Today's Media Pulse
Online video subscriptions hit 2.24 billion in 2025, overtaking pay‑TV revenue
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, surpassing pay‑TV's $170 billion for the first time. Growth is expected to slow to single‑digit levels in 2026 as operators focus on monetising existing users.
Also developing:
Top TVNZ Shows
TVNZ’s latest six‑month results reveal 1News At Six as the clear leader across both its TVNZ+ streaming app and traditional broadcast, attracting 726,000 viewers and nearly 20 million streams. News programmes such as Seven Sharp and Breakfast also rank among the top performers, while entertainment titles like Bluey and the local dramas Shortland Street and The Brokenwood Mysteries secure strong streaming and channel audiences. On the linear TV side, lifestyle and home‑improvement shows—including Hyundai Country Calendar and Moving Houses—follow the news anchor in viewership, highlighting a diversified audience mix. The data underscores the continued dominance of news content alongside growing demand for local drama and lifestyle programming.
Foxtel Kicks Off NRL Season With 39% New Sponsors On Board
Foxtel Media announced that 39% of advertisers for the 2026 NRL season are brand‑new, joining returning partners such as Westpac, McDonald’s and Toyota. New sponsors include Red Bull, Bunnings, Club 4×4 Insurance and Youi, while programmatic inventory expansion lets small regional...
The Aunty Donna Podcast Returns to Acast in New Partnership
Acast has inked a multi‑year agreement to host The Aunty Donna Podcast and the newly created Grouse House Podcast Network on its platform. The deal consolidates Australia’s leading independent comedy collective under one roof just as Aunty Donna prepares to...
Paradise Fans Need To Watch Julianne Nicholson's HBO Crime Miniseries Next
Julianne Nicholson’s Emmy‑winning turn in HBO’s Mare of Easttown makes it a must‑watch for fans of Hulu’s Paradise. Both series are whodunits set in tight‑knit Pennsylvania suburbs, but Mare adds a deeper emotional layer through authentic small‑town drama. The HBO...
Jacinda Ardern Calls for Stronger Social Media Accountability in Preventing Online Harm
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged treating social media platforms as publishers rather than neutral hosts, citing their role in amplifying harmful content. She highlighted the Christchurch mosque shooting livestream as a stark example of platform-facilitated harm and...
Video Compression and Free Video Editing Software for PC: A Complete Guide for Content Creators
Video compression and free PC editing tools are essential for modern creators, allowing high‑resolution content to be managed efficiently. Compression algorithms shrink file sizes while preserving quality, enabling faster uploads, lower storage costs, and smoother streaming. Free editing software provides...
Blue Check Badge Fuels Viral AI‑generated Fake News
I hate this site The below blue checked account makes up completely fake stuff - that never happened - and it gets 2M+ views. No it didn't happen People treat as fact, thanks to having a $8/month blue check Fake news (often written...
Before Stranger Things, David Harbour Starred In A Forgotten Margot Robbie Series
Pan Am, a 1960s‑era airline drama starring David Harbour as MI6 agent Roger Anderson and Margot Robbie as flight attendant Kate, debuted on NBC in 2011. The visually lavish series ran only 14 episodes, earning three Emmy nominations for music, special...
Jamie Durie Partners with LEADSTORY for Sustainability and Design Coverage
Australian designer and environmental advocate Jamie Durie has signed a partnership with global streaming platform LeadStory to produce original lifestyle programming. The new series will focus on sustainability, architecture and design, drawing on Durie's decades of experience in television and...
Apple’s Godzilla & Kong Blockbuster TV Show Immediately Becomes a Streaming Success
Apple TV+’s *Monarch: Legacy of Monsters* season 2 quickly rose to become the second‑most‑watched show on the platform in the United States, according to FlixPatrol, trailing only *Hijack* and *Shrinking*. The series introduces a new sea‑monster antagonist, Titan X, while keeping the...
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Confirms Exciting New Cast for Season 2 – Here's What We Know
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ has been renewed for a second season, slated for release next year. The upcoming season will see Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell return as Dunk and Egg, while Lucy Boynton, Babou Ceesay and Peter Mullan...
