Cinema Pros Call On European Union To Maintain Support Of Film Industry
More than 4,700 cinema professionals signed an open letter urging the European Union to “future‑proof” its 35‑year MEDIA programme, warning that the proposed AgoraEU mega‑programme could merge culture, media and civil‑society funding and dilute film support. The petition, backed by stars such as Juliette Binoche and Francis Ford Coppola, highlights fears of reduced resources for European cinema. Meanwhile, AMC Global Media posted an 11% rise in Q1 streaming revenue to $174 million, even as paid subscriptions slipped to 10.1 million. The Hollywood Reporter also spotlighted New York’s media dominance, naming its 50 most powerful figures while noting a decline in original reporting.
Netflix Reportedly Snags 2 Additional NFL Games
Netflix is set to double its NFL portfolio from two to four games for the 2026‑27 season, adding the league’s first international contest in Australia and a new Thanksgiving Eve matchup. The Australia game features the Los Angeles Rams versus...
Save Now: MLB.TV Gets a Mid-Season Price Cut on ESPN
ESPN has cut the price of its MLB.TV seasonal packages, lowering the cost to $139.99 for new subscribers and $124.99 for existing ESPN Unlimited members, down from $149.99 and $134.99 respectively. The discount applies to the remainder of the 2026...
Six Flags Announces Leadership Transitions
Six Flags announced a series of leadership changes effective June 3, 2026, including Amy Martin Ziegenfuss as chief marketing officer, Christopher Bennett as chief legal and compliance officer, and Chris Meyering promoted to senior vice president, commercial. CFO Brian Witherow will step down,...
Cactus Music Taps AI for ‘Artist Ops’ to Support Human Musicians
Cactus Music, a Chile‑based agency that has handled over 450 Latin American releases, has launched Artist Ops, an AI‑augmented platform designed to streamline music marketing for independent artists. The freemium service provides basic tools for free, while professional and enterprise...
1985 PC-8801 Version of Hydlide II Gets an EGG Console Port to PC Steam on May 15
D4 Enterprise announced that its EGG Console port of Hydlide II: Shine of Darkness – the original 1985 PC‑8801 version – will launch on Steam on May 15, 2026. The Steam page confirms the release date, while the game will retain Japanese...
Ye Makes Courtroom Joke During ‘DONDA’ Listening Event Sampling Dispute
Kanye West, now known as Ye, appeared in an Atlanta courtroom to defend a copyright lawsuit tied to his 2021 Donda listening event. Producers DJ Khalil, Sam Barsh, John Mease and Dan Seeff claim Ye sampled their composition “MSD PT2”...
WMG Talks Catalogue and AI After Strong Q2 Financial Results
Warner Music Group posted a strong fiscal Q2, with revenue rising 17% to $1.73 bn and operating profit hitting $264 m. The label highlighted that its catalogue—over one million tracks from 70,000 artists—accounts for 65% of revenue and is being leveraged with...
Paramount+ and HBO Max Set to Merge Into Single Streaming Platform – Here Is Everything We Know
Paramount Skydance’s $77 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery will merge Paramount+ and HBO Max into a single streaming service, aiming to serve more than 200 million subscribers. The combined platform will unite extensive libraries—from NFL and Star Trek to Game of Thrones and DC titles—while retaining...
I Squared and Blackstone Weigh Stroeer Takeover
Infrastructure investor I Squared Capital and private equity giant Blackstone are nearing a joint bid for German media group Stroeer, valuing the company at roughly €2.5 billion (about $2.7 billion). Sources say the consortium is eyeing a per‑share offer in the mid‑€40...
AMC Posts Q1 Loss Despite Double-Digit Streaming Revenue Growth
AMC Global Media reported a 2.4% drop in first‑quarter revenue to $542.1 million and a sharp 51% decline in operating income. Despite the loss, streaming revenue surged 11% to $174 million, and the company generated $64.8 million in free cash flow. Net loss...
Concerts, Merch Help Bump SM Entertainment’s Q1 Revenue 21%
SM Entertainment posted Q1 2026 revenue of roughly $215 million, up 21% year‑over‑year, driven by a 56% surge in concert earnings and a 20% rise in merchandising. Operating profit rose 18.5% to about $30 million. Concert and merch growth offset a 15%...
