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.
Televisa-Univision Faces Pressure From Sports on Rival Networks
Televisa‑Univision posted Q1 revenue of $1.075 billion, a 5% increase year‑over‑year, helped by a 13% rise in Mexican advertising. U.S. ad sales slipped 12% to $310 million, pulling overall ad revenue down 3% to $546 million. Subscription and distribution fees offset some weakness, with streaming service Vix and a new Hulu Live TV bundle lifting subscription revenue 12% to $385 million and distribution fees 15% to $505 million. CEO Daniel Alegre warned that premium sports rights moving to Fox and Telemundo, especially the FIFA World Cup, will intensify pressure on U.S. ad earnings in the coming quarters.
FCC Orders a Review of ABC’s Licenses Amid Feud Between Trump and Kimmel
The Federal Communications Commission ordered a comprehensive review of all broadcast licenses owned by ABC, marking an unprecedented regulatory move. The review is officially linked to an investigation of ABC's diversity and inclusion policies but coincides with President Trump’s public...
Canadian Media and Advertising Sector Contributed $22.6B to GDP in 2024: Report
The Canadian media and advertising sector generated roughly $16.5 billion USD in GDP in 2024, supporting 193,120 jobs. However, digital ad revenue is plummeting as 94% of spend now goes to foreign platforms, siphoning an estimated $8.2 billion USD from the domestic...
This One Note Brought Dozens of New Subscribers. It Took Me 5 Minutes to Write.
The author reveals how a single Substack Note, written in under five minutes, generated over 2,600 likes and continues to attract new subscribers daily. By dissecting the note’s structure, reposting it, and turning successful formats into templates, he built a...
How to Watch Survivor Australia in the US Online for Free to See Returning Players & David Genat as Host
Australian Survivor returns for its 14th season, titled “Redemption,” featuring a blend of veteran players, reality‑TV crossovers, and newcomers, with former contestant David Genat stepping in as host. U.S. fans can watch the show for free on Network 10’s 10Play platform, but...
Mickey Rooney Turned Down One Of The Greatest Sitcom Roles Of All Time, According To Norman Lear
Norman Lear revealed that Mickey Rooney was considered for the iconic Archie Bunker role on All in the Family before Carroll O'Connor was cast. Rooney’s manager expressed interest, but Rooney balked at playing a bigoted character, fearing backlash. He later...
Evangelical Broadcasting Group Asks FCC to Investigate ABC over Jimmy Kimmel Joke
A coalition of evangelical broadcasters filed a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, urging an investigation into ABC over Jimmy Kimmel’s recent joke about First Lady Melania Trump. The FCC, whose chair was appointed by former President Donald Trump,...
Stranger Things Fans Get Exciting Renewal Update From Netflix
Netflix announced that the animated spin‑off "Stranger Things: Tales From ’85" has been renewed for a second season, just days after its first‑season debut. The series is set between Seasons 2 and 3 of the live‑action hit, following the core characters as...
Sony Rolls Out 30-Day Online DRM Check-In For PlayStation Digital Games
Sony announced a new digital‑rights‑management system that forces PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners to connect their consoles to the internet at least once every 30 days. The policy applies to games installed after the March firmware update and cannot...
Snowflake Helps Unlock Data Collaborations with Consent Signals From OneTrust
Snowflake and privacy‑governance leader OneTrust have teamed up to embed OneTrust consent signals directly into Snowflake’s Data Clean Rooms. The integration makes consent data actionable across analytics, activation and data‑sharing workflows, helping marketers ensure privacy‑first collaborations. OneTrust, used by more...
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What Happened to the Cast of “Taxi”? See the Sitcom's Oddballs and Cynics Nearly 50 Years Since the Premiere
The 1978 sitcom *Taxi* blended workplace comedy with heartfelt storytelling, earning 34 Emmy nominations and 26 Golden Globe nods during its five‑season run. Its ensemble—led by Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza, Andy Kaufman, Jeff Conaway and Christopher Lloyd—has remained...