Why Nobody Was Happy With Gilligan's Island's Pilot Episode
The original Gilligan’s Island pilot, titled “Marooned,” was shot in November 1963 but ran into a cascade of setbacks, including the JFK assassination, a national mourning period that closed Honolulu harbor, and a two‑minute shortfall. Creative clashes between creator Sherwood Schwartz,...
Out-of-Home Measurement System Move Is Finally Live
The Outdoor Media Association (OMA) has launched the upgraded Move measurement platform, replacing Move 1.5 as the official out‑of‑home (OOH) standard from March 16. Move aggregates data from over 180,000 sites, modeling a synthetic audience of 2.2 million Australians based on 5,000...
Gary Bettman Endorses Mixed Approach for NHL Local Rights, No Plans to Centralize Like MLB, NBA
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league will not centralize local broadcast rights like MLB and the NBA, allowing each club to choose its own distribution model. Teams may stay on regional sports networks, move to direct‑to‑consumer streams such as...
How Marshals Will Explore Unresolved Yellowstone Storylines, From John's Fate To Jamie's 'Disappearance'
CBS’s Yellowstone spin‑off *Marshals* will weave subtle references to unresolved plotlines from its parent series, such as Kayke’s brother Jamie’s “disappearance” and Kayke’s choice to spare his father’s killer. Showrunner Spencer Hudnut says the series will use these Easter eggs...
The ‘App-Only’ Revolution: Why 2026 Is the End of the Cable Box Era
The industry is rapidly moving from hardware‑based cable boxes to app‑only streaming platforms, a shift accelerated by smart‑TV saturation, faster broadband, and mature IPTV infrastructure. Deloitte reports over 80% of U.S. homes now subscribe to at least one streaming service,...
Meteorologist Damien Lodes Joins KTVT Dallas
Damien Lodes began his tenure at CBS News Texas KTVT Dallas‑Fort Worth as a meteorologist in February 2026. He arrives from a senior role at AccuWeather, where he contributed to the national Storm Team delivering coast‑to‑coast severe‑weather forecasts. Previously, Lodes...
NATIONAL FORUM Launches Tonight as ABC Revives Town Square TV
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation launches ABC National Forum, a live, moderated discussion program airing tonight from its Ultimo studios. Hosted by David Speers, the inaugural episode focuses on Jewish Australians and the aftermath of the Bondi terrorist attack. Unlike the...
Canzano: Working for You Is Working
John Canzano marks the four‑year anniversary of his independent sports site, JohnCanzano.com, reflecting on the personal risk and entrepreneurial spirit behind its launch in Las Vegas. The outlet has amassed over 15 million page views in the past year, reaching readers...
Baywatch: Additional Casting Announced for FOX’s Sequel Lifeguard Drama Series
Fox’s Baywatch sequel adds three new characters—Jessica Belkin as Hobie Buchannon’s long‑lost daughter, Hassie Harrison as Olympic‑trained lifeguard Nat, and Thaddeus LaGrone as Marine veteran Brad—joining Stephen Amell and David Chokachi. The network has ordered a 12‑episode second season, confirming the series’...
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: March 2, 2026 to March 6, 2026
The FCC released a draft Report and Order that modernizes broadcast licensing rules, replaces outdated CDBS references with LMS, and expands who may sign applications. The Media Bureau settled two consent decrees, penalizing an Arizona TV station for OPIF lapses...
Remote Control Gets More Intelligent
Radio broadcasters are transitioning from simple SNMP polling to agentic, IP‑native observability, where monitoring platforms act as autonomous copilots. Centralized Network Operations Centers, often cloud‑native and supported by MaaS platforms, now oversee hundreds of transmitters with integrated asset and ticketing...
39 Years Ago Today, ‘The A-Team’ Aired Its Final Episode on NBC
Today marks the 39th anniversary of the final broadcast of *The A‑Team*, which aired its last episode on March 8, 1987. The series launched after Super Bowl XVII in 1983, quickly climbing into the top‑10 ratings with household shares above 20 %. After four...
