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.
Government Rolls Out TV Ratings Policy 2026 to Boost Transparency
India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting introduced the TV Ratings Policy 2026, overhauling audience measurement by dropping landing‑page views from ratings and slashing the net‑worth entry bar for rating agencies from roughly $2.4 million to $0.6 million. The rules mandate expanding the metered‑home panel to 80,000 initially, scaling to 120,000, and require public methodology disclosures and a dual‑audit system. Simultaneously, the government tightened the Cinematograph Amendment Act 2023, imposing up to three‑year jail terms and fines starting at $3,600 for piracy offenses, while blocking 800 sites and over 3,000 Telegram channels. These steps aim to restore credibility in viewership data and curb content theft.
RACER Announces Creator Summit in Long Beach to Connect Motorsport Industry With Digital Creators
RACER, the North American motorsports media platform, will host its inaugural Creator Summit on April 16 in downtown Long Beach, California, ahead of the Acura Grand Prix weekend. The invitation‑only event will bring together digital creators, brands, racing teams and...
Stamp’s Lucy Magri-Overend on Building a Certification System That Puts Creators in Control of Their Credibility
Stamp, a London‑based startup launched in November 2024, is creating an ethical certification system that puts creators in control of their credibility. Co‑founder Lucy Magri‑Overend explains the platform evaluates creators on three pillars—regulatory compliance, audience care, and personal values—through a self‑reflection...
HBO Max Rolls Out Service in the UK and Ireland, Finishing Its European Rollout
Warner Bros. Discovery has launched HBO Max in the United Kingdom and Ireland, marking the final step in its European expansion. The move adds a major new player to the region’s streaming market and gives UK and Irish viewers access...
Los Angeles Jury Orders Meta and YouTube to Pay $3 Million for Teen Social Media Addiction
A Los Angeles jury held Meta Platforms and Google-owned YouTube liable for designing addictive features that harmed a teenage user, ordering $3 million in compensatory damages—$2.1 million from Meta and $900,000 from YouTube. The verdict, the first of its kind, could reshape...
Netflix Price Hike Announced, Specifics Not Disclosed
Netflix confirmed a new price increase for its streaming plans, but the exact amount and timing were not provided in the sources. The move adds to a pattern of periodic price adjustments across the industry.
The Unsung: Why Songwriters Still Live in the Shadows of Streaming
The streaming era has pushed songwriter credits into obscurity, as digital platforms often deliver incomplete metadata and listeners rarely seek out liner notes. Consequently, songwriters receive a disproportionately small share of streaming revenue compared with master owners. Independent publishers and...
Polsat Box Go Adds AI-Powered Highlights and Alerts for Sports Viewers
Polsat Box Go has launched PRO AI Mode, an AI‑driven feature that automatically creates live‑sport highlights and push notifications. Built with WSC Sports, it identifies key actions such as goals and delivers short clips to mobile and desktop users. The service debuts during major events...
Salespeople Talk Too Much
The article argues that radio sales teams often talk too much and fail to ask the right questions, leading to missed opportunities and high turnover. Unlike the automotive sector, radio lacks consistent training and follow‑up, leaving account executives feeling undervalued....
Book-to-Screen at KVIFF Looks to Bring Central and Eastern European Stories to Viewers
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Frankfurter Buchmesse, Book World Prague and the Moravian Library in Brno, backed by the PPF Foundation, launched the Book‑to‑Screen at KVIFF initiative. The program aims to create a market for film and TV rights...
Vodafone TV Adds BBC Earth, BBC Lifestyle and BBC History
Vodafone TV will add three BBC Studios thematic channels—BBC Earth, BBC Lifestyle and BBC History—on 1 April, offering them to all customers at no extra cost. The new channels broaden Vodafone's factual and lifestyle portfolio, moving the service further into premium...
Edward Hardy Promoted to Head of Editorial at Air Cargo Week
Edward Hardy has been promoted to Head of Editorial at Air Cargo Week, after joining as editor in May 2022. During his tenure, the publication expanded its editorial team, launched the GATEWAY magazine, and adopted a digital‑first strategy. Hardy will...
Google Adds Seasonal Creative Theming to PMax Asset Groups
Google has introduced Asset Group Theming within Performance Max, allowing advertisers to apply seasonal motifs to existing asset groups without rebuilding them. The feature clones a high‑performing group, adds themed image backgrounds, and suggests matching headlines and descriptions while preserving...
Savannah Guthrie Sets Today Return for April 6 Amid Missing Mother Search
Today’s co‑anchor Savannah Guthrie will resume her duties on Monday, April 6, ending a two‑month absence. She stepped away in January to focus on locating her missing mother, a personal crisis that has drawn public attention. Hoda Kotb broke the news...
USA Sports Continues WNBA Push with Hall of Fame Additions
USA Sports, the Versant sports division spun off from NBCUniversal, is expanding its inaugural WNBA coverage by adding former players Tamika Catchings and Chamique Holdsclaw, both Hall of Famers, to its broadcast team. The network has assembled a 16‑person crew,...
