Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds Bring Chaos, Banter (and Sailing) Ahead of Rio Grand Prix
Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds have fronted a new advertising spot for the BONDS Flying Roos, co‑owned by the duo, in partnership with work‑management platform monday.com. The campaign, released ahead of the SailGP Rio Grand Prix on April 12‑13, mixes the actors' trademark banter with sailing superstitions and the pressures of elite competition. Rio marks SailGP’s first event in South America, and the Flying Roos currently sit second in the 2026 season standings, eyeing the top spot. The spot aims to boost both the league’s visibility and the sponsors’ brand equity.
TNT Sports, DAZN Launch US Boxing Partnership
TNT Sports and DAZN have formed a U.S.-only partnership to launch a monthly boxing series called "The Fight," debuting on July 4. The collaboration brings together top promoters such as Top Rank, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy and Queensberry, delivering marquee bouts...
Fastly, LaLiga Collaborate on Anti-Piracy Innovation
Fastly and Spain’s LaLiga have launched a joint anti‑piracy project that uses AI‑driven edge detection to spot illegal live‑stream copies in real time. LaLiga estimates piracy costs its clubs $700‑$800 million annually, and the partnership aims to shrink that loss by...
Ratings: One Piece Hits New High In Season 2, Virgin River Returns Strong
Netflix’s live‑action adaptation “One Piece” surged to a new series high in its second season, delivering 1.62 billion minutes of viewing and ranking No. 2 on Nielsen’s overall streaming chart for the week of March 9‑15. “Virgin River” held strong at No. 3 with...
Rodrigo Carreto Joins Tiben Artists for General Management
Portuguese tenor Rodrigo Carreto has signed with Tiben Artists for general management, adding a high‑profile operatic talent to the agency’s roster. Carreto’s résumé includes performances at Teatro alla Scala, the BBC Proms, and Lisbon’s Teatro Nacional de São Carlos. This...
Bernes Perles Joins TACT Artists Management
Spanish soprano Berna Perles has joined TACT Artists Management and will be represented by Emanuele Destrini. Perles brings a distinguished performance record that includes leading roles at Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu, Madrid's Teatro Real, and other major Spanish opera...
EFF Is the Latest Organization to Leave X
The Electronic Frontier Foundation announced it is leaving X after nearly two decades, citing a dramatic drop in post impressions. In 2018, EFF’s tweets generated 50‑100 million monthly impressions, but by 2024 the same volume of posts yields only about 2 million....
Early Olympic Ticket Sales: Fans Met With High Prices, Tech Issues
The LA28 Olympic ticket presale, the earliest in Games history, opened with prices ranging from $28 to $5,519. Nearly 50% of tickets were under $200 and 75% under $400, but a 24% service fee inflated final costs. Fans faced technical...
Meta Removes Ads that Encourage Litigation Against the Company
Meta has removed more than a dozen Facebook and Instagram advertisements placed by U.S. law firms that were recruiting plaintiffs alleging harm from social‑media use as minors. The ads, from firms such as Morgan & Morgan and Sokolove Law, were...
Vegas’s Neon 93.1 Glows with Sammi Tempesta Addition
iHeartMedia Las Vegas revamped Neon 93.1 from classic rock to a Variety Hits format in February and has now bolstered its lineup by appointing UNLV graduate Sammi Tempesta as the afternoon drive host and assistant programming director. Tempesta arrives after a...
Issa Rae’s Production Company Jumps Into Micro-Dramas. Here’s What to Expect From the Hoorae-TikTok Deal
Issa Rae’s Hoorae Media has teamed with TikTok to launch the micro‑drama series *Screen Time* on the platform’s PineDrama app, marking Rae’s return to short‑form digital storytelling. The partnership includes a slate of additional vertical dramas, positioning TikTok as a...
RAIN Notes: April 9
AdsWizz is hosting a webinar on April 23 titled “Scaling Podcast Advertising: Unlocking Growth with Context and Confidence,” aimed at helping advertisers break through scale ceilings caused by over‑filtering and brand‑safety constraints. The session will cover where scale is lost, episode‑level...
