Today's Media Pulse
Online video subscriptions hit 2.24 billion in 2025, overtaking pay‑TV revenue
Omdia reports global online video subscriptions reached 2.24 billion at the end of 2025, a 17.6% year‑on‑year rise. Revenue grew 13.5% to $176 billion, surpassing pay‑TV's $170 billion for the first time. Growth is expected to slow to single‑digit levels in 2026 as operators focus on monetising existing users.
Also developing:
YouTube Built a Tool To Protect Celebrity Likenesses. But It Does Not Pay Them.
YouTube has launched a deep‑fake detection tool that lets high‑profile individuals upload their likenesses to Google’s cloud for automated monitoring. The service, first opened to politicians and journalists, now covers actors, athletes, creators and musicians, flagging or removing videos that misuse their image. It mirrors the Content ID system but, unlike music rights holders, celebrities receive no revenue share for flagged content. Removal requests remain discretionary, with parody and satire often exempted.
CBC, BBC Northern Ireland Greenlight New Romantic Comedy Series ‘Committed’
CBC and BBC Northern Ireland have greenlit "Committed," a 10‑episode half‑hour romantic comedy co‑produced by Cameron Pictures and Fabel Productions. The series stars Dustin Milligan and Diona Doherty and follows a newly divorced Canadian accountant who travels to a rural...
How Liberals Monetized Trauma
Catherine Liu’s Substack, CLiuAnon, argues that progressive circles have turned personal trauma into a revenue stream. By charging hundreds of subscribers for exclusive content, she highlights how discussions of film, critical theory, and contemporary politics are packaged for profit. The...
Point of View (5)
Rob Walker’s latest post wraps up a five‑part series on his annual "Point of View" class at the School of Visual Arts. The core assignment challenges students to transform something previously overlooked into a noticed design solution, a premise that...
🎙️ Podcast Description Generator (Write One That Actually Gets Clicks)
Liam Austin’s post spotlights a common podcast pitfall: descriptions that sell the host instead of the listener, often vague, overly long, or self‑focused. He demonstrates how those flaws cost clicks before a single play. By swapping bland copy for specific...
Man Utd v Brentford Live Stream, TV Channel – Where to Watch EPL on Tv Today
Manchester United host Brentford at Old Trafford on Monday night, aiming to tighten their grip on a top‑five finish and secure Champions League qualification. United come off a 1‑0 win over Chelsea after a loss to Leeds, while Brentford have...
Nielsen Adds Podcast Planning Data Through Triton Digital
Nielsen announced a partnership with Triton Digital to embed Triton’s Podcast Metrics Demos+ into its Nielsen Media Impact (NMI) cross‑media planning tool. The integration streams Triton’s download‑level podcast data across every show, network and subnetwork, giving advertisers a unified view...
NZ Herald Premium Subscription Special Offer: Get the Best Journalism From Here and Abroad for 99 Cents a Week
The New Zealand Herald celebrates the seventh anniversary of its Premium digital subscription by launching a limited‑time offer of 99 c per week (about $0.60 USD) for six months, or an introductory annual price of $79 (≈ $47 USD) for the first year followed by...
AI Is Driving Customer Acquisition Costs Through the Roof. Here’s How to Get Around It.
AI-powered search overviews are intercepting traffic, causing customer acquisition costs (CAC) to climb sharply. Advertisers now see fewer direct clicks from PPC spend because users are routed through AI summaries that often feature competitors. Companies like Roof Maxx are countering...
Spot TV Kings: Pharma Brands and an Accident Attorney
The latest Spot Ten TV report from Media Monitors shows Morgan & Morgan continues to lead spot television advertising, outpacing Progressive and Liberty Mutual. Pharma brands Caplyta, Rinvoq and Skyrizi also feature prominently, underscoring the category’s strength on TV. Spot...
