Today's Media Pulse
Online video subscriptions hit 2.24 billion in 2025, overtaking pay‑TV revenue
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, surpassing pay‑TV's $170 billion for the first time. Growth is expected to slow to single‑digit levels in 2026 as operators focus on monetising existing users.
Also developing:
"American Idol" Scores 5.3 Million Total Viewers with Biggest Audience in Over 2 Months During Taylor Swift Night
American Idol aired a Taylor Swift‑themed episode on April 27, 2026, drawing 5.34 million total viewers and a 0.42 rating in the coveted Adults 18‑49 demo. The broadcast topped all entertainment programs that night and posted a 5% week‑over‑week gain, its strongest audience since February 23. Social activity surged, with 1.6 million interactions, making it the most‑social entertainment show of the evening. The network previewed a 20th‑anniversary high‑school reunion special for May 4, promising further ratings lift.
Not So FAST
In this episode, host John Gingek chats with industry veteran Gavin Bridge—formerly a researcher, Variety analyst, and head of fast channels at Amazon MGM—about the structural flaws in today’s streaming model. Bridge argues that the industry’s focus on binge‑worthy tentpole...
Bay Broadcasting Goes National with Radio Nova, Classic Hits Radio, and Sunshine 106.8
Bay Broadcasting, Ireland’s second‑largest radio group, announced that its three stations—Radio Nova, Classic Hits Radio and Sunshine 106.8—will launch on national DAB via the Failte DAB Mux2 trial. The rollout will cover roughly 85% of the population, adding an estimated 2.5 million...
ENCO Adds Real-Time Voice Translation for Broadcast and AV
ENCO unveiled enSpeak, a real‑time voice translation layer that sits on its enCaption live‑captioning platform. The solution delivers natural‑sounding, low‑latency audio translations and extends multilingual text to smartphones and browsers via enTranslate Mobile. It can be deployed in cloud, on‑premises...
The Boys Season 5s Supernatural Reunion Is a Bloody Good Time
Season 5 of The Boys delivers a surprise crossover in episode five, “One‑Shots,” where Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins reunite on screen as Soldier Boy, Mister Marathon and Malchemical. The trio briefly incapacitates Homelander, providing a rare moment of...
Account Director, Podcast
SiriusXM subsidiary AdsWizz is hiring an Account Director to lead revenue growth for its podcast advertising platform. The role will manage high‑value publisher relationships, develop strategic account plans, and coordinate with product, engineering, and business development teams. Candidates need at...
A Quick Follow-Up — How to Switch to Annual
Elena, author of the Substack newsletter Motherhood Until Yesterday, announced a deadline for subscribers to switch from a monthly to an annual plan. The annual subscription is $50 per year if changed before May 14, after which the price will increase...
5 TV Myths It's Time To Stop Believing Once And For All
The article debunks five persistent TV‑buying myths, showing that 4K adds little value on screens under 44 inches, premium HDMI cables don’t improve picture quality, extended warranties are often overpriced, contrast‑ratio specifications are inconsistent, and OLED burn‑in is rarely a...
National Legacy Media Benefited From Fund Meant for "Local Journalism"
The Liberal government’s Local Journalism Initiative (LJI), launched in 2019 with a $50 M CAD (≈$37 M USD) budget to aid news deserts, has largely funded legacy media. Records disclosed that major outlets such as the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, Winnipeg Free Press...
The Scoop: Disney Says It’s ‘Prepared to Fight’ FCC License Review
The Federal Communications Commission announced an accelerated review of broadcast licenses for Disney’s ABC stations, citing an investigation into the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The action follows President Donald Trump’s public criticism of ABC after a Jimmy Kimmel...
‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Trailer Reveals August Premiere Date
Apple TV+ announced that the fourth season of the hit series "Ted Lasso" will premiere on August 5, 2026, with new episodes airing weekly through October 7. The season follows Ted Lasso as he takes on the challenge of coaching...
‘ATSC 1.0 Must Go’
At the 2026 NAB Show, Sinclair/ONE Media displayed a bold "ATSC 1.0 Must Go" message, underscoring industry pressure to retire the legacy digital‑TV standard. Proponents argue that only by sunsetting ATSC 1.0 can broadcasters fully exploit ATSC 3.0’s spectrum efficiency and new data services. Meanwhile,...
Enjoy New Ways to Create, Search and Stream on Google TV
Google TV announced a suite of AI‑powered features that let users create images and videos, search and remix Google Photos by voice, and enjoy dynamic slideshows. The tools, branded Nano Banana and Veo, are available today on Gemini‑enabled TCL Google...
Why On-Screen Tension Works Best when Audiences Don’t Know What’s Next
Television writers deliberately withhold information to create suspense, using pauses, cliffhangers, and misdirection to keep audiences engaged. By timing delayed reveals and balancing character knowledge, they amplify curiosity and drive viewers to stay tuned. The same principles apply to games...
