Calif. AG Rob Bonta: ‘Red Flags Everywhere’ on Paramount/WBD Merger
Paramount Pictures announced a $110.9 billion equity acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that still requires state-level approval in California. Attorney General Rob Bonta warned that the merger faces “red flags everywhere,” citing concerns over consumer pricing, employee wages, and market competition. While the federal government has shown little resistance, California’s scrutiny could delay or block the transaction. Senate Democrat Elizabeth Warren also opposes the deal, warning of excessive concentration in the entertainment sector.
Pedigree Launches New Global Campaign ‘Good Then, Better Now’ via Colenso BBDO
Pedigree has unveiled a new global advertising campaign titled “Good Then, Better Now,” developed with creative agency Colenso BBDO. The campaign leans on nostalgic childhood photos and home videos submitted by dog owners worldwide to reinforce Pedigree’s long‑standing reputation in...
2DayFM Leans Into Nostalgia with Second Format Change in a Year
After a year of experimenting with a youth‑focused playlist, Sydney’s 2DayFM has rebranded as an Adult Contemporary station aimed at women aged 25‑44. The station resurrected its classic “Better music and more of it” slogan and now mixes 1990s‑2000s staples...
Made By Dyslexia Launches New Film to Reshape Dyslexia Search Results via Clemenger BBDO
Made By Dyslexia, together with Clemenger BBDO, has launched a global short film titled “What is dyslexia?” to claim the top spot on Google’s Knowledge Panel for the most common search query about the condition. The animated piece, starring Jeremy Irons,...
GB News Expands Into India
GB News has entered the Indian market through a distribution agreement with NeoTV+, extending its reach to English‑speaking viewers in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The partnership, enabled by iKO Media Group’s content delivery network, places GB News on NeoTV+ across...
African Storytelling Is a Growth Market Hollywood Is Missing, Says Next Narrative Africa Fund Study
The Next Narrative Africa Fund (NNAF) released a study with Parrot Analytics showing that global demand for African and diaspora film and TV outpaces supply, especially for non‑English titles. Non‑English African stories represent 28% of audience demand but only 16%...
Epic Universe Powers Universal Boom as Comcast Eyes Global Expansion
Comcast reported Universal Parks generated $2.3 billion in Q1 revenue, a 24% year‑over‑year rise, with adjusted EBITDA climbing 33% to $551 million, largely powered by the new Epic Universe resort in Orlando. The park’s higher attendance and per‑capita spending are also lifting...
Former Live Nation Executive Says He Was Fired After Raising 'Financial Misconduct' Concerns
Former Live Nation executive Nicholas Rumanes has filed a lawsuit alleging he was fired after reporting alleged financial misconduct. Rumanes claims the company inflated revenue projections on multiple venue‑development projects and operated through an opaque financial structure. He is seeking...
Former PlayStation Head Isn't Sure How Sony Can Recoup Those Big Budgets without First-Party Games Coming to PC
Former PlayStation Worldwide Studios chief Shuhei Yoshida told a podcast that Sony has not officially altered its long‑standing policy of keeping first‑party triple‑A titles off PC. He noted that the soaring development budgets—exemplified by the reported $300 million cost of Marvel’s...
Warner Bros. Discover Approves $110B Paramount–Skydance Merger; Regulators up Next
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve a $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, handing media mogul David Ellison control of Warner’s film studio, streaming platforms, and cable assets such as HBO and CNN. The deal faces fierce opposition from more than 4,000 Hollywood...
Meta Expands Instagram Management APIs
Meta unveiled a suite of Instagram API upgrades, adding automatic partnership‑ad label support to the Content Publishing API, new performance metrics to the Graph API, and aggregated engagement data across Instagram, Facebook and boosted posts. The changes also let third‑party...
YouTube Reduces Push Notifications for Unengaged Subscribers
YouTube is rolling out variable limits on push notifications for channel subscribers who haven’t engaged with a creator’s content for roughly a month. Inactive users will still receive inbox notifications via the bell icon, but their push alerts will be...
