Know What's Happening in Media
Know What's Happening in Media
Indian TV market braces for sales dip as production costs surge amid West Asia crisis
Rising RAM prices, higher plastic and ocean‑freight costs linked to the West Asia crisis and a weakening rupee are pushing retail TV prices up about 20%, with a 32‑inch set now costing roughly $133 versus $108 six months ago. Counterpoint Research forecasts shipments to fall 5‑6% as consumers down‑trade to smaller screens.
Also developing:
By the numbers: K‑Love seeks FCC approval to acquire WFCC
SummitMedia has taken KXSP-AM off the air in Omaha after selling the station’s tower land. The frequency began broadcasting in 1923 as WOAW, later rebranded as WOW, and famously launched Johnny Carson’s career. In 2005 the call letters changed to KXSP, adopting an ESPN‑affiliated sports talk format. The sign‑off marks the end of a century‑old AM outlet in the market.
Podtrac has launched its first multi‑channel podcast ranker for January 2026, measuring consumption across audio, video and short‑form clips. Meidas Touch Network’s “The Meidas Touch Podcast” topped the list, driven by strong video podcast and clip views. The “Joe Rogan Experience” placed second...
Triton Digital’s January 2026 U.S. Podcast Ranker shows iHeart’s “Stuff You Should Know” retaining the top spot, followed by Audacy’s “48 Hours.” Salem’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” slipped just one position to #4, maintaining a strong presence among the nation’s...
Two Hillsdale College students captured first‑place honors at the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System College Media Awards during the 86th IBS Conference in New York City. Erika Kyba ’26 won Best Specialty Show (Non‑Music) for her weekly podcast “The Poetry Fix,” which...
Beasley Media Group announced that FOX Sports Radio’s "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" will join the weekday lineup on WJBR‑AM 1010 in Tampa, airing from noon to 3 p.m. ET. The show will also be simulcast on 92.1 FM in Hillsborough County, 103.1 FM...
Bosch’s Mobility Aftermarket division launched the "Impressive Innovation" campaign featuring cute anthropomorphic robots to spotlight windshield wiper technology. The 30‑second spot, created with Bailey Lauerman, runs through March across streaming, social, audio and search platforms. Production involved a custom rain chamber,...
Talk radio’s weekly chart from TALKERS shows Donald Trump’s State of the Union address leading the conversation, followed by the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files and high‑profile Clinton testimonies. U.S.–Iran diplomatic talks, the Cuba speedboat incident, and persistent economic...
CBS reported that the "Survivor 50" premiere on February 25, 2026 attracted an average 5.06 million viewers, making it the network’s most‑watched Wednesday night since 2022. The episode outperformed NBC by 81 % and peaked at 6.18 million viewers, retaining at least 90 % of its audience...
Sierra H Multimedia announced the launch of Sunny 104.3 (KAJM), a Soft Adult Contemporary station, marking its third property in the Phoenix market. To accommodate the new frequency, the existing Mega 104.3 format will move to 99.3 FM while retaining its on‑air talent...
The article compiles actionable advice from top conference programmers and seasoned speakers on how to secure speaking slots. Interviews with SXSW, Cannes LIONS, and VidCon directors reveal what they prioritize in emerging talent, while a first‑time SXSW speaker and corporate...
OpenAI closed a record‑breaking $110 billion funding round, with Amazon contributing $50 billion—$15 billion now and $35 billion later. The deal also ties OpenAI to Amazon Web Services, committing $100 billion in cloud spend over eight years and integrating Amazon’s Trainium chips. A new Stateful...
Frank Poe, former general counsel at Creators Entertainment, launched Poe Law PLLC in December 2023 to provide dedicated legal services for the rapidly expanding creator economy. His firm represents agencies, managers, creators, and brands, focusing on influencer contracts, payment structures,...
Later introduced Later 360, a unified analytics platform that merges organic content, paid amplification, and verified commerce data into a single reporting environment. The tool delivers granular visibility down to the SKU level, allowing marketers to trace every dollar, click,...
The article argues that LHF‑owned brands should study Silk Cut’s historic navigation of advertising bans, highlighting how the cigarette maker turned strict regulation into a catalyst for bold, indirect marketing. It notes that today’s alcohol and other restricted‑product marketers face similar...
