Murder in a Small Town: Season Two Ratings + Viewer Votes
Season 2 of FOX’s crime drama *Murder in a Small Town* launched with modest fan engagement, while Nielsen ratings remain unpublished. The first season averaged a 0.18 rating in the coveted 18‑49 demographic and drew 1.98 million viewers, enough for a renewal. Early viewer votes show the premiere episode “Acts of Murder” earned 1,313 votes and a 5.48 fan rating. Industry observers are watching the upcoming Nielsen data to gauge whether the series will secure a third season or face cancellation.
We Were Liars: Season Two; Six Series Regulars Set for Prime Video Drama Series
Prime Video confirmed that its drama series We Were Liars will return for a second season, adding six new series regulars. The newcomers—Josh Dallas, Costa D’Angelo, Parker Lapaine, Peyton List, Elysia Roorbach and Madison Wolfe—will portray younger versions of key...
ICYMI: Instagram's Return to Long-Form Content (Yes, You Read That Right)
At the Scalable Summit, Instagram’s VP of Product Tessa Lyons revealed the platform is planning a major shift toward supporting long‑form creators, with new features expected within the next one to two years. Instagram is also piloting an “AI creator”...
Day 17: The Unique Collab That Drove 3,000 Subscribers
Sean Devlin of All Healthy added roughly 3,000 new subscribers by teaming up with Gretchen Rubin for her "Move 26 in ’26" challenge. The collaboration hinged on a movement‑themed Bingo card that subscribers could use throughout the year, turning a...
Facebook May Be Fading, but It’s Still the Leading Platform for Older Audiences and Local News
Despite a steady decline in overall users, Facebook remains the dominant social network for older demographics and local news publishers. Statista data shows 62% of users are aged 18‑44, with a notable 24% aged 55 and above. Local news outlets...
Covering Sudan/Covering Up Sudan
The Substack-hosted live event "Covering Sudan/Covering Up Sudan" spotlights the chronic under‑reporting of Sudan’s four‑year‑old war, now the world’s deadliest conflict. Featuring veteran Sudanese journalist Isma’il Kushkush and media‑tech specialist Raghdan Orsud, the discussion will examine why the crisis has...
A Milestone for The Warning
Steve Schmidt’s YouTube channel The Warning hit 500,000 subscribers, marking a major growth milestone for the political commentary outlet. To celebrate, the channel released a special episode titled “The Complete Collapse of MAGA,” tracing the perceived downfall of Donald Trump’s...
EXCLUSIVE: SAVANNAH GUTHRIE’S SUDDEN ‘TODAY’ EXIT HAS TV INSIDERS RAISING EYEBROWS
Savannah Guthrie abruptly left the Today broadcast on Wednesday, prompting confusion among NBC insiders. The network offered only a brief statement that she would return the next day, without further explanation. Industry veterans highlighted that mid‑show departures are virtually unheard...
They Don't Want You to See This
Dave Bondy's Substack post, dated May 8, 2026, serves primarily as a subscription prompt rather than a news article. The piece encourages readers to download the Substack app, start a 7‑day free trial, and become paid subscribers to access the...
“Nation’s Dumbest” Coming Soon To FOX, Hulu & Hulu On Disney+
Fox announced “Nation’s Dumbest,” a celebrity competition series that rewards losing, set to debut July 15, 2026. Hosted by comedian Jack Whitehall, the show features twelve diverse stars—including Ice‑T, JoJo Siwa and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang—who tackle school‑themed quizzes and physical...
Today’s Historic Results - My Initial Thoughts
Matt Goodwin’s newsletter reports historic local election results across England, Wales and Scotland, where the Reform Party made sweeping gains, winning 24 of 25 seats in Wigan and 18 of 19 in Tameside. The data shows Reform polling around 40%...
‘Bandi’ Cancelled At Netflix: French Crime Drama Won’t Return For Season 2
Netflix France has cancelled the French crime drama "Bandi" after one season. The series, filmed on Martinique, logged 16 million viewing hours in its debut week and rose to 40.5 million hours in week two, but Netflix said the audience was insufficient...
