Old Music Catalogs Now Bargains: When to Sell?
Most music catalog sales from 10+ years ago look like bargains today. Is there ever a good time to sell? We had Round Hill Music’s Josh Gruss on our show to discuss the latest trends in music rights transactions. His firm acquired rights from The Offspring, Goo Goo Dolls, and others. Comment ‘Music’ and I’ll DM you the full episode.
Live Sports Streaming Ads Plagued by Fraud, Victims Identified
Over the last few months, several advertising experts have told @FOS that the live sports streaming ad market is rife with fraud. This is what is happening and who it hurts the most: https://t.co/dPEZBOGlUX
Ruffalo and Stoller Argue Paramount Merger Must Be Halted
Mark Ruffalo & Matt Stoller on why the Paramount merger can and should he stopped (gift link) https://t.co/NZfcLcN49b
Paramount Partners with Warner Music for Star Biopics
When a Global #BoxOffice phenomenon such as #MICHAEL happens, Hollywood does what it does best: more of it! #Paramount is leading the charge, striking a first look deal with #WarnerMusic to release films/biopics based on WMG’s artists, including #Madonna, #DuaLipa, #EdSheeran,...
Turner Leveraged Finance to Build Real Media Empires
Turner was a financial operator, but he used finance to build real things, like TNT and CNN. He emerged in the transition stage to pure financial dominance, but before it had taken over everything.
Break Up Studio Streaming Monopoly After Deal Block
The line that stuck out to me in this op-ed from Mark Ruffalo and Matt Stoller was what comes after they block the WBD-Paramount deal. "Go on the offensive and work to break up the studio streaming system that is...
Brazil's Gaming Boom Offers Global Inspiration
Glad to have perspective on the state of games from Brazil in this interview with Rodrigo Terra and Patricia Sato. The rest of the world can take inspiration from the rapid growth. https://t.co/ZGTgXtDLPX https://t.co/1SMxTI77Y2
No Evidence Apple’s F1 Viewership Beats ESPN Yet
Yeah, so, I have not seen any empirical evidence to support claims that Apple’s domestic F1 audience this season has topped ESPN from last year for any races to date.
Non‑conference Broadcasters Threaten Conference Media Leverage
College games by provider that is not who the conference has its media deal. Will it weaken their conference leverage? Does the conference get anything from these “special” deals? More ahead like with the Michigan game?
Players Era Secures ESPN Rev‑Share, 24 Teams for 2026
Players Era Unveils ESPN Rev-Share Partnership, 24 (Not 32) Teams in ’26 https://t.co/tMVGnWHCgg via @sportico @DanielLibit
Nexstar CEO Details Legal Battle Over Tegna Acquisition
Nexstar CEO Lays Out Next Steps in Legal Fight Over Tegna Deal, Including ‘Complete Laundry List of All Threatened and Pending Litigation That We’re Aware Of’ https://t.co/B30GbP9ew9 via @variety
Hybrid Monetization Drives 59% Ad Revenue Surge
AppLovin Q1 2026 earnings: 59% ad revenue growth, the hybrid monetization opportunity for games "In prepared remarks, AppLovin’s CEO highlighted a trend of mobile games adopting a hybrid monetization model (ads and in-app purchases), given the opportunity to monetize through advertising...
LIV Golf Burns $500M, Faces Imminent Shutdown
LIV golf, an experiment in trying to buy a sport, has failed. It burnt $500M in 2024 alone. Likely to be shuttered as it never got its broadcast revenue numbers are up and Saudis are retreating from high spend projects
Hollywood Merger Fears Reveal Oligarch Threat, Unity Wins
So @MarkRuffalo and I wrote an oped for the NYT on what looks like a merger fight in Hollywood over Paramount/Warner, but it's really about how fear of oligarchs is overtaking America. And there's a lesson in how solidarity helps...
HBO Max Achieves Global Streaming Scale After Four Years
WBD Q1 FY26 letter: "Over the last four years, we have consistently reiterated the imperative to scale HBO Max as a global streaming service. Today, that vision has been successfully achieved." https://t.co/lA8w1hRMR1
Big Social Followings Will Drive Future Film Investments
I think the next generation of actors and filmmakers will have grown up in a culture that rewards a large follower base. Not everyone who slings sleep aids on TikTok will star in the next Marvel movie, but I think...
