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.
Eternally Yours: CBS Orders Vampire Comedy Series From Ghosts Showrunners
CBS has ordered "Eternally Yours," a vampire‑centered comedy from the creators of the hit series Ghost. The show follows a 500‑year‑old vampire couple whose marriage has gone stale until their daughter’s human boyfriend shakes things up. Starring Ed Weeks, Allegra Edwards and a supporting cast, the series is slated for the 2026‑27 broadcast season with a premiere date yet to be announced. The premise hints at a possible narrative link to Ghost, opening doors for crossover storytelling.
The Digital Signage Summit Turns 20: Two Decades Shaping Digital Signage Strategy
The Digital Signage Summit (DSS) marks its 20‑year milestone with a two‑day conference on May 20‑21 at Munich Airport, Germany. Originating in 2006 with just 40 attendees, the event has grown into the premier strategy forum for senior executives, technology...
What’s New to Streaming This Weekend: April 10, 2026
This weekend’s streaming slate adds Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel “The Testaments,” continuing the Gilead storyline, and Tubi’s full three‑season run of the post‑apocalyptic series “Snowpiercer.” The Criterion Channel highlights a curated lineup of classic corporate thrillers, while Netflix...
Futuresource: Global SVOD Subscriptions Reach 2.2 Billion, Consumer Spending at $150 Billion
Futuresource Consulting reports that global streaming video‑on‑demand (SVOD) subscriptions have reached 2.2 billion, generating roughly $150 billion in consumer spending. The firm projects 2.6 billion subscribers by 2030, driven more by pricing discipline, bundling, distribution partnerships and strategic content investment than by pure...
Stephen King Thinks This Sci-Fi Anthology Series Is Scarier Than The Twilight Zone
Stephen King argues that the 1960s sci‑fi anthology *The Outer Limits* is scarier than Rod Serling’s iconic *The Twilight Zone*. In his book *Danse Macabre*, King calls *The Outer Limits* the best horror anthology ever on network TV, citing its clear...
Live From The Grand National: ITV Sport Production Ready to Give Viewers the Ride of Their Life
ITV Sport Production is gearing up for the Grand National, deploying a 50‑camera rig that includes drones, helicopters, and depth‑of‑field units to deliver crystal‑clear coverage of the world’s most‑watched steeplechase. The three‑day event, which attracts 500‑800 million viewers globally and peaked...
Two Big New Universal Movies Jumping to Netflix in May 2026
Universal will shift two high‑profile titles, *The Black Phone 2* and *Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie*, to Netflix US in May 2026 after four‑month Peacock runs. Each film will enjoy a 10‑month exclusive streaming window before returning to Peacock for the final...
Calamities: Prime Video Gives Straight-to-Series Order for Crime Thriller
Amazon’s Prime Video has green‑lit a straight‑to‑series order for “Calamities,” a Texas‑set crime thriller created by David Weil. The series follows a small‑town sheriff, a hit woman, an eager FBI agent, and a cartel sect after a violent drug deal....
‘MotoAmerica Superbike’ Moves To Vice TV for 2026 Season
MotoAmerica Superbike will air on Vice TV beginning April 18‑19, 2026, marking the series’ 50th anniversary. The partnership with V10 Entertainment brings nine Superbike rounds and a total of 20 races to the network, reaching an estimated 40 million U.S. households....
A Conversation With John Papola
John Papova, creator of the viral "Dad Saves America" video, sat down for a three‑hour conversation with Racket staff about the media’s slide toward propaganda and elitism. He argues that modern journalism schools, which transformed the field from a trade...
‘Family Feud’ Joins WVTM Birmingham Weekday Lineup
Hearst Television’s NBC affiliate WVTM in Birmingham is adding the Steve Harvey‑hosted *Family Feud* to its weekday lineup beginning Sept. 7. The game show will air at 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., sandwiched between a refreshed midday block featuring Tamron Hall, NBC...
