Marvel Undergoes Layoffs Amid Companywide Disney Cuts
Disney announced a companywide reduction that includes Marvel Entertainment and Marvel Studios, eliminating roughly 8% of Marvel's workforce. The cuts affect film, TV, comics, finance, legal, and visual‑development departments, with the latter shifting to a contractor‑only model. CEO Josh D’Amaro confirmed up to 1,000 Disney employees will be laid off, marking the most significant reduction for Marvel since a smaller round in 2024.
AI-Native Animation: A New Business Paradigm
Kevin Geiger’s guide argues that artificial intelligence is reshaping animation from a labor‑heavy, capital‑intensive pipeline into an AI‑native, system‑driven model. Studios will shift focus from producing individual projects to building reusable IP platforms that generate continuous content across formats. The...
Blackpool Pleasure Beach Introduces Pay-per-Ride Flex Pass
Blackpool Pleasure Beach has introduced the Flex Pass, a pay‑per‑ride ticket priced at £18 (about $23) that includes park entry, unlimited rides on three core attractions and a seasonal Hot Ice Show. Guests can buy ride credits through the park...
Scripps Digital Channels Added to Local Now App
The E.W. Scripps Company has signed a distribution agreement with the owner of the free streaming platform Local Now, adding several of its digital multicast channels to the app. Beginning this week, Local Now will stream the national feeds of...
Drake Breaks His Own Impressive Streaming Record Ahead Of “ICEMAN”
Drake has set a new personal streaming benchmark on Spotify, reaching 88.74 million monthly listeners, edging out his prior record of 88.71 million. The Toronto rapper also crossed the 5 billion‑stream mark for 2026, positioning him for the biggest streaming year ever by...
Prime Video Bundles Apple TV With Peacock Premium Plus For $19.99 A Month
Amazon’s Prime Video Channels is rolling out a limited‑time bundle that pairs Apple TV with Peacock Premium Plus for $19.99 a month, roughly $10 less than subscribing to each service separately. The deal follows a similar October bundle that excluded Amazon, highlighting...
“Tiny Bit of Oxygen”: CRTC Gives CPAC Rate Bump, Reversing Course on Deferral
The Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) reversed its earlier deferral and approved a three‑cent per‑subscriber rate increase for the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC). Effective September 1, broadcasters will pay 16 cents per month, adding roughly CAD 2.8 million (≈ US 2 million) to CPAC’s budget...
YouTube Expands C-SPAN Partnership
YouTube has expanded its partnership with C‑SPAN, adding the network’s three primary channels to all YouTube TV packages and streaming live events on the main YouTube platform. The move aligns with YouTube’s America 250 celebration, aiming to broaden civic‑content access for...
Snapchat Highlights Opportunities for Insurance Brands
Snapchat and Ipsos released a study of 1,513 U.S. social‑media users showing that 80% of Snapchat users already own at least one insurance policy, making them 1.4 times more likely than non‑users to be policyholders. The research also found that 82%...
Nubank Secures Naming Rights to Latin America’s Largest Arena in Major Sports Push
Nubank, Brazil’s leading neobank with over 80 million customers, announced a five‑year naming‑rights deal for São Paulo’s 55,000‑seat arena, the largest indoor venue in Latin America. The agreement, valued at roughly $150 million total ($30 million per year), includes a co‑branded ticketing platform that...
Allegro Spatial Launches on Orange TV with Immersive Classical Music Channel
Orange TV has introduced Allegro Spatial, a premium classical music channel delivering 4K UHD video and Dolby Atmos spatial audio. The service is free-to-air in metropolitan France until June 3, after which it joins a paid package priced at €11 (about...
Hollywood Heavyweights Oppose Paramount Deal
More than 2,000 Hollywood creators signed an open letter opposing Paramount Skydance’s planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, warning that the merger would shrink opportunities, cut jobs, raise costs and limit audience choice. Showrunner Damon Lindelof explained a chilling effect on talent...
