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.
Cartoni To Introduce Control Unite For Liftto HP Elevation System At 2026 NAB Show
Cartoni will unveil a universal control unit for its Lifto HP elevation system at the 2026 NAB Show, alongside the Master 30 OB, MIXO 21 fluid head, Ragno Pod riser, and encoded E‑Jibo tracker. The control unit works with major PTZ controllers, offers PoE+ power, V‑Mount battery operation, and stores up to 100 preset positions. The Master 30 OB adds a dedicated slide system for fast camera mounting, while the MIXO 21 supports payloads up to 21 kg with a seven‑step drag. The Ragno Pod raises cameras over two feet and the E‑Jibo delivers high‑resolution motion tracking for virtual‑production workflows.
Hachette Pulls Mia Ballard’s Debut ‘Shy Girl’ Over AI‑Generated Text Allegations
Hachette announced it will not publish Mia Ballard’s horror debut Shy Girl in the United States and will pulp the already‑released UK copies after AI‑detection tools identified extensive AI‑generated text. The move marks the first time a major publisher has withdrawn a...
Eurovision Launches First Asian Edition in Bangkok, 10 Nations Confirmed
The European Broadcasting Union confirmed that the Eurovision Song Contest will debut an Asian edition in Bangkok on Nov. 14, 2026, with broadcasters from ten countries already signed up. The move, timed with Eurovision’s 70th anniversary, aims to tap a...
StreamTV Europe Opens Two Weeks From Now in Lisbon
Questex’s StreamTV Europe is launching its inaugural three‑day conference in Lisbon from April 13‑15, drawing more than 900 attendees, 190 speakers, 70 hosted buyers and 100 sponsors. The event expands the successful Denver‑based StreamTV format to Europe, featuring a dedicated buyer...
"Bad Sisters" Alum Daryl McCormack Joins Dakota Fanning and Stellan Skarsgard in a New Original Thriller
Apple TV+ announced a new original thriller starring Dakota Fanning, Stellan Skarsgård, and "Bad Sisters" alum Daryl McCormack. The series follows Fanning as an undercover Treasury agent infiltrating a multi‑billion‑dollar international conglomerate. Production details were released via an Apple press...
Meta Adaptive Ranking Model: Bending the Inference Scaling Curve to Serve LLM-Scale Models for Ads
Meta unveiled its Adaptive Ranking Model, a request‑centric inference stack that lets the company run LLM‑scale recommendation models for ads with sub‑second latency. The system combines inference‑efficient scaling, deep model‑hardware co‑design, and a multi‑card GPU serving layer to handle up...
Happy Valley and Slow Horses Stars Join Netflix's "Stunning" Drama
Netflix’s upcoming romance Walk the Blue Fields, starring Emily Blunt and Andrew Scott, has added Mark Stanley and Ruth Bradley—known from Happy Valley and Slow Horses—to its ensemble. The film, directed by John Crowley and scripted by playwright Conor McPherson, adapts Claire Keegan’s 2007 short story about a...
Content Production: 6 Steps to a Scalable Process
Content teams often stumble not from lack of ideas but from chaotic workflows, leading to missed deadlines and uneven quality. A structured, six‑step content production process transforms ad‑hoc creation into a repeatable system that aligns with business goals. By setting...
Few Habitual Sharers Drive Most Online Misinformation
Every time I open a social media app and see the same people posting (and I'm including myself in this), I'm reminded of a small study that showed 15% of habitual sharers were responsible for 30-40% of misinformation. Guess who is...
Which States Binge-Watch the Most TV?
Overnight Glasses released a state‑by‑state ranking of streaming hours, finding Delaware leads binge‑watchers with an average 3.08 hours per day and Montana tops the chart overall at 3.52 hours. The top five states—Delaware, Montana, Maine, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire—share a common...