Inside the Stream: Interview With Wurl’s EMEA GM on Sports and FASTs
Wurl’s EMEA general manager Keith Bedford told the Inside the Stream podcast that free‑ad‑supported streaming TV (FAST) offers a sizable, untapped opportunity for live sports. He highlighted early success stories where European broadcasters and sports rights holders have launched FAST...
Cinema Screen Quota Plan for Local Movies Splits Film Industry
Indonesia’s House of Representatives Commission VII is weighing a mandatory screen‑quota law to guarantee exhibition time for locally produced movies amid concerns that foreign blockbusters dominate cinema schedules. The proposal has split the industry: independent producers argue quotas would give...
Syracuse University Wants to Be Where the Creator Economy Goes to College
In September 2025 Syracuse University unveiled the nation’s first Center for the Creator Economy, a joint effort between the Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Whitman School of Management. The center does not grant a standalone degree but offers...
NAB 2026: Telos Alliance and Ip-Studio to Demonstrate STUDIO ZERO
Telos Alliance and ip‑studio are showcasing STUDIO ZERO, a fully cloud‑hosted virtual studio, at NAB Show 2026. First unveiled in 2023, the platform now bundles Telos’s VXs VoIP phone system, Axia Altus console, Infinity VIP intercom, Omnia Forza and Enterprise 9s processors...
Uma Thurman to Reprise "Captivating" Role in "Brilliantly-Executed" Spin-Off to Beloved Crime Drama
Uma Thurman is returning as Charley Brown for season 2 of the Paramount+ crime drama Dexter: Resurrection, a spin‑off that has already earned a 95% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 9.0/10 rating on IMDb. The series also announced veteran...
March Google Core Update Brings Modest Gains for News Websites
Google rolled out its March 2026 core algorithm update between March 27 and April 8, aiming to surface more relevant content. Sistrix data shows modest visibility gains for top news brands – The Guardian (+9.0 points) and Money Saving Expert...
The Creator Who Paid for the Product: Dan Lovatt on What Builds a Real Brand Partnership
Interior designer Dan Lovatt formalized a long‑term ambassadorship with COAT, a climate‑positive paint brand, after a year of buying and recommending the product out of his own pocket. The partnership, built on genuine product use, shared values and minimal briefs,...
Study Links Kids' Screen Time to Junk‑Food Cravings as AAP Guidelines Remain 2016 Standard
Researchers highlighted in an NPR‑backed interview say prolonged screen use triggers dopamine pathways that increase cravings for ultra‑processed snacks. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ most recent screen‑time guidance, published in 2016, still serves as the benchmark for parents.
Apple TV+’s “Outcome” Stirs Debate with Mixed Reviews for Reeves‑Hill Satire
Apple TV+ launched the satirical comedy "Outcome" on April 10, 2026, starring Keanu Reeves as a beloved star facing blackmail and Jonah Hill as his crisis lawyer. The film has drawn polarized reviews, with praise for Reeves’ performance and criticism...
Stanify’s Hank Leber on Turning Brand Comment Sections Into Business Intelligence Tools
Stanify, a Los Angeles‑based AI startup founded in 2025, automates brand comment and direct‑message management across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. In its first ten months the platform processed close to three million comments for enterprise clients in CPG, gaming,...
K-FESTA to Debut in Palm Springs as First U.S. K-Beauty Festival Built Around Creator Partnerships
K‑FESTA, the first U.S. Korean‑beauty festival, launches April 11‑12, 2026 in Palm Springs, timed with Coachella. The two‑day event places global beauty creators at its core, letting them lead live demos, brand activations, and content‑driven storytelling. Twelve Korean brands across skincare, cosmetics,...
How 8 Episodes a Year Built One of Podcasting’s Most Expensive Advertising Inventories
Acquired, the business‑history podcast hosted by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal, limits itself to eight deep‑dive episodes a year, a scarcity strategy that has enabled it to command presenting sponsorships up to $6.5 million through Fall 2029. Each episode attracts over one...