Los Angeles World Cup Fan Fests Will Not Be Free
Los Angeles will charge admission for its World Cup Fan Fest events, a first for the traditionally free FIFA watch parties. The opening celebration at USC’s Memorial Coliseum and ten additional regional zones will require tickets for anyone 12 and...
Can Newspapers Be Saved? One Billionaire Thinks He Can Do Just That
Billionaire David Hoffmann has amassed control of 131 U.S. newspaper titles, directly owning 42 and holding a 53% stake in Lee Enterprises. Since 2022, every paper he acquired outright has become profitable, a rare feat amid a sector where 40%...
Portland Fire+ Streaming Platform Launches
Portland’s new WNBA franchise has launched Portland Fire+, a direct‑to‑consumer streaming service priced at $5.99 per month or $59.99 annually. The platform, built with Kiswe’s streaming technology and featuring live game broadcasts by Chime, offers original series, player features, and...
Metal Gear Solid Movie Gets New Directors After Nearly a Decade in Development Hell
Sony has inked a first‑look deal with directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, tasking them with helming the long‑awaited Metal Gear Solid film. The duo arrives fresh from the $317 million worldwide success of Final Destination: Bloodlines, which they directed...
Great Wolf Lodge Launches New Season Pass: Pricing, Dates, & What Families Get
Great Wolf Lodge introduced its inaugural Season Pass, granting families unlimited or weekday-only access to indoor water parks across U.S. locations from May 1 to Aug. 31, 2026. The Limited Pass costs $90 per person and restricts entry to weekdays,...
Patreon Podcast Revenue Up, New Spotify Video Controls, & More
Patreon reported a 33% year‑over‑year revenue increase to $629 million, driven by 7.6 million paid podcast memberships across 47,000 creators. American Public Media and Streamguys launched the Inform Media Network, a private marketplace delivering 55 million+ monthly impressions for public‑media podcasts and livestreams....
Nine Launches BBC News Channel on 9NOW to Boost Live News Offering
Nine Entertainment has added the 24‑hour BBC News channel to its free streaming service 9Now, expanding the platform’s live‑news portfolio. The move builds on a suite of BBC FAST channels launched in late 2024, including BBC Comedy and Top Gear. Executives...
What to Expect when Netflix (NFLX) Reports Its Q1 2026 Earnings Results
Netflix is set to report Q1 2026 results on April 16, projecting $12.16 billion in revenue, a 15.3% year‑over‑year increase, and earnings of $0.76 per share, matching analyst forecasts. The streamer ends 2025 with 325 million paid members and low churn despite recent price...
Another ‘Meme Stock’ Surge Comes For Beasley
Beasley Media Group (BBGI) released a disappointing FY 2025 and Q4 2025 earnings report, yet its shares climbed sharply. The rally was not driven by fundamentals but by a coordinated meme‑stock campaign that urged retail investors to buy BBGI on the Nasdaq....
Helping Developers Expand to Every Corner of the World: The Big Show Bonus Episode, Sponsored by Xsolla
Xsolla’s Chief Marketing and Growth Officer Berkley Egenes discussed the company’s global‑first strategy on a sponsored episode of The Big Show recorded at the GDC Festival of Gaming. He emphasized Xsolla’s role in helping developers launch, monetize and scale games...
Agency Intel: How CAA’s Matt Galle And Mike Marquis Helped T-Pain Find New Audiences, One Festival At A Time
Creative Artists Agency’s Matt Galle and Mike Marquis have turned T‑Pain from a one‑off festival act into a headline‑touring powerhouse. By staging a step‑by‑step progression—from 500‑seat clubs in 2017 to sold‑out 5,000‑seat rooms, then to Red Rocks Amphitheatre’s 37,100 tickets...
DOJ Launches Probe Into NFL over Media Rights Packages and Antitrust Concerns
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an antitrust investigation into the NFL over its media‑rights distribution, citing concerns that the league’s model may limit competition and drive up consumer costs. The probe arrives as the NFL prepares to renegotiate...
Mohegan Names Joe Soper VP, Sports & Entertainment
Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment has appointed tribal council member Joe Soper as vice president of Sports & Entertainment. Soper will direct strategy and programming for Mohegan Sun’s arena and its sister venues in Pennsylvania and Ontario. The move follows the...
