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.
The Security Playbook Every Journalist Should Know
Journalists face escalating digital threats—from commercial spyware to FBI raids—making robust security protocols essential. A recent Nieman‑to‑Nieman seminar featured experts from the EFF, GIJN, and CISI who outlined practical steps such as threat modeling, device hardening, and emergency response planning. The discussion highlighted the vulnerability of smartphones, the importance of encryption tools like Tails, and the need for redundant, off‑site backups. Resources from CPJ, RSF, and the Nieman Foundation now offer a consolidated playbook for media professionals.
Dramatic Cuts in Nova Scotia Budget Will Greatly Impact Publishers and Writers
The Nova Scotia government’s 2026‑2027 budget proposes a 30% reduction in arts, culture and heritage funding, a $14 million cut to discretionary spending, and the elimination or reduction of more than 70 grant programs worth over $130 million. A coalition of national...
We Partnered with Streamers to Talk Rage Bait, Toxicity and Media Literacy. You Can, Too.
MediaWise launched the G.A.M.E. program in 2025, partnering with gaming creators like Danny Peña, Riana Manuel‑Peña, streamer airie, and voice actor Greg Chun to embed media‑literacy lessons into live streams on Fortnite and other games. The initiative reached more than 150,000 viewers, using...
AccuWeather NOW Launches on Samsung TV Plus in US
AccuWeather has launched its free, ad‑supported streaming channel AccuWeather NOW on Samsung TV Plus in the United States, adding the service to Samsung’s FAST platform that now exceeds 100 million monthly active users worldwide. The channel delivers 24‑hour weather programming, including forecasts, severe‑weather...
Synamedia and Asport Team up for Games of the Future Live Streaming
Synamedia teamed with Swiss sports‑tech firm Asport to stream the Games of the Future in Abu Dhabi, a hybrid event merging physical sport, esports and digital games. Using Synamedia’s Quortex SaaS platform, Asport delivered over 200 live streams across YouTube,...
The Wires 2026: What Makes an Award-Winning Entry?
ExchangeWire’s The Wires 2026 marks a decade of ad‑tech awards and unveils a globally diverse judging panel spanning EMEA, APAC, MENA and the US. Judges from brands, agencies and publishers emphasize consumer‑centric insight, AI‑driven measurement, and clear ROI as hallmarks...
AppHarbr by GeoEdge Launches the First Index Ranking In-App Ad Networks on Ad Quality & Safety
AppHarbr, GeoEdge’s in‑app ad quality platform, released the first In‑App Network Ad Quality & Safety Performance Index, benchmarking 45 ad networks across 25 billion ads. The study found half of the networks fell short of basic safety standards, with iOS apps...
DCN’s Media Industry Must Reads: Week of March 5, 2026
Digital Content Next curated a weekly roundup of the most consequential media stories for the week of March 5, 2026. The collection highlights Larry Ellison’s looming media empire, a surge in niche‑casting as traditional broadcast wanes, and the Supreme Court’s refusal to...
FixEd Podcast: Zetland’s Global Ambitions
Zetland, the Danish reader‑funded digital publisher, has extended its membership‑only model beyond Denmark, launching Uusi Juttu in Finland and Demo in Norway. The Finnish outlet broke even within a year with a 25‑person team, while the Norwegian launch hit its...
Hyperlocal AI with a Million Subscribers
Patch, operating under the PatchAM brand, has launched AI‑generated newsletters that now serve 14,000 hyperlocal communities and have amassed nearly one million subscribers. The service pulls content from aggregation sources, event calendars and platforms like Nextdoor, delivering daily or twice‑weekly...
Guide Dogs Picks Fold7 as Lead Creative Agency
Guide Dogs, the UK’s leading charity that trains guide dogs for the visually impaired, has appointed Fold7 as its lead creative agency. The decision came after a three‑way pitch that also featured Atomic London and VCCP. Fold7 will refresh the...
