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.
AI Is a Gold Mine for Spammers and Scammers, but Google Is Using It as a Tool to Fight Back
Google’s latest ads safety report reveals that generative AI, specifically its Gemini system, intercepted over 99% of policy‑violating ads in 2024, blocking more than 8.3 billion ads—including 602 million scam‑related pieces. The AI‑driven approach also cut incorrect advertiser suspensions by 80% and accelerated ad analysis from minutes to milliseconds. While AI has become a powerful tool for spammers, Google is leveraging the same technology to scale enforcement across its $200 billion advertising empire. Analysts warn the arms race will evolve into an AI‑versus‑AI battlefield.
What Dove, Netflix, and Nike Didn’t Do on Reddit Is Why They’re Winning
Brands are abandoning high‑frequency posting on Reddit in favor of authentic, low‑volume engagement. Research from Reddit’s insights team shows sentiment drops sharply after three weekly posts, prompting marketers to focus on community contribution rather than follower counts. Companies like Netflix,...
Shapiro Joins CNN as Contributor
Ari Shapiro, the longtime NPR journalist known for his sharp reporting and humor, has joined CNN as a contributor. CNN announced he will co‑host a new video podcast titled “Engagement Party” with anchor Audie Cornish. The show, which blends culture, ideas,...
When Jokes Won’t Do: Affective Shifts in U.S. Late-Night Comedy
Researchers identify “affective shifts” as a rhetorical tool where U.S. late‑night hosts pivot from humor to solemnity during crises. Analyzing 14,451 sentences from shows covering COVID‑19, George Floyd, and the Jan 6 riot, sentiment scores plunge sharply after tragedies and recover...
Google Is Now Targeting Bad Ads over Bad Actors
Google reported blocking a record 8.3 billion ads worldwide in 2025, up from 5.1 billion in 2024. The surge was driven by its Gemini AI models, which the company says caught more than 99% of policy‑violating ads before they reached users. Despite...
Gemini Is Stopping Harmful Ads Before People Ever See Them
Google’s Gemini AI is now powering its ad‑safety engine, catching more than 99% of policy‑violating ads before they ever appear. In 2025 the system blocked or removed over 8.3 billion ads and suspended 24.9 million accounts, including 602 million scam‑related ads. Gemini’s intent‑focused...
SCOOP: Condé Nast Folds Titles.
Condé Nast announced it will fold several legacy print titles, ending publication of long‑standing magazines by the end of the year. The decision will result in newsroom layoffs across fashion, travel and lifestyle sections as the company accelerates its shift to...
What Is Multiview? Where Can You Watch It?
Multiview is a screen‑splitting feature that lets viewers watch several live channels simultaneously, a boon for sports enthusiasts and bettors. YouTube TV introduced the capability in March 2023, supporting up to four games, while Fubo, Comcast Xfinity, Peacock, ESPN Unlimited,...
Netflix's $72B Warner Bid Missed, Earnings Loom
The $72 Billion Netflix Question Facing Netflix Heading into Q1 2026 Earnings Tonight $NFLX You were prepared to a write a $72 billion cash check to acquire Warner Bros. studio and HBO up until last month when you got outbid and...
Instagram Re-Enters Creator Affiliate Commerce Years After Rivals Built Lead
Instagram announced in March 2026 that creators can now tag up to 30 affiliate products directly in Reels and earn commissions on sales. The move ends a four‑year hiatus after the platform shut down its 2022 affiliate program and removed...
The Copenhagen Test: Cancelled by Peacock; No Season Two for Espionage Thriller Series
Peacock cancelled the espionage thriller "The Copenhagen Test" after just one season. The series debuted on the streaming service in December 2025, starring Simu Liu, Melissa Barrera, and an ensemble cast. It entered Nielsen’s top‑10 streaming chart in its first...
Influencer Appoints North America President Jenny Penich as Global CMO
Creator marketing agency Influencer has promoted Jenny Penich to Global Chief Marketing Officer while she continues as President of North America. Penich, who joined in 2023, will now steer the firm’s worldwide marketing strategy, product positioning and data‑driven solutions. The...
NPR Receives $113 Million in Charitable Gifts
NPR announced two of the largest gifts in its history, totaling $113 million, to fund digital innovation and support its network of public‑radio stations after Congress eliminated all federal funding. Connie Ballmer contributed $80 million earmarked for a technology overhaul, while an anonymous...
BeIN SPORTS Expands Motorsport Portfolio with FIA World Endurance Championship Coverage
beIN MEDIA GROUP has signed a multi‑year agreement to broadcast every race of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) across 35 territories in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia‑Pacific. The 2026 season, kicking off with the 6 Hours of...
Runway CEO Says AI Could Help Hollywood Make 50 Films Instead of One $100M Blockbuster
Runway, the AI video‑generation startup now valued at over $5 billion, CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela told Semafor World Economy that a $100 million budget could fund 50 AI‑generated movies instead of a single blockbuster. He argues that scaling quantity with the same visual...
