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.
Screenverse Leaders Share Insight on DOOH Buying Strategy
Screenverse executives David Weinfeld and Montana Accavallo discussed premium buyer expectations on the CX Innovators podcast, highlighting how data‑driven demands are reshaping digital‑out‑of‑home (DOOH) buying. They explained that integration of supply‑side and demand‑side platforms is crucial for securing repeat, high‑value spend. Weinfeld’s background building Vistar Media’s global SSP network and Accavallo’s programmatic expertise inform Screenverse’s strategy to align technology, measurement and agency partnerships. The conversation underscored the growing importance of programmatic DOOH in modern media plans.
Adform Becomes First-Ever DSP to Join ISBA’s Partner Programme, Championing Digital Sovereignty for British Advertisers
Adform announced it is the first demand‑side platform to join the Institute of Shared Business Advertising (ISBA) Partner Programme, positioning itself as a champion of digital sovereignty for UK brands. The partnership aims to give advertisers greater visibility, accountability and...
64 Is The New 54: Is Radio Due For A Demographic Target Reset?
Audacy’s research proposes expanding the core advertising demographic from Adults 25‑54 to 25‑64, adding 33 million listeners and boosting total radio listening by 48 %. The broader slice captures a financially powerful 55‑64 cohort that now accounts for nearly 20 % of U.S. spending....
TelevisaUnivision Narrows Q4 Net Loss Even With US Ad Decline
TelevisaUnivision reported Q4 revenue of $1.323 billion, a 2% decline year‑over‑year, while operating expenses rose 4% to $926.4 million. The company narrowed its net loss dramatically to $234.7 million from $809.7 million a year earlier. US advertising revenue fell 9% (6% excluding political ads),...
What Do We Learn About Local Newsrooms by Looking at Their Olympics Coverage?
Local newsrooms in Indianapolis leveraged the resources of national media conglomerates to deliver extensive coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, and broadcast groups TEGNA and Nexstar used on‑the‑ground reporters in Milan, live‑shot...
Former Mail on Sunday Exec Says Emails From Phone Hacker Don’t Prove Illegality
Former Mail on Sunday associate editor Chris Anderson has denied buying stories from phone‑hacker Greg Miskiw, despite email exchanges that feature tips on Sadie Frost and MP Simon Hughes. The emails are central to a privacy lawsuit brought by Prince...
AWS Introduces New AI Service for Vertical Video Viral Moments
Amazon Web Services launched Elemental Inference, a fully managed AI service that automatically converts live or on‑demand horizontal video into vertical formats in real time. The platform leverages multimodal AI to analyse both audio and video, delivering converted streams with...
Limelight Inc.’s Case Study: Adaptive Rules Centre Delivers Near-3x Revenue Uplift & 10x Fill Rate Improvement for APAC Ad Exchange
Limelight Inc. released a case study showing its Adaptive Rules Centre (ARC) boosted a leading APAC ad exchange’s revenue by 289% and lift fill rates tenfold. The exchange replaced manual reporting with two account‑wide automation rules that dynamically adjusted QPS...
Hear Aldous Huxley Read Brave New World. Plus 84 Classic Radio Dramas From CBS Radio Workshop (1956–57)
The article spotlights the CBS Radio Workshop, a 1956‑57 series that produced 86 meticulously scripted radio dramas, including Aldous Huxley’s own reading of Brave New World. It highlights the program’s literary breadth—featuring works by Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Mark Twain, and others—and notable...
Digest: UK VOD Services to Face New Ofcom Regulation; Canva Buys Animation and Marketing Startups; OOH Hit Record Revenue in...
The UK government is extending the Media Act 2024 to bring major video‑on‑demand services under Ofcom’s oversight, designating platforms with over 500,000 users as Tier 1 providers. New rules will enforce a broadcasting‑style code, introduce a complaints channel, and impose accessibility quotas...
