TV and Streaming Viewing Picks for April 24, 2026: How to Watch NFL Draft 2nd Round
The NFL’s 2026 Draft enters its second round on April 24, with live coverage on ESPN/ABC and NFL Network beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern. ESPN Unlimited streams the event alongside the traditional broadcast, while pre‑show programming such as Good Morning Football and NFL Live originates from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. The guide also lists a full day of other sports, including NBA playoff games, MLB matchups, and international soccer. Viewers can tune in across cable, satellite, and multiple streaming platforms for a comprehensive sports lineup.
Future Guarantees Advertisers Its New Audience Intelligence Platform Will Boost CTR
Future plc has introduced Helix, a new audience intelligence platform that replaces Aperture and uses first‑party purchase data to match advertisers with high‑intent audiences. The company is guaranteeing advertisers a minimum click‑through‑rate uplift, citing test results showing up to a...
Your LinkedIn Strategy for 2026
The post argues that LinkedIn’s 2026 algorithm has slashed organic reach, making the feed a shrinking arena for short‑form content. Simultaneously, AI models now treat LinkedIn articles as a primary training source, with roughly 75% of AI‑generated citations drawn from...
Thousands of AI‑written, Edited or ‘Polished’ Books Are Being Sold – an Eerie Echo of Orwell’s ‘Novel‑writing Machines’
A wave of AI‑written, edited, and "polished" books is flooding the market, spotlighting the legal fallout from recent AI copyright disputes. In 2025 Anthropic agreed to a settlement of up to $1.5 billion to compensate thousands of authors whose works were...
NBA Playoffs Return to NBC Sports Delivers Big Viewership Gains Over First Three Nights
NBC Sports returned to NBA playoff coverage after a 24‑year hiatus, delivering the network’s strongest early‑round ratings in decades. The first six games averaged 4.9 million viewers, a 38% increase over comparable 2025 coverage, with peaks of 6.7 million on both the...
A&E May 2026 Premiere Highlights
A&E’s May 2026 schedule rolls out a slate of new premieres spanning true‑crime, home‑renovation, culinary, and sports‑entertainment programming. The lineup kicks off with "Squatters" on May 12, followed by three crime‑focused series—"After The First 48," "Interrogation Raw" and the rebranded "Killer Investigations"—all debuting on May 14....
Video: New Featurette - Hulu Original Series "Rivals" Season 2
Hulu’s Emmy‑ and BAFTA‑winning drama “Rivals” returns for a second season on Friday, May 15, 2026. The 12‑episode run is split into two six‑episode batches, with a three‑episode premiere kicking off the first batch and the remainder slated for later...
The Anti-Prestige Prestige Show: Why ‘The Pitt’ Is the Cure for What Ails TV
The Pitt, HBO Max’s low‑budget medical drama, just wrapped its second 15‑episode season, delivering each hour for $4‑5 million—a stark contrast to the $7 million‑plus per‑episode costs of legacy prestige shows. By filming on a single Warner Bros. soundstage with handheld cameras and...
"Scooby-Doo: Origins" Starts Production in Atlanta
Netflix announced that production has started in Atlanta, Georgia for "Scooby‑Doo: Origins," a live‑action reimagining of the classic mystery franchise. The series stars Mckenna Grace as Daphne Blake, Tanner Hagen as Shaggy Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma Dinkley, Maxwell Jenkins...
Is Diet Coke a Win or a Defend for Ogilvy?
Coca‑Cola has handed its UK and EMEA Diet Coke account to Ogilvy, reviving a long‑standing WPP‑Coca‑Cola partnership that now competes with Publicis and other bidders. The deal emphasizes social and influencer marketing, a shift from traditional media that Coke moved to...
Video: "Gordon" - First Look - Netflix
Netflix is set to debut "Gordon," a thriller based on true events from 1970s Argentina. The series follows notorious criminal Aníbal Gordon, tracing his evolution from petty robberies to involvement with violent political factions. It adapts Marcelo Larraquy’s novel of...
