UK Software Sales for the Week Ending May 16th, 2026
The GfK weekly UK software sales for the week ending May 16, 2026 show Nintendo’s dominance. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream retakes the #1 spot after a brief dip, while Indiana Jones and the Great Circle jumps to #2 on the physical Switch 2 launch. Eight of the top ten titles are playable on Nintendo platforms, underscoring stronger third‑party support. Both the Switch and the new Switch 2 are positioned for robust summer sales.
Should You Accept Internet Cookies?
A Boston University study of 200 million ad impressions finds that removing third‑party cookies slashes publisher ad revenue by roughly 35% worldwide and 66% in the European Union. The research also shows Google’s Privacy Sandbox, the most prominent privacy‑enhancing alternative, recovers...
New In The Lou: Gray Media’s TV ‘Triopoly’ Head
Gray Media has completed the acquisition of two Louisville television stations previously owned by Block Communications, a deal approved by the Media Bureau’s Video Division less than two weeks ago. The purchase adds the stations to Gray’s existing property in...
As ABS Deals Reshape the Music Rights Landscape, KBRA Says It’s Rated $12.9B in Music Royalty-Backed Bonds Since 2020 –...
KBRA reports it has rated more than $12.9 billion of music‑royalty asset‑backed securities since 2020, a three‑fold increase from 2023. The agency now expects issuance to contract by roughly 25 percent in 2026, falling from about $3.3 billion annually to just over $2.5 billion....
Live Nation: Don’t Get the Blues over ‘Blue Dot Fever’
Live Nation’s shares steadied around $170 as CFO Joe Berchtold dismissed the “blue dot fever” narrative, saying cancellation and sell‑through rates remain on par with historical levels. He attributed the chatter to scalpers upset by efficient pricing, not to a market...
Banijay Group: Q1 2026 Results
Banijay Group posted a solid Q1 2026, with revenue up 9% to €1.15 billion (≈ $1.24 billion) and adjusted EBITDA rising 5% to €196.6 million (≈ $212 million). Sports Betting & Gaming drove the bulk of growth, posting a 17.3% revenue increase to €433.1 million (≈ $468 million) and a...
Primary Wave Acquires Interests in Album Art Collection From Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell, Co-Founder of British Design Studio Hipgnosis
Primary Wave announced it has purchased the interests of Aubrey “Po” Powell in the Hipgnosis album‑art collection, which includes iconic covers for bands such as AC/DC, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin. The acquisition also encompasses original props used in the...
Podcasters Now Have to Do Double the Work
The Reuters Institute report confirms that podcasting is expanding, not being replaced, by video. New shows increasingly launch simultaneous video versions on YouTube, Spotify and Apple, while legacy audio‑only programs like The Daily retain strong listenership. This dual‑format strategy forces...
Showmax Is Gone. MultiChoice’s Future Is Now Premium Streaming and Payments
MultiChoice is abandoning its loss‑making Showmax platform and concentrating on two higher‑margin bets: DStv Stream, a premium decoder‑free streaming service, and Moment, its in‑house fintech payment engine. DStv Stream’s subscriber base surged 139% after its 2023 relaunch, driving revenue to...
Beyond the Top 300: CTV?s Next Phase Calls for Discoverability
The connected‑TV (CTV) ecosystem is moving past its historic Top 300 advertisers and Top 10 platforms, as programmatic and biddable infrastructure mature. Mid‑market and long‑tail brands are demanding self‑serve, DSP‑driven buying that mirrors web and mobile ad models. Publishers, still reliant on...
Athlete Influencers Outperform Traditional Creators by More Than 2x, per Report
OpenSponsorship’s 2026 State of Athlete and Influencer Marketing report finds athlete creators generate more than twice the engagement of traditional influencers—10.97% versus 4.92%—and deliver a 7× return on ad spend, producing $5.78 in media value per dollar invested. Deal activity...
The 5G Broadcast Pivot: Frank Copsidas on Why LPTV Has the Real Roadmap
Frank Copsidas, founder of the LPTV Broadcasters Association, argues that the future of broadcast datacasting lies in pure 5G Broadcast, not the hybrid ATSC 3.0‑5G time‑slicing approach. He criticizes the technical patchwork of CAS muting cycles, frame alignment and guard times...
