Today's Media Pulse
Publicis resumes recommending The Trade Desk after fee dispute
Publicis has lifted its ban and is again recommending The Trade Desk to advertisers, ending a months‑long clash over alleged hidden ad‑tech fees. The dispute had driven The Trade Desk’s shares down roughly 13% and prompted the exit of its chief marketing officer. Both firms issued a joint statement confirming the reconciliation.
Also developing:
By the numbers: K-LOVE acquires Baltimore station in undisclosed deal
Paul Brainerd Dies at 78; Pioneered Desktop Publishing With PageMaker
Paul Brainerd, founder of Aldus Corporation and creator of PageMaker, died at 78 after living with Parkinson’s disease and invoking Washington’s Death With Dignity Act. PageMaker, released in 1985, introduced the concept of desktop publishing, allowing users to design layouts on a virtual pasteboard instead of manual cut‑and‑paste methods. The software democratized print production for small businesses, schools, and community groups, effectively turning a personal computer into a publishing platform. Brainerd’s innovation is credited with influencing Apple’s early fortunes and reshaping the publishing industry.
Nathan Fillion Explains Why He’s Not Continuing Firefly’s Story Beyond Serenity
Nathan Fillion announced an animated revival of Joss Whedon's cult series *Firefly*, but clarified it will not continue the story after the 2005 film *Serenity*. The new series is planned as a pre‑Serenity bubble where all original crew members are alive,...
Drag Race Queen Slams Law Roach For 'Nasty' Judging Style: 'I'm Not A Fan Of His Morals Or His Ethics'
Discord Addams, the latest contestant eliminated from RuPaul's Drag Race, publicly condemned guest judge Law Roach for what she described as a "nasty" and unconstructive judging style. Roach’s blunt remarks, including a personal tirade about his father, sparked a debate...
Visible Mic Signals Intentional Performance and Authority
It’s semiotics, like everything, duh. In the era of front-facing first-person video, a visible mic (or holding a lav in-hand, etc) indicates intentionality, performance, authority, and cultivated awareness of above. Distance and expertise rather than the faux intimacy of the...
Details About Kevin Harlan’s CBS, Prime Video Contracts Revealed
Veteran sportscaster Kevin Harlan balances three high‑profile gigs—CBS, Prime Video and Westwood One—by structuring staggered contracts that keep him employed continuously. CBS holds a contractual "first‑position" priority, meaning Harlan schedules its assignments before any others. His Prime Video NBA deal...
The Challenger: Prime Video Orders Limited Series with Kristen Stewart Playing Sally Ride
Prime Video has ordered a limited‑series drama titled "The Challenger," dramatizing the 1986 shuttle disaster and its aftermath. Kristen Stewart will portray astronaut Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, highlighting her personal and professional journey. The series will...
Subscribe to Power Lines Podcast for Weekly Media Insights
If you're not already listening to our weekly media podcast Power Lines, consider checking us out and subscribing on Apple Podcasts. Your support really helps grow the show. Direct link to the show's page here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/power-lines-with-oliver-darcy-and-jon-passantino/id1823949547?i=1000756309336
Create Worthwhile Content, Not Just Subscriber Numbers
The point isn’t to “generate subscribers.” The point is to write things worth subscribing to.
Every ‘Extraction’ Movie and Spin-Off Coming Soon to Netflix
Netflix is turning the high‑viewership Extraction franchise into a multi‑year franchise, with Extraction 3 slated to begin filming in June 2026 and likely debuting in 2027. The streaming giant is also launching an eight‑episode Mercenary series starring Omar Sy and a South...
HBO Max: The 26 Absolute Best Movies to Watch
HBO Max’s latest editorial highlights the 26 must‑watch films spanning drama, musical, action, thriller, comedy, superhero, and documentary categories, including new March releases like *Fackham Hall* and *From the World of John Wick: Ballerina*. The list showcases Oscar‑winning titles such...
