Know What's Happening in Media
Know What's Happening in Media
Indian TV market braces for sales dip as production costs surge
Rising RAM prices, higher plastic and ocean‑freight costs linked to the West Asia crisis, and a weakening rupee have pushed entry‑level 32‑inch TV prices up about 20% to $133, up from $108 six months ago. Counterpoint Research expects shipments to fall 5‑6% as consumers down‑trade to smaller screens.
Also developing:
By the numbers: K-Love seeks FCC approval to acquire radio station WFCC
Sky Media announced that its premium video‑on‑demand (VOD) inventory is now available through Google Display & Video 360 (DV360), extending programmatic access across Sky’s owned and partner channels. The offering includes entertainment, drama, sport and news assets such as Sky Atlantic, Sky One, NOW, Premier League football and Formula 1. Advertisers will gain real‑time reporting, reach‑and‑frequency measurement and addressable targeting based on Sky’s first‑party data, with third‑party data integrations slated for later this year. The launch follows a pilot that demonstrated incremental reach for a Which? campaign.
STARZ reported that the premiere of Outlander’s final season attracted nearly three million multiplatform viewers in its first week. The episode “Soul of a Rebel” secured the #1 spot among scripted cable programs, marking a four‑year series high. Season eight,...
Peacock has renewed the unscripted series “Nelly and Ashanti: We Belong Together” for a second season, with production slated to begin this month and a later‑year release. The eight‑episode debut, which follows the Grammy‑winning couple navigating family, careers and joint...
Spotify celebrates the fifth anniversary of its EQUAL initiative by launching a new artist‑led video podcast, EQUAL: The Podcast. The five‑episode series, hosted by Kim Taylor Bennett, features ambassadors Juliana, Zolita, Angela Torres, Silvana Estrada and Orla Gartland, extending the program’s...
ITV has unveiled the shortlist for its 2026 Head First Award, naming five brands as finalists for the £1 million prize. The competition, which celebrates breakthrough creative work, will culminate later this year with a televised ceremony. Winners will receive not only...
Publishers are still using manual, weekly rules for ad‑yield while buy‑side platforms have leveraged real‑time machine learning for years. The gap, called the "last mile" problem, stems from the complexity of building impression‑level data pipelines, feature engineering, and sub‑50 ms inference...
Adobe has opened a public beta for Firefly Custom Models, letting creators and brands train its AI image generator on their own artwork. The tool preserves specific visual attributes such as stroke weight, color palette, lighting, and character features, ensuring...
Colgate launched the "Your Smile Is Your Strength" campaign on March 19, targeting millennials who juggle caregiving and work. The multi‑platform effort spans linear TV, YouTube TrueView, Disney CTV, Meta Moment Maker and TikTok Top Feed, and includes more than 30...
Netflix has commissioned a new romantic comedy series, Uncorked, created by Darren Star, the mind behind Emily in Paris, in partnership with New Amsterdam writer‑producer David Schulner. Set in Napa Valley, the show follows a talented yet self‑destructive winemaker seeking...
The episode dissects the March 18th Worldwide Threats Hearing, focusing on how officials, especially Tulsi Gabbard, dodged questions about an alleged imminent Iranian nuclear threat while aligning with President Trump's narrative. Host David Rode and analysts Ken Delanian and Kevin...
Full Set, an independent nonfiction publisher, has partnered with the award‑winning global newsroom Fuller to repurpose three of Fuller’s original essays as ebook, audiobook and print‑on‑demand titles, launching in spring 2026. The pilot, announced at the London Book Fair, will...
FOX Sports and INDYCAR have launched All In: INDYCAR, a digital‑exclusive series that follows drivers and teams throughout the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The debut episode spotlights four‑time champion Alex Palou at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, offering behind‑the‑scenes access. Episodes...
CNBC is debuting a new early‑morning program, “Morning Call,” anchored by veteran Morgan Brennan. The show premieres Monday, March 23 at 5 a.m. ET and promises high‑energy market insights, global developments, and a rotating panel of top business leaders. Brennan highlighted the...
Marketers face a $400 billion US media spend in 2025, yet privacy restrictions and loss of third‑party IDs erode clear ROI measurement. The article argues that the era of last‑click attribution is over, advocating a deterministic‑first, closed‑loop system that combines experiments...
