Today's Media Pulse
Online video subscriptions hit 2.24 billion in 2025, overtaking pay‑TV revenue
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, surpassing pay‑TV's $170 billion for the first time. Growth is expected to slow to single‑digit levels in 2026 as operators focus on monetising existing users.
Also developing:
LG Uplus Exits Mobile Streaming to Focus on IPTV Services
LG Uplus announced it will discontinue its in‑house mobile streaming platform, U+ Mobile TV, by the end of May. The company will replace the service with a new offering tied to its IPTV infrastructure. This follows similar withdrawals by SK Telecom and Korea Telecom, effectively ending standalone mobile streaming operations by South Korean telcos. The shift underscores a strategic pivot toward fixed‑line video delivery.
Trust Is Not Enough: German Supreme Court Tightens Liability for Google Ads
The German Supreme Court reversed lower‑court rulings and held that a retailer can be liable for unlawful Google Ads under §8(2) of the Act against Unfair Competition (UWG). The court reasoned that the retailer’s cooperation agreement with Google constitutes an...
Here’s How to Break the Habit of Endlessly Scrolling
The article explains how infinite scroll—a design that continuously loads content—exploits human psychology to keep users hooked, eliminating natural stopping cues and feeding dopamine‑driven cravings. It highlights that algorithmic feeds make users feel they can never be "caught up," turning...
Bestads Best of the Week Reviewed by Benjamin Bregeault, Executive CD, Ogilvy Paris
Bestadsontv.com’s weekly roundup was reviewed by Benjamin Bregeault, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy Paris. The selections highlighted Griffin’s “Life Needs a Biscuit” as Best TV, SOS Oceano’s “No Blue, No Green” as Best Print, Dude Wipes’ “For Your” as Best Outdoor, and Boysen Paint’s “Boysen...
Liquid Death Lets Incrementality Decide What Tactics To Kill And What To Keep
Liquid Death, the metal‑themed canned water brand, has adopted Ibotta’s LiveLift platform to measure the incremental sales impact of its promotions in near real time. By comparing shoppers exposed to offers with a control group, the brand can identify which...
Who Needs ‘Corrosive Intermediaries’ Anyway?
The Ozone publisher alliance, founded by UK titles such as The Guardian and The Telegraph, is tackling the broken programmatic supply chain by pooling inventory and data to push back against what its COO Danny Spears calls “corrosive intermediaries.” Spears...
Who Needs ‘Corrosive Intermediaries’ Anyway?
Publishers are confronting a "perfect storm" of macroeconomic pressure, traffic declines, and AI‑driven search changes that threaten programmatic revenue. Ozone, a coalition of UK news brands such as The Guardian and The Telegraph, aims to counteract platform dominance by pooling...
‘The Testaments’ Bosses Break Down That Big ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Cameo: ‘How the Puzzle Fits Together’
Executive producers Bruce Miller and Warren Littlefield explain that Elisabeth Moss’s brief appearance as June Osborne in the premiere of “The Testaments” serves as the narrative bridge linking the new series to “The Handmaid’s Tale.” The spinoff, set four to...
The Creativity Trade-Off: What Marketers Risk Losing In The Age Of AI
AI has become ubiquitous in advertising, with 83% of ad executives now using it in creative workflows, up from 60% in 2024, and 86% of video‑ad buyers planning AI‑generated content. While generative tools accelerate idea prototyping, studies from Wharton and...
From Messages to Conversations: AI Agents Are Changing How We Find Culture
Web traffic is now dominated by machines, with AI bots accounting for over 10% of global visits and a 70% surge at ArtsJournal driven by bots. Traditional search is collapsing—Google queries are expected to drop 25% by 2026 as AI...
Google and Search Engines Opened the Door to Online Misinformation. AI Could Help Address That.
Google’s search engine architecture unintentionally amplified online misinformation by prioritizing engagement‑driven content. The piece argues that while generative AI is feared to worsen the problem, it also offers tools to elevate credentialed experts and improve factual consensus. By automating fact‑checking...
