Today's Media Pulse
Online video subscriptions top 2.2 bn, revenue hits $176B
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 for the first time as pay‑TV revenue fell to $170 billion. Growth is expected to slow to single‑digit rates in 2026, prompting operators to focus on monetising existing users.
Oscar Nominee Konstantin Bronzit’s 'Tied Up' Sets Worldwide Digital Release
Hawk Hill Pictures will launch the animated feature *Tied Up* worldwide on March 24, making it available on major digital platforms such as Prime Video, Google Play, and Apple TV. The film is written and directed by three‑time Oscar nominee Konstantin Bronzit, with co‑writer Dmitry Vysotsky, and follows a cast of discarded objects on a quest for purpose. By pairing humor with deeper themes of belonging, the movie aims to reach a broad, family‑friendly audience. The release underscores Hawk Hill’s strategy of leveraging global streaming services for independent animation.
Threads Adds Profile View Counts as Social Proof
🚨 NEW 🚨 Threads is starting to show the number of recent views you’ve received directly on your profile. The metric becomes visible once an account surpasses 10K views over the last 30 days, but there is an option to turn...
Pause the Noise: Read This Thoughtful Opinion Piece
News is heavy these days. Take a moment to read this opinion piece. Or at minimum turn up the sound. Smiles. And fascinating. https://t.co/gRDta3rQCI
Vizio Helps Walmart Cut A Bigger Slice Of The CTV Ad Pie
Walmart and Vizio announced that new Vizio smart‑TVs will require a Walmart account for activation, creating a unified login and identity framework across devices. The integration centralizes streaming data on Vizio’s OS, giving Walmart a foothold in the connected‑TV (CTV)...
PhotobookShop Pays Penalties for Influencer Reviews
PhotobookShop, an Australian online photobook retailer, has been hit with two ACCC infringement notices and a AUD 39,600 (≈US$26,000) penalty for misleading influencer reviews on Instagram. The regulator found the company instructed influencers on 107 occasions between August 2024 and September 2025 not...
ESPN Announces New Original Series “Where It Lies”
Disney’s ESPN announced "Where It Lies," a four‑part docuseries that dives into America’s public golf courses and the communities surrounding them. Directed by Timothy Horgan and executive‑produced by veteran writer Wright Thompson, the series will debut on the ESPN App...
How High of a Refresh Rate Does Your TV Really Need? An Expert's Buying Advice
Refresh rate is the most marketed TV spec after panel type, but higher numbers don’t automatically guarantee a better picture. A 60 Hz panel meets the needs of most streaming viewers and casual gamers, while 120 Hz delivers smoother motion for sports...
NCIS Turns 500: The Cast Picks Their Favorite Episodes To Film
NCIS reaches its 500th episode, celebrating 23 seasons on CBS. The cast and showrunner were asked to name the episodes they most enjoyed filming, revealing personal, emotional, and technical highlights. Selections range from early milestones like Sean Murray’s first shoot...
Can AI Music Creation Be a Real Growth Market?
AI music creation is emerging as a niche yet rapidly scaling market, highlighted by Suno’s 2 million paid subscribers and roughly $300 million in annual recurring revenue. The sector is divided into five segments: professional musician tools, novelty personal tracks, production‑music licensing,...
The Origin Story Behind TV's Best Comedy Series
The blog explores the origin of *The Comeback*, the cult comedy co‑created by Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King, which uniquely returned for three seasons spaced a decade apart. It highlights how the series uses its protagonist, Valerie Cherish, to...
Mahershala Ali Returning to HBO for Task Season 2
Two‑time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali is returning to HBO for the second season of the crime drama "Task," joining Mark Ruffalo’s series as Eddie Barnes, a seasoned law‑enforcement figure. The first season, which debuted to solid ratings and critical praise,...