Salem Media Adds Roku to FAST Partners
Salem Media announced a partnership with The Roku Channel, placing its Salem News Channel directly in Roku’s ad‑supported FAST lineup and Live TV guide. The move follows a recent launch on Amazon Prime Video’s free FAST service and comes as...
April 2026 Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – EEO Public File Reports, Comment Deadlines, Quarterly Issues/Programs Lists, Political Windows, and More
April 2026 brings a packed slate of FCC deadlines for U.S. broadcasters, including April 1 EEO public‑file reports for stations in Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas, and the start of Mid‑Term EEO reviews for larger units in Delaware, Pennsylvania...
YouTube AI Replaces Titles with Synopses, Users Upset
Oh boy, and it replaces titles in some cases. And we know how people feel about that... :) -> YouTube is testing more AI on the home screen, and we hate it already "In two examples shared by Redditors, the titles...
Unity's AI-Powered Ad Platform Vector Transforms Mobile Advertising
In this week’s episode of the Mobile Dev Memo podcast, I speak to Felix The, the SVP of Advertising Product and Engineering at Unity. We discuss Unity’s AI-enabled advertising system, Vector. https://t.co/YKAGMtaYaP
CBS News Ratings Reportedly Its Lowest on Record
CBS News has reportedly recorded its lowest viewership numbers ever, according to recent ratings data. The decline follows the appointment of columnist Bari Weiss as head of the division, a move critics say has altered editorial tone. The ratings slump...
Twitter Appears to Have Removed Trending Articles Feature
Did Twitter get rid of trending articles? That was one of my favorite features ... to see what other links people were sharing.
AI Actress Tilly Signals Hollywood’s Future
MyPOV: Tilly is the future ahead. Here’s What It Took to Create the AI Actress Freaking Out Hollywood https://t.co/1PKqtYr1Bx
“That KEVIN Show” Adds Affiliate Stations
Salem Media announced that its flagship talk program, "That KEVIN Show" hosted by Kevin McCullough, will now air on three additional owned‑and‑operated stations—KDXE in Little Rock, KSLR in San Antonio, and KNTH in Houston. Both the Monday‑Friday weekday edition and...
Netflix Experiments With
Netflix invested in a lightweight MLB package to see whether it could fully eventize the industry’s most tonnage-friendly sport. So far, the jury’s out. https://t.co/bK2iTNXxhY
The Athletic Simply Rehashed 2021 Sportico Story
.@TheAthletic didn’t need sources for this story - all anyone had to do was read the @Sportico story from, checks sun dial, 2021: https://t.co/J5FozfHQKt
Wikipedia Bans AI-Generated Content
Wikipedia has officially banned the use of large language models, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, for creating substantive article content. The new policy limits AI to copy‑editing, formatting, and technical tasks, with full‑article translation as the only major exception....
AI Slop Is Flooding Streaming—And Musicians Are Fighting Back
AI‑generated music is flooding streaming services, with Deezer reporting 50,000 AI tracks uploaded each day, now representing 34% of all new releases. Artists such as Benedict Cork and Ormella have discovered unauthorized AI versions of their songs, prompting fan confusion...
Here's What Likely Put Michael Symon On Food Network's Radar
Michael Symon’s rise on Food Network stems from early culinary honors, notably being named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine in 1998 and winning a James Beard Award for Lola Bistro in 2009. His 2008 victory on *The Next...
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Where Is the “Grey's Anatomy ”Cast Now? See the Soapy Medical Drama's Stars over 20 Years After the Series' Debut
Grey’s Anatomy celebrates 21 years, with original stars charting new paths while the show remains a TV staple. Ellen Pompeo continues as narrator and executive producer, debuting the Hulu limited series Good American Family. Patrick Dempsey returns to primetime as...
Larry David Headlines New YES Network Ad Campaign
Our partners @YESNetwork are bringing in one of my faves 👇 Larry David Lends Comedic Talents to YES Network Ad Campaign: https://t.co/CfuYanWkcR via @sportico @YEShandler
We Represent The AI Guild
The Odd Lots podcast episode with David Shor and Byrne Hobart argues that AI will raise returns for a narrow class of workers who can be held accountable for machine output, prompting professions like accounting to form guild‑like barriers. Historical...
BBC Makes Major Announcement About Popular Spin-Off of "Global Smash-Hit" Death in Paradise
The BBC confirmed that filming for the third season of the spin‑off Return to Paradise is under way in Australia, shifting the setting from the Caribbean to the Australian outback. The season will consist of six episodes and introduces new...
Hungary Charges Journalist with Espionage over Lavrov Leak Claim
Wild story from Hungary where the authorities charged journalist @panyiszabolcs with espionage following an article claiming the country's foreign minister shared EU information with Sergei Lavrov, his Russian counterpart. https://t.co/NzCU3HsnSG
Austria Plans Social Media Ban for Children Under 14
Austria’s three‑party coalition announced plans to prohibit children under 14 from accessing social‑media platforms, citing concerns over addictive algorithms and harmful content. The ban will be based on the nature of a platform’s algorithm rather than naming specific services. Draft...
