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.
IShowSpeed Anime Series in Development at Big Shot Pictures, ‘One Piece’ Showrunner Matt Owens to Write
YouTube star iShowSpeed is set to headline an original anime‑style series being developed by Big Shot Pictures, the new production company founded by former Paramount Global co‑CEO Brian Robbins. Veteran writer Matt Owens, who co‑showran Netflix’s One Piece, will write and produce the show alongside Robbins, with indie filmmaker Harmony Korine also attached as a producer. The project leverages iShowSpeed’s 52 million‑subscriber base and comes as Big Shot Pictures secures a first‑look theatrical deal with Sony Pictures, signaling strong studio backing for creator‑driven IP.
How Sam Levinson Weighed ‘Choices and Consequences’ in ‘Euphoria’ Season 3
Sam Levinson’s fourth‑year return with Euphoria Season 3 arrives on April 12, 2024, featuring a wider aspect ratio and a new musical direction led by Oscar‑winner Hans Zimmer. The season tackles grief and the fentanyl crisis, inspired by the tragic deaths of cast...
2026 Cycle: Video Consumption & Reach Report
Cross Screen Media’s new 2026 Cycle Video Consumption & Reach Report projects political video advertising to surpass $11.2 billion during the upcoming election cycle. The analysis shows streaming services have overtaken linear television in viewership, though the shift varies regionally. It...
Tyler Perry’s Divorced Sistas: Paramount+ to Release New Episodes of Drama Series
Tyler Perry’s Divorced Sistas returns on Paramount+ with the second half of its first season. The eight‑episode conclusion launches April 15 with two episodes, then rolls out weekly through May 27. The series, which debuted on BET+, follows five Black women navigating post‑marriage life...
Hacks Celebrates Itself
Hacks returns for a fifth season that keeps its intergenerational friendship while shifting its satire from Hollywood insiders to the broader forces of media consolidation and free‑speech suppression. Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder’s Ava Daniels remain united from...
Pitch Update: Netflix, Microsoft, Volkswagen, Vodafone, Irn-Bru, Saga, Wingstop, IG and More
Campaign’s weekly Pitch Update highlighted fresh advertising pitches and wins across a diverse set of brands, including Netflix, Microsoft, Volkswagen, Vodafone, Irn‑Bru, Saga, Wingstop and IG. The roundup signals intensified competition for creative talent as agencies vie for high‑profile accounts...
Unmasking Anonymity Offers No Real Benefit
This started as a simple question. Why do we feel the need to unmask people who have chosen anonymity? The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I became with the answers I was coming up with. As someone who spent years...
AI Writing Is a Tool, Not a Talentless Shortcut
Using AI to write isn’t always wrong and other heresies If you use AI to help with your writing, are you a talentless hack? Perhaps. But I don't think the connection is as direct as some would like to make it....
YouTube Launches Unskippable 90-Second Ads
Google’s YouTube is rolling out mandatory 90‑second ads for viewers using the platform on smart TVs, replacing the traditional skippable format. The move follows a March announcement about unskippable 30‑second spots and aligns with YouTube’s goal to treat TV viewers...
ENCO Takes aiTrack Into the Cloud
ENCO announced that its aiTrack workflow is now a fully cloud‑native, automation‑agnostic platform, accessible through any web browser. The upgrade lets broadcasters generate, customize and schedule AI‑driven audio segments for both live and automated programming without the constraints of traditional...
Government Project: Why We Revived This Lost Classic
Senior fellow Kevin Kosar partnered with AEI Press to revive Edward C. Banfield’s 1951 classic *Government Project*, issuing a new paperback in December 2024. The book, a detailed case study of the New Deal‑era Casa Grande Valley Farms cooperative, quickly...
League of Legends KeSPA Cup Air Date Announced: When to Watch
Disney+ has secured global live‑stream rights for the 2026 League of Legends KeSPA Cup, expanding its partnership with the Korea Esports Association beyond Asia‑only distribution. The tournament, traditionally an off‑season showcase for LCK teams, featured a ₩100 million (~$68,000) prize pool...
