Know What's Happening in Media
Know What's Happening in Media
Indian TV market braces for sales dip amid rising production costs and rupee weakness
Soaring RAM prices, higher plastic and ocean‑freight costs tied to the West Asia crisis, and a weakening rupee have pushed retail TV prices up roughly 20%. An entry‑level 32‑inch set now costs about $133, up from $108 six months earlier, prompting many buyers to down‑trade. Counterpoint Research forecasts shipments to fall 5‑6%.
Also developing:
By the numbers: K‑Love seeks FCC approval for acquisition of WFCC
Broadcasters are buoyed by FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s hints of relaxed ownership rules and a Trump endorsement of Nexstar’s $6 billion Tegna acquisition. Nexstar, Scripps and Sinclair all highlighted this regulatory optimism in recent earnings calls, stressing strategic M&A and operational efficiencies. Nexstar expects the Tegna deal to close by Q2 2026, while Scripps is re‑acquiring 23 Ion stations and targeting AI‑driven EBITDA growth. Sinclair remains eager for future acquisitions, especially any divestitures Nexstar may need to satisfy the new regulatory climate.
Journalism.co.uk lists thirty English‑language news outlets across Europe, ranging from state‑funded broadcasters like Deutsche Welle and France 24 to independent digital platforms such as Politico Europe and Sifted. Many of these outlets expanded after Brexit, filling a gap for pan‑European coverage in...
Former BBC News CEO Deborah Turness acknowledged that a Trump‑focused Panorama documentary failed editorial standards, yet she rejected claims of institutional anti‑Trump bias. The documentary’s edit prompted President Donald Trump to file a $10 billion defamation suit against the BBC, which...
Tony Dungy is likely to exit NBC’s ‘Football Night in America’ after 17 years as the network prepares a major revamp of its NFL pre‑game show. The Athletic reports that NBC may drop Dungy’s regular analyst slot amid criticism of...
PMK Entertainment announced two senior hires: Leah Sparkes as Vice President of Television, Film and Premium Content, and Ulisses Rivera as Senior Account Director in its Strategic Communications Group. Sparkes arrives with more than two decades of high‑profile publicity experience...
The Association of Public Radio Engineers announced the schedule for its 26th Public Radio Engineering Conference, set for April 16‑17, 2026 in Las Vegas. The two‑day program, themed “what’s next,” features sessions on audio processing, AM radio relevance, transmission troubleshooting, FM...
Jake Johnson has been cast as Mickey, a down‑on‑his‑luck private investigator, in an untitled NBC comedy pilot created by Brooklyn Nine‑Nine writers Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici. The half‑hour series continues the Los Angeles private‑eye tradition and received a pilot...
The Trump administration is pushing a draft funding agreement that would let its political appointees veto hires for editors‑in‑chief, CEOs, and board members at two U.S.-funded overseas broadcasters, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. The proposal...
TikTok unveiled its 2026 Discover List, highlighting 50 creators across five categories—Educators, Foodies, Icons, Innovators, and Originators. Selections were based on video volume, account growth, engagement, and social impact. The program adds extra training and direct TikTok support for the...
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr used a Semafor media summit to defend his leadership, labeling mainstream news outlets as "drastically out of touch" with the American public. He rejected comparisons to Ronald Reagan’s FCC, insisting his approach is a...
"The best days of @TheTradeDesk are ahead of us. I want to thank our employees, our clients, and our Partners for their trust and support throughout 2025. I am as confident as I have ever been in the opportunity in...
Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray acknowledged the "human cost" of this month’s layoffs, which saw more than 300 staffers cut, but framed the reductions as essential to stabilize finances and return the paper to break‑even. He emphasized owner Jeff...
Hollywood is reviving the 1960 western *The Magnificent Seven* as an eight‑episode drama for MGM+, the Amazon‑owned streaming service. Veteran actor Matt Dillon has been cast as lead Chris Adams, bringing depth to the iconic role. The series, written and...
#IMAX execs in party mode: ALL TIME RECORD 1.28B grossed in IMAX screens at Global #BoxOffice in 2025, beating 2019’s previous 1.1B record, and up +40% from 2024. Top #IMAX 2025 grossers: 1 #NeZha2 2 #AvatarFireAndAsh 3 #F1 4 #DemonSlayerInfinityCastle What’s more: 2026 is expected to be...
