Xsolla Will Set up Regional Gaming Hub in Dubai in Strategic Agreement
Xsolla announced a multi‑year strategic agreement with the Dubai Film & Games Commission to establish a regional gaming hub in Dubai. The partnership will integrate Xsolla’s global commerce platform—supporting over 1,000 payment methods across 200 geographies—with the commission’s push to make the UAE a leading game development destination. It will launch a joint studio accelerator, produce market intelligence, and create pathways for developers across the Middle East and North Africa. Dubai’s broader goal is to create 33,000 gaming jobs and add roughly $1 billion to the city’s GDP by 2033.
Public-Interest Groups Urges D.C. Circuit to Halt Nexstar/Tegna Merger
A coalition of public‑interest groups has asked the D.C. Circuit Court to halt the FCC’s approval of the Nexstar‑Tegna merger, arguing the order is unlawful and shields the deal from judicial review. The brief contends that Nexstar’s acquisition would give...
X Pitches Advertisers on Rising Opportunities in the App
X is revamping its ad sales pitch by highlighting a major AI‑driven upgrade to its targeting engine, which it says can better understand user behavior and boost campaign performance. The company also touts an affluent audience, with average household incomes...
New 5,500-Capacity Purpose-Built Music Venue Planned For Seattle
Live Nation and First Avenue Entertainment will build a 5,500‑seat indoor music venue in Seattle’s SODO district, slated to open in 2029. Designed by Blueprint Studio and LMN Architects, the purpose‑built space targets artists between theater and arena sizes, offering...
FCC’s New Foreign Ownership Rules Put Connoisseur In Holding Pattern
The FCC’s Media Bureau released processing guidelines (GN Docket 25-149) to implement the January 2026 Foreign Ownership Report and Order, which for the first time extends the remedial petition safe‑harbor to privately held broadcasters. The new rules give Connoisseur Media,...
Evan Whikehart Named General Manager, North America at IDOL, as Paris-Headquartered Indie Says Its Annual Revenue Topped $50m Globally Last...
Paris‑based independent distributor IDOL appointed Evan Whikehart, formerly of Secretly Distribution, as General Manager for North America and LATAM. The move follows IDOL’s announcement that global revenue exceeded $50 million last year, with North America delivering almost a third of sales...
Nexstar Accused Of Having It Both Ways In Dueling Court Fights
Public interest groups, led by Democracy Forward Foundation and Free Press, have asked the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to unwind the pending Nexstar‑TEGNA merger. They allege the FCC is deliberately stalling its statutory duty to review Media Bureau orders...
UTA Signs Zhamira Zambrano
Talent agency United Talent Agency (UTA) has signed Venezuelan singer‑songwriter Zhamira Zambrano to a global representation deal covering live touring, media, brand partnerships, film, television and strategic ventures. The artist is currently on her “Curita Para el Corazón Tour,” which...
Japan’s Avex Sees Music Segment Revenues Grow 6.8% YoY to $810M in Latest Fiscal Year
Avex Inc. reported music‑segment revenue of $810 million for FY2026, a 6.8% year‑over‑year increase, and turned an operating loss into a $23 million profit. Live entertainment was the primary driver, delivering $354 million in revenue, up 17.4% as its flagship act XG completed...
Plex to Raise Price of Lifetime Pass to $750 in July
Plex announced that its Lifetime Pass will increase three‑fold to $750 on July 1, up from the current $250 one‑time fee. The hike is aimed at funding ongoing development of its media‑server ecosystem, including new download capabilities, expanded metadata support, and...
DAX US, Basis Strike Exclusive Integration For Political Audio Buys
Global Media’s DAX US has entered an exclusive integration with Basis, a cross‑channel media orchestration platform, to sell its political audio inventory. The partnership makes more than 100 million U.S. listeners reachable via ad‑supported streaming, podcasts, and 350 terrestrial stations available...
Amazon, Netflix and Google to Capture Half of CTV Ad Market by 2030
Omdia forecasts global connected‑TV (CTV) advertising revenue to rise from $44 billion in 2025 to $81 billion by 2030. Google, Amazon and Netflix together are projected to capture 50% of that market, with shares of 26%, 13% and 9% respectively. The data...
