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.
Ausha Expands Its Growth Suite with Paid Visibility Ads on Spotify and YouTube – Open to All
Ausha announced the beta launch of Ausha Visibility Ads, a paid promotion tool that lets podcasters run campaigns directly on Spotify and YouTube. The solution builds on Ausha’s existing Podcast Search Optimization technology and incorporates Base for Creators’ ad‑tech platform. It offers a guided, click‑through setup that requires no prior advertising expertise and provides real‑time performance tracking. The feature is open to all podcasters, with additional support for Ausha Pro users, expanding the company’s growth suite beyond organic discovery.
NFL Media Rights Surge: Mini‑Packages, Streaming, Flag League Prospects
NEW PODCAST: The guest is Ben Fischer of @sportsbusinessjournal Topics: How pricey will the NFL get in the future for media companies? The latest on on the four-game mini-package and distributor for the NFL's Melbourne game; teams being able to...
Tagboard Names Marty Roberts CEO as Nathan Peterson Steps Down
Tagboard, the Redmond‑based platform for live social‑media content, named longtime COO Marty Roberts its new chief executive, replacing departing CEO Nathan Peterson. Roberts brings startup experience from Wicket Labs, while Peterson leaves to pursue a lifelong dream after steering the...
Winners & Losers | Below Deck Bondi & the Audacity of Joy
The post critiques the Trump administration’s escalating rhetoric toward Iran, noting recent threats of large‑scale attacks and the broader climate of uncertainty. It highlights Pam Bondi’s abrupt dismissal as Florida Attorney General, framing her tenure as a political performance rather...
Longer Threads Reduce Theft, Boost Meaningful Dialogue
People are shady as fuck out here on Threads. I have seen SO much content just get swiped and stolen with no credit given to the original creator. Most of that content? Quick, funny, insightful one-liners. Yeah, they hit. Yeah,...
Digible Teams with Engrain to Bring All‑In Pricing to Multifamily Ads
Digible, a leading multifamily marketing agency, and Engrain, a data‑visualization platform, announced an integration that feeds all‑in rent and fee data into paid media. The move gives renters clearer cost information and helps operators meet emerging transparency rules while preserving...
The 10 Fastest-Growing U.S. Instagram Accounts of March 2026
March 2026 saw a surge of Instagram follower gains among U.S. celebrities and brands, led by Megan Fox’s 2.8 million new followers after a high‑profile comeback. Event‑driven accounts such as Jason Derulo, Alysa Liu, and “The Tonight Show” each added over a million followers,...
Netflix Steps Into the Ring with Domino's and Sky Vegas for First UK Live Boxing Broadcast
Netflix is launching its first UK live‑boxing broadcast, teaming with Domino’s and Sky Vegas to air the heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Arslanbek Makhmudov. The bout marks Fury’s return from retirement, generating significant buzz across sports and entertainment markets. By...
Beasley’s Delayed Q4, FY 2025 Results Reflect Sharp Downturn
Beasley Media Group, the publicly traded radio broadcaster, released its delayed Q4 and full‑year 2025 results, revealing a sharp revenue downturn. The company has already sold its Naples‑area stations and is negotiating a Transaction Support Agreement that offers an exchange...
Research: Gen Alpha Leads Shift to AI-Powered Entertainment Search
Gracenote’s report shows AI chatbots are reshaping how Gen Alpha discovers TV and movies, with 80% of 13‑14‑year‑olds using them daily and 49% naming chatbots as their top recommendation source. Overall chatbot usage rose 66% in the past year, outpacing...
ESPN Delivers Stellar 2025-26 Women's College Basketball Campaign
ESPN’s coverage of the 2025‑26 women’s college basketball season culminated in a championship game that attracted 9.9 million viewers, a 15% rise over the prior year and the third‑most‑watched title on its networks. The tournament averaged 1.3 million viewers across 58 games,...
OpenAI Shutters Sora: A Win for Meta Platforms Amid a Rocky Stretch
OpenAI announced the shutdown of its Sora short‑form video app, citing unsustainable economics after a brief surge of downloads in late 2025. The AI‑only platform cost roughly $5.4 billion annually in compute while generating only $2.1 million in revenue, leading to a...
