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.
The Simpsons Writing Staff Were Given A Special Privilege No Other TV Show Had
The Simpsons’ 1997 episode “The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show” famously lampooned network meddling by introducing a trendy dog character that fans reviled. The satire was possible because executive producer James L. Brooks barred Fox executives from delivering any notes, granting writers unprecedented creative freedom. Oral histories reveal that about 75% of writer David X. Cohen’s first‑draft material survived to air, an unusually high retention rate. The episode’s legacy endures as a cautionary example of executive‑driven “hip‑up” attempts that can alienate audiences.
Go Figure: 3 Big Marketing Numbers From March
In March, forecast data showed Instagram’s ad revenue growth could fall from 27% YoY in 2026 to just 15.5% by 2027, a drop of over ten percentage points, while Facebook faces sub‑10% growth. Papa John’s announced a $22 million investment in...
Former Miami Mayor Joins FOX News Media
Former Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez has been hired by Fox News Media as a contributor, offering legal and political analysis across the network's platforms. Suarez, who led Miami from 2017 to 2025, now serves as president of investment firm...
More Affiliates for Mark Walters’ “Armed American Radio” And “Daily Defense” Shows
Mark Walters' CCW Broadcast Media added several new radio affiliates for his flagship programs, Armed American Radio and Daily Defense Hour, during February and March. The shows now broadcast on KVOC in Casper, Wyoming; WOBX in North Carolina; WNRJ in...
Goodman Joins KOA’s Rockies Coverage
iHeartMedia’s KOA Denver announced that Zach Goodman will join the Colorado Rockies Radio Network beginning April 4, adding his voice to every home and away game. Goodman, a Colorado native, spent the last two seasons as the radio play‑by‑play announcer for...
Join My Live Video Chat with the Brilliantly Fearless Journalist Kara Swisher at 2pET on Monday
Kara Swisher will host a live video chat at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, discussing Meta’s regulatory crossroads, Pam Bondi’s recent missteps, and broader media trends. The conversation will also preview Swisher’s upcoming CNN series, “Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever.” The...
Mayeen Rahman’s Discipline‑Driven Rise Redefines Gen‑Z Motivation
Mayeen Rahman, a Bangladeshi digital creator, has turned a self‑education routine into a high‑impact motivational brand. His transparent approach to discipline and failure resonates with younger audiences tired of polished hustle narratives, positioning him as a new kind of role...
Ann M. Martin Unveils First ‘Baby‑Sitters Club’ Super‑Special Graphic Novel for 40‑Year Anniversary
Creator Ann M. Martin announced that Scholastic will publish the first‑ever graphic‑novel adaptation of a Baby‑Sitters Club super‑special, "Baby‑Sitters on Board," slated for Sept. 15. Illustrated by Raina Telgemeier and Gale Galligan, the book celebrates the series’ 40‑year anniversary and expands the franchise...
OpenAI Buys Tech Talk Show TBPN for Low‑hundreds‑of‑millions, Its First Media Acquisition
OpenAI announced the acquisition of TBPN, the Silicon Valley‑focused tech‑talk show, for a price estimated at low hundreds of millions of dollars. The deal brings a 70,000‑viewer editorial team into OpenAI’s strategy group while preserving the show’s editorial independence, signaling...
Peacock Debuts Its New Vertical-Video Experience for Live NBA Games on Monday
Peacock is rolling out a Live Vertical Video experience for NBA games, debuting during the Knicks‑Hawks matchup on Monday. The AI‑driven feature automatically tracks court action and delivers a 9×16 live feed within the Courtside Live mobile app. This marks...
MeTV Toons Has a Special Easter Eggstravaganza Planned
MeTV Toons will broadcast an Easter Eggstravaganza marathon on Sunday, April 5, featuring a lineup of classic animated specials from a biblical retelling to Rankin/Bass’s iconic Easter Bunny. The day-long event starts at 7:30 a.m. with "The Easter Story" and runs through...