Expedia Bets on Creator-Led Marketing with IShowSpeed Partnership
Expedia has signed a global partnership with livestream star IShowSpeed to capture Gen Z travelers, launching a Caribbean‑focused, 12‑hour livestream and a dedicated Exspeedia.com hub. The campaign blends real‑time travel discovery with fan‑driven interactivity, allowing users to watch behind‑the‑scenes footage, book...
‘CW Sports’ Gets Streaming Boost With ESPN App Deal
The CW Network’s sports division, CW Sports, will begin streaming its live events on the ESPN app through the ESPN Unlimited subscription, with a launch targeted for summer 2026. The partnership adds more than 800 hours of college football, basketball, NASCAR,...
Luke Grimes on Stepping Back Into the Shoes (and Cowboy Hat) of Kayce in Yellowstone Spin-Off Marshals
Luke Grimes returns as Kayce Dutton in the new Paramount+ series "Marshals," a spin‑off of the hit drama Yellowstone. The show follows Kayce, now a U.S. Marshal, merging his cowboy roots with his Navy SEAL training to enforce law across...
How to Turn Text to Video News Without a Production Team
AI-driven text‑to‑video platforms now let companies turn press releases, blogs, or internal memos into broadcast‑style news clips without a film crew. Pollo AI’s solution combines a digital avatar, news‑grade graphics and automatic voice‑over, delivering a finished video in minutes. The...
Retail Media Silos, Measurement, and Misconceptions Continue to Stymie Growth
Retail media spend is projected to near $70 billion in 2024, yet growth remains uneven. Amazon and Walmart dominate the market, using scale and first‑party data that smaller retailers can’t easily replicate. Executives at an ADWEEK House forum highlighted persistent challenges...
Ted Lasso: Season Four — Has the Apple TV+ Series Been Renewed or Cancelled Yet?
Apple TV+ has not confirmed whether Ted Lasso will return for a fourth season. The critically acclaimed sports comedy‑drama, starring Jason Sudeikis, wrapped its third season amid hints it could be the series’ end. The platform’s habit of keeping viewership...
How (and Why) Not to Write to Market
The article argues that "write to market" is misguided advice for authors. While understanding market trends is essential, chasing fleeting fads leads to books that miss the publishing window and feel derivative. Instead, writers should align their genuine passions with...
Why Publishing Still Confuses Artists (and What to Do About It)
Stephen Sawyerr, head of publishing at Giant Artist, argues that today’s artists often mistake publishing for full ownership and overlook its strategic value. He explains that modern co‑publishing deals typically grant the artist a 50% share of the underlying IP...
The YouTuber to Movie Director Pipeline
A growing subset of YouTubers treats the platform as a creative laboratory rather than a profit engine, using their channels to hone filmmaking skills and build ready‑made audiences. These creators, often focused on horror, action, gaming or anime, have leveraged...
The White Lotus: Season Four; Laura Dern Joins HBO Series in Recasting
HBO’s hit anthology _The White Lotus_ has recast a key role for its fourth season, bringing Oscar‑winner Laura Dern in to replace Helena Bonham Carter. Creator Mike White is writing a new character specifically for Dern, though plot details remain under wraps....
Press Pool Could Streamline AI Trials, but Risks Missing Nuance
Shakeel is right and makes an important point. There are so many AI stories happening right now and far too many get missed. I wonder if Musk v. Altman trial could be covered more like a political press pool, with one...
Live Interview with Maya Hawke on Apple Music
Talking to Maya Hawke live on the radio show in 20 minutes, see ya there @AppleMusic
Why Agents Reject Requested Manuscripts
Agents request full manuscripts only after a query letter and opening pages spark genuine interest. Many writers submit before the manuscript is fully polished, leading agents to see potential but also glaring flaws. Common rejection points include a middlegame that...
Top Broadcaster @WorldWideWob Still Missing From Major Networks
How is @WorldWideWob not on Prime, Peacock or ESPN?! One the great broadcasters of our time — a pure talent. You could build a network around him. https://t.co/CcZtF6AUFs
Legal Tech Media Prioritizes Sponsors Over Unbiased Reporting
there’s literally no real unbiased news in legal technology media. it’s all sponsorship based coverage and takes. that’s why they seem to “miss” on the actual newsworthy things because reporting on it honestly would upset their sponsors
Will Social Media Bans Reshape the Future of Marketing?
A wave of social‑media bans targeting users under 16 is reshaping how marketers reach younger audiences. Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia have already enacted strict age‑verification rules with fines up to roughly $33 million USD, while U.S. states impose varied limits and...
WSJ Repeats Our Client Insights After Seven Weeks
The Wall Street Journal is now telling its readers what we shared with our clients and readers more than seven weeks ago. Subscribe here: https://t.co/uge5K5nfvA
Questions on Anchor Return, PBS Misdirection, and Ad Break Rules
TV Talk: When will a missing @kdka anchor return to the air? Why is a local PBS viewer receiving a PBS station that is not @wqed ? Are there rules around commercial break timing for TV networks? Via @TribLIVE https://t.co/4sJRuzFDRS...
