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.
Pinterest’s New Ad Asks: When Did Watching Life Online Become Enough?
Pinterest unveiled a 60‑second in‑house film titled “How did they do it?” that stitches together employee home movies to argue the best thing found online is a reason to go offline. The ad, part of a broader brand campaign against doomscrolling, will roll out on May 1 across TV, cinema, out‑of‑home and digital channels. CEO Bill Ready has recently called for governments to ban social media for children under 16, reinforcing Pinterest’s positioning as a healthier alternative to scroll‑driven platforms. The initiative follows similar “phone‑free” activations at Coachella and parallels regional efforts in Singapore and Malaysia to curb screen addiction.
YouTube Finally Lets You Turn Off Shorts: Check Out Exact Settings to Clean up Your Feed
YouTube has introduced a new setting that lets users set the Shorts feed limit to zero, effectively removing Shorts from the app. The option expands on the Shorts feed limit feature launched in October 2023, which previously allowed a minimum...
Cintegral Deploys Taara Lightbridge for 20 Gbps Real‑Time Media Production
Cintegral has integrated Taara’s Lightbridge optical wireless connectivity into its ST 2110 Fiber over‑Air platform, delivering up to 20 Gbps bi‑directional links over 20 km. The move lets directors and crews collaborate in real time on remote shoots where traditional cabling is...
Amazon Ads India Launches Generative AI Tools to Speed Ad Creation and Cut Costs
Amazon Ads India has rolled out generative AI capabilities that let brands produce and test multiple ad variants without large creative teams or external agencies. The move promises faster campaign cycles and lower spend, aligning with the platform’s full‑funnel strategy...
Spotify Teams with NIVA on Year‑long Indie Venue Boost
Spotify has signed a one‑year partnership with the National Independent Venue Association to increase on‑platform visibility for indie venues and live shows. The deal adds a “Venues we think you’ll like” tab and a monthly editorial playlist, aiming to channel...
Shanda Rolls Out AI Podcast Editing Suite with Analytics, Multilingual Support
Shanda, the Washington‑DC‑based AI podcast‑editing startup, launched version 3 of its platform, adding analytics, support for 12 languages and an expanded music library. The upgrade comes after the founders raised modest capital—bootstrapping and about $40,000 from pitch competitions—while keeping a part‑time,...
Bestads Best TV of the Week: Unibet’s ‘Let Sport Win You Over’ via La Maison Créative Justement
Unibet’s new commercial “Let Sport Win You Over,” produced by Paris agency Justement, was crowned Bestads Best TV of the Week. The retro‑futuristic spot shows emotionless robots abandoning code to chase a ball, using sport as a universal connector. Executive...
Ryobi Explores the Addictive World of DIY in ‘Come Equipped’
Ryobi, owned by Techtronic Industries, unveiled the "Come Equipped" campaign to dramatize the addictive pull of DIY projects. The ad follows a househusband whose simple drill trigger ignites a cascade of increasingly elaborate wood constructions, symbolising how one tool can...
Big Names Trump Diverse Voices in Reader Engagement
Back when I was reviewing for the Washington Post my co-writer and I coined what we called the Stephen King Random Moment. We could see that whenever we didn't mention a famous writer (like Stephen King) and we focused...
Masobe Books Secures Nigerian Rights to Five Eugen Bacon Works
Masobe Books, led by founder Othuke Ominiabohs, has secured the Nigerian rights to five titles by Tanzanian‑Australian speculative‑fiction author Eugen Bacon. The deal, brokered directly with the author and two overseas presses, underscores a growing trend of pan‑African rights collaborations.
‘We Are Making History’: Meet Jordan Baker, New Editor of Australia’s Oldest Paper, the Sydney Morning Herald
Jordan Baker, the newly appointed editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, marked the paper’s 195th anniversary on April 18, highlighting its status as Australia’s oldest continuously published newspaper. Despite industry doubts, the Herald’s print edition still generates roughly $129 million USD in...
