After Cox Ruling, Supreme Court Wipes Out Grande Communications’ $47M Music Piracy Verdict
The U.S. Supreme Court on April 6 vacated a $46.7 million copyright‑infringement judgment against Grande Communications, sending the case back to the Fifth Circuit for review under the new Cox v. Sony standard. The Cox decision held that internet service providers are not liable for users' piracy unless they actively induce infringement or offer a service lacking substantial non‑infringing uses. The Grande case mirrors earlier verdicts against Cox, which were partially overturned after the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling. The move signals a sweeping shift in how courts treat ISP liability for online music piracy.
Miles Gersh Promoted to EVP, A&R at Warner Records
Warner Records has elevated Miles Gersh to Executive Vice President of A&R, recognizing six years of roster building and his role in Zach Bryan’s breakout success. Gersh, who joined Warner in 2019 and served as VP of A&R since 2022, will...
Rudy Dendleux Appointed Managing Director of Gravity Media France
Gravity Media has promoted Rudy Dendleux to managing director of its French operations, effective April 2026. Dendleux, who joined the firm in 2003 and most recently led the technology division, will steer growth of the company’s specialist RF capabilities and...
Sony Music Publishing UK and Second Songs Sign Olivia Dean Co-Writer Bastian Langebaek to Global Deal
Sony Music Publishing UK, together with joint‑venture Second Songs, has signed Copenhagen‑based songwriter and producer Bastian Langebaek to a global publishing agreement. The deal reunites Langebaek with A&R veteran Mark Gale, who first signed him at Universal Music Publishing Group eleven...
The Secret Lives of Mormon Momfluencers
Despite representing only 2% of the U.S. population, members of the Church of Latter‑day Saints dominate the influencer landscape, especially among “momfluencers.” Journalist Fortesa Latifi explains that early internet adoption, doctrinal encouragement of family values, and direct financial payments from...
Digital Revenue Growth Concentrated in Minority of UK Publishers Finds DPRI
UK digital publishers reported a 3.88% year‑over‑year revenue increase to £180.72 million (≈ $229 million) in Q4 2025, according to the Digital Publishers’ Revenue Index. Growth was uneven, with 46% of firms posting gains and 31% achieving over 25% growth, while 54% saw declines....
Christian Radio Reaches Far Beyond the Faithful, Data Shows
Christian radio reaches 98% of U.S. adults, but retention, not distribution, is the sector’s primary hurdle. Pew’s study, based on FCC records, a 5,000‑person survey and 440,000 broadcast hours, shows 45% of adults listen regularly, with a strong shift toward...
AppLovin Announces Leadership Succession Plans and Appoints New Independent Chairperson
AppLovin disclosed a comprehensive leadership succession plan, appointing Craig Billings as independent chairperson of its board. CEO Adam Foroughi will stay in his role while senior executives are promoted from within, including Gio Ge moving into the chief technology officer position and...
Hiimaanshu Shindde Joins Zee Music Company as VP & Head – Streaming
Zee Music Company has appointed Hiimaanshu Shindde as Vice President and Head of Streaming, tasking him with shaping the label’s streaming strategy, partnerships, and growth across digital platforms. Shindde arrives with more than two decades of experience in music, digital...
Guide: How to Segment Audiences for a Dynamic Paywall
Publishers can boost subscription conversion by deploying dynamic paywalls that adapt to audience segments. The guide outlines three segmentation buckets—content type, user profile, and acquisition channel—and shows how each can dictate paywall visibility, messaging, design, and pricing. It provides practical...
The Many Ways CTV Publishers Extend Supply and What It Means For You
CTV publishers use five distinct supply models to monetize inventory beyond their owned‑and‑operated channels. The models—inventory share, backfill, buyback, audience extension, and run‑of‑network—allow publishers to expand impressions from tens of thousands to hundreds of millions while retaining control over pricing...
How Will the Consolidation of Indy TV Stations Change Our City?
Local TV news in Indianapolis is undergoing rapid consolidation as Circle City Broadcasting finalized its purchase of WRTV, joining its existing ownership of WISH‑TV and WNDY‑TV. Simultaneously, Nexstar Media Group closed its $8.5 billion deal to acquire TEGNA, the owner of...