ABC Renews "R.J. Decker" For Second Season
ABC confirmed that its comedy series “R.J. Decker” will return for a second season, adding to its summer 2026 lineup. The network announced the renewal in a press release, urging fans to prepare for the new episodes. No details on...
Warner Says Linear Is A Millstone, Disney Says It’s Not; Vertical Short Form’s Next Play
Warner Bros. Discovery reported a 20% jump in streaming ad revenue and a rise in streaming EBITDA to $438 million, but its linear TV segment continued to erode, with global linear revenue down 8% and distribution revenue falling 7%. The decline...
CNN Film "Why We Dream" To Premiere Memorial Day at 8PM ET/PT
CNN Films is debuting the documentary “Why We Dream” on Memorial Day, May 25, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The film follows a group of World II centenarians as they return to Normandy for the 80th D‑Day anniversary, featuring a score by Christian...
10 Podcast Monetization Strategies for 2026
Podcasters are moving from single‑tactic ad sales to a multi‑layer monetization stack that blends sponsorships, programmatic buys, dynamic ad insertion, subscriptions, and strategic guest placements. Host‑read sponsorships command premium rates by leveraging the host’s credibility, while programmatic platforms provide scale...
Fox's Rupert Murdoch Lobbied Trump to Act over NFL Streaming Deals / Jersey Shore Will Live on, Creator Predicts /...
Rupert Murdoch met with President Trump in February to warn that allowing streaming services to acquire more NFL game rights could undermine traditional broadcast networks. Murdoch argued that a shift toward digital platforms would erode Fox's advertising revenue and audience...
"Forever" Season 2 Starts Production in Los Angeles
Netflix has begun filming season 2 of its drama series “Forever” in Los Angeles. The eight‑episode season introduces three new regulars—Malaika Guttoh, Avery Wills Jr., and Tre McBride—while retaining the original core cast. Grammy‑winning Khris Riddick‑Tynes joins as executive music producer, with Kier Lehman returning as...
Law & Order: Season 26; NBC Police Drama Getting Renewed for 2026-27
NBC has officially renewed Law & Order for a 26th season slated for the 2026‑27 broadcast year. The 25th season, concluding next Thursday, posted a 0.24 rating in the 18‑49 demographic and attracted 3.66 million viewers, marking a 20% dip in...
Other Views Are Available
The author curates three Substack essays that explore UK legal and political issues. Adam Wagner revisits the 1936 Public Order Act, highlighting its hurried passage. Colin Yeo critiques the government’s plan for a new independent immigration appeals body, arguing existing...
‘Conflict Entrepreneurs’ Are Driving Disinformation and Shaping Public Opinion
The article highlights a new class of influencers—dubbed “conflict entrepreneurs”—who deliberately stir controversy to capture attention and monetize polarized discourse. These actors thrive in environments where brand messaging is fragmented by user‑generated content and declining trust, often pulling brands into...
Law & Order to Be Renewed by NBC for Season 26 After Finding Itself on the Bubble
NBC announced a renewal of the flagship procedural drama Law & Order for a 26th season, slated for the 2026‑27 broadcast year. The series, which has hovered on the renewal "bubble" amid modest ratings, secured the order after internal negotiations...
Uncertain Updates: May 2026
Eliezer Yudkowsky announced that his new book *Fundamental Uncertainty* will be available in print and ebook on May 15, with pre‑orders already open. The release features a freshly designed cover, replacing the earlier AI‑generated version. An audiobook is in production...
MAGA’s ‘Grassroots’ Movement Just Got Exposed as a Coordinated Influencer Machine
Former Turning Point USA brand ambassador Ashley St. Clair alleges that right‑wing influencers operated as paid mercenaries for the Trump administration, receiving coordinated talking points and direct deposits. She claims group chats like “Fight, Fight, Fight” were used to funnel...
Prime Video Integrates Amazon MX Player to Create India’s Largest Streaming Destination with Free and Paid Content
Prime Video has fully integrated Amazon’s MX Player into its Indian streaming platform, merging free, ad‑supported content with its paid, ad‑free library. The move follows Amazon’s 2022 acquisition of MX Player assets and the launch of Amazon miniTV. Existing MX...
