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.
Roku Is The Most Popular Streaming Player in The United States, Dominating Fire TVs, Google TV, & Apple TV
A Cord Cutter News survey of over 1,200 U.S. cord‑cutters shows Roku remains the dominant streaming player, with 64.8% of respondents naming it a primary device. Amazon’s Fire TV falls far behind at 27.7%, while Google TV (19.9%) and Apple TV (18%) each capture under one‑fifth of the market. Traditional gaming consoles have slipped to just 3.8% for streaming. Respondents often use multiple devices, pushing the combined percentages well above 100%.
The Credit Trap: Why the Communicators Who Stop Keeping Score Keep Winning
The article argues that communicators who forgo personal credit and amplify others build lasting authority, especially on platforms that reward visibility and attribution. It traces the principle from a 19th‑century Jesuit maxim through Reagan’s desk plaque to today’s social‑media credit...
King of the "Stone Age"
The newsletter links President Trump’s recent threats to bomb Iran’s infrastructure back into the "Stone Age" to a Cold War-era phrase coined by Air Force General Curtis LeMay. LeMay’s 1965 autobiography advocated massive conventional bombing to cripple an adversary’s economy,...
39 Years Ago Today: FOX Launched “Married… with Children”, FOX’s First Primetime TV Series
On April 5, 1987, Fox debuted *Married… with Children*, its first primetime series, marking a bold departure from the wholesome sitcoms of the era. Created by Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt, the show followed the irreverent Bundy family and quickly...
Turner, CBS Lock in $1.1 B Rights Deal as Final Four Draws Massive TV and Streaming Audience
CBS and Turner will broadcast the 2026 March Madness Final Four on TBS, TNT and truTV, while streaming services like DirecTV, Hulu + Live, Sling TV and HBO Max offer free‑trial access. The games come under a $1.1 billion annual media rights contract that...
One Of Star Trek's Greatest Villains Was Created Because Of An Unrelated Demand From The Studio
Star Trek: The Next Generation’s two‑hour pilot, “Encounter at Farpoint,” was extended at Paramount’s insistence, leading writers to insert the omnipotent character Q. Originally a filler, Q, portrayed by John de Lancie, quickly became a central antagonist, appearing in seven additional...
Paramount Skydance Secures CNN Deal, Raising Political and Industry Stakes
Paramount Skydance has prevailed over Netflix to acquire CNN, placing the news network under the oversight of David Ellison. The win has ignited sharp criticism from the Trump White House and heightened anxieties among CNN staff about editorial independence and...
California Jury Holds Meta and YouTube Liable for $6 Million Harm to Teen User
A California jury awarded $6 million in damages to a young woman after finding Meta and YouTube liable for harmful, addictive design. The verdict marks the first major win for plaintiffs in a wave of lawsuits targeting social platforms and AI...
How Do Political Organizations and Politically-Minded Rich People Translate Money Into Media Influence? Differently than They Used To.
The article traces the evolution of political money flowing into media, from early partisan newspapers to modern right‑wing ownership of TV networks, digital outlets, and social platforms. It notes that the removal of the Fairness Doctrine and rising polarization enabled...
Quick Collabs Streamline Creator Campaigns with Flat‑Fee Simplicity
LTK announced Quick Collabs, letting creators opt into flat-fee, pay-per-post campaigns that brands can set up in minutes. It reduces the back-and-forth of standard creator campaigns, giving brands a faster path to content and creators a simpler way to pick...
Press Group Condemns Online Smear Campaign Against Moldova Journalist Viorica Tătaru
International press watchdog CPJ condemned a coordinated online smear campaign against TV8 reporter Viorica Tătaru. The campaign involved defamatory posts and manipulated narratives on social media, prompting calls from CPJ, the Center for Independent Journalism and seven other Moldovan media...
"Gripping" Mystery Thriller that 'Keeps You Guessing' Lands New UK Streaming Home
ITVX has added the eight‑episode mystery thriller "The Widow" to its free streaming catalogue, starring Kate Beckinsale in her first lead television role. The series follows Georgia Wells as she investigates her fiancé’s fatal plane crash in the Democratic Republic...