Letterman Slams CBS's $40 Million Late‑Night Cut, Backs Byron Allen's Low‑cost Swap
David Letterman blasted CBS for ending Stephen Colbert’s Late Show and leasing the 11:35 p.m. slot to Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed. Letterman said the network is “not wanting to spend any money,” a move that follows reports CBS was losing $40 million...
TPG Takes Stake in Learfield as Thoma Bravo Merges HCSS with Nemetschek Unit
TPG has agreed to acquire a minority stake in Learfield, the college‑sports media and technology platform backed by Charlesbank Capital Partners, while Thoma Bravo is orchestrating a merger of construction‑software specialist HCSS with a Nemetschek Group unit. Both transactions, announced...
Alex Cooper Calls Out Alix Earle, Prompting Unwell Network to Drop "Hot Mess" Podcast
Alex Cooper, host of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, confronted influencer Alix Earle in a TikTok video, demanding an explanation for their rumored feud. Within days, Unwell Network halted Earle's "Hot Mess" podcast, underscoring growing friction in the creator economy.
Spanish Broadcasting System Elevates Richard D. Lara to COO Amid Balance‑Sheet Restructuring
Spanish Broadcasting System announced the promotion of longtime legal chief Richard D. Lara to chief operating officer, a move that dovetails with a recently disclosed balance‑sheet restructuring aimed at boosting financial flexibility. Lara will continue as general counsel while overseeing...
Media Job Apocalypse Continues: Thousands Cut at Disney, Snap and BBC
The BBC announced a 10% workforce reduction, cutting 1,800‑2,000 jobs to save roughly £500 million (about $635 million) over two years. Snap Inc will lay off around 1,000 employees – about 16% of its staff – aiming for $460 million in savings for...
Peacock Cancels The Copenhagen Test After One Season
Peacock announced the cancellation of the espionage thriller The Copenhagen Test after just one season. The series, headlined by Simu Liu and Melissa Barrera, debuted as a binge‑release on December 27. Despite the star power and a sizable production budget,...
Music Press Excuses Digital Decline, Faces AI Replacement
You know every time the indie rock music press has been confronted with digital shittiness they make excuses for the digital shittiness. It was understandable when it was Napster/Linewire/Grokster and no one realized these were just stalking horses for Silicon...
TROAS + Lowest Cost Drives Scalable Brand Growth
tROAS + Lowest cost has been crushing for us across brands. They target different audience segments in the auction and the target ROAS allows us to scale into upside with inflated budgets.
UK Marketing Budgets Revised Upwards Despite Geopolitical Unrest
UK advertisers are lifting their marketing budgets despite ongoing geopolitical unrest, according to a new Campaign report. The upward revisions signal a strategic push to preserve competitive advantage as market challenges persist. While exact figures were not disclosed, analysts estimate...
Objection Lets Anyone Pay $2k to Challenge Stories
Really excellent interview here by @RebeccaBellan with Aron D'Souza, whose new startup Objection allows anyone to pay $2,000 to challenge a story and trigger a public investigation into its claims. It's backed by Peter Thiel and Balaji Srinivasan. https://t.co/iLEBZ4paHE https://t.co/6Fe1t2W4XN
Will Apple Finally Deliver the Long‑Desired Second Screen?
I wonder if Apple will ever acknowledge this and give us the second screen we all crave
#ThisWeek on MarkLives MEDIA: WhatsApp Open Rates Hard to Ignore • #NextWeek: OOH & SA Consumers
WhatsApp is emerging as a powerhouse marketing channel, delivering roughly 98% open rates and strong conversion metrics that eclipse traditional email campaigns. Experts caution that the platform’s effectiveness hinges on disciplined execution, including strict opt‑in practices and tailored messaging. Marketers...
AdWeek Breaks Silence on Big Tech Accountability
Wow. Powerful headline running in AdWeek. On one hand, AdWeek should earn your trust and respect for running it. Many trade pubs stay away from upsetting the major tech companies including Meta. But something else needs to be pointed out....
