Entertainment News and Headlines
Entertainment News and Headlines
Entertainment Pulse
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
Michael Petricone argues that legacy broadcasters are receiving an outsized public subsidy by retaining exclusive rights to underused spectrum, even as fewer than 9% of Americans watch over‑the‑air TV. He cites the $95.8 billion annual economic value of unlicensed spectrum and urges Congress to reclaim broadcast frequencies through an Incentive Auction 2.0. The piece warns that continued freebies for broadcasters hinder more efficient uses needed for AI, 6G, autonomous vehicles, and national competitiveness. Petricone calls for a market‑driven reallocation to boost growth and innovation.
JAR Podcast Solutions announced the expansion of a dedicated YouTube‑first video podcast practice, creating a specialist team to produce video‑optimized branded podcasts. The agency emphasizes platform‑specific strategy, treating YouTube as a discovery engine rather than a simple upload destination. JAR’s...
Epidemic Sound has unveiled a developer API that lets third‑party platforms embed its extensive catalog of over 50,000 original tracks and 200,000 sound effects. The API is AI‑enhanced, offering text‑prompt, video‑prompt, SoundMatch, semantic search and an audio reference tool to...
Mogul, founded by former SoundCloud executives, says it has helped artists recover $1.5 billion in lost royalties since its 2025 launch. The Boston‑based startup raised $5 million in a round led by the Yamaha Music Innovations Fund, bringing total capital to $6.3 million....
New York lawmakers are advancing a bill that would compel media companies to disclose any artificial‑intelligence tools used in their operations, a move the Washington Post editorial board warns could stifle innovation. At the same time, veteran CBS correspondent David...
TikTok continues to dominate music discovery in the MENA region, with 84 % of songs that entered the Billboard Global 200 in 2024 first going viral on the platform. The time to reach 100,000 TikTok posts fell dramatically from roughly 340 days in...
CBS News contributor David Begnaud has founded an independent media company called Do Good Crew, which will produce a weekly newsletter, a podcast, and live events spotlighting everyday heroes. The venture’s inaugural podcast episode features an interview with Oprah Winfrey....
Warhorse Studios announced that longtime director Daniel Vávra is leaving day‑to‑day game development to head a new transmedia role focused on a Kingdom Come: Deliverance film adaptation. The studio confirmed a completed script and ongoing talks with production companies, positioning...
In January 2026 television viewing hit a 12‑month peak, and Disney emerged as the biggest month‑over‑month gainer in Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge report. The gain reflects a notable rise in total TV consumption attributed to Disney’s owned‑and‑operated properties, especially ABC....
GameFly continues to rent DVDs, Blu‑rays and 4K discs by mail, positioning itself as the sole major survivor after Netflix ended its DVD‑by‑mail service in 2023. The company’s movie catalog includes roughly 292 DVD titles and a growing Blu‑ray selection,...
BidOn, a non‑profit open‑source ad‑tech platform, has announced a new board of senior executives from leading mobile‑gaming companies and the creation of a dedicated engineering team. The board will guide strategy, product direction, and governance, while the engineering group will...
Activision announced that Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile servers will permanently close on April 17, 2026. The title‑shot mobile version launched globally in March 2024 but was pulled from iOS and Android stores in May 2025, halting new acquisitions. Linked...
Wild Creations, Wales’ leading designer and fabricator for the global attractions industry, has appointed Cardiff‑based B2B communications agency TMPR to head its public relations and strategic communications. The company, founded in 2010, now employs over 50 staff in a 40,000‑square‑foot...
Panzer Knights: Commander’s Edition, an anime‑styled World War II tank simulation, was announced for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series with a slated 2026 launch. The definitive console version bundles the original game with three bonus content packs, adding iconic tanks such as the...
A Los Angeles jury is hearing the KGM trial, which alleges Meta and other social platforms are engineered to addict minors through features like infinite scrolling, autoplay and dopamine‑triggering rewards. The case, while focused on social media, raises the prospect...
Six Flags reported 2025 adjusted EBITDA of $792 million and revenue of $3.1 billion, both edging analyst expectations. However, fourth‑quarter attendance dropped 9% to 9.3 million visitors, cutting admissions revenue by $327 million. The company, under new CEO John Reilly, highlighted recent investments in...