Who Is OpenAI’s Global Head of Ads, David Dugan?
David Dugan, a veteran of Meta’s advertising empire, has been appointed OpenAI’s global head of ads. His résumé includes leading Meta’s worldwide agency partnerships, selling BzzAgent to Tesco, and steering Havas Arnold Worldwide. OpenAI, which is burning cash as it...
TV Ratings (8/4/2026): MAFS Final Vows Capture The Nation
The Married At First Sight (MAFS) finale aired on Nine, drawing a national reach of 2,927,000 and an average audience of 1,804,000. The episode featured two break‑ups, a surprise girlfriend request, and the series’ first on‑air proposal when Philip asked...
60 Minutes Staff Fear Producer’s Ouster;
Inside "60 Minutes," the staff is anxious about the possibility the show's top producer might be thrown overboard. Meanwhile, Bari Weiss has raised The Free Press during discussions about the program.
U2 Drops Spiritual EP 'Easter Lily' With Brian Eno and Patti Smith Homage
U2 has issued the six‑track EP 'Easter Lily', featuring Brian Eno on the closing song and a Patti Smith‑inspired title. The release, timed for Good Friday, includes a digital Propaganda zine and signals the band's return ahead of a forthcoming full‑length album.
Experimental Weight‑loss Drug Retatrutide Sparks TikTok Alarm over Relationship Side‑effects
A TikTok video alleging that experimental obesity drug retatrutide dulls love and libido has gone viral, prompting users to share similar experiences. Researchers and clinicians warn that the drug’s impact on the brain’s reward system could have broader emotional consequences,...
Billy Bush Claims ABC News Ran 75‑Person Unit to Undermine Trump in 2016
Former “Today” co‑host Billy Bush told Sean Hannity’s podcast that ABC News maintained a 75‑person division dedicated to “getting” Donald Trump in the 2016 election. ABC, owned by Disney, declined to comment, while the claim revives past disputes between the...
HarperCollins Is Turning Authors’ Books Into AI YouTube Shorts
HarperCollins has signed a multiyear agreement with AI‑powered studio Toonstar to convert the publisher’s top‑selling titles into short‑form animated videos for YouTube. The partnership will generate a pipeline of AI‑driven YouTube Shorts designed to capture the attention of younger viewers...
AI and the Future of Journalism
Journalists at McClatchy, the Sacramento Bee, Miami Herald and Charlotte Observer are pushing back against AI‑generated bylines, calling the practice a betrayal. The New York Times' editorial union sent a letter demanding clearer, stricter AI standards after vague policies sparked...
Volkswagen Picks Agency to Lead Global Social Media Strategy
Volkswagen has selected Jung von Matt SPREE as its global social‑media lead agency, covering platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Threads and Facebook. The agency will advise the brand communications team, run headquarters’ channels, build communities, launch campaigns and...
‘High Potential’ Star Kaitlin Olson Breaks Down Season 2 Finale’s Deadly Cliffhanger
Kaitlin Olson discussed the Season 2 finale of Disney+’s thriller "High Potential," where Morgan discovers Nick Wagner gravely wounded after meeting an FBI informant, and learns Roman may be linked to a murder. Olson said Morgan blames herself for opening a...
Saturday TV Ratings 4/4/26: Saturday Night Live Rises As Jack Black Joins Five-Timers Club, The Ten Commandments Up From 2025,...
Saturday night television ratings for April 4, 2026 show a mixed performance across networks. NBC’s Saturday Night Live rebounded, posting a 0.76 rating and 4.5 million viewers in its 11:30 p.m. slot, while ABC’s The Ten Commandments climbed to 3.06 million viewers. Cable sports dominated...
Charlie Sheen Played A Very Familiar Role In His One CSI Appearance
In 2008 CBS staged a rare crossover between the forensic drama CSI and the sitcom Two and a Half Men, swapping writers for a single episode of each series. Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones appeared uncredited as themselves in the CSI...