Tuesday TV Ratings: Farmer Wants a Wife, NCIS, Will Trent, NBA Playoffs, WWE NXT
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 saw a mixed lineup of new episodes and sports, including fresh installments of Will Trent, NCIS, Farmer Wants a Wife, and Bear Grylls is Running Wild, alongside the 2026 NBA Playoffs and WWE NXT. Ratings were compiled using Fast Affiliate...
OpenAI Expands ChatGPT Ads Pilot to UK, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Mexico Just Two Days After Launching Self-Serve Ads
OpenAI is expanding its ChatGPT ads pilot to the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Mexico, following the launch of a self‑serve ad platform in the United States two days earlier. Users in the new regions will encounter sponsored...
The Kyle Kingsbury Podcast Podcast - Episode 1 - Alex Dripchak
Kyle Kingsbury, known for his guest appearances, has launched his own podcast series, debuting with Episode 1 featuring Alex Dripchak. Dripchak, a sales director and productivity expert, joins to discuss his new book *Maximize* and share time‑management habits. The episode blends casual...
A True American Original: Ted Turner (1938-2026)
Ted Turner, the flamboyant media mogul who died on May 6, 2026 at 87, reshaped American television by turning a modest UHF station into the first super‑station and launching the world’s first 24‑hour news network, CNN. He later built a film empire...
Thursday Discussion Post
Slow Boring’s Thursday discussion post highlights a provocative tweet by Matthew Yglesias that links Betty Friedan’s 1963 classic The Feminine Mystique to a claimed rise in Korean War prisoner‑of‑war deaths, arguing that 1950s housewives raised softer sons who performed poorly...
Dow Jones Revenue Higher as News Corp. Threatens ‘Baleful Bad-Boy Bots’ Stealing Content
Dow Jones posted $619 million in revenue for the latest quarter, an 8% year‑over‑year increase driven by strong growth in Risk & Compliance, Energy and digital advertising. Total subscriptions climbed 7% to over 6.5 million, with digital‑only WSJ subscriptions up 11% to...
Fantasy Book Community Tome Shuts Down
Tome, a niche social platform for romantasy and related fantasy genres, announced it is shutting down after struggling to attract a sustainable user base. The service cited high operating costs and limited network effects as primary reasons for closure. Its...
The 30-Year-Old PDF Newsletter with a 98% Market Penetration Rate
Communications Day, a daily PDF newsletter founded in 1994, now reaches about 98% of Australia’s telecom executive market. The publication charges roughly AU$1,000 (≈US$660) per subscriber annually and has built a habit‑forming distribution that executives read each morning. While most...
Spotify CLI Turns Personalized Audio Into a Podcast Feed
Spotify launched Personal Podcasts, a new feature that lets users generate AI‑crafted audio briefings via a command‑line interface, Claude‑powered agent skills, and a GitHub‑hosted plugin. The personalized audio is saved as a podcast feed in the user’s Spotify library and...
HBO Bringing Back The Yogurt Shop Murders for a New Series Finale / Fox Renews Murder in a Small Town...
HBO is extending its true‑crime docuseries “The Yogurt Shop Murders” with a fifth and final episode slated for May 22, wrapping up the investigation that helped solve the 34‑year‑old case. Fox has renewed “Murder in a Small Town” for a third...
What’s REALLY Going On With the Trump Ballroom? 👀
Former President Donald Trump is pushing a high‑profile renovation of the White House East Wing into a $250 million ballroom, a project whose estimated cost has now doubled to roughly $500 million. While Trump insists the venture will be financed entirely by...
Joy's House Insiders Live, with Joy & Rick Wilson
Joy‑Ann Reid’s Substack newsletter announced a live “Joy's House Insiders” broadcast featuring herself and co‑host Rick Wilson. The episode is available through the Substack app on iOS and Android, encouraging subscribers to tune in for real‑time commentary. The post includes...