Review of the Week: TK Maxx Is Paws-Itively Silly
TK Maxx’s latest television spot, produced by Wieden & Kennedy London, features a whimsical cat wearing a Gucci shoe on its head, delivering a tongue‑in‑cheek take on fashion excess. The ad blends high‑end luxury cues with the retailer’s value‑focused positioning,...
History of RBI Communications
In early 2026 the Reserve Bank of India launched its first official podcast, "RBI Talks Paisa to Policy," building on a 2025 web‑series released to celebrate the institution’s 90‑year anniversary. Both initiatives expand RBI’s communications toolkit, which has evolved from...
How Ford Is Accelerating Its Global Campaign Amid Return to Formula 1
Ford is re‑entering Formula 1 after more than two decades, partnering with Oracle Red Bull Racing and extending its global "Ready Set Ford" campaign. The automaker is abandoning traditional TV spots in favor of Apple TV’s sequential ad format, creating a micro‑docuseries that links F1...
TikTok's 2026 Discover List Spotlights 50 Emerging Creators
TikTok revealed its Discover List 2026, highlighting 50 creators to watch across categories like Educators, Foodies, Icons, Innovators, and Originators. The list acts as both a cultural barometer and a pre-vetted talent pipeline for brands looking to partner with emerging...
CNN Team First US Network Inside Iran Since War
CNN Senior International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgensays and his team are in Iran—the first US network to cross into the country since the start of the war.
Orange 142 Launches Ignition+, an Integrated, AI-Enabled Programmatic Media Solution Focused on Transparency and Efficiency
Orange 142, a Direct Digital Holdings division, unveiled Ignition+, an AI‑powered programmatic platform designed for Fortune 1,000 brands and large agencies. The solution consolidates activation, supply access, optimization and measurement into a single stack, promising greater transparency and a flat‑fee pricing...
Free Press Tension Strengthens Democracy Amid White House Critique
press tension fuels democracy. appreciate a free and plural press doing the work they’re doing. and Collins holding the line here in a completely reasonable manner despite the rhetoric thrown at her.
CBS Postpones JD Vance Town Hall Indefinitely
New: The CBS News town hall with @JDVance, which had been slated to air on March 14, has been postponed indefinitely.
RAB’s ‘One Voice for Radio’ Marks First-Year Wins and Priorities
The Radio Advertising Bureau’s One Voice for Radio campaign marked its first‑year milestones, highlighting Nielsen’s three‑minute‑quarter shift as a proof point for radio’s ad impact. The RAB’s Digital Benchmark Report projects $2.5 billion in digital revenue by 2026, underscoring a rapid...
WPP Faces Steep Path as New Strategy Draws on Familiar Playbook
Global advertising group WPP unveiled its Elevate28 plan, a strategic overhaul aimed at accelerating digital growth and cutting costs. The roadmap promises up to 15% revenue uplift by 2028, £500 million in annual savings, and a shift toward data‑driven creative services....
Christian Radio’s Next Chapter: Digital Signals and Fresh Sounds
Christian radio is shedding its legacy image as it embraces digital platforms, social discovery, and niche sub‑genres. Programmers are launching side streams and dedicated stations to showcase newer sounds while preserving familiar content for core listeners. Podcasting is becoming a...
Mix 106.5 Tops $1.4M in Radiothon for Johns Hopkins Children’s
Audacy Baltimore’s Mix 106.5 concluded its 37th annual radiothon by raising $1.483 million for Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, pushing the station’s lifetime contributions past $32 million since the fundraiser began in 1989. The two‑day event featured longtime hosts Steve Kramer, Jessica Dutra, and returning...
Women to Watch: Janeé Bolden
Janeé Bolden, a veteran journalist and cultural commentator, spent 15 years shaping Black digital media at outlets like Bossip, GlobalGrind, XXL and The Source. In early 2025 she left corporate editorial leadership to launch her own platform, the Hey Janeé...
Greg Beharrell Anchors YMG’s New 24/7 Adult Hits Format
YEA Media Group (YMG) has launched Greg FM, a 24/7 adult hits radio format anchored by syndicated personality Greg Beharrell. The new service expands Beharrell from limited dayparts to continuous, host‑driven programming. Developed with consultant Mike McVay, the format shifts...
