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.
What’s New This Week on Netflix for the Week of March 9, 2026
Netflix’s March 9‑15, 2026 schedule delivers a blend of new seasons, original series, and documentaries, reinforcing its weekly release strategy. Highlights include ONE PIECE season 2, the family‑friendly Baby Einstein and Sesame Street volumes, and international reality formats like Age of Attraction and Love Is Blind: Sweden. The slate also re‑introduces veteran dramas such as The Man in the High Castle and Virgin River season 7, while adding niche titles like Louis Theroux’s Manosphere investigation. This mix aims to sustain subscriber engagement across demographics.
Cincinnati Reds Partner With Gray Media
The Cincinnati Reds announced a two‑year partnership with Gray Media and its Fox19 station to simulcast ten regular‑season games on free over‑the‑air television. The schedule includes Opening Day on March 26 and nine “Red Hot Mondays” games, reaching fans in 17...
ESPN Latest to Pick up Ex-Washington Post Reporters
ESPN announced Monday that it has hired six former Washington Post sports reporters—Kent Babb, Kareem Copeland, Chuck Culpepper, Robert Klemko, Tom Schad and Ben Strauss—to bolster its Investigative, Enterprise and Digital Journalism Unit. The hires come shortly after The Athletic...
Hearst's Michael Rosellini to Receive 2026 NAB Digital Leadership Award
Michael Rosellini, senior vice president of digital services at Hearst Television, will receive the 2026 NAB Digital Leadership Award at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. The award recognizes his decade‑long leadership in modernizing Hearst’s digital ecosystem, including CMS migrations,...
Leimbach Heads West From Dallas to Lead Beasley Las Vegas
Amy Leimbach, former iHeartMedia Dallas Region President, has been hired by Beasley Media Group as Vice President and Market Manager for its five Las Vegas‑area stations. She brings a track record of sales leadership across Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Phoenix,...
Doc Renewed with Another Rare 22-Episode Season / The Drew Barrymore Show Renewed for Two More Seasons / Peacock Nabs...
Fox has renewed the medical drama “Doc” for a third season, again ordering a full 22‑episode slate. The series expanded from a ten‑episode debut to 22 episodes in its second season, making the new order a rare move in today’s...
Vulture Rediscovers RSS to Dull the Pain of the Modern Web
RSS is experiencing a quiet resurgence as users seek to escape the cluttered, ad‑laden modern web. Recent blog posts by Caroline Crampton and Cory Doctorow highlighted how aggregating thousands of feeds can make the internet more bearable. The author revisited...
From Bullied Autistic Kid to TikToker: A Journalist Who Went Viral by Being Himself
Nicholas Fearn, an autistic freelance journalist, has turned his TikTok persona "The Diva Supreme" into a high‑profile personal brand, amassing a sizable following while publishing in outlets such as the Financial Times and Forbes. His content blends interior‑design showcases with...
Nobody Knows Who Owns What. Here Is What I Am Building.
The essay argues that streaming transformed media economics by valuing user data over content libraries, and generative AI is now compressing the value of intellectual property itself. Legal and regulatory frameworks have not kept pace, leaving creators, studios, insurers, and...
Nexstar Launches “Invest in America” News Series as Company Await Approval for TEGNA Deal
Nexstar Media Group has unveiled a nationwide news initiative called “Investing in America,” focusing on economic development and infrastructure projects across the United States. The series, launched with a five‑part weekday format and weekly reports, will be distributed through Nexstar’s...
Ellisons' AI Story Can't Hide Overleveraged Media Fire‑sale
The question isn’t what the Ellisons will do with Paramount and WBD, but who will acquire those assets at fire-sale prices when their AI synergy narrative can no longer provide cloud cover for their pair of overleveraged legacy media companies.
Supplee To Supply MaxxKonnect With Radio Tech Experience
MaxxKonnect has appointed Dave Supplee as Development and Support Engineer, adding a veteran with 26 years at Cumulus Media. At Cumulus, Supplee oversaw studio construction, transmitter relocations, and FCC compliance across multiple markets. He also co‑developed the OpX automation system...