The Publicis-Microsoft Deal Is Bigger Than You Think
Microsoft has appointed Publicis Groupe as its global media agency of record and simultaneously launched an AI partnership that will blend Microsoft’s tools, technology, and data with Publicis’s client capabilities. The agreement covers a media business segment valued at roughly $1.2 billion,...
Influencer Calls Out Bill Gates’s Daughter Trying to Negotiate Rates With a 'Super Limited' Budget
Influencer Kacie Margis posted a private DM screenshot allegedly from Phoebe Gates, Bill Gates’s daughter, claiming a "super limited" budget and requesting lower rates. The message shifted the negotiation off Collabstr, the platform where the outreach began, prompting a heated...
Le Monde CEO Urges Publishers to Sign AI Partnerships to Stay Competitive
Le Monde has signed AI licensing agreements with OpenAI, Perplexity and Meta, generating a significant new revenue stream that now accounts for about 25% of its earnings. The AI deals have boosted digital subscriber conversions, with ChatGPT referrals converting 20...
New Matchmaking Platform Sail.game Launches to Combat "Discovery Fatigue" Between Developers and Publishers
Industry veterans Vladimír Geršl and Guillaume Jamet have launched Sail.game, a curated matchmaking platform that connects game developers with publishers. In early access the service logged over 13,000 interactions and onboarded more than 200 verified publishers. Developers pay a €99...
AI K-Pop Startup Galaxy Aims for IPO in Seoul and New York
Seoul‑based AI startup Galaxy, founded in 2019, is preparing a dual listing in New York and Seoul for 2027 after raising roughly $150 million. The company blends AI‑generated music, virtual avatars and life‑size robot idols, leveraging star power from G‑Dragon and a...
BBC Player Launching In-Flight Platform
BBC Studios has teamed with Panasonic Avionics to launch a dedicated BBC Player streaming service for airline seat‑back entertainment systems, slated for later 2026. The platform will deliver a constantly refreshed library of BBC Studios’ factual, drama, comedy, children’s and documentary...
Bestads Best of the Week Reviewed by Benjamin Bregeault, Executive CD, Ogilvy Paris
Bestadsontv.com’s weekly roundup was reviewed by Benjamin Bregeault, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy Paris. The selections highlighted Griffin’s “Life Needs a Biscuit” as Best TV, SOS Oceano’s “No Blue, No Green” as Best Print, Dude Wipes’ “For Your” as Best Outdoor, and Boysen Paint’s “Boysen...
Who Needs ‘Corrosive Intermediaries’ Anyway?
Publishers are confronting a "perfect storm" of macroeconomic pressure, traffic declines, and AI‑driven search changes that threaten programmatic revenue. Ozone, a coalition of UK news brands such as The Guardian and The Telegraph, aims to counteract platform dominance by pooling...
AI K-Pop Startup Galaxy Aims For IPO in Seoul, New York
Galaxy Corp., a Seoul‑based AI startup, is pioneering a new K‑pop model that replaces human idols with synchronized humanoid robots performing in elaborate, futuristic settings. Founder and CEO Choi Yong‑ho showcased a high‑tech show featuring black‑clad robots in luxury hip‑hop...
Who Is OpenAI’s Global Head of Ads, David Dugan?
David Dugan, a veteran of Meta’s advertising empire, has been appointed OpenAI’s global head of ads. His résumé includes leading Meta’s worldwide agency partnerships, selling BzzAgent to Tesco, and steering Havas Arnold Worldwide. OpenAI, which is burning cash as it...
These Three States Bring in the Most Gaming Revenue
In 2025 the U.S. commercial gaming industry generated over $78 billion in revenue, with Nevada, Pennsylvania and New Jersey accounting for the bulk of earnings. Nevada led with $15.79 billion, while Pennsylvania and New Jersey posted $7.71 billion and $6.98 billion respectively, all posting double‑digit growth....
$45 Million Wave Pool Surges Toward Reality in Oceanside Only 3 Miles From the Beach (Video)
A $45 million surf lagoon is finally breaking ground in Oceanside, California after a four‑year delay caused by lawsuits, permitting hurdles, and archaeological findings. The 3.5‑acre wave pool will generate customizable, year‑round surf conditions using pneumatic technology similar to other U.S....
