Substack Launched Its Own Talkshow.
Substack announced the launch of its first original talkshow, extending the platform beyond text‑based newsletters into video‑driven interviews. The debut comes as the subscription‑media market heats up, highlighted by The New York Times hitting 13 million total subscribers and adding 310,000 digital‑only users in Q1 2026. A Harvard youth poll showed 59% of respondents feel the country is off‑track, underscoring broader cultural anxieties. The talkshow aims to attract creators seeking new formats while reinforcing Substack’s position as a diversified publishing hub.
MAGA Slayer Adam Mockler, Former FBI Official Frank Figluzzi, and Independent Journalist Nick Valencia
The Jim Acosta Show released a paid Substack episode on May 6, 2026 featuring Adam Mockler, a self‑described “MAGA Slayer,” former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi, and independent journalist Nick Valencia. The conversation delved into media bias, election integrity, and the...
Oscar Isaac Is Set to Lead Netflix’s Las Vegas Casino Drama / James Marsden to Star in Apple TV Thriller...
Oscar Isaac will headline Netflix’s upcoming Las Vegas casino drama, developed by the creators of “Billions” with Martin Scorsese attached as executive producer. Apple TV+ announced James Marsden as the lead of a new thriller series, adding to its push...
Ted Turner Forever Changed the Way We Consume Sports
In 1976 Ted Turner purchased the Atlanta Braves and, a year later, began broadcasting their games on his fledgling Turner Broadcasting System. By turning the team into a national “superstation” on TBS, he gave fans across the United States regular...
Media Rights & Wrongs Under Trump | First Draft with Susan Demas & Media Critic Jennifer Schulze
The blog post argues that a free press is a cornerstone of democracy but faces mounting threats from corporate media consolidation and the Trump administration’s antagonistic stance toward journalists. It highlights how Trump’s frequent attacks on news outlets have eroded...
Call for Submissions
What's in My NOW?, a reader‑supported Substack newsletter, announced a call for submissions on May 6, 2026. Contributors are asked to share six items—three physical, two digital, and one invisible—that are most significant to them. Submissions selected for the newsletter...
Would Ted Turner Have Prevented the Downward Spiral of Television’s Economic Value, Reputation, and Advertiser Commitment?
Ted Turner's failed 1985 bid to acquire CBS marked a turning point, as the broadcast industry chose preservation over the disruptive vision that had built CNN and cable networks. The ensuing decades saw a cascade of mega‑mergers—Viacom‑Paramount, AOL‑Time Warner, AT&T‑Time...
Comic Creators Struggling to Survive Despite a Thriving Industry
A new UK Comics Creators Research Report reveals that despite record sales, most creators are financially insecure. In 2025 the market hit £78.7 million (about $100 million), a 13.9% rise, yet 89% of creators earning from traditional publishing earn below the national...
Bayern Munich v PSG Live Stream, TV Channel – Where to Watch Champions League on Tv Today
Bayern Munich will host Paris Saint‑Germain for the Champions League semi‑final second leg on 6 May 2026, kicking off at 20:00 BST and streamed in the UK on TnT Sports 1. PSG entered the match after a historic 5‑4 first‑leg win in Paris,...
Ted Turner
Ted Turner’s launch of CNN in 1980 introduced the world’s first 24‑hour news channel, using satellite and cable to create a continuous news stream. The model sparked a wave of superstations and reshaped how audiences consume information, offering real‑time coverage...
Here’s To You, Ted Turner
Ted Turner’s founding of CNN in 1980 introduced the first 24‑hour news channel, reshaping how information is delivered worldwide. His hands‑on outreach secured political figures like Jerry Brown and enabled rapid coverage of crises, exemplified by the network’s on‑the‑fly reporting...
NYT Subs Surpass 13 Million, ARPU Sneaks Higher
The New York Times reported 13.08 million total subscribers in Q1, a 2.3% increase, with digital‑only subscriptions driving most of the growth. Digital‑only revenue rose 16.1% year‑over‑year, while print revenue slipped 9.8%, pushing overall revenue up 17.3% to $712 million. Average revenue per user...
