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.
15 Best Western Miniseries Ever Made, Ranked
The article ranks the 15 best western miniseries, highlighting how the limited‑series format has shaped the genre from classic network epics to modern streaming hits. It underscores Lonesome Dove’s 1989 impact as a benchmark and notes the resurgence of western storytelling on platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and History Channel. The list showcases diverse entries—including a Korean drama, a Black marshal saga, and a spaghetti‑western update—demonstrating the genre’s evolving appeal. Each entry is evaluated for its narrative economy, star power, and cultural relevance.
TikTok Expands 'Symphony,' Offers AI Video For Brands, Creators
TikTok has woven ByteDance’s next‑generation Dreamina AI video model into its Symphony ad suite, letting brands generate full‑motion videos from text prompts, images or reference clips. The model, built on the Seedance 2.0 architecture, promises consistent product portrayal to improve consumer...
Prophet Publishes Market Mix Modelling 101 Guide
Prophet, Australia’s leading decision‑intelligence platform, has released a Market Mix Modelling (MMM) 101 guide to help marketers move from past‑focused reporting to future‑oriented rehearsal. The guide includes a blind‑spot checklist, case studies and a framework for building a business case,...
Is It Finally Time for ‘Survivor’ to Win the Emmy? Season 50 Makes Its Strongest Case Yet
Survivor celebrates its 50th season while still lacking a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Reality Competition Program despite over 70 nominations. Season 50, titled “In the Hands of the Fans,” pits veteran players against newer strategists, aiming to showcase the show’s enduring...
The Next Job Pivot: Professionals Becoming Creators — and Cashing In
The article highlights a growing “creator middle class” of professionals with 100k‑1M followers who are turning niche expertise into full‑time businesses. About 1.5 million Americans now earn a living as creators, contributing to a $4.9 trillion digital economy and benefiting from tools...
Neon Bows Horror Movie ‘Alpha’ on Digital Retail Platforms, on Disc June 23
Neon Bows began offering the indie horror film Alpha for rental and purchase on digital platforms on April 14, 2026. The movie will arrive on Blu‑ray on June 23, distributed by Alliance Home Entertainment, and will feature an interview with...
NZME Celebrates Nominations at Voyager Media Awards
NZME, the owner of the NZ Herald and seven regional papers, has earned a sweeping set of nominations at the 2026 Voyager Media Awards. The company is in contention for top honors such as Digital News Provider of the Year, Metropolitan...
IEEPA Powers Reach the Supreme Court in TikTok Divest-or-Ban Fight
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to the IEEPA‑based law that forces ByteDance to divest TikTok or face operational bans. The dispute centers on whether the statute unlawfully burdens speech and exceeds constitutional limits while the government...
Wisycom Expands MPR60 With New Multichannel IFB Mode
Wisycom announced a firmware upgrade for its MPR60 Wideband IEM/IFB receiver that adds a multichannel IFB mode, allowing up to three audio channels on a single 200 kHz carrier. The enhancement enables 60 IFB channels within an 8 MHz TV band or...
10 Hacks Every Apple Music User Should Know
Apple Music has rolled out a suite of hidden features that make the service more competitive with Spotify and YouTube Music. Users can now import entire libraries from rival platforms, add songs to multiple playlists in a single tap, and...
Mediaite Suspends Founding Editor over Fabricated Stories
Scoop: Mediaite has suspended its founding editor Colby Hall after a series of instances we raised about significant errors and outright fabrications in his work. Full story in @get_status tonight.
Netflix: Sony Pictures’ Actioner ‘Thrash’ Tops Weekly Streaming Through April 12
Netflix’s latest Sony Pictures original, the disaster‑action film Thrash, topped the weekly streaming chart through April 12 with 37.7 million views, outpacing the next three #1 titles by roughly 60 percent. The Adam McKay‑produced movie led both the overall and English‑language movie rankings, while the...
EU Officials Explore Plans for Teen Social Media Bans
EU officials, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, are advancing a proposal to prohibit social‑media access for anyone under 15 across the bloc. The plan, discussed with Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, mirrors...
AI-Native Animation: A New Business Paradigm
Kevin Geiger’s guide argues that artificial intelligence is reshaping animation from a labor‑heavy, capital‑intensive pipeline into an AI‑native, system‑driven model. Studios will shift focus from producing individual projects to building reusable IP platforms that generate continuous content across formats. The...
Winners of the 2026 BOP Prizes Are Announced at Bologna’s Official Awards Ceremony
The Bologna Children’s Book Fair announced the 2026 BOP winners on April 13, honoring a top children’s publisher from each of six global regions. Senegal’s Saaraba Editions, Japan’s Bronze Publishing, France’s Les éditions La Doux, Canada’s Tundra Books, Argentina’s Lecturita Ediciones, and New Zealand’s...
Scripps Digital Channels Added to Local Now App
The E.W. Scripps Company has signed a distribution agreement with the owner of the free streaming platform Local Now, adding several of its digital multicast channels to the app. Beginning this week, Local Now will stream the national feeds of...