Music Giant Universal Gets $64bn Takeover Offer
Universal Music Group has received a $64.3 bn (≈$64 bn) takeover proposal from Bill Ackman's Pershing Square, which would likely shift the company’s primary listing to the United States. The offer follows a period of underperformance in global stock indexes and ongoing...
Comcast Goes to the Mattresses with Scripps
Comcast has blacked out all Scripps-owned broadcast stations for its cable customers nationwide since March 31, after the two sides failed to reach a new retransmission consent agreement. The dispute intensified as Scripps recently secured multi‑year media rights for several NHL...
Nexstar-Tegna’s Day in Court
Nexstar and Tegna are facing a critical court hearing that could turn the temporary restraining order on their $6.2 billion merger into a full preliminary injunction. The companies asked Judge Troy Nunley to require the MVPD and state attorneys general to...
Artemis II Cable Coverage by the Numbers
Artemis II’s launch generated a surge in cable news viewership, with Charter’s Spectrum News 13 in Orlando posting a 531% increase and Spectrum Bay News 9 in Tampa climbing 391%. Across social platforms, the coverage amassed 12.2 million views on Facebook...
AMC Networks Get a New Name
AMC Networks disclosed in an 8‑K filing that it will rebrand as AMC Global Media. CEO Kristin Dolan said the new name reflects a transformation into a studio‑driven, globally focused company with streaming now the leading source of domestic revenue....
Fiber Frenzy
Charter Communications expanded its Spectrum fiber network into three Missouri counties—Jefferson, Audrain and Cape Girardeau—bringing service to more than 3,860 homes and businesses that were previously unserved or underserved. The company simultaneously launched in Texas’s Sabine, Rusk and Panola counties,...
Men’s NCAA Numbers
The 2026 men’s NCAA basketball championship game, featuring Michigan versus UConn, averaged 18.3 million viewers across TBS, TNT, truTV and HBO Max—its highest‑rated final since 2019 and a 23 % jump over the 2024 TNT broadcast. The Final Four drew 14.2 million viewers, up...
Shell Out at Paramount
Jeff Shell is exiting his role as president of Paramount Skydance and leaving the company’s board less than a year after his appointment. His departure follows a lawsuit alleging he disclosed confidential information about Paramount’s UFC rights deal to R.J....
Fiber Sees Upstream Usage Gains vs DOCSIS
OpenVault’s Q1 2026 analysis shows average upstream usage on fiber surpassed 100 GB for the first time, reaching 106.7 GB—87.4% higher than DOCSIS’s 56.9 GB. Provisioned upstream speeds on fiber averaged 556 Mbps, more than 1,100% faster than the 43 Mbps on DOCSIS. Total monthly data...
MAKE Delivers Fruit Riot X Sour Patch Kids Crossover Spot
MAKE, the creative studio behind numerous Sour Patch Kids projects, produced a new commercial for the Fruit Riot × Sour Patch Kids crossover. The spot, developed in partnership with Mondelez and Beyond Better Foods, blends Fruit Riot’s fresh vibe with Sour Patch Kids’ bold, sour‑sweet energy. MAKE handled the entire...
UOL Transmitirá Brasileirão Feminino E Brasileirão Masculino Sub-20
UOL has secured rights to broadcast the 2026 Brasileirão Feminino Série A and the Brasileirão Masculino Sub‑20. Matches will stream for free on the UOL channel and its YouTube Sports feed, while select games will be exclusive to the paid UOL Play...
Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Bids to Buy Universal Music Group
Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management has submitted a $64 billion offer to acquire Universal Music Group, representing a 78% premium over the current market price. The proposal would relocate UMG’s listing from Amsterdam to New York and reincorporate the company...
YouTube Expands Media Kit Insights and Adds AI Tools
YouTube has upgraded its Media Kit, now including family‑status and household‑income metrics to give creators richer audience demographics. The enhanced kit helps creators produce data‑rich PDFs for brand‑sponsored deals. In parallel, YouTube’s Create app gains Google’s Nano Banana AI image‑generation, letting...
