Today's Media Pulse
Publicis resumes recommending The Trade Desk after fee dispute
Publicis has lifted its ban and is again recommending The Trade Desk to advertisers, ending a months‑long clash over alleged hidden ad‑tech fees. The dispute had driven The Trade Desk’s shares down roughly 13% and prompted the exit of its chief marketing officer. Both firms issued a joint statement confirming the reconciliation.
Also developing:
By the numbers: K-LOVE acquires Baltimore station in undisclosed deal
Frank Oz Returns to Puppetry with Judge Boing Boing Shorts
Frank Oz, the legendary puppeteer behind Bert, Grover and Fozzie Bear, has returned to hands‑on puppetry after more than a decade by co‑creating the YouTube short series "Judge Boing Boing." The parody courtroom sketches feature a clueless puppet judge and were released as three bite‑size episodes in April 2026. The project reunites several Muppet and Sesame Street alumni, including Bill Barretta and Dave Goelz, and hints at a possible expansion beyond the initial shorts. Oz’s involvement signals a rare creative comeback outside Disney’s current Muppet strategy.
OpenAI Targets $102 B in Ad Revenue by 2030.
$102B in ad revenue by 2030. We'll see -> Docs: OpenAI expects ads to generate ~$2.4B in 2026 revenue, to quadruple to nearly $11B in 2027, and to hit ~$102B in 2030, or 36% of its total revenue then "If it...
‘Miraculous’ Season 5 and Another Special Hitting Netflix in April & May 2026
Netflix confirmed a double‑header for the French animated hit Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. A new Miraculous World special, "Paris, Tales of Shadybug and Claw Noir," lands on April 30, 2026, with Brazil as the sole exception. The full...
Bill Ackman Tries to Make Music and Money Mix with €55bn Universal Bid
Activist investor Bill Ackman is spearheading a €55 billion (≈$59 billion) takeover bid for Universal Music Group, the world’s largest recorded‑music company. The consortium, backed by private‑equity firms and sovereign wealth funds, argues the deal will unlock value by pairing Universal’s catalog...
June Osborne Is Back in the Testaments, but for How Long?
June Osborne, the protagonist of The Handmaid’s Tale, reappears in The Testaments episode 3 through Daisy’s flashbacks, confirming she remains active in the resistance. The episode reveals June’s role in smuggling Daisy to safety and her iconic slogan, “Don’t let the...
‘Saturday Night Live’ Unveils May Musical Guests: Paul McCartney, Noah Kahan and Olivia Rodrigo
Saturday Night Live announced its May 2024 lineup, featuring Olivia Rodrigo as both host and musical guest on May 2, Matt Damon hosting on May 9 with Noah Kahan performing, and a season‑51 finale on May 16 starring Will Ferrell alongside Sir Paul...
YouTube Says It Does Not Have 90-Second Unskippable Ads Despite User Reports
YouTube users streaming to televisions reported seeing 90‑second unskippable ad breaks, a possible extension of the platform’s 30‑second non‑skippable ads introduced last year. In response, Team YouTube confirmed that the service does not currently offer a 90‑second non‑skippable format and...
Tubi Strikes ChatGPT Deal that Cuts Out Human Movie Recommendations
Tubi, the ad‑supported streaming service owned by Fox, has launched a new app in the ChatGPT marketplace that lets users ask the chatbot for movie recommendations from Tubi’s catalog. The integration leverages Tubi’s personalization engine, trained on more than one billion...
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Builds on Momentum From "Countdown to the Oscars" - Scores Big with Show's Post-Oscars Week
"Live with Kelly and Mark" leveraged its "Countdown to the Oscars" lead‑in to post its strongest ratings in seven weeks, with total viewers rising 6% to 2.71 million and a 5% lift in household ratings. The after‑Oscars episode delivered double‑digit gains...