Steven Knight Weighs in on the Shocking True Story That Inspired Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Steven Knight explains that his Netflix film *Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man* pivots from the series' well‑known political figures to the obscure World War II Operation Bernhard, the Nazi scheme to forge British banknotes. He highlights the film’s grounding in real...
Elucidating Excerpts: Walter Lippmann’s “Public Opinion” (1922)
The Substack post announces "Elucidating Excerpts," a paid‑subscriber series that curates pivotal passages from books on propaganda, social engineering, and mass manipulation, launching with Walter Lippmann’s 1922 classic Public Opinion. It frames Lippmann’s work as the intellectual cornerstone of modern...
Meta Lets AI Plant Scams Profit From Ads
Feels insane that @facebook allows companies to buy ads to sell a plant that doesn’t even exist, using fake AI video of said imaginary plant. Literally scamming people out of money using AI, but @meta is completely fine with it...
How The Big Bang Theory Filmed Howard Floating In Outer Space
Season six of The Big Bang Theory sent Howard Wolowitz to the International Space Station, but the scenes were filmed on a Warner Bros soundstage. Production designer John Shaffner and set decorator Ann Shea built a detailed ISS replica using...
ChatGPT Ad Pilot Surges 600% Yet Rollout Lags
Interested in ChatGPT ads? Seems that ad ramp-up we saw might have been since the pilot is ending at the end of March -> ChatGPT’s ad pilot has the industry excited, but some insiders are frustrated with the slow rollout "With...
John Stamos Debated Live-Streaming His First Tattoo at SXSW: Is the Future of Media ‘Life in Real-Time’?
Actor John Stamos, now chief innovation officer of streaming startup Zeam, used his SXSW appearance—where he debated live‑streaming his first tattoo—to illustrate the company’s mission of delivering authentic, real‑time content. Zeam equips local TV stations with technology to broadcast events...
From Foreign Correspondent to Uber Driver
A former foreign correspondent spent a morning driving for Uber in Fairfax, Virginia, earning $130 over five hours. All of his early passengers were Latino or South Asian workers heading to jobs such as teaching, healthcare, and food service. The...
ESPN SVP Mike Foss Explains Why Network Doesn’t Produce General Sports Podcasts
ESPN senior vice president Mike Foss explained that the network deliberately avoids launching broad‑appeal sports podcasts, preferring to leverage its existing television talent and properties. Most ESPN podcasts are produced externally through Omaha Productions and focus on niche topics like...
Netflix's 'The Dinosaurs' Was a Needed Trip Through Time
Netflix debuted "The Dinosaurs," a four‑part documentary series narrated by Morgan Freeman that blends high‑end CGI with real‑world footage. The show begins with early ancestors such as Marasuchus, then moves through iconic species like Stegosaurus and T. rex, offering both scientific...
Hulu's Near-Perfect 3-Part Dramedy Is the Gold Standard for Weekend Binges
Hulu’s three‑season dramedy *Reservation Dogs* has become a benchmark for weekend binge‑watching, earning five Emmy nominations and widespread critical praise. Created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, the series follows four Indigenous teens on an Oklahoma reservation, blending coming‑of‑age humor with...
How to Watch Wicked: For Good, the Highly Anticipated and Surprisingly Dark Sequel to the Smash Hit Movie Wicked
The sequel "Wicked: For Good" has moved from theaters to streaming platforms worldwide. In the United States it streams exclusively on Peacock, with a Premium plan at $10.99 per month and bundled options with Apple TV. British viewers can access it...
Judge Strikes Down Pentagon Media Access Rules, Citing Unconstitutionality
A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's Pentagon media access restrictions, declaring the policy unconstitutional. The ruling arrives amid a wave of legal challenges to government control of information, from student journalists to high‑profile lawsuits against tech firms and...
Hagai Levi On His “Contemporary” Holocaust Series ‘Etty’ & Why The International Boycott Of The Israeli Industry Should Be “Much...
