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.
Bebe Rexha Hits #1 on Billboard Dance Charts as Independent Artist
Bebe Rexha’s “New Religion” reached number one on both the Billboard Dance/Airplay and U.S. Dance Radio charts, her first chart‑topping hit since she left Warner Music and partnered with independent distributor Empire. The milestone underscores the growing viability of independent releases for mainstream pop artists.
Reddit's Copyright Bans Surge 90% Amid DMCA Flood
Reddit and takedown requests -> Reddit Reports Resurgence in User Bans over Copyright Infringement First, the volume of content published on Reddit: "Overall, the transparency report reveals the massive volume of content that’s added to the site. In just six months, Redditors...
Disney Flags FCC License Renewal Risk in 10‑Q
Disney has updated the "risk factors" section of its 10-Q to include the FCC's move to call in its broadcast licenses for renewal. https://t.co/pUePgeqz9P
NAB Launches Weekly Podcast on Local Broadcast Policy
The National Association of Broadcasters has launched AirTime, a weekly podcast that drops every Wednesday to dissect legislative and regulatory issues shaping local television and radio. The inaugural episode, recorded at the NAB Show, features NBC Sports’ Jon Miller discussing...
How the German Press Agency Is Reinventing News Distribution for the Agentic Age
The German Press Agency (dpa) is launching dpa‑iq, an API‑driven platform that supplies trusted information to AI agents and other automated systems. Built as a modular, multi‑source retrieval service, it will initially draw from dpa’s own news, multimedia, and government...
Debut Novel 'The Emperor's Children' Tops Amazon Tragedy List, Fueling 'Tragic Fantasy' Surge
T.W. Larsen’s debut, 'The Emperor's Children', has become the #1 new release in Amazon’s Tragedy category, underscoring a growing reader appetite for “tragic fantasy.” The novel’s success highlights a shift from classic heroic quests toward stories that foreground moral ambiguity...
Downton Abbey Star Confirmed in "Heartfelt" Comedy with a "Ferociously Stubborn English Grandmother"
Phyllis Logan, best known as Mrs Hughes on Downton Abbey, will headline the Channel 5 TV film "Village Idiot" later this year. The comedy, described as sharp and heartfelt, follows her stubborn English grandmother battling a high‑speed rail developer to save her...
We Need More Long-Form CEO Podcast Interviews
I think what the world needs more of is long form podcasts with high profile CEOs.
Netflix's 'Apex' Hits 40 M Views, 'Man on Fire' Logs 11 M in First Week
Netflix reported that the Charlize Theron‑led thriller Apex amassed 40.2 million views in its first full week, while the new series Man on Fire earned 11 million views in its first four days. The two titles topped the platform’s global charts, signaling robust...
Is Influencer Marketing Still Just a Channel Or Has It Become the System?
Influencer marketing is evolving from a supplemental channel into a system that sits at the core of brand communication. Brands are now auditing campaigns across TV, retail, e‑commerce and press to embed creator‑led content from the outset, rather than tacking...
Trump Gutted the Tools to Fight Disinformation. Now Iran Has the Advantage.
The Trump administration and Republican allies have systematically dismantled U.S. fact‑checking infrastructure, slashing an estimated $247 million in annual funding for international verification programs. Meanwhile Iran’s state‑run propaganda machine has flourished, flooding online platforms with false claims—72% of recent fact checks...
From Downloads To Daily Use: Rethinking The Value Exchange In App Marketing
App marketers have shifted from focusing solely on downloads to prioritizing sustained user engagement. eMarketer reports that 90% of new users abandon an app within seven days, and by Day 30 churn exceeds 95%. Patrick Callinan of T‑Mobile Advertising Solutions argues...
The 42 Minute Playbook on Live Shopping
In this episode of the Gary Vee Audio Experience, Gary Vaynerchuk and Super Ordinary founder discuss the explosive rise of live shopping, especially on TikTok, and why brands are missing the wave due to corporate inertia and a misunderstanding of...
