Today's Media Pulse
Online video subscriptions top 2.2 bn, revenue eclipses pay‑TV
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, overtaking pay‑TV's $170 billion for the first time. Growth is expected to slow to single‑digit in 2026 as operators shift focus from acquiring new users to monetising existing ones.
The Pitt Season 2's Most Intense Moment Feels Like A Secret ER Sequel
The Pitt’s Season 2 finale dramatizes a preeclampsia case that mirrors the infamous “Love’s Labor’s Lost” episode of ER, where a misdiagnosis leads to tragedy. Both shows use the high‑risk pregnancy scenario to heighten tension and showcase split‑second medical decision‑making. The series, created by R. Scott Gemmill, Noah Wyle and John Wells, deliberately references ER’s legacy while carving its own real‑time narrative style. Meanwhile, the Crichton estate’s lawsuit alleging unauthorized ER‑style similarities keeps the legal debate alive.
Character Limit Reveals Sloppy AI-Generated X Posts
A useful ward against slop story/science posts on X is noting which is in the character limit. All of the models struggle to do 280 character summaries on their first pass, and most of the people creating slop posts that start...
NCIS: Who Will Be The Team's New Director After Vance? The Cast And EP Offer Their Theories
CBS’s flagship procedural NCIS killed Director Leon Vance after 18 seasons, leaving the top spot vacant. Cast members Brian Dietzen, Gary Cole and Wilmer Valderrama each voiced preferences for a replacement, ranging from a familiar face to Parker, the team’s senior agent....
Women in Media Adds Emma Macdonald to Board
Women in Media Australia announced that award‑winning journalist Emma Macdonald OAM has joined its board of directors. Macdonald, a double Walkley Award winner who spent 23 years at The Canberra Times and later served as associate editor of HerCanberra, brings...
The White House Correspondents' Dinner Is Next Saturday. The Empty Seats Will Tell You Which Journalists Still Have A Spine.
The White House Correspondents' Dinner on April 25 will be a litmus test for journalists’ willingness to appear alongside a president who has sued major news outlets, barred the Associated Press from the press pool, and labeled reporters enemies of...
ARN Taps Tiktok’s Ollie Wards for Top Level Video and Social Role
Australian Radio Network (ARN) has created a senior Director of Video and Social role, appointing former TikTok music director Ollie Wards to lead the effort. Wards, who spent five‑and‑a‑half years at TikTok launching a bespoke radio station with ARN’s iHeart...
‘A Drop in Toxicity’: Comment Moderation Platform Sence Signs Pulse Tasmania as First Australian Client
New Zealand‑based AI startup Sence has landed its first Australian customer, digital news publisher Pulse Tasmania, to power comment moderation across the outlet’s social channels and on‑site comment sections. The system now scans more than 10,000 reader comments each week,...
'The Supreme Court Is Unhealthy'
In this episode, constitutional law scholar Steve Vladek explains the Supreme Court’s growing use of the “shadow docket”—emergency, off‑the‑record rulings that bypass the usual merits process. He walks listeners through a recent New York Times expose revealing internal memos that...
WEBINAR ( 4/22/26): How to Get Your Work Published
The CISA Alumni Executive Board is hosting a hybrid webinar on April 22, 2026 titled “How to Get Your Work Published.” Moderated by Dr. Dayna Barnes, the panel features Editors‑in‑Chief from PRISM: The Journal of Complex Operations, Joint Force Quarterly, and Combating...
Mission-Driven Independent Journalists Face Financial Strain, Report Shows
A new report from the Center for News, Technology & Innovation and Project C surveyed 43 independent information providers, revealing that most mission‑driven indie journalists struggle financially. Only five respondents can fully fund their lifestyle through content creation, while more...
Stern+: How One of Germany’s Biggest Magazine Brands Rebuilt a Subscription Business From Scratch
German publisher RTL Deutschland rebuilt its digital subscription arm, stern+, from a seven‑person team to nearly 100 staff focused on product, data, engineering and marketing. The rollout introduced weekly pricing, personalized trial offers and a dynamic paywall that tailors free...
Scape Turns Student-Inspired Stories Into National Campaign via Jane Doe Creation
Jane Doe Creation launched “You Had To Be There,” an integrated campaign for Scape that turns student‑inspired moments into national brand storytelling across YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, Meta, Reddit and out‑of‑home. The mixed‑media films showcase everyday campus connections, from hallway greetings to shared...
Interview with SoundCloud CEO Eliah Seton Drops Tomorrow
I sat down with SoundCloud CEO eliahseton. You can watch and listen to our talk tomorrow, April 21, wherever you get podcasts.
The Pitt Night Shift Spin-Off Chances Addressed By Noah Wyle And Showrunner
The Pitt, HBO Max’s gritty emergency‑room drama, has sparked fan chatter about a night‑shift spin‑off centered on characters like Jack Abbot. Executive‑producer Noah Wyle and creator R. Scott Gemmill told Deadline that while the idea is technically possible, it is unlikely to...
The Onion Has Agreed to a New Deal to Take over Infowars
The satirical site The Onion has reached a deal to lease the Infowars domain and brand from a Texas state receiver for $81,000 a month, pending judicial approval. The arrangement would strip Alex Jones of his flagship platform and allow The...