CBS News to Present "Artemis II Return to Earth" A One-Hour Special, Friday, April 10
CBS News will broadcast a live, one‑hour special titled “Artemis II Return to Earth” on Friday, April 10, from 7:30‑8:30 PM ET. Anchor Jericka Duncan will be joined by astronaut Suni Williams, Lt. Col. Dave Mahan and other reporters from New York, Houston, Washington, D.C., and San Diego. The program...
Instagram Expands Its Movie-Inspired Content Restrictions for Teens Internationally
Instagram announced it will apply its teen‑content restrictions, modeled on 13+ movie ratings, to all markets worldwide. The policy limits exposure to extreme violence, sexual nudity, graphic drug use, strong language, risky stunts and marijuana paraphernalia, and adds a “Limited...
M.I.A.: Peacock Unveils Premiere Date, Photos and Trailer for Crime Drama
Peacock announced that its new crime drama series M.I.A. will premiere on May 7, delivering a nine‑episode run. The show stars Shannon Gisela, Cary Elwes, Danay Garcia, Brittany Adebumola and a supporting cast, following protagonist Etta Tiger Jonze as she confronts Miami’s neon‑lit underworld...
YETI Natural Selection Ski Returns to Alaska in 2026 with Elite Backcountry Lineup
YETI Natural Selection Ski is back in Alaska for 2026, assembling the sport’s top freeride and freestyle athletes for a one‑day, weather‑dependent competition on raw backcountry terrain. The event blends big‑mountain skiing with cutting‑edge broadcast tech, highlighting a shift toward...
LoopMe Launches Chartboost Direct, Bringing Brands Into Mobile Apps to Drive Publisher Growth
LoopMe has unveiled Chartboost Direct, a brand‑focused SDK that lets mobile app publishers tap directly into brand demand without overhauling their ad tech stack. The solution offers direct pay, direct deals and marketplace deals, enabling real‑time transactions with premium brand...
HGTV Stars Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt Unveil 2026 Smart Home Prototype in Orlando
HGTV personalities Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt designed the 2026 HGTV Smart Home in Orlando, Florida, integrating the latest home‑automation technology. The couple, however, are ineligible to enter the contest that will award the fully furnished home to a viewer.
Federal Judge Signals Possible Block of Nexstar’s $6.2 Billion Tegna Acquisition
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley indicated he will issue a preliminary injunction to stop Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna. The move follows a lawsuit by California and seven other states alleging the merger would concentrate...
Snap's Health Ad Push Triggers 1.5% Stock Dip Amid Investor Skepticism
Snap unveiled a health‑centric advertising platform, but its shares fell 1.5% to $4.73 as investors questioned whether healthcare ad spend can become a lasting growth engine. The dip comes amid ongoing child‑safety lawsuits, an EU probe and activist pressure.
Disney to Cut 1,000 Jobs in Marketing Overhaul as New CEO Prepares to Take Helm
Disney announced a plan to eliminate about 1,000 marketing roles, representing under 1% of its 231,000‑strong workforce. The cuts are part of a broader cost‑reduction drive called Project Imagine, led by the incoming chief marketing officer, and come as the...
Paramount President Jeff Shell Resigns Amid Legal Fight as $111B Warner Bros. Discovery Merger Looms
Paramount Global President Jeff Shell quit his role and board seat to focus on a legal dispute with gambler R.J. Cipriani, just as the media giant finalizes a $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. The resignation adds uncertainty to a...
Americans Quit Subscription Streaming Services in Droves as Cost of Living Continues to Climb, Report Finds
A Deloitte 2026 Digital Media Trends report shows roughly 40% of Americans have reduced or canceled streaming subscriptions in the past three months as household budgets tighten. Price hikes from major platforms—Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu—have added $1 to $3 to...
AI-Generated Micro-Dramas Are Shaking up Entertainment in China
AI‑generated micro‑dramas are reshaping China’s entertainment scene by delivering two‑minute, animated episodes that blend traditional TV storytelling with scrollable social‑media formats. The series “Orange Cat Taoist Priest: Fighting the Zombie King” has already drawn half a million views, illustrating rapid...
