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.
NAB 2026: Mediaproxy Adds AI Brand and Advertisement Tracking to LogServer
Mediaproxy unveiled an AI‑powered brand and advertisement tracking suite integrated into its LogServer compliance platform, with a live demo at NAB Show 2026 in Las Vegas. The solution leverages machine‑learning models to automatically spot logos and visual identifiers across broadcast, streaming and social channels. It automates reporting and verifies that digital metadata remains unchanged throughout distribution. Designed for high‑volume media environments, the tools aim to streamline brand‑exposure measurement, sponsorship performance analysis, and contractual compliance verification.
Let Social, Not HR, Run Employee Advocacy
My hot take: the reason a lot of employee advocacy programs fall flat is because they're run by HR Employee advocacy — turning employees into brand ambassadors on social — should be run by the social team. Social people know what...
NAB 2026: Synamedia Launches Cloud-Controlled Edge Playout Version of Quortex PowerVu
Synamedia unveiled a cloud‑controlled edge playout version of its Quortex PowerVu platform at NAB Show 2026. The solution moves national feeds to a CDN and lets affiliates generate localized linear channels using a single Media Edge Gateway, cutting infrastructure costs...
NAB 2026: Avid to Demonstrate Integrated Newsroom Capabilities
Avid will unveil its new integrated newsroom suite, Avid for News, at NAB Show 2026. The platform centers on Avid Content Core, an API‑first layer that links planning, production, and publishing across MediaCentral, Wolftech News, iNEWS, NEXIS, and Stream IO. AI‑driven semantic search...
Netflix Ad Tier Set to Double Revenue, Price Target $700
Netflix's ad-supported tier is crushing it. Analysts now project its ad revenue will DOUBLE to ~$3B this year. Bullish outlook has one firm raising its price target to $700. 📈 Streaming
What Separates Brands that Grow From Brands that Stand Still
Keen Decision Systems analyzed 455 brands representing $42 billion in media spend and identified a clear playbook for growth. Winning brands increased budgets about 30% YoY, allocated roughly 40% to digital, and spread spend across the full funnel, achieving 5.4% higher...
DIRECTV’s MySports: 25 Channels For $65 a Month – Is It Worth It?
DIRECTV’s MySports genre package bundles 26 national sports channels, unlimited DVR and free ESPN Unlimited app access for $64.99 a month, with a promotional rate of $44.99 for the first two months. The plan lacks regional sports networks (RSNs) in...
Nemesis Trailer: See First Footage Of Power Creator Courtney A. Kemp's Slick, Sexy Netflix Drama
Netflix unveiled the first trailer for “Nemesis,” an hour‑long action drama from “Power” creator Courtney A. Kemp and co‑creator Tani Marole. The series pits a brilliant LAPD detective against a sophisticated thief, promising a heist‑genre twist with family drama and high‑stakes...
Section 230 Is Dying By A Thousand Workarounds, And Massachusetts Just Added Another One
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court unanimously rejected Meta’s motion to dismiss, holding that Section 230 does not shield the company from claims that Instagram’s design features—such as infinite scroll, autoplay and algorithmic recommendations—were engineered to addict children, that the platform misled...
YouTube Live Adds Gifts to All Formats, Expands Globally
Live streaming is a massive part of YouTube, and that’s because of the @youtubecreators who build incredible communities on our platform. We’re rolling out some major updates to YouTube Live to improve the experience and help creators make more money: ↔️We're expanding...
Storipod Strikes Deal to Distribute Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Books Digitally
Storipod, a mobile‑first microblogging platform for African creators, has partnered with Narrative Landscape Press to digitise Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s books and other leading African titles. The deal uses Storipod’s chapter‑by‑chapter micropayment system, lowering upfront costs and keeping content in users’ libraries. The...
Audiobooks, E-Books, Printed Books — a Pew Research Comparison
Pew Research’s 2026 reading‑habits survey shows print books still lead American readers, but their dominance is eroding. Audiobook consumption has risen steadily since 2015, reaching 26 percent of adults in 2025, while e‑book usage holds steady around 31 percent. Over the past...
What to Do if Amazon Killed Your Kindle
Amazon announced it will discontinue cloud support for its first‑generation, second‑generation Kindles and the Kindle DX, meaning owners can no longer borrow titles from Kindle Unlimited or download newly purchased books directly to the device. The change takes effect in...
Steve Goldstein: The Attention Economy Comes for Podcasting
Steve Goldstein argues that podcasting has been fixated on download counts, a metric that reflects distribution rather than consumption. He highlights an industry shift toward engagement indicators such as streams, completion rates, and repeat listening, mirroring practices of Spotify, YouTube,...
Publishing CEO Reveals 7 Must‑Know Truths for Authors
The CEO of Macmillan — one of the most powerful people in traditional publishing — recently sat down for a candid interview about the state of the industry in 2026. His insights confirmed a lot of what I saw firsthand when...