Thriller Author Freida McFadden Unveils Real Identity as Dr. Sara Cohen
Bestselling thriller writer Freida McFadden disclosed that she is actually Dr. Sara Cohen, a physician who treats brain disorders. The revelation, made in a USA Today interview, ends a long‑standing speculation about the author’s true identity and raises questions about pseudonym...
Every Orville Character Played By The Cast Of Seth MacFarlane's Ted
Seth MacFarlane has populated his 2024 Peacock prequel series for Ted with several actors who previously appeared on his sci‑fi comedy The Orville. The crossover includes MacFarlane himself as Captain Ed Mercer, Max Burkholder as Tomilin, Scott Grimes as Malloy,...
Digital Platform Ripe in Town Launches Brand Partnership Program to Connect Advertisers With Australian Travel Audiences
ripe in Town, a digital platform spotlighting regional Australian food, stays and travel, has unveiled a brand partnership program aimed at advertisers targeting regional travel audiences. The offering includes branded guides, integrated campaigns, content series, sponsored features and directory placements...
Amazon to End Support for Pre‑2013 Kindle E‑Readers, Affecting 8 Models
Amazon announced that on May 20, 2026 it will discontinue Kindle Store access for all devices released before 2013, covering eight legacy models. The move bars users from buying, borrowing or downloading new titles, prompting criticism over device longevity, ecosystem...
RHEI Overhauls Made Platform With Proactive AI Agents to Eliminate Creator Blank-Page Problem
RHEI has rolled out a major overhaul of its Made platform, shifting from a prompt‑driven tool to a proactive AI assistant that surfaces personalized content ideas as soon as creators log in. The update introduces five dedicated AI agents—Milo, Zara,...
The Tightrope Walk of Democratic Defense: Lessons From Taiwan’s Platform Governance Challenge
Taiwan’s 2023 ban on Chinese social app RedNote highlighted the clash between democratic safeguards and the need to counter Chinese information manipulation. The ban drew criticism for its narrow justification, limited effectiveness, and perceived disproportionality, exposing a governance trilemma of...
Thai Randolph Launches NILE & Co., Acquiring BuzzFeed’s As/Is and Goodful Brands
Thai Randolph, former CEO of Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat, announced the launch of NILE & Co., a content and commerce platform for cultural creators. The new venture has already purchased BuzzFeed’s As/Is and Goodful brands, signaling an aggressive growth strategy for...
Meet the Inaugural Cohort of the Communiqué Editorial Bootcamp
The Communiqué Editorial Bootcamp launched its inaugural cohort to address a gap in African journalism that often stops at event reporting and neglects the economic and structural forces behind stories. After a competitive selection process, 15 journalists and storytellers from...
Cumulus Reports $200M Loss for 2025 as Chapter 11 Continues
Cumulus Media reported a $200.7 million net loss for 2025, an improvement over the $283.3 million loss in 2024. Total revenue fell 10.3 % to $741.7 million, with the fourth quarter down 14 % year‑over‑year. The results were released five weeks after the company filed...
AI Won’t Fix Advertising – It May Scale Its Chaotic Nature
Industry hype suggests AI will solve advertising’s chronic inefficiencies, but the article argues otherwise. The core problem is a fragmented ecosystem of disconnected platforms, siloed data, and inconsistent measurement that AI cannot fix on its own. Adding generative AI merely...
Cumulus Media’s Q4 2025 Revenue Down 14%
Cumulus Media reported a 14% drop in Q4 2025 net revenue to $188 million and a 10.3% decline for the full year, ending 2025 with $741.6 million in revenue. Broadcast revenue fell 22.2% to $116.2 million, while digital revenue slipped 1.9% to $151.3 million....
Creators, Commentators, or Publishers: Liability Remains the Same
Independent political commentators on YouTube have embraced the "creator" identity, but the legal label does not shield them. Courts treat their videos as publications, applying the same defamation standards that govern traditional broadcasters. The absence of FCC oversight removes a...