🌊 Megyn Kelly’s Latest Reinvention
Megyn Kelly, once a pro‑Israel voice, has repositioned herself as a leading critic of Israel, aligning with Tucker Carlson’s camp after former White House aide Joe Kent’s resignation sparked a split among conservatives. On her show, Kelly expressed personal sympathy...
Are China’s TV Dramas Obsessed with Beauty? An Industry Regulator Thinks So
China’s National Radio and Television Administration warned that TV dramas are overly fixated on physical beauty and traffic‑driven popularity, urging a shift toward stronger acting and storytelling. The directive was delivered at a conference that gathered major streamers such as...
The 7 Best All-New Sci-Fi Shows Coming to Amazon, Apple, Disney, Netflix
The 2026 streaming slate introduces seven brand‑new sci‑fi series across Amazon Prime, Netflix, Apple TV+, HBO Max and more. Highlights include Nicolas Cage‑led "Spider‑Noir" debuting May 27 on Amazon, Netflix’s animated "Stranger Things: Tales From ’85" on April 23, and Apple TV+ adapting William...
Favorite Newsletters for News (Local and International), How to Find New Music (+ New Music), and Three Things to Shop
The author, a longtime contributor to The Morning News, curates a personal list of niche email newsletters that deliver concise, high‑quality news across local and global topics. The recommendations span a Los Angeles‑focused daily, a weekly roundup led by female...
Ye's Sold‑Out SoFi Stadium Comeback Shows Feature Lauryn Hill and Travis Scott
Kanye West, now performing as Ye, delivered back‑to‑back sold‑out concerts at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, pulling roughly 70,000 fans per night. The shows featured surprise guest Lauryn Hill and Travis Scott, marking Ye’s first major U.S. performances in nearly five...
John Green Announces First Adult Novel with Penguin UK
Bestselling YA author John Green is preparing to publish his first adult novel with Penguin UK. The book, described as a behind‑the‑scenes Hollywood love story that examines celebrity culture, signals a notable genre shift for the author.
Paramount+ Axes Critically Acclaimed ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ After Five Seasons
Paramount+ announced the cancellation of Taylor Sheridan’s crime series “Mayor of Kingstown” after its fifth season. The decision comes despite the show’s perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score for season 4 and a loyal fan base, signaling a shift in the streamer’s...
Mada Media Grants PHI Advertising Rights to Major Dubai OOH Portfolio
Mada Media signed a contract with PHI Advertising, giving the latter control of a portfolio of 19 out‑of‑home assets across three of Dubai’s main arterial roads. The deal, sealed by CEOs Mansoor Al Sabahi and Naif Saleh Al Rajhi, underscores...
AI Slashes Bollywood Production Costs by 80%, $11 M Studio Launch Signals Industry Shift
India's biggest film market is rapidly adopting artificial intelligence, with a new $11 million AI studio promising to reduce production budgets to 20% of traditional levels and cut timelines to a quarter. Executives say the move could make AI‑generated content one‑third...
WGA Secures Tentative Four‑Year Deal with Studios, Staving Off New Strike
The Writers Guild of America has reached a tentative four‑year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, adding a multimillion‑dollar health‑plan boost, AI usage safeguards and higher streaming residuals. The deal, if ratified, ends months of uncertainty...
For More than 30 Years — Day in, Day Out — He's Chronicled California. One Paragraph at a Time
Jack Kavanagh’s Rough & Tumble, a one‑man California political news aggregator, has delivered daily paragraph‑style summaries for more than 30 years, drawing about 1.1 million page views a year from readers worldwide. The site eschews graphics and opinion, offering only headlines and concise analysis,...
TV Industry Bracing for Decline in Sales on Rising Production Costs Amid West Asia Crisis
The Indian TV market is bracing for a sales dip as soaring RAM prices, higher plastic and ocean‑freight costs linked to the West Asia crisis, and rupee depreciation push retail prices up about 20%. An entry‑level 32‑inch set now costs...
