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.
Lotus Names New Managers for Seattle Stations
Lotus Communications announced leadership changes for its Seattle radio portfolio. Andrew Adams, formerly of Stephens Media Group, has been named general manager overseeing KVI-AM, all‑news KNWN-AM/FM, and country outlet KPLZ-FM. Simultaneously, Jeff Connell, previously regional program director for KPLZ and KTHI‑FM in Boise, will serve as director of operations and brand management, relinquishing his programming duties at KTHI. The moves signal Lotus’s intent to consolidate its market strategy in the Pacific Northwest.
Radio — the New Boutique Business?
At the NAB Show, Radio World will host a session on April 19 that frames radio‑station ownership as a boutique‑business opportunity for Gen‑X and Millennial professionals. Engineers Andy Gladding and Bud Williamson will discuss how owning a small‑market station can deliver community...
NAB 2026: Harmonic Takes Wraps Off Spectrum X Plus Media Server
At NAB 2026, Harmonic unveiled Spectrum X Plus, the latest iteration of its Spectrum X media server line. The new platform doubles channel density, handling up to eight HD or two UHD channels per chassis while cutting rack space and...
An iHeart FM Ready To Cheer ‘¡Viva La Revolución!’
The New England Revolution has partnered with iHeartRadio’s Rumba 97.7 FM to broadcast all 17 home matches in Spanish for the 2026 MLS season, beginning with the March 15 clash against FC Cincinnati. The deal also names Rumba 97.7 as the official radio partner...
IHeartMedia to Present 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards
iHeartMedia will present the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards during SXSW in Austin, staged at ACL Live at the Moody Theatre. Comedian Ego Nwodim has been tapped as emcee, with Will Ferrell opening the ceremony and Holly Frey serving as winners correspondent....
The Podcast Show Appoints Steve Ackerman as Non-Executive Director
The Podcast Show announced that Steve Ackerman has been appointed as a non‑executive director on its board. Ackerman brings more than three decades of audio, entertainment and digital content experience, most recently leading Sony Music’s global podcast division. His mandate...
The Clark Howard Show Partners with Airwave
Airwave has signed an exclusive distribution, monetization, and marketing agreement with The Clark Howard Podcast, one of the longest‑running personal‑finance shows. The partnership gives the podcast access to Airwave’s full‑service network, which supports over 180 podcasts and generates more than...
U.S. Ad Composite Rises On Bullish Update From Madison & Wall
Madison & Wall revised its 2026 U.S. advertising outlook, lifting total ad growth to 10.2% and ex‑political growth to 8.1%, up from its December 2025 benchmarks of 8.9% and 6.6% respectively. The upgrade incorporates Winterberry Group’s forecast, nudging MediaPost’s composite...
Ronaldinho: The One and Only Leads Netflix’s New Soccer Documentaries for 2026
Netflix is rolling out a three‑part Brazilian soccer documentary slate in 2026, headlined by the three‑episode series "Ronaldinho: The One and Only" premiering April 16. The docuseries offers never‑before‑seen archival footage and interviews with legends such as Messi, Neymar and Galvão...
IAB Sweden Expels Meta: Warns Advertisers About Fraud, Brand Safety
IAB Sweden’s board voted to expel Meta from its membership, citing the platform’s inadequate measures against fraudulent advertising. The decision follows a procedural correction after an earlier March 10 vote was invalidated. Meta has until the April 15 annual general...
Lessons From Independent Studio: Standing Out in Podcasts' Shift to Video
Apple announced video‑streaming capabilities for Apple Podcasts, letting users toggle between audio and video while supporting dynamic ad insertion. The move follows Spotify’s similar rollout and reflects a broader industry shift toward video‑first podcast experiences. Independent Studio argues that standing...
Reach Attacks BBC’s ‘Aggressive Expansion’ Into Local News
Reach, the UK’s largest newspaper publisher, has accused the BBC of an aggressive digital expansion that is crowding out commercial local news outlets. It points to Ofcom data showing the BBC’s share of local‑news page views rising from 20% in...