Inside the Stream – Netflix Chugs Along, Growing Opportunistically
Netflix posted steady Q1 growth as it shifts toward a more mature, diversified business model. While subscriber engagement slipped 15% year‑over‑year, the company highlighted its expanding ad‑supported tier, video‑podcast traction, and a strategic acquisition of the Radford Studio Center in...
‘The Hotel’ (2026), by Nicole Hazan
American Jewish Book Council has launched Paper Brigade, a program aimed at countering the growing exclusion of Jewish authors from literary platforms. As part of its debut, the council released the speculative short story ‘The Hotel’ by emerging writer Nicole...
The New Media Landscape
The blog argues that a new media era is emerging as creators, journalists and brands bypass traditional gatekeepers to reach audiences directly. Digital platforms now let creators build channels and scale to millions at a fraction of historic production costs....
Pentagon Fires Ombudsman Overseeing Military Newspaper After Calling It ‘Woke’
After labeling the military newspaper Stars and Stripes as “woke,” the Pentagon announced a restructuring of the publication and subsequently terminated its ombudsman, Jacqueline Smith. Smith’s dismissal came without explanation, despite the ombudsman position being mandated by Congress to protect...
How to Promote an Unproven Cancer Cure
A Florida‑based Wellness Company is financing sponsored posts on conservative websites and X accounts that promote a self‑reported survey claiming its ivermectin‑mebendazole pill treats cancer. The study, which surveyed 197 customers, reported 84.4% clinical benefit and 48.4% tumor reduction, but...
The Subway Takes-Ification of NYT Opinion?
The New York Times Opinion section is being criticized for adopting a sterile, white‑room aesthetic that feels more like a curated Substack experience than traditional journalism. The piece points to misplaced nostalgia for VICE‑style edginess, the rollout of phone‑free events,...
Trump Returns to His Reality TV Roots. Who Gets Fired Next?
A wave of high‑profile firings is sweeping Washington as Pentagon chief Whiskey Pete Hegseth ousted Navy Secretary John Phelan and began a loyalty‑driven purge. Simultaneously, FBI Director Kash Patel is rumored to be on the chopping block amid allegations of...
If You've Been Thinking About It… Read This
The Vault, a Substack newsletter focused on deep‑dive crime reporting, is offering a $1 introductory price that expires in 48 hours. The promotion promises daily exclusives, court documents, breaking crime coverage, and insider details unavailable elsewhere. Readers are urged to...
8 Best New Series Coming to Netflix in May 2026: From ‘Lord of the Flies’ to ‘The Boroughs’
Netflix is rolling out eight new series in May 2026, ranging from a four‑episode adaptation of William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” to the Duffer Brothers‑produced sci‑fi horror “The Boroughs.” The lineup mixes prestige literary adaptations, true‑crime drama, an anime...
Day 4: The Milestone Giveaway That Got Her to 30k Subscribers
Aleyda Solis leveraged a milestone‑driven giveaway to push her SEOFOMO newsletter past 30,000 subscribers, adding roughly 1,500 quality contacts in seven weeks. The campaign required existing readers to refer peers, using SEO‑focused tools as prizes and promoting the contest through...
The Content Studio Helping a City Tell Its Story
A boutique content studio is partnering with a major U.S. city to reshape its tourism narrative through a data‑driven social‑media strategy. The studio’s mix of short‑form video, influencer trips and brand‑safe music licensing is generating viral reach, exemplified by a...
The Gotham Television Awards Will Honor The Duffer Brothers And “Stranger Things” With The Visionary Tribute
The Gotham Film & Media Institute will present the Visionary Tribute to Matt and Ross Duffer at the third annual Gotham Television Awards on June 1 in New York. The honor recognizes the Duffer brothers’ creation of Netflix’s global hit...
The TV OS Wars Continue
Omdia’s latest forecast shows Europe’s smart‑TV operating system market remaining fragmented through 2030, with four vendors each holding over 10% share and two more at roughly 5%. Google’s Android TV/Google TV platform, the current leader, peaked at one‑third of shipments...