TikTok Plans Second Billion-Dollar Data Centre in Finland in Move to Store European User Data Locally
TikTok will spend €1 billion (about $1.16 billion) to build a second data centre in Lahti, Finland, adding to its European data‑sovereignty programme. The site will launch with 50 MW of power, scalable to 128 MW, and is slated for operation by 2027. The...
"She Had Work to Do": Handmaid's Tale Character Makes Surprise Cameo in New Spin-Off The Testaments
The Disney+ spin‑off The Testaments, based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel, debuted with a surprise cameo by Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne. The first three episodes follow the Commanders’ daughters, especially Agnes MacKenzie and Canadian student Daisy, as they confront...
Matter of Fact: The Two Audience Problem
Brands targeting Gen Alpha now face a dual‑gatekeeping challenge: they must appeal to kids while satisfying parental safety concerns. Only 25% of Gen Alpha trust social‑media ads, yet 95% of parents first encounter new brands through their children. Gen Alpha directly controls about...
Inch's Animated Ad Shows an Apple's Journey From Pip to Sip
Inch unveiled an animated television spot that follows an apple from seed (pip) to a finished beverage (sip). The commercial was produced by creative agency Otherway and emphasizes the brand’s focus on natural, fruit‑derived ingredients. The animation uses a whimsical...
Trump Attacks On Public Media Blocked By Judge (But It’s Too Little, Too Late)
A federal judge issued a permanent injunction blocking President Trump’s executive order that stripped the Corporation for Public Broadcasting of its $1.1 billion budget for FY 2026‑27, effectively defunding PBS and NPR. The order had already forced CPB to vote for dissolution...
Firefighter Drama Series ‘Rescue Me’ Set to Hit Netflix in International Regions
All seven seasons of the FX drama *Rescue Me* will debut on Netflix across Canada, Israel, India, South Africa, the Nordic countries, the Czech Republic and mainland Europe starting April 26, 2026. The series, praised for its raw post‑9/11 storytelling, remains exclusive...
MediaRadar Launches the First Market-Level View of the Advertising Ecosystem for Media Owners
MediaRadar introduced Market Intelligence, the first market‑level view of the advertising ecosystem designed for media owners. The platform delivers real‑time visibility across streaming, digital, social and traditional channels, building on its Competitive and Commercial Intelligence solutions. Early adopters, including SiriusXM,...
Journalism's Invisible Labour: The Price of Managing Reader Relationships
The article exposes relationship management—answering sources, correcting errors, handling reader feedback—as a core but invisible labor for journalists that consumes significant time and emotional energy. Recent research shows reporters view this work as essential branding and credibility work, not a...
X Is Rolling Out Automatic Translation and Photo Editing Powered by Grok
X is deploying AI‑driven automatic translation for posts worldwide and launching a new iOS photo editor that accepts natural‑language prompts. Both features run on xAI’s Grok models, letting users toggle translation per language and edit images with commands like “make...
Roku Is Expanding Its Instant Resume Feature to More Streaming Services, Getting You Right Back Into Your Show Or Movie...
Roku is rolling out a sweeping update to its app certification criteria, mandating Instant Resume for high‑traffic apps on Roku TVs and Players starting October 1, 2026. The changes also extend Continue Watching to qualifying apps outside the United States and require...
Beehiiv Article Links Missing Dofollow Attribute, Why?
I wrote articles on @beehiiv with links but they aren't dofollow backlink. Which is weird as I have seen many websites with dofollow backlink from beehiiv posts. Any idea why? Did I do something wrong?
Op-Eds Don't Define Media Brand Values, Says Critic
I find this Oltermann piece unhelpful to media literacy. A news brand running op-eds by Orban or Musk doesn’t impugn company or the CEO’s values. And supporting America doesn’t mean any specific admin especially current one. I liked Axel Springer’s...
