Narrativ Nation: Producing Without Imposed Formats
Narrativ Nation, a Brussels‑based production house, has finished shooting its 90‑minute TV movie Le Sein de Jupiter in Lille. The film is a majority‑French co‑production that originated in Belgium, reflecting the company’s cross‑border financing model. Co‑founder Dylan Klass says the project illustrates Narrativ Nation’s shift toward flexible formats that align with fragmented European market demands. The completion marks a new phase for the firm as it seeks broader EU distribution and funding partnerships.
Product Placement in Unscripted Programs: A Growing Debate
Product placement remains prohibited in all French television formats except cinematic works, audiovisual fiction, and music videos. On April 30, Jérôme Caza, a producer at 2P2L and president of the Syndicate of Producers and Creators of Audiovisual Programs (SPECT), published...
The Consciousness Edition
The post announces Noah Brier’s new Forward Deployed podcast, which explores AI, engineering, and enterprise through the lens of consciousness. It revisits John von Neumann’s 1932 argument that wavefunction collapse requires a non‑physical observer, positioning consciousness as the mechanism that turns...
Adidas Sets Football Legends a New Challenge in World Cup Spectacular
Adidas has launched a five‑minute "Backyard Legends" World Cup commercial starring football greats Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, plus rising stars Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham. The spot also features Hollywood actor Timothée Chalamet and music star Bad Bunny, with...
How Claude Built a Full Video Marketing Campaign in Under 24 Hours
Claude, Anthropic’s advanced language model, assembled a full‑scale video marketing campaign for a fictional headphone brand in under 24 hours. The AI produced hero visuals, motion‑design animations, ad copy, and a landing‑page layout, iterating on each element to meet predefined creative...
OpenAI Is Opening the Window on Its Ad Ambitions
OpenAI has begun beta‑testing a full‑featured Ads Manager in the United States, giving marketers the ability to create, budget, launch and track ChatGPT ad campaigns. The rollout adds CPC bidding, a conversions API and pixel‑based measurement, bringing the platform in...
Ricky Gervais’ Netflix Animated Series ‘Alley Cats’ Sets August 2026 Premiere
Ricky Gervais is returning to Netflix with "Alley Cats," an adult animated sitcom set to launch globally on August 7 2026. The series follows a rag‑tag group of feral British cats and blends Gervais' trademark dark humor with social commentary. It features...
Crushed by the Algorithm
The essay argues that X (formerly Twitter) has evolved from a human‑curated social town square into an algorithm‑driven reaction engine. While Twitter let users choose who to follow and rewarded depth, X’s machine learning predicts engagement and decides what appears...
Can Creators Drive the Next Wave of Media Subscriptions?
Legacy newsrooms are turning to social creators to broaden reach and spark subscriptions. The City partnered with TikTok‑and‑Instagram comedian Gerrie Lim, lifting average video views by 115% and exposing 83% of viewers to a new audience. Reuters Institute data shows...
🌊 How Ted Turner Made the News
Ted Turner transformed a struggling billboard empire into a media powerhouse by buying a failing Atlanta TV station in 1970 and leveraging satellite technology. His acquisition of the Atlanta Braves for $500,000 provided exclusive sports content that fueled the Turner...
The Truth About State Farm
State Farm spent $1.139 billion on advertising in 2025, including a Super Bowl spot that pits the insurer against a fictional rival. A California Department of Insurance (CDI) enforcement action this week found the company mishandled more than half of 220...
SNL UK Renewed for a 12-Episode Season 2, Will Return in the Fall
Sky has green‑lit a second season of Saturday Night Live UK, expanding the order to 12 episodes slated for a fall 2026 launch. The decision comes despite the show’s modest live ratings, which were offset by strong online engagement and...
Performers Announced for "The 52nd American Music Awards" Live Monday, May 25
CBS and Dick Clark Productions have unveiled the first wave of performers for the 52nd American Music Awards, set for May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the show's largest venue to date. Host Queen Latifah...
Starz Sets June 12 Premiere Date for Visceral and Haunting Drama "The Listeners," Starring BAFTA and Golden Globe Nominee Rebecca...
Starz announced that the five‑part drama “The Listeners,” starring BAFTA‑nominee Rebecca Hall, will debut in the U.S. on June 12, 2026, with new episodes released weekly on Fridays via the Starz app and on‑demand platforms. The series, adapted from Jordan...
DAZN’s ViewLift Bet Is A Play To Control Local TV’s Post-RSN Future
DAZN has acquired streaming platform ViewLift for $100 million, turning the company into a full‑stack provider for local sports distribution. The deal equips DAZN with technology to build, bill and stream team‑specific services, offering a single‑vendor alternative to the fragmented post‑RSN...
