SBS Names David Fernandez to Lead Digital and TV Sales
SBS has appointed David Fernandez as National Manager of Digital & TV Sales, strengthening its commercial leadership ahead of a projected surge in digital audiences and ad spend. Fernandez arrives from Cartology, Woolworths’ retail‑media arm, after senior roles at Meta overseeing agency and retail partnerships across Australia and New Zealand. His mandate includes overseeing national television and BVOD sales as SBS prepares for the FIFA World Cup 2026, a marquee advertising opportunity. The transition follows the departure of long‑time sales chief Keiran Beasley, who will stay through the World Cup campaign.
Hulu Set to Keep Existing as Standalone Streaming Service and App (for Now)
Disney announced it will keep Hulu as a standalone streaming service and app, with no current plans to sunset the platform. The company, which took full ownership of Hulu in June 2025, is deepening integration by adding a Hulu tile...
James Murdoch Buys up Half of Vox Media, Grabbing New York and Podcasts, but Leaving The Verge and SB Nation
James Murdoch, through his holding company Lupa Systems, is paying more than $300 million to acquire a 52% stake in Vox Media. The purchase gives him control of New York Magazine and its verticals—The Cut, Vulture, Intelligencer, The Strategist, Curbed, Grub Street—and the...
Sham AI Local News Sites Are Proliferating
Investigative reporting by The Florida Trib and the Question Everything podcast uncovered the South Florida Standard, a sham local news website populated by AI‑generated fake journalists and recycled content. The site was traced to a network of similar outlets sharing...
Creator Economy Job Radar – May 19, 2026 – TikTok, JPMorganChase, and Coty Expand Influencer Divisions, Boston Celtics Seeking Creator...
The latest Creator Economy Job Radar shows a wave of new hires across tech, finance, beauty and sports, with TikTok, JPMorgan Chase and Coty each expanding their influencer divisions. TikTok is offering a Creator Strategy and Partnership Manager role in Los Angeles...
Looper Insights: ‘The Pitt,’ Prime Video Top April Streamer of the Month Charts
Looper Insights’ April Streamer of the Month Report shows HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt” and Amazon Prime Video leading the U.S. CTV landscape. “The Pitt” topped the title chart with a $6.24 million Dollar Media Placement Value (MPV), while Prime...
UK Radio Station Apologizes After Accidentally Announcing King Charles’ Death
UK pirate‑turned‑licensed station Radio Caroline mistakenly activated its pre‑recorded "Death of a Monarch" emergency broadcast on May 19, erroneously announcing King Charles III’s death. The false alert aired for several hours before the station went silent and issued an on‑air apology, later...
DirecTV Asks FCC to Block Scripps’ INYO Acquisition
DirecTV and six state broadband and cable associations have lodged comments with the FCC urging a block on E.W. Scripps' proposed $54 million reacquisition of 23 ION‑affiliated stations from INYO. The filing argues the deal would push Scripps' national audience reach...
Lisa Ling Joins Spectrum News as Outlet Expands to Northern California
Charter Communications has hired former CBS News and CNN correspondent Lisa Ling to bolster its Spectrum News operation as it expands into Northern California. Ling will report for Spectrum News 1 in Los Angeles and contribute to a new statewide...
The Roost Partners with Magellan AI to Bring Audio and Video Campaign Measurement to Its Creator Network
The Roost, a video‑first podcast network acquired by Night in 2024, has partnered with Magellan AI to embed advanced attribution and verification tools into its campaign workflow. The integration gives advertisers detailed reporting on where ads run, who hears or...
Association of American Publishers Applauds Sweeping Default Judgement Against Notorious Pirate Site Anna’s Archive
On May 19, 2026 a New York federal judge issued a default judgment against the pirate site Anna’s Archive, imposing the maximum statutory damages of $150,000 for each of the 130 copyrighted works named in the suit. The order compels...
Google Introduces New Ad Formats In AI Mode via @Sejournal, @Brookeosmundson
Google unveiled two AI‑driven ad formats—Conversational Discovery ads and Highlighted Answers—at its Marketing Live event. Both formats run on the Gemini model and embed sponsored content directly within AI‑generated search responses and recommendation lists. The ads feature an independent AI...