Target Posts Sales Rebound, Launches Creator Revamp as Traffic Climbs
Target Corp. posted a modest sales rebound in Q1 2026 and saw foot traffic rise 5.1% year‑over‑year, the first positive growth in more than a year. At the same time, the retailer is resetting its creator‑driven social commerce strategy, splitting...
Media Firm Beats Estimates with $87.9M Profit
JUST IN: The news-and-media company recorded $87.9 million in profit as revenue rose 12% to $712.2 million, surpassing Wall Street models.
Rolling Stones Set July 10 Release for Guest‑Heavy Album “Foreign Tongues”
The Rolling Stones announced that their 25th studio album, “Foreign Tongues,” will arrive on July 10 via Capitol Records. The 14‑track record features a roster of guest artists—including Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, Robert Smith and Chad Smith—and a posthumous appearance by late drummer Charlie Watts.
As Platform Pressure Grows, elDiario.es Bets on Trust and Reader-Funded Journalism
elDiario.es, a Spanish digital-native newsroom founded after the 2011 Indignados protests, has built a sustainable business on reader memberships rather than advertising. It now attracts about 2 million daily readers and 120,000 paying members, achieving a 97% renewal rate and operating...
TripleLift Names Timothy Jasionowski CPTO, Adds Benjamin Felix as CMO to Push Unified Ad Tech
TripleLift announced the appointment of Timothy Jasionowski as Chief Product and Technology Officer and Benjamin Felix as Chief Marketing Officer. The hires are intended to accelerate the company’s TL Spark platform and deliver a more integrated advertising stack across the open...
Submitting Your Novel? Make Sure Your Sample Pages Are Irresistible
The Forever Workshop blog post breaks down what literary agents look for in novel sample pages, featuring insights from publishing experts Jane Friedman, Karin Gillespie, and agent Erin C. Niumata. It explains why dramatic openings can backfire, introduces a line‑level...
The Summer I Turned Pretty Fans Asked to Stop Visiting Film Set
Fans of Prime Video’s hit series *The Summer I Turned Pretty* have been asked to stop visiting its North Carolina filming locations after producers cited real safety concerns. The show’s team announced on social media that crowd‑sourced footage and on‑set...
BREAKING: Big Changes Are Coming to Lev Remembers — And the Old Media Game Ends Today
Lev Remembers founder Lev Parnas announced a major platform overhaul, introducing new subscriber features, live breakdowns, and additional shows starting tomorrow. The rollout emphasizes source‑based reporting drawn from Parnas' personal experience in Trump’s inner circle and foreign oligarch networks. He...
Time Could Reuse This Cover Without Raising Eyebrows
FWIW - It feels like @Time could rerun this cover this week and no one would blink. https://t.co/cEGZaumcmS
Disney Tops Expectations as D’Amaro Spotlights Streaming Growth
Disney reported Q2 2026 revenue of $25.2 billion, up 7%, and adjusted EPS of $1.57, surpassing forecasts. Streaming operating income surged 88% as Disney+ and Hulu added new titles and expanded international originals. CEO Josh D’Amaro highlighted a strategy centered on streaming,...
Five Independent Media Investigations that Helped Bring Down Orbán’s Regime
In the run‑up to Hungary’s 2025 election, a handful of independent outlets—444, Telex, Direkt36, Partizán and others—published a series of investigative reports that exposed high‑level corruption, child‑trafficking scandals, a staged false‑flag incident and secret‑service abuse. The stories forced the resignation...
Shortlist Announcement for The Publisher Podcast Awards 2026
MediaVoices has unveiled the shortlist for the seventh Publisher Podcast Awards, featuring more than 130 shows across 20 categories. A panel of 40 seasoned judges from around the globe will select the winners, who will be announced at an in‑person...
The Blogs that Survived the AI Shift Weren’t the Ones with the Best SEO or the Smartest Pivots — They...
The article argues that blogs surviving the AI wave do so because their writers bring a uniquely personal perspective that AI cannot generate by accident, not because of superior SEO or clever pivots. While AI can replicate expertise and broad‑appeal...
