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.
Junkee Media Taps Sophie Hanson As Head Of Editorial
Junkee Media announced Sophie Hanson as its new Head of Editorial, overseeing both Junkee and Punkee brands. Hanson arrives with over ten years of senior editorial experience at global digital and lifestyle outlets such as People, Vogue.com, Harper’s Bazaar, Bustle, The Cut and InStyle, most recently as mornings editor at People Inc. The hire reinforces Junkee’s commitment to social‑first, perspective‑driven storytelling for young Australian audiences. In the same month, the company also appointed Michael McCurdie as brand‑partnerships lead to deepen editorially‑led commercial initiatives.
Double Standard: Journalists Scolded, Business Manipulates Freely
the idea that journalists hold themselves to a moral standard and therefore should be constantly maligned for trying while everyone in business should just talk their book and manipulate the public is just so bankrupt.
Anchors' Redundant Phrases and Graphic Misreads Reveal Sloppiness
Add “talk to me about” … Also, how many times have you seen anchors totally misread a graphic on the screen next to their head?
Thursday VOZ Ratings | NRL Sneaks in Front of the AFL but Seven Takes the Night
Thursday’s VOZ ratings show the NRL’s Round 2 clash between Brisbane and Parramatta pulling 772,000 average viewers, edging out the AFL’s Round 1 Carlton‑Richmond game at 675,000. Seven Network captured the night with a 30.9% total‑TV share and a 31.3% consolidated share,...
Russia Escalates Online Censorship with Telegram Restrictions, Rights Group Warns
Human Rights Watch warned that Russia has intensified online censorship by restricting access to Telegram, the country’s most popular messaging app. The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Roskomnadzor, announced gradual restrictions after Telegram failed to comply with Russian legislation,...
Spero Dedes Was ‘Overwhelmed’ Calling Kobe Bryant’s 81-Point Game
Spero Dedes, then a 26‑year‑old rookie, was the Los Angeles Lakers’ radio voice when Kobe Bryant scored his legendary 81 points in 2006. Dedes described feeling overwhelmed and scrambling for superlatives during the historic night, even pulling a pocket thesaurus....
New Podcasts - Trailers for New and Noteworthy Shows
The episode serves as a curated roundup of the latest and most noteworthy podcast launches, highlighting standout new shows across genres. It offers brief trailers and key details to help listeners quickly discover fresh content worth checking out. The hosts...
TikTok Radio Set To Premiere Live At SXSW
TikTok is launching TikTok Radio live from SXSW on March 13, leveraging its partnership with iHeartMedia. The service will stream on the iHeartRadio app and 28 iHeart broadcast stations, delivering TikTok‑driven music hits, creator storytelling, and weekly countdowns. Simultaneously, TikTok...
From MrBeast to Microdramas: Scott Brown’s Bet on Phone-Native Storytelling
Scott Brown, a veteran of Hollywood‑creator collaborations, is championing microdramas—short, vertically‑shot scripted series built for smartphones—through his company Second Rodeo. After pioneering digital formats for Larry King, The Rock’s YouTube launch, and MrBeast stunts, Brown sees microdramas as the first...
Universal Extends Theatrical Windows, Studios Refuse to Back Off
Word that Universal will be expanding its theatrical exclusivity windows starting today (just before what should be a very big year at the box office) is hopefully a signal that major studios with a greater vested interest in multiplex revenues...
Product Manager
Magellan AI, an all‑in‑one platform for audio advertising intelligence across podcasts, streaming audio, and broadcast radio, is hiring a remote Product Manager in the United States. The role will own the feature roadmap, prioritize product improvements, and work closely with...
Ticker and Leadstory: The Startups Taking Different Paths to Video News
Australian video‑news startups Ticker and Leadstory are charting distinct paths away from legacy media. Ticker, founded by former Sky News reporter Ahron Young, abandoned ad‑supported TV in favor of commercial interview clips, leveraging AI to produce and distribute short‑form video...