Are there any content creators out there who you’ve seen defending Discord’s ID verification, criticizing Section 230 or boosting these “child safety” censorship efforts?? I’m looking to talk to creators who are pro ID verification/KOSA
Jake Johnson is set to star in NBC’s untitled private‑investigator comedy pilot, a single‑camera project from Brooklyn Nine‑Nine veterans Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici. Peacock announced a new adaptation of the 2009 rom‑com Bride Wars with Emma Roberts in the...
Interesting to see Semafor reporter ask co-founder of Substack a question about a statement Polymarket falsely attributed to Substack over Twitter…according to Substack co-founder (Hamish McKenzie). Live at their event. ps not a healthy information flow…sourcing Polymarket. https://t.co/cw1a8YKFIS
Paramount+ subscribers rose 1 million to 78.9 mil in the 3 months ended Dec 31, '25. the parent, Paramount Skydance is set to have its earnings call shortly
Google announced the acquisition of ProducerAI, the former Riffusion, to boost its AI‑driven music generation suite. The platform, already integrated with Google’s Lyria 3 model and Gemini AI, will let Google Labs users create full songs and lyrics from text prompts...
The difficult thing is managing the reality that all these companies need to become much smaller to reflect new reality + sell-offs need to happen before expansion. But self-fulfilling profit wheel that allowed for mega co's isn't coming back to...
Sinclair Inc. posted fourth‑quarter 2025 revenue of $836 million, a 17% decline year‑over‑year, driven by weaker political advertising after the 2024 election cycle. Core advertising revenue, however, jumped 14% to $354 million, underscoring demand for live sports and resilient local ad inventory....
The author proposes redesigning news economics by tying payments to measurable outcomes such as readership volume, enjoyment ratings, predictive value for future trends, and factual accuracy. Each metric would generate a financial incentive for providers to produce content that aligns...
New West Broadcasting, operating six stations on Hawaii’s Big Island, has upgraded its transmission and remote broadcast infrastructure with Tieline’s suite of IP codecs and management tools. The company now uses Bridge‑IT, Gateway, ViA, and MPX codecs, complemented by a...
Connor Storrie, known for his role in HBO Max’s "Heated Rivalry," will make his hosting debut on Saturday Night Live this week. A new SNL promo features Storrie and cast members Marcello Hernández and Ashley Padilla praising his Russian accent,...
This is going to get so so much worse if KOSA, SCREEN Act etc pass
The 2026 Ambies crowned Wisecrack as Podcast of the Year while industry data showed podcasts overtaking AM/FM radio for the first time, capturing 40% of U.S. spoken‑word listening. Research from Triton Digital and Cumulus Media reveals 80% of monthly listeners...
Formula One has shifted its U.S. broadcast rights from ESPN to Apple, securing a $140 million per‑year deal that eclipses ESPN’s $80‑90 million payments. CEO Stefano Domenicali argues the Apple partnership will ultimately reach a larger audience, especially among cord‑never viewers, by...
Mayra Berenice has been hired to host the afternoon drive slot on Lotus Communications' 980 La Mera Mera in Los Angeles. The move is part of Lotus's broader effort to staff every major daypart with live, local on‑air talent. The station also added...
TAG Video Systems announced a suite of new capabilities for its IP‑native Realtime Media Platform at NAB 2026, aimed at consolidating broadcast monitoring tools into a single interface. The rollout includes the Lens visual‑service health analyzer, expanded QC Station colour and...
Nexstar Media Group announced layoffs of longtime KTLA anchors Glen Walker and Lu Parker, along with veteran meteorologist Mark Kriski, as part of a company‑wide cost‑reduction drive. The cuts extend to other major‑market stations such as Chicago’s WGN and New York’s WPIX, reflecting...
Samsung has partnered with Gracenote, Nielsen’s content‑data unit, to embed its extensive entertainment metadata into Samsung Smart TV’s AI stack. The collaboration will power large‑language‑model (LLM) driven search, enabling conversational queries that surface TV shows, movies and sports more intuitively....