British Author Michael Rosen and Chinese Illustrator Cai Gao Win the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Awards
British author Michael Rosen and Chinese illustrator Cai Gao were named the 2026 recipients of the Hans Christian Andersen Awards, the prestigious biennial honors presented by IBBY. The winners were announced at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, with the formal...
Netflix, Amazon Prime Debuting 2 Must-See Sports Documentaries This Week
This week Netflix and Amazon Prime each launch a high‑profile basketball documentary. Amazon’s original "Jerry West: The Logo" arrives on April 16 and features interviews with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and other legends, tracing West’s on‑court greatness and his role in...
Prime Video Bundles Apple TV With Peacock Premium Plus For $19.99 A Month
Amazon’s Prime Video Channels is rolling out a limited‑time bundle that pairs Apple TV with Peacock Premium Plus for $19.99 a month, roughly $10 less than subscribing to each service separately. The deal follows a similar October bundle that excluded Amazon, highlighting...
Chris Branch Turbocharged My Reach and Earnings
Chris Branch does an incredible job. On a personal note, he was beyond generous to me by putting a ton of my media stories in The Pulse. I will always believe he was a part of me getting paid on...
Women Snatch MAGA's Megaphone
Conservative women are filling the void created by infighting in the MAGA media ecosystem. Candace Owens’ podcast has become the fastest‑growing right‑wing show for two consecutive quarters, while Megyn Kelly’s podcast entered the U.S. top‑20 and amassed 323 million YouTube views...
32 Years Ago Today: Turner Classic Movies Channel First Launched
On April 14, 1994, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) debuted, broadcasting *Gone with the Wind* to roughly one million cable subscribers. The launch was timed to the centennial of New York’s first public movie showing in 1894, underscoring Ted Turner’s intent...
YouTube Expands C-SPAN Partnership
YouTube has expanded its partnership with C‑SPAN, adding the network’s three primary channels to all YouTube TV packages and streaming live events on the main YouTube platform. The move aligns with YouTube’s America 250 celebration, aiming to broaden civic‑content access for...
Netflix’s ‘Thrash’ Tops Charts, Beats Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Jumanji’
Netflix’s low‑budget shark thriller Thrash claimed the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Top 10 list on April 13, 2026, pushing Dwayne Johnson’s blockbuster Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle to second place. The shift underscores Netflix’s ability to drive viewership even when critical reception is weak,...
LG Guggenheim Award Winner Trevor Paglen Screens AI‑Inspired Works in Seoul, New York and London
LG is projecting a video of Trevor Paglen’s AI‑centric artwork on Times Square, Piccadilly Circus and Gwanghwamun Square, reaching up to 30 million people. The eight‑week New York run and five‑week displays in London and Seoul highlight the growing fusion of technology and contemporary...
Kotex: From Period Art To Acts Of Female Solidarity
Kotex launched the “Art’s Missing Period” campaign, unveiling a year‑long virtual gallery of 40 period‑themed artworks that restores censored menstrual imagery in museums. A branded truck roamed New York City past the MET, Guggenheim, Whitney and MOMA, promoting the gallery...
Netflix Unveils Trailer for Duffer Brothers’ New Sci‑Fi Series ‘The Boroughs’
Netflix launched the first trailer for “The Boroughs,” a Duffer Brothers‑produced sci‑fi mystery set in a New Mexico retirement community. The series, starring Alfred Molina, Geena Davis and Bill Pullman, will premiere on May 21, marking the creators’ next major...
Berkshire Hathaway Boosts Stakes in NYT, Chevron, Chubb and Domino’s
Berkshire Hathaway disclosed new purchases of 5.07 million New York Times shares worth $352 million and added to its holdings in Chevron, Chubb and Domino’s, underscoring Warren Buffett’s confidence in diverse businesses as markets hover near historic highs.
Sony Teams with YouTube Star JackSepticEye on R‑Rated Bloodborne Animated Film
Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group president Sanford Panitch announced at CinemaCon that the cult PlayStation title Bloodborne will be adapted into an R‑rated animated feature co‑produced by YouTube sensation JackSepticEye. The deal pairs Sony’s game‑to‑film push with a creator‑economy...
The Story Behind The New Yorker's Striking Tech Nightmare Cover
The New Yorker’s April 13 2026 “Future Issue” cover, illustrated by Christoph Niemann, depicts AI bots looming over a naïve human, symbolizing artists’ anxiety about artificial‑intelligence disruption. Niemann, who previously created the magazine’s first AR cover, warns that AI could economically upend traditional...
Meta Updates Threads API with More Third-Party App Integration
Meta announced a major overhaul of the Threads API, adding new post‑type support, deeper analytics, and real‑time controls. The updates let third‑party social‑media‑management tools schedule ghost posts, GIFs, and Instagram Story shares, embed public Threads without tokens, and filter content...
Jorge Ramos Scores Two Emmy Nominations For Digital Journalism Debut With Tres Alebrijes
Jorge Ramos and his digital‑first production company Tres Alebrijes received two Spanish‑language Emmy nominations—Outstanding News Program and Outstanding Journalist—just one year after becoming eligible. The flagship show, "Jorge Ramos: Así Veo las Cosas," logged 101 million cross‑platform views in March 2026,...