Apple Revs Up Formula 1: Eddy Cue Says Response to First Race “Exceeding Both F1 and Apple Expectations” (Exclusive)
Apple’s senior VP of Services Eddy Cue announced that viewership for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix on Apple TV+ rose year‑over‑year, surpassing both Formula 1 and Apple’s expectations. While exact numbers were not disclosed, the increase follows Apple’s acquisition of U.S....
Canzano: Fake 'RIP' Posts Need to Die Already
Meta reversed its 2025 decision to rely on third‑party fact‑checkers, moving to crowdsourced verification that has struggled to curb fake death notices on Facebook. High‑engagement posts falsely declared Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts and former coach James Taylor dead,...
Don Lemon Denounces WHCA Journalists for Inviting Trump to Correspondents’ Dinner: ‘A Slap in the Face’ | Video
Don Lemon publicly condemned the White House Correspondents' Association for inviting President Donald Trump to the 2026 Correspondents' Dinner, labeling the move a "slap in the face" to journalists. The invitation marks the first time a sitting president will attend...
‘War Machine’ Is Latest Netflix Action Flick to Top Streaming Chart
Netflix’s new action film “War Machine,” starring Alan Ritchson, topped the Samba TV weekly Wrap Report chart with 7 million households watching in its first three days. The movie marks the platform’s second major action hit of 2026, following the thriller...
The Apprentice Fans Call Out "Disrespect" Of Candidate After "Worst Pitch in History"
Fans of BBC's The Apprentice slammed the decision to sideline Karishma Vijay during the videogame‑making task, calling the resulting pitch the "worst in history." Despite her key role in designing the product, Project Manager Harry Clough excluded her from the...
Creamer Media Marks 45 Years of Independent Engineering and Mining Journalism
Creamer Media celebrates its 45th anniversary, marking four and a half decades of independent engineering and mining journalism. Founded in 1981 by Martin and Veronica Creamer, the Johannesburg‑based publisher has grown to about 48 employees and a global specialist audience....
Cord Cutters Are Leaving Cable Internet From Comcast & Spectrum As Fiber Is Now The Most Popular Option
A recent Cord Cutters News survey shows fiber internet has become the top choice for cord‑cutters, capturing 43 percent of their broadband market share and overtaking cable providers, which now hold just 40 percent. The shift reflects a demand for gigabit speeds,...
Jaynie Seal to Host SKY NEWS Series on Australia’s Regional Health Services
Sky News Australia is launching a new special‑report series, *State of Health*, hosted by regional correspondent Jaynie Seal. The program travels across regional Australia to examine infrastructure, workforce and access challenges confronting hospitals and clinics serving nearly 10 million people. The...
Why Bones' Creator Wasn't Surprised When The Spin-Off Series The Finder Tanked
Hart Hanson, creator of "Bones," said he expected the spin‑off "The Finder" to struggle, and the series indeed faltered after one season. Fans of the original procedural were skeptical of new characters and resisted the backdoor pilot that introduced Walter...
Ratings: Lincoln Lawyer Dominates Nielsen Streaming Top 10 With Season 4 Release; The Pitt Comes In At No. 2
Netflix’s legal drama “The Lincoln Lawyer” reclaimed the Nielsen streaming top spot for the week of Feb 9‑15, amassing 2.54 billion minutes across its 40 episodes, with 74 % of that consumption coming from the freshly released Season 4. HBO Max’s “The Pitt” secured...
If You Want Young Americans to Fight Your Wars, Give Them Something Worth Fighting For
The author argues that young Americans will only enlist if they see a clear, worthwhile cause and a promise that the nation will protect the American Dream. He criticizes older politicians who push overseas conflicts, like the potential war in...
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Puts The Federation On Trial In Explosive Finale — Plus, Grade Season 1!
In the season‑finale of Paramount+’s Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, space pirate Nus Braka detonates an Omega minefield that could wipe out over a hundred billion lives, forcing cadet Jett and her team to race against time. The cadets employ a Rubin‑particle...