Top Reason for Subscribing to Pay TV Is Live News and TV, Survey Finds
A new Parks Associates survey, produced with Philo, finds live news and sports are the top drivers for retaining pay‑TV subscriptions, with 44% of respondents prioritizing live news and 39% live sports. The study also highlights the appeal of unified...
YouTube Will Now Pause Livestream Ads when Chat Engagement Peaks
YouTube introduced real‑time ad suppression that pauses automatic ads when chat activity spikes, and it adds personal ad‑free windows for viewers who send Super Chats or gifts. The update arrives alongside dual‑format streaming—vertical and horizontal—plus virtual gifting now available in...
Cinema United Chief: Meeting with Ted Sarandos Was ‘Constructive,’ but Don’t Expect Netflix in Theaters Just Yet
Cinema United President Michael O’Leary confirmed a constructive meeting with Netflix co‑CEO Ted Sarandos at CinemaCon, but emphasized no immediate plans for Netflix to present on a CinemaCon stage. The dialogue explored potential collaboration models, yet both sides admit they...
Concord Forms Strategic Venture with Steven Victor’s Victor Victor Worldwide, Expands Hip-Hop Footprint
Concord announced a multi‑year strategic venture with Steven Victor’s Victor Victor Worldwide, aiming to expand its hip‑hop footprint and tap new audiences for VVW’s culturally defining catalog, which includes Pop Smoke and Ski Mask the Slump God. The partnership combines Concord’s global distribution...
Why Theater Owners Are Balking at Hollywood's Latest Mega Deal
At CinemaCon, Cinema United announced it will actively oppose the proposed Paramount‑Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger, warning that the consolidation could harm exhibitors and consumers. The combined entity would inherit roughly $79 billion in debt and pledge to produce 30...
Cumulus Media Nearing Bankruptcy Exit
Cumulus Media’s creditors have approved a prepackaged Chapter 11 plan that would wipe out roughly $592 million of the company’s $697 million pre‑petition debt. The restructuring converts most of that debt into equity, issues $50 million of exit convertible notes and secures a $100 million...
X Cuts Clickbait Payouts and Exposes a Creator Program Problem
X announced it will cut payouts for accounts that post clickbait, keeping the content live but reducing creator earnings. The move follows a similar penalty for undisclosed AI‑generated conflict footage, showing X prefers monetization sanctions over content removal. The Creator...
Ayra Starr’s Roc Nation Deal Tests Afrobeats’ Global Reach
Ayra Starr’s nine‑month Roc Nation management partnership has kept her streaming engine humming, with 3.48 billion Spotify streams and roughly 17.5 million monthly listeners. However, new releases in Nigeria now hover around the 90‑range on daily charts, a noticeable dip from her pre‑deal...
Netflix Stock Rises Ahead Of Video Streamer's First-Quarter Report
Netflix stock rose over 3% ahead of its first‑quarter earnings release, with analysts forecasting $12.18 billion in revenue and 84 cents earnings per share – a 15% and 27% year‑over‑year increase respectively. KeyBanc upgraded its rating and lifted the price target to...
YouTube Livestreams Will Now Hold Back Ads During Peak Engagement to Protect the Vibe
Google’s YouTube announced it will automatically hold back ads on livestreams when chat engagement spikes, aiming to preserve the “vibe” of high‑energy streams. The ad pause applies to all viewers, while Super Chat, Super Stickers, or gift purchases still trigger an immediate,...
A Mid-Florida ‘Outlaw’ Finally Gets An Owner Shift
A Class B AM station serving the agricultural corridor between Sebring and Sarasota, Florida, along with its 250‑watt FM translator, is slated for an ownership change. The buyer is the station’s own “Outlaw” programming brand, effectively purchasing the facilities it already...
The Surprising Trick Corporate Natalie Used to Kickstart Her Career as a Content Creator
Content creator Natalie Marshall, known as Corporate Natalie, pretended to have an assistant by creating an email alias, making brands think she ran a larger operation. The tactic helped her secure deals with Dell, Paycom, SoFi and a Dunkin’ commercial,...
