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.
MBC Group Posts SAR 1.6 Bn Q1 Revenue, Shahid Drives 17.5% Subscriber Growth
MBC Group announced Q1 2026 revenue of SAR 1.6 bn ($427 m) and net profit of SAR 222.3 m ($59 m), while its streaming arm MBC Shahid posted a 17.5% year‑on‑year revenue rise to SAR 459.9 m ($123 m). The results underscore the conglomerate’s shift toward subscription‑based revenue as advertising demand softens across the MENA region.
Ex-Prime Video UK Boss Chris Bird Launches Two AI Ventures, One With ‘The Boy Who Lived’ Director Dan Hartley
Former Prime Video UK chief Chris Bird has launched two AI ventures aimed at content creators. HawksHead AI offers a predictive analytics platform that uses proprietary AI and synthetic panels to forecast audience response and guide script, casting and creative...
Marc Andreessen on Builder Culture in the Age of AI
In this episode, Marc Andreessen and host Eric discuss how AI is shifting from hype to core infrastructure, dramatically boosting productivity and spawning a new class of "super‑producers." They examine the paradox of AI fear and hype, citing the Anthropic...
Free VPN Streams and Low-Cost OTT Options Let Fans Watch El Clasico Live
Viewers can watch the Barcelona‑Real Madrid showdown live for free on Idman TV in Azerbaijan using NordVPN, while US cord‑cutters can stream the match on ESPN through Sling TV for as little as $5 a day. The clash, which decides...
Why Display CPMs Fell in 2025 and How Publishers Can Protect Revenues in 2026
In 2025 UK display CPMs fell despite a 10% rise in overall digital ad spend and strong video growth. The slump stemmed from abundant display inventory, static demand, and AI‑driven traffic shifts, even as some publishers posted record display revenue...
Why AI-Generated Ads Are Becoming Indistinguishable
AI‑generated ads are becoming indistinguishable as marketers rely on pattern‑based tools that prioritize speed over originality. The resulting sameness erodes brand distinctiveness, especially for small and midsize enterprises that depend on memorable messaging. While AI can accelerate production, it often...
Strictly's New Host Reportedly 'Revealed' - as Popular CBB and Netflix Host
Emma Willis is reportedly on the verge of signing a deal to become the new host of Strictly Come Dancing for its 2025 season, succeeding long‑time presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. The Sun also claims Zoe Ball will join...
Ofcom Investigating GB News Over Donald Trump Interview After All
Ofcom announced it will reopen its investigation into GB News after the network rebroadcast a November interview with U.S. President Donald Trump. The regulator says the repeat, aired 12 hours later with a different panel, may breach rules on due impartiality...
A Smarter Way to Approach Reddit in PR
Reddit, now 21 years old, has become a primary source for AI‑generated answers, with Google paying $60 million annually for its content. This shift means that brand visibility on Reddit directly influences the information AI assistants present to consumers. PR professionals...
Netflix’s Bold New Pitch to Advertisers: ‘We Can Compete With Anyone’
Netflix’s advertising division is on track to double its revenue for the second consecutive year, targeting roughly $3 billion in ad sales by 2026. Programmatic buying now accounts for almost half of its ad business, bolstered by recent DSP integrations with...
Why SPH’s Lianhe Zaobao Is Rethinking How Stories Are Framed
Singapore Press Holdings’ Chinese‑language outlet Lianhe Zaobao used a custom GPT model to dissect 6,006 articles and map them to user‑need categories. The analysis revealed an over‑reliance on "Update Me" pieces and a gap in emotional and actionable stories for different...
AM/FM Captures Huge In-Car Audio Share Among Top Auto Brands
Traditional AM/FM radio commands the vast majority of in‑car ad‑supported audio, holding 81% of listening time among Ford drivers and 90% among Chevrolet drivers. Across all brands, radio accounts for 83% of in‑car audio share, far outpacing podcasts and streaming...