Talpa Studios’ The House of Hide & Seek Heads to Spain with RTVE
Talpa Studios announced that its family‑entertainment format The House of Hide & Seek will receive its first international adaptation in Spain, produced by public broadcaster RTVE in partnership with Warner Bros. ITVP Spain. Recording will occur in the Netherlands ahead of the...
GameStop Wants eBay, Nintendo Confirms Switch 2 Price Hike, and Union Boss Says EA Buyout Is a National Security Risk...
GameStop has lodged a $55.5 billion takeover bid for eBay, backed by $20 billion of debt financing, sparking questions about funding and strategic fit. Nintendo confirmed a global price hike for its upcoming Switch 2 console, aligning the hardware with competitors’ pricing trends....
ESPN Pieces Together Production Strategy After WNBA’s Unsettled Offseason
ESPN is rolling out a full‑season, native 1080p HDR production slate for all 29 2026 WNBA regular‑season games, including a double‑header and the All‑Star weekend. A delayed schedule release forced the network to finalize mobile‑unit contracts and staffing at the...
Anime Growth Helps Offset Sony Losses From Pixomondo Shutdown, Bungie Troubles
Sony’s FY2026 earnings show a 13% rise in operating income to ¥1.45 trillion ($9.6 billion), driven largely by booming anime assets. Crunchyroll subscriber growth and the record‑breaking theatrical run of *Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle* lifted anime‑related revenue. Meanwhile, Sony Pictures suffered an...
Flexion Launches Exprexion to Help Expand Mobile Game Monetisation Beyond Apple and Google
Flexion has introduced Exprexion, an integrated suite that combines alternative app‑store distribution, creator‑led marketing, and direct‑to‑consumer sales tools for mobile game developers. The platform supports secondary stores such as Amazon, Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and ONEstore, aiming to reduce reliance on...
The New York Times Grew Digital Ad Revenue 32% in Q1. Here’s How to Copy It
The New York Times posted a 31.6% year‑over‑year rise in digital advertising revenue in Q1 2026, reaching $93.3 million. The growth follows a 24.9% increase in the prior quarter, marking two straight quarters of outsized ad performance. Chief advertising officer Joy Robins credits a clear...
Paramount and Warner Music Team up to Make More Music-Focused Movies
Paramount Pictures and Warner Music Group have inked a multi‑year first‑look agreement to develop music‑focused feature films, leveraging Warner’s catalog and Paramount’s theatrical expertise. The partnership will spotlight icons such as Madonna, David Bowie and Frank Sinatra alongside contemporary stars...
How Chinese Game Makers Leverage AI
China now commands the world’s largest games market, accounting for roughly 20% of global player spending and 38% of industry growth. A 2025 Niko Partners report shows about 60% of Chinese studios already deploy AI for assets, storytelling, live‑ops and...
The Team Makes Three Global Appointments Across Music Division
The TEAM announced three senior hires for its music division: Julia May in New York to lead artist development, Sarah Thia in Singapore to head tour marketing across Asia, and Sheila Mukasa in London to oversee pricing and ticketing strategy. May...
Sony Generated $3.03bn From Recorded Music and Publishing in Calendar Q1 2026, up 19.5% YoY
Sony Music’s recorded‑music and publishing businesses generated $3.03 billion in calendar Q1 2026, a 19.5% year‑over‑year increase on a constant‑currency basis. Streaming revenue rose 13.6% to $1.44 billion, while the “Other” segment – covering merch, live and licensing – jumped 51% to $632 million....
OUT MONDAY: Radio’s Bilingual Boom Takes Over Radio Ink
Radio Ink’s May issue spotlights a bilingual surge as broadcast radio reaches 93% of Hispanic adults each month, positioning the medium for a massive advertising wave ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The cover story follows Edgar “Shoboy” Sotelo, whose...
Radio Nails ROI for Home Improvement Brands that Digital Can’t
Audacy’s new research shows radio outperforms digital channels for home‑improvement retailers, with 56% of ad‑exposed consumers recalling radio ads versus lower rates for display, social and CTV. A Nielsen Marketing Mix Model ranks radio second in overall ROI, delivering $2...