Silverpush’s Paul Briggs on Navigating YouTube and Using Contextual to Regain Visibility and Control
Silverpush’s Paul Briggs emphasizes that video now accounts for over 80% of internet traffic, making it a full‑funnel performance driver. He argues that contextual intelligence can map real‑time content intent to deliver ads at the precise moment of user engagement,...
Gen Z Exploited by Sports Betting Ads, Concerns Ignored
Gen Z will learn like all generations do, that your main concerns will not be addressed. Instead they will be exploited Gen Z is getting bombarded with sports gambling and prediction market ads as the powers that be suck them...
Meta's New Attribution Inflates Conversions by 30‑35%
Meta’s over attribution over performance the last 2 weeks has been absolutely horrendous. Some of the worse case brands are showing 30-35% more conversions on Meta than is being shown on Shopify. Truly feels like they broke something when updating the attribution.
The 1970s Craze that Transformed VW Beetles Into Moving Adverts
In the early 1970s Charles E. Bird launched Beetleboards, turning VW Beetles into mobile billboards for brands like Levi's. Owners received roughly one‑sixth of a car’s $3,000 value—about $480 over two years—in exchange for stickered ads. The model expanded to...
Anchor's Month-Long Vanish and CNN's Bill
TV Q&A: Why did a @KDKA anchor/reporter disappear for a month? What was up with the rude @CNN listing for Bill Maher’s show? Via @TribLIVE https://t.co/RaDfCmCmxT https://t.co/DjJQCzdDEO
Samba TV and TiVo Strike UK CTV Advertising Partnership
Samba TV and TiVo have launched a strategic partnership in the United Kingdom, effective April 1, to combine Samba's cross‑platform audience intelligence with TiVo's owned‑and‑operated CTV inventory. The deal makes TiVo Samba's preferred managed‑service advertising partner and positions Samba as the...
Hulu Orders 50 Cent Documentary Series
Hulu has commissioned a three‑part documentary series that chronicles rapper‑turned‑entrepreneur 50 Cent’s evolution from Queens street hustler to global cultural icon. The untitled series will examine his influence across music, business ventures, and film, offering an intimate portrait of his legacy....
Greece to Ban Social Media for Under-15s From Next Year
Greece announced a nationwide ban on social‑media access for anyone under 15, set to take effect in January 2025. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis framed the measure as a response to rising anxiety, sleep disturbances, and the addictive design of platforms....
BBC Found in Breach over BAFTAs Slur Broadcast
The BBC was found to have breached its editorial standards after a racial slur shouted by Tourette’s activist John Davidson aired during the live BAFTA Film Awards. The word was not removed from the delayed broadcast on BBC One, nor...
Avoid Manual Triggers That Cause AI Content Spikes
Scaling AI-generated content for AEO/GEO purposes? "Mt. AI" can result from an algorithmic drop or a drop from a manual action. See below what the manual action could look like. You don't want this. You really don't want this. :)...
YouTube TV Removes MS Now From Its Website, But It’s Still There if You Want It. Here Is Where You...
Potential subscribers noticed that MS NOW, the rebranded MSNBC, no longer appears on YouTube TV’s public channel list. Despite the omission, the network remains available in any YouTube TV package that includes news, such as the $82.99 comprehensive plan or...
Private View: Tesco Mobile, M&S, KFC, Channel 4, McDonald's and Plenty
VCCP and Uncommon Creative Studio teamed up for a "Private View" session, dissecting the newest television and digital spots from Tesco Mobile, M&S, KFC, Channel 4, McDonald’s and the fintech startup Plenty. The critique highlighted each brand’s narrative choices, visual execution,...
EXCLUSIVE: King Charles’s Team Pressured Media to Exaggerate ‘Good News’ About His Cancer
A veteran royal correspondent claims the Buckingham Palace pressured journalists to portray King Charles's cancer treatment as more positive than warranted in December. The reporter, known as “Jobbo,” alleges that palace spokespeople explicitly instructed media to label any update as...
How to Watch the 2026 Paris-Roubaix Online for Free
The 2026 edition of the Paris‑Roubaix classic will take place on April 12 and can be watched for free via national broadcasters SBS On Demand in Australia, RTBF in Belgium, France TV, and RaiPlay in Italy. Because these streams are geo‑restricted, viewers...
