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.
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 become key comparison points for premium‑TV shoppers.
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...
Product Manager Turns AI Prompt Into $2 Postcard App, Hits 100 Users
San Francisco product manager Priscilla Tina launched Postcard Press, an AI‑driven app that lets users send photos as $2 postcards. In its first three months the service logged about 100 users and a viral Instagram reel that amassed over 80,000...
Private Sector Needed to Save Indy TV, Avoid Bankruptcy
If people won’t let the private sector make adjustments to the local TV station business, it’s a guarantee that a bankruptcy judge will in due course. New @wrtv owner DuJuan McCoy deserves time to make the necessary adjustments. Investigative reporter...
Why Seinfeld Got Rid Of Kramer's Dog And How That Changed Michael Richards' Character
In Seinfeld’s pilot, a large retriever named Ralph appeared with Kramer but was quickly written out after Larry David deemed a big dog impractical on set. Michael Richards later explained he channeled the dog’s playful, boundless energy to shape Kramer’s physical...
Modern Wisdom Podcast Drops ‘Terrible Paradox of Self-Awareness’ Episode on Consciousness
Modern Wisdom released a new episode titled “The Terrible Paradox of Self-Awareness,” featuring guest Robert Pantano and host Chris Williamson. The conversation argues that consciousness simultaneously generates anguish and the capacity for love, beauty, and purpose, reshaping how spiritual seekers...
Fans Quit After Glenn, yet Lingered Post‑Season 2
im not surprised that people stopped watching The Walking Dead after glenns death but i am surprised they watched it after season 2
Data Brokers Push Irrelevant Ads to Boost Conversions, Target Did.
If you know anything about data brokers/targeting advertising u know that they will give u ads for things they know ur not interested in bc it boosts conversion on the ones you are. Target was doing this to pregnant women...
Meet Tatanka Means, Who Plays Miles in Yellowstone Spin-Off Marshals
Taylor Sheridan’s neo‑Western "Marshals" has become the second‑most‑watched series on Paramount+ according to FlixPatrol. The show continues the Yellowstone universe, following Kayce Dutton, a former Navy SEAL turned U.S. Marshal. Actor Tatanka Means joins the cast as Deputy Marshal Miles...
Blind Witness Drama ‘In the Dark’ Ran Four Seasons
📺 April 4, 2019: “In the Dark” debuted on The CW. The drama, starring Perry Mattfeld as a blind woman who became the only witness to the murder of her drug-dealing friend, ran for four seasons. It was co-executive produced...
Marvel's Forgotten Sci-Fi Comic Is The Perfect Concept For Its Next TV Show
Marvel’s 1986 comic “Strikeforce: Morituri” follows a team of volunteers who gain superpowers that guarantee death within a year, creating a high‑stakes narrative where heroes can die at any moment. The property exists outside mainstream Marvel continuity, allowing a TV...
Most Artists Chase Sync Deals without Researching Libraries
Sync Licensing Fact A lot of artists and producers say they’re looking for an 'in'... Very few are actually researching music libraries, what they place and following submission guidelines.
Steve Kroft Reveals He “Hated” His Time at ’60 Minutes’
Steve Kroft, the longest‑tenured correspondent on CBS’s *60 Minutes*, told Bill O’Reilly’s podcast that he “hated” his time at the newsmagazine, citing a relentless 24‑hour news cycle, poor sleep and a cut‑throat workplace culture. He described the environment as a...
‘SNL UK’ Takes On ‘The Traitors,’ Mocking Claims Contestants Display Unconscious Racial Bias
Saturday Night Live UK aired a sketch parodying the reality series The Traitors, targeting accusations that contestants exhibit unconscious racial bias. The sketch featured a crab costume metaphor and depicted a Black contestant, played by Riz Ahmed, being voted off...
Streaming Reach Matches TV, Audience Grows Faster Than Subscriptions
The traditional reach-versus-revenue trade-off between 📺 linear TV and 📲 OTT streaming may only apply to broadcast television anymore: As linear cable/satellite TV shrinks and streaming expands, their reach expectations have largely converged for the most-scaled pure-play streamers. Especially with Prime...
Samba TV: ‘The Pitt’ Tops Weekly Streaming Viewership Through March 29
HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt” topped Samba TV’s weekly streaming rankings for the March 23‑29 period, securing the No. 1 spot in the United States. The series, starring Noah Wyle, outperformed Paramount+’s new series “The Madison,” which placed second, while Hulu’s...
Before Webcomics: Selling Political Cartoons On BBSes In 1992
In 1992 Texas entrepreneur Don Lokke launched "telecomics," a series of political cartoons distributed via bulletin board systems (BBS) before the public web existed. His flagship strip, "Mack the Mouse," satirized rising taxes and the recession during the Clinton‑Bush‑Perot race,...