Amazon Sees Strong Upfront Market, Launches LinkedIn Ad Pact
NEW: Amazon projects 'strong' upfront market, though many cautious signals abound. Streamer also unveils new programmatic ad pact with LinkedIn... https://t.co/jQvAiiZlpT
Fewer Stories, More Views: Quality Beats Quantity
Output down, page views up. Good lesson here -> Axios' total Q1 content output was down 22% YoY, but page views rose 30% and page views per visitor rose 22%, as the outlet shifts away from chasing traffic “Write...
Band Battles Surge of AI‑generated Bootleg Remixes
The deluge of AI-generated music on streaming platforms continues. Took a look at one band's efforts to curb bootleg AI remixes of its work: https://t.co/ems6ELKMwU
Revive Overlooked Tracks with Fresh Promotion Strategies
If you've got a release that didn't get the attention it deserved the first time around, it's not too late. There are ways to bring new energy to older music and I'd love to explore what that looks like for...
Speaking Agents Demand Upfront Fees—Uncommon in Music
Had someone reach out about booking me for paid speaking engagements. Not really something I’ve focused on, but I figured I’d hear them out since I already work with a booking agent in music. Then I get the email and it’s...
Daily Giro D'Italia on TV Reshapes Office Programming
Wow - I was not expecting fully daily coverage of the Giro d'Italia on linear TV this year. This is big for office TV programming.
Aron Should Demand Consistent Theatrical Windows Before PVOD/SVOD
"Why is Adam Aron seemingly incapable of saying something like, “The ecosystem of the theatrical business works best with a healthy, consistent window, first to PVOD and then to SVOD (Netflix. HBO Max, etc). AMC will not ...
Jack Dorsey Revives Vine, Now Called Divine
Jack Dorsey is relaunching Vine as Divine nearly 10 years after he killed it. https://t.co/D7JGsJpOP4
Older Audiences' Decline Skews Gen Z Attendance Figures
This Gen Z stat about theatrical attendance isn’t overly impressive when you understand the majority of older folks don’t attend movies nearly as voraciously as in the past decades Should be 50%+ not 13% https://t.co/jtcGmbaqJ3
Gen Z Cancels & Re‑subscribes for One Show
More Than Half of Gen Z Users Cancel and Renew Streaming Services for a Single Title, Study Finds https://t.co/Prcb8GnJFz
AppLovin Q1 Revenue Jumps 59%, Net Income Surges 67%
AppLovin $APP released its Q1 2026 earnings: revenue of $1.842 BN (+59% y/y), Net Income from continuing operations of $1.206 BN (+67% y/y), Q2 revenue guidance of $1.915 BN - $1.945 BN.
WBD Investor Call Kicks Off with CEO, CFO, Streaming Chief
$WBD investor call is about to begin. CEO David Zaslav and CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels. and streaming chief JB Perrette will be your hosts....
Paramount's WBD Takeover Stalls; Epic Not yet Unfolding
Warner Bros. Discovery's deal to be acquired by Paramount is supposed to create a behemoth of a company that includes everything from CBS to the "Lord of the Rings" franchise. But as Aragorn said in that massive epic, today is...
WBD Gains Streaming, Studios; Paramount Deal Triggers Massive Loss
Warner Bros. Discovery Saw Q1 Streaming, Studios Boosts, But Paramount Item Spurs Large Loss https://t.co/L585A2tXxX via @variety
Running Prince’s Estate Reveals Challenges of Legendary Artist Management
Managing estates for legendary artists is a tough business. Troy Carter shares his experience running Prince’s estate for 5 years.
Shorts Are My Top Growth Driver, Newsletter Coming Soon
Fascinating insights from my @YouTube channel: Shorts are WINNING for me, and I will be doing a deep dive on this in my newsletter very soon📈 https://t.co/81VS3AtmgC
Netflix Locks Oscar Isaac for Vegas Series and First‑look Deal
EXCLU: Following a big year with FRANKENSTEIN and BEEF, Netflix and Oscar Isaac are pushing all their chips in as the streamer taps him to star in new untitled Vegas series from Scorsese as well signing him to a first...