The Testaments Recap: A Woman’s Touch
The Hulu adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s *The Testaments* pivots to Aunt Lydia’s perspective in the episode “Stadium,” where she narrates her own descent into complicity within Gilead’s brutal regime. Ann Dowd’s performance deepens Lydia’s conflicted blend of fear, survival instinct, and...
YouTube Premium: My Best‑Value, Favorite Subscription Ever
LRT: my YouTube premium subscription is by far the best value and my most favorite subscription that has ever existed in the universe.
Apple TV Unveils Ted Lasso Season 4 Trailer, Showcases Richmond Women
Via @justwsports: Apple TV Drops ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Trailer, Spotlights Richmond Women’s Team https://t.co/4TSUPmDzHq
FCC Affirms Two LPFM Application Dismissals
On April 29, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission affirmed the dismissal of two low-power FM (LPFM) construction permit applications filed during the 2023 filing window. The rejected proposals would have established stations in Athens and Selma, Alabama. The FCC’s ruling...
CBS Ratings Plunge Below Four‑million Viewers
FAFO, fascist media. Weeks below 4 million. Schadenfreude, thine abbreviation is Bari. CBS’ Ratings Calamity https://t.co/mAhYeV8hrm
Cruz Slams FCC for ABC License Review, Defends Free Speech
Ted Cruz Rips FCC Over ABC Broadcast License Review Following Kimmel Joke: ‘It Is Not Government’s Job to Censor Speech’ https://t.co/H6WjbWbbdi via @variety
The Missing Ukrainian Reporter, the Russian Prison – and a Vital Lesson Learned About Journalism in a Dangerous Age |...
In February 2025 the body of Ukrainian reporter Viktoriia Roshchyna was returned after a Russian‑Ukrainian prisoner exchange, revealing missing organs and signs of torture. Roshchyna had vanished while investigating disappearances in Russian‑occupied Ukraine and died in the notorious Taganrog prison....
Nature's $13k Pay‑to‑Publish Model Enriches Journals, Not Scientists
Also, the pay-to-publish model, as high as $13,000 in Nature Journals get rich, everyone else (scientists, public), poor
Google Monopolizes Ad Stack, Siphoning Data and Revenue
Incredible data on revenue shift from services you choose to interact to surveillance capitalists. Google, as an adjudicated illegal monopolist over the ad stack, captures an extraordinary amount of this value - revenue and data - to fuel its interests...
Netflix Announces Another Series Called Lovesick, This Time with Claire Danes
Netflix announced a new drama series called *Lovesick* starring Claire Danes as a breast‑cancer surgeon confronting her own diagnosis, marking her return to the platform after *The Beast In Me*. A24’s UK division secured TV rights to Alexis Hall’s BookTok‑fueled...
Vignette Ads Trigger Google Penalty, AI Mode Sticky
It's New 4/29 - AdSense Vignette Ads Trigger Google Penalty, AI Mode Gets Sticky & Preview Impact Of Negative Keywords https://t.co/K7mBjwqDdd with @gregfinn and @mordyoberstein - the most annoying show ever
The Case for Making Human Judgement Visible
The 2026 WARC Consumer Trends report finds 78% of consumers demand clear labeling of AI‑generated content, putting publishers at a crossroads between cost‑cutting automation and transparency. While AI already powers transcription, tagging and ad ops, the report urges firms to...
Omnicom Routinizes Agentic Buys, Compresses Media Supply Chain
Omnicom has moved its home‑grown OMNI platform from pilot to routine use, employing an agentic media‑buying protocol that enables direct, agent‑to‑agent transactions with publishers. The approach, described as a way to shorten the media supply chain, is powered by the...
No Confederacy of Bots Here
The post curates a handful of high‑quality Civil War videos and books to cut through the flood of AI‑generated content online. It highlights Camp Nelson, where 10,000 Black Union soldiers trained and were later attacked, and notes a research team...
NFL Media Deals Reshaped
The Varsity * Yahoo hires a new head of sports. * Main Street Sports RSNs aren't going dark this week. * A bull case for college basketball. Guggenheim analyst Mike Morris assesses how the negotiating table has shifted for the NFL and its media...
Ndovesha AI Launches Unified AI Agent Platform for Marketing, Content Creation and Digital Growth
Ndodesha AI unveiled an expanded all‑in‑one AI agent platform that lets businesses generate marketing assets, automate content creation, and launch digital properties from a single workspace. The suite includes agents for social media images, ad creatives, videos, logos, landing pages,...
Sports Bundles Split Across Three Streaming Platforms
The sports bundle is being rebuilt. The problem is it's being built in 3 places. ESPN: NFL Network, https://t.co/8Jco4DeBci, CW Amazon Prime: NBA League Pass, Peacock, Paramount+ YouTube TV: Easy channel-flipping, smaller networks https://t.co/5hmzyDiIBo
FCC Demands Early Review Of Disney's Broadcast Licenses
The Federal Communications Commission has ordered Disney to submit an early renewal request for the broadcast licenses of its ABC‑owned stations, citing concerns over the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In parallel, Cumulus Media reported a 12.2% year‑over‑year...