Director, Digital Media Strategy and Planning
Lemonada Media announced a hire for a Director of Digital Media Strategy and Planning, a senior role that will support its sales organization by crafting media proposals, managing the sales pipeline, and coordinating with audience growth and ad‑operations teams. The...
Judge Rules Trump's Executive Order to Kill PBS, NPR Unconstitutional
A U.S. District Court judge ruled that President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14290, which sought to terminate federal funding for PBS, NPR, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, violates the First Amendment. Judge Randolph Moss relied on the 2024 NRA...
Podcast Producer
ARN is hiring a Podcast Producer in Sydney or Melbourne to power iHeart’s original podcast slate. The role covers end‑to‑end production—research, scripting, recording, editing, publishing, and social amplification—across audio, video and social channels. Candidates must juggle multiple shows, coordinate talent,...
Have You Seen My Thank-You Yet?
Michael Fanone’s Substack post thanks readers for sustaining his independent journalism and announces a limited‑time 30% discount on a one‑year paid subscription. He emphasizes that subscriber revenue funds the Defend Democracy Tour, deep‑dive reporting, record retrievals, and legal vetting of...
Eddie Murphy’s AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute Is Coming to Netflix in May 2026
Netflix will be the exclusive global streaming home for the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Eddie Murphy, debuting on May 31, 2026. The gala will be recorded at the Dolby Theatre on April 18, 2026, before being edited...
AI Is Good At Optimizing Things, Including Ad Fraud
Spider AF’s latest report reveals that AI‑powered performance ads are set to dominate spend, with traffic projected to rise 192% month‑over‑month versus a 23% decline in legacy campaigns. However, the same AI optimization appears to double ad‑fraud rates compared with non‑AI...
New Audio Ad Service Seeks Reach + Relevance
StreamGuys has launched SGCreative, an audio advertising platform built with Nueva Network, a specialist in U.S. Hispanic media. Nueva reaches roughly 600 radio stations across more than 100 markets, covering about 97 % of the Hispanic population. SGCreative uses AI to...
Activism, Uncensored: No Kings in LA
The No Kings protests swept the nation last weekend, with about 3,300 demonstrations, and Los Angeles became a focal point due to its recent anti‑ICE riots and curfew. Reporter Ford Fischer chose LA over other hotspots, noting the city’s combustible atmosphere....
The Expansion of the Adaptation Market in Audiovisual and Cinema
The adaptation market linking literature, publishing and audiovisual content is accelerating, with festivals like Quais du polar showcasing increased collaborations between writers and filmmakers. A June 2023 National Book Center (CNL) report shows literary‑based films now represent roughly 30% of...
Belgian Court Upholds Platform Financing Obligations, Defers to CJEU
Belgium’s Constitutional Court upheld a 2023 decree that forces streaming platforms to finance regional audiovisual production, rejecting Netflix’s appeal. The ruling confirms that the financing obligation is valid under Belgian law. However, the court referred six key questions to the...
In Praise of Pedants, Nonfiction's Nightmare Year, and More
Nonfiction publishing endured a harsh year, with sales slipping more than 8% and only one of the ten best‑selling titles being a fresh release. The article also praises pedants, labeling them as essential defenders of factual rigor in an age...
YouTube Pivoted From Dating Videos to Everything
YouTube started as ...a video dating site. But nobody uploaded dating videos. People uploaded everything else. So Youtube listened and pivoted to the current Youtube
TMZ Is Fully Owned by Fox, Bought by Lachlan
A fact somewhat lost in TMZ's naming and shaming of Senators and Congresspeople amid the partial government shutdown: It is wholly owned by Fox, a strategic purchase by Lachlan Murdoch.
Catherine Pégard Delays Public Broadcasting Reform
France's new Minister of Culture, Catherine Pégard, announced on France Inter that the planned overhaul of the country's public broadcasting system will not be implemented in the coming months. The decision follows months of debate over governance, funding, and digital...