Authentic Intent Drives Unlimited Impact, Says Oprah
It was wonderful to share the stage with @Oprah at this year’s @youtube Creator Summit and watch her inspire the next generation of storytellers. As Oprah built a global media empire, she stayed true to her roots: authenticity and trust....
VIP Club Recording: New Substack Features, Growing Paid Subscribers & More
In a recent VIP Club mastermind, Yana G.Y. walked participants through Substack’s latest app and publication features, emphasizing tools that streamline paid‑subscriber acquisition. The session highlighted how creators like Hakima T A N T R I K A leverage Instagram and Daniel P. Hirschi uses LinkedIn and...
Warner to Bow 1996 Actioner ‘Eraser’ on 4K Digital and Disc June 16
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment announced a 4K Ultra HD Blu‑ray and digital release of the 1996 action film *Eraser* on June 16, marking its 30th anniversary. The remastered edition includes fresh bonus material featuring director Chuck Russell, star Vanessa Williams, and...
Are Married At First Sight Australia's Gia and Scott Still Together?
During the latest homestay week on Married At First Sight Australia, Gia Fleur and Scott McCristal’s relationship unraveled, culminating in an official split. The pair’s trust issues—highlighted by disputes over a pink neck brace and differing expectations—proved insurmountable despite earlier...
Omnicom and iHeartMedia Put Numbers on Audio’s Ad Gap
Omnicom Media and iHeartMedia released a study of 3,500 U.S. adults that quantifies the advertising shortfall in audio, which commands roughly one‑third of daily media consumption. The research found audio ads generate a 22‑point lift in unaided recall and significant...
ESPN Locks In Wall-to-Wall Lacrosse Coverage for 2026 PLL & WLL Season
ESPN will stream every 2026 Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL) game on its app, while airing select marquee matchups on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. The five‑year rights deal, signed last year, also gives ESPN a minority...
Five New Cast Revealed For New Hulu/Disney+ Series “Phony”
20th Television is developing a new coming‑of‑age mystery series titled “Phony,” set to debut on Hulu in the United States and on Disney+ internationally. The show follows teen Sonny, who awakens after a car crash to discover his mother has...
Charlize Theron's "Apex" Lands 66% on Rotten Tomatoes, Igniting Critic Split
Charlize Theron's latest Netflix thriller, "Apex," earned a 66% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 53 critics, while audience scores sit at 56%. Critics praise the film’s visuals and lead performances but fault its lack of emotional depth, sparking a...
Oprah Winfrey's Podcast Joins Amazon's Streaming Suite in Multiyear Deal
Oprah Winfrey has signed a multiyear licensing agreement to bring her twice‑weekly podcast to Amazon’s streaming ecosystem, including Prime Video, Amazon Music, Fire TV and Audible. The deal also licenses all 25 seasons of The Oprah Winfrey Show, positioning Amazon...
Quip’s Surreal Toothbrush Ad Triggers AI Authenticity Debate
Quip’s new 15‑second electric‑toothbrush ad, built with practical effects, was widely assumed to be AI‑generated. The brand’s rapid behind‑the‑scenes reveal sparked a broader conversation about authenticity in marketing as 68% of U.S. consumers question the reality of online content.
Magnite Rolls Out AI Buyer Agent and SpringServe Mediation with Disney, Spectrum Reach, Kepler, MiQ
Magnite announced an AI‑powered upgrade to its supply‑side platform and SpringServe video mediation, debuting a buyer‑side agent and three AI‑assisted mediation features. The rollout involves Disney Advertising, Spectrum Reach, Kepler and MiQ, marking the broadest partner set in a single...
Spotify Beats Q1 Revenue Forecast but Guidance Triggers 13% Stock Drop
Spotify reported Q1 2026 revenue of €4.53 billion ($5.3 billion), up 8% YoY, and added 3 million premium subscribers to reach 293 million. Despite the beat, the company’s modest Q2 guidance and a dip in ad‑supported revenue sparked a 13% plunge in its stock.
Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Renewed For Season 2 At Netflix
Netflix announced that its animated spin‑off *Stranger Things: Tales From ’85* has been renewed for a second season, slated to premiere in the fall of 2024. The series, set in the winter of 1985 between Seasons 2 and 3 of the live‑action...
Russian Disinformation Operation Storm-1516 Generates Hundreds of Millions of Views on Social Media
A Russian influence operation known as Storm-1516 has posted more than 190 fabricated stories since August 2023, including a viral video linking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Jeffrey Epstein that alone drew 2.9 million views. The campaign, spread through the X...
Seven Free AI-Powered Transcription Tools for Journalists
Seven AI‑powered transcription services targeting journalists have been compiled, each offering a free tier that eliminates manual note‑taking. Riverside stands out with unlimited free transcription and no sign‑up, while Good Tape grants three 30‑minute transcriptions per month. Otter.ai supplies 300...
ENCO Introduces AI-Driven Video Ad Creation Platform
ENCO unveiled SPOTai, an AI‑driven platform that creates 1080p video advertisements from simple text prompts, expanding its SPECai technology beyond audio sales tools. The system guides users through brand setup, then generates fully edited video ads ready for TV, digital,...
Nielsen Integrates Triton Digital Data, Spotify’s Q1 Report, & More
Nielsen has integrated Triton Digital’s Podcast Metrics Demos+ data into its Media Impact (NMI) planning platform and launched Predictive Sales Lift, a tool that forecasts sales lift for incremental video ads. Spotify reported Q1 2026 premium subscribers up 9% to...
The End Is Near: Adobe Partners With Anthropic to Allow for Agentic AI Creation
Adobe announced a partnership with Anthropic to launch the “Adobe for creativity connector,” letting Claude, Anthropic’s LLM, orchestrate multi‑step workflows across more than 50 Creative Cloud apps. The integration enables users to generate assets, edit photos, vectors, and reformat video...
Braves Say New TV Network Is on Pace to Beat Old RSN Revenue
The Atlanta Braves launched their own regional sports network, BravesVision, in February after cutting ties with Main Street Sports. Team president Derek Schiller says the venture is already on track to equal or exceed the $188.6 million broadcasting revenue the club...
Twitch Drops clips.twitch.tv, Shows Username on New Clips
Twitch appears to have retired the clips.twitch.tv/ linking system. New clips now feature the creator's username. Old clips are automatically redirected to this system.
Scale Meta Ads with Hundreds of Fresh Creatives
The brands scaling to 100K/day on Meta right now aren't doing it with better targeting. They're doing it with 80-100+ new creatives a month. Not variations. Genuinely different concepts. The algorithm is better at finding buyers than you are. Your job is to...
Why ‘Euphoria’ Creator Sam Levinson Had to Reshoot Episode 3’s Shocking Climax
Sam Levinson revealed that the original shoot of Euphoria Season 3, Episode 3’s wedding‑night climax felt too much like a generic action sequence, prompting a full reshoot. Working with cinematographer Marcell Rév, they re‑imagined the scene to align with the season’s deliberate...
Senate Democrat Condemns FCC Disney Review as Unconstitutional Censorship
Senate Democrat on early @FCC review of Disney broadcast licenses: "This is authoritarian censorship. It’s unconstitutional and unacceptable" https://t.co/BQw4DCMuDJ
Gotham TV Awards Nominees Spotlight Diverse New Series
‘Pluribus,’ ‘Beef,’ ‘I Love LA,’ ‘Big Mistakes,’ ‘Death By Lightning’ Among This Year’s Gotham TV Awards Nominees https://t.co/WMhhQruwZb via @variety
Is Film and TV Production in Los Angeles Starting to Turn the Corner?
Los Angeles film and TV production is showing early signs of recovery after a steep decline, driven by California's expanded tax‑credit program. FilmLA reported a 10% increase in shoot days in Q1 2026, with feature filming surging 52% year‑over‑year while TV...
