🎯Today's Media Pulse
Updated 1h agoWhat's happening: Paramount plans to merge HBO Max and Paramount+ after $110B Warner Bros. Discovery deal
Paramount Chairman David Ellison outlined a plan to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ following Warner Bros. Discovery’s $110 billion acquisition, creating a streaming service with over 200 million subscribers. The merged entity will retain blockbuster franchises such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Mission: Impossible and Top Gun while keeping HBO’s operational independence.
Also developing:
News•Feb 26, 2026
32.6 Million Watched Trump’s State of the Union Address, Nielsen Says
About 32.6 million people tuned into President Trump’s 107‑minute State of the Union address, according to Nielsen. The audience size is essentially identical to President Biden’s final 2024 address, which drew 32.2 million viewers, but it fell short of the 36.6 million that watched Trump’s joint‑session speech in 2025. Fox News captured the largest share of the television audience, delivering more than nine million viewers, while CNN and MSNBC each attracted over two million. The ratings suggest a stable, though slightly declining, broadcast viewership for major political events.
By New York Times — Media & Advertising
News•Feb 26, 2026
Rachel Perkins to Steer First Nations Strategy at SCREEN AUSTRALIA
Screen Australia has appointed acclaimed filmmaker Rachel Perkins as its inaugural Director of First Nations Strategy, effective 2 March 2026. Perkins, an Arrernte and Kalkadoon woman and co‑founder of Blackfella Films, brings over three decades of experience creating Indigenous‑focused television...
By TV Blackbox
News•Feb 26, 2026
X Invites Advertisers To Recycle Creative From Other Platforms
Elon Musk's X has launched a new ad feature that lets advertisers upload existing social‑media creatives and automatically apply expanded aspect ratios, including 4:5 and 2:3, without needing AI‑driven editing. The tool is available through Media Studio, Composer, and the...
By MediaPost
News•Feb 26, 2026
Samba: Essentials, Utilities Tally Most Ad Impressions in 2nd-Half 2025
Samba TV’s H2 2025 advertising report shows a sharp pivot toward essential and infrastructure categories, with utilities ad impressions jumping 48%, insurance up 18% and pharma rising 12%. Discretionary sectors such as career services, apparel and food & beverage posted double‑digit...
By TV Tech (TVTechnology)
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
Tube Trends: MrBeast Uses Giveaways To Hit New Highs
Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, has leveraged giveaway‑centric videos to set new viewership records on YouTube. In the past 90 days his "Subscribe For An iPhone" clip topped U.S. charts with over a billion views, while a holiday $100K giveaway...
By TVREV
News•Feb 26, 2026
Edison Research to Present The Infinite Dial 2026
Edison Research, now part of SSRS, will unveil The Infinite Dial 2026 in a March 12 webinar backed by SiriusXM Media. The annual survey, the longest‑running study of U.S. digital‑media behavior since 1998, now includes unprecedented data on AI usage alongside metrics...
By Sounds Profitable
News•Feb 26, 2026
Okayplayer’s 2x Webby Award-Winning Podcast The Almanac Of Rap Announces Season 4, Launching February 26th
Okayplayer’s *The Almanac of Rap* podcast returns for Season 4 on February 26, releasing new episodes every Thursday. The award‑winning series, hosted by rapper‑turned‑DJ Donwill, will feature hip‑hop heavyweights such as Bun B, Raekwon, Havoc, 9th Wonder and crossover guest actor Jharrel Jerome. Episodes alternate...
By Sounds Profitable
News•Feb 26, 2026
Softcore History Joins Backyard Ventures’ Roster, Bringing Comedic History to Premium Brand Partners
Backyard Ventures announced that the comedic history podcast Softcore History, hosted by Rob Fox and Dan Regester, has joined its creator roster as the exclusive representative for premium brand partnerships. The deal covers both audio and digital platforms, positioning the...
