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.
The Week in Stupid | First Draft with Susan J. Demas & Wonkette's Rebecca Schoenkopf
The Week in Stupid podcast episode featuring Susan J. Demas and Wonkette’s Rebecca Schoenkopf dissects a series of recent political blunders, from a satirical proposal to place Donald Trump’s image on U.S. passports to the ongoing mishandling of the Iran war that has caused thousands of deaths. The hosts also critique Trump’s assaults on the First Amendment, including his renewed campaign to fire comedian Jimmy Kimmel, and debate why conservative comedy often falls flat. Their conversation blends humor with serious media analysis, highlighting the challenges journalists face covering a polarizing former president.
Parents Fight To Reinstate 'Choking Challenge' Suit Against Google, TikTok
A coalition of parents has asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to revive a lawsuit against Google and TikTok, alleging the companies’ reporting tools are defective and misrepresented. The suit, originally dismissed under Section 230 immunity, claims the platforms failed to...
Amazon Hits $70 Billion in Ad Revenue Over the Past 12 Months
Amazon’s advertising division generated $70 billion in revenue over the trailing twelve months, with Q1 2026 ad sales hitting $17.2 billion, a 24% year‑over‑year increase. The growth helped lift total net sales to $181.5 billion, up 17% YoY. The company also reported delivering one...
Meta to Spotlight AI-Powered Ad-Serving in Earnings Call
$META will highlight its AI investments in ad-serving on tonight’s earnings call. I’ve spent a lot of time recently synthesizing their disclosures to better understand these systems. I'll share some resources in this thread that are hopefully useful in making...
Last Chance to Watch—What's Leaving Netflix in May 2026
Netflix announced that eight of its flagship series will leave the platform in May 2026, including "Wednesday", "Dark", the live‑action "One Piece", "K‑Pop Demon Hunters", "Squid Game" and "Stranger Things". The removals were highlighted in a quiz‑style article that paired...
Publicis Gets Santander Moving with Ant and Dec Still on Board
Santander has officially brought Publicis Groupe on board to run its creative and media work, debuting the first "It starts here" campaign aimed at first‑time home buyers. The new effort keeps long‑standing ambassadors Ant & Dec, whose warm, relatable style is blended...
Unchosen Season 2: Cast, Rumours & Release Date
Netflix’s thriller *Unchosen* surged to the top of global charts with 10.4 million weekly views, becoming the most‑watched English‑language series in 40 countries. The six‑episode first season has drawn praise for its unsettling cult premise and strong performances, especially from Fra Fee...
Howdy's Dated $3/Month Ad-Free Streaming Service Said to Have 1M Subscribers
Roku's Howdy, a $3‑per‑month ad‑free streaming tier launched in August, has surpassed one million subscribers within six months, according to research firm Antenna. The service now represents 23% of all SVOD subscriptions made through The Roku Channel and has expanded...
Turn AI-Generated UGC Into High-Converting Ads
How to create AI UGC ads that actually convert: A full breakdown 00:24: How to find proven UGC examples in your niche 01:08: Why UGC still beats every other ad format 01:55: How to create your first AI UGC character 04:51: How to turn...
What the Supreme Court Just Did to Louisiana—And Why It Matters *Far* Beyond the State 💣
The Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s 2026 congressional map, ruling that its two majority‑Black districts were drawn primarily on race, violating the Constitution. The decision fell along partisan lines, with the six justices appointed by Republican presidents voting to invalidate...
Maryland Legislature Passes Advertising Set-Aside Legislation for State News Outlets
Maryland’s General Assembly approved a bill that obligates state agencies to allocate at least 50% of their advertising budgets to Maryland‑based news outlets, making the state the first to enact a formal advertising set‑aside. The legislation, driven by the Rebuild...
Radio FCC Fees to Go Up 5% Under Proposal
The Federal Communications Commission has proposed a 5% increase in regulatory fees for commercial AM and FM radio stations for fiscal year 2026, raising the annual collection target to roughly $416 million. Fees would rise from $395 for the smallest Class D...
Gen Z Overlooks Bottom‑Placed ChatGPT Ads
Interested in ChatGPT Ads and what Gen-Z thinks of them? Check out this post from a college student at @penn_state explaining what he thinks of ChatGPT ads (based on seeing many in his chats). He also polled his friends with...
Former X CEO Linda Yaccarino: ‘X’s Ads Business Is Not Falling Short’
Former X CEO Linda Yaccarino told Adweek that the platform’s advertising business is not underperforming, despite reports that ad revenue has slashed roughly in half since Elon Musk’s 2023 takeover. She highlighted X’s role as the go‑to source for breaking...
AI-Powered Tools Are Reshaping Ad Tech and Monetization
This was fun … great chat on RiskReversal Media w Dan Nathan and Michael Nathanson MoffettNathanson LLC We talked about - is programmatic going away? Are agents replacing ad tech stack as we know it? If Claude can get your...
