TV Ratings (23/3/2026): Gia Kicks Up A Stink About The State Of Scott’s Waterside Home
Nine’s reality hit Married At First Sight pulled a total TV reach of 2.78 million, with an average audience of 1.78 million and nearly 600 000 BVOD viewers. During the homestay segment, contestant Gia publicly criticized Scott’s waterfront home, sparking a social‑media stir despite the house being clean. The episode helped Nine retain its ratings lead on the night. Seven’s Australian Idol logged 1.51 million reach, while Network 10’s Australian Survivor managed a modest 692 000 reach, ranking 21st.
Former Audacy COO Takes Top RCS Worldwide Role
Susan Larkin, former COO of Audacy and Regional VP at Cox Media Group, has been appointed President and CEO of iHeartMedia‑owned RCS Worldwide. She will oversee the RCS radio programming software suite along with Media Monitors, Mediabase, and Florical Systems....
Bad Bunny Wants $466,000 Legal Bill Reimbursed After Defeating ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ Sample Lawsuit
Bad Bunny’s legal team is demanding that African publisher emPawa Africa reimburse $465,612 in attorney fees after a federal judge dismissed a copyright lawsuit alleging an unauthorized sample on the hit track “Enséñame a Bailar.” The suit claimed Bad Bunny...
Latest BFI Innovation Challenge Funding Seeks to Address Data Gaps Across the UK Independent Film Industry
The BFI National Lottery Innovation Challenge Fund has awarded a £200,000 grant (approximately $256,000) to the British Screen Forum, partnering with the University of Exeter and Goldsmiths, University of London, to develop data solutions for the UK independent film sector....
Paris Jackson Doesn’t Get “How The Motion Picture Industry Works,” MJ Estate Declares Over ‘Michael’ Biopic Costs & Reshoot Questions
Paris Jackson and her lawyers are challenging the Michael Jackson estate’s handling of the upcoming biopic *Michael*, alleging costly reshoots tied to a 1994 settlement that bars depiction of Jordan Chandler’s relationship with her father. The estate, led by co‑executors...
Vizio Helps Walmart Cut A Bigger Slice Of The CTV Ad Pie
Walmart and Vizio announced that new Vizio smart‑TVs will require a Walmart account for activation, creating a unified login and identity framework across devices. The integration centralizes streaming data on Vizio’s OS, giving Walmart a foothold in the connected‑TV (CTV)...
Mojang Partners with Merlin Entertainments for the World's First Minecraft Theme Park, Minecraft World
Jest, the first marketplace for SMS and RCS messaging apps, has launched the Jest Games Fund to accelerate developers creating games for the RCS ecosystem. The fund offers three progressive tiers—Explore ($40,000), Scale (up to $200,000) and Flagship (up to...
"Gabe Cannot Buy Yachts with Wishlists": Steam Expert Begs Devs to Make the Most of Their Hit Games, because to...
At GDC, indie advisor Chris Zukowski defined “golden goose” Steam titles as games that generate at least $150,000 in sales and roughly 500 user reviews within six months, earning what he calls “real Steam” status. He warned that once a...
Magellan AI Launches Broadcast Radio Attribution Offering
Magellan AI has introduced a Broadcast Radio Attribution product that lets advertisers measure radio’s impact alongside digital channels in a single platform. The solution tracks key outcomes such as form fills, leads and purchases, and benchmarks radio performance against podcasts,...
The Upside Of Audio Ads? Bigger ROI Through Repetition
Upside app advertisements topped iHeartMedia’s Media Monitors data for the week ending March 22, registering the highest number of radio play counts nationwide. The brand out‑performed heavyweight advertisers such as Progressive and Morgan & Morgan in spot frequency. The “Love Trapped” podcast also...
The Core Entertainment Hires Sarah Pfeiffer As Head Of Marketing & Gabriella Pulley As Chief Of Staff
Music management firm The Core Entertainment announced two senior hires, naming Sarah Pfeiffer as Head of Marketing and Gabriella Pulley as Chief of Staff. Both executives will be based in Nashville and report directly to co‑founders Simon Tikhman and Chief...