VCreative Expands Cloud Integrations With RCS and WideOrbit
vCreative announced new integrations that connect its Cloud AutoDub platform directly with WideOrbit Aurora and RCS’s ZettaCloud automation systems. The links enable audio files, metadata and companion assets to flow from production to playout without any on‑premise servers. Broadcasters can...
Beyond the Gates: Seasons Three & Four; CBS Daytime Drama Renewed Through 2027-28
CBS has committed to keeping the daytime drama Beyond the Gates on the air through the 2027‑28 season, adding two additional seasons to its schedule. The series, which follows residents of a gated community near Washington, DC, posted a 0.15...
Caitlin Clark's Return Could Spark WNBA Viewership Surge
One media-centric thing I would watch for this year with the @WNBA. The @IndianaFever should be title contenders and Caitlin Clark will be healthy. Her absence impacted viewership last year in the network windows where the league would have gotten...
From: Season Five; MGM+ Renews Horror Series for Final Season Ahead of Return
MGM+ has renewed the horror anthology FROM for a fifth and final season, confirming the series as the network’s most‑watched show ever. Season 4 launches on April 19, while production on season 5 will begin later this year in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with...
‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Maker Launches Official Actual-Play Show Amid Growing Popularity of ‘Critical Role,’ ‘Dimension 20’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Wizards of the Coast, a Hasbro subsidiary, is debuting “Dungeon Masters,” its first official Dungeons & Dragons actual‑play series. The two‑episode launch drops on YouTube on April 22, with new episodes released weekly. The show’s inaugural storyline is tied to the...
SAMY Debuts Proprietary AI Platform to Consolidate Social Media, Influencer Marketing Data
Global social‑media agency SAMY launched Maia, an AI‑powered platform that consolidates paid social, influencer activities, and owned media into a single management environment. The solution delivers a real‑time campaign dashboard, influencer approval hub, streamlined content‑approval workflows, brand‑safety screening, spoken‑word analysis,...
Metro Hit 4 Million TikTok Followers. Should Affiliate Publishers Follow?
Metro grew from 8,000 to over 4 million TikTok followers by April 2026, launching four vertical channels—news, sport, entertainment and gaming. The publication spent ten months producing platform‑native, presenter‑led videos without any commercial intent, then began monetising through brand partnerships rather than...
How The Daily Show Is Outsmarting the Social Media Algorithm
The Daily Show posted its strongest 18‑49 ratings in eight years while its digital footprint surged to 2.5 billion views in 2026, a 56% jump from the prior year. Producers explained that a dedicated digital team creates content that flows between...
Irish News Wrong to Allege ‘Serious Editorial Misconduct’ on Stephen Nolan Show, Says IPSO
The UK press regulator IPSO ruled that the Irish News overstated allegations that BBC Northern Ireland staff were "planted" in the audience of Stephen Nolan's TV programme. The regulator found the newspaper breached the Editors' Code by failing to provide...
Kick Hits 100M Users but Co-Founder Warns Milestone Masks Deep Platform Flaws
Kick announced it has surpassed 100 million users, positioning it as the third‑largest live‑streaming platform by hours watched. Co‑founder Bijan Tehrani warned the milestone masks deep technical debt from a rushed launch, prompting a three‑year infrastructure rebuild and a fully native...
Why Brand Safety on Social Is No Longer Enough
Social media ad spend is projected to top $317 billion in 2026, making it the world’s largest advertising channel. Yet more than half of U.S. marketers consider social the greatest brand‑safety risk as shoppers increasingly decide purchases on these platforms. Integral...
Beasley Media Brings History Alive with America 250 Initiative
Beasley Media Group has launched the "America 250" initiative, a multiplatform series of public‑service announcements and interviews that spotlight key moments and figures from the nation’s founding era. Timed for the 2026 semiquincentennial, the program highlights leaders such as Benjamin...
How Amika’s Marketing Aims to Make Prestige Hair Care More Approachable
Amika launched the "On Your Wavelength" campaign on April 3, centering stylists instead of celebrities to showcase its top hair‑treatment line. The initiative coincides with the brand’s rapid growth after its Ulta debut, where it quickly became the retailer’s No. 2 prestige...
Anitta Previews 'Equilibrium' Album Ahead of Historic SNL Debut
Brazilian pop sensation Anitta announced details of her forthcoming album 'Equilibrium' and confirmed she will appear on Saturday Night Live, becoming the first Brazilian solo act to do so. The interview highlights a shift in her musical direction and a...
Macro Influencers Explained: Definition, Follower Count, and When to Use Them
Macro influencers, typically boasting 100,000 to 1 million followers, sit between micro and mega tiers, offering a blend of broad reach and higher engagement. Their audience is large enough for brand awareness yet niche enough for authentic connections, making them attractive...
Pepcal Heating & Air Teams with Audience Boost to Power Seasonal Digital Marketing
Pepcal Heating & Air has joined forces with digital‑marketing agency Audience Boost to overhaul its website, launch an aggressive SEO program and push educational content across 300+ platforms. The partnership aims to capture spring‑time search traffic and drive homeowners to...