Greece Greenlights €750 Million “Greece On Screen” Strategy to Transform Its Audiovisual Sector - Industry / Market - Greece
The Greek government has approved a five‑year "Greece On Screen" strategy, earmarking €750 million (about $818 million) for 2026‑2030 to boost the country's audiovisual sector. The plan expands incentives beyond film and TV to animation, digital games and music‑related projects, and funds...
IAB Tech Lab Seeks Public Comment On Standardized Signals For CTV Ad Portfolio
IAB Tech Lab has updated its technical specifications to create a standardized signaling framework for the Connected TV (CTV) Ad Portfolio, covering emerging formats such as Pause, Menu, Overlay, and Squeeze Back ads. The proposal, developed with industry working groups,...
Keshet’s The Search Gets Two Further Adaptations in Spain
Keshet International’s game‑show format “The Search,” broadcast in Spain as “Sopa de Letras,” is receiving two new adaptations. Telemadrid will debut a €10,000 (≈$10,800) jackpot version hosted by journalist Jota Abril, while Aragón TV launches a children’s spin‑off, Sopa de...
LatiNation Media Adds Monica Collins As VP Of Business Development
LatiNation Media, a Latino‑owned English‑language network, has appointed multicultural media veteran Monica Collins as vice president of business development. Collins will oversee strategic partnerships and brand collaborations across the LATV broadcast cable network, the LatiNation app, and its digital platforms....
OpenAI Opens ChatGPT Ads Manager to U.S. Advertisers, Drops $50K Minimum Spend
OpenAI has launched a beta self‑serve Ads Manager for ChatGPT in the United States, removing the $50,000 minimum spend and introducing cost‑per‑click bidding, a conversion pixel and a conversions API. The company also signaled that third‑party measurement and cost‑per‑action bidding...
Zeno Media Extends WKU Student Radio’s Digital Reach
Western Kentucky University’s student radio station WWHR (Revolution 91.7) has signed a partnership with Zeno Media to broaden its digital distribution. The agreement extends the station’s streaming to mobile apps, web browsers, and connected devices, reaching listeners beyond its traditional South...
NextKast Aligns With Optimized Media Group for Installs
NextKast announced a new implementation partnership with Optimized Media Group, a broadcast consulting and engineering firm. The collaboration will provide broadcasters with turnkey installation, configuration, and deployment services for NextKast’s automation and scheduling platform. Three rollout models—remote, in‑studio, and hybrid—are...
New Disney CEO Reveals the AI Enhancements Coming to Disney+
Disney reported a 7% revenue rise to $25.2 billion in Q2, with SVOD revenue up 13% and Disney+ positioned as the digital centerpiece. New CEO Josh D’Amaro announced AI‑driven hyper‑personalized recommendations and ad‑targeting across Disney+ and ESPN, aiming to reduce churn...
Cannes Best Director Winner Miguel Gomes’ Long-Awaited War Drama ‘Savagery’ Brought to Market by Luxbox (EXCLUSIVE)
Miguel Gomes’s long‑delayed war drama “Savagery” is finally entering pre‑production and will be marketed by Paris‑based sales agency Luxbox at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. The film adapts Euclides da Cunha’s seminal novel about the 1896‑97 Canudos rebellion in Brazil’s arid Northeast....
If Your Pitch Is Dying in a Journalist’s Inbox, Try This Instead
Savannah Stevens, talent manager at The Washington Post, warned PR teams at the Ragan PR Daily Conference that pitches fail when they ignore the audience and the journalist’s workflow. She emphasized that subject lines act as the first hook, and...
Director Hints at Possible Landman Season 3 Release Date
While we still don't know for certain when Landman season 3 will be released on Paramount+, we do have an new update from its director that confirms a working release date theory. https://t.co/m3rRcK96Mb
Why Standards Rigour Remains Broadcast’s Most Important Asset and Its Most Under-Appreciated
Corporate buyers are demanding broadcast‑grade video quality, but broadcast vendors have been slow to simplify products for non‑specialist users. Recent introductions such as Kiloview’s AVX24‑4 MediaHub and AJA’s BRIDGE LIVE IP signal a tentative shift, yet most pro AV customers...