Netflix Readies For Exclusive MLB Season-Opening Live-Stream Game on March 25
Netflix will live‑stream the 2026 MLB season opener on March 25, featuring the New York Yankees against the San Francisco Giants. The broadcast includes retired stars Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols and CC Sabathia as analysts, with MLB Network talent handling play‑by‑play...
Are Broadcasters About to Be Handed a Much-Needed Investment to Upgrade Their Distribution Infrastructure?
The FCC is considering repurposing the upper C‑band, currently used for broadcast distribution, in a move similar to the 2020 lower‑C‑band auction that generated roughly $81 billion. If reallocated, the agency could provide government funding to help broadcasters replace aging satellite...
Austin Radio Icon Jeff Ward Teams with Backyard Ventures to Connect Brands with Texas Fans
Backyard Ventures announced a partnership with The Jeff Ward Show, adding Austin radio legend Jeff Ward’s daily talk program to its creator roster. The collaboration will manage exclusive brand opportunities across the show’s audio and digital platforms, targeting the highly...
Canadian OTT Subscription Revenue Grew 15 per Cent in 2025: Couch Potato Report
The Convergence Research Group reports Canadian over‑the‑top (OTT) subscription revenue jumped 15% in 2025 to roughly $3.5 billion USD (CAD 4.8 billion). It projects an 11.5% rise to about $4.0 billion USD (CAD 5.35 billion) in 2026, with OTT revenue expected to outpace traditional TV by...
IHeartMedia / Tik Tok Alliance Sought to Reinvent Album Releases
iHeartMedia and TikTok have launched a joint album‑release framework that merges live radio, social media, and fan‑generated content. The pilot, built around Bruno Mars' first solo album in a decade, streamed the nine tracks via iHeartRadio Talkback and TikTok Live before...
Battlefield Hardline Is Getting Delisted and Its Servers Are Getting Shut Down
EA announced that Battlefield Hardline will be delisted from Xbox One and PS4 on May 22, 2026, with all associated DLC removed from digital stores. The game’s online servers will be shut down a month later on June 22, 2026, ending multiplayer functionality on those...
LG Makes Its Home Screen Premium Ad Real Estate at NewFronts
LG Ad Solutions and LG Electronics unveiled a suite of new advertising tools at the IAB NewFronts, featuring a seamless home‑screen experience that embeds full‑frame video directly into the TV interface. The company introduced programmatic home‑screen ad formats, live‑tune‑in previews,...
Judge Throws Out News Publishers' Monopoly Claims Against Google
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., dismissed an antitrust lawsuit filed by Helena World Chronicle and Emmerich Newsapers that alleged Google monopolizes the online news market. The court found the publishers’ claim of a 66% market share unreliable, noting the...
Netflix Nabs Psychosexual TV Drama ‘The Decorator’ From Cody Behan & Stacey Sher
Netflix has secured the psychosexual drama series “The Decorator,” beating ten other bidders in a competitive auction. The show, based on Cody Behan’s short story, will be set in the cut‑throat world of luxury interior design in Los Angeles and is entering...
Quebecor Content Licenses ‘Detective Surprenant’ to CANAL+ Poland
Quebecor Content announced that its original crime drama *Detective Surprenant: Murder on the Island* has been licensed to CANAL+ Poland. The six‑episode series will debut in spring 2026 on the Ale kino+ channel in its original French with Polish audio...
Capcom Says It Will Use Generative AI to Speed up Production
Capcom announced it will actively employ generative AI to accelerate game development while explicitly refusing to ship AI‑generated assets in final products. The company is testing the technology across graphics, sound and programming, leveraging models such as Gemini Pro, Gemini Flash and...
NextTrip Strengthens Global Media Leadership
NextTrip announced three senior appointments to accelerate its JOURNY travel network. Casey D’Ambra joins as VP of media and distribution, bringing experience from Brand USA and National Geographic. Assaf Blecher and Nir Haklili become managing directors of NextTrip Media, adding...
OpenAI Hires Former Meta Ad Lead
OpenAI has hired David Dugan, former Meta ads lead, as vice president and head of global ad solutions. The appointment underscores OpenAI’s ambition to monetize its large language models by expanding advertising within ChatGPT’s free and subscription tiers. Dugan’s move...