Exclusive Vatican Press Pool Limits Local Coverage on Pope Leo's Africa Tour
Around 70 accredited reporters rode the Vatican’s press pool on Pope Leo XIV’s four‑nation African tour, gaining privileged access but leaving local journalists on the sidelines. The tightly‑controlled bubble, highlighted by the AP, underscores a growing tension between the Holy...
Court Intrigue And Body Swaps In Crunchyroll’s ‘I Am An Inept Villainess’ Trailer
Crunchyroll and Toho Global released the first trailer for the upcoming series *Though I Am an Inept Villainess*, slated for a July debut. The anime, directed by Mitsue Yamasaki and animated by Doga Kobo, follows noblewoman Kou Reirin who awakens...
MrBeast Hires First Global CMO to Turn YouTube Empire Into Entertainment Conglomerate
Jimmy Donaldson, the creator behind MrBeast, announced a hunt for his first global chief marketing officer. The move signals his intent to evolve Beast Industries from a YouTube channel into a Disney‑style entertainment powerhouse, leveraging recent hires, a snack line,...
Comments Dominate; LinkedIn Profiles Poised for Growth
I'm writing a newsletter recap from Social Media Week — but first some bullet point thoughts: - Comments are and will be everything - LinkedIn has tons of growth potential (for personal profiles according to Metricool) - Molly McPherson is the GOAT -...
Stop Calling It Age Verification—It's a Digital ID
We need the media to stop using the industry term “age verification” and call it what it is: Digital ID
TED Podcast “WorkLife” Returns with New Host, Molly Graham
TED’s WorkLife podcast returns with Molly Graham as its new host, bringing two decades of scaling experience from Facebook, Quip, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Graham, known for coining the “Give Away Your Legos” concept, will steer the show toward...
Hornets Partially Funded by Main Street Sports for Local Rights
One little piece of news that I’ve learned from sources: The Hornets have partially, but not fully, been paid by Main Street Sports for their local rights this season. Shelly and I discuss the Hornets’ broadcast plans for next season here: https://t.co/tJJ8MQjPnK
NPR Secures $113M for Digital Overhaul Amid Funding Cuts
NEWS: NPR receives $113M toward digital transformation and to offer stations greater services as the loss of federal funds takes a big bite out of budgets. $80M from philanthropist Connie Ballmer $33M from anonymous donor My initial story: https://t.co/4utjEOR0Un More to come
Eccho Rights to Distribute New Turkish Drama, Zerhun
Eccho Rights has acquired international distribution rights for "Zerhun," a new daily drama produced by Sincar Medya Group for Turkey's Kanal 7. The series, currently airing in Turkey, follows a tumultuous love story involving betrayal, amnesia, and a mother’s fight...
Hands‑off Media Buying Redefines Creative Strategy
Killer video from @DenneyDara. So much to take away about creative and media buying, especially how they're doing very hands off media buying...
Media Ad Measurement Still Attracts Startups and M&A
Why we continue to see startup formation and m&a in media and ad measurement. https://t.co/uCJ23GTccm
Prime Video's First NBA Playoff Streams Don't Go as Planned
Amazon's Prime Video, the exclusive broadcaster of the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament, experienced two high‑profile technical glitches. The Charlotte Hornets‑Miami Heat overtime stream cut out for about 22 seconds, while the Golden State Warriors‑LA Clippers game suffered noticeable audio‑video sync...
Brian Williams Joins Netflix for Weekly Podcast
This just in: Brian Williams signs on to Netflix to host a weekly podcast https://t.co/8TbSo9kSEC @latimes
Launching Spam-Free Competitor, Ads-Free at Launch
tempted to build a direct competitor to https://t.co/J9hksWvHtX solve the spam, no ads at first
Influencer Lame Secures $975M AI Twin Deal as Brands Bet on Digital Avatars
Senegalese‑born Italian influencer Lame landed a $975 million stock agreement to create an AI‑generated digital twin, while the backing firm’s shares have slumped over 90%. The move accelerates a broader industry shift toward AI avatars, as creators, platforms and brands scramble...
NFL and YouTube Negotiate Five‑game Long‑form Deal
Glass Break: the NFL and YouTube have entered long form contract review for a 5 game package, @fos has learned https://t.co/dCPyJagt5v
Ohio Finfluencer Sentenced to Six Years for $23 Million Real‑Estate Ponzi Scheme
Columbus‑based social‑media promoter Tyler Bossetti received a six‑year federal prison term and more than $12.5 million in restitution after pleading guilty to wire and tax fraud. Prosecutors say his “Boss Lifestyle” scheme raised over $23 million and left investors with losses exceeding...
Inter Medya Announces New Sales for Turkish Drama Halef
Inter Medya announced new licensing agreements for its hit Turkish drama *Halef* with major broadcasters in Romania and Hungary, extending the series’ reach into the CEE region. *Halef* is currently one of Turkey’s most‑watched dramas of the season and already...
Paramount’s Upfront Pitch Is About Three Things
Paramount’s upfront pitch centers on three marketer priorities—streaming, programmatic and live sports. The company will merge the ad‑tech stacks behind Paramount+ and Pluto TV this summer, launch a new performance tool called Precision+, and push streaming fixed units that give...