Great AI Prompts Transform Writers’ Digital Business
Recently, I helped 100+ writers leverage AI to scale their digital writing business. Here's the difference between a bad and a great AI Prompt:
French Fantasy Series ‘Ewilan’s Quest’ Reaches 2.6M Views; Debuts English-Subtitled Episodes (EXCLUSIVE)
Andarta Pictures’ debut animated series *Ewilan’s Quest* premiered in February on France Télévisions, quickly reaching 2.6 million views in its first month and over 1 million streams across France.tv, Okoo and YouTube. The show generated more than 210,000 hours of watch time and attracted...
Magellan AI Launches Broadcast Radio Attribution Offering
Magellan AI has introduced a Broadcast Radio Attribution product that lets advertisers measure radio’s impact alongside digital channels in a single platform. The solution tracks key outcomes such as form fills, leads and purchases, and benchmarks radio performance against podcasts,...
ChatGPT’s Free Ride Is Over — Here’s the Bill
OpenAI announced it will roll out advertisements to free and low‑cost “Go” tier ChatGPT users in the United States. The move follows internal calculations showing each query costs roughly a third of a cent, amounting to about $3 billion in electricity...
Utah Scientific To Spotlight Hybrid SDI-IP Portfolio At 2026 NAB Show
Utah Scientific will showcase its hybrid SDI‑IP routing and signal‑management portfolio at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 18‑22. The exhibit will feature live demonstrations of its ST 2110‑based workflows, including the On‑Ramp 1RU gateway, Pass‑Through cards, NBOSS NMOS...
The Upside Of Audio Ads? Bigger ROI Through Repetition
Upside app advertisements topped iHeartMedia’s Media Monitors data for the week ending March 22, registering the highest number of radio play counts nationwide. The brand out‑performed heavyweight advertisers such as Progressive and Morgan & Morgan in spot frequency. The “Love Trapped” podcast also...
‘Mickey + Bluey’ Animated Short Debuts on Disney+
Disney+ has launched a new animated short titled “Mickey + Bluey,” pairing the iconic Mickey Mouse with the beloved Australian preschool series Bluey. The short, produced by Disney in partnership with Ludo Studio and BBC Studios, continues the Mickey+ series that previously...
Twins Broadcaster Catches Everyone Off Guard with ‘Pants Down’ Question
During a Minnesota Twins spring‑training broadcast, former pitcher‑turned‑analyst Glen Perkins asked play‑by‑play announcer Cory Provus an odd question: “You ever seen Buck with his pants down?” referring to outfielder Byron Buxton. Provus paused, asked “like, in shorts?” before Perkins clarified...
Musk's X Becomes Anti‑Woke, Fascist Platform—Quit Now
Elon Musk took over Twitter and turned it into the anti-woke, fascist-amplifying X. There’s been debate about whether to stay since he bought it. But seeing how it’s evolved and the recent Grok deepfake scandal, there’s no good argument to stay. I...
What Does The Viral Afroman Trial Have to Do with Section 230?
A jury recently cleared rapper Afroman of defamation, confirming that his viral songs mocking a police raid were protected speech. The case underscores Section 230's role in shielding platforms like YouTube and TikTok from liability for user‑generated content. Without that...
Netflix Readies For Exclusive MLB Season-Opening Live-Stream Game on March 25
Netflix will live‑stream the 2026 MLB season opener on March 25, featuring the New York Yankees against the San Francisco Giants. The broadcast includes retired stars Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols and CC Sabathia as analysts, with MLB Network talent handling play‑by‑play...
Netflix Executive Provides Updates On Its 2026 French Lineup: What We Learned
Netflix’s French programming chief Pauline Dauvin previewed the 2026 slate at Séries Mania, highlighting the continued success of titles like French Lover, Blood Coast (now entering a third season) and the local Rhythm+Flow adaptation Nouvelle École. The streamer confirmed Lupin...
'Marshals' Actor Mo Brings Plenty Breaks Down the Native Stories in the 'Yellowstone' Spin-Off
Marshals, the first network TV spin‑off of Yellowstone, premieres on CBS Sundays and streams on Paramount Plus. The series follows Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) as he joins the U.S. Marshals while confronting personal demons. Native talent Gil Birmingham, Mo Brings Plenty and Brecken Merrill anchor...