Madison & Wall: Ad Revenue To Rise On Good Economic Trends
Madison & Wall analysts Brian Wieser and Luke Stillman have upgraded their U.S. advertising revenue forecast, citing surprisingly resilient consumer spending despite recent headwinds such as higher gas prices and subdued spring‑break activity. The firm sees a modest but steady...
Friday: Here's 5 Ways a Journalist Instantly Knows a Publicist Is Going to Be Great to Work With
The post highlights five concrete signals that instantly tell journalists a publicist will be easy to work with, emphasizing the strategic value of strong media‑publicist relationships. It argues that great publicists don’t need elaborate tactics—just a handful of reliable habits....
Watch: Steve Robinson + Travis Carey on The Pastor's Office - New Podcast From Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel Greater Portland has debuted a new podcast series called "The Pastor's Office," featuring veteran journalist Steve Robinson and pastor Travis Carey. The inaugural episode, released on March 13, 2026, examines investigative reporting and the evolving information environment across...
![MeidasTouch Full Podcast - 3/13/26 [AD-FREE]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!nFZY!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e6552e2-7115-44ea-8856-c6fc0c174cb3_400x400.png)
MeidasTouch Full Podcast - 3/13/26 [AD-FREE]
In this ad‑free episode of the MeidasTouch podcast, the hosts break down the latest developments surrounding Donald Trump's illegal war in Iran, detailing new intelligence, diplomatic fallout, and potential legal repercussions. They also discuss related geopolitical shifts, including regional alliances...
We’re Looking for an Aspiring Local Journalist to Work with Us This Summer
The Charlotte Ledger is accepting applications for a summer 2026 reporting internship, with a deadline of April 3, 2026. The eight‑to‑10‑week role requires a 20‑hour weekly commitment, offers a $400 per week stipend, and blends remote work with on‑the‑ground reporting in Charlotte....
Audible Expands Platform to 11 New Markets, Including Sweden
Audible announced at the London Book Fair that it will launch its subscription service in eleven new markets—Belgium, Egypt, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates—through a partnership with local Amazon...
You Star Lands Next Role in Classic "Guilty Pleasure" Reboot
Shay Mitchell, known for "You" and "Pretty Little Liars," has been cast as Trina, a former lawyer turned lifeguard, in Fox's upcoming Baywatch reboot. The series follows a new generation of Los Angeles lifeguards, with Stephen Amell playing Hobie Buchannon,...
News They Don't Want You to See
The Substack post titled "News they don’t want you to see" promotes a paid newsletter that claims to surface stories omitted by mainstream outlets. It offers a 7‑day free trial and directs readers to subscribe for full access, indicating that...
Airwave Signs Exclusive Deal with The Daily Blast From The New Republic
Airwave announced an exclusive distribution, monetization, and marketing partnership with The Daily Blast, the flagship news and politics podcast of The New Republic. The agreement gives the podcast full‑service network support while opening new advertising inventory to brands targeting highly...
Production Begins on the Final Season of "Mayor of Kingstown" For Paramount+
Paramount+ has begun filming the fifth and final season of "Mayor of Kingstown" in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The eight‑episode conclusion stars Jeremy Renner, Edie Falco and newcomer David Morse as FBI Agent Russell Hardy. Morse joins a cast that also includes...
Bravo's "Married to Medicine" Two-Part Reunion Begins Sunday, March 22 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
Bravo launches the two‑part reunion for Married to Medicine on March 22 and March 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Host Andy Cohen moderates a panel of cast members including Dr. Jackie Walters and Dr. Simone Whitmore, revisiting the season’s biggest moments. Episodes will...
MMM Platform Mutinex Brings On TransUnion’s Mike Finnerty To Head Its US Business
Mutinex, an Australian‑origin marketing mix modeling platform, announced that former TransUnion SVP Mike Finnerty will become its US president to accelerate the company’s expansion stateside. Finnerty, who oversaw marketing solutions after TransUnion’s $3.1 billion Neustar acquisition, will lead Mutinex’s push to...
