Today's Media Pulse
Online video subscriptions top 2.2 bn, revenue hits $176B
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 for the first time as pay‑TV revenue fell to $170 billion. Growth is expected to slow to single‑digit rates in 2026, prompting operators to focus on monetising existing users.
NCIS Franchise Now up to Seven Total Spin-Offs Thanks to LL Cool J's NCIS: New York
CBS announced the production of NCIS: New York, its seventh spin‑off in the long‑running NCIS franchise. The series will star Scott Caan alongside LL Cool J, who returns as special agent Sean Hanna from NCIS: Los Angeles. Veteran NCIS writer‑producer R. Scott Gemmill is penning the pilot, linking the new show to the franchise’s creative roots. The launch expands CBS’s procedural portfolio as it seeks to capture more ad revenue and streaming viewership amid fierce competition.
CBS Greenlights 'NCIS' Spin-Off With Popular Character Returning to the Franchise
CBS has greenlit a seventh NCIS series, NCIS: New York, bringing back LL Cool J as Agent Sam Hanna. The spin‑off pairs Hanna with Scott Caan’s roguish agent for high‑stakes missions in New York City. It will debut this fall on CBS, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT,...
Shrinking Got Another FYC Event
Apple TV+ series "Shrinking" has launched an early For Your Consideration (FYC) push ahead of the Emmy submission deadline in May, with first ballots expected in June. The campaign spotlights lead actor Harrison Ford’s performance, which critics hope will earn...
Meta Simplifies Ad Performance Elements
Meta introduced AI‑enhanced tools to simplify its Pixel and a one‑click setup for the Conversions API. The new Pixel feature automatically adds product names, availability and business details to event data, reducing manual coding. The Conversions API can now be...
When Dolly Parton Appeared on 'Reba'
Country music legends Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire teamed up in 2005 when Parton guest‑starred on the sitcom Reba. In the episode “Reba’s Rules of Real Estate,” aired April 15, she portrayed Dolly Majors, a cut‑throat real‑estate mogul. The pair...
Which Car Brands Dominate Quu’s In-Vehicle Visuals Report?
Quu’s newly released In‑Vehicle Visuals Report examines how radio metadata appears in the United States’ top 100 new‑car models. Toyota tops the list, representing 12% of those models, followed by Ford at 10% and Chevrolet, Honda and Nissan each holding...
David Baldacci Marks 30 Years of Bestsellers with New Thriller ‘Hope Rises’
Bestselling author David Baldacci celebrated 30 years of global hits and announced his new novel, Hope Rises, slated for an April 14 launch. The veteran thriller writer used the milestone to discuss his craft, research habits, and the evolving publishing...
CBS 60 Minutes Segment Accused of One‑S
🚨News: @danielsuhr @center_amrights tells @CBSNews ombudsman Kenneth Weinstein, with @BrendanCarrFCC cc'd, that @NorahODonnell post @TheMasters 60 Minutes segment was “a one-sided hit piece delivered on a high ratings show at the same time as other efforts to push Catholic voters...
A Swift Spin For Tom and Cheryl Hodgins
On March 14, 2025, Alexandra Communications, led by Tom and Cheryl Hodgins, finalized an agreement to acquire three FM radio stations in Eastern Oregon from Pacific Empire Radio Corp. Within weeks, the Hodgins‑owned firm announced it would divest one of...
Paramount‑Skydance’s $110 B Warner Bros. Deal Sparks Massive Industry Backlash
Paramount Skydance’s $110 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery has drawn an open‑letter protest from more than 2,000 film and television professionals. Critics warn the deal would shrink the studio landscape, raise antitrust concerns and threaten creative freedom. Regulators in...
‘Leanne’ Season 2 Wraps Filming at Netflix Ahead of 2026 Return
Netflix has officially wrapped filming on the second season of the multi‑camera comedy *Leanne*, which was shot in Los Angeles from late January through early March 2026 before a live studio audience. The series, created by Chuck Lorre and Leanne...
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini Resigns Amid NFL Insider Investigation
Dianna Russini stepped down from The Athletic on April 14 after the outlet opened an internal probe into photos showing her with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. The resignation, accompanied by a defiant letter, underscores a brewing ethics debate in...
Later Names Mohsin Hussain as CTO to Accelerate AI‑Driven Influencer Platform
Later announced the appointment of Mohsin Hussain, former LiveRamp CTO, as its new chief technology officer. Hussain will steer the development of the company’s EdgeAI predictive engine, a move aimed at capitalizing on Later’s $2.7 billion in verified influencer‑driven purchases and...
Cumulus Media Bankruptcy Plan Approved
A federal judge in Texas has approved Cumulus Media's reorganization plan, erasing $592 million of debt and securing up to $100 million in lender financing to sustain operations. The plan keeps CEO Mary Berner and CFO Francisco Lopez‑Balboa at the helm through...
Twitch Sponsorships Still Underpay Creators versus Competitors
Twitch Sponsorships continue to underpay creators... so sad, after the very fair Minecraft campaign. Twitch: Max $78.72 (Creators usually hit 40-60% of payout.) Sponsorship Platform: $80 Guaranteed (+).