Globo Bets on a Portfolio of Series and Formats at Series Mania
Globo will present a diverse slate of scripted and unscripted series at Series Mania, Europe’s leading TV‑series market event. The lineup includes the telenovela "The Life We Lead," the horror‑fantasy "Blood Red – Under the Moonlight," and reality formats like...
Zevia Doubles Down on AI Satire in Ads Starring Creepy Robot Coworker
Zevia launched the “Real Soda for Real Humans” national campaign, featuring a creepy robot coworker that mocks AI and artificial ingredients. The ads run on connected TV, Meta, YouTube and include a CAPTCHA‑style activation at SXSW, highlighting new flavors like...
Viant Had A Good Q4, But Still Needs To Punch Up At Bigger Platforms
Viant posted a strong Q4 and full‑year 2025, delivering $110 million in revenue, a 22% increase, and net income of $24.1 million, nearly double the prior year. CEO Tim Vanderhook noted that growth would have been 28% without the 2024 election‑driven ad surge....
MBW Just Launched Music Business Worldwide Magazine. Have You Subscribed Yet?
Music Business Worldwide has introduced its first print and digital publication, MBW Magazine, rolling out six issues per year from California. The inaugural volume features high‑profile interviews with industry figures who have driven billion‑dollar deals, K‑pop transformations, and major publishing...
Doomscroll: Gianmarco Soresi
Gianmarco Soresi, a progressive comedian, has surged into mainstream visibility as his provocative humor intersects with political discourse. His rise mirrors a broader cultural shift where free‑speech debates are being reframed, with conservatives now portrayed as imposing speech limits. Soresi’s...
Gen AI Is Being Adopted in “Massive” Numbers
Edison Research’s latest Infinite Dial report shows U.S. online audio and podcast consumption hitting all‑time highs, with 81% of Americans listening in the past month. Older listeners are driving growth, pushing weekly audio use among those 55+ to 70%. The...
‘Houston We Have a Problem’: Even Fox Can’t Spin the Disastrous Fallout From Trump’s Iran War
Fox Business host Stuart Varney warned on Thursday that the U.S.-Iran conflict is morphing into an oil crisis, as Iranian drones and missiles disrupt tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that roughly 20% of global oil passes...
DIRECTV Launches In-App Sports Hub and New Multiview Mix Ahead of March Madness
DIRECTV is rolling out an in‑app Sports Central hub and a dedicated March Madness Multiview Mix for both satellite and streaming subscribers. The Multiview Mix lets fans watch up to four games simultaneously in a 4‑box layout during the early...
Signals In The Noise: Using Media Monitoring To Manage Negative Publicity
Media monitoring has become essential for companies facing rapid negative publicity across news, blogs, social media, and reviews. Modern platforms collect real‑time keyword mentions, sentiment scores, and engagement metrics to identify emerging reputation risks. By pinpointing the source and influence...
Key Components of Sony’s Camera Authenticity Solution Now Support Video
Sony Electronics has expanded its Camera Verify (beta) authenticity platform to include video, adding video support to both the web‑based verification URL and the Image Verification Pre‑Check SDK. The solution uses C2PA‑compliant digital signatures and 3D depth detection to confirm...
Dr Harry Meets Marcia Hines’ New Puppy on BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
Better Homes and Gardens aired a special segment where Dr Harry met Marcia Hines and her new puppy, Bratha. The tiny dog quickly became the episode’s focal point, offering viewers a glimpse into Hines’ personal life beyond her Australian Idol...
Meta Is Testing Clickable Links in Instagram Captions for Verified Subscribers
Meta is piloting clickable links within Instagram post captions for users subscribed to Meta Verified. The test allows up to ten links per month and currently appears only on the mobile app, not the desktop site. Creators have long requested...
Where to Stream WOMEN’S TOUR OF THE WEST INDIES in Australia
Australia Women begin a six‑match tour of the West Indies, debuting new captain Sophie Molineux after Alyssa Healy’s retirement. The series comprises three Twenty20 Internationals from March 20‑24 and three One Day Internationals from March 28‑April 4, featuring stars like Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney,...
