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.
It’s Not Like That: Prime Video Previews Family Drama Series Starring Scott Foley
Prime Video announced the upcoming family drama series "It’s Not Like That," set to debut on May 15. The show stars Scott Foley as a widowed pastor, joined by Erinn Hayes, J.R. Ramirez and a supporting cast. Created by Ian Deitchman and Kristin Robinson—known for "Life As We Know It" and "Parenthood"—the series explores multigenerational love, loss and second chances. The release adds another original scripted title to Amazon’s expanding library.
Newsletter Hits 21k, Seeks 22k Milestone
It’s wild to blink and now have 21,586 people subscribe to my newsletter. That’s 4x the following of my X! Feels like yesterday (Jan 2023) when I was ~outbounding my dad, family and friends to subscribe. Each week: -Content of the week (top...
![[Interview] Hungarian Journalist on Life in Orbán’s Media: ‘The Moment They Told Me What I Couldn’t Ask, I Knew It Wouldn’t...](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://static.euobserver.com/2026/04/alind.png)
[Interview] Hungarian Journalist on Life in Orbán’s Media: ‘The Moment They Told Me What I Couldn’t Ask, I Knew It Wouldn’t...
Alinda Veiszer, a veteran Hungarian journalist, recounts how the Fidesz‑led takeover of public broadcasting stripped her of editorial freedom despite earlier accolades. She describes systematic censorship, disciplinary threats, and the eventual loss of her position, prompting a shift to independent...
YouTube Premium Price Hike in U.S. Sparks Concerns of Domestic Increase
YouTube announced its first U.S. Premium price increase in three years, raising the individual plan from $13.99 to $15.99 and the family plan to $26.99. YouTube Music Premium and the Lite tier each added $1 to their monthly fees. The...
5 Ideas For The Interested This Week
Josh Spector’s weekly newsletter offers five practical ideas to sharpen content creation, from a one‑sentence fill‑in‑the‑blank starter to an AI style guide that teaches machines your voice. It also highlights productivity tactics like the 3‑Hour Rule, pricing insights using the...
Criminal Record: Season Two Trailer Unveiled for Apple TV Crime Thriller Series
Apple TV+ has released the trailer for the second season of its British crime thriller "Criminal Record," set to debut on April 22. The eight‑episode run will air weekly through June 10, continuing the story of detectives June Lenker and...
Netflix Blocks $351M Hit 'It Ends with Us' Amid Lively‑Baldoni Lawsuit
Netflix has removed the $351 million box‑office success *It Ends with Us* from its ad‑supported tier while lead star Blake Lively pursues a lawsuit against director Justin Baldoni. The move spotlights how streaming platforms are navigating high‑profile legal disputes and the...
BTS’s Hot Ones Debut Fuels Surge in Live‑digital Influencer Marketing
BTS’s appearance on YouTube’s Hot Ones broke viewership and engagement benchmarks, drawing millions of fans and prompting brands to double down on live‑digital channels. The episode underscores a broader shift as celebrities turn to real‑time streaming to connect directly with...
Netflix Price Hikes Spark Worries for Roku Investors as Competition Heats Up
Netflix announced a $1‑$2 increase to its U.S. subscription tiers, tightening pricing at a time when Roku relies heavily on the streamer for content and ad revenue. The move has investors questioning whether higher Netflix fees could drive viewers toward...
Sunday Mini‑Column Launch for Paid Subscribers
Introducing a new Sunday morning mini-column for the paid subscribers of THE FUTURE IS OURS TO MAKE Thank you for making this work happen xo xo https://open.substack.com/pub/thefutureisourstomake/p/flirtations-with-humanity
Ezra
In an odd exercise in rhetorical dentistry, Ezra Klein tries to defang Joe Rogan, Hasan Piker, et al, wanting to book Democrats on their shows. Hasan Piker Is Not the Enemy https://t.co/UXP6ytypCk
HBO's Deadwood Killed A Major Child Character Over Behind-The-Scenes Drama
In HBO’s western drama *Deadwood*, young William Bullock (Josh Eriksson) is killed in Season 2 after being run over by an escaped horse. The decision to eliminate the child character stemmed from a behind‑the‑scenes dispute involving an associate of Eriksson, which...