ITV Predicts 2% Drop in Ad Revenues for Q1 2026
ITV announced it expects a 2% decline in advertising revenue for the first quarter of 2026, following a 5% year‑on‑year drop in 2025. The broadcaster attributes the slowdown to weaker consumer spending and increased competition from digital platforms. Management signaled...
The Guardian Updates Its AI Policies Around Training, Trust and In-House Tools
The Guardian has revised its generative AI policy, mandating AI training for all staff and developing proprietary AI tools for editorial tasks. The updated policy adds a transparency requirement, with footnotes indicating significant AI use in stories. Revised editorial code...
10 Publications that Allow You to Republish Their Work for Free
A growing number of news outlets are offering their articles under Creative Commons licences, allowing other publishers and journalists to republish content for free. The guide highlights ten publications—including The Conversation, The New Humanitarian, Global Voices, and openDemocracy—and outlines each...
Why Media Were Able to Report the Identities of Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor and Peter Mandelson as They Were Arrested
The arrests of former royal Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor and ex‑politician Peter Mandelson sparked widespread media identification despite UK police typically withholding suspects' names. Both men were detained on suspicion of misconduct in public office after U.S. officials released Epstein‑related emails suggesting...
How The Hindu Is Embedding AI Into Its Data Journalism
The Hindu’s data journalism team leveraged large language models to process 22 million voter‑record PDFs, automatically generate SQL queries, and build a searchable database that informed court and parliamentary debates. Using prompts in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, reporters assembled a full‑scale...
ITV Remains in Sky Deal Talks, Posts Slight Full-Year Studios Profit Drop, Ad Revenue Falls 5 Percent
ITV confirmed it is still negotiating a potential sale of its Media & Entertainment unit to Sky for about £1.6 billion, while reporting a modest decline in ITV Studios profit and a 5% drop in advertising revenue for 2025. Total external...
Study: Advertisers Face a ‘Paradox of Plenty’ in Measurement
The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and the 4As released a study revealing a "Paradox of Plenty" for U.S. advertisers: abundant data and sophisticated tools have not translated into higher confidence in media measurement. Surveying 197 senior marketers, the...
She Sounds. Wants to Bring the Female Gaze to Branded Audio
Sweden‑based studio She Sounds. has launched to embed the female gaze in branded audio, assembling a network of FLINTA (female, lesbian, intersex, non‑binary, trans and agenda) producers, composers and artists. Founder Vivika Zuske leverages her background in licensing and brand music...
Sallie Has An Ad Business And Meta Is Declining Credit Cards
Meta confirmed it will drop credit‑card payments for ads next month, moving advertisers to invoice‑only billing to curb fraud and the “cashback loophole.” At the same time, student‑loan giant Sallie introduced Backpack Media, a retail‑media network that sells ad inventory...
The Big Creator Breakout in 2026 | Behind the Numbers Special Edition
In this special edition of the eMarketer podcast, Principal Analyst Max Willins reveals that U.S. creator earnings are projected to hit $21 billion in 2026, nearly doubling since 2022 and outpacing traditional web‑publisher revenues. He explains how creators have moved from...
Yahoo Pauses IAB Membership Amid a Series of Quiet Cost-Saving Measures
Yahoo has paused its global IAB membership and withdrawn from several IAB board seats in the U.S., U.K., and APAC as part of a quiet cost‑saving campaign. The move coincides with broader downsizing of international operations, layoffs, and a strategic...
Pacific Nations Get Live NRL
Free TV Australia has struck a deal with PacificAus TV to deliver live National Rugby League matches across its Pacific partner broadcasters. The arrangement gives 18 free‑to‑air stations in 12 nations access to two live NRL games and one delayed match...
‘Abbott Elementary’: Luke Tennie Talks Embracing the Sitcom and Entering the Spotlight in Episode 14
Luke Tennie explains how joining "Abbott Elementary" forced him to master the mock‑documentary sitcom format, a shift from the multi‑camera coverage of his drama series "Shrinking." In Season 5, Episode 14 his character Dominic leads a storyline that tackles ADHD stigma, reflecting...