Could Hollywood Actually De-Monopolize?
The episode examines recent antitrust actions affecting major media and entertainment conglomerates, focusing on the blocked $6.2 billion Nexstar‑Tegna TV‑station merger and the jury verdict that Live Nation’s Ticketmaster operates as a monopoly. Host Matt Belony and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw discuss...
Ryan Phillippe Joins 9-1-1: Nashville Season 2 As 'Bad Boy' Detective With A Past — What Brings Him To Town?
Actor Ryan Phillippe has been added as a series regular for season 2 of ABC’s emergency‑services drama “9‑1‑1: Nashville.” He will portray a brilliant, iconoclastic New York detective with a mysterious past who arrives in Music City to investigate a biblical‑scale criminal threat....
6 Months Into Substack: What's Working, What We're Changing, and Where We're Headed
Six months after launching the Substack publication *The Sacred Art of Selling*, the author saw explosive growth despite starting with virtually no strategy. By repurposing a decade’s worth of intellectual property and applying a low‑effort "Miracle Hour" approach, the newsletter...
Threads Adds Shareable View‑count Card for Profiles
You can now create a shareable views count card on Threads 🆕 And choose to display your view count on your public profile Here’s my view count for the past 30 days
We Just Scored a Big Win Against Government Censorship — but the Censors Are Doubling Down
NewsGuard successfully challenged the Federal Trade Commission’s civil investigative demand, forcing the agency to withdraw its subpoena for internal documents. The lawsuit argued the FTC’s request was unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination tied to NewsGuard’s rating of Newsmax. While the demand was...
National Wrestling Alliance Inks Deal with Sinclair’s Comet
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) has secured a broadcast deal with Sinclair’s multicast network Comet, launching its flagship show “NWA Powerrr” with a two‑episode premiere on May 1‑2. After the debut, the series will air weekly on Saturdays at 4 p.m., with...
From Testing to Scaling: Building a Sustainable TikTok Ads Strategy for Ecommerce
The article outlines a repeatable framework for ecommerce brands to move from isolated TikTok test wins to sustainable, high‑volume scaling. It stresses that creative fatigue, account instability, and poor campaign architecture cause performance plateaus once spend reaches $5K‑$20K per month....
Free Trinkets Spark Chaos, Valuable ARCs Go Unnoticed
My publicist at Del Rey told me about the time they were giving away these cheap Star Wars pens at a Comicon at her booth and they almost had a riot. Over cheap pens. People go nuts when they think...
Marshals Episode 8 Proves Kayce Dutton Is The Most Tortured Man In The Yellowstone Universe
Episode 8 of the spin‑off series Marshals deepens Kayce Dutton’s misery by revealing the death of his former Navy SEAL teammate, Roner, during an Afghanistan mission. The episode also re‑introduces a new character, Garrett, who shares Kayce’s lingering military guilt. Combined...
The Disney Channel Livestream Coming To Disney+ In Germany
Disney announced that the Disney Channel will be added as a live livestream on Disney+ for German subscribers, slated for May 2026. The channel will remain on traditional satellite, cable and OTT platforms, but the new streaming option will not carry...
Tiny Elite Shapes Misinformation, Distorts Public Perception
A small fraction of online actors now exerts outsized influence over what the public sees, believes, and argues about. In a new short review paper, we trace how social media influencers can turn fringe claims into viral narratives—often by exploiting...
TV Marketing Matters for Branding Boost at Batteries Plus
Batteries Plus is leaning heavily on television advertising to lift brand awareness, dedicating roughly a quarter of its paid media budget to TV. For its 2026 "Experts in Charge" campaign, the retailer shifted to lower‑cost cable inventory, allowing more frequent,...
What’s New This Week on Netflix For The Week of April 20, 2026
Netflix’s weekly lineup for April 20‑26, 2026 adds a mix of children’s programming, limited‑series drama, and franchise extensions. CoComelon returns with Season 2 on April 20, while new originals like Unchosen, Apex and Supernova Strikers: Genesis debut later in the week. The streamer also...
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The 10 Best Thriller Shows on Peacock, From “The Fall” To “Mr. Mercedes”
Peacock’s streaming library offers a curated list of the ten best thriller series available on the platform. The lineup mixes recent originals such as All Her Fault (2025) with acclaimed imports like Broadchurch, The Fall, and Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes,...
ESPN Waited for Cable Decline Before Launching DTC
So ESPN finally launched a direct‑to‑consumer D2C platform. But why the heck did it take so long? My view - as shared in this week's pod: I think the more useful way to look at it is through the lens of commercial...
Launching a VC Satire Channel with News‑show Flair
Tempted to launch a @HustleFundVC clone of MTS/TBPN, but closer in vibe to The Daily Show/Colbert Report/The Onion.
NAB Show 2026: Streaming Summit Chair Rayburn Blasts Erosion of Trust, Much of It Due to AI
Dan Rayburn, chair of the NAB Show 2026 Streaming Summit, warned that AI‑driven misinformation is eroding trust across the digital entertainment sector. He cited rampant LinkedIn posts that misstate financials, claim false mergers, and even attribute fabricated quotes to him...