New Children’s Imprint at TokyoPop
TokyoPop announced the launch of a new children’s imprint, TokyoPop Kids, slated for release this fall. The line will publish manga, graphic novels, picture books, chapter books, and middle‑grade novels aimed at younger readers. By creating a dedicated imprint, TokyoPop...
Links of Interest: May 6, 2026
Jane Friedman’s premium newsletter offers weekly reporting and analysis on traditional publishing, marketing, culture, and AI, targeting industry professionals. Subscribers gain access to over 3,000 searchable premium articles and continuously updated private resource guides. The paid model emphasizes curated, ad‑free...
Peacock Takes Us Back to Miami for “M.I.A” Vice and Vengeance
Peacock debuting "M.I.A," a nine‑episode crime‑revenge series set in the Florida Keys, arrives on May 7. Created by Bill Dubuque of "Ozark" fame and run by former "Dexter" showrunner Karen Campbell, the show follows sisters Etta Tiger Jonze (Shannon Gisela) and...
Chronicle Accepting Unagented Children’s Work Through May 10
Chronicle announced that it will accept unagented children’s book manuscripts through May 10, coinciding with Children’s Book Week. The call is open to writers without literary representation, offering a direct route to the publisher’s editorial team. Submissions are limited to the...
Day 15: Her Video Got 99% of People to Show Up
Creator Sam Vander Wielen introduced a video‑first onboarding flow that asks new subscribers a single question and replies with a personalized video. Using VideoAsk, she sent over 250 individual video responses for a recent workshop, resulting in almost all recipients...
Submit Your Writing to Be Featured in The Open Letters
The Open Letters, a Substack publication with over 40,000 readers and part of a 160,000‑subscriber network, is accepting submissions for its June‑August issues. Each month eight essays are chosen, with June offering six slots and July/August eight each, and the...
Ted Turner, CNN Founder and Cable TV Pioneer, Dies at 87
Ted Turner, the visionary founder of CNN and a pioneer of cable television, died at age 87. Over four decades, he built a media empire that introduced the first 24‑hour news channel, popularized satellite‑distributed cable, and launched landmark brands like...
(Podcast) The Rebound 597: Jeeves As A Butler
The Rebound episode 597, titled “Jeeves As A Butler,” drops on Six Colors and moves from a sluggish opening into sharp, humor‑laden rants about modern advertising, the state of artificial intelligence, and the outsized influence of venture capitalist Marc Andreessen. The...
How I Engineer Substack Titles that Pull 84+ Subscribers (in Under 20 Minutes)
The post reveals that Substack writers lose growth because they craft titles after the article, a practice the author calls writing titles backwards. By engineering headlines first—using a 20‑minute systematic process—writers can boost subscriber acquisition, with examples showing 84+ new...
Disney+ Finds Monsters Under the Bed in Latest VCCP Spot
Disney+ continues to lean on nostalgia as a growth engine, and its latest VCCP‑produced spot epitomizes that tactic. The two‑minute film stitches together iconic moments—from Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. to the eerie tone of The Sixth Sense and the gritty world...
Social Media Bans: Boom or Bust?
Australia’s new law banning under‑16s from social media took effect in December 2025. Early compliance data shows roughly 70% of children still use the biggest platforms, with little change in app‑store rankings. Enforcement is hampered by unreliable age‑verification tech, privacy concerns,...
5 Reasons a Strong Book Proposal Matters
Nonfiction publishing hinges on the book proposal, which acts as the primary sales tool for agents, editors, and marketers. A well‑crafted proposal proves market insight, author credibility, and writing skill, while also serving as a long‑term roadmap for the manuscript...
Submitting Your Novel? Make Sure Your Sample Pages Are Irresistible
The Forever Workshop blog post breaks down what literary agents look for in novel sample pages, featuring insights from publishing experts Jane Friedman, Karin Gillespie, and agent Erin C. Niumata. It explains why dramatic openings can backfire, introduces a line‑level...