Friendster Rises From the Grave to Make Social Media Great Again
Mike Carson, a Philadelphia‑based programmer, acquired the Friendster.com domain for under $8,000 and launched a stripped‑down iOS app called Neo‑Friendster. The new service rejects ads, algorithms, and data sales, requiring users to tap phones together to add friends, encouraging in‑person...
Star Trek: Lower Decks' Showrunner Wanted A Bigger Budget For A Joke You Probably Missed
In the "Crisis Point" episode of *Star Trek: Lower Decks*, creator Mike McMahan asked the studio for extra funding to extend a holodeck fly‑by that parodies the iconic sequence from *Star Trek: The Motion Picture*. The animated homage runs about one...
What’s Coming To Disney+ In June 2026 (UK/Ireland)
Disney+ is rolling out a fresh June slate for the UK and Ireland, featuring the three‑episode British comedy “Not Suitable for Work,” the anti‑romantic series “Alice & Steve,” and new episodes of FX’s football docuseries “Welcome to Wrexham” Season 5. The...
Outlaw Ocean Project Teases New Aquaculture Investigation During Congressional Hearing
The Outlaw Ocean Project testified before the Congressional‑Executive Commission on China, previewing its upcoming "Food for Feed" report that examines forced‑labor and environmental abuses across the global aquaculture supply chain. The investigation mapped roughly 1,400 fishmeal plants, traced feed shipments...
Journalists Must Remain Unbiased Amid Poilievre’s Carney Attacks
How Journalists Should Handle Poilievre’s Attacks on Carney's Economics Expertise Journalism veteran Jeffrey Dvorkin of @UofT discusses the tricky job of holding a politician like @pierrepoilievre to account while not being intimidated or biased. #cdnpoli https://youtu.be/OjSWoYR3R6E
For Substack Writers Feeling Stuck
Thee Book Club is launching a May Substack Writing Course aimed at writers who struggle with consistency, positioning, and growth on the platform. The three‑week program includes three 1‑on‑1 coaching sessions, a publication‑strategy roadmap, and actionable marketing tactics. Priced at...
Personalization Boosts Retail Media as Trust Gap Remains
Dunnhumby’s new study finds that 91% of U.S. and U.K. grocery shoppers are willing to share transaction data if it yields more relevant retail media, and personalized ads generate twice the trust of generic messages. The research shows 59% of...
Bored Panda Highlights 79 Uplifting Moments From Daddit Dad Community
Bored Panda’s latest feature curates 79 feel‑good posts from Daddit, an online community dedicated to fathers. The roundup underscores a growing appetite for positive, relatable dad stories and reaches Bored Panda’s 1.2 million readers.
Hulu Rolls Out May 2026 Lineup Featuring Second‑season Returns and New Mormon Reality Spinoff
Hulu unveiled its May 2026 programming slate, highlighting returning second‑season series such as "El Encargado" and "Rivals" alongside the debut of the reality spinoff "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County." The lineup aims to boost subscriber engagement ahead of...
Behind The Mic: Kenny Beecham to Launch NBA Radio Show on SiriusXM; Mike Tomlin to Join NBC Pregame Show
SiriusXM NBA Radio launches "The Kenny Beecham Hour," a weekly postseason show featuring the Forbes 30‑under‑30 star. Former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is set to join NBC’s Sunday Night Football pre‑game panel, adding a sideline perspective. Telemundo announced a roster...
Shooter Identified, Security Gaps Scrutinized After White House Correspondents Dinner Attack
Police identified 31‑year‑old Cole Allen as the gunman who opened fire at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, injuring a Secret Service agent and prompting a full evacuation. Attendees and officials described minimal screening, while President Trump praised the Secret Service...
Universal and Sony Must Be Allowed to See Warner’s Deal with Suno, Lawyers Tell Judge as AI Legal Battle Continues
Universal Music and Sony Music have asked a Massachusetts judge to compel Suno to disclose its licensing agreement with Warner Music. They argue the deal undermines Suno’s courtroom claim that no viable market exists for licensing sound recordings as AI...