Retail Media Measurement: Absence of Evidence Is NOT Evidence of Absence
Retail media measurement is often portrayed as broken, yet the same sampling‑based, attention‑agnostic methods underpin TV, radio and outdoor metrics. Industry bodies such as IAB Europe and the MRC have already issued standardized frameworks that enable closed‑loop attribution and incrementality...
Longtime Big Issue Deputy Becomes Editor
Big Issue has promoted deputy editor Steven MacKenzie to editor, succeeding Paul McNamee after a 19‑year tenure, effective March. MacKenzie, who began as a volunteer in Glasgow nearly 15 years ago and has served as deputy for almost six years, will lead the...
CEO Sets Out the Case for Beehiiv versus Substack
Beehiiv CEO Tyler Denk argues the platform diverges from Substack by giving publishers full ownership of their audience and charging flat monthly fees instead of a revenue share. Beehiiv bundles newsletters, website hosting, ad networks, growth tools and soon podcasts...
Risk Intelligence: Futureproofing Print Through People
Risk Intelligence, the ability to perceive and act on risk, is being highlighted as a critical capability for the print and distribution sector facing disruption. Dr. Aarti Anhal explains that everyone possesses risk intelligence, which balances threat and opportunity, and...
Bettman Seeks Better Timeslot for Next Olympic Hockey Final
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman urged a later start time for the next Olympic men’s hockey final after the 2026 gold‑medal game aired at 8 AM ET, the earliest since Sochi 2014. The match drew 18.6 million viewers, far below the 28 million who...
No Traffic, No Moat: How AI Breaks The Economics Of Destination Publishing
Google’s AI Overviews launched in May 2024 sharply cut referral traffic to publisher‑owned sites, exposing the fragility of the destination‑publishing model. Fixed costs—CMS, ad tech, analytics, compliance—remain while traffic‑dependent ad and subscription revenues collapse. Only publishers with strong brands, durable subscriptions,...
Simple Setup, Sounds, Formats Drive Sync Placements
All of these sync placements were created using ↴ → Simple setup → Simple sounds → Simple format(s) I'll walk you through the process
Lyor Cohen Isn’t Your Best Friend — But He’s Getting Serious Results at YouTube Music
Lyor Cohen’s aggressive push at YouTube Music is beginning to close the gap with Amazon Music, as the platform posted the fastest paid‑subscriber growth among U.S. streaming services in 2025. Although YouTube Music still holds less than 9% market share...
Rare Michigan-Duke Clash Delivers Latest Big College Hoops Audience
The Michigan‑Duke men’s basketball game delivered an average 2.0 rating and 4.32 million viewers on ESPN, peaking at 5.4 million. This made it the largest ESPN‑network audience for a men’s game since the 2019 Duke‑North Carolina showdown and the seventh‑most‑watched ever on...
Court Rules Against Justice Dept. Search of Reporter’s Computers
A federal magistrate in Virginia ruled that the Justice Department cannot conduct an unsupervised search of seized devices belonging to a Washington Post reporter. The judge ordered that any examination of the material be overseen by the court, rejecting the...
Paramount Welcomes WBD Talks, Details New Elements Of Sweetened $31-A-Share Offer
Paramount has sweetened its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, raising the cash offer to $31 per share and adding several protective clauses. The revised terms include an accelerated quarterly ticking fee, a $7 billion regulatory termination fee, and a commitment to...
Thompson Spencer Appoints Ex-OMG Group Director As Head Of Performance
Thompson Spencer announced the appointment of Sam Casey, former OMG Group Director of Media Implementation, as its new Head of Performance. Casey brings extensive experience in programmatic, paid social and search across New Zealand, Australia and global markets. The hire coincides...
Saturday TV Ratings: 48 Hours, WWE Legends, NBA Basketball, Milan Cortina Olympics 2026, NCAA Basketball
The Saturday, February 21 2025 ratings report shows CBS’s true‑crime series 48 Hours airing new episodes alongside a heavy lineup of live sports, including coverage of the upcoming Milan‑Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, NCAA basketball, WWE Legends featuring Stone Cold Steve Austin, and...