Final Audience Tickets Released for THE VOICE AUSTRALIA 2026 Finals
The Voice Australia 2026 is entering its final filming stage, with free audience tickets now available for the semi‑finals on March 26 and the grand final on April 2. The live shows will be recorded at Carriageworks in Eveleigh, Sydney, featuring returning...
Greece’s Vanishing Population Explored on FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT
Foreign Correspondent aired a segment highlighting Greece's accelerating demographic decline. The country, which welcomes over 30 million tourists annually, faces a projected 20 % population drop by 2050 as deaths outpace births and young people emigrate. Ghost towns are spreading, and the...
Sarah Kustok Details Last-Minute NCAA Tournament Booth Shakeup
Sarah Kustok faced a sudden broadcast reshuffle during the NCAA Tournament first round when Brian Anderson was rested and Jason Benetti moved to television duties. The change left Kustok paired with Pat McCarthy for the afternoon and Sam Neidermann for...
AI Playlists Speed Discovery, but Dilute Personal Connection
Using AI to build playlists is changing how people discover music. What used to be a personal process of searching, curating and refining is becoming faster and more effortless. The results can be good, but the experience feels different. Something subtle is...
AI Actors Form Union to Secure Stable Diffusion Rights
AI actors are reportedly forming a union to demand 'stable diffusion' of their residuals. Pixel-perfect rights are human rights... wait. 📢💻 #AIUnion #DigitalRights #HollywoodTech https://t.co/DwxDg6Lunm
OpenAI Gets Serious About ChatGPT Ads, Hires Former Meta Exec
OpenAI has hired Dave Dugan, a former Meta executive who oversaw the company’s largest client and agency relationships, to lead its global ad solutions. Dugan’s mandate is to evolve ChatGPT’s experimental ad feature into a fully commercialized, revenue‑generating channel. The...
Excited Interview Rush: Listen on Apple & Spotify
Listener thinks we sped up the interview, little does he know @Rory_Johnston & I were just excited... 🛢️🛢️🛢️ Apple🔊https://t.co/hBJ1sBFqgN Spotify📽️https://t.co/fnf6ENfHbf https://t.co/GpUFEboeMr
Taste Determines Tomorrow’s Authentic, Impactful Content
RT @VoxOptima The Future of Content Belongs to the Tastemakers ~ Alex Soto | https://t.co/FKtHH054Up @contently "What now separates authentic, smart content from forgettable (and sometimes regrettable) non-strategic content is taste."
Apple Will Reportedly Start Stuffing Ads Into the Maps App
Apple is reportedly preparing to embed paid search ads within its Maps application, with a public announcement expected as early as this month and rollout on iPhones slated for the summer. The ad model would function similarly to existing placements...
Marvel's Wonder Man Renewed for Season Two
Neat-o news: Marvel's acclaimed WONDER MAN series renewed for a SEASON 2...Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Ben Kingsley set to return...Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Guest also returning. https://t.co/thVPJKthkm
Mahershala Ali Joins HBO's TASK for Season Two
HBO is setting its sights high for season two of TASK as it has set Mahershala Ali to star opposite Mari Ruffalo in the second season for hit crime series https://t.co/MeD51W8xYP
Thursday TV Ratings: Next Level Chef, 9-1-1, Law & Order: SVU, Scrabble, March Madness
Thursday’s TV ratings, released by Fast Affiliate Numbers, show mixed performance across FOX’s lineup. While long‑running dramas like "9‑1‑1" and "Law & Order: SVU" held steady, culinary competition "Next Level Chef" posted a noticeable decline, sparking speculation about its renewal...
Are Broadcasters About to Be Handed a Much-Needed Investment to Upgrade Their Distribution Infrastructure?
The FCC is considering repurposing the upper C‑band, currently used for broadcast distribution, in a move similar to the 2020 lower‑C‑band auction that generated roughly $81 billion. If reallocated, the agency could provide government funding to help broadcasters replace aging satellite...