Another Country Confirms Eurovision Song Contest Boycott: "We Will Not Be Broadcasting"
Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTV announced it will not air the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, opting instead for a Palestinian documentary series. The decision follows similar bans by Ireland and Spain, which have also refused to broadcast or participate due to...
How Tax Season Becomes a Mess for Touring Musicians
Touring musicians face a tax maze similar to professional athletes, needing separate state filings for every venue where they earn income. Many are classified as self‑employed gig workers, so they must make quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid penalties. Royalties...
DIRECTV Is Expanding the MiEspañol Genre Pack
DIRECTV announced a major expansion of its MiEspañol Spanish‑language genre pack, adding Telemundo affiliates in 82 markets and reaching roughly 98% of U.S. Hispanic TV homes. The rollout, which includes cities such as Atlanta, Austin, Seattle and Portland, adds about...
Other Gum Is 'Dumb,' Says 'Smart' Neuro In First Campaign
Neuro, an 11‑year‑old functional chewing‑gum brand, has launched its first national advertising campaign titled “Gum Is Dumb,” positioning its product as the industry’s first “smart gum” for energy and focus. The campaign, featuring a sloth mascot, coincides with a retail...
NFL To FCC: Ending Antitrust Exemption Would Mean “Higher Costs and Confusion”
The NFL warned the FCC that ending its league-wide antitrust exemption would fragment media rights, driving up consumer costs and creating confusion. The league highlighted that 87% of games still air on broadcast networks and that the 2025 season remained...
Xbox Confirms It’s ‘Reevaluating’ Exclusivity as It Shares Future Mission Statement
Microsoft’s newly appointed gaming chief, Asha Sharma, unveiled an Xbox mission that pivots around daily active players as the primary growth metric. The company will rebrand the Microsoft Gaming division back to Xbox and focus on four pillars: hardware, content,...
Warner Bros. Discovery Shareholders Approved the Paramount Merger — What Happens Next? And How Soon?
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve the $111 billion merger with Paramount‑Skydance, creating a combined studio under CEO David Ellison. The parties aim to close the transaction by the third quarter of 2026, subject to remaining regulatory approvals. Federal...
New Xbox CEO Is ‘Reevaluating’ Exclusive Games
Xbox’s newly appointed chief executive, Asha Sharma, told staff she and CCO Matt Booty are reevaluating the company’s exclusivity policy and AI initiatives. The memo follows a two‑year period in which flagship titles such as Sea of Thieves, Forza Horizon...
The Sports Audience TV Can’t Match Is on the Radio, Study Shows
A Vision Insights Decoder study of U.S. sports fans (August‑October 2025) shows sports radio listeners are twice as likely to back brands that sponsor their favorite teams, and they rate radio sponsors as more memorable than TV sponsors among 18‑34...
There's a New Playbook for Partnering with Creators on Marketing Campaigns.
Google has rolled out YouTube Creator Partnerships within Google Ads and Display & Video 360, allowing advertisers to discover, activate, and manage creator‑driven ads directly in performance campaigns. The new tools aim to lower the entry barrier for creator marketing,...
Hurley Brings Regional Playbook to iHeart Philadelphia
Jeff Hurley has been appointed senior vice president of programming for iHeartMedia Philadelphia, taking charge of the market’s six‑station cluster that includes Power 99, WDAS, and Fox Sports The Gambler. He previously served as EVP of programming across Upstate New York,...
Record Labels’ $2B+ Copyright Lawsuit Against Verizon Jointly Dismissed in Wake of Supreme Court’s Cox Ruling
A joint stipulation filed on April 22 dismissed the $2 billion‑plus copyright lawsuit that Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Warner Music and ABKCO had brought against Verizon. The dismissal, entered with prejudice, bars the labels from refiling and follows the U.S. Supreme...
Senior Accountant (Label and Artist Management Company) – Anomally Records – Remote (UK)
Anomally Records, an independent label and artist‑management firm with operations in the UK, GCC, Hong Kong and China, is hiring a senior accountant on a remote, part‑time‑to‑full‑time basis. The role will oversee day‑to‑day accounting, royalty tracking, touring settlements, merchandise and direct‑to‑consumer...