20/20: Season 48 Ratings
ABC’s long‑running newsmagazine 20/20 concluded its 48th season amid modest Nielsen performance. Season 47 recorded a 0.21 rating in the key 18‑49 demographic and attracted 2.46 million total viewers. As of Feb 25 2026 the series has received neither a renewal nor a cancellation...
Home & Away Nudges 1m Viewers, MAFS on Top.
Australian television ratings for Tuesday, 24 February 2026 show Nine’s reality hit Married at First Sight dominating the night with 1.86 million viewers. Home & Away nudged 975,000, climbing to second place in its timeslot, while Seven News led the news segment with 1.37 million. Other...
Frisco King: Taylor Sheridan To Write All Episodes Of Retitled Tulsa King Spin-Off
Paramount+ confirmed that acclaimed creator Taylor Sheridan will pen all eight episodes of the new spin‑off series "Frisco King," starring Samuel L. Jackson as Russell Lee Washington Jr. The show, originally titled "NOLA King," shifts its setting from New Orleans...
Bari Weiss Offers Big Contracts, Still Can't Lure Talent
Scoop: As Bari Weiss works to recruit high-wattage stars to CBS News, she's dangling lucrative contracts in front of potential hires. They're still turning her down. Details in @get_status: https://www.status.news/p/bari-weiss-cbs-news-recruiting-hiring-struggles
Filter Teams Risk Bias When Opposing Press Freedom
“The concern that a filter team may err by neglect, by malice, or by honest difference of opinion is heightened where its institutional interests are so directly at odds with the press freedom values at stake.” https://t.co/unH2hznN3D
Men’s Gold Medal Hockey Game Averaged 18.9 Million Viewers Across NBC, Peacock
Team USA secured a 2‑1 overtime victory over Canada to claim its first men’s Olympic hockey gold since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. The game averaged 18.9 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, peaking at 26 million during Jack Hughes’ winning goal,...
NPR Urges Bipartisan Dialogue, Even with Rush Limbaugh
Not clear on what you're on about here, Richard. FWIW NPR has broadcast plenty of calls to push past partisanship. We once did a series calling "Crossing the Divide." My contribution was an extended interview with Rush Limbaugh. He loved...
CBS News Owner Eyes Acquisition of CNN Parent Company
Among other things, this is the controlling owner of CBS News, looking to buy parent company of CNN
Braves Embracing Solo Field
The Atlanta Braves announced BravesVision, a proprietary broadcast platform designed to replace third‑party distributors amid the decline of Main Street Sports. The move leverages the club’s expansive multi‑state television territory to capture more advertising and subscription revenue. MLB’s national media...
NXST Media and TEGNA TV Deal Worth $6.2 B
🚨 The total value of the @NXSTMediaGroup / @TEGNA TV station transaction is $6.2 billion
FCC Takes a Swing at the State of Sports Broadcasting
The FCC’s Media Bureau issued a public notice seeking comment on the evolving live‑sports distribution landscape, highlighting concerns over consumer access and the ability of local broadcasters to fulfill public‑interest duties. The notice asks whether market fragmentation—driven by streaming platforms...
The Sidemen Formula: Why TV Formats Belong on Creator Channels
The article argues that broadcasters should embed traditional TV formats within creator channels rather than merely licensing talent. By leveraging creators’ repeatable engagement formulas, formats like Family Fortunes can be re‑imagined for social‑first audiences, as demonstrated by the Sidemen partnership...
Sinclair Inc (SBGI) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Sinclair Inc. reported Q4 2025 revenue of $836 million, a decline from the prior year’s $1.0 billion, primarily due to a steep drop in political advertising. Core advertising revenue grew 14% year‑over‑year, boosted by live‑sports programming and the Digital Remedy acquisition....
Emotive Boss Simon Joyce Bought Agency From ARN Media for One Dollar, Accounts Reveal
Emotive’s founders Simon Joyce and Ben Keep acquired the agency from ARN Media for a nominal $1, with a contingent $1.5 million earn‑out tied to future performance. The firm reported $10.8 million in revenue and a modest $72 k pre‑tax profit in 2024,...