Seedance 2.0: The Most Controversial AI Video Model in the World Just Landed in the US
ByteDance's Dreamina Seedance 2.0 AI video model, once paused amid controversy, is now live for U.S. users through CapCut. The rollout follows a brief global pause and promises integration across CapCut's Video Studio. CapCut emphasizes safeguards, including limits on real‑face...
BTS’s ‘ARIRANG’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200, Sets New K‑Pop Records
South Korea’s BTS released ‘ARIRANG’ after a four‑year hiatus, landing at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a second straight week and topping the Hot 100 with its lead single “Swim.” The achievement marks the group’s seventh chart‑topping album and a...
Meta Removes Ads Helping Link Users to Attorneys for Social Media Cases
Meta is removing attorney ads that target users who claim harm from social media use before age 18. The step follows a California negligence trial that awarded $3 million to a plaintiff who said Meta and YouTube fostered her addiction. Meta...
Show Up Daily: Consistency Beats Quality
Counterintuitive content truth: consistency beats quality in the short run. A good post published daily outperforms a great post published whenever you feel ready. Algorithms reward frequency. Audiences reward familiarity. You don't need to go viral. You need to show up.
Patreon’s Podcast Revenue Jumps 33% to $629 Million in 2025
Patreon announced that podcast creators earned $629 million on the platform in 2025, a 33% increase from the prior year. The surge makes podcasts the largest revenue‑generating category, highlighting the effectiveness of Patreon’s creator‑focused monetization tools.
Scheduling Posts Won’t Damage Instagram Reach, Says Mosseri
Adam Mosseri confirmed what I have been telling you for YEARS... scheduling your content does not hurt your reach on Instagram. 👏
Colorado Public Radio Wins First Amendment Victory for Transparency
Proud to see Colorado Public Radio and partners win a First Amendment case — a win for transparency, accountability, and independent journalism. Supporting local and independent news is essential to keeping our communities informed and our democracy strong. LocalNewsDay https://www.cpr.org/press-release/colorado-public-radio-and-partners-win-federal-first-amendment-case-against-trump-administration/
Scientific Journals Need Dedicated Fact-Checkers
A team led by chemist Brett Pollard uncovered about 20 scientific papers that cite nonexistent WHO and EPA standards for drinking‑water metal concentrations. The fabricated values have been repeated across multiple studies, some predating the rise of generative AI, suggesting...
Earn $1M on YouTube with Just 1K Subscribers
How do you actually make significant money on YouTube? @TintinSmith is the ex-manager of Ali Abdaal. In this YouTube business masterclass we cover: - How you can hit $1M with just 1,000 subscribers - The exact system you should use - Who to hire and...
Sullivan's Crossing Season 4 First Look: Liam's Arrival Brings 'Tension' For Maggie And Cal (Exclusive)
The CW will launch Season 4 of "Sullivan's Crossing" on April 20 at 8/7c, picking up the cliffhanger from the previous season’s shocking return of Maggie’s husband, Liam. The premiere centers on Maggie’s effort to secure paperwork for Liam while Cal questions...
Rooster Renewed For Season 2 At HBO
HBO announced that the Steve Carell‑led comedy “Rooster” has been renewed for a second season. The decision came midway through the series’ first run, which continues to air Sundays at 10 p.m. through May 10. Created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses,...
Harry Potter Star’s Best Actor Oscar Winning Movie To Leave Netflix
The Academy‑Award‑winning political drama "Darkest Hour" will leave Netflix’s library on May 1, 2026. The 2017 film, starring Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill, earned $158.8 million worldwide and secured two Oscars, including Best Actor. It holds an 84% Rotten Tomatoes rating and remains...
Malcolm In The Middle Review: Hulu's Messy Family Reunion Struggles To Recapture The Original's Zing
Hulu launched a four‑episode revival titled “Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Unfair,” reuniting the original cast a quarter‑century after the Fox hit. While Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek return, the show leans heavily on new characters—Malcolm’s teenage daughter...