AI-Driven Supply Paths Transform Premium CTV Activation
Where Premium CTV Meets Smarter Activation Jon Mansell from @FreeWheel and Dru Sil from Stagwell join @JeremyBloomHere and @sam_khoury1 from @marketecturetv at @PossibleEvent to discuss how premium CTV activation is evolving through supply path innovation, AI enabled workflows,...
The Illusion of Choice: How Streaming Algorithms Limit What You Watch
The post argues that streaming platforms use recommendation algorithms that create an "illusion of choice," nudging viewers toward familiar content and trapping them in echo chambers. It cites a University of Pennsylvania study showing YouTube’s sidebar recommender forgets partisan bias...
EXCLUSIVE: JIMMY KIMMEL WILL LEAVE ABC WHEN HIS CONTRACT EXPIRES IN 2027
ABC publicly backs Jimmy Kimmel after his recent Melania Trump joke, but insiders say the network has already decided not to renew his contract when it expires in May 2027. The late‑night host’s ratings have been soft and each political...
Indie Film Has an Audience Problem
Independent producer Daren Smith reveals that his recent indie releases attracted only 25,000‑50,000 theatergoers, far short of the 250,000‑500,000 tickets needed to recoup costs and fund future projects. He attributes the shortfall to a misaligned audience‑building strategy, arguing that traditional...
The Boys Season 5, Episode 5 Kills Off A Major Member Of The Seven
In the fifth episode of Season 5, titled “One‑Shots,” The Boys eliminates Firecracker (Misty Gray), a former member of The Seven. After Soldier Boy reports her doubts to Homelander, the latter shoves her head into an eagle statue, killing her on...
The Streaming Audience Is Getting Narrower, Not Bigger
The streaming landscape is undergoing a demographic contraction, with audiences concentrating around older, female, and lower‑income viewers. Nielsen reports a 19% YoY rise in U.S. TV‑screen streaming for 2025, yet Greenlight Analytics shows the 25‑34 cohort dropping from 49% to...
Marshals Is Still Disappointing Yellowstone Fans
Paramount’s Marshals, a Yellowstone spinoff centered on Kayce Dutton, has drawn sharp criticism from the franchise’s fanbase, who compare it to a generic crime procedural. Despite the backlash, Nielsen data shows the series ranked as the second‑highest scripted linear TV...
“Deli Boys” Season 2 Teaser Trailer Released
Disney released the first teaser trailer for the second season of the original series “Deli Boys,” slated to premiere on May 28, 2026 on Hulu and Disney+ for U.S. bundle subscribers and internationally on Disney+. The season follows the Dars family as they...
Is Your Content Ready for GenAI?
Media and entertainment firms hold vast, untapped revenue in legacy content archives, yet most lack the infrastructure to scale generative AI (GenAI) initiatives. A new on‑demand webinar hosted by StreamTV Insider introduces a practical readiness framework that evaluates maturity across...
Therapist Urges Parents to Shield Boys From Toxic ‘Manosphere’ in New Book
Psychotherapist Dr. Katie Hurley, author of the newly released "Breaking the Boy Code," is urging parents to discuss emotions, masculinity and media with boys before they encounter the online “manosphere.” She warns that the ecosystem disguises misogyny as self‑improvement and...
UK Launches Official BookTok Bestseller List, Highlighting Social Media’s Power in Publishing
Media Control and TikTok have released the United Kingdom’s first official BookTok bestseller list, using NielsenIQ sales data and TikTok engagement to rank titles for March 2026. Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry leads the chart, while Irish author Chloe Walsh claims...
Arsenal Women v Leicester Women Live Stream, TV Channel – Where to Watch WSL on Tv Today
Arsenal Women host Leicester Women in the Women’s Super League on 29 April 2026, with kickoff at 19:00 BST. The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports. Arsenal, fresh from a 2‑1 semi‑final win over Lyon, need the three...
Peacock Launches Ad‑Free Premium Plus on Roku Channel at $17/Month
NBCUniversal’s Peacock service now offers its ad‑free Premium Plus plan directly through the Roku Channel, priced at $17 per month or $170 annually. The move lets Roku users consolidate subscriptions and adds cloud DVR features, tightening the competition among streaming...
FCC Accelerates ABC License Review, Demanding Early Renewal by May 28
The Federal Communications Commission announced on April 28 that it will fast‑track the renewal review of Disney’s eight ABC local TV stations, citing concerns over the network’s diversity, equity and inclusion practices. ABC must file for renewal by May 28,...
Jack Dorsey-Backed Vine Reboot Divine Launches Publicly with 500,000 Archived Vines and New Posting Tools
Divine, a Vine revival funded by Jack Dorsey’s nonprofit “and Other Stuff,” has gone public on iOS and Android, offering users a fresh six‑second looping video platform. The launch includes an archive of roughly 500,000 historic Vines from about 100,000...
Margo’s Got Money Troubles Season 2: Cast, Rumours & Release Date
Apple TV+ is banking on the novel‑based comedy‑drama *Margo’s Got Money Troubles* to expand its original content slate. The series stars Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman and Nick Offerman, earning positive critic reviews and a growing fanbase. While Apple has not...