Audiences love sports, but the cost of sports rights are getting out of control. How can streaming platforms ever hope to generate an ROI? By building the perfect post-game library funnel. My latest for @observer https://t.co/UNOXVWp3wA
The Channel Store has become the first technology provider to launch four free‑ad‑supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Prime Video in Spain. The channels—Anime Visión, Anime Visión Classics, Cines Verdi TV and Cine Feel Good Verdi TV—were technically integrated in...
Jim Lyke re‑joins Spanish Broadcasting System as Executive Vice President of Network Radio and National Digital Sales for AIRE Radio Networks, co‑leading the division with EVP Carolina Patiño. Lyke previously left SBS in March 2025 for Nueva Network and has...
Avid has appointed Kenna Hilburn as chief product officer and is rolling out Avid Content Core, a cloud‑native platform that links existing broadcast and digital tools for hybrid media teams. The company is embedding AI selectively to automate transcription, search...
AdApt Media Sales has entered a strategic partnership with BIA Advisory Services to embed BIA’s local market revenue forecasts and category analysis into its AI‑enabled sales platform. The integration will give broadcasters and other local media organizations access to market‑level...
iHeartMedia has been named the official media partner of the International Flag League (iFlag), the world’s largest flag football tournament operator. The partnership will use iHeart’s AM/FM radio stations, podcasts and digital platforms to promote youth competitions, athlete stories and...
HBO has renewed the drama series Industry for a fifth and final season, concluding the show after five years. The fourth season wraps up on March 1, 2024, featuring Harper and Yasmin entangled in high‑stakes fintech intrigue in London. Showrunners Mickey...
Deborah Kaufmann, a former senior vice president of literary affairs at Legendary, has been appointed chief of global content at Sipur Studios. The newly created role tasks her with steering worldwide content development and creative leadership. During her decade at...
Seven Network unveiled a tongue‑in‑cheek promo for the 2026 AFL season, starring veteran commentator Bruce McAvaney as the network’s fictional “Head of Sport.” The spot gathers Seven’s top football voices—including Brian Taylor, Kane Cornes, and Nick Riewoldt—alongside current players and...
tidbit: I’m told The Washington Post town hall with Matt Murray and Jeff D’onofrio is underway. Per source, Matt kicked it off with a shoutout to the lawyers representing Hannah Natanson, leading the room in applause
The Lighthouse, a creator‑economy co‑working campus, opened in a renovated Venice post office and a larger Brooklyn location, offering podcast studios, edit bays, and communal spaces. With a $6,000 annual membership, it caps membership at 500 and provides credits for...
Netflix confirmed that the complete series of *Mike & Molly* will debut in the United States on March 26, 2026, pushing back the original February 20 launch. All six seasons, totaling 127 episodes, are arriving after a brief hiatus following their removal from...
Hal & Harper, the Mark Ruffalo‑led drama that premiered on Australia’s Stan platform, is arriving in the UK on ITVX on 23 March. The series follows two siblings confronting childhood trauma while navigating adult life, and features Lili Reinhart, Cooper Raiff,...
scooplet: Mathias Dopfner, C.E.O. of Axel Springer (Politico, Business Insider, Welt) met with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles earlier today. Source says it was an introductory, get-to-know-you meeting.
Australian streaming service Stan has acquired the exclusive rights to the six‑part psychological thriller *Gone* for the Australian market. The series, created by George Kay – known for *Hijack* and *Lupin* – follows elite headmaster Michael Polly, played by David...
BCNEXXT has integrated live HLG‑based HDR playout into its cloud‑native Vipe platform, supporting UHD 2160p BT.2100 HLG ingest and output. The solution lets broadcasters run HDR and SDR streams side‑by‑side, especially for live sports, while minimizing cross‑conversion steps. Vipe’s architecture...
Questex now derives roughly 30% of its earnings from digital media extensions such as product catalogs, RFID lead tools and post‑show webinars. Industry leaders are split: some, like Events Venture Group’s Marco Giberti, argue digital revenue must climb to 10‑25%...
Mobius Industries’ 2026 arts PR survey reveals publication closures (65%), AI concerns (55%) and budget cuts (52%) as the sector’s top worries. Respondents are split on AI, with half fearing misuse while the other half sees efficiency gains if regulated....
The BBC issued a public apology after a presenter used a racial slur during the BAFTA awards ceremony, prompting a wave of criticism across social media and industry circles. The broadcaster’s mistake triggered calls for accountability from civil rights groups...