BREAKING: Big Changes Are Coming to Lev Remembers — And the Old Media Game Ends Today
Lev Remembers founder Lev Parnas announced a major platform overhaul, introducing new subscriber features, live breakdowns, and additional shows starting tomorrow. The rollout emphasizes source‑based reporting drawn from Parnas' personal experience in Trump’s inner circle and foreign oligarch networks. He...
Greece Greenlights €750 Million “Greece On Screen” Strategy to Transform Its Audiovisual Sector - Industry / Market - Greece
The Greek government has approved a five‑year "Greece On Screen" strategy, earmarking €750 million (about $818 million) for 2026‑2030 to boost the country's audiovisual sector. The plan expands incentives beyond film and TV to animation, digital games and music‑related projects, and funds...
Polanski Is Painted as a Monster While Farage Escapes Proper Scrutiny
The Times published a cartoon that employed classic antisemitic imagery to depict Green Party leader Zack Polanski, sparking complaints from the party and highlighting a surge in antisemitic incidents targeting him. Polanski’s background and recent statements were heavily scrutinized in...
Court Ruling Shuts Out Pirate Streaming Channel livetv.sx in Germany
A German court ordered ISPs to block livetv.sx, a long‑standing illegal sports streaming platform that has operated for more than 13 years across the DACH region. The ruling was secured after the DFL and DAZN supplied extensive data and technical...
Claim of the Day: All Finns Watch Classical Concerts
Finnish Radio extended British conductor Nicholas Collon's contract and reported that 4.3 million viewers tuned in to Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra concerts in 2025. With Finland’s total population at roughly 5.7 million, the outlet suggested that almost every Finn watches classical concerts....
Man on Fire's Yahya Abdul-Mateen Can’t Match Denzel Washington’s Cool / The Bear Prequel Is a Reminder of when the...
Netflix’s new series "Man on Fire" starring Yahya Abdul‑Mateen II attempts to revive the 2004 Denzel Washington film, but critics say the lead lacks the original’s effortless cool. The review appears alongside commentary on the "The Bear" prequel, which many...
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins: Season Two Renewal Set for NBC Comedy Series
NBC has officially renewed the sports‑centric sitcom *The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins* for a second ten‑episode season, extending the story of disgraced football star Reggie Dinkins into the 2026‑27 broadcast year. The first season, created by Robert Carlock...
Wednesday Briefing: Serie A Consider Media Company for International TV Rights Sale
Serie A is evaluating the creation of a stand‑alone media company to sell its international television rights, potentially bringing in financial investors while keeping governance separate from the league. The proposal is in an early exploratory phase and follows earlier...
When IP Travels, Where Does Value Go?
The column argues that intellectual property (IP) is evolving from static formats into an operating system that circulates across broadcast, streaming, FAST, YouTube and social channels. As IP travels, value can be extractive, transitional or compounding, with each movement either...
Saturday TV Ratings 5/2/26: Saturday Night Live Ratings to Come, NBA Playoffs Hit 27-Year High for First Round Game, Kentucky...
Saturday night television on May 2, 2026 delivered a standout performance for NBC as the NBA playoff matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics drew 8.86 million viewers, registering a 2.16 rating and a 30 share in the coveted 18‑49...
Saturday TV Ratings: 48 Hours, The Go-Gos, NHL Hockey, NBA Playoffs, MLB Baseball
Saturday, May 2, 2026 TV ratings show CBS’s true‑crime series 48 Hours maintained steady viewership amid a busy sports lineup that featured MLB, the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs and NBA playoffs. The Go‑Go’s special attracted a modest audience, while reruns...
Trump Defamation Theories & Newsom’s Weak Case
California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a defamation suit against Fox News, aiming to expose President Donald Trump’s alleged legal inconsistencies. The complaint argues that if Trump is immune from liability for statements made while in office, he should not be...
NBC Renews The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins for Season 2
NBC has renewed the sports‑mockumentary comedy "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins" for a second season, announced roughly a month after its debut. The series stars Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe, mixing scripted humor with documentary‑style sports storytelling. Strong...