KNX Switches 97.1 FM From News to Sports Talk
Audacy's KNX will replace news on 97.1 FM with a sports talk format https://t.co/ERm8bVGs3R @latimes
Tempo Basketball's Canadian TV Deal Details Expected This Week
Here's viewership info on tomorrow's game. Some of you asked about this: From everything I've heard, I would expect info/details about @TempoBasketball 's Canadian TV deals to come out very soon and I'll predict this week.
Can Media Companies Ever Claw Back Advertising Revenue From Big Tech?
Publishers have long hoped that better targeting and programmatic tools could reclaim ad dollars siphoned by Google, Meta and now Amazon. Rick Erwin, CEO of Adstra, argues that the dominant platforms’ advantage stems from far superior, unified consumer data and...
Official Update Confirms Far Cry TV Series Is Coming
Highly Anticipated 'Far Cry' TV Adaptation Gets the Official Update Fans Have Been Waiting For [Exclusive] https://t.co/Kl5XBHylbR
Nexstar's Antitrust Timing Raises Questions on Power Flex
Not sure why I am not allowed to reply to @brianstelter post, but I think Nexstar/Tegna and Sinclair silence has more to do with pending antitrust case. Is this really the time for Nexstar to flex and demonstrate its power...
Jemaine Clement and Nicola Walker Ask If You Can Date Your Best Friend’s Daughter in Disney+ Canneseries Winner ‘Alice and...
Disney+ drama "Alice and Steve" swept the 2026 Canneseries awards, taking Best Series, a Special Interpretation prize for its ensemble, and a Student Award. The show follows best friends Alice (Nicola Walker) and Steve (Jemaine Clement) as Steve begins a...
The Trade Desk’s Jeff Green Tells Agencies ‘We Want to Help’ After Months of Tension
The Trade Desk CEO Jeff Green addressed ad agencies at Possible 2026, acknowledging the mounting margin pressure they face from tighter budgets, AI adoption, and a more complex media supply chain. He emphasized that agencies are being squeezed as money is...
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Suffers A Major Viewership Drop
Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again season 2 recorded a sharp viewership decline, with Luminate Data reporting only 4.5 million views and 10.8 million hours watched across the first five episodes. Compared with season 1’s 8.3 million views and 24 million hours in the same period, the series...
Disney to Share ‘Cars: Lightning Racers’ and Other First Looks at Annecy
Disney Television Animation is using the Annecy Festival (June 21‑27) to unveil first looks at three upcoming Disney+ series. The preschool‑focused "Cars: Lightning Racers," slated for a 2027 Disney Jr. debut, will be featured in the festival’s Work‑In‑Progress program. "The Doomies," a...
Treat Customer Service Replies as Guide, Not Proof
lol to his point i will say that using the customer service replies as a source is not great. on its own it is flimsy as a journalistic source. like using police scanners for reporting crime, use it as a...
“Like Nailing Jell-O to a Wall”: Why Unions Are Struggling to Protect Journalists’ Rights in the Age of AI
Journalists at ProPublica walked off the job for 24 hours, marking the first U.S. newsroom strike centered on artificial‑intelligence safeguards. Similar actions unfolded in Italy, where the main journalists’ union called a two‑day strike over AI policy gaps, and at...
'Euphoria' Showrunner Sam Levinson & Cinematographer Marcell Rev
In this episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast, creator Sam Levinson and cinematographer Marcel Rev discuss the visual evolution of HBO’s “Euphoria” as it enters its third season. They explain how they shifted from a subjective, memory‑like digital aesthetic to...
Influencers Aren't Optional Anymore - They Are Critical to Any Good Media Plan
Influencer marketing has shifted from a peripheral add‑on to the backbone of modern social media plans. With 61% of consumers trusting creator recommendations more than brands, algorithms now favor influencer content, making it the most effective tool for reach, persuasion,...
MSN Removed My Content, Causing 90% View Drop
“Within 24 hours, my views on MSN dropped by 90 percent. My articles were no longer highlighted on MSN pages; you couldn’t find them even if you were one of the 7,000 people who elected to follow me on the...