GUEST COLUMN: Beyond Layoffs, India Emerges as Creative-Tech Hub
Despite widespread headlines about layoffs in media and tech, the industry is undergoing a structural shift toward integrated, agile creative‑tech workflows. Companies are redistributing talent globally, positioning India as a central hub for strategy, production, and performance optimisation. Accelerated hiring...
How Corporate Natalie Turned a $500 Brand Deal Into a Creator Empire—And Her Own Agency
Former Deloitte consultant Natalie Marshall turned a $500 sponsored post into the “Corporate Natalie” persona, amassing over 1.4 million Instagram followers and a multi‑platform creator empire. Leveraging her comedy‑driven office satire, she now runs a small agency, Expand Co‑Lab, that brings...
How Online Entertainment Platforms Are Taking Cues From Hollywood: Shaping the Future of Digital Storytelling
Online entertainment platforms are increasingly borrowing Hollywood’s high‑budget production values, storytelling techniques, and sophisticated revenue models. Advances in AI, big‑data analytics, and augmented reality enable creators to tailor content and accelerate production cycles, while secure, multi‑tiered payment systems improve user...
Yen Press and Ize Press Reveal Major New Manga and Webcomic Licenses at Sakura-Con 2026
Yen Press and its Korean‑content imprint Ize Press announced a twelve‑title expansion at Sakura‑Con 2026, featuring eight new manga slated for an October 2026 release and four popular webcomics slated for print later that year. The manga lineup includes high‑profile...
Modular AI System Enables Standalone Products Across Use Cases
What excites me most is that this isn’t only useful as one giant system. Someone could take one layer of it and build a product around just that: trend detection, transcript analysis, hook intelligence, UGC workflows, distribution tooling. That’s part of why I want to share it...
Trump’s CNN Attacks Echo as Paramount Takeover Looms
Donald Trump’s attacks on CNN have taken on new meaning with David Ellison’s Paramount ready to take over. @liamjscott and I spoke to CNN staffers who detailed fresh anxieties about potential job cuts, mismanagement, and deference to Trump. https://t.co/YJOQ2Yentz
AI Chatbot Traffic Grows Seven Times Faster than Social Media but Still Trails by a Factor of Four
Similarweb’s latest analysis shows AI chatbot platforms attracted 9.3 billion visits, a figure that is four times lower than social media’s 41 billion. However, chatbot traffic grew 44.4% year‑over‑year, outpacing social media’s 6.3% growth by a factor of seven. The audience demographics...
Build a $100k Solo Business with Six Simple Steps
The journey of a $100k solo creator: 1. Find niche with active demand 2. Craft an offer that satisfies it 3. Content to funnel demand 4. Redirect to your email 5. Make offers daily 6. Learn & scale In that order.
Hawaii Five‑O Totals 22 Seasons Across Two Eras
The original “Hawaii Five-0” ended on CBS in 1980 after 12 seasons. Combined with 10 seasons for the recent reboot (2010-2020), that is 22 seasons of "Hawaii Five-O." https://t.co/XgT8dJSiLB https://t.co/mcmAgi3nY3
Chicago P.D. Season 13 Episode 17 Release Date, Time, Where to Watch
Chicago P.D. returns with Season 13 Episode 17 on April 8, 2026, airing at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. The preview teases a showdown between Sergeant Voight and Officer Imani amid a string of ATM robberies. The episode follows last week’s tragic teen shooting storyline...
Fox's 1987 Debut Birthed the Simpsons on Tracey Ullman
Fox Broadcasting Company officially launched in 1987 with Sunday night comedies “Married with Children” and “The Tracey Ullman Show.” The latter series, of course, was the original home of those animated characters named the Simpsons. https://t.co/r0dcdNf20g https://t.co/V037YvJ0rY
ITV’s “Betrayal” Timed to Echo Anti‑Iran Sentiment
Amazing timing for ITV to come out with the mini-series “Betrayal” in Feb 2026, perfectly fitting all the anti-Iranian narratives at play leading up the the US/ISR attack
What Caught My Eye in AI This Week
The author announced the launch of the Sunday Supplement, a weekly, newspaper‑style newsletter exclusive to paid subscribers of the Really Rich platform. Priced at less than the cost of a coffee and a small cake, the supplement promises curated content...