By Sounds Profitable
News•Feb 26, 2026
Podcast Movement Announces First-Ever New York City Flagship Event at Terminal 5
Podcast Movement announced its flagship conference will move to New York City, hosting the 2026 event at Terminal 5 from September 14‑18. The program splits into a two‑day Sounds Profitable Business Summit for executives and media buyers, followed by creator‑focused sessions and networking events....
By Sounds Profitable
News•Feb 26, 2026
Independent Australian Kids Podcast Reaches 2.47M Global Monthly Listens and Launches Silly Stories Spectacular Live Show
Australian creator Sam Ramsden’s independent podcast Silly Stories for Kids logged 2.47 million monthly listens, 1.373 million downloads and over 21.8 million listening minutes in the last 30 days. Audience composition is roughly 52% North America, 26% Australia‑New Zealand and 13% United Kingdom, underscoring its...
By Sounds Profitable
News•Feb 26, 2026
Data Broker Kochava Reaches Privacy Deal With FTC Lawyers
Kochava, a mobile‑data broker, has reached a privacy settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations it sold precise geolocation data linked to sensitive venues. The agreement, still pending approval by FTC commissioners, requires Kochava to implement a two‑year privacy...
By MediaPost
News•Feb 26, 2026
ATSC Appoints Anil Bhardwaj Tech, Strategy Director For India
ATSC has named Indian broadcast veteran Anil Bhardwaj as its Technology & Strategy Director for India and Emerging Markets, reinforcing the group’s push for next‑generation standards. Bhardwaj will lead ATSC’s engagement with the Telecommunications Standards Development Society of India (TSDSI) and...
By TV Tech (TVTechnology)
News•Feb 26, 2026
CMB Seeks Nominations for 2026 Christian Radio Mentoring Class
Christian Music Broadcasters (CMB) is opening nominations for its 2026‑2027 Leadership Mentoring cohort, a seven‑month program limited to 18 participants. The initiative targets current and emerging leaders across Christian radio, including on‑air talent, fundraisers, marketers, and technical staff. Led by...
By Radio Ink
News•Feb 26, 2026
Ron Corning and Miranda Suarez to Host KERA’s ‘NTX Now’
KERA, North Texas’ public radio station, will launch NTX Now, a live weekday morning talk show debuting this summer. The one‑hour program is co‑hosted by veteran TV journalist Ron Corning and KERA reporter Miranda Suarez, focusing on civic life and community...
By Radio Ink
News•Feb 26, 2026
SiriusXM Revs Up Full-Season IndyCar Coverage for 2026
SiriusXM will broadcast every IndyCar race, practice and qualifying session for the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series on its IndyCar Nation channel, covering all 18 events starting March 1 in St. Peterburg. The satellite‑radio service will also continue weekly shows like Brick‑by‑Brick with...
By Radio Ink
News•Feb 26, 2026
The New York Times Is Adding Another Daily Crossword, because Why Not
The New York Times introduced a new subscriber‑only "Midi" crossword, a 9×9 puzzle that sits between its Mini (5×5) and Daily (15×15) offerings. The move expands the Times Games portfolio, which already serves over one million games‑only subscribers and generates roughly $50 million in...
By Nieman Lab
News•Feb 26, 2026
The SoCal Sound Licenses to Consolidate Under CSUN Ownership
California State University, Northridge (CSUN) will assume ownership of KSBR’s FCC license, consolidating it with KCSN’s under the CSUN University Corporation, pending FCC approval. The move formalizes a simulcast partnership that began in 2017, covering Orange and Los Angeles counties, while...
By Radio Ink
News•Feb 26, 2026
“Same Values, Same Mission, Same Ethics”: How the Houston Chronicle Chooses Creators to Work With
The Houston Chronicle is testing creator collaborations, beginning with food‑video creator Shawn Singh, to drive newsletter sign‑ups, pay‑wall subscriptions and social follows. Success is measured both by hard metrics and by the willingness to experiment and adopt a creator mindset....