New York Fashion Week FW26 generated $275 million in total media value, a 73 % increase year‑over‑year. Calvin Klein led with $81.3 million, followed by Ralph Lauren ($58.4 million) and Michael Kors ($56.7 million). Their success stemmed from distinct tactics: APAC‑focused celebrity partnerships for Calvin Klein,...
Motion’s analysis of $1.29 billion in Meta ad spend across 600,000 ads shows that only 4‑8 % of creatives become “winners,” yet they capture roughly 55 % of total budget. Advertisers that produce the most winners do so by scaling creative output, launching...
🚨 NEW 🚨 Threads now supports rich link previews for podcast video clips, making it easier for creators to drive viewers from short clips to full episodes. Podcast creators can upload a video clip and add a link that directs audiences...
California legislators could hit back at the Warner-Paramount deal by passing a strong state level merger law.
Oxford Road, a podcast advertising agency, has launched the Independent Podcast and Creator Awards to spotlight independent shows that operate outside major audio platforms. The inaugural ceremony, hosted by rapper Killer Mike, will take place at SXSW in Austin on...
If you need something to look forward to, remember that Warner Bros. is Cootie Corp. It poisons all who swallow it: Time Inc. AOL, AT&T, Discovery. The only question is how long it will take the Warner curse--and debt--to kill...
Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer is launching a new Sunday‑morning talk show, “Full Court Press,” on New York’s 77 WABC. The program joins a weekend lineup that recently added former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Spicer will cover national politics, current events,...
Shawn Ryan’s Netflix thriller "The Night Agent" has become a breakout hit, but its creator credits an earlier failure for shaping his approach. In 2010, Ryan’s FX series "Terriers" was cancelled after one season despite critical praise. The experience taught...
Australian TV veteran Karl Stefanovic launched an independent podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show, which surged to No. 2 on Apple Podcasts overall and topped the news category within four weeks. The series quickly amassed over 50,000 YouTube subscribers and its right‑wing...
Bandcamp has introduced dedicated publishing‑rights fields on its track and album upload pages, allowing artists to enter songwriter, publisher and ISWC information. The platform also offers bulk‑edit tools for retrofitting existing catalogs and a free guide to navigate collection societies....
Progressive launched the "Drive Like an Animal" ad using AI‑generated animal drivers while retaining Flo’s voice, aiming to blend efficiency with brand authenticity. The AI approach slashed production time and budget, allowing the campaign to meet a tight deadline for...
The Huntington News, Northeastern University’s independent student newspaper, is marking its 100th anniversary. Founded in 1926 as The Northeastern News after merging two campus papers, it broke from university funding and rebranded in 2008. Today the outlet operates mainly online,...
Meta has filed lawsuits in Brazil, China and Vietnam to stop firms running deceptive ad campaigns and has issued cease‑and‑desist orders to eight marketing consultants accused of helping advertisers evade its policies. At the same time, a coalition of leading...
Fox Sports has introduced an AI-powered version of its flagship host Colin Cowherd within the Fox Sports mobile app. The digital persona, built from years of Cowherd’s broadcast audio, can answer user sports queries in his distinctive cadence and style....
Paramount Skydance Global and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced a $111 billion merger that would unite two major studios and their extensive content libraries. The combined entity would blend HBO’s premium brand with Paramount’s franchises such as Star Trekk, Mission: Impossible, Transformers and...
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state broadcaster BHRT stopped all TV and radio output on 26 February, displaying a black screen and a warning about a possible shutdown. The halt stems from a deep funding crisis: licence‑fee revenues collected by the country’s entities...
IndyCar’s 31st season kicks off March 1 in St. Petersburg, backed by a rapid IP overhaul of its five mobile production trucks. IMS Productions, BeckTV, and Imagine Communications upgraded system architecture, workflows, and signal paths to enable high‑intensity, low‑latency coverage. The fast‑track...
Telia and Viaplay have signed a multi‑year content agreement to bolster Telia’s TV and streaming proposition in Sweden. The deal secures long‑term access to Viaplay’s extensive library of international series, local entertainment and premium live‑sport rights, including UEFA Champions League...