Why Law & Order: Los Angeles Killed Off Skeet Ulrich's Rex Winters
Skeet Ulrich’s Detective Rex Winters was killed off after nine episodes of Law & Order: Los Angeles due to NBC executive Robert Greenblatt’s dislike of the show’s early direction. Dick Wolf explained the decision was meant to give more screen...
How to Watch Coventry vs Derby Game: TV Coverage, Live Stream and Kick Off Time
Coventry City host Derby County on Friday, April 3, 2026, at the Coventry Building Society Arena. Under Frank Lampard, Coventry have won seven of their last eight games and need a maximum of 14 points from their final seven fixtures...
OpenAI Buys TBPN Tech Talk Show in Undisclosed Deal to Steer AI Media Narrative
OpenAI announced the acquisition of the daily tech‑talk show TBPN, bringing its hosts John Coogan and Jordi Hays into the company’s strategy organization. The price was not disclosed, though analysts cite “low hundreds of millions” and note TBPN’s $5 million ad...
VTDigger Faces Executive Exodus Amid Funding Strain and Union Push
VTDigger announced the departure of its CEO and senior editors while a board‑led search for new leadership begins. The exits come amid lingering financial constraints and a contentious contract renewal with its staff union, underscoring HR challenges in nonprofit media.
How MLB Is Leveraging Automation and Data to Enhance Fan Messaging
Major League Baseball has deepened its partnership with Adobe to automate fan‑engagement marketing across all 30 clubs. The expanded deal adds Adobe's GenStudio performance‑marketing platform, Firefly Services creative tools, and an LLM Optimizer for AI‑driven search visibility. Teams will use...
Forget Netflix — YouTube Is Our Main Rival, Top French Broadcaster Says
TF1 chief Rodolphe Belmer told Politico that YouTube, not Netflix, is now the main rival to French television, with roughly 67% of French smart‑TV viewers watching the platform. He warned that YouTube’s hosting model lets it sell advertising at prices...
Papers, Please
Age‑verification laws are rapidly spreading across the United States, now covering roughly half the states and forcing adult‑content sites to verify users' identities. The measures have slashed traffic on major platforms—Pornhub saw an 80% drop—and triggered a sharp income decline...
Charlton v Bristol City: Live Stream, TV Channel, Where to Watch on TV Today
Roy Hodgson takes charge of Bristol City for the first time in over 40 years as they travel to Charlton Athletic in the Championship on Friday. The match, kicking off at 15:00 BST, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+...
While Brands Chased Celebrities, Trusted Media Brands Bet on the People Next Door
Trusted Media Brands (TMB) is doubling down on community‑driven creators, a strategy validated by Edelman’s trust research. The company runs a four‑layer creator engine that blends licensed viral clips, external specialists, in‑house talent, and network sharers across brands like Reader’s...
Netflix To End April With Wonder Man Lead’s Exciting Action Thriller Series
Netflix will debut the original series "Man on Fire" on April 30, 2026, starring Yahya Abdul‑Mateen II as former Special Forces operative John Creasy. The eight‑part thriller adapts Philip Nicholson’s 1980 novel and shifts the setting to Rio de Janeiro,...
2030 Forecast: Ad-Supported Video Soars 75% To $540B
Omdia projects that advertising‑supported video will surge 75 % to $540 billion by 2030, propelled by social‑media and connected‑TV platforms. Online video is set to capture 54 % of global video revenue, up from 40 % in 2025. In contrast, linear TV’s ad‑supported revenue...
Inside the Mind of the Financial Times Opinion Editor: A Look at Key Voices
Financial Times’ opinion editor is driving a systematic push for greater diversity in its commentary pages. The paper has lifted female contributors from 20% to 30% and broadened representation of minorities, non‑Western voices, and geographic variety using automated tracking tools....
Health, Government Entities Advertised On Sites That Promoted Misinformation
A Yale University study, conducted with NewsGuard, found that health and government agencies spent more than $35.7 million on advertising across 11 websites that promote health misinformation between 2021 and 2024, accounting for over 10 % of those sites' ad revenue. The...