By Nieman Lab
News•Feb 26, 2026
Chyron Releases Weather 2.3 With New Data and Automation Features
Chyron has launched Weather 2.3, the newest version of its broadcast‑grade weather‑visualization suite. The update adds UHD, 4K DCI and 2K DCI SDI outputs, a Virtual Globe 3D playlist, and support for custom aspect ratios such as square and portrait. Automation capabilities are...
By TV Tech (TVTechnology)
News•Feb 26, 2026
‘Access Hollywood’s Emily Orozco Promoted To Correspondent In NYC Bureau
NBCUniversal has elevated Emily Orozco to correspondent for Access Hollywood’s New York City bureau. Orozco, an Emmy‑nominated journalist, joined the show in 2017 and has progressed from associate field producer to head of the NY bureau and coordinating producer. She...
By TVNewsCheck
News•Feb 26, 2026
Telestream Unveils Production-Ready AI Capabilities Across Its Product Portfolio
Telestream unveiled a suite of production‑ready AI features across its Vantage, Vantage Cloud, EDC, Stanza and Qualify platforms. The rollout adds AI Caption with support for 128 languages, AI Qualify for automated lip‑sync and subtitle validation, AI Speech for real‑time...
By TV Tech (TVTechnology)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Nexstar Expects Tegna Purchase To Close By End Of Q2
Nexstar Media Group expects its $2.5 billion acquisition of Tegna to close by the end of the second quarter, aligning with the anticipated surge in political advertising ahead of the 2026 election cycle. The company reported Q4 net revenue of $1.29 billion,...
By TVNewsCheck
News•Feb 26, 2026
IHeartMedia Partners with Middle East State of Qatar for New Podcast Effort
iHeartMedia has signed a multi‑year partnership with Qatar’s Government Communications Office to build a state‑of‑the‑art podcast studio and launch original Arabic shows. The deal will also bring popular global podcasts to Arabic‑speaking audiences and deliver masterclasses for local talent. iHeart...
By RAIN News
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
FCC Chair Unfiltered: Protecting Local News, Sports on Broadcast TV and May Sue a Network
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced a new enforcement push to preserve local news and sports programming on broadcast television. He warned that any network failing to meet public‑interest obligations could be sued under the Communications Act. Carr emphasized the FCC’s...
By LightShed Partners (blog)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Launch HN: Cardboard (YC W26) – Agentic Video Editor
Cardboard, a Y Combinator W26 startup, offers an AI‑powered video editor that transforms raw footage into polished, publish‑ready content in minutes. The platform automates framing, captioning, montage creation, podcast clipping, and more, while allowing users to issue natural‑language edit commands....
By Hacker News
News•Feb 26, 2026
Director of Customer Success
Fairing, a marketing measurement platform used by more than 3,000 brands, is hiring a Director of Customer Success to own the end‑to‑end post‑sale journey—from onboarding to renewal and expansion. The role centers on net revenue retention, requiring deep expertise in...
By Sounds Profitable
News•Feb 26, 2026
Digital Ad Dollar Dip, Less Political Dollars Impact GMG
Graham Media Group, a broadcast arm of Graham Holdings, reported a disappointing Q4 2025 earnings beat, driven by a sharp decline in digital advertising revenue and a notable drop in political ad spending. Digital ad dollars fell roughly 12% year‑over‑year,...
By Radio & TV Business Report (RBR+TVBR)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Tara Brown Investigates Epstein Scandal Fallout
Australian journalist Tara Brown will front a 60 Minutes special titled "The Reckoning: Inside the Epstein Files" airing March 2 on Channel 9 and 9Now. The program examines newly released documents that map Jeffrey Epstein’s network of powerful associates across...
By TV Blackbox
News•Feb 26, 2026
No HDO For El Paso Radio Trio As Questioned Deal Dissolves
A Hearing Designation Order (HDO) that had been issued for the proposed transfer of two AM stations and an FM station in El Paso, Texas, has been terminated. The termination follows a joint request from the buyer and seller to...