New Video Frontiers 2026: What to Expect
VideoWeek’s New Video Frontiers 2026 conference kicks off tomorrow in London, gathering broadcasters, agencies, platforms and brands for two days of CTV, AI and ad‑tech discussions. Day 1 features a fireside on brand‑marketer pressures, Omdia’s CTV forecasts, AI‑powered ad‑trading infrastructure, and...
Audiences Increasingly Turning to Prime Video, Roku for Aggregation
A Hub Research survey reveals that 54% of U.S. viewers now subscribe to at least one additional streaming service through Prime Video’s digital subscriptions hub, up from 50% in 2025. Roku serves as an aggregation point for 26% of respondents,...
A ‘PQ’ Proposition For Tackling Hispanic Radio’s Ad Dollar Disconnect
The U.S. Hispanic population has risen 19% since 2016, now comprising roughly one‑fifth of the nation. Yet advertising spend in Hispanic media remains a small fraction of that audience’s size and listening power. Patrick Quinn, founder and CEO of PQ...
A Golden State Deal That Returns ‘Rocking M’ Name
A six‑member Montgomery family, together with a station employee, has formed Rocking M Media Group to acquire an AM/FM combo and three additional FM stations in California. The deal is unrelated to the well‑known Monte or Doris Miller, despite the...
SAOSIN Releases First Single And Music Video In Over A Decade
SAOSIN has signed to Sumerian Records and released "Starting Over Again," their first single in over a decade. The track was produced and mixed entirely by guitarists Beau Burchell and Phil Sgrosso, giving the band full creative control. The reunion...
Disney Yank a Bunch of Games From Steam, Including Bonafide Classics Star Wars: Dark Forces, Outlaws and High School Musical...
Disney removed 15 of its linked titles from Steam on April 14, including classic shooters Star Wars: Dark Forces and Outlaws. The purge follows a January wave that saw 14 more Disney‑related games disappear. Most of the delisted titles are...
Dice Throne Launches Kickstarter Campaign for Digital Game
Dice Throne, the creator of the popular dice‑and‑card combat tabletop, has partnered with Nerd Ninjas to launch a Kickstarter campaign for Dice Throne Digital. The campaign targets a $100,000 goal and promises to bring the game to Steam, mobile devices,...
Virginia Governor Signs Law Banning Sales Of Location Data
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed Senate Bill 338, a privacy law that bans the sale of precise location data within a 1,750‑foot radius. The measure, effective July, replaces the 2021 consent‑based framework and joins Maryland and Oregon in prohibiting such...
How China Came to Dominate Mobile Games – and How Western Companies Can Compete | Opinion
Chinese mobile game publishers now dominate global revenue charts, with seven of the top 15 titles generating $668 million in February 2026 and $20.5 billion in overseas earnings in 2025. Their advantage stems from a decade‑long head start on free‑to‑play monetisation, massive live‑ops...
Bloober CEO Says Relying on One Title Creates 'Too Much Risk' In Today's Market
Bloober Team announced a refreshed executive lineup and reaffirmed its two‑project development model to mitigate market risk. CEO Piotr Babieno said the studio will maintain exactly two first‑party productions, balancing ambition with quality oversight. The company also highlighted its co‑development...
Social Media Powers Online’s Ad Market Dominance, and Meta Eats 70 Percent of That Pie
Online advertising is set to surpass $1.6 trillion by 2030, with social media driving the bulk of growth. Omdia projects online ad spend will reach $1.5 trillion, up from $935 billion in 2025, and grow 13% in 2026 alone. Social ads are forecast...
GameStop Is Taking Pokémon Card Gambling To The Masses
GameStop announced that its Power Packs digital trading‑card platform will open to the U.S. public on April 15, 2026. The service lets users purchase virtual packs ranging from a $25 Starter tier to a $2,500 Lunar tier, each offering a spin on...
Nielsen: Move Along, Nothing To See Here (*)
Nielsen released its February "Gauge" report, but the data still relies on an outdated methodology that fails to capture true cross‑platform TV consumption. The report shows streaming outpacing broadcast and cable, a result the author argues is more a measurement...