Sony Pictures to Cut Hundreds of Jobs in Film, TV and Corporate Restructure
Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Ravi Ahuja announced a restructuring that will eliminate hundreds of positions across its film, television and corporate units. The cuts are framed as a strategic shift toward game‑based movies, anime and other high‑potential content, not a...
Clickable Caption Links Are Optional; Stick with Bio
Yes... there some people who have access to a new Instagram feature that allows them to have a clickable link in their caption. No... you don't need to change your entire strategy or freak out if you don't have the feature. We...
ReelShort Teams with AIS to Launch 5G Short‑Form Video Service in Thailand
ReelShort has struck a partnership with Thailand’s Advanced Info Service (AIS) to roll out a co‑branded 5G short‑form video add‑on priced at THB39 ($1.15) per month. The deal gives AIS’s 52 million customers ad‑free access to nearly 3,000 microdrama titles and...
Sci-Fi Show The Miniature Wife Underwhelms – Despite the Big Names
The Miniature Wife, a ten‑episode Peacock limited series starring Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen, adapts Manuel Gonzales’s 2014 short story about a scientist’s shrinking compound. While the premise taps into a long‑standing sci‑fi trope of miniature characters, critics argue the show’s pacing...
True-Crime Podcasts ‘Disgraceland’ and ‘Hollywoodland’ Join iHeartMedia Network Alongside ‘My Favorite Murder’
True‑crime host Jake Brennan’s podcasts “Disgraceland” and its spin‑off “Hollywoodland” are moving to Exactly Right Media, the network behind “My Favorite Murder,” which is partnered exclusively with iHeartMedia for sales, marketing and distribution. The shows, previously hosted on Audacy, will...
“We Were Defending the Underdogs a Lot of the Time”: Roisin Conaty and Sara Pascoe on Zero Stars
TLC UK’s new travel series *Zero Stars* premieres on 12 April 2026, starring comedians Roisin Conaty and Sara Pascoe. The duo visits destinations that have earned the lowest online reviews, delivering a comedic take on bad hotels, food and attractions. The launch...
LinkedIn’s Algorithmic Gatekeeping Makes It Low ROI
I will admit, I do a bit of a side eye when tech companies ask me about LinkedIn posts or lack thereof. LI seems sterile and slow and old. The LinkedIn editors determine what goes viral. In-context videos are suppressed...
Code in OpenAI’s Ads Manager Suggests the Company Is Building Conversion Tracking Into ChatGPT
OpenAI's internal ads manager code indicates the company is adding conversion‑tracking to ChatGPT, moving beyond its current impression‑only model. The system, codenamed “bazaar” and built on the “tapestry” infrastructure, hints at support for click‑ and conversion‑based campaigns. This development could...
Treat CTV as Video, Measure It Modernly
CTV isn’t just a channel anymore; it’s video. And if you’re still measuring it like traditional TV, you’re already behind. In Episode 2 of From Screen to Store, sponsored by @JamLoop , Tim Glover (EVP Media, USA Marketing Partners) joins AdTechGod...
Celebrate the First Annual Local News Day by Supporting Journalism in Your Community
The nonprofit Montana Free Press inaugurated the first annual Local News Day, a national call to reconnect audiences with trusted community outlets and empower newsrooms. The event is backed by major philanthropy such as Press Forward, The New York Times...
Podcasting on Substack
Julie Ciardi, a longtime podcaster, explains why audio should be a core business strategy and outlines five reasons—simplicity, trust, convenience, voice authority, and independence—from discovery to sales. She announces her move from Libsyn to Substack, citing the platform’s all‑in‑one distribution,...
SITI Networks Reports Rs 435.69 Million Loss Amid Insolvency Process
India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform WAVES posted a Rs 435.69 million (≈ $5.3 million) loss in FY 24‑25, with revenue of only Rs 2.90 crore (≈ $350 k). The service boasts 13,608 titles, 10 lakh users and extensive live‑event coverage, but its subscription flow requires an external website, creating...