Vertical’s ‘Dracula’ Again Tops Weekly Fandango at Home Chart Through March 22
Vertical Entertainment’s fantasy‑horror romance *Dracula* retained the #1 spot on Fandango at Home’s weekly revenue chart for the week ending March 22, after its premium digital launch on March 10. Lionsgate’s thriller *The Housemaid* vaulted to #2, while Universal’s sci‑fi comedy *Good...
From the DF Archive, a Decade Ago: ‘The Industry Is Fucked Up’
Rene Ritchie of iMore highlighted the inability to pre‑screen ads from black‑box exchanges, noting that prohibited autoplay video and audio ads still slip through, even from Google. The company’s tech team is prototyping a "bad ads" extension to detect resource‑heavy...
SVG All-Stars: Alex McKeen, Senior Manager, Strategic Production Planning, TNT Sports
Alex McKeen, senior manager of strategic production planning at TNT Sports, orchestrates the technical frameworks that power Bleacher Report and House of Highlights live streams and large‑scale activations. He has championed remote‑production (REMI) workflows, enabling leaner onsite footprints and scalable...
Austin Radio Icon Jeff Ward Teams with Backyard Ventures to Connect Brands with Texas Fans
Backyard Ventures announced a partnership with The Jeff Ward Show, adding Austin radio legend Jeff Ward’s daily talk program to its creator roster. The collaboration will manage exclusive brand opportunities across the show’s audio and digital platforms, targeting the highly...
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Canceled, Will End with Season 2 / HBO Max Confirms Hacks Is Ending / CBS Gives...
Paramount+ announced that Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will conclude with its already‑filmed second season, ending the post‑Discovery spin‑off. HBO Max confirmed the beloved comedy Hacks is winding down after four seasons, marking the platform’s shift away from legacy scripted series....
Vale: Paddy Conroy
Paddy Conroy, a former ABC Director of Television, died at age 84 after a 35‑year career with the public broadcaster. He rose from producing the children’s radio show The Argonauts Club in 1962 to head the ABC’s television division from...
IHeartMedia / Tik Tok Alliance Sought to Reinvent Album Releases
iHeartMedia and TikTok have launched a joint album‑release framework that merges live radio, social media, and fan‑generated content. The pilot, built around Bruno Mars' first solo album in a decade, streamed the nine tracks via iHeartRadio Talkback and TikTok Live before...
Abandoning Trust for Ads Risks AI‑Driven Obsolescence
A baffling move? Retreating from a competitive advantage (trust, privacy) in pursuit of ad dollars that AI might devour anyway
If the WBD-Paramount Merger Does NOT Close...
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO warned that if the Paramount‑Skydance merger fails, the company will retain $7 billion but still grapple with a $33 billion debt load. The deal is designed to combine two massive content libraries with cloud infrastructure to exploit generative‑AI...
LG Makes Its Home Screen Premium Ad Real Estate at NewFronts
LG Ad Solutions and LG Electronics unveiled a suite of new advertising tools at the IAB NewFronts, featuring a seamless home‑screen experience that embeds full‑frame video directly into the TV interface. The company introduced programmatic home‑screen ad formats, live‑tune‑in previews,...
AI Spam Floods My Feed with Fake Quotes
Every day I wake up to alerts for my name that include: - quotes I never said (like the one below) - AI rehashes of my original articles AI slop is out of control https://t.co/92UnlDqbYD
Venture Capital's Media Takeover Could Be Detrimental
To be clear I’m not doubting that initiatives like a16z’s media arm might end up being highly successful. They have cash (obviously), clout (in certain circles) and they can view media as a loss leader. What I am arguing is...
Kun Live Tomorrow on Apple Music Radio at 9am
Very special guest @kun_officialx performing LIVE on the show tomorrow. Tune in on @AppleMusic radio 9am LT https://t.co/lB7kyWKqZi