Airwave Announces Creator-Led Tours in Partnership with Like Minds Travel
Airwave announced Airwave Journeys, a creator‑led travel program partnered with Laura Hart’s Like Minds Travel. The collaboration makes Airwave’s podcasters hosts of paid tours that align with their show topics, offering fans immersive experiences in destinations such as France, Italy,...
Peacock to Give Bravo Fans Personalized Experience With AI Andy Cohen
At a Peacock product preview, NBCUniversal unveiled "Your Bravoverse," an AI‑driven vertical‑video experience that uses Andy Cohen’s voice and likeness to guide users through personalized Bravo playlists drawn from over 5,000 hours of content. The feature, slated for a summer launch, lets...
Middle East Conflict Casts Shadow of Global Ad Outlook
Madison and Wall raised its 2026 U.S. ad‑spending forecast to 8.1% but warned the assumptions were made before the Middle‑East conflict erupted. The war introduces new geopolitical, inflationary and supply‑chain risks that could dampen growth, especially in the second half...
Industry Snapshot: Meaningful Media Planning
5th Element’s CEO Muneef Khan says media planning in 2026 has moved from buying audiences to buying moments, using a behavioral cascade model that aligns each touchpoint with a decision trigger. He warns that algorithms are conservative and must be...
MWC 2026: Future Visions of Mobile Video
MWC 2026 highlighted how mobile video has matured from early 3G‑TV experiments to ubiquitous 4K streaming on flagship devices. Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26, featuring the APV codec and up to 31 hours of video playback, while operators like Orange demonstrated...
NAB Show Adds Radio Panels on America 250, Digital, & Licensing
The NAB Show 2026 in Las Vegas has added three radio‑focused panels to its Broadcast Management and Monetization track. The "America 250: Owning the Moment" session will explore how stations can leverage the nation’s 250th‑anniversary celebrations to deepen audience engagement and advertiser...
Is YouTube Winning Or Is TV Losing, TVREV On Stage At Marketecture Live III
YouTube has been declared the world’s largest media company by MoffettNathanson, overtaking Netflix, Disney, Warner, Comcast and Paramount. A shift of roughly $4 billion in ad spend from legacy TV to YouTube underscores the platform’s growing dominance. The article argues this...
Amagi Report: Applied AI Moving Into Core Media Workflows
Amagi’s March 2026 Airtime Report shows FAST (Free Ad‑Supported Streaming TV) viewership rising 21% YoY in Q4 2025, with ad impressions up 27%. The growth was strongest in LATAM, where hours of viewing jumped 66% and ad impressions 77%. A survey of...
The Stack: Ad Prices Rise, Retail Dominates, and Moderation Falls Short
Meta announced a 2‑5% fee increase for advertisers in Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the UK, effective July, to offset Digital Service Taxes and other location‑based levies. At the same time, the Meta Oversight Board criticised the company’s deep‑fake...
Sportdigital Acquires Rights to AFC Women’s Asian Cup
German broadcaster Sportdigital has secured broadcast rights to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, beginning coverage with the quarter‑finals in Australia. The 12‑team tournament also serves as the Asian qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, granting direct berths...
Are CAPIs The Next Phase Of Performance TV?
Streaming giants are adding conversion APIs (CAPIs) to bring performance‑driven measurement to connected TV. Netflix unveiled its CAPI alongside new targeting options, while Roku and Comcast have introduced self‑serve APIs aimed at SMB advertisers. CAPIs promise to bridge the attribution...
Are CAPIs The Next Phase Of Performance TV?
Streaming giants are bringing conversion APIs (CAPIs) to connected TV as advertisers demand measurable performance. Netflix unveiled its CAPI alongside new targeting options, while Roku, Comcast and LinkedIn already provide similar APIs for CTV measurement. CAPIs promise to close the...
