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:
Dodge CEO Floats Radio-Free Cars as AM Act Remains in Limbo
At the 2026 New York International Auto Show, Dodge and Chrysler CEO Matt McAlear suggested eliminating radios from entry‑level vehicles, urging a “back‑to‑the‑basics” design with analog gauges and Bluetooth speakers only. His remarks echo a broader industry shift, highlighted by Slate Auto’s radio‑free EV and Ford’s quick reversal after consumer backlash over AM removal. Meanwhile, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, backed by more than 375 congressional co‑sponsors and nearly one million listeners, remains stalled as automakers spent $6.08 million lobbying against it while broadcasters invested $3.5 million in support. A Xperi report shows 62% of car buyers would avoid models lacking AM/FM, underscoring the market risk if the mandate passes.
Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Fans Slam Plans for Staggered Release
Netflix announced that the second cour of *Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure* will debut in fall 2026 with a weekly episode rollout, following a split‑cour structure. Episode 1 premiered in March 2026, but the next episode won’t arrive until months later, sparking...
Marketron Expands Traffic as a Service for Broadcasters
Marketron announced an expansion of its Traffic as a Service (TaaS) program, offering outsourced traffic professionals to broadcast stations. The move responds to a widening talent gap and increasingly complex ad‑revenue workflows. Marketron now operates one of the industry’s largest...
You’re The Winner!
Radio contests are seeing a surge in listener interest, driven by economic uncertainty and rising living costs such as $4‑per‑gallon gas. While national contests offering $1,000 prizes attract attention, research shows that local, high‑perceived‑value offers like $50 gas cards generate...
Hashtag Agency’s New Social Media Report Unpacks the GCC’s Biggest Brand Challenges
Hashtag Agency released “Speed Without Losing Soul,” a 2026 playbook on GCC social media challenges. Based on a survey of 300 senior marketers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and 14 in‑depth interviews, the report finds universal social adoption—100% in...
As AI Compresses the Shopping Journey, Retail Media Faces a New Pressure Point
Retail media, once built on shopper exploration across search and browse, is being upended by AI‑driven discovery tools that summarize options and push consumers closer to checkout. As upstream interactions shrink, the checkout phase—dubbed the Transaction Moment—now captures the bulk...
Trivana.ai Launches AI Platform Transforming Content Into Interactive, Voice-Driven Experiences
Rerato Technologies launched Trivana.ai, an AI platform that instantly converts static content into fully voiced, interactive experiences. The solution’s proprietary Smart Host engine powers seven AI host personas in ten languages, delivering real‑time, context‑aware commentary via shareable links without any...
UAE’s Ti22 Films Spotlights The ENTERTAINER’s Brand Storytelling on Global Awards Stage
Ti22 Films, a UAE production house, has been shortlisted in the Corporate Image category of the Branded Documentary competition at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards 2026. The documentary celebrates the 25th anniversary of The ENTERTAINER, a homegrown brand that has...
Dear Director General, Who Wants Today's Papers?
The blog post is a letter to new BBC Director‑General Matt Brittin warning that the UK’s right‑wing press has a long‑standing, hostile agenda aimed at dismantling the public broadcaster. It cites surveys showing the Sun, Daily Mail and other tabloids...
Video: Trailer & Key Art Debut - Hulu Original Series "4X20: Quick Hits"
Hulu is launching “4X20: Quick Hits,” a four‑part anthology series produced by Jimmy Kimmel that delves into cannabis culture through 20‑minute documentaries. Each episode is directed by a different filmmaker, covering topics from the “Harold & Kumar” phenomenon to the...
Video: Apple TV Debuts First-Look Teaser for Its New Thriller "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed"
Apple TV released a first‑look teaser for its upcoming thriller "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed," starring Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany and Jake Johnson. The half‑hour, 10‑episode series will debut with two episodes on May 20 and continue weekly through July 15. Created by David...
From Content Creation to Media Operations: A Paradigm Shift
The phrase I keep coming back to is this: we’re moving from content creation to media operations. That shift matters because it changes what tools people need, what skills matter, and what kinds of products become valuable.
Gargash Auto Appoints iProspect as Agency of Record to Power Next Phase of Growth in the UAE
iProspect, a dentsu company, has been named the agency of record for Gargash Auto, the UAE’s official dealer for premium automotive brands such as Mercedes‑Benz and Alfa Romeo. The agency will oversee digital and out‑of‑home media strategy, planning and activation...
Canary Media Is Turning 5!
Canary Media celebrates its fifth anniversary, marking half a decade of dedicated clean‑energy journalism. Since launching in 2021, the nonprofit newsroom has chronicled the rapid acceleration of the energy transition, from the Inflation Reduction Act’s boom to policy setbacks under...
IQIYI Launches Nadou Pro, China’s First AI Agent for Professional Film and TV Production
On March 30, 2026 iQIYI unveiled Nadou Pro, China’s first AI agent designed for professional film and TV production. The platform combines iQIYI’s proprietary QiZhi models with third‑party tools to support scriptwriting, storyboarding, visual effects and final output in a...