Ad Spend on YouTube, Google Search, Amazon Sponsored Products Is Growing: Report
Tinuiti’s latest report, based on more than $4 billion in managed ad spend, shows double‑digit growth across most digital channels in Q1 2026. Meta’s Instagram Reels now generate a third of the platform’s ad impressions, lifting Instagram ad spend 28% year‑over‑year, while...
5 Streaming Posts Fastest Q1 Growth Among PSB Platforms
Channel 5’s streaming platform posted the fastest Q1 2026 growth among UK public‑service broadcasters, with Barb reporting a 25% year‑on‑year rise in viewing hours. The surge outstripped BBC iPlayer (8% up), ITVX (1% down) and Channel 4 Streaming (17% up). Growth was...
‘Stranger Things’ Randy Havens Signs With Luber Roklin Entertainment
Actor Randy Havens, best known for playing Mr. Clarke on Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, has signed a management agreement with Luber Roklin Entertainment. Havens recently appeared in a recurring role on NBC’s Grosse Pointe Garden Society and has accumulated...
Front Office Sports Studios To Launch Daily Syndicated ‘Front Office Sports Tonight’
Front Office Sports Studios will debut a daily, nationally syndicated television program called Front Office Sports Tonight on September 14. The 30‑minute show blends reporting, analysis and commentary on the business, culture and entertainment aspects of sports and will be...
Tiffany Faigus & Ariane Wu Join Amazon As Nonfiction Chief Jenn Levy Sets Team
Amazon has reorganized its nonfiction programming under Head of Nonfiction Series Jenn Levy, appointing two senior executives to lead unscripted and documentary content. Former Disney executive Tiffany Faigus joins as Senior Creative Executive for Unscripted Series, reporting to Levy starting...
TriCoast Media Expands Its Unified SSP/DSP Platform
TriCoast Media has expanded its unified supply‑side and demand‑side platform to compress the connected TV (CTV) supply chain. By turning its content library into a flywheel, the company offers publishers higher revenue shares in exchange for preferred backfill access, now...
The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin Nears $10m in One Month on Mobile
Netmarble’s manga‑based RPG *The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin* generated $9.3 million in mobile revenue during its first month after launching on March 23, 2026. Japan drove the bulk of that income, contributing $5.5 million (59% of total), while the United States and South...
Lake Bell Signs With Gersh
Actress‑writer‑director Lake Bell has signed a multi‑platform representation deal with Gersh, the agency known for high‑profile film and TV talent. Bell’s recent credits include HBO’s The Chair Company, which earned two 2026 WGA nominations, and a supporting role in Black...
Artists First Signs ‘Crackhead’ Creator/Star Holly Shervey
Artists First has signed New Zealand actor‑writer Holly Shervey to its management roster. Shervey is the creator and star of the dark comedy series "Crackhead," which debuted in March on HBO Max Australia and Channel Three in New Zealand. She brings a prolific track record,...
Comcast Beats on Broadband Losses and Wireless Adds
Comcast reported its first year‑over‑year improvement in residential broadband churn since Q4 2020, shedding only 65,000 subscribers versus a 117,000 loss a year earlier. The company also posted a record quarterly gain of 435,000 wireless lines, pushing its mobile base above...
Is It Time For A Multimodal Media Rep?
Google announced an exclusive agreement with SiriusXM Media to serve as the sole audio advertising representative for YouTube. Using Google’s 2025 data, YouTube’s total ad revenue was $40.4 billion, with audio accounting for roughly 3.3 percent—or about $1.4 billion. The partnership allows Google...
Warner Bros. Discovery Shareholders Approve Paramount Skydance Deal
Warner Bros. Discovery’s shareholders voted to approve an $81 billion takeover by Paramount Skydance, setting the stage for a major media consolidation. However, a majority of investors opposed a proposed $550 million compensation package for CEO David Zaslav and other executives. The transaction...
NBCU’s Peacock Is Officially On Its Way To Profitability
NBCUniversal's streaming service Peacock is on track to profitability after a surge in sports‑driven advertising and subscriber growth. In Q1 2026, Peacock added 2 million subscribers to reach 46 million and its quarterly revenue jumped 71% to over $2 billion. The “Legendary February” lineup—including...