This Upfront Season, Measurement Is More Important than Ever
Upfronts week returns with networks and streamers pitching advertisers, but measurement and performance metrics now dominate discussions. Flexibility in dealmaking and real‑time data are top priorities amid economic volatility. Disney’s ownership of the 2027 Super Bowl gives it leverage, while...
How World Cup Filming Has Evolved Since the Last US Tournament – From Spider Cameras to AI and Drones
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, staged across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, expands to 48 teams and 104 matches, deploying an unprecedented 45‑50 cameras per game. Players will be scanned into AI‑generated 3‑D avatars that feed into VAR and off‑side...
Hulvey: Radio Is the ‘Force Multiplier’ Digital Budgets Need
RAB President Mike Hulvey used the Broadcast Advocate podcast to argue that radio acts as a ‘force multiplier’ for digital‑only ad budgets, citing John Morgan’s testimonial as proof of concept. He pushed back against recent headlines that mischaracterized Jacobs Media’s...
Time To Rethink Your Client List
Radio sales reps often hit a revenue plateau not because they stop working, but because their client mix has reached a ceiling. Loyal, low‑growth advertisers dominate the book, limiting upside. The article urges sellers to redefine a “better client” and...
Aimee Lou Wood’s BBC Comedy ‘Film Club’ Will Not Return For Second Season
BBC has confirmed that the romantic‑comedy series Film Club will not return for a second season. The six‑part debut, starring Aimee Lou Wood, earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress but was mutually ended as Wood opts to focus on writing. Co‑writer...
MrBeast Is Wooing Big Advertisers at an Invite-Only Gathering in NYC. Here's What He's Planning.
Creator-driven media company Beast Industries is hosting an invite‑only breakfast in Manhattan to pitch its brand‑partnership vision to top advertisers and agency executives. The event, timed with the traditional TV upfronts week, signals the growing competition between creator‑led platforms and...
PwC Warns Pressure on Media Markets, Shifting Fan Expectations Will Impact Sports Rights
PwC’s ninth Global Sport Survey warns that the value of sports media rights is set to decline over the next three to five years, even as the overall sports market continues to grow. The study of 500 senior executives and...
What Do 50 Newly Agented Authors Have in Common?
QueryTracker examined the latest fifty success stories from authors who recently secured literary agents and uncovered nine recurring characteristics among them. The analysis revealed a clear seasonal pattern, with twelve stories in March, sixteen in February, fourteen in January, ten...
Editorial Opportunity at the Journal of Open Source Software
The Journal of Open Source Software (JOSS), a diamond open‑access journal that has published over 3,500 research‑software papers since 2016, announced that its founding Editor‑in‑Chief Arfon Smith is stepping down. Smith will remain involved with the journal, but a new...
Prime Video Ads Can Now Change Based on What Viewers Already Saw
Amazon announced Dynamic TV Creative, a new tool that automatically adjusts Prime Video ad creatives based on a viewer’s prior exposure to a brand or product. The feature, unveiled at Amazon’s May 11 upfront, builds on last year’s interactive video ads...
Adobe Acrobat as a Marketing Tool? New AI Features Help You Reach Every Stakeholder, Every Time
Adobe introduced PDF Spaces, an AI‑powered workspace inside Acrobat that transforms static PDFs into interactive, shareable microsites. The tool bundles documents, links, notes and AI‑generated summaries, audio overviews, and a conversational assistant that answers stakeholder questions. Real‑time engagement analytics reveal...
The Gap Between Modern and Legacy ESPs Is Widening
Artificial intelligence is reshaping email marketing by embedding predictive audience selection, timing, and content optimization directly into modern email service providers (ESPs). Legacy ESPs, which rely on bolt‑on AI and relational databases, cannot match the speed, cost efficiency, or real‑time...
'Treat Us as People, Not a Story,' Abuse Survivors Tell News Organisations
New UK research surveyed 15 sexual‑abuse survivors about their experiences speaking with journalists. Conducted with University of Essex psychologists, the study found interview practices often replicate the powerlessness survivors felt during abuse. Lack of choice and control can re‑traumatize, while...