Paramount in Canada and Blue Ant’s Media Pulse Expand Partnership
Paramount Canada has expanded its relationship with Blue Ant’s Media Pulse, appointing the firm as the exclusive direct sales and programmatic partner for both Paramount+ and Pluto TV inventory. The agreement gives Canadian advertisers streamlined access to premium CTV ad...
The Meaning of a Book Launch
Ross Barkan’s novel *Colossus* launches tomorrow, backed by positive reviews from Kazuo Robinson and Adam Fleming Petty and a Manhattan launch event on May 11 with Shadi Hamid. The author promoted the book on the Beyond the Zero podcast and announced...
Mayra Contreras Returns as TEADS Mexico GM to Accelerate Omnichannel Growth
TEADS has reappointed Mayra Contreras as General Manager of its Mexico operation, tasking her with launching a new CTV offering and deepening the company's omnichannel footprint. Contreras, who previously grew the team by 110%, brings decades of tech‑media experience to...
Deezer Q1 2026 Revenue Slides 1.6% to $154 M as Direct Subscribers Rise to 5.7 M
Deezer posted Q1 2026 revenue of $154 million, a 1.6% YoY decline, even as its direct subscriber base grew 9% to 5.7 million. The growth was driven by strong performance in France and organic gains abroad, but partnership users fell 23% after...
Selfie Sticks Become Startup Must-Have as Gen Z Leverages Personal Branding
Young founders are treating selfie sticks and other personal‑branding tools as essential as seed funding, turning Instagram reels and TikTok videos into investor‑ready pitches. A wave of Gen Z entrepreneurs, spurred by a tight job market and AI‑driven hiring cuts,...
Carousel Dominance Fades; Talking‑to‑camera Content Rises
You remember when we all started HATING on 6-second b-roll videos with text on top, because they seemed to be everywhere? Yeah, I think that's why carousels have been outperforming them for around a year now. And lowkey, I think the same...
Elon Musk’s XChat App Is More Like Facebook’s Messenger Than Signal
Elon Musk launched XChat, a standalone encrypted messaging app that requires an X account, linking chats to users' social profiles. Critics highlight that encryption keys are stored on X’s servers rather than on‑device, raising security concerns. The rollout was chaotic,...
EXCLUSIVE: WHITE LOTUS IN MELTDOWN — TALK OF SCRAPPING THE ENTIRE SHOW
HBO’s flagship series *The White Lotus* is reportedly in crisis as Helena Bonham Carter walked off set days into filming. Insiders describe chaotic on‑the‑fly rewrites, “awful” scripts and a disgruntled cast, suggesting the show has lost its satirical edge. Creator...
Second Daily Post Reveals Your True Audience
Posting twice a day for a year taught me something. The second post is the one that finds your real audience. Most people post once and check 6 times. Try posting twice and checking once. Different muscles.
Fans Await Half Man Episode 2 Release Date
Last week's debut was already a difficult watch, but when does Half Man episode 2 drop on HBO Max and BBC iPlayer? https://t.co/fe7xjs99sM
How Businesses Grow TikTok or Instagram for More Customers and Real Success
Businesses are shifting TikTok and Instagram from pure entertainment to structured lead‑generation funnels. The article outlines a four‑step funnel—attention‑grabbing video, trust‑building profile, clear call‑to‑action, and automated follow‑up—to convert viewers into paying customers. It emphasizes problem‑oriented, authority, and conversion content, data‑driven...