Steven Bartlett’s Flightcast Adds Apple Podcasts Video Support, HLS Publishing for All Customers
Flightcast, the podcast hosting platform co‑founded by Steven Bartlett, has rolled out full Apple Podcasts video support and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) publishing for all customers at no extra cost. The update lets podcasters publish 4K video directly to Apple...
Bobby Darin Musical Reaches a Rare Broadway Milestone: Profit
"Just in Time," the Bobby Darin biomusical, became the first new musical from the 2025‑26 season to turn a profit, recouping its $12.5 million capitalization and beginning to share earnings with investors. Star power from Jonathan Groff pushed weekly grosses above $2 million,...
Tele Columbus Opens Fibre Network to 1&1
Tele Columbus has signed a long‑term wholesale deal to open its fibre network to 1&1, adding more than 1.2 million households to the provider’s reach. The agreement links 1&1’s nationwide fibre transport with Tele Columbus’ regional infrastructure, covering existing footprints and future expansion...
Moviegoers Still Hungry for Sanitized Michael Jackson Biopic, Knocking ‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ Off Top Spot
The Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" reclaimed the No. 1 spot at the North American box office with $26.1 million in domestic ticket sales, bringing its worldwide total to $703.9 million. It remains behind the record‑setting musical biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody," which has topped $910.8 million...
Are Wall Street Analysts Predicting Fox Corporation Stock Will Climb or Sink?
Fox Corporation (FOXA) posted fiscal 2026 Q3 results that beat expectations, with revenue of $3.99 billion and adjusted EPS of $1.32, prompting a 7.6% share jump. Over the past 52 weeks the stock has risen 16.9% but underperformed the S&P 500’s 25.2%...
Movistar Plus+ Announces Reorganization of Its Editorial and Executive Structure
Movistar Plus+ unveiled a major editorial and executive overhaul, centering its strategy around dedicated content and sports pillars. CEO Alfonso Gómez Palacio appointed Juan Andrés García Ropero to lead a newly structured Content division comprising four specialized units, while Enric Rojas stays in charge of Business...
Blue Frog Immersive Gives VR Concerts a Go on Apple Vision Pro
Blue Frog Studios has launched a Vision Pro app that delivers immersive VR concerts, converting six performances with spatial audio and focusing on independent artists. The app serves as a test‑bed for Apple’s high‑priced Vision Pro headset, which starts at...
"Hydra Is Polished and Battle-Tested" – Why Saber Interactive Is Opening up Its Live-Ops Tool All Developers
Saber Interactive has opened its battle‑tested Hydra live‑ops platform to any developer, offering a modular SDK for Unreal Engine 5, Unity and its Swarm engine. The service bundles matchmaking, cross‑platform play, dedicated server hosting, voice chat, micro‑transactions and real‑time configuration, all...
VaynerMedia Named Social Creative, Production AOR For Allwyn
Allwyn, the lottery‑led gaming entertainment group, has named VaynerMedia EMEA as its Social Creative and Production Agency of Record for Europe and North America. The agency will craft platform‑first creative for Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube Shorts, working directly with...
Vietnam’s DAO Music Entertainment Strikes Strategic Partnership with The Orchard
Vietnamese music platform DAO Music Entertainment has signed a strategic partnership with The Orchard, Sony Music’s global distribution arm. The agreement gives DAO Music access to The Orchard’s worldwide network, enabling Vietnamese artists to reach international listeners. Founded in 2020,...
Spotify Raises Premium Prices in Canada by up to CAD $3 per Month
Spotify announced its first Canadian Premium price hike since 2024, raising the Individual plan to CAD $13.99 (≈$10.20 USD), Duo to CAD $19.99 (≈$14.60 USD) and Family to CAD $23.99 (≈$17.50 USD). The increases represent 10‑15% jumps, pushing Spotify above Apple Music (CAD $10.99) and Amazon Music...
Belgian Entertainment Group Studio 100 Posts Record Turnover and Profit in 2025
Studio 100 posted a record €330.15 million ($360 M) turnover in 2025, eclipsing its 2024 high of €260 million. Operating profit surged to €108.57 million ($118 M) and net profit more than doubled to €41.28 million ($45 M). The company’s three core pillars—Benelux media, Plopsa theme parks, and...