Ratings
Euphoria’s Season 3 premiere attracted 8.5 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max in its first three days, a 44% jump from the second‑season debut and propelling the series to the No. 1 spot on HBO Max globally. Meanwhile, the Masters golf tournament delivered strong...
Scripps Sports Rides the Bull
Scripps Sports has secured a multiyear partnership with Professional Bull Riders to broadcast Premier Women’s Rodeo on its Ion and Grit networks, beginning with the 2026 PWR Championship on May 17. The agreement expands in 2027 to include the original...
How AI’s Rewiring Brand-Agency Relationships
Artificial intelligence is turning the agency‑client dynamic from a transactional grind into a strategic partnership. As AI automates routine revisions and production, the remaining value lies in human insight, brand positioning and measurable business impact. This shift is polarising the...
Roku Hits 100 Million Milestone
Roku announced that its platform reached 100 million active streaming households in April, marking a key milestone in its user base. The company said more than half of U.S. broadband households now use Roku devices, and its engagement outpaces Amazon Fire...
Google One Discount Takes 50% Off YouTube Premium for a Year
Google One is offering a limited‑time 50% discount on YouTube Premium for a year, cutting the $15.99‑per‑month price to $7.99 for eligible subscribers. The promotion applies only to Google One Premium members who pay $9.99 per month for 2 TB of storage or...
Amazon Sellers Boycott Ads
Amazon announced that, beginning April 15, 2026, advertising fees will be automatically deducted from sellers' retail proceeds, prompting a 24‑hour boycott by the Million Dollar Sellers community, which represents over 700 vendors and $14 billion in revenue. After strong pushback, Amazon...
The FTC Ordered WPP, Publicis, and Dentsu to Stop Coordinating on Brand Safety Standards It Says Led to a Boycott...
The Federal Trade Commission, joined by several states, issued a consent order prohibiting WPP, Publicis and Dentsu from coordinating brand‑safety standards that diverted advertising spend from conservative media. The action follows a similar order on Omnicom tied to its $13.5 billion...
Meta's New Link‑click Focus Inflates Traffic, Drops CVR
Traffic up and CVR down lately? Here are 2 of the causes: 1. Meta made ads more link-clicky. Swiping up to view comments on reels (see post below) or tapping to expand feed ads can now drive link clicks to site....
Vox Media CEO Poised to Sell Multiple Assets
NEW: Vox Media C.E.O. Jim Bankoff is likely to agree to multiple deals to sell various assets of his company, including the Vox Media Podcast Network, New York magazine, and the portfolio of digital brands…. Full details @PuckNews: https://t.co/hfYxhq0oky
OpenAI Is Moving Toward Click-Based and Conversion-Focused ChatGPT Ad Pricing as Its Early Ad Pilot Struggles to Gain Traction
OpenAI announced it will switch its ChatGPT ad pilot to cost‑per‑click (CPC) pricing within days and begin testing conversion‑focused campaigns. The early experiment has lagged, with advertisers hesitant to exceed modest test budgets due to limited measurement tools and low...
The Approval Matrix Revolutions
Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff is reportedly preparing to sell multiple assets, including the Vox Media Podcast Network, New York magazine, and its portfolio of digital brands such as The Verge, Eater, and SB Nation. The sales are being brokered by LionTree,...
Nine Snatches Netball TV Rights From Foxtel
Nine secured a five‑year partnership with Netball Australia, taking over broadcast and streaming rights for Suncorp Super Netball, Australian Diamonds matches, and the 2027 Netball World Cup from Foxtel. The agreement delivers free‑to‑air coverage on the Nine Network alongside streaming...
TFM Digital Launches ‘That F*cking Marketing (TFM) Podcast’
TFM Digital has launched the "That F*cking Marketing" podcast, a weekly audio series that cuts through generic Australian marketing advice. The inaugural season debuts three episodes featuring CEO Taylor Fielding, CCO Mathew Fielding, and guests such as Mamamia CEO Natalie...