The Ultimate Editing Bay: GIBO Unveils Multi-Modal Workspaces Within GIBO Watch
GIBO Holdings launched its Multi-Modal Workspaces Engine, the core of the GIBO Watch platform, to unify short‑form video editing, AI‑generated voiceovers, and music in a single interface. The workspace lets creators assemble, edit, and export content without external tools, streamlining...
Youtube ?
YouTube reported removing over 11.4 million videos between April and June 2025, a sharp rise from the sub‑9 million deletions in the same period last year. The surge stems from a heavier reliance on automated algorithms rather than human moderators, resulting in...
Video: "Hulk Hogan: Real American" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Netflix is launching "Hulk Hogan: Real American," a four‑part, hour‑long documentary series debuting in April 2026. The series chronicles Terry Bollea’s transformation into wrestling icon Hulk Hogan and includes his final on‑camera interview. Produced in association with WWE and directed by...
High‑Engagement Newsletter: 1k Active Users, 50% Open Rate
Looking for brands that want sponsor the @sportstechatlanta newsletter with 50% open rate with 1k active users
The Boys Season 5 Premiere Date Announced
The Boys season 5 will bring down the curtain on the hit Prime Video show — here's when its two-episode premiere will drop. https://t.co/WsnW0Yblmg
Reader Comments Open Forum, Week of April 6
Leeham News Agency (LNA) has launched a Reader Comments Open Forum that runs weekly, starting the week of April 6, 2026. The forum lets readers comment on any article, including pay‑wall pieces, provided the preview is publicly accessible. All submissions are subject...
Hyper‑personalized News Feeds Will Reshape Media Consumption
My system at Aligned News only watches X. It is both better and worse. More focused but not as broad. This is another example of how highly personalized news is on the way and will disrupt everything.
Netflix's VOID AI Removes Objects and Restores Video Physics
Wow. @Netflix just dropped VOID. This AI removes objects from any video... And even corrects the physics of the scene after objects/people are removed 🤯 It's 100% free and open-source. Repo + demo links in 🧵↓ https://t.co/K9xQYDVfcY
You Can Now Get Your Podcast Into TuneIn Again
TuneIn has reopened its podcast submission portal, allowing creators to list new shows after a shutdown in February 2024. The broadcaster portal now feeds the directory that powers playback in Tesla vehicles, Sonos speakers and other smart platforms. The move...
Universal Extends Theatrical Window to 45 Days in 2027
Universal To Extend Exclusive Theatrical Window For Pics To 45 Days In 2027 --- bullish cinemas https://t.co/U20KYoNQOD
AI Has Already Decided: First-Party Data Will Define Advertising’s Agentic Era
AI decision engines now require deterministic identity, making first‑party data essential for advertising. A recent IAB report shows 71% of brands, agencies and publishers are expanding first‑party data, nearly double the rate from two years ago. Retail media spend is...
Social Media Sharing: Americans Are Caught in a Health and Science ‘Misinformation Paradox’
A Harris Poll commissioned by Bayer reveals a “misinformation paradox”: 80% of Americans blame social media for false health and science information, yet the same platforms are their primary source for such news. The survey shows 75% of respondents share...
CNN Builds In-House Agent Infrastructure as It Prepares for AI-Driven Media Trading
CNN, owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, is building its own AI‑agent infrastructure to enable autonomous media trading, targeting a launch in Q1 2027. The company will finish scoping protocols by Q2 2026, test on select properties in Q3, and evaluate buyer behavior...
The Ruling That Could Unravel Social Media | Behind the Numbers
In this episode, Marcus, Ethan, and Emmy discuss recent California and New Mexico jury rulings that held Meta and Google liable for youth mental‑health harms caused by their platforms, awarding millions in damages and marking the first time social‑media apps...
Speed and Reach Trump Accuracy on Social Media
This is all bad, if it’s not filtered beyond engagement. Yes, a whole lot of toxic sludge surfaces from those big red bubbles in the middle but many of those smaller bubbles both red and blue spend their time focused...
Middle East Coverage Is a Dumpster Fire Despite Decent Features
Some of the recipes are okay, and wordle is cool, but their Middle East coverage is an absolute dumpster fire. Maybe @x knows more than Nate.
‘Rooster’ Star Lauren Tsai Unpacks That Episode 5 Confrontation and Sunny Finally Seeing the Truth in Archie
Episode 5 of HBO’s comedy Rooster intensifies the love triangle between Katie, Archie and Sunny. Sunny confronts Katie, apologizes for the affair, and publicly takes agency, while Archie watches and retreats. Lauren Tsai explains that Sunny’s confession forces her to face the truth...
Jonathan Cape Wins Competitive Auction for Nicole Flattery’s Debut Novel
Jonathan Cape emerged victorious in a fiercely competitive auction for Nicole Flattery’s debut novel, “Everything is Nice, Everything is Lovely.” The novel, praised as “devastatingly brilliant,” underscores the market’s appetite for fresh literary voices, while highlighting the high stakes of...