Roblox Is Turning Its Product Roadmap Into Advertising Inventory
Roblox introduced a new Makeup feature on March 31, letting creators sell avatar cosmetics that overlay players' faces. The launch was partnered with e.l.f. Beauty, which worked with Roblox’s Kestrel studio to create five branded looks and offered them in the...
Skyview Formally Unveils A Cloud-Based Distribution Platform
Skyview Networks has officially launched Cirocast, a cloud‑native, broadcast‑grade audio distribution platform, ahead of the 2026 NAB Show. The service moves mixed, market‑specific audio feeds into the cloud, enabling low‑latency IP delivery, ad targeting, copy‑split and content personalization. Cirocast is...
Social Traffic Kinda Stinks for News Publishers Now, in 3 Charts
Chartbeat data shows global news publishers have lost 70% of Twitter referral traffic since Elon Musk’s 2022 acquisition, while Facebook referrals have also fallen sharply. In addition, users who arrive via these social platforms now spend less time on publisher...
Thomas Riedel Acquires ARRI
Thomas Riedel, founder of Riedel Communications, announced the acquisition of ARRI, the German leader in cinema cameras, lighting, and workflow solutions. The deal, disclosed on April 14, 2026, aligns two family‑run enterprises and expands Riedel’s reach across the full production...
Patrón Takes Shot at Sponsoring Prime Video’s NBA Nightcap Through the Playoffs
Amazon Prime Video is elevating its NBA playoff coverage by naming Patrón Tequila the presenting sponsor of the post‑game show, NBA Nightcap. The partnership will run throughout the postseason, delivering brand integrations across every playoff broadcast and custom content pieces....
Tour Tech Teams Up With NIVA On All Things PRO
TourTech, founded by entertainment‑law veteran Tobi Parks, has introduced SARA, a Setlist Aggregator & Royalty Application that lets artists submit setlists to every performance rights organization in one step. The startup is currently in a beta phase, inviting a select...
Blink49 Studios Pushes Into Microdramas (Exclusive)
Blink49 Studios announced the appointment of Tieren Hawkins as vice‑president of vertical content to spearhead a new microdrama division. Hawkins, who produced hits such as Forbidden Bonds that amassed over 150 million views on platforms like ReelShort, will lead the creation...
Eventbrite Makes Layoffs Following Bending Spoons Acquisition
Eventbrite announced significant layoffs after its $500 million acquisition by Milan‑based Bending Spoons. The cuts primarily target the pre‑acquisition workforce, with many employees in India affected, as the new owners integrate their product development team. Bending Spoons plans to accelerate innovation...
Netflix Earnings Preview - Price Hikes & Subscriber Growth
Netflix is set to report Q1 2026 results on April 16, with analysts forecasting $0.76 earnings per share on $12.16 billion of revenue, a 15% year‑over‑year increase. The company’s ad‑supported tier is projected to double to $3 billion, positioning advertising as the...
How Tilting Point and AN Games Are Taking on the 4X Strategy Space with Avatar: Realms Collide
Tilting Point and AN Games launched Avatar: Realms Collide, a mobile 4X strategy game built on the beloved Avatar franchise. In its first year the title surpassed 3.6 million installs and has a live‑ops team of roughly 60 members maintaining steady...
WWO: Marketers Underestimate Value of Creative
Westwood One’s Audio Active Group released a new Advertiser Perceptions study analyzing 450 ad campaigns. Marketers and agencies ranked creative as the third‑most important driver of sales, behind targeting and brand, but the data shows creative actually delivers the greatest...
How AI Transcriptions Have Transformed Audio Content for PRISA Media
PRISA Media, the world’s largest Spanish‑language media group, has deployed AI‑driven transcription across its 1,200‑plus journalists and extensive audio archives. The technology converts live and recorded broadcasts into searchable text, subtitles and short‑form video assets, while a separate AI tool...
FreeWheel’s AI-Driven Context Engine Enables Global Contextual Targeting Across Premium Video
FreeWheel launched Context Engine, an AI‑driven feature inside its Streaming Hub that automatically tags premium video content with contextual signals such as emotion, location and objects. The tool combines computer vision, machine learning and generative AI to process millions of...