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.
Suzanne Collins’ ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ Takes Top Honors at the 31st Annual Audie Awards Gala
The Audio Publishers Association’s 31st Audie Awards in New York honored Suzanne Collins’ *Sunrise on the Reaping* as Audiobook of the Year, while recognizing top narrators across fiction, nonfiction, and comedy. The ceremony also inducted five veteran narrators into the APA Hall of Fame and highlighted a record‑breaking 2,300+ submissions, a 42 percent rise over five years. APA President Sean McManus marked the organization’s 40th anniversary, noting the industry’s evolution from vinyl to digital. The event underscored the growing diversity and scale of audiobook production.
On the Latest ‘Beat the Press,’ We Look at War Coverage, a Trump-Friendly Media Monopoly, AI and More
Emily Rooney’s new “Beat the Press” episode scrutinizes media coverage of the Iran war, examines the implications of Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery that could place CNN under Trump‑friendly Ellison brothers, and discusses Bari Weiss’s loss of a Jeffrey...
Google Discover Traffic Plummets 46%, Search Remains Steady
Big Discover drop but Google search is relatively stable -> Reach (The UK’s largest commercial news publisher) explained Google Discover traffic dropped by 46% in the second half of 2025 but overall Google search traffic is stable "Chief executive Piers North...
Let’s Get Practical About AI – AI@Media International, March 24th
Publishing Perspectives and Digital Publishing Report are hosting a virtual half‑day conference, AI@media International, on March 24, 2026, to showcase practical AI applications in publishing. A recent BISG survey revealed that under half of North American publishers use AI, primarily...
Magellan AI Integrates Nielsen DMA® Data to Bring Local Market Measurement to Podcast Attribution
Magellan AI has licensed Nielsen’s proprietary DMA® data, adding local‑market measurement to its podcast attribution platform. The integration maps podcast performance onto Nielsen’s 210 standardized U.S. media markets, enabling advertisers to evaluate impact at the geographic level. This capability aligns...
North East Community Groups to Benefit From Free Radio Campaign to Celebrate 40 Years of Metrocentre
Award‑winning Pride Radio, operated by LGBTQ+ charity OUT North East, is donating £100,000 in airtime to mark Metrocentre’s 40‑year anniversary. The Top 40 Community Voices scheme will allocate a free 12‑week radio campaign to 40 local charities and community groups, with...
Ad Tech Dominance Defines Market Power and Pricing
Digital advertising revenue is funneled through a handful of ad‑tech intermediaries that design auctions and control data flows. New research by Moradi, Cheyre and Acquisti shows that behavioral tracking often reinforces the market power of these firms, with dominant players...
F1 Secures ‘AUS$60m’ Kayo Media Rights Extension Amid Piastri Interest
Formula One has extended its Australian broadcast partnership with Foxtel‑owned Kayo Sports, launching a multi‑year deal from the 2027 season. Foxtel will pay roughly AUS $60 million per year, up from the previous A$45 million arrangement, to deliver every race, qualifying and practice...
The Problem with “Women-Focused” Marketing
A recent Campaign analysis reveals that nearly 70% of women feel unconfident when confronted with typical marketing portrayals. The piece argues that "women-focused" campaigns often rely on outdated stereotypes, reducing a complex audience to a tidy segment. Brands are urged...
EssenceMediacom Extends 10-Year Tesco Relationship
EssenceMediacom, WPP Media’s merged agency, has been reappointed as Tesco’s media agency partner across the UK and Central‑Eastern European markets for another ten years. The renewal follows a formal review by Tuffon Hall Consultancy and expands the scope to include...
A Viral Audio Clip Accusing the Clintons in the Epstein Case Was Created with AI
A viral audio clip claiming a victim accused Bill and Hillary Clinton of abuse on Jeffrey Epstein’s island was proven to be AI‑generated. Forensic analysis by the University at Buffalo and ElevenLabs’ classifier flagged the recording as synthetic, noting uniform...
The Rise in Murders, Attacks, and Harassment of Journalists in Europe
European journalists face a sharp rise in violence and intimidation, highlighted by a car bomb targeting Italian reporter Sigfrido Ranucci and four media workers killed in Russia’s war. The Council of Europe’s safety platform recorded over 2,300 alerts across 40...
The Trade Desk Welcomes OpenTTD, The Partner Integration Portal To Rule Them All
The Trade Desk unveiled OpenTTD, a unified partner integration portal, at LiveRamp’s RampUp conference. The platform consolidates logins and analytics for partners who act as advertisers, data sellers, and developers, eliminating the need for separate accounts. OpenTTD ties into the...
Sonic Survival Kits V2: The Latest Radio Imaging Auditory Boost
Auditory FX has launched Sonic Survival Kits V2, a comprehensive radio imaging library featuring 309 tracks and more than 100 custom music beds, priced at $89.99. The new edition expands on the 2019 V1 release, delivering a complete, subscription‑free package...
BBC COO Leigh Tavaziva To Exit As Leadership Upheaval Continues
BBC chief operating officer Leigh Tavaziva announced she will leave the broadcaster in September, marking the third board‑level exit within four months. Tavaziva, who joined the BBC in 2021, oversaw its multi‑billion‑pound budget, production pipelines, and digital transformation. Her departure...