The Best Way To Embrace Convergent TV? Break Down The Silos Between Linear And Streaming
Marketers must dissolve the linear‑vs‑streaming divide and adopt a convergent TV approach, blending programmatic and direct buying. At Convergent TV World, Tatari’s Mike Fogarty highlighted the $70 billion U.S. TV market, noting that only $30 billion is streaming‑focused and still largely direct‑sold....
NAB To Honor Bert Goldman For Radio Engineering Achievement
The National Association of Broadcasters will present the 2026 Radio Engineering Achievement Award to Goldman Engineering Management President Bert Goldman at the NAB Show in Las Vegas on April 21. Goldman is being honored for more than five decades of radio...
Guaranty’s Eagle Remains LSU Radio Flagship Under New Deal
LSU Athletics has inked a multi‑year extension with Guaranty Media, preserving the broadcaster’s role as the flagship of the LSU Sports Radio Network. Eagle 98.1 (WDGL) will stay the primary home for football, baseball and men’s basketball, while Talk 107.3 (WBRP) remains...
Programmatic Advertising Technology: How Automated Media Buying Is Reshaping Digital Advertising
Programmatic advertising has become the default buying method, with spend projected to reach $25 billion in 2025, representing roughly 88 % of digital display ads. Real‑time bidding (RTB) executes auctions in under 100 ms, linking demand‑side platforms (DSPs) and supply‑side platforms (SSPs) through...
The History Chicks Partners with Airwave
The History Chicks has signed an exclusive partnership with the Airwave podcast network, covering distribution, monetization, and marketing for its flagship show. The Recappery will migrate to Airwave’s platform, joining a roster of history‑focused podcasts. Airwave will provide host‑read and...
TNT Sports Adds FIBA Basketball Events
TNT Sports has secured a multi‑year English‑language partnership with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), bringing men’s and women’s World Cup events to its linear channels and HBO Max streaming platform. Live coverage kicks off on March 11 with the FIBA Women’s...
Fearless Journalist & Zeteo Founder Mehdi Hasan Enters Advertising Partnership with Libsyn for Two Flagship Podcasts
Libsyn announced a one‑year advertising partnership with journalist Mehdi Hasan to monetize his two flagship podcasts, *Mehdi Unfiltered* and *We’re Not Kidding Mehdi & Friends*. The deal leverages Libsyn Ads’ dynamic ad insertion, host‑read spots, and programmatic buying to connect...
Utah Scientific Adds Three Companies To Technology Partner Program
Utah Scientific has expanded its Technology Partner Program by adding Audinate, Bitfocus and Skaarhoj. The new integrations bring native Dante audio I/O, seamless Buttons control automation, and the AirFly Pro desktop control surface to its routing platforms. These enhancements aim...
19 Years Ago This Month, Apple Released the Apple TV
Apple TV celebrated its 19th anniversary, marking its debut on March 21, 2007 as a hard‑drive‑based media player linked to iTunes. Over the years the device evolved from a niche computer‑dependent gadget to a cloud‑centric streaming hub, introducing HDMI, 1080p,...
Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par Moves Beyond the ‘Private Cinema’ Experiment for Major OTT Debut
Aamir Khan’s sports comedy‑drama Sitaare Zameen Par, which grossed over ₹250 crore in its 2025 theatrical run, will stream on Sony LIV in March 2026, becoming the platform’s first Hindi theatrical title. The film follows a coach working with neuro‑divergent players, echoing...
VIOOH Partners with OUTFRONT to Add Expansive US Inventory to Its Global Programmatic Platform
VIOOH, the leading global digital out‑of‑home supply‑side platform, announced a strategic partnership with US media giant OUTFRONT. The deal brings more than 7,600 digital screens and roughly 18 billion monthly impressions onto VIOOH’s programmatic marketplace, covering highways, transit hubs and urban...