The Trump Administration Is Setting Its Sights on TV’s Most Valuable Programming
The DOJ and FCC have opened investigations into the NFL’s broadcast agreements, questioning whether the league’s anticompetitive practices violate the Sports Broadcasting Act. The probes come as the NFL renegotiates its TV contracts, seeking higher rights fees from traditional broadcasters...
How Soccer Orgs and Sponsors Are Putting Local Spins on World Cup Campaigns
As the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup spreads across 16 host cities in three countries, sponsors are abandoning generic campaigns in favor of hyper‑local activations. Broadcasters like Telemundo are targeting key Hispanic markets, while Visa staged an artist‑driven showcase in...
Univision Moves Ahead With 2028 Tender Offer
TelevisaUnivision’s domestic arm, Univision Communications, has initiated a tender offer for its outstanding 8% senior secured notes due 2028. The offer allows eligible debtholders to tender up to a maximum amount, which has not been disclosed. By targeting the entire...
Govt Opens OTT Financial Bids to Formalise Digital Ad Partnerships
The Indian government has opened financial bids for the empanelment of over‑the‑top (OTT) platforms, aiming to integrate streaming services into a formal advertising ecosystem. Led by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Central Bureau of Communication, the bids were launched...
GamesBeat Summit 2026 Introduces New Special Programs, Bringing Top Industry Leaders to Los Angeles for High-Impact Dealmaking
GamesBeat Summit 2026 will convene senior gaming executives, investors and creators in Los Angeles for a curated, high‑signal event focused on dealmaking and strategic partnerships. The summit highlights that gaming now generates over $200 billion globally and reaches billions of players,...
Great American Family Selects CTS For Channel Origination, Playout, Transmission
Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) announced a multi‑year agreement with Great American Media to provide end‑to‑end channel origination, playout and transmission services for the Great American Family network. The partnership will run the linear channels Great American Family East, West and...
Liza Burnett Fefferman Joins Anonymous Content In New Chief Comms Role
Liza Burnett Fefferman has been hired as Anonymous Content’s chief communications and marketing officer, reporting to CEO Darren Walker. The veteran executive leaves her EVP communications role at Paramount’s Showtime/MTV Studios after the Skydance merger. She will lead a centralized communications...
Black Tabby Games Slinks Into Game Publishing with 1000xResist Creator's Next Game
Black Tabby Games announced the launch of its publishing label, Black Tabby Publishing, with Sunset Visitor’s FMV title Prove You’re Human as its first fully funded project. The publisher will provide development capital, release‑management, and a straightforward 70/30 revenue‑share deal...
Bill Ackman Tries to Make Music and Money Mix with €55bn Universal Bid
Activist investor Bill Ackman is spearheading a €55 billion (≈$59 billion) takeover bid for Universal Music Group, the world’s largest recorded‑music company. The consortium, backed by private‑equity firms and sovereign wealth funds, argues the deal will unlock value by pairing Universal’s catalog...
IFF Launches in LA and Moves Into New Home in London
International Festival Forum (IFF) is launching its first U.S. edition in Los Angeles, gathering up to 500 top festival agents and bookers from September 14‑16, 2026. In parallel, IFF’s London event is relocating to Outernet London, a high‑tech immersive district...
YouTube Says It Does Not Have 90-Second Unskippable Ads Despite User Reports
YouTube users streaming to televisions reported seeing 90‑second unskippable ad breaks, a possible extension of the platform’s 30‑second non‑skippable ads introduced last year. In response, Team YouTube confirmed that the service does not currently offer a 90‑second non‑skippable format and...
Tubi Strikes ChatGPT Deal that Cuts Out Human Movie Recommendations
Tubi, the ad‑supported streaming service owned by Fox, has launched a new app in the ChatGPT marketplace that lets users ask the chatbot for movie recommendations from Tubi’s catalog. The integration leverages Tubi’s personalization engine, trained on more than one billion...