Blackpool’s £1 million Peter Rabbit Explore and Play attraction shut its doors in November 2025, ending a three‑year run that began in 2022. The family‑focused venue, operated by Merlin Entertainments, offered interactive Beatrix Potter‑themed play areas but failed to meet performance expectations. Blackpool Council...
Saudi Arabian airline Saudia has inked a five‑year strategic partnership with Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City, becoming the exclusive Official Premier Partner in the airline category. The deal will see Saudia create travel packages to the new theme park,...
The American Forces Network (AFN) will cease its eight‑channel direct‑to‑home satellite service on March 22, 2026, moving all overseas viewers to the AFN Now streaming app. The shift affects hundreds of thousands of service members, families, retirees and civilians living off‑base in Europe...
Zetland, Denmark’s audio‑first news publisher with over 40,000 paying members, is scaling its mission‑driven, ambassador‑campaign model across Europe. After a successful Finnish launch, Uusi Juttu, the company reached 20,000 members and is now rolling out Demo in Norway, hitting its...
YouTube is in advanced talks to add four live NFL games to its platform, a package previously carried by the NFL Network and now part of the league’s broader media‑rights reshuffle following the $3 billion sale of its media division to...
ITV and Disney have deepened their UK partnership by adding an exclusive primetime linear window for two Hulu Original dramas on ITV1. The arrangement builds on the Disney+‑ITVX content‑sharing deal launched in July 2025 and introduces a branded slot called...
NEM Dubrovnik, the largest TV market in Central and Eastern Europe, will take place from June 8‑11 2026 in Dubrovnik. The four‑day event features panel room sessions with industry experts, case studies, special presentations, and exclusive screenings. Three market areas – Sunset,...
ESPN launched ESPN Unlimited in 2025, bundling its traditional TV networks with ESPN+ and the newer ESPN Select service into a single direct‑to‑consumer offering. The tiered structure has confused many users, especially as some content that was previously free on...
Future plc unveiled three new initiatives—Signal, Collab, and Future+—to revamp affiliate e‑commerce, creator content, and membership registration. Signal shifts buying advice to personal “collections” that drive up to three‑fold social and email traffic, while Collab lets vetted creators publish directly...
The UK government is moving to bring the most popular video‑on‑demand services under Ofcom’s regulatory umbrella through secondary legislation to the Media Act 2024. Platforms with more than 500,000 UK users—including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, ITVX and Channel 4—will be classified...
Sports radio is experiencing a resurgence, with AM/FM sports stations growing 14% and adding over 100 outlets in the past decade. Revenue share climbed from 9.3% in 2016 to 12.8% in 2025, a 38% increase, while streaming dominance places sports...
Radical Entertainment, famed for The Simpsons: Hit & Run and Prototype, has resurfaced under the name New Radical Games, merging with the recently bankrupt Hothead Games. The new venture is led by co‑founder Ian Wilkinson as CEO and former Hothead president Tim Bennison...
Appear has secured YouTube verification for Secure Rapid Transport (SRT) streaming on its X5, X10 and X20 hardware platforms. The certification confirms that Appear’s encoders meet YouTube’s reliability and performance standards for live, low‑latency delivery. The move follows a request...
Warner Bros Discovery will launch HBO Max direct‑to‑consumer in twelve Asia‑Pacific island markets on March 26, 2026. The rollout follows recent European launches in Italy and Germany and precedes the UK and Ireland debut. The service will bundle HBO, Harry Potter, DC, Cartoon Network, Max Originals...
ITV and Disney have extended their UK partnership by bringing two Hulu Original series to ITV1’s primetime linear schedule. The first, “The Stolen Girl,” premieres on February 25, followed later by “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.” The titles will air under...
Spotify has shifted from confrontational royalty disputes to collaborative negotiations, exemplified by its 2023 royalty framework overhaul. The new model introduces a 1,000‑stream annual threshold, fraud penalties, and length requirements for non‑musical tracks, aiming to curb AI‑generated and low‑value content....
HELL Energy Drink has renewed its official sponsorship of the Zee Cine Awards 2026, marking a second straight year of partnership. The deal places the brand alongside the coveted “Viewers’ Choice Song of the Year” award, linking it directly to...