By Radio & TV Business Report (RBR+TVBR)
News•Feb 26, 2026
DIRECTV Warns Of The Danger of Mega ABC, CBS, FOX, & NBC Mergers to Local News
DIRECTV submitted an FCC filing warning that the surge in duopolies, triopolies and even quadropolies among broadcasters such as Nexstar, Sinclair and Gray is eroding local‑news diversity. The analysis catalogued roughly one hundred duopolies, more than a dozen triopolies and...
By Cord Cutters News
News•Feb 26, 2026
Podcast Advertising Projected to $1B/Year by 2029 (EMARKETER)
A new eMarketer survey of 100 U.S. marketers shows digital audio advertising is gaining traction, with 67% of respondents already allocating budget to the channel. While only 25% plan to increase spend within the next year, 83% view incremental reach...
By RAIN News
News•Feb 26, 2026
‘Premflix’ App to Screen All Premier League Matches Live – but only in Singapore
The Premier League will debut Premier League Plus, a dedicated streaming app that offers live coverage of all 380 matches, initially limited to Singapore and delivered in partnership with Starhub. Launched before the 2026‑27 season, it marks the league’s first...
By The Guardian Media
News•Feb 26, 2026
FCC Waivers Needed for EAS Equipment that Is Not Operational But Not Defective
In the past three weeks the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau granted waivers allowing broadcast stations to temporarily disconnect Emergency Alert System (EAS) equipment while relocating towers. FCC rules require continuous EAS operation, but Section 11.35(b) permits up to...
By Broadcast Law Blog (WBK)
News•Feb 26, 2026
COMvergence: 2025 Marcom M&A Volume Grew Slightly
Marcom M&A activity in 2025 edged higher to 55 deals, reflecting a modest rise from 2024 but still far below the 2016 peak. The sector’s focus has shifted from expansion‑driven roll‑ups to infrastructure‑led consolidation centered on AI, cloud, and data...
By MediaPost
News•Feb 26, 2026
HBO Max Will Start Cracking Down on Password Sharing Globally
HBO Max announced a global crackdown on password sharing, extending stricter enforcement beyond the United States. The new policy replaces the current optional pop‑up with a mandatory prompt that requires non‑household users to create their own accounts. The rollout coincides...
By Cord Cutters News
News•Feb 26, 2026
New Drama About "Controversial" Interrogation of Madeleine McCann's Mother Is Coming to Channel 5
Channel 5 is set to air a feature‑length drama titled “Suspect: Kate McCann”, dramatizing the contentious 48‑hour police interrogation of Kate McCann following her daughter Madeleine’s 2007 disappearance. The film draws on official Portuguese police material, documentary evidence and recorded testimony, with...
By Digital Spy – TV
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
USA Today Co. Reports Drop in FY 2025 Revenue; Expects Flat to Down 2026
USA Today Co. posted a fourth‑quarter revenue of $585 million, a 5.8% year‑over‑year decline, and its full‑year 2025 revenue fell to $2.3 billion. Digital‑only subscriptions plunged 30% to 1.37 million, while average monthly unique visitors slipped 11% to 179 million. The company recorded a...
By A Media Operator
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
The Real Battle in Premium & Social Content: Reach Vs. Activation
The U.S. hosts over 202 million adult YouTube users, 177 million on Instagram and 105 million on TikTok, creating massive ad‑supported audiences for creators. While a few, like Markiplier’s promotion of *Iron Lung*, have turned social clout into box‑office hits, most creators struggle to...
By TVREV
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
Reading Rainbow: Sony Orders 24 More Episodes of Kids’ Show Reboot
Sony has ordered 24 additional episodes of the Reading Rainbow reboot, now hosted by Mychal Threets, following a successful four‑episode digital release in 2025. The original series, led by Levar Burton, ended two decades ago, and the new shortened episodes...
By TV Series Finale
News•Feb 26, 2026
‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2 Expected For April 2027, Creator Jacob Tierney Says
Creator Jacob Tierney announced that production on Season 2 of the LGBTQ‑focused series “Heated Rivalry” will commence in August 2026, with a planned premiere in April 2027. The show, based on Rachel Reid’s “Game Changers” novels, follows the secret romance between...