David Zaslav and the Tyranny of Incentives
Paramount Global and Skydance are poised to acquire Warner Bros Discovery in a cash transaction that shareholders will vote on April 23. The deal, valued at a multi‑billion‑dollar cash offer, comes as Warner’s stock trades about 12 % below that price, underscoring the premium...
The Verdict on Social Media Addiction
Recent jury verdicts find Meta and YouTube liable for harms linked to their engineered platform designs, signaling a legal shift from viewing social media as a neutral tool to a product that can cause addiction. The rulings highlight how infinite...
Misinformation Is Easier to Manage in Traditional Media
The funny thing about this (aside from everything) is that from a comms POV, dealing with misinformation in traditional media is pretty straightforward compared to dealing with it on social platforms.
FX Launches Award‑winning “Fargo” Anthology Series, 2014
📺 April 15, 2014: “Fargo”, Noah Hawley’s award-winning dark comedic crime anthology series inspired by the 1996 feature film of the same name, debuted on FX. Its inaugural season starred Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks and Martin Freeman…...
Audacy/Boston Morning Co-Host Named A MIW Airblazer
Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) announced that Kennedy Elsey, co‑host of the Karson & Kennedy morning show on Boston’s MIX 104.1, will receive the 11th annual 2026 MIW Airblazer Award. The accolade, created through MIW’s 2015 partnership with Talentmasters Morning...
HBO's 'Girls' Premiered April 2012, Launching Dunham's Hit
📺 April 15, 2012: “Girls”, the comedy-drama created by and starring Lena Dunham about the lives of four young women in New York City, debuted on HBO. It also starred Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver and Andrew Rannells. It...
Why I’ll Never Put My Best Content Behind a Paywall. And How That Decision Made Me More Money.
The author argues that writers should keep their strongest pieces free, using them as marketing to attract new readers, while monetizing through simple digital products and later a paid community. He cites his own Substack, which grew to 17,000 subscribers...
“IMPACT X Nightline: The Monster At The Beach” Coming Soon To Hulu & Disney+
Disney announced the documentary “IMPACT x Nightline: The Monster at the Beach,” debuting on Hulu and Disney+ on April 16 2026. The four‑hour film investigates the Gilgo Beach serial killings, tracing how investigators linked architect Rex Heuermann to eight victims. It features new interviews...
Social Media Has Positive Benefits for Teens
New Pew Research data from April 2026 surveyed 1,458 U.S. teens and a parent each, examining usage of TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. The study finds teens turn to TikTok for entertainment and product information, while Snapchat is favored for private...
Is Marshals Returning for Season 2?
*Marshals* debuted on CBS to a strong start, pulling 30.6 million viewers in its first month, second only to Netflix’s *Stranger Things* season 5. While early episodes felt like a standard task‑force procedural, recent installments have deepened Kayce Dutton’s personal storyline, exploring...
Today in 1990, This Groundbreaking Comedy Series Made Its Debut
In Living Color debuted on April 15, 1990 on FOX, quickly becoming a cultural touchstone for sketch comedy and Black entertainment. Created by Keenen Ivory Wayans, the series ran five seasons, earned a 1990 Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music or...
CBS CEO Says Late Night Deal with Byron Allen Is “Temporary”
Paramount’s CBS announced a one‑year paid‑programming deal with comedian Byron Allen, replacing Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” with Allen’s “Comics Unleashed” and “Funny You Should Ask.” CBS co‑CEO George Cheeks framed the arrangement as a temporary stopgap while the network re‑evaluates its...
Matt LeBlanc Is Poised to Return to TV as a Burned-Out LAPD Detective / LL Cool J and Scott Caan...
Matt LeBlanc is set to return to broadcast television as the lead of CBS’s new drama "Flint," playing a burned‑out LAPD detective. The series is in development for the 2027‑2028 season, marking LeBlanc’s first major network role since "Friends." CBS...