Jake Tapper Flames Karoline Leavitt for Kaitlan Collins Spat Over Iran War: ‘It’s So Offensive’
Jake Tapper defended CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins after a contentious press briefing where White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused CNN of bias and of trying to make President Donald Trump look bad. The dispute centered on coverage of six...
Analysis: Premium Content Strategies Attract High-Value Viewers
British streaming platforms are abandoning the traditional subscriber‑growth model in favor of targeting high‑net‑worth viewers. Executives now prioritize Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) by offering premium tiers that promise seamless, personalized experiences. Data‑driven curation, early‑release access, and 8K streaming are...
Monday TV Ratings: The Voice, The Rookie, DMV, Wild Cards, Extracted
Monday, March 2, 2026, saw a full slate of new episodes across major broadcast and cable networks, including American Idol, The Rookie, The Voice, and the sci‑fi drama Wild Cards. Ratings were compiled using Fast Affiliate Numbers, showing percentage changes...
SatNews Launches New Website: 52,000 Stories, Zero Left Behind
SatNews unveiled a fully redesigned website that preserves its entire 52,000‑story archive while delivering current headlines such as SpaceX’s pending IPO and Germany’s €35 billion LEO commitment. The platform is divided into seven dedicated channels—Missions & Constellations, Business, Defense, Government, Launch,...
Is Digital Content The Key To Local Media's Future?
In the inaugural episode of "In The Vicinity," Tim Hanlon interviews Madhive CEO Jim Wilson about the future of local media. Wilson argues that broadcasters must reinvest linear TV cash flow into digital and streaming capabilities to stay competitive. He...
#ThisWeek on MarkLives MEDIA: Innovations Rewriting Media Rulebook • #NextWeek: WPP SA Media Incubator
This week MarkLives MEDIA highlighted six South African media leaders discussing the innovations that reshaped the industry in 2025, ranging from AI‑driven content creation to programmatic television buying. The upcoming issue will feature an exclusive interview with Merissa Himraj, WPP Media’s...
Reclaiming Distribution: A Modern Indie Release Strategy
Gille Klabin, after a traditional distributor release of his debut, chose self‑distribution for his $296,000 horror‑comedy “Weekend at the End of the World.” He partnered with aggregator Bitmax for technical delivery, kept full rights, and used data‑driven micro‑ads, tiered pricing,...
Conan O’Brien Reflects on Late Night’s ‘Tough Situation’ Covering Today’s News: ‘How Do You Not Wear Your Heart on Your...
Conan O'Brien told the IMO podcast with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson that today’s late‑night hosts face a "tough situation" because they must comment on a deeply divisive news cycle. He admitted he would struggle to find jokes in current...
Ella Langley and Jo Dee Messina To Converse In CRS Keynote
The Country Radio Seminar’s third‑year "The Conversation" keynote will feature breakout star Ella Langley alongside veteran Jo Dee Messina on March 19 at Nashville’s Omni Hotel. Langley’s fast‑track success—CMA and ACM honors and strong chart performance—contrasts with Messina’s nine No. 1...
Study: Phone-Based Connections Lead Car Audio Listening
Futuresource Consulting’s Audio Tech Lifestyles 2025 survey of 10,000 car‑traveling consumers shows phone‑based connections now dominate in‑car audio, with 51% using Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto as their primary source. Radio’s share has slipped to roughly 25% overall, though...
Live with Vicky Ward Investigates
In this live Q&A, journalist Vicky Ward fields audience questions about Jeffrey Epstein’s network, discussing why powerful figures continued to associate with him after his 2008 conviction, the role of the Zorro Ranch, and the limited insights gained from recent...
Charapata Advances to EVP Position Across KSE Media Ventures
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment promoted Kathleen Charapata to Executive Vice President, Distribution and Deputy General Counsel for KSE Media Ventures. Charapata, who joined KSE in 2024 after serving as Deputy General Counsel and previously as Chief Administrative Officer and General...