Most Europeans Want Minors Off Social Media
A new POLITICO European Pulse survey of 6,698 adults across six EU nations finds that three‑quarters of Europeans support government‑mandated minimum ages for social media. Half of respondents favor age 16, another quarter prefer 13‑15. Italy and Poland show the...
The Boys Fans Slam “Unwatchable” Censorship in India After Unexpected Season 5 Cuts
Fans in India have condemned Prime Video’s censorship of *The Boys* Season 5, where a line referencing the Christian God was completely bleeped out. The backlash follows earlier cuts, including a graphic sauna scene removed in Season 4, highlighting the country’s strict...
Juno Temple Assembles Avengers of Grooms for Apple TV's The Husbands
Apple TV announced the star‑studded series "The Husbands," starring Juno Temple alongside seven well‑known actors, produced by A24. Lionsgate revealed its action thriller "Mutiny," featuring Jason Statham, slated for an August 21, 2026 theatrical debut. A watchdog group urged shareholders to reject...
"Brilliant" And "Addictively Dark" Comedy Series Branded 'a Gem' Is Now Streaming in the UK
ITVX has added the New Zealand dark comedy series *Good Grief* to its UK streaming library, making both seasons (2021‑2022) available on demand. The show follows real sisters Eve and Grace Palmer as they inherit a family funeral parlour, delivering a...
Link Every Post to a Launch, End Randomness
The fastest way to stop “random posting” as a solopreneur is to tie every piece of content to a specific launch. My simple Launch Content OS: - Pick 1 offer + 1 date - Map 3 buyer questions - Turn each into: a story,...
NAB 2026: Backlight to Showcase Iconik and Wildmoka Integration
Backlight will unveil its Iconik‑Wildmoka integration at NAB Show 2026, adding a native publish panel that lets users push media from the Iconik library to social and owned platforms without file transfers. The rollout also includes an AI‑enhanced Clip Editor,...
ENCO Systems Upgrades Its DJ Replacement Technology with Upcoming Release
ENCO Systems pre‑announced an upgraded version of its aiTrack content‑insertion platform, with a formal debut slated for the NAB Show 2026 in Las Vegas. The new aiTrack is a fully cloud‑native, automation‑agnostic solution that leverages large language models, real‑time data...
EXCLUSIVE: Intuit Is Shutting Down Its Ad Network for Small Businesses
Intuit announced it will shut down SMB MediaLabs, the ad network launched in 2023 to let advertisers reach QuickBooks users. The platform was intended to create a new revenue stream by leveraging small‑business data. The closure comes less than three...
Wednesday Season 3 Adds Game of Thrones Star & More to Jenna Ortega TV Show
Netflix confirmed that Wednesday Season 3 will feature three high‑profile additions: Lena Headey, Andrew McCarthy and James Lance. The supernatural comedy, starring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, has already announced returning talent such as Catherine Zeta‑Jones and Luis Guzmán. Earlier reports also listed Eva Green, Winona Ryder and other...
WTOP Promotes Woodfork as Part of Renewed Sports Initiative
WTOP, Washington’s all‑news station, promoted Rob Woodfork to senior sports analyst as part of its renewed sports initiative. The move is framed as a key element of the station’s long‑term strategy to evolve local sports coverage beyond scores toward deeper...
YouTube 90-Second Unskippable Ads on TVs Spotted
YouTube is testing 90‑second unskippable ads on TV devices, extending the previous 30‑second limit. The ads appear before any content and can exceed 90 seconds before a skip button becomes available. The move creates premium, TV‑style inventory with digital targeting,...
Connectivity Isn't the Last Mile, It's the First
At NAB 2026 broadcasters warned that connectivity, not cameras or switchers, is the critical bottleneck for live production. The Field to Air demonstration showcased an end‑to‑end workflow that puts the network at the core, using intelligent blending of cellular, satellite, Wi‑Fi and fixed‑line...
‘Wednesday’ Season 3 Casts Lena Headey, Andrew McCarthy and James Lance
Netflix announced that former Game of Thrones star Lena Headey, veteran Andrew McCarthy and James Lance will join the cast of Wednesday Season 3. Filming began in Ireland in February 2026 and is slated to wrap by November 2026, with a 2027 summer or fall release....