Netflix Announces ‘The American Experiment’ Doc, Featuring Hillary Clinton, Mike Pence, & More
Netflix is debuting a five‑part documentary, *The American Experiment*, on June 24, 2026 to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary. The series, directed by Brian Knappenberger, revisits the nation’s founding, the Revolutionary War, and the Constitution, weaving interviews with more than 60 historians,...
Are Agents Now The Real Publishers? And Are Publishers Making Themselves Redundant?
The article argues that literary agents at the Big Five houses now perform the bulk of manuscript editing, leaving publishers to handle production, marketing, and sales. This shift makes many imprints functionally interchangeable, as they receive already‑polished, generic books. The...
‘Swapped’ Hits For Netflix and Skydance Animation With 15.5M Views In Opening Weekend
Netflix and Skydance Animation’s new film Swapped opened to 15.5 M views and 26.4 M hours watched in its first three days, landing at #2 on the platform’s global weekly top‑10 chart. The debut is the second‑best Friday opening for a Netflix animated...
Goodell Praises Streamers, Suggests Netflix “Bigger” Than some Nets
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell praised streaming platforms as potentially more fan‑friendly than traditional cable, highlighting Netflix’s reach as larger than several regional broadcast affiliates. The league is actively exploring a new five‑game streaming rights package and has been meeting with...
Inside Netflix: How to Sell a Show There Right Now
The post breaks down how creators can successfully pitch shows to Netflix, outlining the streamer’s current content appetite and spending outlook. It highlights that under content chief Bela Bajaria, Netflix continues to chase female‑driven thrillers, action series, YA dramas, and...
The $100 Billion Problem Lurking Inside Digital Video Ads
The digital video ad market has morphed from a transparent, relationship‑driven TV model into a sprawling programmatic ecosystem riddled with hidden fees and fraud. Industry estimates suggest tens of billions—potentially up to $100 billion—are siphoned each year, with some insiders claiming...
TikTok Partners with Vistar Media to Expand Out of Phone Ad Campaigns to over 1M Digital Out-of-Home Placements
TikTok has teamed with programmatic out‑of‑home platform Vistar Media to extend its Out of Phone ad product to more than 1.1 million digital OOH placements, including high‑visibility sites such as Times Square. The partnership builds on the October 2023 launch that originally...
From Answers to Influence: How AI Is Reshaping Social Platforms’ Role in Search
AI is fundamentally reshaping how social platforms serve as search gateways, moving from simple answer delivery to influence‑driven discovery. MIDiA’s Q3 2025 consumer survey shows 52% of generative‑AI users rely on these tools to locate information. Platforms are embedding large language...
Identifying Agency Red Flags and Characteristics of Effective Partnerships
Choosing the right digital‑marketing agency is essential for sustainable growth. Effective partnerships are strategy‑led, collaborative, communicative and results‑driven, ensuring every dollar spent ties to measurable goals. The article outlines red flags such as overpromising, generic cut‑and‑paste tactics, slow response times,...
Why Is Skip Bayless Coming Back to ‘First Take’ Now?
Skip Bayless is returning to ESPN's "First Take" for a one‑off episode, a move framed as a friendly reunion but driven by Stephen A. Smith’s newfound control over the show. "First Take" currently dominates sports‑debate television, holding the top TV...
"The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins" Renewed for Season Two
NBC has renewed the freshman comedy "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins" for a second season after its debut episode drew over 14 million viewers, making it the #1 comedy telecast of the 2025‑26 season across broadcast networks. The show...
NBC and Peacock Deliver the Most-Watched First Round Game 7 in NBA History for Saturday Night's 76ers-Celtics
NBC and its streaming arm Peacock delivered a record‑breaking 11.0 million total audience for the 76ers‑Celtics Game 7, the most‑watched first‑round matchup in NBA history. The broadcast also logged a 9.2 million TV‑only average and a 1.8 million average‑minute audience on Peacock, underscoring the...