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.
Notes From Perugia: Three Reflections for Media Leaders on Survival, Trust and the Business of Journalism
The International Journalism Festival in Perugia highlighted a collapsing funding floor for media, with only 11% of development organisations reporting sufficient resources and average budget cuts of 17% in 2025. A DW Akademie report warns that reliance on external subsidies is ending, pushing publishers toward direct reader relationships and diversified revenue streams. Debates underscored the need for clear subsidy policies and the emergence of hybrid financing models, while noting the industry’s insular focus on traditional guild members at the expense of independent creators. AI adoption dominated sessions, reflecting its growing newsroom relevance.
OpenAI To 'Promote' Own Products Via Your Browser Cookies
OpenAI announced that it will use browser cookies to promote its products and services on other sites, marking a shift from pure organic growth to a commercial advertising model. The updated privacy policy explains that cookies will personalize ads for...
The 1% Solution: Media-For-Equity
Mercurius Media Capital (MMC) announced a $25 million, five‑year agreement with A+E Networks that will supply roughly $5 million of advertising inventory annually to MMC’s startup portfolio. The company’s media‑for‑equity model lets legacy broadcasters convert unsold ad slots into equity stakes, allowing...
May 2026 Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Comment Deadlines, Political Windows, and More
May 2026 brings several FCC regulatory deadlines for broadcasters, including comment periods on the state of competition in video and audio markets (due May 21) and the TV Parental Guidelines ratings system (due May 22). The Audible Crawl Rule waiver was extended,...
FAD News: Meta Media Group Launches The Art Journal, a New Publication Focused on the Art Market
Meta Media Group has launched The Art Journal, a digital‑first publication aimed at demystifying the global art market. Edited by Tom Seymour, the outlet promises original reporting, market analysis and opinion that probe the economics, regulation and geopolitics behind art...
Translator Conference to Focus on Broadcasters' Current ATSC 1.0-3.0 Hybrid World
The National Translator Association’s annual conference in Reno (May 6‑9) will spotlight the need to keep ATSC 1.0 operational while broadcasters roll out ATSC 3.0. A panel led by Weigel Broadcasting’s Kyle Walker will explore hybrid‑signal strategies, new encoding techniques from Harmonic and...
How Do You Turn Creator Commerce Into a Performance Channel?
The PI LIVE Europe Influencer & Commerce Summit will examine how creator‑driven affiliate marketing can evolve into a performance‑focused channel. Influencer spend reached $32 bn last year, a 35% jump, while research shows a 46% lift in affiliate sales when creators...
After Media and Commerce, Bia Granja Says Creators Are Coming for Hollywood IP
Bia Granja, veteran of Brazil’s creator‑economy firm YOUPIX, is launching HollyTube, a four‑day immersion in Los Angeles that bridges Hollywood studios with top creators. She argues the creator economy is now cracking the third gatekeeping—intellectual property—by co‑creating long‑form content with film...
Snapchat Partners With Credit Data Company Experian to Deliver Financial Education to Younger Consumers
Snapchat and credit‑reporting giant Experian have teamed up to embed an AI‑powered financial‑education experience within Snapchat’s Sponsored Snaps and chat interface. The partnership lets Gen Z and Millennial users ask money‑related questions and receive instant guidance, extending Experian’s recent ChatGPT‑driven...
Black Media Trust Set Up In Milwaukee
Wisconsin’s oldest Black newspaper and two Black radio stations have been placed into the newly created Milwaukee Black Media Trust, an employee‑benefit trust designed to guarantee perpetual independent Black ownership. The trust initially holds the Courier, WGKB (101.7 The Truth) and will...
The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch: Season Seven Premiere Date Set for History Channel Series
The History Channel announced that Season 7 of "The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch" will debut on Tuesday, May 19 at 9/8c. The new episodes continue to follow ranch owner Brandon Fugal and his team of scientists as they employ rockets, drone swarms, lasers...
