Black Molly Entertainment Partners With ASUS Republic of Gamers
Swedish esports organizer Black Molly Entertainment (BME) announced a strategic partnership with ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) extending through 2026. ROG will serve as the main partner for BME’s flagship properties, including the Glitched LAN festival, Esportstudion channel, Red Bull GIBAWAY event, and as title sponsor of the Counter‑Strike tournament Journey. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal complements ASUS’s recent collaborations with DRX, NECC, BLAST, and PGL, underscoring a broader push into European esports.
SiriusXM Revs Up Full-Season IndyCar Coverage for 2026
SiriusXM will broadcast every IndyCar race, practice and qualifying session for the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series on its IndyCar Nation channel, covering all 18 events starting March 1 in St. Peterburg. The satellite‑radio service will also continue weekly shows like Brick‑by‑Brick with...
The New York Times Is Adding Another Daily Crossword, because Why Not
The New York Times introduced a new subscriber‑only "Midi" crossword, a 9×9 puzzle that sits between its Mini (5×5) and Daily (15×15) offerings. The move expands the Times Games portfolio, which already serves over one million games‑only subscribers and generates roughly $50 million in...
The SoCal Sound Licenses to Consolidate Under CSUN Ownership
California State University, Northridge (CSUN) will assume ownership of KSBR’s FCC license, consolidating it with KCSN’s under the CSUN University Corporation, pending FCC approval. The move formalizes a simulcast partnership that began in 2017, covering Orange and Los Angeles counties, while...
Suno Investor Admits She Ditched Spotify for AI Music, Accidentally Undermining the Company's Fair Use Defense
Suno, the AI‑generated music platform, has reached $300 million in annualized revenue and 2 million paying subscribers in under two years. Investor C.C. Gong publicly said she shifted most of her listening from Spotify to Suno, claiming AI music offers a personalized, infinite...
“Same Values, Same Mission, Same Ethics”: How the Houston Chronicle Chooses Creators to Work With
The Houston Chronicle is testing creator collaborations, beginning with food‑video creator Shawn Singh, to drive newsletter sign‑ups, pay‑wall subscriptions and social follows. Success is measured both by hard metrics and by the willingness to experiment and adopt a creator mindset....
Chyron Releases Weather 2.3 With New Data and Automation Features
Chyron has launched Weather 2.3, the newest version of its broadcast‑grade weather‑visualization suite. The update adds UHD, 4K DCI and 2K DCI SDI outputs, a Virtual Globe 3D playlist, and support for custom aspect ratios such as square and portrait. Automation capabilities are...
Telestream Unveils Production-Ready AI Capabilities Across Its Product Portfolio
Telestream unveiled a suite of production‑ready AI features across its Vantage, Vantage Cloud, EDC, Stanza and Qualify platforms. The rollout adds AI Caption with support for 128 languages, AI Qualify for automated lip‑sync and subtitle validation, AI Speech for real‑time...
WBD Sees Revenues Drop 7 Percent in Q4
Warner Bros. Discovery reported a 7% year‑over‑year drop in Q4 total revenues, falling to $9.5 billion. All three core segments—distribution, advertising and content—declined, with advertising down 9% and content down 10%. The company posted a net loss of $252 million after accounting...
Nexstar Expects Tegna Purchase To Close By End Of Q2
Nexstar Media Group expects its $2.5 billion acquisition of Tegna to close by the end of the second quarter, aligning with the anticipated surge in political advertising ahead of the 2026 election cycle. The company reported Q4 net revenue of $1.29 billion,...
Jonathan Allan to Exit Channel 4
Jonathan Allan, who has been with Channel 4 for 15 years, will step down as interim CEO ahead of the arrival of new chief executive Priya Dogra in March. Allan’s tenure included roles as chief commercial officer, chief operating officer, and interim...
IHeartMedia Partners with Middle East State of Qatar for New Podcast Effort
iHeartMedia has signed a multi‑year partnership with Qatar’s Government Communications Office to build a state‑of‑the‑art podcast studio and launch original Arabic shows. The deal will also bring popular global podcasts to Arabic‑speaking audiences and deliver masterclasses for local talent. iHeart...