Meta Removes Ads Helping Link Users to Attorneys for Social Media Cases
Meta is removing attorney ads that target users who claim harm from social media use before age 18. The step follows a California negligence trial that awarded $3 million to a plaintiff who said Meta and YouTube fostered her addiction. Meta...
States Are Spending Billions Courting Hollywood. Are They Actually Creating Local Jobs?
U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions are pouring billions into film‑subsidy programs to lure Hollywood productions, but a new report shows that most of the spending does not translate into local jobs. Only 30% of Oklahoma’s $100 million annual production spend goes...
The InFOCUS Podcast: Steve Jones, Skyview Networks
Steve Jones, Chairman and President/CEO of Skyview Networks, has taken full ownership of the company, marking a pivotal milestone for the broadcast‑technology firm. In a sub‑15‑minute InFOCUS Podcast produced by dot.FM, Jones explains the strategic rationale behind the buyout and...
Top Influencers’ Secret Weapon for Engagement Might Be Replaced by AI
Influencer marketing has leaned heavily on freelance video clippers who turn long‑form content into bite‑sized TikTok, Reels and Shorts clips. Last year, AI‑powered services such as Overlap and OpusClip began offering end‑to‑end clipping, editing and posting without human involvement. Major...
Harry Potter Star’s Best Actor Oscar Winning Movie To Leave Netflix
The Academy‑Award‑winning political drama "Darkest Hour" will leave Netflix’s library on May 1, 2026. The 2017 film, starring Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill, earned $158.8 million worldwide and secured two Oscars, including Best Actor. It holds an 84% Rotten Tomatoes rating and remains...
PS5 Price Hike Hits Japan Hard as PS5 Pro Sales Sink to Xbox Levels
Sony’s April 2 price increase in Japan raised the disc‑based PS5 to about $612 and the PS5 Pro to $862, widening the gap with the language‑locked digital edition at $562. In the week ending April 5, Famitsu recorded only 840 PS5 Pro units sold—similar...
Nexstar Selects Its Q1 2026 Earnings Reveal Time
Nexstar Media Group will report its first‑quarter 2026 results on May 7, amid a looming preliminary injunction that could stall the integration of TEGNA assets. Analysts expect $1.26 billion in revenue, a 2.44% year‑over‑year rise, and earnings per share of $4.39, up...
YouTube 90-Second Unskippable Ads on TVs Spotted
YouTube is testing 90‑second unskippable ads on TV devices, extending the previous 30‑second limit. The ads appear before any content and can exceed 90 seconds before a skip button becomes available. The move creates premium, TV‑style inventory with digital targeting,...
Connectivity Isn't the Last Mile, It's the First
At NAB 2026 broadcasters warned that connectivity, not cameras or switchers, is the critical bottleneck for live production. The Field to Air demonstration showcased an end‑to‑end workflow that puts the network at the core, using intelligent blending of cellular, satellite, Wi‑Fi and fixed‑line...
Week of March 30 Evening News Ratings: NBC News and CBS News Grow
NBC Nightly News and CBS Evening News both posted gains, moving into positive territory for total viewers and the key 25‑54 demo during the week of March 30, 2026. ABC World News Tonight’s demo lead narrowed to just 25,000 viewers, its smallest...
ADWEEK TV Advantage: Could Upfront Week Change Permanently?
Upfront week is returning with major players like Netflix, Disney, and Paramount showcasing ad inventory, but the format faces pressure from streaming entrants that have flooded the market with digital inventory. The traditional TV upfront, a fixture since the 1960s,...
CBS Atlanta Debuts A 5PM Local Newscast
CBS has launched a 5 p.m. local newscast on its owned‑and‑operated station WUPA‑69 in Atlanta, expanding the market’s news slate. The hour‑long broadcast, anchored by Sharon Lawson with meteorologist Dagmar Midcap and traffic reporter Orelon Sidney, joins existing morning, early‑evening and...
TikTok Content Ideas: Real Examples and Where to Get Them
The article outlines a systematic approach to generating TikTok video ideas, highlighting the platform’s Creative Center, the For‑You Page, search suggestions, and direct audience feedback as primary inspiration sources. It emphasizes crafting detailed AI prompts for tools like ChatGPT to accelerate...