Today's Media Pulse
Online video subscriptions hit 2.24 billion in 2025, overtaking pay‑TV revenue
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, surpassing pay‑TV's $170 billion for the first time. Growth is expected to slow to single‑digit levels in 2026 as operators focus on monetising existing users.
Also developing:
Disney Q2 2026 Beats Forecast as Streaming Profit Soars 88% Amid Parks Slowdown
Disney reported fiscal Q2 2026 revenue of $25.2 billion and diluted EPS of $1.57, beating analysts’ expectations. Streaming operating income surged 88% to $582 million, while domestic park attendance fell 1%, prompting a cautious outlook for the experiences segment. The board also authorized an $8 billion share‑repurchase program.
WNBA League Pass to Offer Spanish Language Option
One interesting media thing: The league is working on getting WNBA League Pass in Spanish.
Google Shopping AI Bidding Slashes E‑Commerce CAC by 61% and Boosts ROAS
Google’s new Performance Max for Shopping Campaigns 2.0 has cut e‑commerce customer acquisition costs by an average 61% and lifted conversion rates 43%, according to internal data. Early adopters like CookCraft and StyleLink report dramatic CAC drops and ROAS jumps,...
Anthropic Takes On Local Search, Challenges Google
Anthropic’s Claude chatbot now leverages Google Maps and Places APIs to answer local queries such as hotel searches. The integration ranks results using star ratings, reviews, and relevance, and Claude can pull data from over 200 daily connectors like TripAdvisor,...
LA Vertical Drama Market Panelists Discuss Evolution, Creation and Explosion of New Mobile Medium
The second LA Vertical Drama Market convened May 7‑10, where panelists examined the rapid rise of 9:16 vertical microdramas designed for mobile phones. Creators cite the Hollywood strike and post‑COVID mobile dependence as catalysts that shifted talent from traditional TV...
Pick the Platform that Fits Your Audience, Not Hype
Every platform expert is going to tell you their platform is the most important one. TikTok experts will tell you TikTok is where all the growth is happening. LinkedIn experts will tell you that LinkedIn is where all the money is. Instagram experts...
Don't Kill Ads by Ad‑level CPA Alone
I've audited hundreds of accounts in the last year alone. The single most common mistake I see, across budgets big and small: advertisers turning off ads based on ad-level CPA. It's not their fault. The data makes it look obvious. But...
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Disney's ABC Files Petition to End FCC Equal Time Probe Into “The View”, Says It Threatens to 'Chill' Free Speech
Disney’s ABC has filed a petition for a declaratory ruling to halt the FCC’s equal‑time investigation of its daytime talk show, *The View*. The network argues the probe threatens settled legal precedent that classifies the program as a bona‑fide news...
Netflix Is Bringing Back One of Its Most Beloved Adaptations Next Month for Season 2
Netflix will launch Season 2 of its live‑action Avatar: The Last Airbender on June 25, 2026, following a record‑breaking debut that drew 21.2 million views in four days and 153.4 million hours in its first week. The renewal includes back‑to‑back production of Seasons 2 and 3,...
YouTube Rolls Out Dozens of Creator‑focused Features Worldwide
Over the last month, our @youtube team shipped these products and features for our viewers and @youtubecreators: 🪟Fully custom multiview on @YouTubeTV ⏳Countdown stickers for mobile live streamers 🖼️Picture-in-Picture for non-music content globally 🔍Ask YouTube, a new way for Premium subscribers to...
Weekly Scroll: Doom and Gloom
The Daily Wire announced sweeping layoffs this week, reportedly cutting about half of its workforce as Ben Shapiro’s audience continues to shrink. YouTube analytics show many of Shapiro’s recent videos drawing fewer than 20,000 views despite his seven‑million subscriber base,...
RJ Decker Renewed for Season 2, Completing a Rare Sweep for ABC / NBC Picks up 4 Pilots, Including The...
ABC has renewed the Scott Speedman‑led private‑eye drama RJ Decker for a second season, completing a rare network sweep that brings back every series from a single slate. The renewal underscores ABC’s confidence in scripted drama amid a streaming‑heavy marketplace....
Prime Video Is Adding a TikTok-Like Feed
Amazon is introducing "Clips," a TikTok‑style vertical short‑form video feed within the Prime Video mobile app. The feature, first previewed with NBA highlights, now showcases moments from movies and series across the service. Clips appears as a recommendation carousel on...
Organic
The author reflects on the dual meaning of "organic," contrasting organic chemistry with organic search results that are generated algorithmically rather than through paid ads. He explains how SEO practices, driven by Goodhart's law, can corrupt search metrics and make...
Can I Borrow Your E-Book?: A Brief Discussion of Controlled Digital Lending
Controlled digital lending (CDL) lets libraries scan a physical book and lend the digital copy while maintaining a one‑to‑one owned‑to‑loaned ratio. In 2024 the Second Circuit rejected CDL as a fair‑use defense in Hachette Book Group v. Internet Archive, siding...