Court Rulings Make Tech Reform a 2028 Campaign Weapon
Here's a really powerful summary of what the 2 social media court cases mean. @jonfavs explains why anyone running for office would do well to embrace and champion reforms.
Free Streams for Monte-Carlo Masters 2026 Clay Tournament
Watch free streams from Monte-Carlo Masters 2026 in tennis' first big clay-court tournament of the year – TV channels, broadcasters and streams. https://t.co/YxbFEWoMil
‘SNL’ Weekend Update Roasts Pam Bondi, JD Vance’s Adult Catholic Conversion
Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update segment took aim at former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Ohio Senator JD Vance. The show lampooned Bondi’s recent firing by Donald Trump over her handling of the Epstein files, even mocking the redacted...
Letterman's Late Night Pioneers Dolby Stereo on TV
#ThisDayInTechHistory. April 5, 1989. Late Night with David Letterman becomes the first network television show to use the Dolby Stereo sound format. https://t.co/a4t0qKDrcU
Netflix, Apple TV, HBO Max Vie for Drama Emmys
Emmy Predictions: Drama Series — Netflix, Apple TV and HBO Max Battle With Genre Shows Taking Center Stage https://t.co/k1Lo5SE0OX via @variety https://t.co/k14dG60ELD
Has Dark Winds Season 5 Been Canceled or Renewed?
AMC has officially renewed the crime drama Dark Winds for a fifth season. The renewal was announced ahead of Season 4's premiere, reflecting the network’s confidence in the series’ growing audience. Production is set to begin in March 2026 in Santa...
Nyan Cat Debuted on YouTube on April 5, 2011
#ThisDayInTechHistory. April 5, 2011. The original Nyan Cat video was uploaded to YouTube. #Internet #History #JVGpost https://t.co/S2mPrlAk0h
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See Every Host in Elite “Saturday Night Live ”Five-Timers Club
The Saturday Night Live “Five‑Timers Club” now counts 30+ elite hosts who have appeared five or more times, with Alec Baldwin holding the record at 17 appearances. Steve Martin follows closely with 16, and other notable members include Tom Hanks,...
HarperCollins Children's Books Acquires Beth McColl’s ‘Georgia Nicholson’ Teen Series
HarperCollins Children's Books announced the acquisition of Beth McColl’s upcoming teen series, “Georgia Nicholson.” The move targets readers who grew up with Lottie Brooks and positions HarperCollins to capture a fresh slice of the young‑adult market.
Via Licensing Raises H.264 Streaming Fees to $4.5 Million for Tier‑1 Platforms
Via Licensing Alliance announced a tiered H.264 streaming royalty model for 2026, increasing the annual fee for platforms with 100 M+ subscribers or users to $4.5 M, up from a $100 k cap. The change forces broadcasters, OTT services and FAST channels to...
State AGs Challenge $6.2B Nexstar‑Tegna Merger and $110B Paramount‑Warner Deal
State attorneys general, led by California’s Rob Bonta, have filed lawsuits to block the $6.2 billion Nexstar‑Tegna merger and are weighing a challenge to Paramount’s $110 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. The moves come after the DOJ and FCC approved the...
Samsung Launches S95H OLED TV at $2,499, Sparking Upgrade Debate with S95F
Samsung unveiled its flagship S95H OLED TV, priced from $2,499 and equipped with a metal bezel, HDR10+ Advanced and a flush‑mount design. The launch reignites the upgrade conversation with the prior‑year S95F, whose One Connect Box and lower price have...
Michael Patrick King Suggests ‘And Just Like That’ Will “Potentially Age Well”
Michael Patrick King says the HBO Max revival “And Just Like That…” could achieve cult status over time, likening its trajectory to his earlier series “The Comeback.” The show ran from 2021 to 2025, reuniting the original Sex and the...