic audience data. Recent studies show IP‑based identity links to the correct household only 13% of the time, undermining reach and measurement. Deterministic signals such as authenticated ISP or publisher subscriber data can...
The article argues that the classic trust‑building playbook—focus, platform, consistency, then diversification—still works, but the window to execute it is shrinking as AI‑generated content floods the web. Forecasts suggest up to 90% of online material could be synthetic within years,...
Joe and Robert dissect the NFL’s bold partnership with Bad Bunny, framing it as a strategic move to attract younger, more diverse global fans and signal a brand repositioning. They then evaluate this year’s Super Bowl ads, highlighting which campaigns...
Robert Schildhouse has been elevated to chief executive of BBC Studios' newly branded Direct‑to‑Consumer division, which houses BritBox in North America and the documentary service BBC Select. Previously BritBox president, Schildhouse took charge of BBC Select in 2025, helping it become the...
The India International Music Week conference in Mumbai highlighted a critical shortage of mid‑capacity live‑music venues, specifically spaces for 500‑5,000 attendees. Panelists explained that production costs rise sharply beyond 500 seats, making it financially unviable for promoters to scale up....
Old Spice has revived its 2014 “Mom Song” with a new version titled “Mom Song 2.0: The End of Adolescents,” promoting the Swagger grooming line. The ad, produced by Wieden+Kennedy Portland, mimics an early‑90s R&B video and lampoons over‑protective mothers blaming...
FanDuel appointed Ari Avishay, former Paramount+ SVP of Content Marketing, as its senior vice president of marketing. He will steer brand, creative and consumer‑insights strategy for the sportsbook and FanDuel TV platforms, reporting to President Mike Raffensperger. Avishay brings a track record...
The animated sports‑comedy GOAT debuted as the weekend’s widest release, opening in 3,863 theaters. Send Help claimed the top box‑office spot for a second straight weekend, pulling in just over $9 million and reaching a domestic total of $38.18 million. New titles...
In this episode, Will Richmond and Colin Dixon discuss YouTube TV's new skinny bundles, evaluating whether the pared‑down channel line‑ups can lure fresh subscribers in a crowded market. They also highlight AMC Networks' recent streaming revenue milestone, underscoring the growing...
Adweek’s weekly roundup spotlights six standout campaigns, from McDonald’s quirky “Horizontal Breakfast” aimed at post‑Super Bowl viewers to JCPenney and Yahoo’s tongue‑in‑cheek takes on modern Valentine’s relationships. DoorDash’s spot captures the panic of gifting gone awry, while an AI‑powered ad...
Brands turned Super Bowl suites into creator‑centric activations, inviting influencers to attend the game and generate content at a fraction of traditional fees. Agencies reported a surge in last‑minute deals, with suite rentals exceeding $1 million but delivering audience reach that...
Haley Baylee, a creator with 10 million Instagram and 16.4 million TikTok followers, has partnered with Intersection’s LinkNYC to display her existing social videos on more than 4,000 free‑Wi‑Fi kiosks across New York City. The arrangement is exposure‑only, with no fee, and runs...
WPP announced another McKinsey‑guided restructure as its creative agencies continue to miss targets, with revenue at VML, Ogilvy and AKQA down 5.8% in H1 2025. At the same time, independent agencies dominated the Super Bowl ad slate, delivering at least 25...
ABC released its 7‑day (MP+7) and 35‑day (MP+35) multiplatform ratings for the 2025‑26 season, highlighting High Potential as the clear leader in both the Adults 18‑49 demo and total viewers, with four episodes surpassing 10 million viewers. The Rookie closely follows,...
The NBA is accelerating plans to bundle and sell a centralized local media rights package as early as the 2026‑27 season. The imminent collapse of Main Street Sports Group, which operates the FanDuel RSNs, will free up local rights for...
Global research released for World Radio Day 2026 shows radio reaches nine out of ten people each week, outpacing all other audio formats. The study finds weekly reach rates of 90% in Ireland, 89% in France, and 86‑87% across the...