Bari Weiss Has Big Plans for CBS News. And That’s Before CNN Enters the Picture
Bari Weiss, appointed editor‑in‑chief of CBS News seven months ago, is steering a summer‑long overhaul that targets flagship programs such as *60 Minutes* and *CBS Mornings* while expanding digital initiatives like podcasts and Free Press contributors. The revamp follows March layoffs and...
Microsoft Ad Chief Kya Sainsbury-Carter Departs; LinkedIn’s Matt Derella Takes Over
Microsoft’s senior advertising leader Kya Sainsbury‑Carter announced her departure after a 20‑year tenure, including three years as head of Microsoft Advertising. LinkedIn veteran Matt Derella, who has overseen global ad sales since late 2024, will replace her as senior vice...
Suno Sued by Poseidon Wave Media, an Entity Behind Indie Duo The American Dollar, Claiming It ‘Nearly Eliminated’ Their Licensing...
AI music startup Suno faces a new copyright lawsuit from Poseidon Wave Media, the owner of ambient duo The American Dollar. The complaint alleges Suno trained its model on 236 of the duo's recordings without permission, causing an 80% drop...
Twitch Adds New Community-Driven Monetization Tools for Eligible Creators
Twitch unveiled three community‑driven monetization tools—Creator Badge Drops, Custom Power‑Ups, and expanded Hype Train formats—to let creators turn viewer participation into direct earnings. Badge Drops let streamers design event‑specific badges unlocked by subscriptions or watch time, delivering up to a...
ITV Launches Live Addressable+ with Omnicom
ITV has introduced Live Addressable+, its first addressable advertising solution for live linear channels, in an exclusive beta with Omnicom Media Group. The trial involves more than 20 brands across automotive, retail and telecoms, leveraging ITV’s first‑party audience data and...
Oscar Lifts Disney But Streaming Still Owns Nearly Half The TV Set
Nielsen’s March 2026 Gauge shows streaming still commands roughly half of U.S. TV set usage, confirming its entrenched dominance. Cable viewership nudged higher, buoyed by the NCAA March Madness tournament, which lifted linear ratings by about three percent. Disney enjoyed a notable...
YouTube’s SVOD Business Is Helping Fuel the Platform’s Domination of TV, Too
YouTube’s subscription revenue now accounts for roughly one‑third of its total earnings, driven by more than 125 million paid subscribers to YouTube Music and Premium as of 2025. CEO Neal Mohan announced that YouTube TV has surpassed 10 million subscribers and introduced...
Amazon Affiliate Cuts Put Publishers and Creators Under Pressure
Amazon has slashed affiliate commissions by up to 50%, pulling premium rates from roughly 10% down to 4‑5% in several categories and eliminating milestone‑based bonuses. It also weakened product‑level reporting, leaving publishers, creators, and Influencer participants with far less visibility...
![[Industry News] Snail Games Partners with Three Polish Studios to Support Emerging Regional Talent](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/snail-1.png)
[Industry News] Snail Games Partners with Three Polish Studios to Support Emerging Regional Talent
Snail Games, through its indie imprint Wandering Wizard, announced partnerships with three Polish studios—Above The Desk, Donkey Crew, and Frozen Way Games—to publish their upcoming titles. The collaboration highlights Bellwright, which has already sold over 1 million units in Early Access,...
Advanced CTV Measurement, Now Live for Universal Ads
Singular announced that its Advanced CTV Measurement is now live for Universal Ads, enabling app promotion campaigns on connected‑TV inventory. The integration requires no new SDK or separate data pipeline; advertisers create a CTV‑to‑Mobile tracking link in Singular and attach...
Lance Armstrong’s THEMOVE Returns as the Definitive Tour De France Companion Podcast Through New Libsyn Partnership
Libsyn announced an exclusive partnership to host and monetize the July 2026 Tour de France episodes of Lance Armstrong’s podcast THEMOVE. The deal makes Libsyn the sole platform for daily race breakdowns, video simulcasts, and host‑read ads during the event. THEMOVE...
India’s Influencer Marketing Industry Nears US $ 500 Million, Says Report
India’s influencer marketing sector is projected to exceed Rs 4,500‑5,000 crore (approximately $467‑$519 million) by the end of 2026, up from Rs 3,000‑3,500 crore ($311‑$363 million) in 2025. Growth is being driven by regional creators, vernacular content and short‑form video, especially in Tier‑3 and Tier‑4 cities...