Roku Partners with Google on Identity, Measurement Capabilities for Advertisers
Roku announced it will serve as the launch partner for Google’s new Confidential Publisher Match solution, extending identity and measurement capabilities for advertisers on its platform. The integration allows advertisers using Google’s Display & Video 360 to securely match first‑party...
Christopher Martinez Upped To VP, Advanced Advertising At Hearst Television
Christopher Martinez has been promoted to the newly created Vice President of Advanced Advertising at Hearst Television. In his expanded role, he will oversee digital ad‑product development, platform integration, and the company’s ad‑tech stack while maintaining client relationships. Since joining...
Prairie Winds Broadcasting Upgrades With Nautel
Prairie Winds Broadcasting, a regional group serving the Dakotas and western Minnesota, has upgraded its portfolio to 16 Nautel transmitters, spanning FM NVLT, VX, VS, GV and AM NX, J1000 models, with two additional NVLT‑20 units on order. The migration...
SEGA’s Games Are Good — So Why Are Sales Falling Short?
SEGA continues to launch critically acclaimed titles, yet its sales lag behind expectations. The company cites mixed factors—pricing uncertainty, fragmented marketing, and a back‑catalog that is hard to access—as contributors to the shortfall. Players have grown accustomed to waiting for...
Concert Production Leader PRG Names Lawrence Burian CEO
Production Resource Group (PRG) announced Lawrence Burian as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective April 13, and added him to the board of directors. Burian brings nearly three decades of leadership across entertainment, sports, media, and hospitality, most recently serving...
BTS Comeback Draws a Smaller Crowd than Hoped, Hitting Parent Company Hybe's Shares
Hybe Co., the parent of K‑pop megastar BTS, saw its stock tumble 15% after the band’s comeback concert in Seoul attracted just over 100,000 fans, far short of the 260,000 expected. The free event marked BTS’s first live performance in...
The Final Word on GDC | Week in Mobile Games Podcast
The 86th episode of the Week in Mobile Games podcast recaps the key takeaways from GDC, highlighting how the conference is shaping mobile development roadmaps. It breaks down the new Google‑Epic partnership and its implications for cross‑platform publishing, including Fortnite’s...
NFL Network to Continue Draft Broadcast Under ESPN
ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Network will not eliminate the channel’s own NFL Draft telecast. Instead, Disney plans to run four distinct draft presentations—on ESPN, NFL Network, ABC, and Pat McAfee’s streaming show—through the three‑day event. All on‑air talent will become ESPN/Disney...
A Faded Star In Suburban Chicago Gets a Classic Pop Rebirth
Connoisseur Media has rebranded WSSR‑FM 96.7 in suburban Chicago as “The 9‑6‑7: Chicagoland’s Classic Pop,” shifting from its previous adult contemporary mix to a classic pop format focused on 1990s‑early‑2000s hits. The new lineup targets listeners in their 40s to early...
Bay FC Announces Multi-Year Partnership with Victory+ as the Official Streaming Partner
Bay FC has signed a multi‑year deal with free streaming service Victory+ to become the club’s exclusive local streaming partner through the 2027 NWSL season. Victory+ will broadcast 16 Bay FC matches, including six games restricted to Bay Area viewers,...
What Happened to Kingdoms of Amalur? The Rise and Fall of 38 Studios
In 2010 Rhode Island pledged a $75 million loan guarantee to lure Curt Schilling's 38 Studios to Providence, aiming to spark a tech boom. The studio released *Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning*, selling roughly 1.5 million copies and earning strong reviews, but folded within...
VicScreen Appoints Director of Content and Talent
Sacha Gregson has been appointed director of content and talent at VicScreen, commencing on April 7. She arrives with more than two decades of senior leadership experience at the ABC, most recently as head of production in its Screen division. In...
SCOTUS Won't Hear Search Advertiser Appeal Against Google, Apple
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear California Crane School’s appeal accusing Google and Apple of a paid‑search antitrust conspiracy. Earlier rulings dismissed the case against Apple and sent Google‑related claims to arbitration, while upholding the arbitration clause in Google’s...
