Agent Gideon Cohen Discusses Career Moves and NFL Insights
Longtime media talent agent Gideon Cohen of @AthletesFirst joins the @SBJ Sports Media Podcast this week We talk his career path, the decision by @M_Ryan02 to go from the @CBSSports to the @AtlantaFalcons front office and what else he's watching https://t.co/0Ac9dtoWNW
Sling TV Launches $20 ESPN Package, Cheapest Streaming Option
The Cheapest Way to Stream ESPN? Dish’s Sling TV Debuts $20 Monthly Package With ESPN, ESPN2 and Handful of Other TV Channels https://t.co/UR2QksO1Fs
Hidden Future Products Lie Within Creator Workflows
There are probably more future products inside creator workflows and founder media infrastructure than most people realize.
Jeff Shell’s Exit May Halt Shortened‑window Push
Jeff Shell was one of the proponents of shortened windows before he was out at Universal. Hopefully, his exit from Paramount will keep the new regime from trying to push that envelope themselves.
Hollywood Layoffs Deepen LA’s Talent Exodus Crisis
Even MORE MORE Hollywood layoffs to add to LA’s exodus woes Last one out, turn the lights off
Disney Announces Major Layoffs Under New CEO D’Amaro
Disney is preparing to make sizable layoffs in one of the first significant moves under new chief executive Josh D’Amaro w/@benfritz https://t.co/0L0fH4WC8x via @WSJ
Major Studio Releases Down 20% Annually Despite More Titles
“The number of wide releases increased from 91 in 2025 to a projected 113 in 2026,” Utterly irrelevant. It’s not the number of “wide releases,” it is the number of wide releases with enough marketing dollars behind them to open and...
WGA Secures AI Notification and Ongoing Negotiations Deal
Behold the WGA deal on AI! - "On artificial intelligence, the AMPTP agreed to continue to hold meetings with the WGA, and to notify the guild if it licenses writers’ work for AI training."
Olivia Rodrigo's 'Guts' Hits 3× Platinum, 3 Million Sold
Olivia Rodrigo’s 'Guts' is certified 3× Platinum in the U.S. for selling 3 million copies, after debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 and becoming one of the biggest albums of the decade. https://t.co/Fj5huDTqcj
Distribution Remains Undervalued, Fueling B2B Media Dominance
I love buying missed priced assets. Media companies are still priced incorrectly. When AI started everyone talked about the value of data and how data was undervalued. It turns out in a world where agentic coding makes building online easier...
Let Me Manage Media, You Focus on Music
I handle media outreach so artists can focus on what they actually do — make music. Message me: Eric@ThatEricAlper.com
Sports Championship and Space Launch Pull Nearly Equal Viewership
Nearly the same viewership: NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game on TBS, TNT and truTV: 18.3 million viewers. Launch of NASA's Artemis II mission on ABC, CBS, NBC, Telemundo, CNN, FOX News and MS NOW: 18.1 million viewers
1990 Nielsen TV Ratings:
Nielsen ratings for network TV for the week ending April 8, 1990 and for syndication for the week ending April 1, 1990 https://t.co/Ri7Uob6d7x https://t.co/Hqdxhm5LRL
Labels Must Invest in Generational Hip‑Hop, Not One‑Hit Trends
Every record label should be trying to sign (and develop) generational hip-hop artists. The flash-in-the-pan, one-hit, vibes, data-driven era has no lasting power.
Issa Rae's Hoorae Media Launches TikTok Microdrama ‘Screen Time’
Exclusive: Issa Rae’s Hoorae Media Sets First Microdrama Series ‘Screen Time’ in TikTok Content Deal | https://t.co/ul0vqgzsvi
NYT's Powerful Brand Fuels Thriving Non‑news Revenue
There's a lot of cope about the NYT only thriving because of recipes and games. The question is: Why was NYT able to build out these non-news revenue streams? It's because the newspaper has an incredible brand, such that it could be...
Big Artists Skip Festivals, Driving Costs and Talent Gaps
Coachella’s dilemma is this: Big artists no longer need festivals. But festivals cost more money than ever to run. Higher prices. Fewer A+ level stars. Tougher product to sell.
Avatar Franchise Rakes $6.7B, Future Still Undecided
🧵New @thewrap: #AvatarFireAndAshTHx4ELEMENTS franchise at Disney should be looking at the next installment after 3 global hit films making $6.7 billion for the company. But James Cameron tells us “We haven’t even made a decision if we’re going forward right...