How Our Ads Bought Us Lufthansa First Class Seats
An online business spent $32,000 on Meta advertising in a single month and routed the expense through the American Express Business Gold Card, earning 128,000 Membership Rewards points. The points were transferred to Aeroplan, allowing the author to redeem 80,000...
COMPLICITY AND COURAGE Guest Speaker Zoom Link, 4/23/2026, 3:00 P.m. EDT
Award‑winning journalist Terry Moran, fired from ABC after a 29‑year tenure over a Stephen Miller post, will host a Zoom talk titled “Complicity and Courage.” The event examines how the Trump administration leveraged media norms, questions the role of the...
Saturday TV Ratings 4/18/26: NBA Playoffs Dominate, To Philly With Love Modest for Hallmark, MLB Down From Last Saturday
Saturday’s TV ratings were led by the NBA playoffs, where the Rockets‑Lakers matchup on ABC pulled a 1.42 rating and 4.92 million viewers, outpacing all other broadcasts. MLB’s regional coverage on Fox drew 2.18 million viewers but slipped to a 0.41 rating,...
How to Edit Audio for Podcast: A Pro Workflow
Podcasters are urged to move beyond a simple trim‑and‑export approach and adopt a "minimum effective edit" that targets the most noticeable flaws. Poor audio can cause a 25‑50% listener drop‑off in the first minute and up to 70% of listeners...
Why Digital Platforms Still Feel Local in a Supposedly Global Internet
Digital platforms project a universal façade, yet local laws, licensing and market‑specific rules shape what users actually see. Apple’s regional app availability and Netflix’s country‑specific catalogs illustrate how legal frameworks fragment the experience. When a service’s access hinges on jurisdiction,...
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Brittany Allen On Bringing Honor to Roxie’s Final Hours on ‘The Pitt’ [VIDEO INTERVIEW]
Brittany Allen joins the Emmy‑winning drama *The Pitt* for a multi‑episode arc in its second season, portraying Roxie Hamler, a woman battling advanced cancer in the hospital’s emergency department. The series has surged in popularity, with Season 2 viewership up roughly...
Cold War Space Race Gets a Twist in First Trailer for Apple TV’s Star City
Apple TV+ unveiled the first trailer for "Star City," an eight‑part alt‑history drama set in the same universe as "For All Mankind." The series flips the Cold War space race, depicting a Soviet Union that lands on the Moon before...
From AI Fear to Action
Neal Bloom’s Rising Tide Partners hosted a Burbank Tech Talks session highlighting how AI is unsettling long‑standing media roles. Attendees, seasoned in film and TV production, recognize AI’s impact but struggle to translate their existing skills into the new landscape....
Advertising as Toruture? Marketing Hits a New Low
Spotify has launched a bold ad campaign that dramatizes the experience of ad‑filled streaming as a form of torture. The visuals—ice‑cold water, feathers, sweat droplets—were created by the agency Machine_ without AI assistance. The campaign, titled “ad‑free music listening,” earned...
ComicScene Paid Substack for Free
ComicScene’s Kickstarter for its 2027 Yearbook is in its final week, offering backers a £10 (≈$13) reward for the 100‑page yearbook or a £20 (≈$26) tier that adds a 48‑page Summer Special and a free paid Substack subscription. The campaign...
If You Can't Beat 'Em: France Télévisions Moves Its News Operation to YouTube
France Télévisions announced a strategic partnership with Google to broadcast its entire news lineup on YouTube, marking a decisive "streaming‑first" shift for the public broadcaster. The move is designed to reclaim advertising revenue that has migrated to digital platforms and...
"Sober and Efficient": France Télévisions Tones Down the Glitz for Cannes 2026
France Télévisions is scaling back its Cannes Film Festival coverage for the 2026 edition, opting for a "sober and efficient" approach. The broadcaster will allocate roughly €30 million (about $32 million) to a streamlined multi‑platform rollout, cutting on‑site staff by 20% and...