Netflix Signs Indie Duo Bentley, Kwedar to Scout Fresh Talent
Excl: TRAIN DREAMS filmmakers Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar sign an indie-centric first-look deal with Netflix. The duo will make their own movies but will also be scouring film festivals & film schools for new talent to help build their...
Switching From Patreon to Substack with Free and Paid Options
I'm not the best at promoting. Currently I'm moving from Patreon to Substack, sparking the comment of "You have a Patreon?" I've also enabled paid subscriptions on the substack but the free option is still there as well. https://t.co/gRzWl9zBMm
Twitch Bans Off‑platform Bit Use, Tightens Enforcement
Twitch has updated the Bits Acceptable Use policy for the first time since 2018. Changes: - Bits can ONLY be used for things on Twitch. (A ban on anything off-platform or of monetary value.) - Much stricter enforcement, including a new "forfeiture clause". -...
F1 Secures Long-Term Sky Sports Broadcast Deal Until 2034
#Formula1 has reached a new multiyear agreement with #Sky Sports to continue broadcasting #F1 through the 2034 season in the United Kingdom and Ireland and through 2032 in Italy. $CMCSA
Media CEOs Earn Billions While Employees Need Centuries
Our survey of media CEO pay: It would take the avg. WBD employee 1,378 years to make what David Zaslav earned in one, David Ellison's comp hit $63.2 mil. & he stuck Paramount w/ a $648 life insurance tab, and...
Griffin Launches Project Financing Fund for Indie Studios
Good news for indie game studios. Griffin is turning to project financing with a new fund, in addition to its traditional VC investments. https://t.co/47axlCnNYv https://t.co/cS1gcIJjLn
Data-Driven Thumbnails and Titles Drive YouTube Growth
YouTube growth isn't just about great content anymore. 👀 It's about testing what gets people to click. Thumbnails. Titles. Data. Creativity still matters. But data is what scales it. 🎯 https://t.co/E6UezYOUCh
Arda’s Unique Broadcasting Talent Is a Media Goldmine
This sucks. But it’s also the endless reality of the media biz at the moment. Arda is a passionate and smart broadcaster with a really unique skill set given the sports he’s done. Would be a big asset to any media company.
Media CEOs Rake in Record Pay Amid Hollywood Slump
Media CEO Pay 2025: How David Zaslav, Bob Iger, Ted Sarandos and Other Moguls Made Bank as Hollywood Struggled https://t.co/tjc7yQfprC via @variety
2pm SportsCenter Posts Biggest YoY
Interesting. The 2pm ET @SportsCenter saw the biggest YOY growth of any ESPN studio show in April. Gets just under 400K viewers these days. ESPN seeing potential opportunity there for @PSchrags ?
Disney Claims Gas
*DISNEY SEES NO CHANGE IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR DUE TO GAS PRICE Which begs the question, "What if Disney is the happiest place on earth for just those on the arm of the K?"
Sony Nears $4B Catalog Deal Amid Blackstone Dispute
Sony Music is on the verge of one of the largest catalog acquisitions ever: nearly $4B for songs from Justin Bieber, Neil Young, Justin Timberlake, etc. Other parties are crying foul, saying Blackstone wouldn’t listen to their offers. https://t.co/F6dTuBwJke
Turner Mulls CNN Reacquisition, Malone Reveals in Memoir
As John Malone wrote in his memoir, Ted Turner had contemplated trying to buy back CNN as recently as 2018 https://t.co/Ld8BHK4yPG
Turner‑owned ESPN Would Spotlight Braves, Hawks over LeBron
Imagine Ted Turner purchased ESPN? First Take would have been debating the Braves and Hawks instead of shitting on LeBron for a decade-plus.
Ted Turner: Media Maverick Who Revolutionized TV and Sports
Ted Turner was one of one. His impact on the American media landscape and US sports cannot be overstated. A brilliant entrepreneurial mind, he was at the forefront of so many innovations. In the definitive history of television, he deserves...
Bundle Sponsorships Across Platforms for Steady $10K Income
The approach I take that has turned sponsorship revenue into a (fairly consistent) $7-10k/mo stream: Multiple touch points. My channel is small (31.6k), but I have my mailing list, my socials, and my website with a fairly high domain authority. Combine that with...
NYT Leverages Strong Earnings to Target Video Market
NYT earnings impressive: Cutting Through the Noise: Why NYT Sees Video as Its Next Battleground