SCREENRIGHTS Calls for Applications in 2026 Cultural Fund Round
Screenrights, the copyright collective for Australian and New Zealand screen creators, has opened applications for its 2026 Cultural Fund round, allocating up to $300,000 in total funding. Grants of up to $50,000 will support projects that use screen storytelling to enhance...
LTN, Appear Team Up On Live IP-Native Video Contribution, Distribution
LTN and Appear have formed a partnership to deliver a scalable, IP‑native live video contribution and distribution solution for premium events. The offering combines Appear’s X Platform, which supports JPEG XS, JPEG 2000, AVC, HEVC and ST 2110 codecs, with LTN’s fully managed...
52 Years Ago Today: Wonder Woman’s Television Debut, A Heroic Milestone
On March 12, 1974 ABC aired a made‑for‑TV movie that marked Wonder Woman’s first appearance on American television, starring Cathy Lee Crosby as a modern, spy‑styled Diana Prince. The 74‑minute telefilm attracted a respectable audience despite a modest budget and...
Lee Steele Set to Return to 9 NEWS PERTH Newsroom
Lee Steele is set to rejoin Nine’s Perth newsroom as a weekend weather presenter, combining reporting duties with on‑air forecasts. Steele previously spent a decade at Nine before moving to Network 10 in 2018, where she handled journalism and occasional...
Feature Doc ‘Wilding’ Debuts April 22 on PBS, PBS App
PBS will broadcast the feature documentary *Wilding* on April 22, 2026, across its television channel, website, and app. The film chronicles a 20‑year rewilding project on a 400‑year‑old English estate, where owners introduced native wildlife to restore soil health and...
Google Halves Search Referrals, Still Leverages Publisher Content
Is Google taking news publishers' traffic away? Sweet mother of media, are they ever. From 2023-2025, referrals from search dropped by almost HALF. Brutal. Insulting. Infuriating. And ironic given that Google is certainly training its AI answers on publishers' work. 🙄
YouTube TV Adds a New 4K Channel
YouTube TV has added the Golf Channel to its 4K lineup, available through the optional 4K Plus add‑on. The upgrade costs an additional $9.99 per month on top of the $82.99 base plan and unlocks unlimited streams and offline downloads. The...
With 70+ Unilateral Cameras, NBC Sports Is Ready To Tell the Story of PLAYERS Championship
NBC Sports is fielding more than 70 unilateral cameras alongside over 120 shared units for The Players Championship, supported by a 400‑person crew. The broadcast leverages drones, Virtual Eye and emerging AR technology to create immersive, data‑rich storytelling. Collaboration continues...
Guest Posts Require Far More Effort than They Seem
Today, an exec says to me, "Must be easy to have a newsletter that's all guest posts." I hope Lenny Rachitsky doesn't mind, but I told him this story: Early last December, Lenny reached out to me about something, and...
Trump Nominates Sarah Rogers to Replace Kari Lake at USAGM
NEWS: USAGM's @KariLake is to have a new boss. Trump nominated State Dept official Sarah Rogers as CEO of Voice of America's parent USAGM. If confirmed she'd hold both roles. Lake had been leading agency but US judge ruled she did...
Court Strikes Down Most California Online Speech Code
One of these is not like the other. NetChoice is either smoking crack or trying to outdo CCIA in pleasing its funders Google and Meta. 1/2 https://t.co/PF9UwLb7z3
Paramount Pushes Theater Attendance to Outpace Streaming Giants
Paramount Chief Legal Officer Makan Delrahim says "we want customers in theaters" and to compete most effectively against "highly scaled" streaming competitors.
Israel Blocks Military Damage Footage, Permits Civilian Destruction Coverage
Israel doesn’t not allow filming of damage to military infrastructure, they allow journalists to film damage to civilian infrastructure. He is a CNN Reporter showcasing the damage done by a Hezbollah Rocket to a home…. u can imagine what you...