NBCU’s Peacock Is Officially On Its Way To Profitability
NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock added 2 million net subscribers in Q1 2026, bringing its base to 46 million and driving a 71% revenue jump that pushed quarterly earnings past $2 billion. The surge was powered by a "Legendary February" sports lineup—including the Winter...
Study: Honda Drivers Use AM/FM for Ad-Supported Listening
Cumulus Media’s Audio Active Group, citing Edison Research Share of Ear data, found that 83% of Honda drivers’ ad‑supported listening in their cars is on AM/FM radio, with podcasts trailing at 8%. Across all environments—home, work, and other locations—Honda owners...
Podtrac Releases March Multi-Channel Podcast Ranker
Podtrac released its March Multi‑Channel Podcast Ranker, the third monthly chart that blends audio, video and short‑clip consumption to rank U.S. podcasts. Meidas Touch Network’s “The Meidas Touch” held the top spot, while “The Joe Rogan Experience” remained steady at...
Fallout From Cox Mega-Damages Reversal Continues as Publishers Streamline Anthropic Claims and Labels Ditch Copycat Verizon Case
The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Cox Communications ruling, tightening the definition of contributory copyright infringement to require intent to induce or a service tailored to infringement. The decision cleared Verizon and other ISPs, including RCN, of pending piracy lawsuits,...
Amazon Ads & Global Announce Integration Bringing the UK’s Biggest Commercial Audio Brands to Amazon DSP
Amazon Ads and Global have launched a programmatic integration that connects Amazon’s demand‑side platform (DSP) with Global’s DAX exchange, giving advertisers direct access to the UK’s leading commercial audio brands such as Heart, Capital and Smooth. The partnership blends Amazon’s...
Animated Films, Including ‘The Simpsons Movie 2’ and ‘Phineas and Ferb,’ Now Qualify for California Tax Credits
Governor Gavin Newsom’s expanded California Film & Television Tax Credit program now includes animated feature films, with 38 projects—among them “The Simpsons Movie 2,” a “Phineas and Ferb” movie, and a DreamWorks picture—receiving credits. The round is projected to generate almost...
Aerie Ups Commitment to Authenticity with Enhanced Creator Program
Aerie has launched the Realmakers Community, a creator program that invites U.S. influencers with at least 1,500 followers on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or Pinterest to earn commissions, receive product seeding, and attend brand‑led events. The initiative, built with the Duel...
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream Tops the Japanese Charts, Outselling the Rest of the Top 10 Seven Times Over
Nintendo’s new Switch 2 title Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream debuted at #1 on Japan’s physical software chart, moving 565,405 copies between April 16 and April 19. The game outsold the second‑place PS5 entry Pragmata by more than fifteen‑fold, which sold just 36,470...
Atlanta News First & Atlanta Dream Announce Full-Season Local TV Broadcast Partnership
Atlanta News First, Peachtree TV and Peachtree Sports Network have renewed a full‑season local television partnership with the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream. The agreement ensures that every Dream game not carried nationally will air on WANF, WPCH or the Peachtree Sports...
Vevo Refines Upfront 2026 Strategy
Vevo has revamped its 2026 Upfront strategy, emphasizing bespoke, high‑impact products such as Artist Franchise and Attention Guaranteed. The Artist Franchise program, which aligns brands with top musicians on premieres and exclusive content, has more than tripled in sales year‑over‑year....
FACTOR Launches CA$2m Investment for Canadian Live Sector
Canadian music funding body FACTOR, together with its French‑language partner Musicaction, announced a CA$2 million (≈US$1.5 million) investment in two new programmes for Canadian‑owned promoters and festivals. The Promoter and Festival programmes, aimed at sharing risk and amplifying diverse Canadian voices, will...
WBD Shareholders Say Yes
Warner Bros. Discovery’s shareholders approved the merger with Paramount, moving the deal past the investor‑approval stage. The most significant US antitrust hurdle has already been cleared as the waiting period expired without objection, and Paramount has positioned the transaction to align with...