Ad Tech Briefing: The Downstream Implications of Publicis Groupe’s $2.2 Billion Bet on LiveRamp
Publicis Groupe announced a $2.1767 billion acquisition of LiveRamp, aiming to accelerate its transition to a data‑driven, higher‑margin "principal" operating model. The deal gives Publicis direct control over LiveRamp’s identity‑resolution and addressability technology, enhancing closed‑loop measurement for advertisers. It also reshapes...
Drake Reportedly Fulfills UMG Contract with Three New Albums
Drake has reportedly satisfied his Universal Music Group recording contract by releasing three albums simultaneously, keeping his extensive catalog under the label’s control. The primary album, ICEMAN, is projected to move between 480,000 and 520,000 equivalent album units in its...
StreamElements Confirms Acquisition Talks Amid Shutdown Speculation
Streaming tools provider StreamElements announced it is in positive discussions with potential acquirers after rumors of layoffs and a possible shutdown. The company posted on X that it is seeking a path forward for creators, customers, and staff, while pledging...
Sky News to Bundle Perks From Three Podcasts in First Online Subscription
Sky News is debuting its first paid online offering, a £2.99‑per‑month (≈$3.80) subscription that bundles three flagship podcasts—Electoral Dysfunction, Trump 100 and the new six‑part series Stuff Matters. Subscribers receive ad‑free listening, bonus episodes, early access to new content, a weekly...
Hot Five: Sensor Tower Acquiring AppMagic, Grand Games’ $70m Series B, and Switch 2 Nears 20m Unit Sales
Sensor Tower announced the acquisition of rival AppMagic, extending its mobile market‑intelligence suite to small and medium‑sized businesses after already buying data.ai. Istanbul‑based Grand Games closed a $70 million Series B led by Balderton Capital, bringing its total funding to $103 million to...
New BBC Boss Warns that 'Tough Choices Are Unavoidable'
Matt Brittin, former head of Google Europe, has taken over as BBC director‑general and warned that £500 m in savings are essential. He outlined a plan that could involve up to 2,000 job cuts while urging the broadcaster to accelerate its...
UK Government ‘Drawing up Plans to Switch Off Terrestrial TV’
The UK government is drafting a Green Paper to outline a phased shutdown of terrestrial television, contingent on universal, affordable superfast broadband and related support mechanisms. The plan would see the switch‑off after the current licence periods end, with ITV,...
McLaren Racing Announces Partnership with Global
McLaren Racing announced a multi‑year partnership with Global, the UK media and entertainment group, designating Global as the Official Race Partner and Official Audio Race Partner starting in the 2026 Formula 1 season. The deal places Global branding on team radio...
Warner Music Forms Cross-Border Artist Development Platform GLIIDE with Thailand’s GMM Music
Warner Music and Thailand’s GMM Music have unveiled GLIIDE, a cross‑border artist‑development platform housed within their 2024 joint venture GMM Global. The initiative’s first act, SVRN, debuted with the video for “WHY,” signaling the start of a model that blends...
Seven.One Media Launches Pause Ads on Joyn
Seven.One Media, the ad sales arm of ProSiebenSat.1, has rolled out a new "pause‑ad" format on its streaming service Joyn. The full‑screen ad appears four seconds after a viewer pauses VOD content and remains until playback resumes, offering uninterrupted brand...
Digital Hits 50% of Revenue for MediaCo In Q1
MediaCo reported a 12% rise in Q1 2026 revenue to $31.4 million, driven by a digital surge that lifted digital’s share to 50% of total revenue. Digital revenue nearly doubled, reaching $15.5 million, while the video segment cut its operating loss from $3.8 million...
Why Brands Are Still Undervaluing YouTube Creator Partnerships
Brands continue to undervalue YouTube creator partnerships despite the platform’s proven ability to drive deep audience trust and higher purchase intent. Short‑form platforms like TikTok and Instagram dominate marketing dashboards, leaving YouTube sponsorships perceived as opaque and hard to benchmark....
The New York Times Is Becoming Subscription Infrastructure for Other Publishers
The New York Times is now a core component of multi‑publisher subscription bundles, joining nine international titles such as Le Monde and The Irish Times. Bundling reduces churn—Mediahuis reports a 26.5% drop—and pushes users toward higher‑priced tiers. The broader market...