Dow Jones CEO: Storyful Merger Will Fuel Growth to $1bn Profit
Dow Jones will integrate its News Corp‑owned video verification firm Storyful, a deal first announced when News Corp bought Storyful for about $25 million in 2013. CEO Almar Latour says the merger will accelerate the publisher’s push to deepen content, widen...
What Agentic TV Buying Really Means, According to Disney, YouTube, Netflix, and More
Agentic TV buying, a buzzword from this year’s upfront week, is moving from concept to deployment. Major players including Fox’s AdStudio, Netflix, Disney, and YouTube announced AI‑driven tools that can plan, optimize, and eventually execute ad purchases without human intervention....
How Il Post Built a Sustainable Subscription Model While Keeping Its Journalism Free
Italian digital outlet Il Post has built a sustainable subscription model without a paywall, keeping all news free while charging for exclusive podcasts and newsletters. In 2024, its 110,000 paying members contributed about 75% of its €9.4 million ($10.2 million) revenue, marking...
Nexon and Tencent Extend Publishing Partnership for Dungeon & Fighter in China
Nexon and Tencent have sealed a ten‑year renewal to publish the PC action RPG Dungeon & Fighter in China, extending a partnership that began with the game’s 2008 launch in the market. Although financial terms were not disclosed, the deal...
Nielsen: Cable, Broadcast Decline In March - Streaming Gains
Nielsen’s Total TV/Streaming Index shows streaming commanding 47.6% of U.S. TV consumption in March 2026, up from 43.8% a year earlier. Cable’s share rose 7% month‑over‑month to 21.4% thanks to the NCAA March Madness tournament, but remains down from 24.0%...
After Raising $5M, Adobe-Backed Tamber Officially Launches Its AI Music-Making Platform
Adobe Ventures‑backed Tamber raised $5 million and launched an AI‑powered music suite that acts as an "intelligent creative layer" inside existing DAWs. The platform, dubbed "sonic intelligence," translates abstract prompts—like colors or textures—into usable musical elements rather than generating finished tracks....
CI Games and Epic Games Terminate Lords of the Fallen II Publishing Deal
CI Games announced it has terminated its publishing agreement with Epic Games, ending the exclusive PC distribution of Lords of the Fallen II on the Epic Games Store. The deal, signed in June 2024, had granted Epic exclusive rights for the...
Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo & ACL to Make Global Streaming Debut
Live Nation’s three flagship festivals—Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits—will stream globally for the first time through Disney+ and Hulu. The partnership expands a six‑year Hulu alliance, giving international subscribers real‑time access to performances, highlights and backstage interviews. Disney’s global...
Influencer Marketing Grows Up
Influencer marketing has shifted from a gut‑based tactic to a measurable performance channel, treating creators as standalone media assets with CPMs and attribution. Publicis Groupe cemented this trend by acquiring AI‑powered platform Influential for roughly $500 million, plugging it into its...
92% of Ad Buyers Now Commuting; Will Radio Close The Win?
A new Westwood One survey shows 92% of marketers and agency professionals now commute, the highest rate since tracking began in 2022. Marketers are spending an average 4.4 days per week in the office, placing them in cars during peak...
Dish TV Rolls Out South India-Focused Regional Packs Starting at Rs 149
Dish TV has launched new South India‑focused regional packs priced at Rs 149 per month (about $1.80). The bundles cater to Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam speakers, offering more than 225 channels overall, including 36 Tamil channels and over 30 channels...
KidZania India Names Bloomingdale PR as Influencer Marketing Partner
KidZania India has hired Bloomingdale Public Relations to serve as its influencer marketing partner, aiming to amplify digital storytelling and creator‑led engagement across the country. The agency will orchestrate influencer collaborations, creator experiences, and digital‑first campaigns that showcase KidZania’s immersive...
Original Doom Soundtrack to Be Inducted Into US National Recording Registry
Epic Games has relaunched Fortnite on the Apple App Store globally, except Australia, as it anticipates U.S. courts will compel Apple to reveal its App Store commission structure. The move follows a partial victory in Australia where a court deemed...