PlayVS Partners With Urban One to Create HBCU-Focused League
PlayVS and Urban One have announced a three‑year partnership to launch a dedicated esports league for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The initiative will embed HBCU competition within PlayVS’s existing College League platform, with registration opening in fall 2026 and...
Money Wins Again, as Netflix Drops Its Warner Bros. Acquisition Dreams
Netflix has formally withdrawn its bid to acquire part of Warner Bros. Discovery after Paramount raised its offer to $31 per share, valuing the deal around $77 billion. Netflix’s own proposal, previously estimated at $72 billion, was deemed too costly, and the...
Digital Ad Dollar Dip, Less Political Dollars Impact GMG
Graham Media Group, a broadcast arm of Graham Holdings, reported a disappointing Q4 2025 earnings beat, driven by a sharp decline in digital advertising revenue and a notable drop in political ad spending. Digital ad dollars fell roughly 12% year‑over‑year,...
No HDO For El Paso Radio Trio As Questioned Deal Dissolves
A Hearing Designation Order (HDO) that had been issued for the proposed transfer of two AM stations and an FM station in El Paso, Texas, has been terminated. The termination follows a joint request from the buyer and seller to...
New Bill Would Impose Shot Clocks on FCC Merger Reviews
Two bipartisan lawmakers introduced the Keep It Moving Act to impose strict shot clocks on Federal Communications Commission merger reviews, formalizing the agency's informal 180‑day deadline. If the FCC exceeds the timeline, applicants could seek a court order to compel...
DIRECTV Warns Of The Danger of Mega ABC, CBS, FOX, & NBC Mergers to Local News
DIRECTV submitted an FCC filing warning that the surge in duopolies, triopolies and even quadropolies among broadcasters such as Nexstar, Sinclair and Gray is eroding local‑news diversity. The analysis catalogued roughly one hundred duopolies, more than a dozen triopolies and...
Gen.G Partners With ASU’s GAME School
Gen.G has teamed up with Arizona State University’s GAME School to launch a joint talent pipeline for creative‑technology careers in Los Angeles. The partnership will deliver a Gen.G Gaming Career Summer Camp for high‑school and college students, featuring weekly modules,...
‘Premflix’ App to Screen All Premier League Matches Live – but only in Singapore
The Premier League will debut Premier League Plus, a dedicated streaming app that offers live coverage of all 380 matches, initially limited to Singapore and delivered in partnership with Starhub. Launched before the 2026‑27 season, it marks the league’s first...
‘Globally Recognized IP’ Planned for SeaWorld, Busch Gardens Theme Parks
United Parks & Resorts, the parent of SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Sesame Place, announced ongoing discussions to bring globally recognized intellectual property into its parks. CEO Marc Swanson referenced the initiative in earnings calls across February 2025, August 2025 and February 2026, emphasizing...
Iam8bit, WaterTower Music Announce ‘Adventure Time’ Finale and ‘Fionna and Cake’ Soundtracks
iam8bit has teamed up with WaterTower Music to issue two Adventure Time soundtracks: the series finale "Come Along with Me" on a 1‑LP/CD set and the "Fionna and Cake" collection on a 2‑LP/CD set. Both releases feature original songs by series...
Multiple Buyers Make Offers to Purchase Land Owned by SeaWorld/Busch Gardens
United Parks, the parent of SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, disclosed that it owns roughly 2,000 acres of land, including about 400 acres of undeveloped parcels. The company received multiple offers ranging from sale‑lease‑back to hotel, timeshare, residential and commercial development...
COMvergence: 2025 Marcom M&A Volume Grew Slightly
Marcom M&A activity in 2025 edged higher to 55 deals, reflecting a modest rise from 2024 but still far below the 2016 peak. The sector’s focus has shifted from expansion‑driven roll‑ups to infrastructure‑led consolidation centered on AI, cloud, and data...
TVB: Broadcast TV Lead Persists in Reach, Time Spent
The Television Bureau (TVB) released its latest cross‑platform measurement, finding that traditional broadcast television viewed on a TV set still commands the greatest audience reach and the longest average viewing time among all media channels. The advantage holds true across...