Fox Sports App Ends 2026—Switch Platforms Now
Fox Sports App Shutting Down May 2026: What to Do On Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV https://t.co/9pqX8e2YGJ via @TVAnswerMan
Unilever Expands Creator Network to 300,000 Influencers for AI‑Powered Search Discovery
Unilever announced it will scale its creator network to 300,000 influencers, tying their content to emerging LLM‑driven search experiences. The move aims to make brand‑related queries surface creator‑generated media, giving marketers a new channel for discovery. The initiative signals a...
The Inbetweeners to Return via Netflix in Multi‑Million‑Pound Deal
The creators of the cult British sitcom The Inbetweeners have signed a multi‑million‑pound agreement with Netflix to bring the series back to screens after a 16‑year hiatus. The deal, announced on April 10, marks the first new content for the...
Pearl Girl Daisy Rises; The Testaments Episode 4 Date?
Pearl Girl Daisy is starting to make waves in Gilead. But when does The Testaments episode 4 drop on Hulu and Disney+? https://t.co/7vY8tcTuRN
I Reviewed the LG G6 for 3 Weeks, and It's a Fantastic OLED TV That's the New Best Option for...
LG’s new G6 OLED TV, launched in March 2026, upgrades the G5 with a Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 panel and Alpha 11 AI Gen 3 processor, delivering up to 2,470 nits peak HDR and superior reflection handling for bright rooms. The 65‑inch model retails for...
Join Jeremy Aitken, Who Worked in a Covid Vaccination Centre
In this episode, host John Stapleton chats with author Jeremy Aitken about his new book *The Bike* and his varied work experiences, including time on a COVID‑vaccination centre, a butcher shop, and a gym. Aitken reflects on how the pandemic...
Singapore Airlines Brings FIFA World Cup 2026 Onboard with Live Match Coverage via KrisWorld Live TV
Singapore Airlines will broadcast every FIFA World Cup 2026 match live on its KrisWorld Live TV platform, letting passengers watch the tournament at cruising altitude. The service is available on the airline’s Boeing 787‑10, 737‑8, Airbus A350‑900 and Boeing 777‑300ER...
Google Says Polymarket Betting Odds Appearing in Google News Results Was an Error and Has Removed Them
Google admitted that Polymarket betting odds mistakenly appeared in Google News results, linking users to active prediction markets tied to current events. The odds showed up alongside reputable outlets such as The Guardian and Reuters, including a bet on Strait...
Roku Has Added 22 New Free Channels On Roku TVs & Roku Players
Roku has added 22 new free live channels to The Roku Channel, boosting its ad‑supported lineup on Roku TVs and players. The slate spans movies, reality shows, sports, nature, and Spanish‑language content, including notable additions like MotoGP, DP World Tour,...
‘The Boys’ Season 5: Is Soldier Boy Dead?
The Boys’ final season reintroduces Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy in episode 2, only to have him seemingly killed by the supe‑killing virus that the Boys plan to use against Homelander. In a surprise twist, Soldier Boy awakens from a body bag moments before...
3 Seasons of Tyler Perry’s Beloved Drama & More Paramount+ Releases This Week
Paramount+ is rolling out three new seasons of Tyler Perry’s political drama The Oval, delivering Seasons 5‑7 on April 15, 2026. The platform also debuts the soccer‑legend docuseries You Don’t Know Where I’m From, Dawg on April 14, and concludes the basketball‑focused Made...
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20 Thriller Series on HBO Max to Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat
Entertainment Weekly highlights HBO Max’s expansive thriller catalog, pairing iconic crime dramas like *The Sopranos* and *The Wire* with newer, genre‑bending titles such as *Landscapers* and *The Penguin*. The list spans classic prestige series, gritty true‑crime documentaries, and high‑budget adaptations...
Who Wants the NFL? Netflix Have to Wait for More Games?
Netflix is seeking to double its NFL package from two to four games for the 2026 season, targeting a holiday matchup and an international game. The streamer currently pays about $150 million per season and could face a price tag of...