Walmart's E‑Commerce Surge Fuels $6.4B Ad Boom, Boosting Q4 Profit
Walmart's fast‑growing e‑commerce platform helped digital ad revenue jump 46% to $6.4 billion in FY 2026, accounting for roughly a third of the retailer’s Q4 operating profit. The shift underscores advertising as a new profit pillar for the world’s largest retailer.
How ‘DTF St. Louis’ Stars Richard Jenkins and Joy Sunday Brought Their Oddball Detective Duo to Life
Episode 6 of HBO’s “DTF St. Louis,” titled “The Denny’s Plan,” spotlights the unlikely detective pair Donoghue Homer (Richard Jenkins) and Special Crimes Officer Jodie Plumb (Joy Sunday). Their contrasting styles—Homer’s classic noir grit and Jodie’s progressive, porn‑positive outlook—drive the investigation into Floyd’s mysterious death. Both...
The X-Files' Original Concept Would Have Severely Limited The Hit Sci-Fi Show
The X‑Files was originally envisioned as a pure alien‑themed series, but creator Chris Carter and his writers quickly expanded the concept to include a broader range of paranormal phenomena. A pivotal early episode, “Squeeze,” introduced the monster‑of‑the‑week format, giving the...
60 Minutes Still Draws 10 Million, Proving Lasting Impact
60 Minutes still reaches as many as 10mil viewers on Sundays. So when you see an incredible and emotional segment like the first one tonight told by Scott Pelley bridging a segment 18yrs ago, it's a good reminder as to...
Marshals Season 1, Episode 6 Recap: “Out of the Shadows”
Season 1, episode 6 of the CBS drama Marshals resolves the high‑stakes human‑trafficking arc by rescuing ten girls from the Iron Sentinels gang and reuniting them with their families. The episode also delivers emotional closure as Kayce attends a memorial ceremony for...
Eliminating 24‑hour Cool‑off Restores Instant User “A‑ha”
I used a 24 hour cool off after someone registers for https://t.co/1n7EleVpMy before they can publish. That completely breaks the "a-ha" moment. That is now removed.
Prime Video Greenlights Long‑Awaited RoboCop TV Reboot, Ending Development Stagnation
Amazon’s Prime Video has officially greenlit a new RoboCop television series, confirming the project’s exit from years‑long development limbo. The move, announced by head of global television Peter Friedlander, adds to the streaming giant’s slate of legacy‑IP revivals and could...
How Deceptive Online Networks Reached Millions in the US 2020 Elections
A study published in Nature Human Behaviour finds that deceptive online networks reached at least 37 million Facebook users and 3 million Instagram users during the 2020 U.S. elections, representing roughly 15% of adult Facebook users and 2% of Instagram users. Three...
Twitter, Not Social Media, Is the Real Audience Killer
Nate Silver pens an essay about how social media is dead as a way to build an audience because Twitter is now a right wing cesspool where Catturd gets more engagement than the New York Times. Weird that it never occurs...
We Hit 100,000 Subscribers on YouTube in 63 Days.
In just 63 days, the creator amassed 100,000 YouTube subscribers by publishing five high‑impact videos, each averaging hundreds of thousands of views. The channel’s portfolio includes a 1.3 million‑view “7 Rules of Money” video and several pieces on elite finance experiences....
On the Radio 41 Years Ago, Michael Jackson’s Famed Charity Tune Hit 5,000 Stations at the Same Time Around the...
On April 5, 1985, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie’s charity anthem “We Are The World” was broadcast simultaneously on more than 5,000 radio stations worldwide at 3:50 pm GMT. The coordinated airplay propelled the single to No. 1 on global charts within days of its release. The...
The Best Historical Drama on Netflix Isn’t Even a Netflix Original
Black Sails, a Starz original that aired from 2014 to 2017, is now streaming on Netflix and is being hailed as the platform’s best historical drama. The four‑season, 38‑episode series blends real 18th‑century piracy events—like the 1715 Urca de Lima...
Community‑Funded AI Substacks Demand Real Writing
This is how I feel about AI Substacks. Life if you want to be community funded you do actually have to WRITE.
Every Story Needs a Long‑term Trend Graph
News outlets should publish long term graphs as a matter of course. Every crime story should come with a 60 year graph showing per capita trends in that crime. Every micro story on any topic should have a graph on...
39 Years Ago Today: The Tracey Ullman Show Helped Launch FOX
On April 5, 1987 Fox debuted its first full prime‑time lineup, anchoring it with the variety series The Tracey Ullman Show. The program’s high‑budget sketches, musical numbers, and animated interludes, including early Simpsons shorts, earned critical acclaim and the network...
Research Finds Twitter's Rightward Bias Has Limited Societal Impact
Question: There's clear evidence that twitter tilts right. Is there evidence showing how it does or doesn't affect broader political views and outcomes in the US? Does this rightward slant matter, beyond the experience on this site?
False Article Removed; Unnamed Sources Demand Fact‑checking
RfI have now removed the (false) article. I wish they had done basic fact-checking prior to publishing something based on "two Lybian sources" that they called "an investigation". Nothing based on unnamed sources should ever be called "an investigation". https://t.co/hsfjqJbtKp