In Shift, NFL Will Reportedly Package Rights to Week 1 Melbourne Game
The NFL is moving away from selling the Week 1 Melbourne International Series game on a stand‑alone basis, opting instead to bundle it with four or five additional contests. This packaging aligns with a broader inventory of nine International Series...
AEW PPVs Available via DAZN
DAZN is adding All Elite Wrestling pay‑per‑view events to its global sports lineup, excluding India. The first title‑fight, AEW Revolution, streams on March 15, followed by Dynasty, Double or Nothing, and All In later in the year. Viewers can buy each event...
The Kill Line v Chinamaxxing: A Window Into How China and the US See Each Other
Chinese social media has popularized the "kill line" meme, portraying the United States as a precarious, dystopian economy, while U.S. Gen Z users embrace the "Chinamaxxing" trend, adopting Chinese lifestyle hacks. The kill line narrative has amassed over 600 million views on...
GEORGIE GARDNER to Exit NINE After 25 Years with the Network
Nine announced that veteran journalist Georgie Gardner will leave the network after nearly 25 years of service. She began in 2002 as a weather presenter and morning news reader, later anchoring the Today Show and the 6pm weekend bulletin in...
Washington Post Confronts Bezos over Amazon’s ‘Melania’ Documentary Deal
WaPo staffers pressed Jeff Bezos about Amazon picking up the “Melania” documentary at an off the record meeting hosted at the billionaire’s DC residence. All the details from inside the meeting via @nataliekorach in @get_status: https://www.status.news/p/jeff-bezos-washington-post-meeting-layoffs-melania
Peacock's AI Andy Cohen Signals NBCU's Entertainment Platform Shift
Peacock's AI Andy Cohen is part of NBCU's strategy to add new experiences tied to its IP to keep fans on its own platform: “Don’t think of it as a streaming platform — think of it as an entertainment platform,”...
Peacock Debuts AI Andy Cohen for Personalized Bravo Gossip
Peacock Is Launching an AI-Generated Andy Cohen That Dishes Personalized Bravo Hot Goss and Vertical Video Clips https://t.co/B1zYs5YfF6 via @variety
Criteo CEO Discusses AI‑Powered RecSys, Automation, OpenAI Deal
This week on the Mobile Dev Memo podcast, I interview Criteo’s CEO about the company’s RecSys system for retail use cases, its Criteo GO automation platform, and its recently-announced partnership with OpenAI. https://t.co/Tuy7wrnLJg
Hegseth Urges Immediate David Ellison Takeover of Network
"The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better." - Hegseth on CNN. There are no more quiet parts. It's all said aloud. (And I'll bet he wouldn't like this shot.) https://t.co/f913T1zNVN
Social Media Reveals Iran FM on Streets, Not in Bunkers
Social Media changed the game… Imagine if we were relying on BBC & CNN for information, we would be totally in the dark Here is Iran’s Foreign Minister on the streets of Tehran today… While other are in bunkers, he is...
Time Hides Coauthor’s EA‑funded AI Fellowship Ties
Breaker reports Time did not disclose that a coauthor of its cover story on Anthropic was a Tarbell fellow, funded by effective altruism AI cultists. I've been cautioning young people tempted by its journalism fellowship to research the funders. #TESCREAL https://t.co/kh7Lz6zPVr
Elegant Constraints Spark New Cultural Habits
This is really good. I do admire Dom Hofmann as a protocol artist, in the sense he creates constrained and elegant rules for others to create with With both Vine and Loot, those constraints created new cultural habits downstream, despite being...
Fox News Correspondent Highlights Press Corps Protest, Journalist Safety
In remarks accepting the RTDNA First Amendment Award tonight, Fox News nat-sec correspondent @JenGriffinFNC spoke about the Pentagon press corps walking out in protest, the importance of Voice of America, and the safety risks for journalists — including fallen colleagues....
Court Prioritizes Press Access Over Pentagon's Security Claims
This is the right kicker. I was in the courtroom Friday. There was no good argument it’s a national security threat. And then Defense Dept argument it’s an especially sensitive time went nowhere with the Court who flipped it around...