HBO Max Will Start Cracking Down on Password Sharing Globally
HBO Max announced a global crackdown on password sharing, extending stricter enforcement beyond the United States. The new policy replaces the current optional pop‑up with a mandatory prompt that requires non‑household users to create their own accounts. The rollout coincides...
How the Music Industry Changed at the Speed of Light
Rob Light, managing director of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), reflected on the firm’s four‑decade evolution from a modest music department to a global, full‑service powerhouse. By pioneering in‑house artist development, tour marketing and private‑event divisions, CAA secured breakout successes such...
Warner Bros Discovery Teases “Return to Some of Our Biggest Franchises” In 2027-2028
Warner Bros. Discovery announced that its gaming division will revive its biggest franchises in 2027‑28 after a year of strategic reset in 2025. The company has narrowed its focus to four core IPs—Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and DC—following a series of...
ANA Announced 3 New Pokemon Jet Planes for 30th Anniversary
All Nippon Airways (ANA) announced a partnership with The Pokemon Company to introduce three new Pokemon‑themed aircraft in 2026, marking the franchise’s 30th anniversary. The fleet will feature a Boeing 787‑8 in Red, a Boeing 787‑9 in Green, and a...
Mattel Takes Uno to Fortnite and Roblox in League with Creators
Mattel Digital Studios is debuting its flagship card game Uno on two major creator platforms, Fortnite and Roblox. The company partnered with Look North World to develop Uno Royale for Fortnite using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). Simultaneously, a Roblox...
How Pepsi DRIPs Turned Wicked Into an Experiential Beverage Moment
PepsiCo leveraged its DRIPS platform to launch two limited‑edition beverages for the theatrical run of *Wicked: For Good* at Regal Cinemas. The drinks—Mountain Dew Emerald Mischief and Tropicana Lemonade Good Witch Swirl—were crafted with bold colors, boba and edible glitter...
BetBoom, ESL FACEIT Group Partner for Counter-Strike 2 in Brazil
BetBoom announced a partnership to sponsor all Counter‑Strike 2 broadcasts in Brazil produced by the ESL FACEIT Group for the remainder of 2026. The deal places BetBoom branding on six flagship events, including ESL Pro League Seasons 23 and 24 and multiple IEM...
Warface: Clutch Xbox Servers to Close in August 2026
My.Games announced that the Warface: Clutch Xbox servers will be permanently shut down on August 25, 2026. In‑game purchases were disabled on February 26, and the title will soon be removed from the Microsoft Store. The closure ends access to...
Publisher Advertising Alliance Teams up with Microsoft Ad-Buying Platform
Ozone, a coalition of more than 500 UK and US publishers, has secured its first deal to list inventory on Microsoft’s Media Marketplace, exposing over 200 million monthly users to programmatic buyers. The integration leverages Ozone’s first‑party reader data, promising more...
Sundance Road Trip Comedy ‘The Shitheads’, Starring Dave Franco & O’Shea Jackson Jr., Gets U.S. Deal With IFC
Sundance‑premiered road‑trip comedy *The Shitheads* has landed a U.S. distribution deal with IFC, slated for a theatrical summer release. The film stars Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Kiernan Shipka and Nicholas Braun, with a supporting turn by Peter Dinklage. Written, directed...
Fifth Season & Media Res Strike Sales Pact & Set Sweden’s ‘Summer Of 1985’ As First Project
Media Res has entered a first‑look distribution agreement with Fifth Season, designating the Swedish thriller *Summer of 1985* as the inaugural project. The series, based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel, follows a group of friends whose summer turns deadly after...
Sky & Starz Strike Co-Commission Deal As Sky Boards 50 Cent Boxing Drama ‘Fightland’
Sky has secured a first‑look agreement with Starz for the 50 Cent‑produced boxing drama Fightland, which will debut on Sky and Now TV in the UK. The series, shot in London, follows a disgraced champion seeking revenge and is executive‑produced by Curtis Jackson’s...