Music & Culture Journalists Thrive in New Multimedia Boom
Studios want to publish books. Record labels are doing documentaries. This is a golden era for music and culture journalists to flex our skills 🙏🏽
Price Is Right Models Expose Misogyny, Fight Back
Excl: Despite a glam exterior life, the models on Bob Barker's THE PRICE IS RIGHT faced misogyny & sexism behind the scenes. Then the Barker's Beauties fought back. A Business Insider article detailing the story just got optioned by the...
Paramount Skydance Debuts Book Imprint After Simon Sale
Paramount Skydance Launches New Book Publishing Imprint Two Years After Simon & Schuster Sale https://t.co/aKAngBn8T8 via @variety
Alt-Cast Draws 6% Viewership, Peaks at 1.5 M Viewers
The Fab Five alt-cast on truTV drew 810,000 viewers Saturday night -- or around 6% of the total audience for Michigan-Arizona. But the blowtout meant the audience peaked in the first half -- to the tune of 1.5 million viewers https://t.co/rDh9sEg8XT
Paramount President Jeff Shell Exits Amid Robinhood Lawsuit
Paramount President Jeff Shell is leaving the company, according to people familiar with the matter. Departure comes in midst of legal battle with @robinhood702 https://t.co/ae8hGtr8iZ via @WSJ
Patreon Podcasters Earn $629M, up 33% in 2025
Patreon Says Podcasters Earned $629 Million in 2025, Up 33%, as Platform’s Biggest Content Category Keeps Growing https://t.co/kqWJ4iFyPm
Ellison Distrusts Jeff, Predicts His Exit After Merger
33 days ago at @PuckNews: "Sources... have told me that David [Ellison] no longer trusts Jeff, and suspects him of being involved in various leaks to the press and others during his time as president. Those same sources believe Jeff is...
Seeking Ideal Publication Partners for a $16 Bundle
VERY HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION lets say that instead of paying nine bucks a month to read Extra Points, you could pay ~16ish and also get 1 or 2 other publications/paywalled podcasts. If that was possible, who would want...
Own Your Audience: Distribution Beats SEO Reliance
A $50M media company. 19 employees. Built from a small town. The moat wasn’t content... It was distribution. Traffic spikes are rented. Email lists are owned. If you’re still relying only on SEO, you don’t have a strategy. You have exposure. This conversation is...
AI-Driven App Surge Shrinks Organic Discoverability
The App Store discoverability squeeze "If the number of apps available in the App Store explodes through AI-assisted coding agents, yet the surface area for organic visibility remains fixed — or, actually, decreases, given that the second ad placement in search...
Consistency Beats Constant Creation in Reel Strategy
Indie author trial reels testing mode has commenced… (does that sound official enough? 🤣) Instead of constantly creating new reels, I’m testing something different: → Same 5 reels - to the same book → Same proven caption → Same Cover Image → Posted...
NFL Media Rights Surge: Mini‑Packages, Streaming, Flag League Prospects
NEW PODCAST: The guest is Ben Fischer of @sportsbusinessjournal Topics: How pricey will the NFL get in the future for media companies? The latest on on the four-game mini-package and distributor for the NFL's Melbourne game; teams being able to...
Media Policy Turmoil: FCC, Courts, and Lawmakers Clash
Policyband Headlines ■ @NXSTMediaGroup Lawyer to U.S. Judge: ‘We Don’t Want Local Broadcasting to End Up Like the Local Newspaper Industry Did 30 or 40 Years Ago’ ■ Trump White House Insider Mike Davis @mrddmia Backs FCC @BrendanCarrFCC Deregulatory Path ■ @FCC...
2026 NFL Schedule Likely Dropped During Early May Upfronts
.@AdamSchefter says he expects the 2026 #NFL Schedule to be released on Tuesday, May 12, Wednesday, May 13 or Thursday, May 14. FWIW, #Amazon, #Fox & #NBC have their upfronts on May 11. #ESPN is on the 12th. #CBS is earlier,...
India Becomes World's #2 Music Streaming Market
Lumiate says India is now the second-largest music streaming market behind the U.S., with 489.9 billion streams clocked in 2025. India is also the largest market for ad-supported streaming in Asia, with 84% streaming share coming from that channel. https://t.co/tIxk1tPtde
Nexstar's $150M Demand Exposed Amid Tegna Blockade
Revealed in hearing -- Nexstar seeking $150 million from DirecTV and states seeking to halt the Tegna deal. That amount had been under seal, Nexstar lawyer says, and now it's out there. Oops.