Director Hagai Levi’s six‑episode series “Etty,” based on Etty Hillesum’s WWII diaries, abandons period‑piece conventions by placing the story in a modern‑looking Amsterdam. Levi, known for “The Affair” and “Scenes From a Marriage,” wrote the script in simple English and...
Authors and Publishers Must Vet AI
Good morning to every author who does not accept an editor’s changes without reviewing them first, and also to every publisher who did not ruin both an author’s career and their own reputation by fast-tracking and promoting a book *before*...
Axios AM Breaks AI Streak in Newsletter
I think the real news here is that Axios AM did *not* lead the newsletter with yet another item on AI, amirite? https://t.co/TwNgXZBPoX
She Built the Page
The Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Property section honors the women whose columns have defined its tone for over a decade. Writers like Tessa Prieto, Isabel Berenguer Asuncion, and Dr. Chat Fores infused design with social nuance, while attorneys Ma. Soledad Deriquito...
Half of Twitter Impressions Appear to Be Bots
I'm convinced that something like 50%+ of all Twitter impressions are bots. Here's some data on two different articles I posted (one back in 2020 and one last week). The 2020 one had 15k clicks on 400k impressions The 2026 one had...
NYT Metropolitan Shines with Quirky Bronx, Police History
Hey folks, I make fun of the NYT Metropolitan section each week, but kudos to this particular edition which features a John Slattery 'Routine,' and stories about a Bronx Golden Corral and the history of a single NYPD shield. The...
TECNO Partners with Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2026 Helmet Branding Deal
TECNO Mobile has secured a branding partnership with Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2026, placing its logo on the back of the team’s helmets. The deal expands the #TECNOGotYourBack platform into a high‑visibility, live‑broadcast environment. It also includes a slate...
Escape Algorithm Tyranny with the Human‑Centred Marginalian Newsletter
For an act of resistance to the tyranny of algorithms, try the Marginalian newsletter—undistracted notes on the search for meaning, free, ad-free, AI-free, fully human since 2006, made of feeling and time: https://t.co/8ApDA5YPF6
Judge Upholds Press Freedom, Rejects Pentagon Limits
"The New York Times filed suit in the name of one of its national security reporters, Julian E. Barnes. Strikingly, multiple large news outlets declined to risk joining the litigation" Striking Down Pentagon Press Limits, Judge Vindicates Independent Journalism https://t.co/fj4ySd7jXy
Has The Madison Season 2 Been Canceled or Renewed?
Paramount+ has officially renewed the neo‑western series The Madison for a second season. Production wrapped in September at a 450,000‑sq‑ft campus in Fort Worth, Texas, and the episodes are considered a continuation, possibly labeled as “Part 2.” While the streaming service...
SiriusXM Show Features Legendary Rockers and Rising Star
My SiriusXM show: Interviews with legendary rockers The Romantics and 54-40, Chris Entwisle, author of ‘The Visual Language of Prestige Records,’ and rising star Irish Millie. Sat 8am & 2pm, Sun 12pm, Wed 2pm & 7pm (all ET), Channel 167...
Google News Feeds 98% Left-Leaning Articles
"Only 2% of @googlenews articles are from right-leaning news sites. The vast majority of the rest, all from left-wing outlets" https://t.co/FdHCvDQyV8
Is TikTok Shop Worth It? Pros, Cons, And Tips For 2026
TikTok Shop continues its rapid expansion in 2026, leveraging a 1.9 billion‑user base and a built‑in one‑tap checkout to turn short‑form video into instant sales. The platform offers low‑risk POD integration, native affiliate programs, and live‑shopping tools that level the playing...
Swap Google News for Samsung News on Galaxy Tab
Love your new Samsung Galaxy Tab Android tablet, but not a fan of Google News? Turns out you can switch to the Samsung News app and specify the news topics you prefer. Here's how... https://t.co/GAfFdAi3gm @Samsung #news #tablets #android https://t.co/j1Wi63MisD
Inside a BOOK Auction
In this episode, Planet Money chronicles its own journey to land a book deal, revealing the hidden economics of publishing—from literary agents pitching the idea, to crafting a proposal, and courting major houses amid industry consolidation. Host Alex Horowitz-Gazi and...