Jimmy Kimmel Live to Air Oz Pearlman After Shooting
.@JimmyKimmelLive is set to have Oz Pearlman on the air tonight (Pearlman was at the WHCD dinner when the shooting occurred). I have asked ABC to confirm this is a new and not rebroadcast episode https://t.co/5x9QF4VIbC
Netflix Hits Drop Viewers After First Season
Netflix's biggest hits are losing viewers in subsequent seasons. (Beef is the latest example.) https://t.co/QVKTvoboZM
Beyond Caching: Content Delivery Networks
Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) distribute proxy and cache servers across global points of presence to serve web assets from locations nearest to end users. By routing requests through edge servers, CDNs cut round‑trip time, offload traffic from origin servers, and...
Half of Meta's $54B APAC Ad Revenue From China
Note that Meta generated $54BN from APAC *advertisers* in 2025, with estimates that Chinese advertisers accounted for roughly half of that. https://t.co/ey2WOGf5WR
League's Limited Top Game Inventory Impacts Partner Distribution
I reckon that the league, which has a finite amount of top game inventory to disburse amongst its half dozen ish network partners, cares
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The 24 Best TV Shows Based on a True Story
The article curates a list of 24 standout TV series that draw from real‑world events, ranging from historical epics like *Band of Brothers* to contemporary true‑crime dramas such as *The People v. O.J. Simpson*. It highlights each show’s source material,...
AI-Generated Tracks Surge on Apple Music, Listeners Unfazed
Apple Music VP reveals that more AI-generated music is being uploaded to the platform, but it's not affecting listening habits. https://t.co/zwyS6yTjzx
Short‑Form Video Forces News to Redefine Reporter vs Influencer
Something a lot of us saw over the weekend raised a question that's probably worth exploring -- particularly as news organizations embrace short-form video, what differentiates a reporter from a content creator from an influencer?
NAB 2026: Encompass Focuses on Live Sport and Cloud Workflows to Drive Growth
Encompass Digital Media is positioning live sport and cloud‑native master‑control workflows as its primary growth engines as traditional linear broadcast services become commoditised. At NAB 2026 the company announced an expanded Riga master‑control room that now processes over 1,500 hours of live‑sport...
Take 5: Social Media … IRL?
Kellogg researchers dissect five ways social media shapes real‑world behavior. They find that most users see little political content on their phones, that outrage fuels the spread of misinformation, and that influencers who flaunt indulgence lose followers—a phenomenon dubbed the...
House of the Dragon Season 3 Premieres June 21
Season 3 of #HouseOfTheDragon will premiere on #HBO and #HBOMax on Sunday, June 21. #streaming $WBD
Peacock's Live Sports Attract Viewers, but Churn Spikes
Peacock has started to draw in lots of viewers with live sports (football, basketball, Olympics), but it struggles to keep them. Peacock suffers the worst churn of any service. https://t.co/R3vAfqOAxW
TBL Team Boxing League and MSG Networks Announce Broadcast Partnership
The Team Boxing League (TBL) has secured a broadcast partnership with MSG Networks to air all remaining Season 4 fights live across MSG’s television, streaming, and FAST channels. The coverage kicks off on Friday, April 24 with the NYC Attitude vs. Boston...
Inside the Hilton, Access Was Easy
The author recounts attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton when gunfire erupted, noting that entry was virtually unrestricted. Guests entered with only a screenshot of an email invitation, no ID checks, barcode scans, or digital ticketing....
Study Finds A Third of New Websites Are AI-Generated
Researchers analyzing Internet Archive data found that roughly 35% of websites launched between August 2022 and May 2025 were AI‑generated or AI‑assisted, up from virtually none before ChatGPT’s debut. Using the Pangram v3 detection tool, the team examined semantic diversity,...
PayPal Ads ID Launches To Match Online Users With Likely Sales
PayPal announced PayPal Ads ID, a new advertising service that matches online users with likely purchasers using verified commerce relationships from PayPal and Venmo. The platform leverages data from more than 25 billion transactions across 400 million users to create a commerce‑grade...
Tech Balkanization Accelerates Amid US‑China Power Struggles
US forced China to sell TikTok. China stops acquisition of Manus. Strategic tech warfare. Balkanization of tech continues.