WorldBuilder Summit Debuts as First Dedicated Event for UGC Creators Across Roblox, Fortnite, and Beyond
The WorldBuilder Summit will launch its inaugural conference on April 23, 2026, at The London West Hollywood in California, positioning itself as the first in‑person event dedicated to user‑generated‑content (UGC) creators across platforms such as Roblox, Fortnite, Rec Room and others....
Are You Paying For Cable TV Without Knowing It? It’s Possible Because It Happened to Me
Comcast quietly added its discounted Now TV streaming package to a two‑gigabit internet upgrade without the customer's consent, presenting the bundle at the same price the consumer expected for internet alone. The hidden TV service blended into the bill, so the...
NAB 2026: Encompass Digital Media and Techex Launch Cloud-Based Master Control Service for Live Events
Encompass Digital Media and Techex have unveiled Altitude Events, a cloud‑native master control service that combines Encompass’s Altitude Media Cloud platform with Techex’s tx darwin transformation engine and Densitron UI. The solution handles the full live‑event chain—from signal acquisition and dynamic...
Hold Out for Nine‑Figure Exit, Not Just Revenue
If I had managed to create a media business did 1 million last year, would do 10 or 15 this year and 50 to 100 next year, I would hold out for nine figures as well. It’s not necessarily that you...
NFL TV Deal Threatens Hollywood Funding, Murdochs May Politicize
The NFL’s looming TV renegotiation is a ticking timebomb for Hollywood, with billions about to be siphoned away from film and TV to billionaire monopolist team owners. Can the Murdochs fight back the only way they know, with politics? Details...
NAB 2026: Grass Valley To Demonstrate Framelight X Content Management
Grass Valley will showcase its new Framelight X content‑management platform at NAB Show 2026, promising a unified, cloud‑native workflow that links capture, ingest, editing, and publishing. The solution offers migration paths from legacy systems such as Stratus and SQ, reducing operational friction...
Publish Research to Earn Backlinks From Journalists
If you want backlinks without begging... Here's a tip: Publish research. Journalists and creators need credible sources and research helps you earn the link. Give them one. More here: https://t.co/PNytCOQeuq
Savannah Guthrie's Return Could Redefine Morning TV
Inside Savannah Guthrie's return to NBC's 'Today' -- a brave choice by the anchor that could take morning TV into uncharted territory... https://t.co/9pNaPrbqmu via @variety
Don’t Try This at Home
Alan Spindel, president of the Radio Club of America, will moderate a NAB Show BEIT panel titled “War Stories From the Front Lines of Broadcasting,” featuring Bob Orban, Mike Pappas and William Harrison. The session will showcase gritty, real‑world broadcast...
Savannah Guthrie Faces Tough Comeback After Mom's Disappearance
really good analysis by @bristei about an extremely tough situation for NBC & 'Today' --> Savannah Guthrie’s Brave Choice: How Will the ‘Today’ Anchor Return to Morning TV Amid Mom’s Unsolved Disappearance? https://t.co/OdRz0xZXxI via @variety
Reddit Scrubs R/All, Forces Algorithmic Feed
Reddit removed /r/all -> Reddit kills r/all feed to push algorithmic personalization (after testing the removal in January) "Users are being pushed toward r/popular and the personalized Home feed as Reddit doubles down on algorithmic content curation." https://t.co/56Gwy3kccX https://t.co/58PYtgwYph
7 Steps to Redefine Youth Involvement in Local News Operations
The article outlines seven practical steps for local newsrooms to shift from superficial youth participation to genuine integration of youth perspectives, emphasizing small, measurable actions within existing constraints. It stresses embedding youth input in decision‑making, turning feedback into outcomes, and...
NFL Media Rights Threaten the Film and TV Industry
. @MattBelloni writes about the NFL media rights negotiations from a Hollywood perspective. "One of the biggest threats to the film and TV industry maybe isn’t A.I. or YouTube or whatever studio Larry Ellison is consolidating today. It’s football." https://t.co/d0FHLVav0X
Amazon Almost Pulled The Boys' Season 4 Finale, Showrunner Reveals
Amazon Prime Video nearly shelved the season 4 finale of the satirical series The Boys after the July 2024 Trump rally shooting made the original title “Assassination Run” seem insensitive. The decision escalated to CEO Andy Jassy, who ultimately allowed the episode...