Taylor Swift has formally asked the U.S. government to block a bedding company’s attempt to register the "Swift Home" trademark, arguing the stylized cursive resembles her own trademarked signature and could mislead consumers. Her legal team submitted the objection to...
Almost 42 After 5–7 years of being cocky and ignoring sync licensing advice from music publishers... Here are 5 lessons every 20 to 30 year old music producer needs to hear ↓
D.C. Memo: Smack in the Middle of Nexstar-TEGNA, Antitrust Chief Gail Slater Shown the Door | @gailaslater @JusticeATR $NXST $TGNA | https://t.co/QLfJxuKDW6
Hasbro Entertainment and kids‑media firm Animaj have launched LUMEE, a joint venture that consolidates their digital advertising inventory and audience insights. The platform offers COPPA‑compliant ad placements across YouTube and Connected TV, leveraging AI‑enhanced production for rapid branded content. LUMEE...
After AI Video of ‘Tom Cruise’ Fighting ‘Brad Pitt’ Goes Viral, Motion Picture Association Denounces ‘Massive’ Infringement on Seedance 2.0 https://t.co/by3sIOC6TK
I have been waiting for when Sega would do this and surprised the impairment loss is not higher. Reminder that in 2013, Sega bought Atlus parent Index Corp. for what was US$140M back then - a fantastic M&A.
iKOMG has partnered with China Global Television Network to distribute three CGTN flagship channels—GlobalBiz TV, China Travel and Discovery China—across its FASTonSAT satellite‑enabled FAST service and the iKOFLIX and MENAFLIX OTT platforms. The rollout makes the channels live simultaneously on satellite and streaming...
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, faces another copyright lawsuit over the Vultures 2 track “530.” Swsh claims the song illegally samples the outro vocals from its 2018 recording “Break the Fall.” The complaint also names collaborator Ty Dolla $ign, Ye’s YZY...
A federal judge has allowed the MF Doom estate to proceed with a revised trademark infringement lawsuit against Temu, alleging the platform actively curates, advertises, and ships counterfeit merchandise bearing the late rapper’s mask and name. The original case was...
Capcom has unveiled the final pay‑per‑view pricing for Capcom Cup 12, cutting the cost from the originally announced $26 to $6 for a one‑day ticket and $10 for a two‑day pass. The same pricing applies to the Street Fighter League: World...
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announced that MLB is evaluating formal partnerships with prediction‑market platforms, following precedents set by the NHL and MLS. Prediction markets differ from traditional sports betting by operating under a federal commodities framework rather than...
TikTok’s U.S. platform, now under new ownership, suffered early outages and a 150% surge in uninstalls, yet ad spend remained steady. Sensor Tower data shows ad costs fell roughly 36% while ROI climbed 60% year‑over‑year, according to Keen Decision Systems’...
DraftKings' shares fell 13% after the company reported fourth‑quarter earnings and issued FY2026 revenue guidance that missed analysts' expectations. Revenue reached $2 billion, matching consensus, while earnings per share rose to $0.25 versus the $0.16 forecast. The 2026 sales outlook of...
The axe is still swinging above CBS News. The Paramount Skydance unit is considering a fresh round of layoffs, according to three people familiar with the matter, and the cuts could total at least 15% of current staff... https://t.co/jKKuul7ixE via @variety
TikTok has partnered with Fabulate to embed its Symphony generative‑AI suite into the influencer‑marketing platform, creating a unified workflow for brands and creators across APAC. The integration adds AI dubbing, video generation and licensed digital avatars directly into Fabulate’s SparQ 2.0...
The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the 2025 season with a $401.1 million luxury‑tax payroll, far outpacing any other franchise and intensifying fiscal disparities in MLB. Commissioner Rob Manfred noted the Dodgers’ compliance with the current CBA but warned their spending could dominate...