The Loyalty-Building Advantages of Embracing Black Audiences
Brands that authentically engage Black audiences can unlock significant economic upside, as Black consumers are projected to wield $2.1 trillion in buying power by 2026. They are four times more likely than average shoppers to follow the WNBA and spend roughly...
Why Deep Analysis Is Essential for Influencer Marketing Governance
Influencer marketing budgets are set to surge, with 72% of marketers expecting over a 50% increase in 2026. This rapid expansion brings heightened scrutiny from finance, procurement and leadership, especially around audience authenticity, which 56% cite as their top risk....
Meta Andromeda Update Explained: How Meta Ads Work Now
Meta’s Andromeda overhaul replaces the legacy ad‑retrieval layer with a unified deep‑learning system, reshaping which ads enter the auction on Facebook and Instagram. The change was driven by exploding creative volume, the rise of Advantage+ automation, and the limits of...
Content Partners Hires Former WME Business Affairs Exec Benjamin Kram
Content Partners announced the appointment of former WME business‑affairs executive Benjamin Kram as Vice President. Kram will lead business development, expanding the firm’s content investments and strategic partnerships. He brings extensive negotiation experience across film, television and digital media from...
What’s Next For Nexstar? More Growth For The CW, NewsNation
Nexstar Media Group posted its fourth‑quarter 2025 results, beating Wall Street revenue forecasts while slipping into a net loss. Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted free cash flow fell sharply compared with the prior year. CEO Perry Sook highlighted the company’s aggressive...
‘This Is Buzz:’ Mark Pellington’s Experimental Slamdance Title Inspired By The Cult MTV Show Lands North American Distribution Deal
Starboard Entertainment has secured North American distribution rights to Mark Pellington’s experimental documentary *This Is Buzz*, which premiered at the 2026 Slamdance Film Festival. The film, a music‑driven exploration of the 1990s MTV cult series *Buzz*, will open theatrically in...
Google Opens 'Text Guidelines' To More Advertisers
Google is expanding its AI‑driven "text guidelines" feature to all AI Max and Performance Max advertisers in a global beta. The tool lets brands specify terms or concepts to include or exclude, ensuring AI‑generated headlines and descriptions stay on‑brand, tone‑appropriate,...
How to Create an Effective Instagram Sales Funnel
Instagram is evolving from a visual showcase into a platform‑native sales engine, replacing traditional landing‑page funnels with content‑driven conversations. Brands move prospects from Reels‑based discovery through interactive Stories and comments into direct‑message (DM) dialogues that close sales without leaving the...
The Circuit Group Launches Indie Artist and Label Services Arm, Beat Switch
The Circuit Group has officially launched Beat Switch Music Services, a white‑label infrastructure offering for independent labels and artists. After two years of silent development, the division now supports more than 20 indie labels, providing distribution, rights management, publishing, marketing,...
Atresplayer Deepens Partnership with Claro Video in Latam
Atresplayer, the streaming arm of Spain’s Atresmedia, has broadened its partnership with Claro Video, embedding its entire video‑on‑demand catalog and four flagship linear channels into the Claro platform across 14 Latin American markets, including Mexico. The deal upgrades the 2021...
IAB Unveils 2026 NewFronts, Marking a Defining Moment for Streaming, CTV, and AI-Powered Video
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced the 2026 NewFronts event, scheduled for March 23‑26 in New York, spotlighting AI‑driven video, streaming, and CTV innovations. The four‑day conference will feature live and virtual sessions from tech giants like Google, Meta, and...
Analyst Provides Interesting Data On How Well January's Big Game Pass Additions Performed
Alinea Analytics reported that Xbox Game Pass added three major titles in January 2026—Death Stranding Director’s Cut, Star Wars Outlaws, and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2—each attracting over half‑a‑million new players across console, PC and cloud. Star Wars Outlaws alone onboarded nearly 600 K newcomers. Resident Evil...
Warner Bros. Discovery Targets Further HBO Max Growth
Warner Bros. Discovery announced it will shift its reporting focus from raw subscriber counts to monetisation metrics as it pushes HBO Max’s global expansion. The company currently serves 132 million streaming users and projects more than 140 million by the end of...