OpenAI Is Allowing Financial Services Brands Into the ChatGPT Ads Pilot
OpenAI is expanding its ChatGPT ads pilot to include financial‑services brands such as Robinhood and BestMoney, marking the first foray into a heavily regulated vertical. The pilot, which launched in February for free and Go‑tier users, originally featured travel advertisers...
Affiliates Face Financial Shock as Amazon’s Associates Programme Cuts Commission Rates
Amazon has quietly restructured its Associates affiliate program, slashing commission rates by as much as 50% and trimming premium category rates from 10% to 4‑5%. The change also eliminates most milestone‑based bonuses, cutting a key revenue stream for top publishers....
Creators Are the New Creative Production House. Superfiliate’s CEO Explains What That Actually Means
Superfiliate CEO Andy Cloyd says brands are moving paid‑media budgets from traditional ad shoots to creator‑led content programs, treating creators as a distributed production house. He distinguishes campaigns from programs, emphasizing creator autonomy and the need for internal alignment across...
Chuck Damico Now PDs Three Beasley Philadelphia Stations
Chuck Damico, already program director of Beasley Media Group's rock stations WMMR and WMGK, has been added as program director of country outlet WXTU in Philadelphia. The move follows the retirement of longtime brand manager Mark “Razz” Radziewicz. Damico’s three‑station...
How Jenny Stojkovic Turned a Viral AI Moment Into a 10,000-Person Creator Campaign
Jenny Stojkovic, a venture capitalist and founder of The Women Creators, launched the free Women’s AI Challenge within a week of a viral Reese Witherspoon video highlighting women’s AI adoption gap. The week‑long program offers daily 10‑minute AI lessons across...
Snapchat Updates Attribution Model, With Focus On App Advertisers
Snapchat is rolling out a beta "Unified Attribution" model that consolidates multiple touchpoints across the consumer journey, giving app advertisers a single view of real‑time performance data. The system syncs Snap’s own metrics with those of mobile measurement partners, enabling...
From MAC Counter to Times Square: Inside Marjan Tabibzada’s Creator Business Built on Trust
Afghan‑American beauty influencer Marjan Tabibzada, known as YoungCouture, turned a decade‑long MAC counter apprenticeship into a creator empire with over 7 million followers. Her recent Times Square billboard for Tutor highlighted how trust‑driven authenticity fuels high‑value brand partnerships with luxury names like...
Ridgely Walsh Works James Murdoch's NY Mag Deal
James Murdoch’s investment vehicle Lupa Systems, represented by Ridgely Walsh, has acquired New York Magazine, the Vox Media Podcast network and other digital assets from Vox Media. The newly purchased properties will operate as a Vox Media unit under Jim Bankoff. Lupa’s...
Vevo Names DISQO as Preferred Brand Outcomes Measurement Partner in the US
Vevo, the world’s leading music‑video network, has elevated its partnership with advertising intelligence firm DISQO by naming it its preferred brand outcomes measurement partner in the United States. The collaboration will leverage DISQO’s deterministic, full‑funnel data to tie video exposure...
Meta Sued over Scam Ads: Why HR Should Pay Attention
Meta Platforms is being sued by Santa Clara County, California, alleging the company profits from billions of fraudulent ads across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The complaint, filed on May 11, claims Meta tracks roughly 15 billion scam ads and generates about $7 billion...
‘It’s in the Air’: Apple TV’s Hottest New Shows Explore Different Sides of OnlyFans
Apple TV is expanding its portfolio with two new series that spotlight the world of OnlyFans creators. "Margo’s Got Money Troubles," a dramedy starring Elle Fanning, follows a college student turned content creator, while "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed" adopts a darker,...
Married at First Sight UK: The Experiment Has Failed
A BBC Panorama investigation revealed that two women on Married at First Sight UK allege they were raped during filming, with a third participant reporting a non‑consensual sexual act. Channel 4 responded by removing all episodes from its platforms and commissioning...
How the Fastest-Growing Streaming Platforms Protect Ad Revenue During Live Events
Programmatic streaming platforms must complete every ad auction in under 100 ms, or the exchange discards the bid. When video delivery and ad serving share the same servers, traffic spikes during live events push response times past the deadline, silently eroding...