BE Transmitter Brings a Seattle AM Back to Full Power
Seattle‑Tacoma’s historic KKMO 1360 AM returned to its licensed 5 kW day‑and‑night power after installing a Broadcast Electronics AM‑6A transmitter. The new transmitter, paired with a BE AM‑1A backup, went live on April 27, ending a six‑month period of reduced 2 kW operation...
'Dutton Ranch' Brings 'Yellowstone's' Fan-Favorite Power Couple to South Texas
Paramount+ launches "Dutton Ranch" on May 15, continuing the love story of Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they move from Montana to South Texas. The spin‑off, created by Taylor Sheridan, pivots from the original series’...
Eurovision 2026: Guide
Eurovision 2026 will be staged at Vienna's Wiener Stadthalle, with Finland topping polls as the favorite to win. SBS will air Semi‑Final 1 on 13 May and Semi‑Final 2 on 15 May, followed by the Grand Final on 17 May, all live at 5:00 am AEST. Australian...
Screen Forever 2026: Progress in Indigenous Storytelling “Something to Be Proud Of”
Producer Rachel Perkins, co‑founder of Blackfella Films and new Director of First Nations Strategy at Screen Australia, highlighted the dramatic shift in Indigenous storytelling at the Screen Forever 2026 conference. Two decades ago the Indigenous film sector had virtually no funding...
Fox Entertainment Writers Incubator Names 2026 Fellows
Fox Entertainment announced the four 2026 Fellows for its Writers Incubator, selecting Mateo Gomez, Isa Moon, Chiara Motley and Brandy E. Palmer from more than 1,200 applicants. The three‑month program, now in its fifth year, offers intensive workshops, one‑on‑one mentorship...
Army Small Business Office Pulls the Plug on LinkedIn Posts
The Army Office of Small Business Programs announced it will stop updating its LinkedIn page, directing all announcements, resources, and opportunities to its official website instead. The LinkedIn feed, which had amassed roughly 25,000 followers, was used to share CMMC...
The Day Marco Rubio Broke the Press Room
Senator Marco Rubio stepped in as interim White House press secretary while Karoline Leavitt was on maternity leave, turning a routine briefing into a memorable spectacle. Reporters erupted, repeatedly shouting his name as he fielded questions with humor, even slipping...
Twitch Trials Personalized Shoutouts for Subscriber Milestones
Twitch is testing a way to send personalized notes to your viewers as Streamer Shouts. This will include things like Subscriber Anniversaries, A Returning Viewer, Watch Streaks, and more. It's being tested with a small group of streamers.
AI Triples Amazon eBook Volume, Floods Market with Slop
If you thought the book market was crowded before, it's even worse now. Since the release of AI, the number of new eBooks published on Amazon has jumped 3x from 100,000 to 300,000 per month. And established authors who've published books...
TV in 3: Sneaky Strategies Behind ‘The Bear’ Bonus, HBO ‘Harry Potter’ Plan
Lesley Goldberg’s column spotlights three distinct TV strategies: Fox is reviving a faith‑based series as part of a broader push to capture a niche audience, HBO is locking in a multi‑year deal to extend the Harry Potter franchise on its...
Chatbot Ads Slip By? Users Say They’ll Notice
This Article Claims You Probably Wouldn’t Notice if a Chatbot Slipped Ads Into Its Responses Well, I would certainly notice and would not like it at all https://t.co/aRMvQtJavM https://t.co/i2qsfiAfxf
Seinfeld Episodes Sped up 7.5% to Squeeze Extra Ads
Castle Rock also owned rights to Seinfeld. During re-runs, some cable networks actually sped up show’s episodes by 7.5%. Why? An episode on network TV typically ran 25 minutes with 5 minutes for ads. In syndication, sped-up run time was 22 minutes…leaving...
3 Satirical Superhero Shows to Watch on Prime Video This Weekend (May 8 - May 10)
Amazon Prime Video’s weekend lineup spotlights three critically acclaimed satirical superhero series—“I’m a Virgo,” “The Tick,” and “The Boys Presents: Diabolical.” Each title holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 95% or higher, offering viewers a blend of comedy, genre deconstruction,...
FCC Defends Equal Time Rule, Reviews Disney's News Exemption Claim
FCC spox claims equal time rule "encourages more speech and empowers voters to decide the outcome of elections. The FCC will review Disney’s assertion that ‘The View’ is a 'bona fide news program' and thus exempt from the political...
BBC Question Time: Empty Talk, No Real Accountability
BBC Question Time was a London audinece watching a chair encourage Westminster squabbling. Policy free discussion and no real recognition of what just actually happened.
Brands and Celebs Lost Millions of Followers Thanks to This Instagram Update—Including Instagram Itself
Instagram’s latest update removed millions of inactive accounts, causing a sharp drop in follower counts for major brands, celebrities and even the platform itself. Nike lost 4.27 million followers, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Kim Kardashian and Victoria’s Secret each shed between 5 and...