What ‘Nude’ Means Now
A new AI Forensics report reveals a thriving underground market on Telegram where non‑consensual nude images of women are harvested, weaponized, and sold alongside spyware. The study of 16 groups in Spain and Italy uncovered over 82,000 abusive images and...
Beloved Lake District Character Herdy Makes ‘Ewe-Ropean’ Book Debut
Lake District icon Herdy has secured a global publishing deal with Quarto, granting the company world rights to a new line of children’s books. The character will make its international debut at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, which runs April...
App Makes Conversation Musical
Feels Music Messaging, founded by former Interscope executive Tony Seyler, launched last month as a free app that lets users share bundled lyrics, images, audio clips and music videos instead of static screenshots. The platform secured licensing agreements with Universal...
Overlay Ads and the Streaming Ad Tech State of Play
IAB Tech Lab’s VP of Product Jill Wittkopp outlined the current state of streaming ad‑tech, focusing on overlay formats such as L‑bars, squeezebacks and corner overlays. The lab applied an 80/20 rule to distill eight ad experiences down to six,...
How Iran Won the Meme Wars
The article examines how Iran’s state‑linked media outfit Explosive Media has deployed AI‑generated, Lego‑style videos to mock President Donald Trump and U.S. officials, turning the online narrative of the Iran‑War into a viral meme war. While Trump’s Truth Social posts—ranging...
Outline Your Video First, Cut Editing Time
A rough outline before you hit record when creating video content will save you more editing time than you think
Meta's Muse Spark Bridges Consumer Ads to Enterprise AI
Contextualizing Meta’s Muse Spark "Whether this API pilot emerges as a direct enterprise opportunity or not, there’s clear applicability to the Manus agent use case (which has already been brought to Meta’s ads manager), Meta’s off-platform Business AI initiative, and other...
Issa Rae Has a Trick for Pushing Diverse Projects in an Anti-DEI Industry. Her Advice Is Going Viral
Issa Rae warned that DEI has become a taboo term in Hollywood, with investors pulling back from diverse projects. She advises creators to reframe Black‑centered stories as universal themes such as class to make them marketable. Rae also unveiled Hoorae...
“Global Affiliate Programmes Are Becoming a Hot Topic”: PartnerBoost VP on China’s Affiliate Ecosystem
William Hamer‑Jones, VP of Partnerships at PartnerBoost, says global affiliate programmes are moving from siloed niches to a hot topic, especially in the APAC region. Agencies are overcoming resource gaps by establishing local offices in China, Japan and South Korea,...
Nielsen Appoints Roberto Ruiz as Head of Measurement Sciences
Nielsen has named Roberto Ruiz as Head of Measurement Science, tasking him with advancing the firm’s measurement capabilities and innovation roadmap. Ruiz will oversee the strategy and rollout of new products, technologies and AI‑driven solutions across the division. His mandate...
Curate Your Feed, Enjoy Social Media Beyond Algorithms
As a counterpoint, I've been having a grand time on social media since I left the former Twitter, still meet new and interesting people, and think you get out of the medium what you put into it - and have...
Joining Rob Hart on WBBM Newsradio – Tune In
I'm coming up on @WBBMNewsradio with @RobHartWBBM in a couple minutes. Tune in! @Giersh https://t.co/ngzq1ncptX
Sinclair and ONE Media Technologies Outline NextGen TV, Tech Plans for NAB Show
Sinclair Inc. and its subsidiary ONE Media Technologies will showcase ATSC 3.0, Broadcast Positioning System (BPS) and related innovations at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas (April 18‑22). Executives and engineers will present demos, panels and technical papers highlighting the "Broadcast Once....
New Institute Seems Designed to Provoke Matthew Stoller
the "Institute for Responsible Influence" from the "Center for Industry Self-Regulation" sounds like it was created specifically to trigger @matthewstoller
Is DIRECTV MySports $65 Worth 25 Channels?
DIRECTV’s MySports: 25 Channels For $65 a Month - Is It Worth It? https://t.co/X8qWQyqmTg via @TVAnswerMan
How Brands Should Respond to CTV Ad Fatigue Before Viewers Tune Them Out
Streaming platforms are rapidly expanding ad‑supported inventory, with Prime Video doubling its ad load, Netflix adding ad minutes, and Amazon rebranding its ad‑free tier. The U.S. CTV audience now exceeds 240 million, and projected ad spend is set to surpass $46 billion...
Netflix Halves Original Movie Output yet Still Leads Industry
Netflix has cut back its output of original movies by more than 50% from four years ago. (It still releases the most original movies of any company.) https://t.co/62UYKNMzD7
Villeneuve Joins Opposition to Paramount's Warner Bros. Takeover
new: Denis Villeneuve, the director of "Sicario," has signed the letter opposing Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. https://t.co/LENGXkC5Yy
Family Revives Dad’s Legacy Through Journal List, Touches Millions
Leslie Harter‑Berg turned a high‑school “List of Things to Do Before Death” from her late husband Ryan’s journal into an annual birthday ritual for their sons. The tradition, now a TikTok sensation with over 6 million views, helps the boys know...