100 Users Generate 70% of Canadian Conspiracy Posts
Just 100 users were responsible for almost 70% of online conspiracy posts from influential accounts they examined in Canada. An analysis of over 14 million social media posts from accounts in Canada found that 87% of conspiratorial claims come from these...
Media Soft-Pedal Trump to Avoid Appearing Dementia‑Abusive
The media treat Trump wth kid gloves because they don't want to seen as abusing someone suffering from dementia.
Why Cable TV Networks Won’t Switch To Free OTA TV
Cable networks such as ESPN, CNN and AMC continue to rely on subscriber carriage fees rather than moving to free over‑the‑air (OTA) television. In 2024 they collected over $40 billion in carriage fees, while advertising revenue declined about 10 % year‑over‑year. Technical...
Wikipedia Turns 25, Confronts AI Surge and Media Decline
At 25, Wikipedia faces a double threat: the rise of AI and the decline of local media | CBC Radio https://t.co/8qDg2QcwVT
Trump’s Media Lawsuits Stumble: Courts Dismiss All Cases
President Trump's legal pressure on media companies has faced ample pushback in court —USAGM, Mar 2026 (Lake's tenure voided) —TMTG, Nov 2025 (Suit dismissed) —CNN, 2023 (Dismissed) —NYT, 2023 (Dismissed) Still watching: AP legal fight & BBC lawsuit https://t.co/Gxt9QOkooS
Will Sling TV Be for Sale Soon?
Sling TV, a DISH/EchoStar subsidiary, introduced low‑cost daily Passes in 2025, attracting budget‑conscious cord‑cutters. Despite strong subscriber numbers—over 1.5 million—the parent’s strained balance sheet and costly 5G rollout have made Sling a non‑core asset. Analysts predict DISH may put Sling TV...
NYT Trades Record Status for Games,
The NYT have sacrificed being “the paper of record” and exchange for games, cooking and a great direct to consumer business
YouTube TV Rolls Out A New Build Your Own Plan Options to Help You Save Money
YouTube TV has launched a personalized subscription system that lets users build their own channel packages from 12 genre‑based bundles. The web‑only tool analyzes viewing history and suggests mixes of sports, entertainment, news and family channels, allowing customers to drop...
Chicago’s Q101, Boston’s WERS Celebrate Women’s History
Radio stations across the United States are using Women’s History Month to spotlight female musicians. In Chicago, Cumulus Media’s Q101 airs a daily noon segment called “The Women Who Make Q101,” hosted by Lauren O’Neil, culminating in a multi‑hour all‑female...
Patrick Dempsey's Crime Drama That's "Worth Sticking With" Jumps up UK Streaming Chart
Patrick Dempsey’s new crime drama *Memory of a Killer* has surged to #7 on Prime Video’s UK TV streaming chart, indicating strong viewer uptake since its January‑February rollout. The two‑part series follows Dempsey as Angelo Doyle, a photocopier salesman‑by‑day and...
AT&T Actress Milana Vayntrub Had A Key Role In A Controversial 2024 Netflix Series
Milana Vayntrub, known for AT&T ads, portrays prosecutor Pamela Bozanich in two episodes of Netflix’s true‑crime series *Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story*. Her scenes include revealing alleged prison sexual favors and confronting Erik Menendez in courtroom dramatizations. The...
CNN Once Again Preempts ‘Have I Got News For You’ To Continue Iran War Coverage
CNN preempted the Saturday broadcast of the U.S. version of *Have I Got News For You* and the preceding *Real Time With Bill Maher* to extend its live coverage of the escalating Iran war. The comedy slot will instead debut...
Why Home Improvement Stopped Seinfeld From Creating An Animated Episode
In the late 1990s Seinfeld’s writers explored a Claymation‑style episode for its ninth season, even meeting with stop‑motion pioneer Will Vinton. The concept was shelved after a writer discovered that Home Improvement had already aired a similar stop‑motion sequence in...
What Happened To Scott Bakula's Captain Archer After Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise introduced Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, the first commander of the warp‑5 NX‑01 in a pre‑Federation era. The series ran four seasons, ending with Archer stepping away from the captain’s chair to become a senior Starfleet...