How to Find a Literary Agent in 2026: The Complete Guide for Authors
The guide outlines a systematic approach for authors to secure a literary agent in 2026, emphasizing that agents remain essential gatekeepers for mainstream bookstore placement. It walks writers through five actionable steps—from defining target agents and leveraging modern databases to...
“The Biggest Psychology Experiment Ever Conducted by Humans” – How Big Tech Got Us Addicted to Social Media
A California jury in March held Meta and Google liable for deliberately engineering addictive features on Instagram and YouTube, marking the first major verdict in a wave of roughly 2,000 lawsuits alleging harm to users, especially minors. The ruling underscores...
Digest: ChatGPT Ads Expand to New Markets Including UK; Meta Sues Ofcom Over Safety Act Fines; Apple Pays $250m Over...
OpenAI is rolling out its ChatGPT advertising pilot to five new markets— the United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan, South Korea and Mexico—following earlier launches in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The move coincides with the hire of former Trade Desk...
Seth Matlins Launches Marketing Podcast With Vox Media
Seth Matlins, former Forbes CMO Network director and Live Nation executive, has launched the weekly podcast “Create or Destroy: Reimagining Marketing” in partnership with Vox Media and his new venture, The Wisdomous Company. The show will interview CMOs, CEOs and...
Hrishikesh Hirway and the Perfect Song Myth
In this episode, host Jeremy chats with musician and creator Hrishikesh Hirway, best known for the acclaimed podcast Song Exploder. They explore Hirway's journey from his early 1 AM Radio projects to feeling stuck, which led him to launch Song...
A Greener, More Cinematic Eurovision
The 70th Eurovision Song Contest returns to Vienna, Austria, where ORF is staging a technically ambitious show. Production employs 28 cameras—including ARRI Alexa 35 Live cinematic units—and a mix of PTZ and gimbal rigs to deliver a more film‑like broadcast,...
New PEN America Report Finds Nonfiction Increasingly Targeted by Book Banners in U.S. Schools
PEN America’s new report, released May 7, documents 3,743 titles removed from U.S. school libraries between July 2024 and June 2025, with nonfiction accounting for 29% of bans – more than double the previous year’s share. The analysis shows that 52% of the...
Gaza Filmmakers Slam BBC After Shelved Documentary Wins Bafta
The BBC‑commissioned documentary "Gaza: Doctors Under Attack" was shelved by the broadcaster over impartiality concerns, later aired by Channel 4, and won the BAFTA TV Award for Current Affairs. At the ceremony, producers Ben de Pear and journalist Ramita Navai publicly criticized the...
Ooh Media Auction Lifts the Unmade Index
Ooh Media announced a second takeover offer from private‑infrastructure investor I Squared Capital, valuing the company at roughly $508 million USD. The bid lifted Ooh Media’s share price 7.14% to $1.35, pushing its market capitalisation to about $470 million USD, the first...
Rivals – Season 2 Review (Disney+)
Rivals season two launches on Disney+ on May 15, expanding the Rutshire saga to 12 episodes. The series doubles down on its 1980s‑rich aesthetic while escalating the corporate war between Corinium and Venturer, with David Tennant’s Tony Baddingham emerging as a...
Where Is Substack Headed?
Substack, once the premier newsletter platform, is losing high‑profile writers such as The Ankler to open‑source alternatives like Automattic’s Passport. Creators cite limited site control, restrictive customization, and a shift toward social‑media features as key frustrations. The platform’s 10 % revenue...
Searching for Hallmark’s Final Season After Netflix Start
Just found out they are airing the 4th and final season of Hallmark’s No Way Home and now I’m trying to figure out how to watch it. I started watching it on Netflix in the fall, but I don’t know...
Streaming Fragmentation Forces Viewers to Juggle Platforms
My daughter was looking to watch random episodes her favorite animes and had to google where to watch each show and jump between like five different streaming services on our TV and she said “I wish I could watch everything...