ETurboNews Gains Direct Access to 2+ Million Chinese Travel Professionals
eTurboNews and Travel Daily China have signed a strategic cooperation that links two of the world’s largest travel‑media networks. The deal gives eTurboNews direct access to over 210,000 Chinese‑speaking travel professionals, while Travel Daily China can distribute content to eTurboNews’s...
Compute Limits or Surplus Define Meta's Ad Revenue Future
A few weeks ago, I wrote about Meta's investments into GEM and its LLaTTE architecture, and last week, I wrote about Meta's use of LLMs for ad re-ranking (prioritizing the ad shown from a candidate set). Both of these approaches are...
Google Consolidates Entities and Social Profiles in Discover
This is cool. And it fits with the larger trend Google has been implementing across Discover and News for years - highlighting entities, brands, recognized authors, and linking their social profiles all in one place
Hannity Podcast Launches Tuesday
Sean Hannity’s new FOX News Media podcast, “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” launches Tuesday, March 10, at 7 a.m. The debut episode features ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, and future guests include Senator John Fetterman, former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, and...
Apply Now: 500 Spots at Hollywood Creator Summit
The Hollywood Creator Summit Press Publish LA | May 28th 500 Spots available. Applications Open until April 28th ➡️ https://t.co/BBNHJwtkGb https://t.co/MhGhuUIRa0
Bezos-Driven WaPo Opinion Becomes 2026’s Stupidity Hub
The Bezos-ified WaPo opinion page continues to be the best place to get stupider in 2026 https://t.co/iTegWDU1hq
Loti AI, Underscore Talent Partner to Defend Creator Likeness in the Age of Deepfakes
Loti AI, a Seattle‑based likeness‑protection startup, announced a partnership with Underscore Talent to shield the agency’s creator roster from deepfake impersonation. Loti’s Watchtower platform scans the internet, uses face and voice recognition, and reports a 95 % takedown success rate within...
Judge Parker's Broadsheet Proves Local News Still Profitable
Who says local-news economics are cratering? Judge Parker has his mitts on a thriving daily broadsheet, chockablock with classified ads on the back page and thick enough not to get wafted by indoor breezes.... https://t.co/VY3QLwe93T
Six Ex‑WaPo Sports Writers Join ESPN
Kent Babb; Kareen Copeland; Robert Klemko; Chuck Culpepper; Tom Schad; and Ben Strauss all heading to ESPN, which is scooping up the six former WaPo sports scribes.... https://t.co/ezxY9fleGR
World Briefs | UK Minister to Review Axel Springer’s Deal for Telegraph Media Group
British culture minister Lisa Nandy announced a review of Axel Springer’s £575 million purchase of the Telegraph Media Group under the UK’s public‑interest and foreign‑state‑influence media‑mergers regime. The EU is set to sign defence partnerships with Australia, Iceland and Ghana, while France...
Ally Ali Gets Morning Co-Billing On Long Island’s 106.1 BLI
Cox Media Group’s Long Island 106.1 BLI has renamed its flagship morning program to “Syke & Ally Ali in the Morning,” reflecting Ally Ali’s promotion to co‑host. Both Syke and Ali signed new multi‑year contracts, solidifying their on‑air partnership. Ali,...
Vanity Fair Bets on Newsletter Boom With New Subscriber-Only Roster
Vanity Fair has introduced four subscriber‑only newsletters covering technology, politics, fashion and art, each led by a dedicated writer. The titles—“A Billion to One,” “Party Animals,” “Fit Check,” and “True Colors”—are hosted on Vanity Fair’s own platform, bypassing third‑party services....
TALKERS News Notes
Corny Koehl, a veteran of talk‑radio production for personalities such as Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Suze Orman, has been appointed the inaugural Senior Fellow at the Dedication to Community (D2C) Justice Institute at the University of Mount St. Vincent. In this role, Koehl...
Courtney Michelle on Turning Relatable Chaos Into a Comedy Career Online
Actress Courtney Michelle pivoted from drama to online comedy, building a thriving creator business on TikTok and Instagram. Guided by a manager’s suggestion, she leveraged character‑driven sketches that mirror everyday awkward moments, attracting a loyal, empathetic audience. Her revenue now...