Conservative Talk Media Star Larry O’ Connor Interviewed on Harrison Podcast
Larry O’Connor, the flagship host of Cumulus Media’s WMAL-FM in Washington, DC, appeared on Michael Harrison’s “Up Close Far Out” podcast to discuss his show’s recent syndication deal. The morning program “O’Connor and Company,” which runs from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m....
Civic Media Establishes Milwaukee Black Media Trust to Preserve Print and Radio Outlets
Civic Media has transferred ownership of the Milwaukee Courier, Wisconsin’s oldest Black newspaper, and two local radio stations into a newly created Milwaukee Black Media Trust. The employee‑benefit trust is designed to lock the assets in perpetual Black community ownership...
Cumulus Announces Season Three of “On the Frontlines” Podcast
Cumulus Media announced the launch of season three of its original podcast series, “On the Frontlines,” co‑hosted by conservative commentator Mark Levin and Yael Eckstein, CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. The season continues the partnership that...
What If You Could Target Mindset, Not Just Location?
Seedtag unveiled NeuroX, an AI‑driven Neuro‑Contextual Exchange that layers mindset signals onto traditional zip‑code targeting. The platform claims up to a 35% lift in click‑through rates and conversions by identifying buying intent in real time. NeuroX addresses the loss of...
Capitol Broadcasting to Sell Seven North Carolina Signals to Curtis Media
Capitol Broadcasting Company has filed to sell seven North Carolina radio signals to Curtis Media Group, including sports‑talk WMFD‑AM in Wilmington and FM stations WRMR, WKXB, WILT and WAZO, plus two translators. The assets cover coastal markets from Wilmington to...
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Jumps Back From Spring Break with Fifth Straight Week of Growth Among Both Total Viewers...
"Live with Kelly and Mark" returned from spring break to post its fifth straight week of year‑over‑year growth, adding 1% in total viewers to 2.413 million and a 2% rise in household ratings to 1.59. The show also posted a 3%...
Lanterns: HBO Reveals Premiere Date for DC Superhero Mystery Series
HBO announced that the DC superhero series "Lanterns" will debut on August 16, 2026. The show, produced by Greg Berlanti, follows intergalactic police officers John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and legendary Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) as they investigate a murder...
Netflix’s Thriller ‘Apex’ Beats ‘Euphoria’ and ‘The Boys’ to Top Weekly Streaming Chart
Netflix’s new outdoor thriller “Apex” claimed the No. 1 spot on Samba TV’s weekly streaming chart, displacing HBO Max’s “Euphoria” and Prime Video’s “The Boys”. The title is the first fresh chart‑topper in more than a month, highlighting Netflix’s programming momentum.
NAB Rewind: Lawo’s Andreas Hilmer on the Power of the Edge One AV Stagebox
At NAB 2026, Lawo unveiled the Edge One AV stagebox, a compact device that merges video and audio interfacing, DSP processing, and compression into a single unit. The box offers up to eight SDI/XLR connections, four HDMI ports, two MADI,...
Jennifer Lopez Uses Fake LinkedIn Jobs to Boost Netflix’s ‘Office Romance’
Jennifer Lopez updated her LinkedIn résumé with made‑up film‑role titles to promote Netflix’s new rom‑com “Office Romance”. The stunt, announced via an Instagram video, extends Netflix’s growing LinkedIn playbook that has previously featured campaigns for “Squid Game” and “Emily in...
13 States Sue to Block Nexstar's $6.2 Billion Tegna Takeover
Thirteen state attorneys general, including Republicans from Indiana and Kansas, have joined a federal antitrust lawsuit to halt Nexstar Media Group's $6.2 billion purchase of Tegna. A California judge issued a preliminary injunction, pausing the merger while the case proceeds.
Progressive Megadonors Bet Big on Content Creators
The Democracy Alliance, the progressive movement’s largest donor network, announced plans to pour tens of millions of dollars into a new media fund aimed at supporting content creators who reach young audiences. After a 2024 retreat, the group concluded that...