Love Island Voting Figures Reveal Just How Close the Final Was
Love Island: All Stars concluded on 23 February with Ciaran Davies and Samie Elishi crowned winners, securing just over 35% of the public vote. Runners‑up Zac Woodworth and Millie Court earned just over 23%, while third‑place Leanne and Scott captured around...
Kochava Launches First Supply Performance System for Premium Publishers
Kochava unveiled Atlas Performance, the industry’s first Supply Performance System built for premium publishers and platforms. The solution plugs directly into existing ad servers, SSPs and DSPs, avoiding costly technology overhauls, and is powered by the StationOne AI workspace for...
Dawn of ‘A New Day’ at Mid-West Family’s Magic 98 in Madison
Mid‑West Family Broadcasting has launched a new local morning program, “A New Day with Lanette & Charlotte,” on Madison’s Magic 98 (WMGN). Veteran voice Lanette Hansen, who has spent over twenty years at the station, is paired with former WISC‑TV anchor...
Warner Bros. Discovery Anticipates Stronger Offer After $31 Bid
Paramount Skydance raised its bid to $31 per share — Warner Bros. Discovery said the updated bid "could reasonably be expected" to lead to a superior proposal https://t.co/z6F8zlBcky
Tim Daly To Romance Wife Téa Leoni In NBC Pilot Newlyweds, Doubling As Madam Secretary Reunion
Tim Daly has been cast opposite his wife, Téa Leoni, in NBC's new comedy pilot "Newlyweds." The series follows a recently divorced professor and a free‑spirited woman whose chance encounter leads to an unexpected whirlwind wedding. The project is co‑created...
Audacy’s Eagle To Be Guided By A Hawk In Sacramento
Audacy Sacramento has expanded Andy Hawk’s responsibilities, naming him brand manager for ALT 94.7 (KKDO), 96.9 The Eagle (KSEG) and 98 Rock (KRXQ), effectively consolidating the market’s rock portfolio under a single leader. Hawk, a Sacramento native who began as an intern at...
Will Karadec's Feelings For Morgan Come Between Him And Lucia On High Potential? Showrunner Weighs In
Showrunner Todd Harthan reveals that Will Karadec’s renewed feelings for his ex‑fiancée Morgan could jeopardize his budding romance with Lucia as Season 2 of ABC’s High Potential returns on March 3. He explains Karadec has finally evolved, putting Lucia first, but the...
Call Your Rep: Say No to Digital Censorship Bills
CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY and tell them: — NO to KOSA — NO to Section 230 reform — NO to the SCREEN Act — NO to the App Store Accountability Act —NO age verification laws —NO to digital ID systems
Paramount's $31 per Share Bid Not Final, WBD Says
Clearly, WBD has been told or is inferring Paramount's $31/shr offer is still not the company's "best and final" offer -- and ongoing saga that still hasn't ended.
‘One Piece’ Season 2 Getting A Limited Theatrical Release In Select Countries
Netflix announced a limited theatrical release of the first two episodes of One Piece Season 2, titled “Into the Grand Line,” in the United States, Canada, and Japan on March 10, 2026. The screenings coincide with the series’ global streaming debut on Netflix...
Disney's Comm Chief Kristina Schake Exits with Iger
And.... some big Disney news too. Chief of comms Kristina Schake will leave on March 18 to coincide with Bob Iger's CEO departure. No replacement named.
WBD Board Holds Off Decision on PSKY vs Netflix
“The Board has not made a determination as to whether the revised PSKY proposal is superior to the merger with Netflix. WBD will engage further with PSKY to determine if a proposal that constitutes a “Company Superior Proposal,” as defined...
WBD Board Says Para Offer May Prompt Superior Bid
Para offer —> $31/shr with $0.25 ticking fee…. WBD board says “Could Reasonably Be Expected to Lead to a “Company Superior Proposal””