Week of March 30 Evening News Ratings: NBC News and CBS News Grow
NBC Nightly News and CBS Evening News both posted gains, moving into positive territory for total viewers and the key 25‑54 demo during the week of March 30, 2026. ABC World News Tonight’s demo lead narrowed to just 25,000 viewers, its smallest...
All Things Creator Marketing with Tiffany Rivers
Tiffany Rivers, VP of emerging media and influencer marketing at Media Cause, will speak at Marketing Brew’s "The Next Phase of Social and Creator Marketing" on May 12. She advises nonprofit clients such as the University of Florida, Parkinson’s Foundation,...
Discord Introduces Full‑Screen Hero Ads and Instant Play Quests
Discord is working on two new ad formats. 🖥️ Hero Ads: A full-screen takeover format. 🎮 Instant Play Quests: Stream/Play within Discord.
ADWEEK TV Advantage: Could Upfront Week Change Permanently?
Upfront week is returning with major players like Netflix, Disney, and Paramount showcasing ad inventory, but the format faces pressure from streaming entrants that have flooded the market with digital inventory. The traditional TV upfront, a fixture since the 1960s,...
APP's Ecommerce Surge Beats Expectations, GenAI Boosts Performance
Another $APP note this morning from BTIG after they hosted a call with an adtech consulting firm (ie expert) earlier this week (I was on the call)... Lots of positive commentary... the expert said that $APP's push into ecommerce continues to...
Euphoria Returns After Four Years, Everything’s Changed
“Euphoria,” HBO’s teenage wasteland, is back after four years. Everything has changed. W/@thesimonetti https://t.co/WMtYs6mAKo via @WSJ
Warner Revives TNT Boxing with Monthly DAZN Partnership
HBO got out of the TV-boxing arena in 2018, but Warner Bros. Discovery is putting TNT back into the ring with a monthly boxing showcase under a new partnership with DAZN https://t.co/TelewKL1dV via @variety
Origins of Efficiency Joins Rare 20‑30% Earning Out Advance
Origins of Efficiency officially one of the 20-30% of books to earn out its advance.
Amazon Prime Video Joins Elite Masters Broadcast Partners
We’re about an hour away from Amazon Prime Video’s debut as a live Masters broadcast partner. Amazon is just the fourth media partner ever in the Masters’ history. https://t.co/qUkOz2jivs
Jason Bateman's Emmy Category Strategy Sparks Debate
Emmy Predictions: Lead Actor (Limited/Movie) — Jason Bateman vs. Himself? Waiting on How He Will Navigate Category Strategy https://t.co/zG6I6T2gLo via @variety
Martin Short Poised for Historic Emmy Lead Actor Win
Emmy Predictions: Lead Actor (Comedy) — Martin Short Eyes Historic Win at 76 for ‘Only Murders in the Building’ https://t.co/xGMsePFTiv via @variety
Gary Oldman Poised for Oscar‑Emmy Lead Actor Double
Emmy Predictions: Lead Actor (Drama) — Gary Oldman Eyes Historic Oscar-Emmy Double With ‘Slow Horses’ https://t.co/oM0fVJWrQa via @variety
Alexia Explores Media Norms Post‑TPBN Acquisition
So fun to have the brilliant @alexia join @greatchatpod this week and school us on media norms in the wake of the TPBN acquisition and concerns re: objectivity. https://t.co/mhEgz5tgKg
Media Value Equals Audience Size, Buying Power, Influence
Media value = audience size * buying power * how influential you are over them.
LA Times Ignored Silicon Beach, Prompting New Newsletter
The LA Times wrote an obituary for Silicon Beach and missed one of the killers: itself. No one covers tech in LA. One of the top engineering hubs in the country, and it's basically invisible. So I started a newsletter: https://t.co/chvof31tOQ Subscribe or...