Today's Media Pulse
Online video subscriptions top 2.2 bn, revenue hits $176B
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 for the first time as pay‑TV revenue fell to $170 billion. Growth is expected to slow to single‑digit rates in 2026, prompting operators to focus on monetising existing users.
This Election Season, Buyers Can Curate Deals Based On Voter Values
OpenX partnered with data firm Givsly to launch a sell‑side curation platform that lets political advertisers target voters by shared values rather than party affiliation. The solution works across premium CTV and digital publishers, including Newsweek, Plex, Xumo and Scripps. With political ad spend projected at $10.8 billion this cycle—a 20% rise from 2022—publishers seek tighter pricing, brand‑safety and compliance controls. Curated deals promise predictable pricing, reduced supply‑path duplication, and access to untapped swing‑voter audiences.
Puerto Rican Star Lenny Tavárez Signs Deal With Apple Music’s Platoon: ‘This Will Elevate My Career to New Heights’
Puerto Rican reggaetón‑R&B star Lenny Tavárez has signed with Apple Music’s artist services and distribution arm Platoon, a move aimed at accelerating his global profile. Tavárez brings a catalog of over 11 billion streams, 16 million social followers, and multiple Billboard chart...
Our Quantum Future with Evan Kubes
In this episode, host Sebastian Hassinger chats with Evan Kubas, a lawyer‑turned‑quantum media entrepreneur, about the origins of Quantum Insider and its parent company Resonance. Kubas recounts how he and co‑founder Alex Challens built a leading quantum news platform from...
Netflix Vs. Paramount: The Ongoing War for Warner Bros Discovery
Coming up on @SquawkCNBC talking neverending battle for $WBD btwn $NFLX and $PSKY with @andrewrsorkin @BeckyQuick @JoeSquawk
AI Threatens Jobs, Forces Us to Rethink Food Allocation
Think you might be getting a bit ahead of yourself here... If AI makes human labor obsolete, who decides who gets to eat? https://t.co/3kx7WjAcRC
Amazon Unveils Waitlist for Its New Home Internet Service, Poised for 2026 Launch
Amazon has opened a public waitlist for its satellite‑based home internet service, Amazon Leo, targeting a residential launch in 2026. The Leo platform will offer three tiers—Standard, Pro and Portable—delivering speeds from 100 Mbps up to 1 Gbps using low‑Earth‑orbit satellites. An initial...
Did President Trump Call Into C-SPAN Under a Fake Name?
A caller identifying as "John Barron" appeared on C‑SPAN, sounding unmistakably like former President Donald Trump, but the network later confirmed it was not the president. The brief, 32‑second call sparked speculation about a Trump impersonator or AI‑generated voice, highlighting...
RTL+ and HBO Max Launch Joint Streaming Bundle in Austria
German broadcaster RTL Deutschland and Warner Bros. Discovery have merged RTL+ and HBO Max into a single, cancellable subscription for Austrian consumers. The bundle offers two tiers—a ad‑supported option at €11.99 and an ad‑free version at €17.99—both discounted from the standalone prices. An introductory...
Deepdub Strikes Love TV Channels Deal to Localise Cineflix Factual for European FAST
Deepdub has teamed up with Love TV Channels to bring AI‑driven dubbing to free ad‑supported streaming (FAST) services across Europe. The partnership will localise Cineflix Rights factual titles into Castilian Spanish, Italian and French, targeting Love TV’s 25 million monthly viewers....
PAVE Studio Announces New Crime House Original Series “The Final Hours” Hosted by Sarah Turney and Kourtney Nichole Launching Monday,...
PAVE Studios announced the launch of "The Final Hours," a Crime House original audio series debuting Monday, February 23. Hosted by seasoned true‑crime advocates Sarah Turney and Kourtney Nichole, the weekly podcast examines the last hours before a disappearance, spotlighting...
What To Watch Monday: CIA Premiere, FBI Wedding, Paradise And The Voice Return, And More
CBS kicks off Monday with the series premiere of "CIA," a spin‑off that pairs a rule‑breaking CIA case officer with a by‑the‑book FBI agent, extending the network’s successful FBI franchise. The same night, the procedural drama "FBI" weaves a personal...