Nexstar Argues Station Growth Doesn't Boost Distributor Leverage
Nexstar tells the judge it doesn't believe an increase in the number of stations it owns leads to an increase in leverage in negotiating with pay-TV distributors.
Oscars' Final ABC Broadcasts: 2027, 2028 Dates
Dates for the next two #AcademyAwards: 99th: Sunday, March 14, 2027 100th: Sunday, March 5, 2028 These are the last two which will air on #ABC. The #Oscars move to #YouTube starting with the 101st edition in 2029. $DIS $GOOGL $GOOG
LinkedIn Reportedly Eyeing Acquisition of All-In Podcast
LinkedIn rumored to be bidding to acquire The All-In Podcast, with plans to rebrand it as The Linked-In Podcast.
Women's Basketball Viewership Soars Past 9 Million
Attn: Women's Basketball fans. UCLA-South Carolina averaged a massive 9.9M viewers. Beat last year's 8.6 million viewers across ABC and ESPN for UConn-South Carolina. Think about this: The national title game averaged 4.68M just four years ago. https://t.co/VIDYRkMw6d
Short‑Form Content Drives 15× Weekly View Surge
I simply decided to make short form content again and we are 15x the views week over week. Literally 10s of millions more Return of the King
Court Weighs Standing, Injunctive Relief in Nexstar Case
Harm, standing, injunctive relief yada yada at Nexstar-Tegna v DirecTV & several states including CA.
Oscars Delayed Due to ABC’s Packed Feb Lineup
Likely reason why the #Oscars are so late: ABC’s first-quarter 2027 slate includes its first as the distributor for the #Grammys on Feb. 7, under a new 10-year deal running through 2036. ABC is also set to televise #SuperBowlLXI on Feb....
Judge's Injunction Threatens Nexstar‑Tegna Merger Completion
⚡️ The Big Chill: How Judge Nunley’s Injunction Could Ice Broadcast M&A ⚡️ $NXST Given the harshness of Nunley’s March 28th Temporary Restraining Order, we believe the most likely outcome will be a preliminary injunction barring Nexstar and Tegna from...
AP Threatens Legal Action as Lee Seeks Contract Exit
Scoop: AP threatens Lee Enterprises over potential contract breach — Lee said last month it wants to terminate its contract w AP. Has suggested it's because of its focus on local coverage — AP says its legally bound to their deal, which...
Konnor Griffin's TV Debut Beats Skenes, Sets Streaming Record
For TV, @KonnorGriffin22 > @Paul_Skenes? @SNPittsburgh drew 6.15 local rating for the rookie's debut Saturday. That topped Skenes' 2025 debut (Skenes starts would go on to be 20% better than other Pirates games in 2025). Sat/Sun games also streaming records for SNP...
Paramount to Grant 10-Year Warrants to PSKY B Shareholders
⚡️ Clearing Up the Paramount Equity Syndication for WBD Confusion ⚡️ $PSKY $WBD Concurrent with closing, Paramount will issue a 10-year warrant to all existing public PSKY Class B shareholders representing... https://t.co/xBIFsn2ogd
ESPN Faces Layoffs Amid Cord‑cutting and Spin‑off Uncertainty
The Varsity * Murdoch vs. the NFL * How UCLA's win benefits the whole Big Ten * What NBA Europe investors should know, per @jamalmashburn Plus, layoffs are coming to ESPN as the sports network deals with cord-cutting, the YouTube TV blackout, and uncertainty...
Lawmakers Push FCC to Block Sports Media Consolidation
In a letter Monday to @BrendanCarrFCC about the cost and inconvenience of TV sports and streaming deals between @Disney’s @ESPN and @NFL and @MLB, @SenWarren and @RepPatRyanNY said, “To promote competition in sports media in support of the public interest,...
Netflix Doubles Down on Rom‑coms with New 'Court Date' Pickup
Excl: Netflix leaning hard into rom-coms, with its latest move being a pick up of a pitch titled COURT DATE from rising writer Michael Montemayor. Berlanti/Schechter Films is on board to produce. https://t.co/60L4PtCqtH
Predators Secure Scripps Sports Broadcast Deal Post
Latest development on local game delivery @PredsNHL ink broadcast deal with @ScrippsSports following Main Street demise More with @AlexMSilverman https://t.co/C7s6V9EKvY
Predators Secure New Local Broadcast Deal with Scripps
New at @SBJ: The @PredsNHL have signed a local broadcast deal with Scripps beginning next season following the demise of Main Street Sports Group (owner of FanDuel Sports Network). https://t.co/GmhKmMo5yr