From the Archives : Zadie Smith : Grand Union
In this archival interview, Zadie Smith discusses her debut short‑story collection Grand Union, exploring how her awareness of mortality and the passage of time shapes her writing. She explains why she revisited and rewrote earlier stories, seeking forms that capture...
How Do You Spell Hate? T-E-X-A-S.
Edwin Eisendrath’s recent post warns that Texas is institutionalizing hate through a new law requiring every state‑run college to erect an 8‑foot statue of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The same administration has issued a Chancellor memo that bans discussion of...
How the Vinyl Revival Fills the Gaps Streaming Left Behind
Vinyl sales have rebounded for 19 straight years, reaching $2.1 billion in 2025 and projected to hit $3.6 billion by 2034. In the United States, revenue surpassed $1 billion last year, driven largely by Gen Z seeking tactile, algorithm‑free listening experiences. Internationally, records serve...
Mappa Makes Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Anime Video for Final Manga Volume
Mappa released a brief anime promotional video to mark the launch of the third and final volume of the Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo manga on May 1, 2026. The teaser highlights new protagonists Tsurugi and Yuka Okkotsu, the alien Simurian Maru,...
Avoid Over‑Splitting Budgets; Tiny Campaigns Waste Data
Just audited an ad account spending around 300k/month and they currently have 107 active campaigns with budgets as low as $20/day. Don't do this.... ever please. I'm all for unique strategies when running an account etc... but when you split your account...
What Is the Reason BTS Still Sits Atop Their Media Throne?
South Korean supergroup BTS returned after a two‑year hiatus with their first full‑length album, ARIRANG, delivering 739.1 million on‑demand audio streams in its debut week—the largest first‑week total of 2026. The comeback was amplified by a free concert in Seoul streamed...
News Alliance Demands Common Crawl Halt Unauthorized AI Scraping
Common Crawl comes under attack -> The News/Media Alliance urges web repository Common Crawl to stop unauthorized scraping and prevent AI companies from using publisher content in its database "As reported in the Atlantic, its archive has been a primary source...
Pinterest Ad Shows Girls Going From Doom-Scrolling to Dancing
Pinterest unveiled its latest Spot ad, the second installment of the "How did they do it?" campaign, featuring teenage girls shifting from doom‑scrolling on their phones to dancing. The creative visual underscores Pinterest’s push to position the platform as a...
Reddit Search Surges 30% YoY, Boosting Retention
And you better believe Google is paying attention. But for Reddit, one turn of the Google dial and traffic could come crashing down -> People are finally using Reddit Answers "The company has seen a 30% year-on-year jump in the number...
May 2026 Streaming Releases Start Unusually Quiet
May 2026 is off to a peculiarly quiet start on the new streaming releases front. https://t.co/wRKNV2sizU
BBC Confirms "Audacious" And "Totally Addictive" New Legal Drama - Here's What We Know
The BBC has commissioned a six‑part legal drama titled "Reputation" for BBC One and iPlayer. The series follows formidable lawyer Elaine, who defends free expression and becomes embroiled in a high‑profile libel battle with pop star Davina Knight. Created by...
Gaming Ads: Unlocking an Underused Advertising Powerhouse
Scott Ensign, Chief Strategy Officer at @ButlerTill, discusses why gaming is still one of the most misunderstood and underutilized channels in advertising and how brands can finally unlock its full potential. https://t.co/bgRersWIG8
Competitor Adds Four Star Wars Films to Library
A major Disney+ competitor just Force pulled four great Star Wars movies into its film library. https://t.co/fHKE1efmPC
The Morning After: Instagram Will Try to Penalize 'Unoriginal' Posts
Meta is expanding its 2024 algorithm tweaks to penalize unoriginal photo and carousel posts on Instagram, joining the earlier restrictions on recycled Reels. The change will throttle reach for accounts that simply reshare content without material edits. Meanwhile, Samsung is...