War Isn't Real
A surge of AI‑generated videos, fabricated satellite images, and recycled war clips is distorting public perception of the Iran‑U.S.-Israel conflict. Investigators such as Bellingcat and the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab have flagged dozens of viral pieces as synthetic,...
Kyrgyz Supreme Court Dismissed Kloop’s Appeal of ‘Extremist’ Declaration
Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Court on March 9 rejected Kloop’s appeal, confirming the October 2025 ruling that labeled the investigative outlet as extremist. The court’s rapid review, conducted without summoning Kloop’s representatives, raised concerns about judicial independence and procedural fairness. Kloop’s lawyer accused judges...
A New Animated Ghostbusters TV Show & Movie Are in the Works at Netflix
Netflix is developing two new animated Ghostbusters projects with Sony Pictures Animation: a feature film tentatively titled "Ecto" that will be told from a ghost's perspective, and a companion series set in the 1990s featuring a new generation of teen...
Burger King Names 2 New Agencies Following Viral Whopper Bite Moment
Burger King has tapped Mojo Supermarket as its U.S. social agency of record and Praytell as the public‑relations AOR, aiming to accelerate real‑time, culturally resonant content. The new partners quickly proved their impact with a viral video of President Tom...
We Skip Embargoes, Prioritizing Insight Over Speed
PSA: We don't hold embargoes at Second Opinion. It's a massive hassle and I'm not finding any correlation between audience growth and our publication adhering to companies' enforced timing. Bottom line... I care more about us being smart than first.
Woke Network Head Teams up with Piers Morgan
Rashida Jones led a news network often accused of being too “woke.” Piers Morgan has for the last few years railed against people taking such a stance. Now they're working together.... https://t.co/J3bDdLDZFq via @variety
Amanda Meade Takes Us Inside the Kyle and Jackie ‘O’ Bust-Up – Podcast
The long‑running Kyle and Jackie O breakfast show was taken off the air after Kyle Sandilands was suspended for serious misconduct, sparking an on‑air bust‑up with co‑host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson. Both presenters are reportedly weighing legal options, while Jackie O...
Inside the CTV Contextual Advertising Toolset
At Streaming Media Connect 2026, Team Whistle and Intersection explained how CTV contextual advertising now hinges on AI‑driven tools and real‑time data pipelines. Team Whistle has built proprietary Looker‑based analytics that feed production, programming, and ad teams with live‑event and audience...
Exclusive First Looks at Idris Elba on Set as ‘Luther 2’ Continues Filming in the UK for Netflix
Netflix has started filming the sequel to its hit crime thriller “Luther: The Fallen Sun”, with Idris Elba back as detective John Luther. Production kicked off on February 18, 2026, shooting gritty, rain‑soaked London locations such as St. Paul’s Cathedral and Parkland Walk,...
CBS News' Scott MacFarlane Announces Departure
Just in: Scott MacFarlane, the hard charging CBS News justice and congressional correspondent, has announced he's leaving the news unit to pursue other ventures. His exit was disclosed on Monday's AM editorial call
ITV Schedule Shake-Up! Why Loose Women Isn't on TV This Week
ITV announced a temporary pause of its flagship daytime talk show *Loose Women* starting March 6, with the program off‑air for roughly a month. The hiatus allows ITV to broadcast the 2026 Cheltenham Festival and aligns with a broader daytime schedule...
DigitalGlue to Launch creative.space Intelligence (CSI) at 2026 NAB Show
DigitalGlue will unveil creative.space Intelligence (CSI) at the 2026 NAB Show, positioning it as a Managed Creative Operating System that fuses on‑premise high‑performance storage with a forensic AI engine. CSI tackles the twin challenges of exploding video archive sizes—projected to...
BeIN Sports Appeals Ruling in Ligue 1 Payment Dispute
beIN Sports has appealed a Paris Commercial Court ruling that ordered it to pay roughly €15 million to LFP Media for its Saturday Ligue 1 rights package. The broadcaster had withheld €4.71 million from each of three €18 million installments, arguing that contractual restrictions...