The Great Aggregation: Apple TV+ Touches Down on Prime Video in France
Apple’s streaming service Apple TV+ has been added to the French Amazon Prime Video catalog as of April 21. French Prime Video subscribers can now subscribe to Apple TV+ directly through Amazon for €9 per month, roughly $10. The move...
Here Come the TV Outcome Wars
The TV advertising ecosystem is pivoting from traditional rating metrics to outcome‑focused measurement, sparking a wave of new products and acquisitions. Nielsen, while still signing deals, launched an Outcomes Marketplace with RealEyes to capture attention and emotional responses. Meanwhile, challengers...
Thank You - Plus Supercompanies, Storytelling, and More
Scott Galloway’s No Mercy / No Malice newsletter earned the 2026 Webby Award in the Newsletter or Written Series category, highlighting its global reach across 200 countries. The post thanks readers and showcases popular past editions while warning against over‑reliance...
TCWD Podcast: AI Losers
The New York Times terminated a freelance book reviewer after discovering he used AI to help write a review. The incident sparked a backlash that questioned whether the problem lies with underpaid writers turning to technology or with a formulaic editorial process...
Your Notes Performance Just Fell Off a Cliff. Here's the 5-Point Diagnostic to Fix It.
Substack creators experiencing sudden drops in Notes performance can diagnose the cause with a five‑point framework. The guide distinguishes platform throttles, content‑mix shifts, trust dips, posting‑window mismatches, and recommendation‑surface issues. Each symptom has a specific, low‑effort remedy—often simply waiting or...
The Authenticity Collapse: Why Nothing Online Feels Real to Young Adults
A University of Missouri study of more than 700 adults aged 18‑24 finds a growing authenticity gap online. While 79% are comfortable with AI‑generated images and over half accept AI video, only 10% approve AI‑enhanced self‑presentation, and 63% feel social...
What A Producer Does: The Part No One Explained To Me
Film and TV producer Dorez Douglas explains that a producer’s job is far more than raising money or hiring talent – it is the function that keeps a project from falling apart. He describes how creative producers use industry connections,...
The Sound of Rain.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andriy Sybiha says the country’s frontline is the strongest it has been in a year, citing superior drone usage and bolstered air‑defence systems. Data from the Institute for the Study of War, reported by AFP, shows Russian forces...
Why An Idea Ahead Of Its Time Might Deserve A Second Chance
In the mid‑2000s USDTV tried to turn a traditional over‑the‑air antenna into a low‑cost subscription platform, charging roughly $20 a month for a small bundle of cable networks delivered via encrypted digital signals. The service collapsed in 2007 after a...
How Hotels Can Drive More Direct Bookings with TikTok Ads
TikTok has transformed from a short‑form entertainment app into a primary travel discovery engine, blending inspiration, search and booking functions. Hotels can capitalize by creating discovery‑driven organic videos that spark desire and then repurposing the highest‑performing clips as Spark Ads....
How TV Learned to Underprice Itself
The smart‑TV platform V, formerly VIDAA and now on 50 million connected sets, unveiled its V Index at the StreamTV Europe conference in Lisbon. V Index is an open‑source initiative to reconcile the pricing gap that occurs when the same viewer is measured...
‘Inside Higher Ed’ Launches Subscription Model
Inside Higher Ed launched a paid subscription model on April 23, 2026, offering unlimited access to its news, deep dives, and Quick Takes for $99 per year. The service retains a free tier limited to three articles per month, while...
Saturday TV Ratings: 48 Hours, SNL, NASCAR, NBA Basketball, MLB Baseball
Saturday, April 18, 2026, saw CBS’s true‑crime series 48 Hours return with a fresh episode while the night’s ratings were driven by live sports—including MLB, the NBA tip‑off, NBA playoffs and NASCAR at Kansas Speedway. Reruns of shows such as...
Omar Oakes: A Culture War Against Mainstream Media
On April 15 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed permanent consent decrees against the five largest ad‑holding groups—WPP, Publicis, Dentsu, Omnicom and IPG—prohibiting any coordinated brand‑safety standards. The FTC framed the case as a Sherman‑Act antitrust violation, arguing the firms...