Guy Goma’s Accidental BBC Interview Lives On After 20 Years
Two decades after a BBC newsroom mistake thrust an unsuspecting IT job seeker, Guy Goma, into the spotlight, the clip has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone. In May 2006, Goma was mistakenly interviewed live as an expert on a high‑profile...
Polanski Is Painted as a Monster While Farage Escapes Proper Scrutiny
The Times published a cartoon that employed classic antisemitic imagery to depict Green Party leader Zack Polanski, sparking complaints from the party and highlighting a surge in antisemitic incidents targeting him. Polanski’s background and recent statements were heavily scrutinized in...
Coimisiún Na Meán to Investigate Meta’s Content Promotion
Ireland’s media regulator Coimisiún na Meán has launched an investigation into Meta’s Facebook and Instagram recommender systems to determine whether they violate the EU Digital Services Act. The probe focuses on alleged “dark‑pattern” designs that may prevent users from opting...
“Media Needs to Turn Down Toxic and Turn Up Trust”
Channel 4’s chief commercial officer, Rak Patel, warned that the media industry must curb toxic content and rebuild audience trust, citing the channel’s documentary "Molly vs The Machines" as a call to action. The interview, recorded at New Video Frontiers...
Radio Most Resilient Traditional Local News Source, Pew Finds
Pew Research Center’s latest data shows radio remains the second‑most‑used source for local news, with 52% of American adults tuning in at least occasionally. Usage has slipped only four points since 2018, a slower decline than local TV (‑5 points)...
Paige Nienaber’s Midweek Idea Dump: Memorial Day Memories
Radio market managers are leveraging the back‑to‑back Victoria Day (May 18) and U.S. Memorial Day (May 25) weekends to run high‑visibility, on‑the‑ground promotions. Jeff Berry’s Cumulus Albuquerque “250 Flags” stunt demonstrated how a community‑focused campaign can generate revenue comparable to a small...
When Digital’s Trackability Breaks Down, Radio Has an Opening
A tech‑savvy client shifted Q1 spend from digital to radio after confronting rising Google Ads costs and opaque attribution. The digital model’s auction‑driven pricing forced higher bids merely to maintain market share, while multi‑channel data became fragmented and unreliable. In...
Court Ruling Shuts Out Pirate Streaming Channel livetv.sx in Germany
A German court ordered ISPs to block livetv.sx, a long‑standing illegal sports streaming platform that has operated for more than 13 years across the DACH region. The ruling was secured after the DFL and DAZN supplied extensive data and technical...
Claim of the Day: All Finns Watch Classical Concerts
Finnish Radio extended British conductor Nicholas Collon's contract and reported that 4.3 million viewers tuned in to Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra concerts in 2025. With Finland’s total population at roughly 5.7 million, the outlet suggested that almost every Finn watches classical concerts....
Netherlands Moves GPT-NL From Lab to Live: First Pilots Under Way
Netherlands' homegrown large language model GPT‑NL has moved from research to live pilots, with five public‑sector organisations testing the beta version. Early benchmarks show it surpasses GPT‑3 on Dutch summarisation tasks, and the model has secured a groundbreaking licensing deal...
This Chart Shows You Why the NFL Is the only Thing that Matters on TV
The NFL’s 2026 Super Bowl will be the year’s most‑watched TV event, and the league’s regular‑season games continue to dwarf all other programming. Nielsen data cited by the NFL shows an average of nearly 20 million viewers per broadcast, compared with...
Podcasting Has Already Overtaken TV. Here’s the Proof
The 2026 UK Advertising Landscape Study, funded by Sounds Profitable with a multi‑million‑pound (≈$2.5 million) investment, reveals that podcasting now reaches more 18‑34‑year‑olds (60%) than broadcast TV (57%). While TV still dominates older viewers, podcast reach among 35‑54‑year‑olds is strong, with...