CBS Series Post Strong Fall Viewership, Topping Broadcast and Streaming Rankings in Live + 35-Day Multiplatform Viewership
CBS’s fall lineup captured eight of the ten most‑watched broadcast series and nine of the top‑20 titles across broadcast and streaming, according to Nielsen’s live + 35‑day multiplatform data through January 4, 2026. The drama Tracker led the pack with 16.7 million viewers, while new...
Etsy Sells Depop To EBay For $1.2 Billion
eBay announced a $1.2 billion acquisition of Depop, the mobile‑first fashion resale platform, to deepen its reach with Gen Z shoppers. Depop reported roughly $1 billion in gross merchandise volume last year, growing 60% year‑over‑year, and now serves 7 million buyers and 3 million sellers....
MED.TV Lands Rakuten TV Carriage Across 43 European Markets
Med Media Services has secured distribution for its Mediterranean‑themed FAST channel MED.TV on Rakuten TV, extending the service across 43 European markets. The partnership gives MED.TV access to a potential audience of more than 150 million households, complementing its existing footprint of...
The Industry’s Creative Confidence Is Under Attack. Here’s How We Fight Back
AI's rapid adoption is eroding creative professionals' confidence, as algorithms increasingly generate visual and textual content. However, the article argues that uniquely human traits—vulnerability, intuition, and emotional nuance—remain irreplaceable drivers of breakthrough ideas. It suggests that creatives should leverage AI...
A New Lineup Arrives For Wisconsin Talk Network
Civic Media is revamping its News/Talk format across Wisconsin under the Civic Media Network brand, launching new local programs on stations in Wausau, Madison, Milwaukee, and Oshkosh‑Appleton. The refreshed schedule features a flagship morning show, Daybreak with Brian and Jamie,...
Meteorologist Pat Cavlin Leaves KHOU Houston
Veteran meteorologist Pat Cavlin announced his departure from KHOU 11 Houston after four years, posting a heartfelt farewell on social media. Cavlin, who joined the TEGNA‑owned station in March 2022, will likely relocate to New York for his next role. His career...
Warner Bros. Discovery Posts Record Streaming Growth for 2026 Winter Olympics
Warner Bros. Discovery reported its strongest Olympic streaming performance to date during the Milano‑Cortina 2026 Winter Games, with total hours viewed on HBO Max and discovery+ jumping 103% versus Beijing 2022. European markets delivered triple‑digit growth, and combined platform audiences...
Approval Granted for Production Park Expansion
Production Park secured planning approval to expand its campus to nearly 30 acres, adding two new studios and over 70,000 square feet of commercial space. The development will also house a training and performance centre and enlarge the teaching facilities...
What California’s Streaming Loudness Regulation Means For Broadcasters And Ad Tech
California’s SB 576, effective soon, mandates that ads in streaming content be loudness‑matched to the surrounding program, extending the CALM Act principles to digital platforms. The law places compliance responsibility on the entity delivering the ad to California viewers, exposing the...
Balderas To Lead Pioneering Panel At Hispanic Radio Conference
Entravision senior vice president Angie Balderas will moderate a high‑profile panel titled “Women in Hispanic Broadcasting: Challenges and Opportunities” at Radio Ink’s Hispanic Radio Conference on May 28 in Phoenix. The discussion brings together senior executives—including Shirley Davenport, Claudia De León, and media veteran Mike McVay—to...
14 Ways Great Radio Salespeople Get More Referrals
The article outlines fourteen proven tactics that radio salespeople use to generate client referrals, ranging from delivering measurable ROI to maintaining transparent pricing. It emphasizes that proactive communication, data‑driven optimization, and deep client knowledge turn satisfied advertisers into vocal advocates....
Watching the Index: Hispanic Sampling in a Sensitive Climate
The article highlights that Hispanic listeners are the most engaged radio audience, making accurate Hispanic sampling crucial for Nielsen’s PPM and diary ratings. It explains Nielsen’s three‑ethnicity tracking (Black, Hispanic, Other) and the need for balanced panels, noting that clients...
Roberts Metro Picks Darius Bradford For St. Louis Morning Drive
Roberts Metro Broadcasting has introduced *The Darius Bradford Show* on Foxy 106.9 (KXBS‑HD3) as the new St. Louis morning drive program. National touring comedian Darius Bradford returns home to co‑host with veteran TV journalist April Simpson. The show promises a mix of...