Video: "Criminal Minds: Evolution" Season 19 Trailer & Key Art Announcement
Paramount+ announced the launch of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19 on May 28, 2026. The ten‑episode run will debut with two episodes and then release weekly, concluding July 23. The storyline introduces a new adversary, The Fan, who targets profiler...
Video: HBO Releases New Teaser and Images for the Upcoming Original Series "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness," Featuring...
HBO unveiled a teaser for its upcoming limited sketch‑comedy series "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness," starring Larry David and executive‑produced by former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama through their Higher Ground banner. The seven‑episode run premieres Friday,...
The Threat to French Public Media
A right‑wing parliamentary commission in France is demanding €1 billion (≈$1.08 billion) in annual savings from France Télévisions, threatening cuts to its flagship services. The push comes a year before a presidential election, raising concerns that the public broadcaster’s ability to combat...
B2B Podcast Strategy: The 2026 Demand Gen Guide
A new guide warns that B2B podcasts are becoming non‑negotiable by 2026. With 83 % of senior executives having listened to a podcast in the past week and the global audience projected to hit 619 million listeners, the format offers direct access...
Omar Oakes: Advertising Has Reached Peak Self-Delusion
The UK advertising market reported a 6.4% increase last year, reaching £46.7 bn (about $58 bn). However, two‑thirds of that spend now flows to three Big‑Tech platforms—Alphabet, Meta and Amazon—leaving roughly £15 bn ($18.6 bn) for the rest of the industry. Growth is concentrated...
FBI Targets Journalists Along with Billionaires
The FBI executed a search warrant on Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson’s home, seizing her iPhone as part of a national‑security leak investigation, marking an unprecedented move against a journalist. Natanson was awarded a Pulitzer weeks after the raid, underscoring...
How the Gun Industry Targets Kids Using TikTok, Instagram, and Video Games
A new Mother Jones report reveals that gun manufacturers are aggressively marketing AR‑15‑style rifles to children through TikTok, Instagram, and video‑game platforms. The investigation cites historic campaigns like Remington’s “Man Card” and recent social‑media glorification of figures such as Kyle...
Bari Weiss ‘Meddles’ With ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ Story on Palestine
Bari Weiss, CBS’s newly appointed editor‑in‑chief, is accused of intervening in a Sunday Morning segment about West Bank archaeology, prompting cultural heritage researcher Zaid Azhari to claim his interview was selectively edited. The April 5 story, which examined Israeli digs in...
Why Most Attempts at Building Online Communities Fail
Building a thriving online community remains a major hurdle for content creators, as habit formation and member‑to‑member interaction prove difficult to ignite. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, or Discord each trade off reach for control, leaving creators vulnerable to algorithm shifts...
How to Build a Viral Faceless Facebook Page in 30 Days (2026 Guide)
The 2026 guide outlines a step‑by‑step 30‑day plan to launch a faceless Facebook page that can go viral without ever showing a face. It leverages Facebook’s evolution into a content discovery engine, emphasizing Reels, saves, and early comment engagement as...
NBA First-Round Viewership Makes Expected Jump as Broadcast Exposure Pays Dividends
The NBA’s first‑round playoffs averaged 4.0 million viewers, a 22% jump from the prior year and the highest‑rated opening round since 1993. NBC’s new partnership delivered 15 broadcast games that averaged 5.5 million viewers, up 61% year‑over‑year, highlighted by a Game 7 between...
Shrinking REALLY REALLY Wants That Emmy Nod
Apple TV+ drama "Shrinking" has intensified its Emmy push, staging two additional For Your Consideration events after earlier screenings. The series, starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, has garnered strong critical praise but remains on the fringe of major awards...
Clarity: Comments Are Always Open To All Subscribers--Here Is The Screenshot Of The Settings
A Substack author posted screenshots proving that comment settings are configured for all subscribers, refuting a claim by subscriber Wolf‑Steppen that comments were being switched to a paid‑only mode to extract more money. The author highlighted that free subscribers, who...
James Murdoch’s School of Hard Vox
James Murdoch is close to finalizing a deal with Jim Bankoff to acquire New York magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network for well over $300 million. The acquisition would combine a premium print title with a fast‑growing audio portfolio, creating a...
Highway to Heaven Reboot Ordered by Fox for the 2027-28 Season
Fox has ordered a straight‑to‑series reboot of the 1980s drama "Highway to Heaven," tapping Jason Katims' production company to shepherd the project. The original series, starring Michael Landon, was a top‑20 hit in its first two seasons before ratings slipped...
Fox Orders Highway to Heaven Reboot From Jason Katims
Fox has ordered a reboot of the classic NBC series "Highway to Heaven," with acclaimed creator Jason Katims attached to helm the project. The new version will be produced in partnership with Amblin Television and is slated for a 2027...
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...
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...