Want to Talk Comics? Today, that Often Means Going Online
The comics industry has entered a "Blue Age," where digital platforms like Marvel Unlimited, Webtoons and Shonen Jump dominate consumption, and fans congregate in social‑media affinity spaces. Publishers, creators and scholars now use Twitter/X, Instagram and TikTok to market, discuss...
YouTube TV Rolls Out Major App Update, & It’s Signing Customers Out of Their Accounts
YouTube TV is rolling out a major app update across mobile, TV and streaming platforms, prompting temporary sign‑outs for some users. Affected customers receive in‑app alerts and must re‑enter their credentials to regain access to live channels, cloud DVR and...
🌊 Is Sam Altman a Serial Liar?
Ronan Farrow published a 16,000‑word New Yorker investigation titled “Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted?” that accuses the OpenAI CEO of a pattern of deception. The piece draws on more than 100 interviews and internal documents, including...
Is Masculinity in Crisis? These TV Shows Suggest Yes
The article argues that contemporary TV dramas—Apple TV’s “Your Friends and Neighbors,” Steve Carell’s “Rooster,” and “DTF St. Louis”—expose a crisis of modern masculinity. Each show features affluent white men wrestling with outdated expectations, emotional vulnerability, and a sense of purpose...
What To Watch Sunday: DTF St. Louis Ends, Euphoria Returns, The Audacity Powers Up, And More
TVLine’s Sunday lineup highlights three marquee events: HBO wraps up the limited series DTF St. Louis, HBO launches the highly anticipated third season of Euphoria, and AMC debuts the tech‑satire drama The Audacity starring Billy Magnussen. The schedule also features...
BloombergTV Recap of US‑Iran Islamabad Talks Tomorrow
I'll be on @BloombergTV's "This Weekend" to recap #IslamabadTalks between the US and Iran with @davidgura @EenaRuffini @LisaMateoTV at 7am in New York. Join us! W/ @C_Martlew https://t.co/zEnp0mor2f
Maria Semple Promotes New Novel "Go Gentle" On Iowa Public Radio
Maria Semple appeared on Iowa Public Radio’s Scott Simon show to promote her latest novel, "Go Gentle." The author explained how Stoic philosophy drives the plot and why she chose a 50‑plus protagonist, signaling a fresh direction for literary fiction.
Ministry to Kick Off Broadcast Talks to Keep World Cup Hopes Alive
Malaysia's Youth and Sports Ministry announced it will convene talks with broadcasters and relevant agencies to secure live television rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FIFA’s asking price was cut from US$50 million (RM198.5 million) to US$35 million (RM138.9 million), yet local broadcasters...
Quentin Tarantino's "Perfect" Crime Thriller Reservoir Dogs Is Now Streaming for Free
Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 debut *Reservoir Dogs* is now available for free streaming in the UK on ITVX and Tubi, with Disney+ also offering it to subscribers. The crime thriller, praised for its hyper‑violence, pop‑culture references, and a stacked ensemble cast,...
UFC 327 Live Stream: Paramount Plus $8.99 Gives Fans Access to Ulberg's Title Win
UFC 327 streamed live on Paramount Plus for $8.99, delivering Carlos Ulberg’s first‑round knockout of Jiří Procházka for the vacant light‑heavyweight title. The event also drew former President Donald Trump, sparking a political side‑story that amplified viewership and media attention.
Polymarket Bets Removed From Google News After Brief Appearance: Report
Polymarket, a crypto‑based prediction market, briefly showed up in Google News results alongside major outlets like Reuters and The Guardian before being removed. Google said the inclusion was an error and the platform no longer appears in News. The incident...
"Emotional High-Stakes" New Crime Drama in the Works From Power Force Boss
Starz is developing a new eight‑episode crime drama called Los Felix, written entirely by Power Book IV: Force showrunner Gary Lennon. The series is set in the Los Felix neighborhood of Los Angeles and centers on an affair that spirals...