Keith Urban Steps Up For St. Jude Q&A at CRS 2026
Country Radio Broadcasters announced that Grammy‑winning artist Keith Urban will headline a Q&A session at CRS 2026, focusing on his long‑standing partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The segment, titled “The Power Of Music And A Mission,” will air on March 19...
MBA Awards Eight Scholarships to Missouri Broadcasting Students
The Missouri Broadcasters Association (MBA) announced eight MBA Foundation Scholarships for the 2026 class, recognizing students pursuing broadcasting and digital media careers. Recipients hail from six Missouri colleges, including University of Central Missouri, Missouri State, and Evangel University. Several scholars...
Sunset+Vine Unleashes 150-Strong Team to Tell Crufts Tail for Channel 4
Sunset+Vine has secured a new four‑year deal to produce Channel 4’s Crufts coverage, extending a partnership that began in 2010. The broadcaster will deploy a 150‑person crew, three outside‑broadcast trucks and 22 cameras to deliver 17 hours of televised programming and...
Research: Microdramas Overtake Streamers on Mobile Engagement
Microdramas have become the fastest‑growing mobile video format, now out‑watching Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video in daily minutes per user in the US. Omdia estimates the segment generated $11 billion in 2025 and will reach $14 billion by 2026, with the United...
EscalaX Reinforces Its Privacy & Compliance With BidSafe One
EscalaX announced a strategic partnership with privacy‑focused consultancy BidSafe One to strengthen its data‑protection and regulatory compliance posture. The collaboration will help EscalaX optimise consent management and align its operations with GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, IAB TCF and GPP standards. By integrating...
Sky Atlantic Launching on Virgin TV
Virgin Media O2 will add Sky Atlantic to its Virgin TV platform at no extra cost starting April 1. Existing Virgin TV 360 and Stream box customers who already receive Sky Entertainment channels will automatically gain access to the channel, bringing popular...
Roblox Creators View Film and TV Adaptations as a Promising Revenue Stream
Roblox creators are actively pursuing film and television adaptations of their original intellectual property, viewing entertainment deals as a lucrative new revenue channel. The platform’s user engagement is nearing that of major streaming services, with Q3 2025 user hours reaching...
HBO Documentary Films Acquires Worldwide TV and Streaming Rights to "The Slightest Touch"
HBO Documentary Films announced acquisition of worldwide TV and streaming rights to the documentary "The Slightest Touch." The film, directed by Rachel Fleit, chronicles Emma Fogarty, a 40‑year‑old living with Epidermolysis Bullosa, as she trains for the Dublin Marathon with...
WBD Sees Record Streaming Audience for 2026 Winter Games
Warner Bros Discovery reported a record streaming audience for the 2026 Milano‑Cortina Winter Games across Europe, with total hours viewed jumping 103% versus Beijing 2022. Viewer counts more than tripled, rising 234% over the previous Games, and the platform attracted more subscribers in...
As It Ramps up Push to Fund AI Bets, Meta Makes a New Play for Agencies
Meta has launched the Agency Growth Collective, a pilot program for independent agencies in the United States. The initiative replaces the traditional single Meta representative with a shared alias that routes communications to a rotating bench of specialists and offers...
In Fighting a Whistleblower Suit, WPP Put Its Own Account of Media Agency Trading on the Public Record
The $100 million whistleblower lawsuit filed by former GroupM CEO Richard Foster has resurfaced as WPP filed a motion to dismiss, attaching internal documents that reveal the scale of GroupM’s proprietary media deals. Foster’s 36‑page “Project Claridges” report shows that only...
Threads Now Offers Simplified Sharing to Instagram
Meta has added a one‑tap sharing option that lets Threads users push public posts straight to Instagram Stories without leaving the Threads app. The feature automatically formats the Thread into a full‑screen Stories frame, but it does not allow any...
You Can Upgrade Your Old Roku TV or Roku Player With The Upgraded Roku Pro Remote 2 For Just $29.88
Roku has launched the Pro Remote 2, a $29.88 upgrade for existing Roku TVs and players. The new controller swaps the old micro‑USB port for USB‑C, adds motion‑activated backlit buttons, and introduces a dedicated Guide button for instant access to OTA...