‘SNL UK’ Cold Open: George Fouracres’ Keir Starmer Calls On Olivia Colman & Peppa Pig To Inspire Nation
Saturday Night Live’s UK edition opened its third episode with a cold‑open starring George Fouracres as Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who humorously solicits pep talks from Olivia Colman, Peppa Pig and Harry Kane amid a lingering Middle‑East conflict. The sketch juxtaposes serious diplomatic...
Columbo's Ill-Conceived Spinoff Starred A Future Fan-Favorite Star Trek Captain
In 1979, a 22‑year‑old Kate Mulgrew was cast as Kate Columbo in NBC’s short‑lived “Mrs. Columbo,” a spin‑off of the iconic detective series. The show struggled with the implausible age gap to Peter Falk, prompting a retooling to “Kate Loves...
Excerpt: The Collapse Of The Monoculture And The Rise Of Feudal Media
The author announces a forthcoming book on the decline of a unified media monoculture and the rise of what he calls "Feudal Media," slated for release in Fall 2026. Recent events, such as the Iran war coverage, have exposed readers’...
MrBeast Pits 50 Streamers Against Each Other with Final Four Competing for $1M Live
Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, staged a $1 million competition that trapped 50 top streamers in a custom cube and whittled them down to four finalists. The video ended abruptly, revealing that the final showdown will be streamed live on April 5...
Saturday VOZ Ratings | BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS Is a Lifestyle Winner
TV Blackbox published the Saturday VOZ ratings for 4 April 2026, introducing updated overnight and consolidated measurement methods. The new metrics count unique viewers who watch at least one minute of broadcast TV or 15 seconds of BVOD and calculate national audience averages...
Media Vilifies Dissenters to Boost Ratings and Agenda
Actually I was going on Fox News often early in the pandemic but I refused to go along with the fake news about hydroxychloroquine coming out of the White House, and the invitations from the nighttime programming stopped. Midday anchors...
Los Angeles Jury Holds Meta and Google Liable, Signaling New Era of Digital Platform Accountability
A Los Angeles jury on March 25 assigned 70% liability to Meta and 30% to Google for a young woman's alleged addiction to Instagram and YouTube, awarding $3 million in compensatory and $3 million in punitive damages. The ruling, which sidestepped Section 230 protections...
Meta Tests Instagram Plus as Subscription Trend Grows
Meta starts testing a premium subscription on Instagram -> Meta is testing an Instagram Plus subscription in a few countries, offering features including anonymous Story viewing and extended 48-hour Story durations "Snapchat and X have proven that there is a market for...
Alison Hammond Says She Has Been Approached to Host Strictly Come Dancing
Alison Hammond disclosed that BBC producers have approached her to host Strictly Come Dancing, but she declined due to a packed schedule. The show is currently searching for replacements for long‑time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, with rumors circulating...
Riot Women
Sally Wainwright’s new six‑part series Riot Women brings a female‑led musical drama to the British screen, following a group of middle‑aged women forming a rock band to confront personal crises. The story centers on school head Beth, a publican, a...
Good Morning
In the past week AI moved from theory to controversy across the cultural sector. The New York Times dismissed a freelance critic for using AI to draft a book review, and Hachette pulled a novel suspected of AI authorship, marking publishing’s first...
Zack Snyder & James Gunn’s Beloved Action Movie Is Leaving Netflix
The 2004 zombie remake Dawn of the Dead, directed by Zack Snyder with a screenplay by James Gunn, will leave Netflix’s catalog on May 1, 2026. The film, which earned $102.2 million worldwide on a $26 million budget, holds a 77% approval...
Meta’s Ad Sequencing Works—Just Undocumented Setup Steps
> Get excited about Meta's ad sequencing announcement > Try to set it up realize it requires lifetime budgets, not daily > Realize it needs Target Frequency, not the default optimization > Realize the sequencing toggle doesn't even appear until after...
Jeremy Renner's Canceled Detective Series Deserved A Second Season
Jeremy Renner headlined ABC’s 2009 detective series *The Unusuals*, a ten‑episode blend of dark police drama and off‑beat comedy. The show earned a 72 % critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a perfect 100 % audience rating, but debuted with only 6.83 million...
K-Bear, K-Whale Raise $101K for St. Jude in Anchorage
Connoisseur Media’s Anchorage rock and country stations partnered for their annual St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital radiothon. Over two days, the event raised more than $101,000, driven by on‑air storytelling and talent‑led appeals. K‑BEAR (KBRJ) and K‑WHALE (KWHL) anchored the campaign,...
Emily Blunt’s R-Rated 91% RT Action Movie Is Leaving Netflix Soon
Emily Blunt‑led R‑rated thriller Sicario will be removed from Netflix on May 1, 2026, giving subscribers a final month to watch it. The film, which grossed about $84.9 million worldwide and holds a 91 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, has been part of Netflix’s catalog...
THE UNVARNISHED TRUTH
Earl Stephens recounts his confrontations with media consultants and newspaper mogul Dean Singleton, highlighting how profit‑driven cuts have eroded editorial quality. He argues that independent newsletters like his Substack provide a vital platform for uncensored, subscriber‑supported journalism. The piece also...