Veteran-Turned Tik-Tok Star Appears on ABC's 'Shark-Tank' To Share 'Remento'
Navy veteran and TikTok personality "Patriotic Kenny" appeared on ABC's "Shark Tank" to showcase Remento, a digital storytelling platform that turns recorded video and audio memories into hardcover books with QR-linked media. Remento announced it has surpassed one million user‑generated...
ACM Radio Awards 2026 Winners Revealed: See the Full List
The Academy of Country Music announced its 2026 Radio Award winners at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, highlighted by B‑Dub’s historic double victory as National Daily and Weekly On‑Air Personality of the Year. Veteran personalities such as Chris Carr...
HBO’s Comedy ‘Comeback’: Amy Gravitt On Being First To Satirize AI With Valerie Cherish’s Return, “Full Slate”, ‘Big Bang’ Spinoff...
HBO revived Lisa Kudrow’s satire *The Comeback* for a third season, debuting 11½ years after its second installment and more than two decades after the original. The new season tackles AI‑generated scripts and the 2023 WGA strike, positioning the show...
Nicholas Brendon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Star, Dies at 54
Nicholas Brendon, the actor best known for portraying Xander Harris on the cult hit "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," died at 54. The news broke on March 21, 2026, prompting an outpouring of grief from fans and former co‑stars. Brendon’s performance...
Fox News Tries to Get Gavin Newsom’s Defamation Lawsuit Dismissed
Fox News has moved to dismiss Governor Gavin Newsom's $787 million defamation lawsuit in Delaware Superior Court. The suit stems from host Jesse Watters questioning Newsom’s denial of a recent call with former President Donald Trump, which Fox claims was based...
CBS Radio Shuts Down, Jobs Cut Amid Revival
FFS. She doesn't "seek revival" of #BrokenCBS anymore than Bezos does with his #BrokenPost. CBS News will end radio service, cut jobs as Bari Weiss seeks revival https://t.co/f8s5RXoRWl
ABC's Bachelorette Revamp with Taylor Paul Costs Millions
“Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Taylor Frankie Paul was supposed to return an aging “Bachelorette” franchise to glory. That decision blew up on ABC and cost it tens of millions of dollars. W/@wongalum https://t.co/DilR3zuVRQ
Starz Cutting 7 Percent of Staff
Starz announced a 7% workforce reduction, affecting fewer than 40 employees, as it continues to reshape after its 2025 spinoff from Lionsgate. The cuts are part of a broader effort to reallocate resources toward a pure‑play streaming model and lower...
Judge Rules Pentagon Press Policy Unconstitutional, Credentials Restored
Statement tonight from the Pentagon Press Association: "The Pentagon Press Association celebrates the decision by a federal judge today that the Pentagon’s press credentialling policy violated the U.S. Constitution. "Since the ruling clearly states that the policy must not be applied...
Self‑Publishing: Running Your Own Small Business for Control
True that. Self-publishing means becoming a small business owner. And the reason why many people say they're going towards self-pub is precisely to maintain more control.
MPA Endorses Trump’s National AI Plan, Pushes for Copyright Protections
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has officially endorsed the Trump administration’s National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence, praising its focus on strong copyright protections. The White House’s six‑pronged plan seeks uniform national AI standards and preempts state‑level regulations. Hollywood studios...
Access Hollywood’s Axing Highlights Linear TV’s Decline
"Telling your entertainment news program that they’re gone the weekend before the Oscars is very weird," one insider told Status Hollywood correspondent Brian Lowry. Lowry details what the cancellation of "Access Hollywood" says about the state of linear television—and why Trump’s...
Netflix Is Trying to Turn Superhero Cop Comic Powers Into a TV Show… Again
Netflix is reviving the comic‑book series Powers as an animated series. The property previously aired two seasons on Sony’s PlayStation Network, starring Sharlto Copley and Susan Heyward. Creators Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming are attached to write and...