Google Tops IPL 19 Charts as Advertiser Count Falls 31%
Google emerged as the leading advertiser in IPL 2026, commanding 13% of TV ad volume across the first 13 matches. The tournament saw a 31% drop in the number of advertisers, falling to just over 45, and a 22% reduction...
Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (April 6-10)
Talk radio monitoring service TALKERS released its weekly ranking of the most discussed topics on news and talk stations for April 6‑10. The list was led by geopolitical tension surrounding Iran’s cease‑fire talks and Israel’s strikes in Lebanon, followed by volatile...
Write a Book in 30 Days: 7 Simple Steps
Want to write your first book by next month? Here's how (in 7 simple steps): I can now write an entire 228-page book in 30 days. After self-publishing 11 books, I developed a simple process. Here's my 7-step framework:
Preview of the 63rd Edition of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
The 63rd Bologna Children’s Book Fair returns April 13‑16, gathering over 1,500 publishing professionals from 90 countries under the theme “Together We Are Better.” Illustration remains central, with more than 4,000 artists submitting work for the flagship Illustrators Exhibition, which will...
Bookstorm, an Illustration Project in Nigeria That Grew Out of a Partnership with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
Bookstorm is a two‑year illustration project founded by Nigerian poet Lola Shoneyin, emerging from a partnership with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and Milan’s Mimaster illustration school. It aims to train writers and illustrators to produce 100 children’s books reflecting Nigerian...
More Editing Time Improves Book Quality, Even If Incomplete
It won’t solve the problem, but ensuring that book editors have ample time to thoroughly edit every single book on their lists would help. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/10/books/shy-girl-ai-publishing.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Z1A.zfqa.TrX6ekhPfrGj&smid=nytcore-ios-share
Amy Goodman’s 30‑Year Blueprint for Independent Journalism
Amy Goodman has spent 30 years staying true to her vision of what good journalism looks like—and she's created a blueprint for indie media in the process: https://t.co/TExp9NpWpM
Is The Pitt Coming Back for Season 3?
HBO Max has officially renewed the medical drama *The Pitt* for a third season, with both Season 2 and Season 3 expected to debut in 2027. The series recently released a two‑minute teaser for the Season 2 finale, highlighting lead character Dr. Robby’s...
Spotify
Spotify's new video controls allow you to disable Canvas videos, music videos, and other visual content for an audio-first experience. https://t.co/QGMHsz8LJP
Top Must‑Watch Shows and New Films This Weekend
From returning hit shows to a couple of intriguing new films, here's what you'll want to watch this weekend. https://t.co/rqdc5bjAwV
“The Luxury to Say ‘No’”: Talking with Children’s Author Maria Dadouch
Maria Dadouch, a prolific author of more than 80 Arabic children’s books, won the 2022 Sheikh Zayed Book Award for her novel “The Mystery of the Glass Ball.” The prize elevated her profile, allowing her to serve on award juries and champion...
Cheaper YouTube Premium Could End Ad‑blocker Usage
Does YouTube realize that the way to get people to *stop* using ad blockers is to make Premium subscriptions *cheaper*? https://t.co/X0ul6PjsvP
Discussing Strait of Hormuz on CNN with Laura Coates
My appearance last night on @CNN with @thelauracoates talking about the Strait of Hormuz. https://t.co/8c9CNwMekq
YouTube Premium Just Got a Price Hike, and It's Not a Small One
YouTube Premium announced a U.S. price increase across all tiers effective next month. The individual plan climbs to $15.99 per month, the family plan to $26.99, and the student plan to $8.99. Annual subscriptions rise to $159.99, while the company...
Questioning Newspapers Publishing Dangerous Anti‑Vax Op‑eds
Just curious, would a local newspaper allow an area anti-vax crusader to publish an op-ed that claimed vaccines are killing children? Because, claiming that an NFL team is an economic driver is no more reasonable. https://t.co/sBgRmlQSAX