Documentary Captures Indigenous Teens Paddling Restored Klamath River After Historic Dam Removal
A new Oregon Public Broadcasting documentary, "First Descent: Kayaking the Klamath," chronicles 28 Indigenous teenagers who became the first generation in a century to paddle the full 300‑plus‑mile Klamath River after the 2024 removal of four major dams. The film...
Tor, Penguin, and Scribner Unveil Major 2026 Acquisitions Across Fantasy, YA, and Literary Fiction
Tor announced the acquisition of Michael Sala's epic fantasy series "Gods of the Hollow Wild," Penguin UK pre-empted the six‑figure YA debut "Death Wish," and Scribner UK secured Sarah Thomas's second novel "Inheritance." The three deals signal aggressive title‑building by...
Join My New Subscriber Chat
Joe Favorito announced a new subscriber‑only chat for his Sports Marketing & PR Pros Substack, offering a real‑time discussion space for members. The chat replaces email updates, delivering instant notifications via the Substack app and web interface. Users are instructed to enable...
'60s Television Shows That Could Never Be Made Today
The article reviews iconic 1960s TV series and argues many would never be green‑lit today because their gender roles, racial portrayals, disability casting, or outright absurd premises clash with modern cultural standards. Shows like *I Dream of Jeannie*, *Ironside*, *F Troop*...
Snapchat's Total Snap Takeovers Let Brands Own Every Tab
Snapchat introduced Total Snap Takeovers, letting brands run ads across all major tabs, including Map, Chat, Camera, Stories, and Spotlight, in a single buy. With 97% of users visiting multiple tabs per session, it's a format designed around actual user...
Lawsuit Claims Perplexity’s ‘Incognito’ Sold Chats for Ads
Perplexity’s “Incognito Mode” is a “sham,” -lawsuit says Google, Meta, and Perplexity accused of sharing millions of chats to increase ad revenue. https://t.co/vxnnXugoR4
Return of Our Live Q&A Segment Every Friday Night
The author announced the return of the live Q&A segment on Substack, launching Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m. ET after a three‑year stint on Rumble. Subscribers will post questions throughout the week, and the host will address them in a 90‑to‑120‑minute...
Prime Video Rolls Out Four Easter Week Releases
Amazon’s Prime Video to Add 4 New Releases During Easter Week: The One to Watch https://t.co/B3rspOJyGu via @TVAnswerMan
Archie Bunker's Place Ends, Concluding 13‑season Legacy
📺 April 4, 1983: “Archie Bunker’s Place,” the continuation of “All in the Family,” ended its four-season run on CBS. Overall, Carroll O’Connor played Archie Bunker for 13 seasons. The series also starred Danielle Brisebois, Allan Melvin, Jason Wingreen,… https://t.co/0bUoZg5wQE...
Twitter Fuels False Trump Health Rumors; Policy Overhaul Needed
Twitter has become the biggest online tool for spreading fake news. This is a video from Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024 after Trump's assassination attempt. Twitter needs to change its policy ASAP and ban this lying retards. https://t.co/C9cBXe4EiN
Investigative Journalism Infrastructure Crumbling, Opinion Takes Over
And this is a major newspaper. Now imagine the nonsense fed to us via blogs and Substacks. Was speaking with a senior journalist recently who remarked how infrastructure to support serious investigative journalism is dying out, and everything is becoming...
One Tree Hill Ends After Nine Seasons on April 4
📺 April 4, 2012: “One Tree Hill” concluded its nine-season run. The young adult soap opera starred Chad Michael Murray, James Lafferty, Hilarie Burton and Sophia Bush. Its first three seasons had aired on The WB prior to the netlet’s...
AI Fills Missing Video Shots, Seamlessly Matching Your Style
NemoVideo Just Integrated Seedance 2.0 Missing A Shot? Upload Your Footage. The AI Generates The Missing Clips Matching Your Style Perfectly. Can't Tell What's Real And What's AI Anymore. Free To Check It Out → https://t.co/qAI3gyj7OH
FreightWaves Launches Daily Freight News TV Show
FreightWaves is launching a new TV show, FreightWaves Today, that will cover daily stories from trucking, rail, air, barge, and ocean. SportsCenter meets Bloomberg, but for freight https://t.co/ugYCXSUVy2
Twitter Remains Unrivaled; Alternatives Fail to Replace It
There hasn’t been a replacement for peak Twitter. Bluesky hasn’t taken off. Threads has a big base, but nothing seems to happen there. Distributed systems (Mastadon) produces small group conversations. So people are reluctantly on Twitter again.
New Questions, Fresh Insights: Journalists' Greatest Compliment
I conducted seven interviews this week for an upcoming print feature and each interviewee told me I asked them questions they'd never been asked before. This is the most wonderful thing you can say to a journalist, IMO.