Spotify Opens Listening Room in London for Top 1% of Fans
Spotify has opened a dedicated Listening Lounge in London, reserved for the platform's top 1% of listeners. The venue features a lossless‑audio environment designed by Cake Architecture, complemented by a high‑fidelity sound system from Friendly Pressure. By offering an exclusive,...
Labour Under Pressure to Appoint Tory Ex-Minister as Next Ofcom Chair
Labour faces mounting pressure to name Conservative former culture secretary Jeremy Wright as the next chair of Ofcom, pitting him against Labour peer Margaret Hodge. The regulator is under scrutiny for stumbling over the Online Safety Act’s enforcement, prompting calls...
🌊 How Activists Control the Media’s Language
A former executive of a major U.S. news outlet revealed that activist groups, especially GLAAD, pressure media companies to adopt specific inclusive terminology, such as "gender‑affirming care" and "birthing people." The media complies to avoid accusations of transphobia or boycotts,...
School Reports: EssenceMediacom Suffers Biggest Billings Percentage Drop in Top 10 Media Shops
Nielsen’s latest ranking shows only two of the top‑10 media agencies recorded year‑over‑year billing growth, while the rest contracted. EssenceMediacom suffered the steepest percentage decline, marking the biggest drop among the elite group. The data underscores a tightening advertising market...
EBU Warns Czech Funding Reforms Threaten Public Service Media Stability
The European Broadcasting Union and allied media groups warned that the Czech government’s proposed overhaul of public‑service funding could jeopardise both the financial stability and editorial independence of Czech Television and Czech Radio. The plan would slash licence‑fee contributions, exempting...
EXCLUSIVE: KELLY RIPA QUIETLY FREEZES OUT HOWIE MANDEL AFTER AWKWARD ON-AIR CLASH
Howie Mandel pushed back on Kelly Ripa’s on‑air comments about his age, creating an awkward clash on "Live with Kelly and Mark." Insiders say Ripa was visibly upset and has quietly decided to exclude Mandel from future bookings. The source...
Bitmovin Upgrades Player Web X with Vertical Video Support and More
Bitmovin has launched major upgrades to its Player Web X, adding vertical video support and a flexible Load Control API for ad playback. The new architecture, powered by the proprietary WISH ABR algorithm, delivers up to 30% faster startup and...
Rights Roundup: Spring Brings Busy and Buzzy Book Fairs
Spring’s book‑fair circuit kicked off with a bustling London Book Fair, where U.S. publishers poured unprecedented cash into rights and inventory, favoring solutions‑based nonfiction and escapist fiction. The fair’s optimism foreshadowed a near‑term dollar rally that boosted buying power. Rights...
The Friday File: TIM; OpenAI; SpaceX
OpenAI abruptly shut down its Sora video‑generation app, terminating a $1 billion Disney content licence and shifting compute resources toward enterprise AI and robotics. Poste Italiane launched a €10.8 billion (≈$11.9 billion) bid for Telecom Italia, offering a 9 % premium and promising to...
NFL Mulls Streaming Sale of Preseason Game Rights
The NFL is reportedly evaluating a rule change that would allow individual teams to sell the broadcast rights to their preseason games to streaming services. While the league has not released specifics, the move could create a new revenue source...
NYT Games Releases 39‑Article Strands Hint Bundle for March 26, 2026
The New York Times Games division published a comprehensive hint and answer guide for its daily Strands puzzle on March 26, 2026, aggregating 39 articles from eight publishers. The bundle, part of a broader “cluster + search enrichment” effort, aims to boost engagement among...
Warner Bros. Discovery Schedules Shareholder Vote on Paramount‑Skydance Merger Backed by $40 Billion
Warner Bros. Discovery announced that shareholders will vote on its proposed merger with Paramount Global and Skydance Media, a transaction underpinned by a $40 billion commitment from Larry Ellison. The vote date was not disclosed, but the move pushes the deal...
Mehdi Hasan
Mehdi Hasan, a prominent left‑wing journalist, sat down to dissect the U.S.‑led war on Iran, labeling it illegal, unjustified and self‑destructive. He argues the conflict is driven largely by Israel’s strategic influence over American policymakers rather than clear national interests....
Iwot Studios Partners with Initiate Entertainment to Expand The Wheel of Time Across Games and Animation
iWot Studios has teamed up with Initiate Entertainment to broaden the Wheel of Time franchise across games, animation, and television. The partnership will see a new PC and mobile game alongside an existing triple‑AA role‑playing title in development at iWot...
Netflix Rounds Out Cast of "Kennedy" With Production Underway in London
Netflix announced the addition of thirteen new recurring actors to its upcoming drama series "Kennedy", based on Fredrik Logevall’s biography of the Kennedy family. Production is currently underway in London, with Michael Fassbender already on set as Joe Kennedy Sr....
Meet Erich Bergen, Who Plays JFK Jr’s Royal Cousin Anthony Radziwill in Love Story
FX’s "Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette" aired its season finale on March 26, 2026, dramatizing the high‑profile romance and tragedy of JFK Jr. and his publicist wife. The series casts Erich Bergen as Prince Anthony Radziwill,...