Portland’s WNBA expansion team, the Fire, and NWSL club, the Thorns, have signed a multi‑year media partnership with Gray Media’s KPDX (FOX 12 Plus). All Fire games will air on FOX 12 Plus with select simulcasts on FOX 12, while the Thorns continue their expanded...
Esperanza Fintech Securities secured approval from Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission to launch Asia's first regulated tokenized investment platform focused on live entertainment. The firm will issue security tokens through a managed fund, lowering entry barriers and enabling secondary‑market...
DMG Media CEO Danny Groom told The Definitive AI Forum that AI is reshaping the Mail’s content model, moving from mass‑reach to targeted, personalized output. The company is piloting an AI‑powered dynamic paywall in Australia and has cut article volume...
AEG International named John Langford president of its Asia‑Pacific division, effective 1 April, with a Singapore base from September. He will steer AEG’s regional expansion across existing and upcoming venues, including the newly opened 17,500‑seat IG Arena in Nagoya and the 6,000‑seat UOB Live...
The UK government announced a two‑stage plan to close regulatory gaps in electronic programme guides (EPGs). Stage one will use secondary legislation to bring all EPGs delivered by existing regulated providers and portal services under Ofcom’s broadcast code by late...
Samsung Ads has introduced an Immersive Carousel ad unit for Samsung Smart TV home screens across Europe, allowing up to five interactive tiles that rotate automatically or can be navigated with the remote. The format appears on the home screen,...
Topshelf Records announced it is ending its relationship with Washington, D.C. punk band Ekko Astral and will not release their forthcoming album *The Beltway Is Burning*. The label cited the ongoing feud between frontwoman Jael Holzman and former drummer Miri...
Isaac Hayes’ estate settled its lawsuit against former President Donald Trump over the unauthorized use of the 1966 hit “Hold On, I’m Coming.” The estate had sued for $3 million, citing more than 130 instances of the song at campaign events,...
IKEA is returning as the principal sponsor for Australian Survivor: Redemption, extending its partnership with Network 10 and Paramount+. The renewed deal deepens in‑show integration, featuring IKEA‑branded food rewards, sleep solutions, and daily gift‑card competitions during pivotal moments. The brand cites...
Dragami Games announced that Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, originally slated for March 26, 2026, has been delayed to an unspecified date. The postponement stems from significant updates required for both the new Switch 2 build and the...
Mattel Studios announced Rob David’s promotion to Senior Vice President of Animation, effective immediately. In his new role, David will oversee development, creative and production for both adult and children’s animated series across broadcast, streaming, and digital platforms, including YouTube....
DYPING: ESCAPE, the horror‑typing sequel from Heaviside Creations, will debut on PC via Steam on March 13 at $9.99, published by PLAYISM. The title builds on a free Unityroom hit that amassed over 500,000 plays, adding a deeper narrative and...
Free ad‑supported streaming TV (FAST) has become the new normal in 2026, reshaping audience habits, advertising models, and content monetisation. International programming, especially Asian dramas and anime, generated $8 billion in streaming revenue between 2020‑2024, while FAST sports channels grew 105%...
Amazon Ads reports a surge in demand for UEFA Champions League advertising on Prime Video, attracting brands across automotive, financial services, lifestyle and travel. Brand‑lift studies show average lifts of 20% in favourability, 14% in familiarity and 21% in purchase...
The Atlanta Braves are launching their own regional sports network, BravesVision, to become the franchise’s official local TV home starting next season. The network will produce more than 140 games plus pre‑ and post‑game shows and will distribute content via...
TelevisaUnivision reported a 5% YoY revenue decline to $4.8 billion in 2025, but highlighted the Direct‑to‑Consumer (DTC) segment as a bright spot. The Spanish‑language streamer Vix achieved full‑year profitability, contributing roughly a quarter of total revenue and 20% of adjusted OIBDA,...
X announced new anti‑AI‑bot measures, including user‑added tags for AI‑generated posts and upgraded detection tools, while simultaneously promoting its Grok chatbot across the platform. Head of product Nikita Bier emphasized the need to protect the “human pulse” of X from synthetic...