Who What Wear on How Publishers Can Think Like Retailers
Who What Wear, a fashion publisher owned by Future, is applying retailer‑style tactics to monetize its editorial content. The brand, which attracted over 12 million visits in April and converts more than $252 million in sales each quarter, relies on affiliate commissions...
A Love Letter to Hong Kong, a Fictional Country Star, and Thierry Henry in a K-Drama
Ad5’s latest roundup spotlights five standout campaigns across Asia and Europe. Cathay Pacific marked its 80th anniversary with a 10‑minute film that weaves Hong Kong nostalgia into brand storytelling. Thailand’s insurance‑driven road‑safety sign flips conventional messaging, while Woodstock Bourbon introduced a...
Italy Broadens FTA Coverage for Sports and Cultural Events
Italy’s communications regulator AgCom has expanded the list of events deemed of significant public importance, requiring free‑to‑air coverage to reach at least 80 % of the population. The new roster adds the Olympics, Paralympics, national football matches, European cup finals, major...
TV 2 Play Clamps Down on Password Sharing
TV 2 Play is rolling out a new "TV 2 Play households" system that automatically identifies a subscriber’s home based on devices sharing the same internet connection. When a login is detected on a device outside that household, the service displays a warning that...
France: YouTube Accused of Being TV Market “Free Rider”
France’s CNC tax body says video‑sharing platforms like YouTube pay only about $32 million in taxes, roughly one‑third of what broadcasters contribute. By contrast, French TV channels remit around $270 million, while paid video services pay $173 million. YouTube, which attracts over 26 million...
Live Nation, Ticketmaster Vow to Fight Breakup After Monopoly Verdict
Live Nation’s executive vice‑president Dan Wall told CBC News the company will fight any breakup after a federal jury found Ticketmaster liable for an anti‑competitive monopoly. The jury’s verdict, issued on April 15, cited unlawful tying of tour promotion, ticketing and venue...
In Rural Iowa, An ‘On The Go’ Addition Arrives
OnTheGo Media has taken operational control of KDAO-FM 92.9 in Eldora, Iowa, through a local marketing agreement (LMA) effective May 1. The move follows the 2025 death of longtime owner Mark Osmundson and expands OnTheGo’s footprint across central Iowa, reaching from...
Nintendo Hikes Switch 2 Prices, Revises Console Costs in Japan, US, Canada, and Europe
Sony announced full‑year FY25 results, showing a modest 13.4% rise in operating income to ¥1.4 trillion ($8.9 billion) while Games & Network Services sales were essentially flat. A $765 million impairment tied to Bungie’s under‑performing titles was recorded, adding to a prior $204 million...
EBU Warns Czech Media Reforms Could Undermine Independence
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has written to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala warning that draft legislation could jeopardize the independence of Czech Television and Czech Radio. The proposal would replace licence‑fee funding with direct state‑budget financing, reducing financial predictability...
Netflix Awards India Media Mandate to Omnicom Media Group
Netflix has transferred its India media planning and buying mandate from Wavemaker to Omnicom Media Group after a multi‑agency pitch. The new contract covers both traditional and digital media channels, reflecting Netflix’s broader strategic overhaul of its Indian market approach....
News Corp Holds Steady on Results Day, Index Rises
News Corp reported a 9% year‑over‑year revenue increase and an 18% rise in EBITDA, both surpassing market forecasts. The stock barely edged higher, up 0.10%, after a day of mixed performance on the Unmade Index. The company highlighted its transition...
Gray Media Revenue Slips in Q1 as Political Ad Sales Surge
Gray Media posted Q1 2026 revenue of $768 million, a 2% decline year‑over‑year, while its net loss widened to $20 million. Core advertising rose 2% to $352 million, and political ad sales jumped 131% to $30 million, hitting the top of guidance. Retransmission consent...
Scripps Narrows Q1 Loss as Local TV Revenue Offsets Decline at National Networks
The E.W. Scripps Company reported a narrower first‑quarter loss of $18 million, or 20 cents per share, compared with $18.8 million a year earlier. Total revenue slipped 1.4% to $516.9 million, but local‑media revenue rose 5% to $341.6 million, cushioning an 11.1% drop in its...