Why CTV Transparency Matters for Local Advertising
Connected TV (CTV) has become a primary growth channel for local advertisers, but transparency has lagged behind the rapid scale. Peer39 reports that 60% of CTV bid requests lack usable program‑level data and only a third contain genre tags, creating...
Here Are the Dates of the 2027 & 2028 Oscar Telecasts – the Last Ones Before the Show Moves to YouTube
The Academy and ABC have confirmed that the 99th Oscars will air on March 14, 2027, and the centennial 100th ceremony will be held on March 5, 2028, both from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. These dates follow the traditional...
The Oscars Are Sticking with March — and That Won’t Change for Years
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed that the 99th Oscars will air on March 14, 2027, and the 100th on March 5, 2028, keeping the ceremony in March for the next two years. Both events will be...
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Oscars Announce Final 2 Ceremony Dates on ABC Before Moving Broadcast to YouTube
The Academy announced that the 99th Oscars will air on ABC on March 14, 2027 and the 100th on March 5, 2028, marking the final two ceremonies on network television. Starting with the 101st ceremony in 2029, the Oscars will...
Podchaser Releases March “Power Score,” Measuring Post-Launch Succeses
Podchaser has launched its first Power Score, a numeric ranking that evaluates podcasts released in the past month based on audience growth, engagement and distribution reach. The March edition named "The Book Club" as the top‑scoring show with an 81...
Sen. Warren Urges FCC to Shield Fans From Media Consolidation
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Pat Ryan urged the FCC to intervene against growing sports‑streaming consolidation, warning that bundled packages force fans into exorbitant fees. They highlighted recent deals—including Disney’s $220 million cash purchase of a 72.9% stake in Fubo and...
Sony Will Lay Off Hundreds Of TV & Movie Studio Employees
Sony Pictures Entertainment announced a restructuring that will eliminate several hundred jobs across its film, television and corporate divisions, affecting a modest slice of its 12,000‑plus global workforce. The changes follow the appointment of Ravi Ahuja as chairman and CEO,...
Kid Mero, Don Cheto Join Sigma Audio Networks’ National Lineup
Hot 97’s *Mornings with Mero* is moving from a New York‑only slot to a national audience through MediaCo’s Sigma Audio Networks, which also secured Spanish‑language star Don Cheto for broader distribution. The deal centralizes syndication and advertising sales for both...
Paradigm Set to Launch Physical Production Division Led by Gil Harari and Jonathan Silverman
Paradigm announced the creation of a dedicated physical production division, headed by veteran agents Gil Harari and Jonathan Silverman. Both executives previously built and led successful production units at agencies such as APA, Endeavor, and WME. The new unit will...
Baseball’s “Massive Opportunity” For Audio: Audacys’… Um … Pitch
Audacy has teamed with the New York Mets and Sportsbug to provide real‑time digital radio play‑by‑play of Mets home games at Citi Field, launching on March 26. Sportsbug’s technology cuts the typical 30‑ to 90‑second audio delay to under one second, allowing...
Roc Nation’s Insurance Company Says It Won’t Pay for CEO’s Legal Battle With Daughter
Roc Nation’s insurer, New York Marine and General, filed a lawsuit seeking a declaratory judgment that it has no duty to defend CEO Desiree Perez in her personal dispute with daughter Demoree Hadley. The insurer argues the claims fall outside...
Prime Video, Foxtel, ABC Commissioners Set for SCREEN FOREVER 40 Panel
Screen Producers Australia announced a State of Play panel at SCREEN FOREVER 40, moderated by journalist Virginia Trioli, featuring commissioners Alexandra Gilbert (Prime Video), Daniel Monaghan (Foxtel) and Jennifer Collins (ABC). The discussion will focus on tighter commissioning, evolving audience...
YouTube’s New TV Tools, Prompted Playlist on Spotify, & More
YouTube unveiled a suite of TV‑focused tools, including the FAST‑style “Stations” channel launching with Coachella coverage and a “TV Companion” feature that links smartphones to smart‑TV playback and comments. The platform also extended its Ask chatbot to smart TVs, aiming...