ABC Renews The Rookie (S9) and Will Trent (S5)
#ABC has officially renewed #TheRookie for a ninth season (from #Lionsgate TV & #Disney’s 20th TV) and #WillTrent for a fifth season (from 20th TV). $DIS $LION
Tucker Carlson's
Sewage for ink. Tucker Carlson to launch publishing imprint with books by Russell Brand and Milo Yiannopoulos https://t.co/OgtWe3p0EJ
Caro Claire Burke Debuts Controversial Novel “Yesteryear” On NPR
Caro Claire Burke appeared on NPR to promote her first novel, “Yesteryear,” describing its unsettling 1855 setting and the contradictory protagonist Natalie Heller Mills. The interview highlighted Burke’s 5 million‑strong Instagram following and her intent to critique fundamentalist power structures.
Judge Grants Pentagon 14‑day Pause on Corridor Changes
Judge Friedman gives the Pentagon a 14-day stay on his orders in the N.Y. Times case with regard to reopening the Correspondents Corridor' and ditching the escort requirement. He denies to stay the full orders as the government seeks a...
Your Twitter Bubble Blinds You; Ask Outsiders.
The Guardian NY Post Business Insider Fortune +100s of other headlines, short-form clips, etc. It's not the tweets, though those aren't helping either. Log off Twitter and ask the "normies" what they think of it. If you're shocked at the responses you're bubbled pretty...
Dollar General Expands AI-Powered In-Store Audio Network
Dollar General is expanding its retail media footprint by launching an AI‑enabled in‑store audio network in roughly 6,000 stores, with a goal to reach 12,000 locations by Q2 2026. The system blends point‑of‑sale data, curated music and AI‑generated ads to deliver...
Streamers Won’t Spend $20M for John Waters Film
Amazing that none of the streamers would throw $20 million at him just to have a John Waters movie in their library.
Jay Bilas to Fill Michael Malone’s Role on ESPN NBA Playoff Coverage
Jay Bilas will replace Michael Malone on ESPN’s NBA playoff broadcast team after Malone left for the University of North Carolina head‑coaching job, signing a six‑year, $50 million contract. Bilas, a longtime college basketball analyst who joined ESPN in 1995, will...
BLVD Marketing Unveils Study on Shifting Digital‑Marketing Budgets
BLVD Marketing launched a fresh study that maps how companies are reshaping digital‑marketing budgets across SEO, paid media, social and content. The research underscores a growing reliance on data‑driven allocation as competition intensifies on both paid and organic fronts.
The End of MultiChoice as We Know It
Six months after Canal+ acquired MultiChoice, the South African pay‑TV giant is being reshaped under CEO David Mignot. A price freeze follows the loss of 2.8 million linear subscribers, and the underperforming Showmax service is being retired. The business now leans...
“Will Trent” Renewed For A Fifth Season
Disney announced that the crime drama “Will Trent” will return for a fifth season, debuting after the May season‑finale. The series, based on Karin Slaughter’s bestselling novels, consistently posts strong Live + Same Day ratings and has grown its audience year over year....
Epic Games Store Struggles with Retention as Steam Breaks User Records
Epic Games launched its store in 2018, using free games and exclusives to attract tens of millions of users, but retention remains weak as many revert to Steam after promotions end. Steam recently set a record with over 42 million concurrent...
Ben Shapiro Dismisses Anti‑Trump Podcasts as Negligible Threat to GOP Base
In a Sunday Briefing interview, Ben Shapiro argued that conservative podcasts criticizing Donald Trump pose only a fringe risk to the GOP electorate. His comments have ignited a wider discussion about the real influence of partisan audio shows ahead of...
Nothing’s Impossible in the Trailer for The Boroughs
Netflix announced the upcoming series *The Boroughs*, set to debut on May 21. The show follows a group of retirees in a seemingly idyllic community who confront a mysterious, possibly supernatural threat. It boasts a high‑profile cast including Geena Davis,...
Ego Pharmaceuticals Revamps Elucent with TikTok‑Centric Campaign and New Design
Ego Pharmaceuticals has relaunched its Melbourne‑made Elucent brand, unveiling two high‑performance product ranges and a litmus‑strip inspired visual system. The rollout was anchored by an anonymous TikTok tease that generated strong early engagement, signaling a shift toward culturally relevant, science‑backed...
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” World Premiere to Livestream on Hulu & Disney+
Disney announced that the world premiere of 20th Century Studios’ “The Devil Wears Prada 2” will be live‑streamed on Disney+ and Hulu on Monday, April 20, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. ET. The event, held at New York’s Lincoln Center, will feature the film’s star‑studded cast—including Meryl...