Video: Paramount+ Releases Official Trailer for "My Killer Father: The Green Hollow Murders"
Paramount+ unveiled the trailer for the true‑crime docuseries “My Killer Father: The Green Hollow Murders,” set to debut all three episodes on April 28. The series follows a decades‑long investigation into the alleged “Monster of Green Hollow,” a serial killer...
Q&A: What Tucker Carlson’s Path Reveals About Where Journalism Is Headed
Jason Zengerle, author of a biography on Tucker Carlson, argues that Carlson’s trajectory from magazine writer to cable news star and MAGA leader exemplifies the erosion of traditional journalism. He warns that the collapse of local news and the rise...
5 Years Of ATT: What We’ve Learned, And What The Future Of iOS Performance Looks Like
Apple's AppTrackingTransparency (ATT) rollout in 2021 saw roughly 80% of iOS users block IDFA tracking, forcing marketers onto the aggregated SKAdNetwork (SKAN) and later Apple’s AdAttributionKit (AAK). The industry split between short‑term probabilistic workarounds and early SKAN‑centric optimization, with the...
LTN Rolls Out IP-Based Improvements as Broadcasters Shift Away From Satellite Delivery
LTN Global announced a suite of IP‑video network upgrades aimed at broadcasters moving away from satellite distribution. The enhancements target reliability, visibility, reach and operational control, adding adaptive error recovery, expanded analytics, and new gateway configurations that can handle up...
Clinch Bolsters North American Growth with Appointment of IPG Veteran Melvin Stern as VP
Clinch, an AI‑powered omnichannel advertising platform, announced the appointment of Melvin Stern as Vice President of Growth for North America. Stern arrives from IPG’s MediaBrands Content Studio after nearly two decades leading performance‑content initiatives for brands such as the NBA,...
Broker’s Call: Amagi Media Labs (Buy)
Anand Rathi Research initiates coverage of Amagi Media Labs with a Buy rating, setting a target of ₹450 (≈ $5.4) while the stock trades at ₹335.95 (≈ $4.0). The cloud‑based SaaS platform, which lets content owners launch and monetize internet channels, posted...
Even the Ultra-Rich Are Flocking to Podcasting
The urge to pod cannot be denied. Tech VCs and David Rubenstein are richer than god. What do they want to do in their enormously valuable spare time? Fire up a mic and pod. What does Jamie Dimon want to...
NYT Reports Ryan Grim's Tip, Omits His Credit
So @ryangrim put this on X a few days ago, which is why the New York Times had to report on it (without crediting Grim, of course.) Would they have reported it if it hadn't been for Grim? I doubt...
90‑second Non‑
A Reddit user is exposed to a 90-second, non-skippable YouTube ad in a 40-minute video on CTV. https://t.co/BukQnrjahx
Nicole Kidman's Overlooked Horror Film Returns on HBO Max
Nobody is more booked and busy than Nicole Kidman, but her deranged Amazon horror movie has been ridiculously overlooked — but it's making a comeback on HBO Max. https://t.co/6lBPGrA7T4
Louis Carr Unveils Bold Vision for BET's Future
Going inside the business of @BET with new President Louis Carr. He joined me on The Enterprise Zone at @Nasdaq. We talk restoring the Soul Train Awards, his new vision for the legacy cable network, and he reflects on growing...
Critic Targets Media Decisions; Canada, Denmark React
Found myself watching this because he took a shot at news media decision making but Canada and Denmark must have raised an eyebrow, too. https://t.co/kp8mE7yDE3
Journalist's Precise, Unbiased Answer Reveals Deep Implications
There is *a lot* in this answer when you consider the precision of the response of the journalist to not insert his own opinion, the range of possibilities and the consequences.
Sling TV Launches $20 ESPN Package, Cheapest Streaming Option
The Cheapest Way to Stream ESPN? Dish’s Sling TV Debuts $20 Monthly Package With ESPN, ESPN2 and Handful of Other TV Channels https://t.co/UR2QksO1Fs