Northern California Public Media Debuts New Video Podcast Series A Fighting Chance on Major Platforms
Northern California Public Media has launched a new video and audio podcast series, “A Fighting Chance,” on major platforms including YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. The series repurposes the Emmy‑winning “Climate California” documentary into a digital‑first format that blends investigative...
Oxford Road Shares The Secrets To True Crime Podcast Ad Effectiveness
Oxford Road released its ORBIT ranking of the top‑performing true‑crime podcasts, drawing on more than $1.6 billion in campaign data from over 500 advertisers. The analysis shows true‑crime is the second‑largest spend genre, ranking in the top 20 % for ad efficiency, yet...
'L'Abuso': Real Italian Magazine Cover of Israeli Settler Sparks Online Storm
L'Espresso released a cover titled "L'Abuso" featuring an armed Israeli settler pointing a smartphone at a distressed Palestinian woman, prompting the Israeli ambassador to denounce the image as manipulative and hateful. Photographer Pietro Masturzo asserted the photo is genuine, captured...
Platform Culture Dictates Content Performance Across Networks
Each platform has its own culture, its own audience behaviors, and its own unspoken rules. You can publish the same piece of content across platforms... it doesn't mean it will always perform the same.
TikTok Challenger Triller Makes a Surprising Revenue Reveal: $0 From Its Media Businesses
Triller disclosed that it generated zero revenue from its social‑media and streaming operations in 2025, with the entire $22 million of revenue coming from a financial‑services business linked to its 2024 merger with a Hong Kong firm. The company incurred $22.7 million...
Transparency: Sponsorship Fuels New AI Project Amid Financial Strain
Why did Scoble sell out? I'm starting to get a lot more sponsors who are willing to pay me to introduce their companies to you. You'll see more later today. I just wanted to say a few words about this. First: thank...
YouTube Tests Showing Creator Posts in Your Shorts Feed
YouTube is piloting a new format that places creator Posts—image carousels with up to ten pictures, text overlays, and royalty‑free music—directly inside the Shorts feed on its mobile app. The test, rolling out globally to a limited user group, aims...
A24’s Speed, Spend & Bidding Wars Reshape TV — Forcing Rivals to Pay Up
A24 has transformed from an indie film label into a dominant TV studio by pairing lightning‑fast dealmaking with deep pockets from a $3.5 billion Thrive Capital valuation. The company can move from script concept to contract in a single week, as...
New UNESCO-SembraMedia Guide for Women Journalism Entrepreneurs
UNESCO and SembraMedia have released "Media Startups and Viability: A Guide for Women Leaders," a practical handbook aimed at women journalism entrepreneurs. The guide tackles revenue diversification, audience development, team management, safety, and impact measurement to overcome structural barriers. It...
Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Million Dollar Secret’ Season 2 On Netflix, Where Contestants Have To Figure Out Which Housemate...
Netflix’s reality competition Million Dollar Secret returns for a second season with fourteen contestants vying for a hidden $1 million prize inside the mansion dubbed The Stag. The format mirrors the first season: players must locate the money, gather clues, and...
CentralCast Deploys Harmonic to Deliver Improved Efficiencies for Public Media Stations
Harmonic announced that CentralCast, the master‑control hub for U.S. public‑media stations, has deployed Harmonic’s XOS Advanced Media Processor to serve more than 170 channels. The XOS platform consolidates media‑processing and distribution, delivering 176 transport streams while lowering per‑channel bitrate and...
Rapid‑Response Fund Saves Public Media After Funding Cuts
Here's the story of how the new pooled rapid response fund moved money quickly to keep public radio and television stations on air after Congress slashed their funding. Martha Ramirez Reports: https://tinyurl.com/n6ava72v Related IP Resources: Journalism Grants -https://tinyurl.com/4nwuxehu Donor Insights for Journalism -https://tinyurl.com/3yahvnt6 Report: Giving...
APTN Expands Indigenous-Language Content with New Shows This Spring
APTN’s spring slate adds a wave of Indigenous‑language series, including Cree‑language comedy Rabbit Soup, Dakota‑language cooking show Grandma Sherry’s Kitchen, and Innu‑language documentary Guerriers de demain. The network also launches the English‑language reality dating show Rezervations for Two and expands...
FTC Pushes Ad Agencies Into Dropping Brand Safety Rules
The Federal Trade Commission, joined by eight states, has filed a proposed settlement that would bar major ad agencies—WPP, Publicis and Dentsu—from coordinating brand‑safety rules that exclude platforms based on political viewpoints. The order stems from an antitrust complaint alleging...
Kanal D Drama Premieres The Innocents in Latam, Spain and the US
Kanal D Drama will launch the Turkish psychological series Almas Heridas, also known as The Innocents, on its SVOD app on April 16 across Latin America, the United States and Spain. The show, starring Birkan Sokullu and Ezgi Mola, will...
Here Are The 2026 Giants of Broadcasting
The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation unveiled its 2026 Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts class, headlined by actor Kelsey Grammer, famed for his role as Dr. Frasier Crane. The honorees include top radio executives, iconic sports broadcasters, and veteran...