Study: Roku's Low-Cost, Ad-Free Howdy Streamer Hits 1 Million Subs
Roku’s ad‑free streaming service Howdy, priced at $2.99 per month, has surpassed 1 million subscribers since its August 2025 launch. The Antenna study shows the service added roughly 300 K users in its first month and continues to attract over 100 K new subscribers...
Substack Promotion Boosts First‑Week Book Sales
lena dunham reportedly sold 60k copies of her book in the first week. she did a ton of press on substack—guest essays, q&as, etc. thought this was an interesting insight that likely also applies to products other than books.
The Bear's Season 5 Becomes Hot Chicken Country Joint
Season 5 of the Bear: they turn it into a hot chicken joint that plays country music.
Building a Defensible Data Business: The Publisher’s Playbook
The article outlines how B2B publishers can monetize latent data assets by building defensible data businesses, citing 67 Bricks' work with the Economist Intelligence Unit, IWSR and others. It presents a taxonomy of five data‑business categories—risk management, regulatory compliance, operational decisions,...
Apple TV Debuts Two New Original F1 Series
Apple TV launches two new original F1 series. Circuits in Focus puts Nico Rosberg & Emelia Hartford on track preview duty. After the race, The POV, with ex-Red Bull technician Calum Nicholas & engineer-creator Christina Roki break down key moments.
Access 48M Brand Newsletters for Competitive Intel
a client just put me onto https://t.co/q5DHTEB883. it indexes every newsletter a brand sends, historically. 48 million emails across 100k+ brands. want to see what your competitor emailed last Black Friday? it's all there. competitive intel gold mine.
Spanish AI Video Startup Magnific Hits $230 Million ARR While Staying Bootstrapped
Magnific, the Spanish AI video platform that evolved from the stock‑image site Freepik, announced $230 million in annual recurring revenue, with half of that coming from video services. The company has remained entirely bootstrapped and profitable, challenging the prevailing belief that...
Publish Unique, Non‑commodity Content to Survive Google Zero
What kind of websites will survive "Google Zero" as AI answers dominate? Because many will thrive Google says you need "Non-commodity Content" So what kind of content should publishers focus on? https://t.co/rS64kOaEnE
No Actor Has Turned Guest Win Into Supporting Win
No actor in Emmy history has won guest drama actor and then converted a supporting drama actor nom for the same role into a win. Bradley Whitford and Christian Clemenson made similar guest-win-to-supporting-nom moves but neither won supporting. https://t.co/ItAjoozK39 @variety https://t.co/oI3KDQ4i2l
Unitree G1 Humanoid Robot: Home Future, Risks, Broken Toe
brilliant, clever as always - keep me until the end. loved the ad insertions for Mercury, too. congrats on launch.
120 Million Users Push Front Page Toward Soul‑Selling Compromise
Fascinating post on the self-styled “front page of the internet”, which has now hit 120mn daily active users but may need to sell its soul to grow from here. https://t.co/Ik2E3cIkv5
Reject YouTube Surveys, Embrace Ungovernable Anti‑Establishment Stance
My anti-establishment get-back comes in the form of never answering those pre-roll YouTube surveys. Become ungovernable.
Shawn Hatosy Moves to Supporting Category After Guest Win
Emmys Surprise: ‘The Pitt’ Star Shawn Hatosy Switches to Supporting Category After Winning Guest for Season 1 https://t.co/ItAjoozK39 via @variety
New Roku Home Screen Could Boost Q1 Growth
Five Strategic Questions for Roku's Q1 2026 Earnings Call $ROKU #1 How Will New Home Screen Accelerate Growth? Roku has been actively beta testing a new home screen that it plans to launch widely later this year... https://t.co/zh5OcdbwBL
Raw Content Needs Structure, Not Chaos
Raw content is having a moment. But natural doesn't mean unplanned. 👀 The best vloggers freestyle within a framework. The vibe can be casual. The craft should never be. 🎯 https://t.co/Sth01qnyrT
Journalists Must Prove Facts Before Reporting Claims
He actually does have to prove that if he wants to report it as happening. It's what journalists do.
AI Faces Far Fewer Regulations than Sandwich Shops
These comparisons are bizarre. A communication/information platform is nothing like a sandwich shop. A closer comparison would maybe be a bookstore, but even so, often all these comparisons are meant to do is manufacture consent for extreme regulation on speech.
Peak Games’ ‘Mafia’ Fuels Turkey’s Booming Gaming Sector
In 2012, Peak Games cofounder Sidar Sahin told the WSJ: “I want a Peak Games mafia.” Peak was acquired by Zynga for $1.85 billion in 2020. Today, more than 65 companies in Turkey trace their lineage back to Peak. Turkey now represents ~4%...
NBC Passed on JAG, Missed NCIS Franchise
CBS military drama "JAG," which spun-off "NCIS," concluded its 10-season run in 2005. After its original home, NBC, opted against a second season, it moved to CBS for another nine seasons. In other words, NBC could have been the home...