ER Creator Michael Crichton Wanted To Kill A Major Character, But Everyone Else Overruled Him
Michael Crichton originally scripted Carol Hathaway’s death in the 1994 ER pilot, filming a drug‑overdose scene that would have ended Julianna Margulies’ role. Showrunner John Wells and director Rob Holcomb’s visual framing of the scene, however, highlighted the character’s importance to Doug...
Andrew Lincoln's '90s Drama that 'Left Lasting Mark on British TV' To Get BBC Special Celebration
British broadcaster BBC will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the seminal 1990s drama *This Life* by re‑airing the entire series, beginning with season one on 18 March at 10 pm on BBC Four and simultaneously on iPlayer. The show, which follows a...
Melbourne Secrets and South Australia Sights Explored on POSTCARDS
The latest episode of Channel 9’s travel series Postcards showcases a mix of urban and regional attractions across Victoria and South Australia. Livinia Nixon explores the World‑Heritage Naracoorte Caves and a family‑run Padthaway Estate vineyard, while Lauren Phillips uncovers Melbourne laneway...
The Paramount–Warner Bros. Deal: What It Signals for Antitrust Merger Review in Consolidating Industries
Paramount Global agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a $110 billion deal, one of the largest media mergers in recent memory. The transaction arrives amid slowing subscriber growth and rising content costs, prompting heightened scrutiny from U.S. federal, state and...
Nick McKenzie Probe Targets Alleged Worker Exploitation on 60 MINUTES
Nick McKenzie’s 60 Minutes investigation uncovers alleged wage theft at MA Services, a leading Australian security and cleaning contractor founded by Micky Ahuja. The report claims thousands of vulnerable migrant workers were paid below the legal minimum wage and denied entitlements...
Bones' Original Plan For Sweets Didnt Involve His Death
Lance Sweets was originally intended to stay on *Bones* as a mentor to inner‑city youth, but John Francis Daley left to co‑direct the film *Vacation*. Production delays forced showrunner Stephen Nathan to rewrite the arc, resulting in Sweets’ on‑screen death...
ABC Iview, Netflix Lead Free to Air & Subscription Platforms.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority’s 2025 report shows free‑to‑air (FTA) TV viewership rebounding to 52 % of adults, driven by younger audiences, while subscription streaming remains stable at 68 % usage. ABC iview continues to dominate FTA catch‑up but its share fell...
Seeking Global Media Perspectives on Trump‑Epstein Coverage
To anyone NOT in the United States: what is your media saying about Trump and the Epstein files? Can you post any links to your articles here?
Lake Repeatedly Fires VOA Staff Despite Rehiring
Lake undertook sweeping and devastating actions against VoA and other US funded international networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia. She was so intent on layoffs she kept doing new rounds after calling staffers back because she had...
Apple's Fan-First F1 Distribution Expands to Tubi
Tip of the hat to Eddy, Oliver and the Apple team on their approach to distributing the new F1 rights. Fan first strategy, unlocking availability beyond their owned and operated platforms is good for everyone. Excited that @Tubi is part...
Committee Boosts Journalism, Strengthens Democracy Through Online News Act
Your committee did brilliant work hearing out the issues from all perspectives, Dr. Fry. It was a delight to experience and a fruitful outcome for a free and plural press - and democracy. You provided journalism a boost while an...
VOA Journalist Alleges Firing Over Pro‑Pahlavi Suppression
Voice of America Persian journalist says he was fired by USAGM exec assigned to oversee the agency over clash about suppression of voices supporting Pahlavi. Agency denies coverage is hostile to the son of late Shah.
Axel Springer Unlikely to Pursue Big Deals, WSJ Stays Murdoch
NEW @PuckNews: On heels of Telegraph acquisition, Mathias Döpfner told charges that Axel Springer was unlikely to make more big acquisitions in near future, noting that Murdochs were unlikely to sell The Wall Street Journal, which Springer couldn’t afford anyway. https://t.co/1NKCcK3NXz