The Audacity
The Audacity, a darkly comic drama set in Silicon Valley, premieres on Australia’s free‑to‑air SBS. The series follows hyper‑ambitious CEO Duncan Park as he chases a data‑mining algorithm while navigating volatile personal relationships and a therapist who may be more...
Who Is Taskmaster’s Oscar-Winning Future Contestant?
The article speculates which Oscar‑winning actor might join the UK panel show *Taskmaster* after current contestants Kumail Nanjiani and Armando Iannucci, both Oscar nominees, appeared in season 21. Creator Alex Horne hinted that a future season will feature a real Oscar...
Your Fault: London: Teaser
Prime Video released a teaser for "Your Fault: London," the second installment of its UK‑language adaptation of Mercedes Ron’s Culpables trilogy. The romance drama stars Asha Banks and Matthew Broome as the returning couple Noah and Nick and is slated to premiere in...
POW Relaunches: Join to Save Independent Music Journalism
In the last decade, the media landscape has become unrecognizable. Independent magazines are endangered. But POW has weathered the storm and built a space for analog futurists, digital crate-diggers, and people who love and care deeply about music. We have...
User Growth Is Genuine, Not Just Bots
Oh yeah this app's user growth totally isn't just bots. It's all very real human beings with interesting things to say https://t.co/XE2VNIpybV
Clippers and View Botting: Big Social Trends Shaping the Internet
The streaming platform Kick has created a paid‑clipping ecosystem around influencer Clavicular, compensating clippers $30 for every 1,000 views their short clips generate. Clavicular employs roughly 950 clippers—the largest crew in the industry—to flood social feeds with bite‑sized moments, amplifying...
Journalists' Inverted Pyramid Gives Edge in LLM Parsing
I think journalists have a real edge within the AEO space in that the way they write (inverted pyramid) is similar to how LLMs parse information. More in the latest ep of Fan Out, full version here: https://t.co/E2fjVpipcr https://t.co/VFNewbyhiP
Dropout Adds 11 Emmy Categories, Vic Michaelis Enters Race
Dropout’s Emmys Surprise: ‘Game Changer’ and ‘Very Important People’ Enter 11 Categories as Vic Michaelis Joins Lead Comedy Actress Race (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/tNMM9W3Jce via @variety @dropout
Can AI Judge Journalism? A Thiel-Backed Startup Says Yes, Even if It Risks Chilling Whistleblowers
Objection.ai, a startup backed by Peter Thiel and Balaji Srinivasan, launched a paid service that lets anyone spend $2,000 to challenge a specific factual claim in a news story. The platform uses a jury of large‑language models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and...
CBS Greenlights “Flint” Starring JB Flint, a Rogue Cop
They finally made @JBFlint into a TV show? CBS developing "Flint," about “a burnt-out LAPD detective who, on the verge of retirement, is blindsided when the city extends his service... Determined to get fired, he breaks rules and disobeys orders..." https://t.co/Qy9GxVOLMB
NHL Ratings Surge 47% Post‑Olympic Break
TNT says NHL viewership accelerated after February's Olympic break. For the rest of the season, games averaged 453,000 viewers, up 47% over the equivalent period from 2025
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Celebrates 100 Days on CBS
Inbox: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani will mark 100 days in office by going on… CBS News. He has been booked in the morning show for the network tomorrow.
Declining NBA Viewership Sparks Fear of League Collapse
These viewership numbers for the NBA this season as well as the $76 billion media rights contract they signed has me thinking this league is going to fold next year. It's over for the NBA. https://t.co/HYZi0sIQ0c
Sock‑puppet Trend Simulators Are Mostly Empty Hype
Is it creepy that there are companies like Chaotic Good Projects out there promising to "simulate trends" with sock puppet accounts. Yes, sure. But, in my experience, they're almost always completely full of shit. https://t.co/GD97cCghhP https://t.co/33zVwVyoVG
Posting Schedule ≠ Distribution Strategy: Companies Miss the Difference
Most companies don't have a distribution strategy. They have a posting schedule. Very different things.
AI‑powered Ghost Automates Structured Data Behind the Scenes
Experimenting with some AI-assisted features in @Ghost for helping with generated structured data and site administration Kinda fun. Not sure what the UI should be. Don't really want to have to click a button, would be even better if it just...
Aron D'Souza Launches AI-Powered Truth Adjudication Platform
SCOOP: Aron D'Souza, founder of Enhanced Games and the lawyer who helped bring down Gawker, is back with another startup. Objection, a platform that aims to use AI to adjudicate the truth of journalism. https://t.co/9N5ySNnW64
Searchlight Acquires SXSW Horror ‘Monitor’ for 2027 Release
News: Searchlight picks up SXSW horror movie MONITOR, will give it a theatrical release in 2027 https://t.co/DHpqQRSuLl
NBA's New TV Deal Sparks 7-Year Rating Surge
NBA’s Broadcast-Friendly TV Deal Leads to Highest Ratings in 7 Years https://t.co/sNM2Mq2FM6 via @sportico @crupicrupicrupi