Join Me Live on Y100FM for TV Tuesday
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UTA's Paul Coggiola Joins LIFT to Lead Creators Division
UTA Agent Paul Coggiola Exits to Head New Creators Division at LIFT Management https://t.co/YOjDa4ZlhP via @variety
VideoClub Studio Brings TV-Quality Production to YouTube
Timothée Vienne, a veteran documentary filmmaker, has launched VideoClub Studio to deliver TV‑quality production services to YouTube creators. Leveraging his broadcast background, the company provides multi‑camera rigs, professional lighting, and post‑production workflows traditionally reserved for network television. VideoClub Studio operates...
NAB Show: Evergent To Showcase Subscriber Monetization & AI Innovations
Evergent, a subscriber lifecycle management specialist, will showcase a suite of AI‑driven tools at the NAB Show in Las Vegas from April 18‑22. The new offerings include subscriber lifecycle intelligence to boost acquisition and engagement, as well as flexible monetization...
Ankama Animations: Expanding Video Game IPs
Ankama Animations is scaling its video‑game‑to‑screen pipeline by producing original animated series from its own French IPs such as Dofus and Wakfu. The company is bypassing traditional licensing deals, allowing tighter creative control and lower production costs. It is targeting...
Dan Dakich Re-Ups with Outkick; Exits WXNT, Indy Radio Show
Multimedia sports platform OutKick has secured Dan Dakich on a multi‑year contract to continue hosting his "Don’t @ Me" show, effective April 1. As part of the agreement, Dakich will exit his traditional radio slot on Cumulus Media’s WXNT‑AM in Indianapolis, making...
NAB Show: Fabric To Showcase AI-Driven Media Supply Chain Innovations
Fabric will debut an expanded AI‑driven media supply chain platform at the NAB Show, unveiling updates to its Origin and Xytech product lines. The rollout includes Origin Studio, a cloud‑native title management system, and Origin Insights, a data‑as‑a‑service analytics platform....
NAB Show: CueScript To Debut Mobile App, Software Updates
CueScript will unveil three broadcast‑focused innovations at the NAB Show, including the CuePad mobile app for iPad and iPhone, a next‑generation update to its CueiT teleprompter software, and an Above‑Hood talent monitor mount. The CuePad app delivers frame‑accurate scrolling using...
Allen Sliwa Named PM Drive Co-Host at KGB-AM, San Diego
iHeartMedia’s San Diego station KGB‑AM announced that veteran broadcaster Allen Sliwa will co‑host its afternoon drive program with Jon Schaeffer, airing weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sliwa comes from the Los Angeles Lakers Radio Network, bringing high‑profile NBA experience to...
TALKERS News Notes
Baltimore Public Media announced a revamped daily schedule for WYPR, adding a live Friday news roundup hosted by Mat Bush and expanding its production team with five new hires. Programming director Maxie Jackson highlighted that the changes align with the...
NAB Show: PlayBox Neo To Showcase Workflow, Security & IP Advances
PlayBox Neo will demonstrate its latest Suite upgrades at the NAB Show, focusing on hybrid, cloud and IP‑based broadcast workflows. New role‑based user management and LDAP‑SSL Active Directory integration tighten security and simplify permissions. Bandwidth‑efficient multiviewer technology cuts usage by...
Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (3/30)
Talk radio’s daily roundup on March 30 highlighted five dominant storylines shaping the national conversation. Listeners heard intense debate over the escalating U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict and a potential Strait of Hormuz blockade, while soaring gas prices and volatile financial markets dominated...
Sports Studio Forms Advisory Board for Free Live Sports Platform
Sports Studio Inc. announced a five‑member Advisory Board to guide its Free Live Sports platform, an ad‑supported service that streams live sports for free. The board includes former executives from FuboTV, AOL Time Warner, Yahoo, and Fox Sports, bringing deep...
Industry Insights: Pranks, Pitches & PR Trust Issues
April 1 has become a ritual for agencies and brands eager to showcase creativity through fake product launches, spoof partnerships, or tongue‑in‑cheek press releases. The day offers a low‑cost way to generate buzz, earn social media shares, and demonstrate a brand’s...