Hunter Page-Lochard, Kat Stewart Lead New ABC Crime Drama Fortitude Valley
ABC announced a six‑part crime thriller titled Fortitude Valley, set in Brisbane’s neon‑lit nightlife precinct. The series stars AACTA‑winning First Nations actor Hunter Page‑Lochard and veteran Kat Stewart, with production kicking off in April and a 2027 broadcast on ABC TV...
PBS Is Being Saved Thanks to Bob Ross’ Art
Bob Ross paintings are being auctioned to rescue public television after the federal government cut $1.11 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, threatening PBS stations nationwide. American Public Television partnered with Bonhams Skinner to sell original Ross works, raising nearly...
Seven Recruits COREY PARKER to Host Weekly NRL Agenda Show
Seven Network announced the launch of "The Agenda Setters: Rugby League," a weekly NRL analysis program hosted by former Brisbane Broncos captain Corey Parker. The panel features premiership halfback Luke Keary, State of Origin forward Aaron Woods, veteran journalist David...
Michael Rowland Announces Sudden Exit From ABC After Four Decades
Veteran journalist Michael Rowland announced his departure from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation this week, ending a 39‑year career that began as a radio news cadet in 1987. He is best known for co‑hosting News Breakfast for 15 years and most...
The Netflix Killer Non-Acquisition Theory
Wall Street analysts are circulating a theory that Netflix’s primary goal in the Warner Bros. deal is not to acquire the studio but to block Paramount Skydance from obtaining it. The speculation hinges on Netflix’s willingness to spend billions, potentially triggering...
The Faith-Based Epic That Walked So 'The Chosen' Could Run Is Leaving Netflix
Mel Gibson’s *The Passion of the Christ* will leave Netflix at the end of February 2026, ending its annual Easter streaming run. The departure has sparked fan backlash over the upcoming recasting of Jesus, as Jim Caviezel will not reprise...
Louise Milligan Leads FOUR CORNERS Surgeon Scandal
Four Corners aired "Scarred", exposing a Melbourne gynaecologist accused of performing unnecessary laparoscopic surgeries on women in their twenties. Pathology reports often found little or no endometriosis, yet organs and tissue were removed, compromising fertility and causing chronic pain. The...
A Strategic Pilot Leak Helped Launch One Of Fox's Most Iconic Shows Of The '90s
In 1990 Fox aired *In Living Color*, a groundbreaking sketch comedy created by Keenen Ivory Wayans that featured a predominantly Black cast and launched stars like Jamie Foxx and Jim Carrey. The network initially balked at the 1989 pilot, deeming its edgy...
AUSTRALIAN IDOL Top 30 Face Toughest Test Yet
Australian Idol has finalized its Top 30 roster, setting the stage for the competition's most rigorous round yet. Judges Marcia Hines, Kyle Sandilands and Amy Shark warned that success will hinge on adaptability, rapid learning and crowd command, not just...
Pensioner Takes on NAB in AUSTRALIAN STORY Tonight
Victorian pensioner Ian Williams lost $1,338 to an online banking scam and sued National Australia Bank (NAB) for a symbolic $379 million in damages. His case, featured on ABC’s Australian Story, highlighted the bank’s initial refusal to refund or apologise. Although...
Pause Suggested Posts, Filter Content for Better Feeds
How to make your experience on Instagram + Threads infinitely better On Instagram, you can pause suggested content every 30 days so you stop getting random accounts in the Feed (it’s not chronological order but it’s the next best thing)...
Kristen Welker Fronts NBC's New Subscription Briefings
Kristen Welker is the face of a new pitch from NBC News for its recently launched subscription product, which touts 'exclusive briefings' for SOTU and 'regular video briefings from my expert colleagues' https://t.co/SMpEmiJZeo
Marshals Review: CBS' Yellowstone Spinoff Is A Prestige Procedural With A Dash Of Dutton
CBS launches "Marshals", a Yellowstone spinoff that reimagines Kayce Dutton as a U.S. Marshal. The series combines high‑budget cinematography and the gritty tone of Taylor Sheridan’s world with a traditional one‑hour procedural structure. Reviewers give it a B+, noting strong...