Soap Ended; Spinoff Benson Outlasted Its Parent
📺 April 20, 1981: “Soap” concluded on ABC. The controversial sitcom ran four seasons. Its spinoff “Benson,” starring Robert Guillaume, had a longer run at seven seasons (from 1979-86). https://t.co/Jrw2yw5q72 https://t.co/aocFs4GbV9
Education, Not Tech, Determines Intelligence; AI May Dull Minds
I hate this journalistic-Luddite trope. Google didn't make us stupid, nor the internet. Lack of education leaves one stupid. AI chatbots could be making you stupider https://t.co/IMSyNob9vG
Pinterest CPG Promotions Outperform Benchmark ROIs
Pinterest released research, commissioned by the platform and executed by Circana, that examined 17 matched market tests of Pin ads for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands across multiple regions. The study found that 82% of campaigns generated positive incremental ROI...
Unified Hub Links Agents to SMB Ad & Analytics Tools
What is the best platform for connecting agents to the everyday systems needed by SMBs? Eg support for Google and Meta ads and analytics
Alex Cooper's Media Empire Faces Unexpected Growing Pains
Great reporting from @ashleyrcarman on media darling Alex Cooper and her struggles to build a media business.
How Saudi Arabia's Entertainment Investments Are Playing Out at Home and Abroad
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has pledged $24 billion to the proposed Paramount‑Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger, a centerpiece of a wider push to wield soft power, diversify the kingdom’s oil‑dependent economy, and expand domestic entertainment options. The deal follows...
Copying Top Brands Is Hard; Innovate Instead
Trying to replicate @tbpn is like trying to replicate @BBC_TopGear Very very difficult. Best to attempt something different.
Zero‑budget Podcast Thrives without Corporate Sponsors
If anyone wants to spend an absurd amount of cash sponsoring a podcast with uniformed technology takes, look no further than @NIApodcast We have been recording for five years (263 episodes) for $0 (our only monetization to date is one in...
Bookstagram Fuels Indian Book Market Surge but Narrows Genre Diversity
Bookstagram has helped lift India's publishing market from roughly $6 bn in 2019 to $9.6 bn in 2024, reviving backlist titles and giving debut authors a spotlight. At the same time, academic research shows the platform pushes a narrow set of genres,...
Lifetime Launches 20‑Episode Season 2 of Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out
Lifetime rolls out a 20‑episode second season of Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out on April 20, expanding the franchise with new mentors and a more intense storyline. At the same time, streamer Philo bundles the series into its $33 Bundle+...
Arkansas 'Addictive Practices' Law Likely Unconstitutional, Judge Rules
A federal judge in Arkansas issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of Act 900, which would have prohibited social‑media platforms from using features that could foster addictive or compulsive behavior in users under 16. Judge Timothy Brooks ruled the ban overly...
Atlas Cloud Opens Seedance 2.0 API with Transparent Per‑Second Pricing
Atlas Cloud has made ByteDance’s Seedance 2.0 AI video model available via an open API, charging $0.127 per second for the full‑power version and $0.101 for the fast variant. The move eliminates waitlists, regional restrictions and opaque token‑based fees, promising creators...
Albo Put to the Test as THE HUNDRED WITH ANDY LEE Returns for 2026
The Hundred with Andy Lee returns for its ninth season on Tuesday, April 28, airing at 7:30 pm on Channel 9 and 9Now. The launch episode puts Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the hot seat, testing whether 100 everyday Australians can recognize...
Diversified Names Tyler Affolter CRO to Accelerate Global Media‑AV Growth
Diversified, the audiovisual and digital‑experience integrator, announced Tyler Affolter as its new chief revenue officer. The veteran executive will steer the firm’s global commercial organization as it expands media, collaboration and broadcast services. The move signals a push to capture...
NOVUS Appoints Olivier Pepin as First CTO to Drive AI, Data Engineering and Tech Strategy
NOVUS announced the hiring of Olivier Pepin as its first Chief Technology Officer. The veteran architect will head the agency’s technology, AI and data engineering practice, aiming to expand proprietary tools like DeCoder and FullSail. The move signals a strategic...
Kepler Taps Garcia To Lead Social, Entertainment, Culture Intelligence Efforts
Kepler announced Kim Garcia as Vice President, Head of Social, Entertainment and Culture, a role designed to expand the agency’s influencer‑marketing and cultural‑intelligence capabilities. Garcia arrives with nearly two decades of experience, including leadership stints at VaynerMedia, Tagger Media and...
Sling TV's 2026 Changes: Evaluate if Still Worthwhile
3 Big Changes Sling TV Is Making in 2026: Is It Still Worth It? https://t.co/FIDGEVoNQ1 via @YouTube
Meta Set to Overtake Google in Global Digital Ad Revenue, eMarketer Forecast Shows
Meta is projected to generate $243.46 bn in ad revenue in 2026, surpassing Google's $239.54 bn for the first time. Faster growth, AI‑driven automation and expanding inventory are driving the shift, which could reshape how marketers allocate spend across platforms.