AI-Generated Dramas Gain Traction as Technology Improves, but Questions Remain
AI‑generated live‑action dramas are emerging as a fast‑growing segment of the content industry, driven by advances in video‑generation foundation models such as ByteDance’s Seedance 2.0 and Shengshu’s Vidu Q3. Production costs have fallen to under one‑tenth of traditional short dramas—roughly USD 14,500 per...
Did You Know Cameron Diaz Has a New Project?
AppleTV+ has ordered a new dark comedy series titled "Outcome," starring Keanu Reeves as a scandal‑prone Hollywood icon. The show pairs Reeves with Cameron Diaz, who returns to acting after a ten‑year break, alongside Matt Bomer and Jonah Hill, who...
CNN's False Iran Headline Demands Accountability
More outrageous conduct from CNN. Fake news is bad enough for the country, but pushing out a hoax headline in such a sensitive national security moment as this requires accountability. Iran put out an official statement that simply cannot be squared with...
Legacy Media Embraces Fraud Investigations After Nick Shirley’s Shift
Now that @nickshirleyy made it acceptable to investigate fraud, the legacy media is finally jumping on the opportunity.
EXCLUSIVE | 10 Scraps Planned Back to Back AUSTRALIAN SURVIVOR Shoot
Network 10 has abandoned plans to film a second Australian Survivor season back‑to‑back, reversing a December announcement. The decision follows a steady decline in linear overnight ratings for the twelfth season, despite growth in streaming viewership. Host David Genat, who...
Euphoria Premiere Delays Make Axl Rose Appear Punctual
I don’t want to say the Euphoria premiere is running late but it is starting to make Axl Rose seem punctual.
Elon View Counts Far Lower than TV Audience Numbers
Thank you. I continue to see this with a number of comments about TV shows. A lot of clueless people on here think Elon's view counts on here are comparable to a TV viewer count when they're typically (several) order(s)...
Democrats Can Use YouTube, Too
Democratic‑aligned outside group Priorities USA is launching a YouTube ad campaign in Ohio aimed at young, politically disengaged gamers. The short, rapid‑fire spots reference rising power bills and name Senator Jon Husted, blending policy criticism with a format familiar to video‑game...
Resist Algorithmic Tyranny with the Human‑Centric Marginalian Newsletter
For an act of resistance to the tyranny of algorithms, try the Marginalian newsletter—undistracted notes on the search for meaning, free, ad-free, AI-free, fully human since 2006, made of feeling and time: https://t.co/8ApDA5YPF6
Letter: The Death Knell for Journalism as We Know It
A recent Financial Times letter warns that journalism is facing an existential crisis as paywalls, dwindling ad revenue, and the rise of AI-generated content erode traditional news models. The author argues that subscription fatigue and newsroom layoffs are accelerating the...
How to Watch Coachella 2026: Schedule and Streaming Guide
Coachella 2026 kicks off on April 10 with a full streaming schedule on YouTube. The festival runs seven stages simultaneously, and viewers can watch up to four performances at once on a TV. Headliners this weekend include Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and...
Comcast Goes to the Mattresses with Scripps
Comcast has blacked out all Scripps-owned broadcast stations for its cable customers nationwide since March 31, after the two sides failed to reach a new retransmission consent agreement. The dispute intensified as Scripps recently secured multi‑year media rights for several NHL...
Artemis II Cable Coverage by the Numbers
Artemis II’s launch generated a surge in cable news viewership, with Charter’s Spectrum News 13 in Orlando posting a 531% increase and Spectrum Bay News 9 in Tampa climbing 391%. Across social platforms, the coverage amassed 12.2 million views on Facebook...
Men’s NCAA Numbers
The 2026 men’s NCAA basketball championship game, featuring Michigan versus UConn, averaged 18.3 million viewers across TBS, TNT, truTV and HBO Max—its highest‑rated final since 2019 and a 23 % jump over the 2024 TNT broadcast. The Final Four drew 14.2 million viewers, up...