NAB Debuts America 250 Campaign Celebrating Radio’s Civic Duty
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) unveiled the America 250 campaign, a year‑long initiative marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The program rolls out new public‑service radio spots and a customizable “Our American Story, Local Edition” toolkit to...
Heavy AM/FM Listeners Rev Up Auto Parts Sales, Study Finds
A new 2025 Auto Aftermarket Brand Tracker shows that heavy AM/FM radio listeners spend 26% more on auto parts than the average shopper, reaching $790 annually. Ultra‑heavy shoppers who make ten or more store trips spend $832 and drive 171...
Why Cockroaches and Rats Can Sometimes Win the Day
Images remain a potent advertising tool, yet marketers often struggle to find pure archetypal visuals that avoid nuance. Sue Unerman argues that stark symbols like cockroaches and rats can cut through clutter, delivering immediate, visceral impact. By stripping away complexity,...
FirstPartyCapital Announces Corporate Innovation Model to Facilitate Strategic Investment in Ad Tech
FirstPartyCapital unveiled a corporate innovation model aimed at brands, agencies, publishers and ad‑tech leaders, offering a hybrid of outsourced R&D, market intelligence and equity investment. The model tackles the high cost and opacity of building proprietary ad technology by providing...
German Event Series ‘The Widow Killer’ Lands More European Deals With Canal+ & SVT
German event series ‘The Widow Killer’ has secured multiple European distribution deals ahead of its German debut on ARD. Canal+ acquired rights for the Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania, while Sweden’s SVT purchased the series for its...
Journalists Must Skip Trump‑Hosted Correspondents’ Dinner
No self-respecting journalist should attend a Correspondents' Association Dinner with Trump there. Nothing about any of this is a laughing matter.
How Mumsnet Harnessed AI to Become a Data and Insights Powerhouse
Mumsnet has turned its 25‑year‑old forum into an AI‑powered insights engine, leveraging 1.5 million new words daily and a 6.5 billion‑word archive. Within six months of ChatGPT’s launch the company built MumsGPT, a chatbot that extracts real‑time sentiment on brands, politicians and...
Guest Post: Words Matter. So Why Do Lyrics Generate Just 1% of Publishing Income?
Global music revenues are projected to hit $200 billion by 2035, yet lyrics— the core narrative element of songs—account for just 1 % of publishing income. Rio Caraeff argues that this disparity limits the industry’s growth potential, especially as lyrics drive superfans who...
Bupa UK Picks Ace of Hearts to Work on Creative and Strategy
UK health insurer Bupa has selected the creative agency Ace of Hearts to lead its new advertising and strategic initiatives. The agency was chosen after a competitive pitch process coordinated by Ingenuity+, a specialist agency network. The partnership is expected...
The One Centre Group Creates and Scales the Brands of Tomorrow with ‘Zephyr One’ Launch
The One Centre Group has rebranded its 2019 investment Zephyr Social as Zephyr One, joining its constellation of specialist branding firms. The 12‑person agency now offers commercial strategy, performance media, and creative services through its proprietary System One model. Founders...
As Hold Cos Restructure, BBDO Reframes Client Relationships
Omnicom’s BBDO has created a global chief experience officer role to overhaul how it serves clients amid a wave of holding‑company mergers, AI hype, and industry distractions. The new chief, Daale Carter, is replacing traditional account management with a "business...
Agencies Grapple with Economics of a New Marketing Currency: The AI Token
Marketing agencies are confronting the economics of generative‑AI tokens as they embed large‑language‑model tools into campaigns. Tokens, which meter compute, can add up quickly—Coca‑Cola’s recent ad required millions of them—prompting agencies to devise new pricing structures. Some firms, like Merge...
WTF Is Meta’s Manus Tool?
Meta has embedded an AI agent suite called Manus into its Ads Manager, following a $2 billion acquisition of the Singapore‑based startup Butterfly Effect. The tool promises automated competitor analysis, audience research, campaign measurement and reporting across Facebook and Instagram. Early...
OpenAI’s Ad Push Begins, and The Knot Is Co-Piloting
OpenAI has launched a trial ad platform inside ChatGPT, enlisting The Knot Worldwide as one of its first brand partners. The wedding‑planning service is testing ad performance, brand‑safety protocols, and data insights while also debuting its own app within the...
OpenAI's Ad Push Begins, and The Knot Is Co-Piloting
In this Digiday episode, hosts Kamiko McCoy and Tim Peterson discuss OpenAI's recent moves, including a controversial Pentagon partnership and the launch of its first ad‑tech deal with Criteo, signaling the start of ads on ChatGPT's free tier. They interview...
Children’s & Family Emmys: ‘The Tiny Chef Show,’ ‘Sesame Street’ & ‘Heartstopper’ Among Winners – Full List
The fourth Children’s & Family Emmy Awards honored a slate of winners across preschool, teen and animated categories, with Sesame Street taking Outstanding Preschool Series and Disney+ sweeping multiple teen and animated honors. Heartstopper’s Joe Locke captured Lead Performer, while...