Netflix has confirmed season two of its reality‑game series *Million Dollar Secret*, slated to debut on April 15 with three episodes, followed by additional drops on April 22 and April 29. Hosted by Peter Serafinowicz, the show pits eleven contestants against...
I have been saying forever, "Hell hath no fury like a user scorned". And don't even get me started about the 'sticky video player' -> An analysis of a NYT article load finds 422 network requests totaling 49MB, triggering a...
Sky is set to launch *Meantime*, a Glasgow‑based comic crime thriller adapted from Frankie Boyle’s 2022 novel. The series stars James McAvoy as Felix McAveety, a drug‑addicted man framed for his friend’s murder, and adds Mark Bonnar and former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston to...
A wave of lawsuits in California alleges that major social‑media platforms deliberately design addictive features that trigger mental‑health crises among teens. Plaintiffs argue that likes, notifications and algorithmic feeds create feedback loops that prioritize engagement over user well‑being. Lawmakers have...
WAN-IFRA unveiled the finalists for its 2026 Digital Media Awards, selecting 278 projects from 811 submissions across 78 countries. The finalists compete in 12 categories, including new AI‑driven and Emerging News Provider awards, with winners to be announced at the...
Digital Content Next’s weekly roundup highlights a turbulent media landscape, noting President Trump’s aggressive rhetoric toward outlets covering the Iran conflict and the FCC’s warning to broadcasters over perceived bias. The UK government reversed a proposed copyright dilution, favoring AI...
The DisInformation Chronicle is launching video adaptations of its written articles, posting them on YouTube to cater to listeners who prefer audio over reading. The creator also integrates the DisInformation Chronicle Podcast into these videos, expanding the brand’s multimedia footprint....
The Thursday, March 19, 2026 TV guide spotlights a packed lineup, from the return of Tyler Perry’s drama Beauty in Black on Netflix to an extensive March Madness slate on CBS and its cable partners. Women’s NCAA First Four opens the evening on ESPN2, while ABC...
A landmark tort lawsuit in Los Angeles accuses Meta and YouTube of designing addictive features that harm children, shifting the legal focus from First Amendment speech protections to product design. The case, representing roughly 1,600 plaintiffs from 350 families, draws...
Digital Natives has been awarded the social media account for KP Snacks, a leading UK snack manufacturer. The agency will oversee digital strategy, content creation, and community management for brands such as Tyrrells, KP, and Butterkist. Creativebrief managed the agency...
https://sparktoro.com/blog/why-linkedin-might-have-two-algorithms-and-why-marketers-should-care/ I suspect many of you who follow me here might be interested in @amandanat's latest breakdown of the LinkedIn's algorithm, and why your posts there might not be getting the traction you expect (happens to me, too)
Voice of America is ready for its comeback. A federal judge ordered 1,000 employees back to work, and told the government to resume broadcasting. The hardest task ahead, staffers say, may be restoring trust with audiences. https://t.co/ZmF0Ky699X
Juanjo Duran, a veteran Google executive, highlighted vertical videos—low‑budget, portrait‑oriented series—as a multi‑billion‑dollar growth engine reshaping streaming. He explained Google’s plan to partner with studios, surface vertical content on the Google TV mobile app, and embed Google Pay for frictionless...
Important to understand. Our administration underestimates or ignores the value of counterspeech which leans heavily on an independent and plural press of quality outlets working to get to the truth.
Been happening for years now but I still grin every time I see it. Headlines being reported in the mainstream media, 2-3 days after they were first on here. Normie friends, who are on Insta/Tiktok but not on X, have...
As audiences increasingly skip traditional commercials, brands are turning to authentic product placements to maintain relevance. EightPM’s partnership with 7‑Eleven led to a subtle integration on the hockey rink in the series Heated Rivalry, illustrating the power of early, low‑touch...
Why did Reuters feel compelled to dox Banksy? What to Know About Banksy and the Effort to Unmask Him https://t.co/gMAh8Sa9Ph
Deezer announced its first full‑year net profit for fiscal 2025, posting €8 million in net income and €10 million in adjusted EBITDA on €543 million of revenue. The profit stemmed from a €12 million expense reduction and a 25.4% adjusted gross‑profit margin. Meanwhile, the...