By Deadline
News•Feb 26, 2026
BetBoom, ESL FACEIT Group Partner for Counter-Strike 2 in Brazil
BetBoom announced a partnership to sponsor all Counter‑Strike 2 broadcasts in Brazil produced by the ESL FACEIT Group for the remainder of 2026. The deal places BetBoom branding on six flagship events, including ESL Pro League Seasons 23 and 24 and multiple IEM...
By The Esports Advocate
News•Feb 26, 2026
Publisher Advertising Alliance Teams up with Microsoft Ad-Buying Platform
Ozone, a coalition of more than 500 UK and US publishers, has secured its first deal to list inventory on Microsoft’s Media Marketplace, exposing over 200 million monthly users to programmatic buyers. The integration leverages Ozone’s first‑party reader data, promising more...
By Press Gazette
News•Feb 26, 2026
Sundance Road Trip Comedy ‘The Shitheads’, Starring Dave Franco & O’Shea Jackson Jr., Gets U.S. Deal With IFC
Sundance‑premiered road‑trip comedy *The Shitheads* has landed a U.S. distribution deal with IFC, slated for a theatrical summer release. The film stars Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Kiernan Shipka and Nicholas Braun, with a supporting turn by Peter Dinklage. Written, directed...
By Deadline
News•Feb 26, 2026
Fifth Season & Media Res Strike Sales Pact & Set Sweden’s ‘Summer Of 1985’ As First Project
Media Res has entered a first‑look distribution agreement with Fifth Season, designating the Swedish thriller *Summer of 1985* as the inaugural project. The series, based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel, follows a group of friends whose summer turns deadly after...
By Deadline
News•Feb 26, 2026
Meet The Producers Resurrecting Dead Hollywood Pitches Using AI
Deadline’s new column Rendering highlights a podcast, Films Not Made, launched by producers Amy Hobby and Avi Zev Weider that uses generative AI to resurrect abandoned Hollywood pitches. The show runs AI‑enhanced scripts, storyboards and even AI‑generated trailers for projects...
By Deadline
News•Feb 26, 2026
‘Star City’: ‘For All Mankind’ Spinoff Sets Release Date; Unveils First-Look Photos
Apple TV announced the debut of *Star City*, an eight‑episode spinoff of the acclaimed *For All Mankind*. The series launches globally on May 29, 2026 with two episodes, then releases a new episode each Friday through July 10. Set in...
By Deadline
News•Feb 26, 2026
Sky & Starz Strike Co-Commission Deal As Sky Boards 50 Cent Boxing Drama ‘Fightland’
Sky has secured a first‑look agreement with Starz for the 50 Cent‑produced boxing drama Fightland, which will debut on Sky and Now TV in the UK. The series, shot in London, follows a disgraced champion seeking revenge and is executive‑produced by Curtis Jackson’s...
By Deadline
News•Feb 26, 2026
Content Partners Hires Former WME Business Affairs Exec Benjamin Kram
Content Partners announced the appointment of former WME business‑affairs executive Benjamin Kram as Vice President. Kram will lead business development, expanding the firm’s content investments and strategic partnerships. He brings extensive negotiation experience across film, television and digital media from...
By Deadline
News•Feb 26, 2026
Freestar Introduces pubOS, a Unified Publisher Operating System Built to Replace Fragmented Solutions and Navigate the AI Age
Freestar launched pubOS, a unified Publisher Operating System that replaces fragmented ad‑tech stacks with a single, integrated platform. The solution combines Freestar’s proprietary monetization tools—including a custom Prebid wrapper and AI‑driven yield engine—with a marketplace of identity, compliance, and analytics...
By MarTech Series
News•Feb 26, 2026
What’s Next For Nexstar? More Growth For The CW, NewsNation
Nexstar Media Group posted its fourth‑quarter 2025 results, beating Wall Street revenue forecasts while slipping into a net loss. Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted free cash flow fell sharply compared with the prior year. CEO Perry Sook highlighted the company’s aggressive...
By Radio & TV Business Report (RBR+TVBR)