Threats to Domestic Broadcasters Are Threats to Our “Cultural Identity” – Buy-Side View with Medialab’s Jon Manning
Jon Manning, Director of Advanced TV at Medialab, warns that the rise of Big‑Tech video services threatens the cultural identity shaped by domestic broadcasters. He highlights the industry’s struggle with fragmented definitions of CTV and the need for a common...
EXCLUSIVE: Omnicom Advertising Creative Lead Javier Campopiano Exits Months After IPG Takeover
Javier Campopiano, Omnicom Advertising Group’s global chief creative officer, will leave the firm at the end of May, just six months after Omnicom completed its acquisition of Interpublic Group. The agency announced it has no plans to replace his role, hinting...
Digest: Publicis Buys LiveRamp for $2.2bn; Netflix Expands Ad Tier
Publicis Groupe agreed to buy data‑collaboration platform LiveRamp for $2.2 bn cash, a roughly 30% premium, to embed identity‑ and AI‑driven capabilities into its agency network. LiveRamp will stay a neutral, interoperable platform with CEO Scott Howe reporting to Publicis chief...
Dish TV Launches VZY to Bring Live TV and Streaming Under One Connected Platform
Dish TV India has introduced VZY, a unified entertainment ecosystem that bundles over 29 streaming apps, live TV channels, and creator‑led content under a single sign‑in and billing system. The platform also includes a premium QLED 4K Smart TV powered...
MPs to Consult on BBC Charter Review
The UK Culture, Media and Sport Committee will hold its first evidence session on May 19 as part of a comprehensive review of the BBC’s Royal Charter, launched in March 2026. High‑profile witnesses—including Marina Hyde, James Graham, Sir Peter Bazalgette, former Channel 4 chief...
AirCap to Participate in PlayX4 2026, Unveils New Mobile Game 'AGATHA'
AirCap announced its participation in PlayX4 2026, a four‑day gaming exhibition in Goyang, South Korea, from May 21‑24. The company will use the event to debut its upcoming mobile idle RPG, AGATHA, and run a public Focus Group Test to gather real‑time...
Influencer Boost Budgets Are Throwing Gas on Social Video Spending Fire
Brand spending on social video is accelerating as influencer amplification budgets surge. Marketers now routinely allocate part of paid media spend to boost creator videos, with budgets ranging from a few thousand dollars to as much as $5 million per campaign....
Why Amazon and YouTube Pitched Operating Systems, Not Just TV Inventory at This Year’s Upfront
Amazon Ads and YouTube turned this year’s TV upfront into a showcase for ad‑tech operating systems rather than pure programming slots. Both firms highlighted authenticated identity, commerce data, AI‑driven buying and programmatic measurement as the core of their pitches. Amazon...
Backscreen Powers Tet TV+ with with Cross-Gen UX
Latvian telco Tet has relaunched its consumer service Tet TV+ on the Backscreen OTT platform, introducing a cross‑generation user experience that unifies live TV and on‑demand navigation. The redesign follows modern OTT design guidelines, offers real‑time backend control of layout,...
ZEEL Revenue Head Laxmi Shetty Steps Down After Two-Decade Stint
ZEEL’s long‑time revenue executive Laxmi Shetty has resigned after a 21‑year tenure, stepping down as head of advertisement revenue, broadcast and digital. She will serve a 180‑day notice, with her last working day slated for November 9 2026. The departure follows her...
‘Less Money For Talent’: Karl Stefanovic Issues Grim Warning For TV & Explains Why He Launched A Podcast
Veteran broadcaster Karl Stefanovic warned that shrinking advertising returns are forcing Australian TV networks to slash talent salaries and production budgets. After three years of negotiations with Nine, he launched The Karl Stefanovic Show podcast to gain creative freedom, noting...
Why Intentional Audio Is the New Frontier for Australian Marketers
Spotify’s new Sound‑On Era research shows audio is the last intentional media space for Australian consumers. 86% of Spotify users mute video to listen, and 75% recall audio content better than social posts. Brands leveraging audio, such as Origin’s audio‑programmatic...
Creator Content Drives Brands on Snapchat
Snapchat’s new report shows creator‑led ads outperform standard placements, with creator ads playing 25% longer and delivering 16% more active attention. The study finds 57% of Snapchat users follow creators to glimpse daily life, and brand‑sponsored creator content makes users...