Family Lore
In the debut episode of "Family Lore," host Lloyd Lockridge explores his fascination with ancestral stories over DNA data, emphasizing the power of family narratives that range from the mundane to the extraordinary. He outlines the podcast’s premise: inviting guests...
Coke CMO’s Lessons on Advertising, Innovation and Surviving Corporate Politics - Walter Susini
In this episode, former Coca‑Cola CMO Walter Susini shares lessons from leading a global icon, emphasizing the power of distinctive brand assets like the Christmas jingle, polar bears, and the contour bottle. He explains why Coca‑Cola sticks with the same...
MAKE Delivers Fruit Riot X Sour Patch Kids Crossover Spot
MAKE, the creative studio behind numerous Sour Patch Kids projects, produced a new commercial for the Fruit Riot × Sour Patch Kids crossover. The spot, developed in partnership with Mondelez and Beyond Better Foods, blends Fruit Riot’s fresh vibe with Sour Patch Kids’ bold, sour‑sweet energy. MAKE handled the entire...
Sheridan Smith's "Shocking" And "Superb" Drama Shoots up Netflix Charts After Being Added to Streamer
BBC drama "Care," starring Sheridan Smith and Alison Steadman, entered Netflix’s UK catalogue last month and quickly rose to number three on the platform’s Top 10 chart. The 90‑minute, 2018‑produced film, created by Jimmy McGovern and Gillian Juckes, follows a single mother caring for...
How January 6 Changed Scott MacFarlane
In this episode, former CNN anchor Scott McFarlane discusses his transition to independent journalism, launching "Scott McFarlane Reports" on YouTube and Substack. He shares practical advice for cutting the fluff in video news—getting to the story within the first 10...
Netflix Review: Our Top Pick in a Sea of Streaming Choices
CNET named Netflix its 2025 Editors’ Choice, citing its expansive original catalog, reliable cross‑device interface, and the industry’s largest 4K library. Despite recent price hikes and a crackdown on password sharing, the service retains a dominant market position, bolstered by...
DualShot Captures Portrait and Landscape Simultaneously, but Framing Matters
I tested the DualShot app this weekend — it lets you capture content in portrait and landscape mode all at the same time It's pretty amazing if you're trying to record for both types of video but it does take some...
Speculation: X Disabled Japanese Twitter Amid Iran War Talk
Did X turn Japanese twitter off? Maybe all this Iran war talk is paving over it
JomBoy Meets World
Major League Baseball has taken an equity stake in viral video creator James “JomBoy” O’Brien’s YouTube channel, allowing the 37‑year‑old to incorporate official MLB footage into his content. The partnership is part of MLB’s broader push to win over Gen Z...
Nexstar Argues Station Growth Doesn't Boost Distributor Leverage
Nexstar tells the judge it doesn't believe an increase in the number of stations it owns leads to an increase in leverage in negotiating with pay-TV distributors.
Save The Dates: Dark Matter Season 2, Mindy Kaling's Hulu Comedy, And More
Apple TV+ announced that Dark Matter Season 2 will premiere on Friday, August 28, with weekly episodes leading to an October 30 finale. The sci‑fi drama returns starring Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly, continuing the multiverse storyline. Hulu will launch Mindy Kaling’s comedy...
LLM-Referred Traffic Converts at 30-40% — and Most Enterprises Aren't Optimizing for It
The rise of AI agents is reshaping web discovery, giving birth to Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) where content must be understood and cited by large language models rather than clicked by humans. Enterprises that continue to rely solely on traditional...
UOL Transmitirá Brasileirão Feminino E Brasileirão Masculino Sub-20
UOL has secured rights to broadcast the 2026 Brasileirão Feminino Série A and the Brasileirão Masculino Sub‑20. Matches will stream for free on the UOL channel and its YouTube Sports feed, while select games will be exclusive to the paid UOL Play...