Flood at the Gate: AI Slop, Streaming Fraud, and the Collapse of the “39-Step” Mechanical Royalty at the CRB
AI‑generated music now dominates streaming uploads, with Deezer reporting 44 % of new tracks created by generative models and 85 % of their streams flagged as fraudulent. This flood threatens the royalty pool that funds human songwriters, as bots and synthetic engagement...
When It Comes to TV, Instagram and TikTok Are Headed in Opposite Directions
Instagram is expanding its Reels short‑form video onto connected‑TV (CTV) with a dedicated app launched in December 2025, while TikTok says a TV app is not on its roadmap. New IAB data shows U.S. social‑video ad spend will surpass $80 billion...
Seven BBC Radio 3 Programmes to Mark Miles Davis Centenary
BBC Radio 3 is dedicating a week‑long series of seven programmes to commemorate the 100th anniversary of jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, running from May 23 to May 29. The schedule includes in‑depth analysis on “Composer of the Week,” listener‑driven “Jazz...
Help Us Keep Lawfare’s Extended Universe Alive
Lawfare’s managing editor Tyler McBrien issued a fundraising appeal urging readers to become Material Supporters with a minimum $10 monthly contribution. The nonprofit legal‑policy outlet emphasizes that its analysis remains free and independent, relying entirely on audience donations. McBrien highlights...
Netflix Tests Its Own AI-Powered Voice Search
Netflix has begun beta testing an AI‑powered native voice search, letting users press the remote’s Netflix button and speak natural‑language requests for recommendations. The feature offers preset prompts such as “I need a good cry” and an “Ask” option that...
If Wishes Could Kill Season 2: Cast, Rumours & Release Date
*If Wishes Could Kill* has surged to the top of Netflix’s non‑English chart, logging 7.5 million weekly views and ranking #1 in 24 countries. The Korean YA horror mystery blends supernatural scares with high‑school drama across eight episodes. While the series...
The Big Ben Show: Plus, Kevin McCarthy Warns Republicans To Stand Against The Blue Wave
In a Daily Wire interview, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy warned Republicans that internal disunity, excessive discharge petitions and a wave of retirements could hand a "blue wave" to Democrats in the 2026 midterms. He urged the GOP to consolidate around a...
People Want to Watch Your Film. Now Go Find Them.
Ian Tarbert, a veteran indie film marketer, shared a behavior‑first framework for getting movies in front of audiences. He stresses budgeting P&A from day one and tailoring spend to a film’s scale, whether that’s a $250 micro‑campaign or a $250,000...
‘Alice and Steve’ Trailer Unveiled as Disney+ Sets June Premiere for “Wrong-Com” Series
Disney+ unveiled the trailer for “Alice and Steve,” a six‑part “wrong‑com” series debuting June 8. The show stars Nicola Walker, Jemaine Clement, Joel Fry and Yali Topol Margalith, and follows a mother’s feud when her best friend dates her adult daughter. It...
James Marsden Cast In Apple TV Thriller Series ‘Disavowed’
Actor James Marsden has been announced as the lead of Apple TV’s upcoming espionage thriller “Disavowed.” He will portray CIA case officer Brad Griffin, a fired operative who chases a mysterious assassin with a $15 million federal bounty. The series is...
"Etty" (Les Films Du Poisson): Arte's New Series Hits Cinemas Before TV Broadcast
Arte’s upcoming flagship series "Etty," written by Israeli screenwriter Hagai Levi, has secured CNC approval for a limited theatrical run before its television debut. The co‑production with Les Films du Poisson will see the show screened in cinemas this spring,...
A Production Level "Never Seen in Football": Philippe Bony (M6 Group) Details the World Cup Broadcast Setup
Philippe Bony, senior technical director at France's M6 Group, revealed the production architecture for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first tournament jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The plan hinges on a distributed, cloud‑native workflow that...
Relations Between Distributors and Exhibitors: Why Are Tensions Rising?
A leaked internal email, first reported by Le Monde, has highlighted growing friction between film distributors and theatrical exhibitors. The correspondence reveals disputes over shrinking theatrical windows, revenue‑share formulas, and the impact of streaming platforms on traditional box‑office earnings. Industry...