‘Project Hail Mary’ Arrives On Streaming This Week As Film Tops $655 Million At Box Office
Ryan Gosling’s sci‑fi adventure *Project Hail Mary* will hit premium video‑on‑demand on May 12 after a strong theatrical run that has amassed $655.7 million worldwide. The film, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and adapted from Andy Weir’s novel, is the...
TelevisaUnivision’s New Ads Chief ‘Energized’ After Planning Upfront in Just Weeks
TelevisaUnivision appointed longtime executive John Kozack as its ads president just weeks before the annual upfront, replacing Tim Natividad. Kozack, with more than 20 years at the company, says he is "energized" and familiar with the upfront planning process. The...
See Behind the Scenes of Disney’s Massive 2026 TV Upfront Event
Disney is staging its 2026 TV upfront at New York's Javits Center, expecting 3,700 attendees. The production features over 300 rigging points supporting 183,000 lb of equipment, including 7‑ton LED walls that move in unprecedented ways. New Clear LED panels provide...
Reader Comments-Open Forum, Week of May 11
Leeham News Agency (LNA) has launched a weekly Open Forum that lets readers comment on any article, including pay‑wall previews, under a newly introduced moderation policy. All submissions will be held for review to enforce civility and compliance with updated...
Is Agentic Commerce An Oasis Or Mirage?
Agentic commerce—AI‑driven shopping assistants that can complete purchases—has moved from concept to pilot across Amazon, Walmart, Shopify, Instacart and Criteo. Recent earnings calls reveal that Amazon’s Rufus prompts 20% of engaged shoppers for brand details, Walmart’s Sparky lifts order values...
16-Year-Old Owen Cooper Completes Generational Awards Sweep At The BAFTAs
Sixteen‑year‑old Owen Cooper capped a historic awards sweep by winning the BAFTA Television Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Netflix’s limited series *Adolescence*. The win completes a clean sweep of every major television honor—including the Emmy, Golden...
Invite Your Friends to Read Fix The News
Fix The News, a subscription‑based news newsletter, has rolled out a referral program that rewards existing readers with complimentary premium access when they bring new subscribers onboard. The tiered structure grants three months free after five referrals, six months after...
Penske Media Illuminates Dark Traffic To Find New Revenue
Publishers are losing measurable traffic to generative‑AI answer engines and privacy tools, creating a growing pool of "dark traffic" that evades analytics. Penske Media Corporation (PMC) teamed with ad‑block recovery platform Ad‑Shield to model and recover these invisible users, especially...
‘Off-Campus,’ and 8 Things to Watch on TV This Week
Prime Video is debuting the eight‑episode adaptation of the BookTok‑fueled hockey romance series “Off‑Campus,” releasing all episodes at once. Netflix is reviving the creator‑driven comedy “Everyone Is Doing Great,” moving its second season to the platform after an initial Hulu...
The Case for and Against Agentic Media Buying
Agentic media‑buying tools are being piloted by holding companies such as Omnicom, Stagwell and Butler/Till to bypass traditional ad‑tech intermediaries and deliver more budget directly to publishers. Proponents argue the technology can strip away layers of the programmatic supply chain,...
Inside Expedia’s Year-Long Partnership with Mega Creator IShowSpeed
Expedia has signed a year‑long partnership with mega‑creator IShowSpeed, whose 150 million followers span YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. The deal, estimated at $250,000, includes a Caribbean livestream, an interactive travel‑site and a dedicated TikTok account, and gives Speed full creative control....
‘Google Doesn’t Care that It’s Terrible’: Brand, Agency Execs Air Frustrations with The Trade Desk, Google’s Performance Max, Meta’s Advantage+
Agency leaders say The Trade Desk has stepped up rep outreach after a March advisory from Dentsu, Publicis and WPP warned clients about spending on its platform and OpenPath. While the DSP claims its data is transparent, users must stitch...