West Brom v Wrexham: Live Stream, TV Channel, Where to Watch on TV Today
Wrexham travel to The Hawthorns on Friday, April 3, seeking a vital three points to boost their playoff aspirations in the Championship. The fixture will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ and streamed via the Sky Sports app and Sky...
Sling TV Adds a New Multiview Option Similar to YouTube TV’s Multiview
Sling TV has launched a Multiview feature that lets subscribers watch up to four live sports or news channels at once on a single screen. The service offers pre‑curated channel bundles—such as ESPN, TNT, and TBS for sports or CNN...
ChatGPT Ads: New Acquisition Channel Or Just Another Brand Tax? Via @Sejournal, @Brookeosmundson
OpenAI is set to roll out a self‑serve ChatGPT Ads platform in April, expanding the pilot beyond the U.S. to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The initial limited test generated an annualized $100 million revenue run‑rate and attracted roughly 600 advertisers, but...
Maryland Public Television’s 22nd Annual Chesapeake Bay Week Set For April 19-25
Maryland Public Television (MPT) will host its 22nd Chesapeake Bay Week from April 19 to 25, featuring more than 30 documentaries and over 20 hours of programming. The lineup introduces five new titles, anchored by the premiere of the flagship...
For All Mankind Season 5 Brings One Of Foundation's Doomed Sci-Fi Concepts To Our Solar System
Apple TV+’s alternate‑history drama *For All Mankind* introduces a space elevator in season 5, episode 2 “The Hard Six.” The episode ties the structure to the series’ escalating Mars‑Earth rivalry and a murder investigation that uncovers corporate misconduct at the Happy Valley...
“Spain’s Position Helped Us Get Visas” – Joan Roura, Catalan Journalist on Reporting in Iran
Spanish journalists, including TV3's Joan Roura, secured rare visas to report from Iran after the U.S.-Israeli strikes began on Feb. 28, citing Spain's anti‑war stance as a key factor. They entered via Turkey’s Kurdistan region, faced a 12‑hour border delay, and...
HarperCollins’ “Canadian Classics” Is an American Side Hustle
HarperCollins Canada announced a seven‑title "Canadian Classics" line debuting May 5, 2026, featuring recent works by authors such as Emma Donoghue and Heather O’Neill. The series is timed to coincide with HarperCollins' larger "American Classics" campaign, sharing the same designer,...
Podcast Consumption in Japan, Podcasts on Beehiiv, & More
Beehiiv, the newsletter platform, has launched an IAB‑compliant podcast hosting and monetization service, aiming to bridge newsletter and podcast audiences. Sounds Profitable’s research reveals that 27% of very conservative Americans have never listened to a podcast, highlighting a discovery‑architecture gap. A...
Romance Novels Drive $1.4B in Sales, Reshaping Publishing Landscape
Industry analysts and scholars say romance novels now generate about $1.4 billion a year, making the genre the top‑earning fiction category. The surge is prompting publishers, retailers and authors to rethink marketing, distribution and community‑building strategies around romance.
Sonic Gods Studios Launches Global Business‑Reality Show “60 Day Hustle” On Prime Video
Sonic Gods Studios announced the debut of “60 Day Hustle,” a global business‑reality competition streaming on Prime Video. Co‑founders Michelle Delamor, Chris Hayman and Adam Horner say the unscripted format, backed by brands like Shopify and Chime, is designed to...
Jim Acosta Says Trump Is "Winning" His War on the Press, Prompting Media Backlash
On the “Power Lines” podcast, CNN veteran Jim Acosta proclaimed that President Donald Trump is "winning" his effort to reshape the U.S. media landscape. The comment sparked a flurry of reactions from conservative commentators, former Trump officials and media analysts,...
Samsung Frame Pro and OLED TVs: 2026 Updates
Samsung Frame Pro and OLED TV News: What You Need To Know in 2026 https://t.co/Dcz7ua5iBT https://t.co/bQ8A4fNaWY