D.C. Memo: Nexstar CEO Sook – Washington Has Not Said Company Needs to Sell Stations to Close TEGNA Deal | $NXST @NXSTMediaGroup $TGNA @TEGNA https://t.co/md3Cz4tI5F
How Can Paramount+ Recoup Its $7.7 Billion UFC Bet? Subs Won’t Do It 👇https://t.co/zU9AQ6MVr4 via @sportico
The BBC has unveiled the latest iteration of its "Made of Here" campaign, this time spotlighting Glasgow. Produced by BBC Creative and the BBC Scotland Brand, the visual rollout features a striking sunset over the city alongside iconic cultural references...
Matt Weston, Britain’s double‑gold medalist at the 2026 Winter Olympics, attracted 667,000 pageviews on Taboola’s network over the past three months, far outpacing his teammates. His teammate Tabby Stoecker recorded only 56,000 pageviews, while the overall Games generated more than...
Nothing uncertain about it: CNN is fucked. This is the last nail in the coffin of American mass media as a legitimate actor. For CNN, a Change in Ownership Means a Suddenly Uncertain Future https://t.co/JFGHcIaQYc
As often happens the more aggressive Times home-page headline conflicts with the article headline --and neither represents the article. https://t.co/9esgycuoXm
Politico is making audio and video a core growth pillar through 2026, expanding its Playbook podcast network and launching a new Brussels edition. The company hired a deputy head of audio, introduced a Brussels Playbook podcast that already draws about...
Mortar AI has partnered with creative‑data specialist DAIVID to embed creative effectiveness metrics into its Marketing Mix Model (MMM). The integration brings DAIVID’s AI‑driven emotional analysis—covering 39 distinct emotions and predictive metrics—directly into Mortar’s MMM engine. Advertisers can now quantify...
BBC’s hit sitcom Ghosts is returning as a feature film titled Ghosts: The Possession of Button House. The original ensemble cast and co‑writers, including Kiell Smith‑Bynoe and Charlotte Ritchie, will reprise their roles, with Simon Hynd directing again. Filming is...
Fintech companies in the UK have raised £2.6 billion, yet many are sabotaging their own growth with overly technical press releases. JournoLink’s analysis shows 74 percent of founders use AI for internal efficiency, but external communications remain cluttered with jargon. This complexity...
Neverland announced that Laura Kinzett has been promoted to Chief Strategy Officer, succeeding Lola Neves. Kinzett, who previously led the agency’s planning department, will now steer brand‑building and client‑growth initiatives. The move reflects Neverland’s focus on data‑driven strategy as it...
Hollywood's mega-merger battle ends with Warner Bros. as the real winner with a 78% stock bump since September - https://t.co/Ue55w8GTQk
Radio shows can turn mediocre guest segments into sticky, high‑engagement content by rethinking format and storytelling. The article outlines a seven‑step framework—building anticipation, teasing emotion, starting with a hook, cutting industry talk, prompting personal stories, adding a signature rapid‑fire close,...
PepsiCo’s global marketing effectiveness lead, Sorin Patilinet, cautions that the proliferation of AI tools will not automatically grant a competitive edge. While AI can generate endless creative variations, the true differentiator will be human judgment and disciplined restraint in campaign...
Spotify announced a three‑year partnership with The Push, a national youth music organization, committing A$200,000—the largest single donation in The Push’s history. The initiative builds on Spotify’s Turn Up Aus campaign, which generated an additional 223 million streams of Australian music...
Shinka announced its membership in the World Out of Home Organisation (WOO), the premier global association for out‑of‑home advertising. The move gives Shinka access to a worldwide network of media owners, agencies, and research that shapes OOH standards and policy....
Nielsen’s latest U.S. streaming charts covering Jan 26 2025‑Feb 1 2026 highlight Marvel’s new Disney+ series “Wonder Man” entering the Top 10 Originals at #8 with 618 K minutes viewed. The data underscores Disney’s dominance on the Acquired chart, where legacy titles like Grey’s Anatomy, Bluey and...
At the 22nd Video Broadcast and Broadband Tech Summit, Indian media leaders debated how AI, automation and shifting audience habits are reshaping newsrooms. Panelists highlighted AI’s role in proofreading, headline optimisation and large‑language‑model development to reduce costs and expand multilingual...