DangleAds Names Nidhi Dua Dhingra Chief Business Officer to Drive Global Revenue
DangleAds Technologies announced the elevation of Nidhi Dua Dhingra to Chief Business Officer. The New Delhi‑based ad‑tech firm says she will steer revenue growth, client acquisition and global partnership strategy as it expands its programmatic, CTV and AI‑led solutions.
Boss of Beloved Police Drama The Rookie Wants to "Grey’s Anatomy This Thing" As Future Confirmed
ABC has renewed the police drama *The Rookie* for a ninth season, making it the network’s third‑longest‑running drama after *Grey’s Anatomy* and *NYPD Blue*. Creator Alexi Hawley says the series will aim to run as long as *Grey’s Anatomy*, citing...
Good Journalism Means Listening to Every Political Side
Ironically some of my best stories have come from sources on the other "side" of issues politically. Sources can have a range of motivations for sharing information w a journalist, but doing journalism means speaking to ppl you don't politically...
Major Layoffs Hit Publicity, Home Entertainment, and EPK Teams
“Among those let go are 20 people from the publicity depts, as well as the entire home entertainment team, led by executive director of global publicity and marketing communications Chris Bess. Also gone is the EPK team, including director of...
Allegro Spatial Launches on Orange TV with Immersive Classical Music Channel
Orange TV has introduced Allegro Spatial, a premium classical music channel delivering 4K UHD video and Dolby Atmos spatial audio. The service is free-to-air in metropolitan France until June 3, after which it joins a paid package priced at €11 (about...
Maps Ads and Gemini Now Unify Across Siri, Android, iOS
Ads in Maps and Gemini powering Siri, Android and iOS are basically the same thing now?
Meta‑media Newsletter Author Suspended After Factual Errors
I think all six people who care intently about this have been able to weigh in.... Writer of media newsletter recapping media newsletters suspended after errors https://t.co/09pn5Q5CN1
Cord Cutting Today: YouTube TV Update Signs Users Out as Roku Adds Free Channels and Paramount+ Drops Devices
YouTube TV rolled out a major app update on April 14, 2026 that unexpectedly signs users out of their accounts, triggering a surge in customer support tickets. At the same time, Roku released a software fix for a TV‑wide bug...
Paramount+ Renews The Madison for Season 3
#ParamountPlus has renewed Taylor Sheridan’s #TheMadison for a third season. S2 has already been filmed but has not yet been given a release date. #streaming $PSKY
ABC Axes Beloved Soaps, Replaces Them With Lifestyle Shows
🪓 April 14, 2011: ABC made an announcement that devastated many daytime drama fans: “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” would both conclude within the following year. They were replaced by lifestyle programs “The Chew” and “The Revolution”....
InMobi Partners with Salesforce to Accelerate AI‑First Advertising Platform
InMobi announced a deeper partnership with Salesforce to embed AI‑driven sales, service and data tools across its advertising business, aiming to speed up automation, forecasting and cross‑functional collaboration. The deal expands use of Salesforce’s Agentforce, Slack Enterprise Grid and Tableau,...
CBS Simulcast Delivers UFC’s Biggest Audience in a Decade
CBS simulcast once again pays off for @ufc with the most-watched telecast for the MMA outfit in 10 years 2.65 million viewers for UFC 327 on Saturday. That tops the 2.47 million for the UFC 326 simulcast
AI Accelerates Production, Forcing Creators to Upgrade Equipment
AI is speeding up production cycles and increasing pressure on creators to acquire better cameras, microphones, and stabilization gear. https://t.co/XiHSegCMOk
YouTube Bans Viral Pro-Iran AI-Generated LEGO Videos Trolling Trump
YouTube suspended the Explosive Media channel, an Iran‑linked group that produced AI‑generated LEGO‑style videos mocking President Donald Trump and claiming Iranian victory in the Middle East conflict. The ban cited violations of YouTube’s violent content and spam policies after a...
RAIN Notes: April 14
Jacobs Media will unveil TechSurvey 2026 results on April 23, covering radio listening habits, YouTube use, short‑form video, concert attendance, in‑car audio tech and podcast preferences. Michael Mignano joined Union Square Ventures as a general partner, completing a full‑circle journey after...
The 10 Best Stargate SG-1 Episodes, Ranked
In February 2026 Netflix added all ten seasons of Stargate SG‑1, giving the long‑running sci‑fi franchise a fresh streaming home. An entertainment writer ranked the series’ ten best episodes, highlighting the time‑loop comedy of “Window of Opportunity” as the top pick. The...
Gabon Institutes Social Media Age Verification for Under-16s
Gabon has enacted a pioneering regulation that obliges all social‑media users under 16 to undergo age verification using national ID, address and digital‑identity data. Platforms have a 12‑month window, ending February 2027, to meet technical standards, undergo HAC audits and...
Top Reason for Subscribing to Pay TV Is Live News and TV, Survey Finds
A new Parks Associates survey, produced with Philo, finds live news and sports are the top drivers for retaining pay‑TV subscriptions, with 44% of respondents prioritizing live news and 39% live sports. The study also highlights the appeal of unified...