Netflix is reshaping its 2026 film strategy by prioritizing original storytelling and a robust comedy slate, moving away from the sequel‑driven model that dominates theaters. Dan Lin, the film chairman, highlighted a healthy content budget that will both build and...
WAN-IFRA, FT Strategies and Arc XP have launched the Future Newsroom Study, a global survey aimed at establishing a benchmark for newsroom transformation. The research will probe how editorial leaders are redefining strategy, integrating AI and automation, reshaping organisational structures,...
Podcast Movement Evolutions integrated into SXSW was a massive success, marking a strategic shift from a traditional conference to an industry‑infrastructure hub. By consolidating to a single track and situating the event within the larger SXSW festival, organizers attracted over...
Venatus Media, in partnership with Lumen Research, reports that its video‑ad platform achieves up to five times higher attention by targeting audiences "In the Zone"—users deeply engaged in gaming, sports or entertainment. The technology assesses mindset, context and timing to...
ADWEEK has opened entries for its 2026 Fastest Growing Agencies ranking, inviting agencies worldwide to submit three years of revenue data. Participants must certify figures through audited statements or a CEO/CFO notarized letter, though actual revenues remain private and only...
Publicis Groupe told select clients to pause work with The Trade Desk after an independent audit flagged questionable fee applications and opaque cost reporting. The Trade Desk rejected the allegations, citing confidentiality constraints on the auditor’s data requests. Meanwhile, Meta...
Season two of “Hazardous History with Henry Winkler” premieres Sunday, April 19 at 9/8 c on The History Channel. Emmy‑winner Henry Winkler returns as host, narrator, and executive‑producer, guiding viewers through one‑hour episodes that revisit dangerous pastimes and fads now banned in modern America....
Former Buccaneer co‑CEO Richard Tulk‑Hart and ex‑Cineflix scripted head James Durie have launched High Road Entertainment, a co‑production and sales consultancy focused on drama. The venture, rebadged from Volteo Media, is already developing the Greek‑set crime series Antiparos and the...
India’s IPL 2025 delivered over 1 billion viewers and 840 billion minutes watched, creating a massive, time‑compressed traffic surge. Peaks occur a week before the tournament, during the first two weeks, and again before playoffs, demanding rapid campaign scaling. Affiliates succeed by...
Recent Growtika analysis of Ahrefs data shows tech media traffic plummeting, with Digital Trends down 97%, ZDNet 90% and The Verge 85% since their peak months. The decline is linked to AI‑driven search, which consolidates answers and reduces clicks to...
The BBC debuted The Claudia Winkleman Show, a celebrity chat program, after Winkleman announced her exit from Strictly Come Dancing. The first episode featured Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Saunders, Vanessa Williams and Tom Allen, delivering a pleasant but conventional interview style....
Influencer marketing tied to the Indian Premier League is projected to hit roughly ₹700 crore by the 2026 season, according to Qoruz. Spending has risen from about ₹250 crore in 2023 to ₹550 crore in 2025, reflecting a 40 % compound annual growth rate....
Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned citing conscience objections to the U.S. approach to a potential war with Iran. On "The Late Show," Stephen Colbert dismissed calls to label Kent a "hero," mocking his past...
Disney announced that its streaming newsmagazine IMPACT × Nightline will debut a documentary titled “Love, Money & Murder: The Kouri Richins Trial” on Hulu and Disney+ on March 19, 2026. The film delves into the Utah mother‑author’s alleged fentanyl poisoning of her...
Publishers are piloting AI‑powered sell‑side agents that use large language models to negotiate and package ad inventory on behalf of sellers. Early adopters such as The Weather Company and Optable have built prototypes leveraging the open Prebid framework and Anthropic’s...
Vision+, Indonesia’s leading OTT service, announced a planned merger with free‑to‑air broadcaster RCTI, both owned by MNC, to create a single, integrated platform. COO Omar Giri Calliappan highlighted the current fragmentation where users must switch between separate apps for free...
VIOOH’s 2026 UK programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) report shows the channel now appears in 34% of campaigns, up from 31% in 2024, and is projected to reach 47% within the next 18 months. Marketers anticipate a 41% increase in pDOOH spend,...
Programmatic buyers have traditionally relied on domain‑level whitelists and blacklists to clean up inventory. The article argues that domains are merely containers and that true quality control must happen at the bid‑request level, where signals such as device, geo and...