Chicago Sports Network, WCIU To Simulcast 10 White Sox Games
Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) and Weigel Broadcasting’s WCIU will simulcast ten Chicago White Sox games during the 2026 season, marking the second consecutive year of their partnership. The slate features four matchups against the Chicago Cubs and includes CHSN’s full...
Asia’s Sports Media Confab Pitches Its Tent in Singapore
Sportel Asia 2026 convened in Singapore, gathering rights‑holders, broadcasters, streaming platforms and tech vendors for two days of deal‑making. Sessions highlighted soaring rights fees, the surge of streaming services, and the fragmentation of Asian audiences. The agenda also tackled piracy’s...
UEFA Considering Streaming Games on Its Own Global Streamer
UEFA is exploring a league‑owned global streaming service for Champions League matches, targeting a pilot in Asian markets next year and a broader rollout by 2027. The concept echoes Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez’s free‑to‑air vision from the failed Super...
Hub: Streamers Find Differentiating Their Platforms to Consumers a Challenge
Amid accelerating media consolidation, Hub Entertainment Research finds U.S. consumers struggling to differentiate streaming services. Confidence in major SVOD brands fell in 2026, with declines ranging from 1% for Hulu and Prime Video to 5% for Apple TV. Around two‑thirds...
All3Media Seals Pre-Sale of Secret Service to Movistar Plus+ in Spain
All3Media International has secured a robust slate of pre‑sales for the espionage thriller *Secret Service*, produced by Potboiler Productions. The series will debut on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK this spring and will premiere exclusively on Spain’s Movistar Plus+....
Ligue 1+: French Football League Losing Hundreds of Millions to Piracy
French football officials report that 59% of fans watched Ligue 1 matches via illegal streams this season, costing the league’s Ligue 1+ platform and partner BeIN Sports hundreds of millions of euros. The loss follows the collapse of the LFP’s...
Two More Leadership Exits Take Place at Xbox
Xbox announced the departures of two senior leaders: Lori Wright, the vice‑president of partnerships, business development and marketing, and Haiyan Zhang, general manager of gaming AI. Their exits come just weeks after Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer retired and Xbox...
Karan Johar to Focus on In-House Talent After Janhvi Kapoor’s Exit From His Talent Management Agency
Filmmaker Karan Johar announced that his agency, Dharma Cornerstone Artist Agency, will prioritize in‑house talent after actress Janhvi Kapoor left for another firm. The move highlights a broader pattern of Bollywood actors frequently switching representation. Johar described the industry as...
Supercell Store Expands Gift Card Testing to Brazil After EU Rollout
Supercell has begun testing its Store gift‑card system in Brazil and Germany, extending the feature that debuted earlier this month in select European markets. The digital cards let players add prepaid balance to their Supercell ID, which can be combined...
YouTube Viewership Trends From Official Broadcasters, Creators and Fans During the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics generated massive YouTube activity, drawing over 500 million unique viewers who logged more than 20 billion minutes (about 330 million hours) of watchtime. Official broadcasters such as NBCUniversal, Eurosport, CBC, the Japan Consortium and the IOC’s @Olympics channel supplied...
IBEW Calls for Scrutiny of Skydance-CBS Layoffs and Proposed CNN Merger
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) has publicly demanded greater transparency after Skydance Media’s merger with CBS triggered a second round of layoffs and the shutdown of CBS News Radio. The union warned that the rapid changes, announced only...
The Atlantic Takes Its Journalism to Sea in Three-Year Cruise Ship Partnership
The Atlantic has struck a three‑year partnership with luxury cruise line Seabourn, embedding its writers, editorial programming, and subscription access aboard the line’s voyages starting this fall. The deal combines advertising, sponsorship, and a subscription enablement model, culminating in a...
Publicis Is (By Far) New Biz Champ For 2025
Publicis Groupe posted nearly $10.5 billion in total new media business for 2025, dwarfing rivals. IPG Mediabrands came in second with $1.75 billion, while Dentsu, Havas Media Network and Omnicom Media trailed. At the agency level, Publicis’ Starcom led with $2.7 billion, followed...