Creators Can Now Get Paid Instantly as Billion Dollar Boy Unveils New Payments Platform
Billion Dollar Boy launched Creator Payments, a new SaaS solution built into its Companion platform. The product consolidates invoicing, tax compliance, and onboarding, handling up to 14 administrative steps per creator. In partnership with Lumanu, it adds an Early Pay...
GB News Owner’s Letter to Guardian Riddled with Falsehoods
FACTCHECK: GB News owner Paul Marshall seems to dislike Christian leaders criticising his channel's attacks on climate action, so he made a rare public intervention But his letter to the Guardian (pic) makes 25 false, misleading or confused claims (!) Receipts in...
Have Your Say on the Digital Fairness Act
The European Union is drafting the Digital Fairness Act to protect children and teenagers online, and it is soliciting direct input from 12‑to‑17‑year‑olds across member states. A 15‑minute survey, available in national languages, asks young users about experiences with apps,...
Kevin Williamson Reveals the Reason Behind ‘The Waterfront’ Cancelation at Netflix
Creator Kevin Williamson explained why Netflix canceled "The Waterfront" despite strong viewership. The series logged 258.5 million viewing hours and 40.3 million view equivalents, staying in the top 10 for five weeks. Netflix’s renewal model prioritizes rapid completion rates, and the show’s median...
NAB Show: From YouTube to TV (and Back)—Building a Cross-Platform Content Brand
At the 2024 NAB Show, creator Jefferson Graham explained how his PhotowalksTV YouTube brand—over 1,000 videos and 36,000 subscribers—was transformed into a half‑hour travel show on Scripps News. The session highlighted the shift from flexible online formats to strict broadcast...
In the Print Review – Rupert Murdoch Hits Trade Unions with Fake News in Tense Thriller
"In the Print" is a docudrama by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky that dramatizes Rupert Murdoch’s 1986‑87 battle with the print union Sogat over the Wapping plant. The play highlights Murdoch’s use of a fabricated newspaper, The London Post, to...
Where Do Kazakhs Get Their News?
A DEMOSCOPE survey of 1,100 Kazakhs shows social media dominates news consumption, with 55.9% citing it as their primary source, while 45% prefer Kazakh language content. Trust remains low: 62.9% distrust social‑media groups and 66.1% distrust bloggers, yet 57.4% “rather...
FOX Saturday Baseball Delivers Its Best Season-Opening Telecast Since 2021
FOX Sports reported that its Saturday baseball opening‑day telecast attracted 2.59 million viewers, the strongest start since the 2021 season. The two‑game slate was highlighted by the New York Yankees defeating the San Francisco Giants and delivered a 45% viewership lift...
Ekta Kapoor Explains Why She Tells Stories of Women Who Start with Less: “They Have to Fight for Everything. That...
Ekta Kapoor explained that she deliberately crafts television dramas around women who start with limited resources, emphasizing their daily battles and resilience. She argues that portraying a woman in a saree crying is not a sign of weakness but a...
I Broke up with My Kindle. My New E-Reader Treats Me Better.
After Amazon’s Kindle began restricting users from downloading and backing up their own e‑books, columnist Michael J. Coren switched to a different e‑reader. He criticizes Kindle’s licensing model, which treats the device as a rental rather than ownership, giving Amazon...
Sela Partners with Whisper for Fury Vs. Makhmudov Fight Production on Netflix
Sela has hired Whisper as its full‑service production partner for the heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Arslanbek Makhmudov, live on Netflix on April 11 from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The co‑main event features Conor Benn versus Regis Prograis, with the under‑card...
👑 We Were Wrong
Burger King released a bold, fully transparent apology ad that directly addressed long‑standing customer complaints about price and quality. The commercial, posted on YouTube, received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with viewers praising the brand’s willingness to admit its flaws. This move...