Crunchyroll to Launch Inaugural Anime Leadership Summit in New York
Crunchyroll announced the inaugural Anime Future Forum, an invite‑only summit to be held on Oct 7 at New York’s Javits Center, bringing together Japan’s anime studios with Hollywood, tech, gaming and music leaders. The event underscores Sony’s strategy to elevate anime as...
Gamefam Teams with Borussia Dortmund for FIFA Super Soccer on Roblox
Borussia Dortmund partnered with Gamefam to launch its 2026/27 Puma kits inside Roblox’s FIFA Super Soccer on May 8, 2026. The limited‑time event runs for a week, letting players compete as the German club, complete themed quests, and unlock a unique lightning‑strike...
Pokemon FireRed Version and LeafGreen Version Have Sold over 4 Million Units in Six Weeks of Launching
Nintendo reported that the Switch ports of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen have sold a combined 4 million copies within six weeks of launch. The figure aggregates sales across all languages and regions, reflecting strong demand for classic titles on the hybrid console. The...
Switch 2, Switch, and Nintendo Switch Online Price Increases Announced
Nintendo announced price hikes for its upcoming Switch 2 console and existing Switch hardware across major markets, as well as increased fees for Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions in Japan. In the U.S., the Switch 2 will rise from $449.99 to $499.99 effective...
Nintendo Confirms Switch 2 Price Rises, Consoles Now $500 in the US
Nintendo announced that the Switch 2 will cost $499.99 in the United States starting September 1, 2026, a $50 increase from the current MSRP. Parallel hikes will see the console priced at €499.99 (about $545) in Europe and $679.99 CAD (≈$503) in Canada, while...
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Has Sold 12.79 Million Copies as of March 31, 2026
Nintendo reported that Pokémon Legends: Z‑A moved 12.79 million units worldwide through December 31 2025. The breakdown shows 8.85 million copies on the original Switch and 3.94 million on the new Switch 2 edition. Digital purchases of the Switch 2 version are folded into the overall Switch total,...
Valofe Launches First New Development Project, 'Last Origin 2'
Valofe, the South Korean game‑publishing platform, announced on May 8 that development has started on “Last Origin 2,” the sequel to its flagship title Last Origin. The project is the company’s first new development effort built on an existing IP, intended to...
Xbox And PS5 Exclusives Don't Matter In The Big Picture, Says Industry Analyst
Mat Piscatella, chief analyst at market‑research firm Circana, argues that console exclusives have a modest impact on overall console market share. He points to blockbuster cross‑platform titles like Fortnite and EA Sports FC as stronger drivers of hardware sales than exclusive franchises. The...
Ads of the Week: 12 Campaigns That Caught Our Eye, From Adidas to Canva
The weekly roundup from Cannes Lions spotlights twelve standout ads, ranging from Adidas’ Timothée Chalamet‑led World Cup narrative to Canva’s absurdist squirrel stunt in Brooklyn. Brands leaned heavily on humor, unexpected casting, and unscripted moments, with Lewis Hamilton’s dinner chat for S.Pellegrino and Liquid Death’s...
Sony Pictures Full-Year Sales Boosted by Anime But Profit Slips Due to Pixomondo Shutdown
Sony Pictures Entertainment reported FY 2026 sales of $9.92 billion, essentially flat year‑over‑year, while operating income fell 11% to $687 million due to the shutdown of visual‑effects firm Pixomondo. Excluding the Pixomondo impairment, profit actually rose 11% to $858 million, highlighting underlying strength....
Jieun Kim Promoted to President of Warner Music Korea
Warner Music Group has promoted Jieun Kim from CFO to President of Warner Music Korea, placing her at the helm of operations in the world’s seventh‑largest recorded‑music market. The Korean market generated roughly $736 million in 2025, a 1.7% year‑over‑year increase, underscoring...
WTF Is a Unified Ad Platform?
Unified Advertising Platforms (UAP) are emerging as end‑to‑end ad‑tech solutions that combine demand‑side and supply‑side capabilities in a single system. The concept, coined by analyst Karsten Weide, promises 100 % data‑match rates by sharing a common data layer between buyers and publishers....
Crunchyroll Surpasses 21m Subs
Crunchyroll announced it now has 21 million paid subscribers worldwide, up from 17 million in May 2025. The platform’s catalog exceeds 50,000 anime episodes, movies and specials, and it is available in more than 200 countries and territories. In the United Kingdom the...