Sony to No Longer Bring PlayStation Narrative Single-Player Games to PC
Sony confirmed that its narrative single‑player titles will remain PlayStation‑exclusive, ending the recent trend of PC ports. The decision was announced by PlayStation Studios CEO Hermen Hulst in a staff town‑hall, following earlier Bloomberg reports. Titles such as The Last...
How Regional Sports Networks Engage Gen Z Fans
Regional sports networks such as NESN and Space City Home Network are overhauling their outreach to capture Gen Z viewers who prefer streaming and short‑form content. Executives highlighted a shift from pure live game broadcasts to a mix of clips, influencer...
How Regional Sports Networks Optimize Distribution to Serve Local Fans Better
Regional sports networks (RSNs) are augmenting traditional linear distribution with direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) apps and virtual MVPDs to reach fans beyond cable and satellite footprints. Space City’s SCHN+ app now serves viewers in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, while NESN’s NESN360...
Pitch Deck: X Leans on AI and Performance in a Bid to Win Ad Dollars
X is re‑branding its advertising offering around AI‑driven performance, promising brands higher ROI through algorithmic targeting. The platform highlights its massive user base and new tools that claim to optimize creative placement, bidding, and audience segmentation in real time. However,...
Brazil: CazéTV Signs LaLiga Rights Deal
CazéTV has secured a six‑season broadcasting agreement with LaLiga to stream Spain’s top‑flight matches in Brazil. The deal includes live games, highlights and complementary content distributed primarily through YouTube and CazéTV’s digital ecosystem. LaLiga highlighted Brazil as a strategic market,...
Bilibili Inc (BILI) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Bilibili reported Q1 2025 revenue of RMB 7 billion, up 24% year‑over‑year, propelled by strong advertising and mobile‑games performance. Gross profit rose 58% to RMB 2.54 billion, expanding the margin to 36.3% and narrowing the GAAP loss to RMB 11 million. User engagement hit new highs...
Sony Announces PlayStation Plus Price Rises "Due to Ongoing Market Conditions"
Xbox announced two senior hires as part of a broader leadership overhaul. Veteran gaming analyst Matthew Ball joins as chief strategy officer, while former Amazon and Azure AI executive Scott Van Vliet becomes chief technology officer. The moves aim to sharpen Xbox’s strategic...
50 Cent’s Red River District Plans In Shreveport Hit A Snag
50 Cent’s Fif is poised to turn Shreveport into an entertainment district, with the city forecasting a multi‑billion‑dollar impact and 6,000 new jobs. The City Council even extended the developer’s lease to 99 years, underscoring long‑term confidence. However, a recent inspection...
Sony Announces Price Increases for New 1-Month, 3-Month PlayStation Plus Subscriptions
Sony announced modest price hikes for new PlayStation Plus subscriptions, raising the 1‑month plan to $10.99 (up $1) and the 3‑month plan to $27.99 (up $3). The increase applies only to new subscribers; current members keep existing rates unless they change...
Believe Founders Denis Ladegaillerie & Romain Vivien Explain the Global Rise of Their Multibillion-Dollar Music Company | Billboard News
Believe, founded by Denis Ladegaillerie and led by Romain Vivien, has grown into a multibillion‑dollar music company that now commands roughly 10% of the global digital music market. The firm ranks among the top three players in 12‑13 of the...
Pinterest Wants Brands to Start Thinking About Christmas
Pinterest is urging advertisers to launch Q4 campaigns now, emphasizing that its 31‑week lead‑time to Christmas favors early, always‑on content. The platform reports that brands running shopping ads for six months see roughly 33% higher ROAS, while Performance+ catalog sales...
UMG CFO: Downtown Will Add 15 to 20 Million Euros to Virgin Music Group Revenue in the Coming Years
Universal Music Group’s CFO Matt Ellis said the recent acquisition of Downtown Music Group will generate €15‑20 million (about $16‑22 million) in incremental revenue for Virgin Music Group over the next few years. The deal contributes to Virgin Music’s faster growth relative...
Meta Expands IAS Block Lists To Threads
Meta has extended Integral Ad Science’s Content Block List, an AI‑driven brand‑safety tool, to the Threads feed, giving advertisers access to over 46 contextual categories in 34 languages across its family of apps. Threads now serves more than 400 million monthly...