LinkedIn Article Hits Google’s Top Spot in 24 Hours
The pipeline from LinkedIn article to top result in Google is so real. This piece is barely 24 hours old. My god. https://t.co/GSluiMC2WK
Company Profited From Lies, Data Theft, and Hate
"This is the company that profited from trafficking in lies, that tuned its algorithms to boost hatred and division, that stole our data and used it against us, that created the culture of toxic memes that are now central to...
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Season Five Renewal; ABC Game Show Returns This Summer
ABC has officially renewed the primetime quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for a fifth season, slated to debut on July 22, 2024. The revival, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, continues the charity‑driven format that paired celebrities with experts...
Ted Turner Exploited Government Competition Schemes Like UHF
I loved that Ted Turner made the most of random federal schemes meant to encourage competition -- (like UHF channels), and just went for it.
Google Ads Smart Bidding Now Offers More Budget Pacing Options
ICYMI: Google Ads Smart Bidding Exploration and budget pacing works in more ways https://t.co/gg4gBv5bXg https://t.co/izMFKytnFp
RocaNews to Launch Sports Video Vertical as YouTube Channel Thrives
RocaNews, the Gen Z‑focused media startup, is launching a dedicated sports video vertical after its flagship YouTube channel surged from 139,000 to over 780,000 subscribers in a year. The company, now profitable with revenue split between programmatic ads, sponsorships and...
Google Plans to Tweak EU News Site Reputation Policy
ICYMI: Google may adjust the site reputation abuse policy for EU news sites https://t.co/Q39qvw8bLB https://t.co/jGd5EBWkFL
ABC Criticizes Trump Admin's Viewpoint Bias Claim
ABC said the Trump administration "has been open about its disapproval of the viewpoints expressed on 'The View.' But the government has no legitimate interest in declaring some viewpoints more worthy than others." https://t.co/YY9Hvbtty8 via @variety
Hull v Milwall Live Stream, TV Channel – Where to Watch Championship Play Off on Tv Today
Hull City will host Millwall at the MKM Stadium for the Championship play‑off semi‑final first leg on 8 May 2026, kicking off at 20:00 BST. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. Hull...
The Bear Surges; Reggie Dinkins Holds Steady in Emmy Predictions
New Emmy predictions just dropped. "The Bear" is climbing after that surprise episode drop. "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins" holds steady, and that Season 2 renewal only helps it. Who's in? Who's out? Who's being slept on? https://t.co/sID80Spnqv via @Variety #Emmys...
Season Two Highlights Supporting Characters' Equal Importance
Season two of Apple’s Your Friends & Neighbors: Yet another show that thinks the secondary characters are as important as the protagonist. #landman https://t.co/46Vn4jwsgg
ABC To FCC: ‘The View’ Is A Bona Fide News Show
ABC has asked the Federal Communications Commission to formally recognize its daytime talk show, The View, as a bona‑fide news program. The network argues that the show’s journalistic format qualifies for the FCC’s news‑program exemption from the equal‑time rule, a...
The One Show Removed From BBC One Schedule in Shake-Up Tonight - Here's Why
The BBC postponed The One Show on Friday, 8 May, replacing its 7 pm slot with extensive election coverage. The network also moved Pointless to BBC Two while the evening featured a special Election 26 broadcast and a David Attenborough 100‑year celebration concert. Host...
Amazon Is Leveraging Its Sports Rights in Pursuit of Advertising Domination
Amazon reported $17.1 billion in advertising revenue for Q1, surpassing Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount combined, and disclosed $70 billion in ads revenue over the trailing twelve months. Prime Video, now profitable, shifted to an ad‑supported model last year, giving users the...
Transit Briefs: VIA Rail, MDOT MTA, NACCA/Alto, SEPTA
PressReader expanded its partnership with VIA Rail, giving business‑class travelers on The Ocean, The Canadian and Corridor routes 20‑hour pre‑departure and four‑hour post‑arrival access to over 8,400 digital newspapers and magazines. Maryland’s MDOT MTA launched the Rider Experience Lab, a...
ABC Accuses FCC of Violating Its Free Speech
ABC has filed a complaint accusing FCC Chair Brendan Carr of violating the network's First Amendment rights by questioning whether its daytime talk show “The View” qualifies as a bona‑fide news program. The filing also highlights the FCC’s parallel investigations...
Vice News Is Coming Back (Though Not Quite Like It Was)
Vice Media founder Shane Smith is reviving Vice News as a streamlined digital outlet anchored by his "Shane Smith Has Questions" podcast and a pared‑down website. The relaunch leans heavily on brand partnerships, debuting with Adobe’s PDF Spaces tool to embed...
FTC Appears Indifferent as AI/UGC Ads Flood Market
It truly feels like the FTC straight up dgaf at all because these types of AI and UGC ads are rampant and there’s quite literally zero oversight.
AI Hard Drive Shortage Makes Archiving the Internet Harder
The surge in AI‑driven data‑center workloads has triggered a sharp rise in hard‑drive and SSD prices, making storage procurement a bottleneck for digital archivists. Consumer and enterprise drives have seen price jumps of 150‑250%, with a 2TB Samsung SSD climbing...