No One Owns a Story
A veteran photojournalist reflects on the hidden hierarchy of the industry, where stories are treated as property and editorial dependence fuels competition. He recounts personal experiences of access denial, financial arrangements that blur ethical lines, and double standards that protect...
Scott Jennings' False Iran Claim Debunked, Sparks Newsroom Drama
Scott Jennings peddled an absurd Trump talking point on Iran to the masses over the weekend. Then the actual journalists at CNN did reporting that undercut the claim. The episode has led to some drama behind the scenes, @get_status has...
War Dominates Headlines in Every Local Paper
Speaking of which, every local paper in proximity of places I’ve lived has the war as its top story. https://t.co/Cb342dq6za
Apple TV Cancels Palm Royale After Two Seasons
Apple TV+ has cancelled the Emmy‑nominated period dramedy Palm Royale after two seasons. The series, led by Kristen Wiig, concluded its second‑season finale on January 14, 2026, but will not return for a third. Despite critical praise, the show failed...
U.S. Urges Americans to Leave Dangerous Countries Immediately
Americans are now trapped in these countries. Those following the news would also know this. And a good time to reflect on how journalists and news organizations have rushed to the Middle East to keep us informed despite the dangers...
NYT Publisher Calls for Broad Support of Local Press
Great message from NYT Publisher on the importance of a free and plural press, asking for support for *any news organization* particularly your local one. Please share widely. https://t.co/RL3cniGT4b
Why Bones' Forgotten Spin-Off Series The Finder Was Canceled
In 2012 Fox launched *The Finder* as a backdoor spin‑off of the hit series *Bones*. Despite a promising premise and a strong lead, the show debuted with a 1.7 rating and only 5.5 million viewers, far below its parent’s numbers. Ratings...
Platform Chooses Retaliation Over Democratic Participation
“It was evidence that a platform, often labelled as hostile to journalism and hostile to democracy, chose retaliation over participation under the rules developed through a deliberated parliamentary process. Are we surprised?” https://t.co/1JpLHLneQT
Paramount's 25% CW Stake Equals CBS and Warner Combined
Fun fact: Paramount will now own 25% of the CW Network. CBS and Warner each held 12.5% stakes so...25%.
Deadliest Catch Deckhand Todd Meadows Dies During Filming At Age 25
Todd Meadows, a 25‑year‑old deckhand on Discovery’s *Deadliest Catch*, died on February 25 while the series was filming Season 22 aboard the Aleutian Lady. The cause of death has not been disclosed, and production wrapped shortly after the tragedy. The incident adds...
Legacy Streamers Stuck on Repackaged Old Content
This is the problem with all legacy media streaming services - will be fascinating to see if David Ellison & team can change this narrative at $PSKY
Channel 4 Sales’ B Corp Competition Returns
Channel 4 Sales is relaunching its B Corp competition, offering £600,000 of free TV advertising to five certified UK B Corporations. Partnering with B Lab UK, the initiative follows a successful first year that boosted brand perception and sales for winners like Seep and Ticket Tailor....
Monday Battle: Epstein v Epstein Docos
Australian broadcasters ABC and Nine launched competing true‑crime documentaries on Jeffrey Epstein, drawing 780,000 and 766,000 viewers respectively. The strong ratings demonstrate significant audience appetite for investigative content, even as they trailed flagship reality shows like Married at First Sight....
Mass Media and Tech Layoffs Threaten Economic Stability
Genuine q as I’m no economist: seems like plenty more media/tech layoffs incoming — Paramount/WBD, big tech w/AI, decline of trad media, etc — so an abundance of well paid people fighting for no jobs in markets that don’t want...
Ars Technica Fires Reporter After AI Controversy Involving Fabricated Quotes
Ars Technica terminated senior AI reporter Benj Edwards after a story he co‑authored was retracted for containing fabricated quotations generated by an AI tool. The February 13 article misattributed quotes to engineer Scott Shambaugh, prompting an editor’s note that labeled...
South Park Was Rejected By Fox Because Of One Vulgar Character
Matt Stone and Trey Parker first pitched an animated series centered on the crude character Mr. Hankey, but Fox executive Brian Graden rejected it, saying he wouldn’t put "poo" on his network. The creators re‑engineered the concept into a town‑based...
RedBird Reshapes Streaming Landscape with Major Studio Deals
Friday: RedBird helps Paramount pry Warner Bros. away from Netflix. Monday: RedBird helps Artists Equity ink major streaming deal with Netflix.
"Wonderful" Historical Drama Described as a "Crowd-Pleaser" Is Streaming for Free in the UK
Black Sails, the gritty pirate drama that aired from 2014 to 2017, is now streaming for free on ITVX in the UK. The four‑season series, starring Toby Stephens as Captain Flint, blends historical figures with a pre‑quel to Treasure Island....
Meta Defends BitTorrent Piracy as Fair Use Claim
I’m sorry, I was cryptic with the tweet below at a time when y’all may need a laugh. As I read this, Meta is arguing in a court of law that its use of BitTorrent to transfer pirated works was...