What's on TV This Week—Euphoria and Beef Finally Return
HBO launches the third and final season of Euphoria, returning after a four‑year gap, while AMC debuts The Audacity, a Silicon Valley satire already green‑lit for a second season. Apple TV+ introduces Margot’s Got Money Troubles, starring Oscar‑nominated Elle Fanning,...
A Novelist Was Accused of Using AI. Why the Literary World Is Still Grappling with Guardrails
The Society of Authors has launched a “Human Authored” label so writers can certify that their books contain no AI‑generated text, a move prompted by the recent controversy surrounding horror author Mia Ballard, whose novel was pulled after a New York Times report...
Platforms Profit From Both Attention Hijacking and Recovery
Platforms charge companies to hijack our attention, then charge us to reclaim it. A very elegant way to monetize both the problem and the fake solution. YouTube perfected the art of monetizing both the interruption and the escape. #AI #Advertising #AttentionEconomy...
‘SNL’ Cold Open: Trump Rips ‘Insane’ Melania for Surprise Epstein Speech
Saturday Night Live aired a cold‑open in which Donald Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, rebuffs a fictional Melania (Chloe Fineman) who proposes a series of outlandish denial speeches about Jeffrey Epstein, the Gilgo Beach murders and Diddy’s conviction. The sketch lampoons...
China’s AI Training on US Broadcasts Raises Legal Hurdles
“China's training AI on our data, every TV news and channel broadcast for the last 55 years.” - if this is true then why don’t we just sue china for copyright infringement? simple solution, no?
Singapore Drama Sparks Malaysian Ire over Scam Hub Depiction
Singapore’s Mediacorp faced criticism after its Chinese‑language drama "Highway to Somewhere" portrayed Malaysia as a hub for scam syndicates. Malaysian cultural groups argued the depiction could damage the nation’s image and tourism industry, while Mediacorp insisted the subplot was meant...
Watch Euphoria Season 3 Online—Free Options Available
Discover what has become of Rue, Cassie, Nate and the rest. Here’s how you can watch Euphoria season 3 online wherever you are and potentially for free. https://t.co/Y6d6QUK4WK
Trump Calls Tiger Woods From Rehab as Melania Addresses Her Epstein Statement on ‘SNL’
Saturday Night Live aired a cold‑open that lampooned President Donald Trump’s controversial Easter‑time social‑media rant about the Iran war. The sketch showed a caricatured Trump making “urgent” calls to Tiger Woods, who was depicted in rehab, and to his wife...
‘SNL’ Cold Open Roasts Melania’s ‘Insane’ Epstein Press Conference: ‘Make Everyone Way More Suspicious’ | Video
Saturday Night Live aired a cold‑open that lampooned President Donald Trump’s reaction to a fictional press conference by First Lady Melania Trump about the Jeffrey Epstein files. In the sketch, Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, receives a call from...
LoopMe Unveils Chartboost Direct, Opening Brand Budgets to Mobile Apps
LoopMe introduced Chartboost Direct, a new marketplace that lets mobile app publishers tap brand advertising budgets without overhauling their tech stack. The platform offers direct pay, private‑deal and marketplace options, aiming to shift spend from web to in‑app environments as...
Disney+ Beats Netflix in Weekly Viewership as 'Zootopia 2' Draws 1.72 Billion Minutes
Disney+ overtook Netflix in weekly household TV viewership for the week ending March 15, thanks to the streaming debut of Zootopia 2, which logged 1.72 billion minutes. The win marks only the fourth time Disney+ has topped Nielsen’s weekly rankings, underscoring the growing...
The Rookie Season 8 Episode 15 Release Date, Time, Where to Watch
The Rookie’s eighth‑season episode 15, titled “Survive the Streets,” will premiere on ABC Monday, April 13, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. PT (10:00 p.m. ET) and become available on Hulu the next day. The plot follows Nolan and Celina as a suspected suicide...
Saturday Rewind: Blocking the Broadcast 'Behemoth'
California Attorney General Rob Bonta observed former President Donald Trump at a Supreme Court hearing on his birthright citizenship challenge, noting Trump appeared only to intimidate the justices. Bonta linked that courtroom moment to a broader fight against media consolidation,...