Teads Expands Commitment to Inventory Quality & Safety Through Partnership with NewsGuard
Teads announced an expanded partnership with NewsGuard to apply the latter’s human‑vetted reliability ratings across its global ad marketplace. The move covers English, French, German and Italian‑language sites in key markets such as the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany and...
Major Brands Back Tesco Premium Video Ad Placements
Diageo and PepsiCo have endorsed Tesco Media's new premium video ad placements after successful trials, highlighting the formats' ability to drive brand awareness at a crucial consideration stage. The Grocery Homepage slot reaches over 12 million unique monthly visitors, while the...
EXCLUSIVE: NBC STAFF TOLD TO GIVE SAVANNAH GUTHRIE SPACE — EVEN AS SUPPORT POURS IN
NBC staff have been instructed to give anchor Savannah Guthrie space while remaining professional after her recent return. Colleagues are expressing strong emotional support, but management has set clear boundaries to keep interactions appropriate. The directive emphasizes kindness without overwhelming...
The Trade Desk Disrupted?
The Trade Desk (TTD) remains the dominant independent demand‑side platform, offering the widest, high‑quality inventory across connected TV, audio, and mobile. Its new OpenPath feature connects advertisers directly with publishers, bypassing traditional SSP fees, while AI‑driven campaign setup lowers barriers...
Student Newspapers Still Dominate Campuses. This Newsletter Shows What Else Is Possible.
Tomo Chien, a 22‑year‑old USC journalism student, created “Morning, Trojan,” a weekday email newsletter that now reaches about 12,000 subscribers with a 70 % open rate. The publication mixes hard‑news exclusives—such as USC’s mass layoffs—with campus humor, and is funded solely...
From Segments to States: Evolving Audience Modelling for 2026
The article argues that traditional audience segmentation is no longer sufficient for brand experience leaders, who need to shift toward dynamic, state‑based audience models by 2026. It highlights the rise of real‑time data, AI‑driven behavioral signals, and contextual cues that...
What To Watch Wednesday: The Boys' End Begins, Testaments Premiere, Shrinking Finale, And More
Prime Video kicks off the final season of "The Boys" with two midnight episodes, marking the series’ swan song. Hulu launches "The Testaments," a TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s sequel to "The Handmaid's Tale," introducing a new generation of characters...
This News Company Built Its Database on Its Editorial Chops
ImpactAlpha, the impact‑investing news outlet, launched ImpactAlpha Edge, a subscription‑based data and insights platform that converts a decade of editorial reporting into an actionable intelligence database. Priced at $6,995 per year, the service aggregates roughly 2,100 limited‑partner and general‑partner profiles,...
‘A Statement That Probably Needed to Be Made’
A federal judge ruled that Executive Order 14290, which defunded the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and cut federal money to NPR, PBS and tribal stations like KSUT, violated the First Amendment. The decision, brought by KSUT, Colorado Public Radio, Aspen...
‘We Have to Identify Where We Are Adding Human Value’
Journalists are grappling with AI as both a productivity boost and an ethical minefield. Recent incidents—Fortune editor Nick Lichtenberg’s 600 AI‑generated stories, a New York Times column that borrowed AI‑crafted text, and a plagiarized book review—highlight misuse, while Craig Newmark School’s Jeremy...
Leyra Selected by RÚV for Smart TV Streaming Rollout
Icelandic public broadcaster RÚV has chosen Leyra's OTT platform for its new smart‑TV streaming service on Samsung and LG devices. Leyra, a joint venture of Accedo and Magine Pro, will deliver live and on‑demand TV and radio with full Icelandic language...
Channel 4 Scraps Bake Off Episode Starring Scott Mills
Channel 4 announced it will not broadcast a Celebrity Great British Bake Off episode featuring DJ Scott Mills, citing the seriousness of historic sexual allegations that led to his BBC dismissal. The network will replace the slot with an alternative celebrity episode. Mills...