Websites Are Suddenly Cranking Up Bot Blocking
Have websites suddenly gotten more aggressive about blocking scrapers/bots like just in the last few weeks? EG Claude Code telling me it can't extract Kashkari's new statement out today, due to a 403 error. Can't remember that having been an...
‘Legends’ Creator and Director Tease Netflix’s Gritty 1990s Undercover Thriller
Netflix’s new British crime drama *Legends* premieres on May 7, 2026, and follows a real‑life 1990s Customs operation that infiltrated the UK’s biggest heroin gangs. Creator Neil Forsyth spent months interviewing the officers and digging through court records to shape a six‑episode...
People Are Finally Using Reddit’s Search
Reddit reported a 30% year‑over‑year increase in weekly search usage, signaling that recent investments in its search engine and AI‑enhanced features are paying off. CEO Steve Huffman said search is now a major driver of user acquisition and retention. The...
Zuckerberg Threatens to Pull Meta Apps From New Mexico
Mark Zuckerberg says he'll pull his apps out of New Mexico if the state forces Meta to make them less addictive. https://t.co/Ykb2lWcYJC
The Clause that Lets Netflix Raise Your Price Might Not Be Legal in Europe
Netflix faces a €673 million ($727 million) lawsuit in the Netherlands alleging its price‑increase clause violates EU Directive 93/13 on unfair contract terms. The claim follows an Italian court ruling that declared every Netflix price hike from 2017 to 2024 unlawful, with similar...
Influencer Marketing in Saudi Arabia: A Complete 2026 Guide for Brands
Influencer marketing in Saudi Arabia has become a high‑engagement, culturally specific channel as social‑media penetration hits 94%—about 35 million active users—and platforms like TikTok and Snapchat dominate usage. Arabic‑first content consistently outperforms translated English by 35‑50%, while the General Authority for...
‘Becoming Elizabeth’ Creator Penning BBC Drama About Celebrity Legal Battle Spiraling Out Of Control
BBC has ordered a new six‑episode drama titled "Reputation" that dramatizes a high‑stakes celebrity libel battle. Created by Anya Reiss, the mind behind "Becoming Elizabeth," the series follows a free‑speech lawyer defending pop star Davina Knight against her ex‑husband’s defamation...
Environmental Finance Journalist Honoured with Award
Environmental Finance senior reporter Genevieve Redgrave was named Journalist of the Year for Sustainable Investment & Stewardship at the 24th State Street UK Institutional Press Awards, and she also placed as runner‑up in the Pensions category. The honors recognize her...
Studios Rally at CinemaCon 2026 to Defend Theatrical Window Amid 20% Box‑Office Surge
At CinemaCon 2026, the biggest Hollywood studios used the Las Vegas stage to make a coordinated case for preserving the theatrical window, pointing to a 20% year‑over‑year increase in domestic box‑office revenue and a slate packed with franchise tentpoles. Their...
Everyone Keeps Talking About AI Taking Jobs. We Put It to the Test.
Business Insider reporter Amanda Hoover built an AI bot trained on her own articles and let it handle the full reporting workflow—conducting interviews, drafting copy, and liaising with editors. The experiment proved the bot could perform many tasks, yet still...
Submit a Partner Perk
Startups Magazine is inviting brands to submit exclusive Partner Perks for its Weekly Wisdom newsletter, which reaches about 49,000 digital subscribers. The call emphasizes offers that provide real substance for founders and operators, rather than generic discounts. Submissions will be...
ASA and HarperCollins Reveal 2026 ASA/HQ Fiction Prize Shortlist
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and HarperCollins' HQ imprint have released the shortlist for the 2026 ASA/HQ Fiction Prize, selecting from 280 unpublished manuscripts. The winning author will receive a $10,000 advance and a publishing contract, underscoring the prize’s...
Prosecutors Release Six‑Minute Video of Armed Intruder at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Federal prosecutors posted a six‑minute video showing Cole Allen breach the White House Correspondents’ Dinner security perimeter, brandishing a long gun and shooting a Secret Service officer. The footage, released by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, reignites debate over security protocols...