Sandi Cohen Named EP for Peter Alexander’s Upcoming MS NOW Show
MS NOW announced that veteran producer Sandi Cohen will serve as executive producer for Peter Alexander’s upcoming morning news show, slated to launch later this summer. Cohen, who joins on June 1 and will work from New York City while Alexander anchors from...
Streaming Cloud Migration Is More About Ops and Orchestration than Tech
At Streaming Media Connect 2026, SVT’s Madelen Ottoson argued that cloud migration for streaming is driven more by operational and orchestration shifts than by pure technology replacement. While the move to software‑based workflows offers flexibility to work from any location, security...
How Indy Newsrooms Are Using AI
Indianapolis newsrooms are experimenting with artificial intelligence, ranging from experimental uses at Black Indy Live to cautious, policy‑driven applications at larger outlets. Most outlets restrict AI to transcription, captioning, and note‑taking, requiring human oversight and public disclosures. Experts emphasize that...
Why New York Times Travel Writers Turn Down Press Perks and Freebies
The New York Times travel desk requires its reporters to pay for, or be reimbursed for, any travel they undertake, rejecting complimentary press trips and junkets. The policy, championed by travel editor Amy Virshup, is designed to mirror the typical reader experience and...
How Condé Nast Grew Its Events Revenue 40% Last Year
Condé Nast’s events division surged 40% in 2025, delivering a significant boost to the publisher’s overall revenue. Chief revenue officer Elizabeth Herbst‑Brady says the company now expects a further 22% increase in 2026. The growth stems from a strategic focus on...
Retail Media Expert Alex Knapman on Why Retail Media Will ‘Fundamentally Reshape’ Advertising
Alex Knapman, retail‑media lead at Halford’s, argues the channel will fundamentally reshape advertising despite skeptics who claim the hype is over. He says recent growth slowdown stems from legacy budget‑allocation systems, not from retail media’s effectiveness. Knapman outlines institutional frictions...
After Two Decades, E360’s Founder and Editor Is Moving On
Roger Cohn, the founding editor of Yale Environment 360, is stepping down after nearly two decades of leadership. He launched the online magazine in 2008 to fill a void in environmental journalism, guiding it to become a globally respected source of...
The Ad Tech Lawn Isn’t Going to Mow Itself
Ad tech continues to wrestle with ever‑evolving fraud, bots, and low‑quality inventory, a problem the industry treats like a one‑time project rather than a perpetual practice. The article argues that quality, brand safety, and supply‑path integrity require ongoing monitoring, continuous...
TechCrunch Leads,Yahoo Drops: Picnic’s 2026 Inventory Quality Rankings
Picnic released its PIQ10 2026 ranking, naming the UK’s ten highest‑quality publishers for advertising based on its continuously updated PIQ platform. TechCrunch surged to the top spot, while National Geographic, Politico and The Guardian entered the list for the first time....
Fremantle Label Beach House Pictures Launches ‘Panda School’ With Jimmy O. Yang, ‘Secret Weapons of China’s First Emperor’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Fremantle’s Singapore‑based label Beach House Pictures announced two new documentaries: the three‑part wildlife series “Panda School,” narrated by Jimmy O. Yang for Nat Geo EMEA, and the one‑hour historical film “Secret Weapons of China’s First Emperor,” co‑produced with China Media Group. Fremantle will handle global...
CEO Insider: Ladina Heimgartner’s Take on Ringier’s AI Transformation
Ladina Heimgartner, CEO of Ringier Switzerland and WAN‑IFRA president, explains that while AI prototypes can be built in days, turning them into reliable, secure products is far more demanding. She warns that integration and operational costs can quickly erode the...
Brands Don’t Need Perfect Data To Use AI
The article argues that brands can deploy agentic AI even with imperfect, fragmented data. Unlike traditional pipelines that break on schema changes, AI agents build a semantic understanding and reason through gaps. This capability enables more frequent, automated measurement in...
Lena Waithe And ‘The Chi’ Stars, Hannaha Hall And Birgundi Baker Reflect On The Show’s Final Season
Lena Waithe’s drama *The Chi* will conclude after eight seasons, making it the longest‑running Black series in premium cable and streaming history. The final season, titled “The Coldest Winter Ever,” will explore life‑changing choices against Chicago’s brutal winter backdrop. Cast...
AFTRS and Netflix Announce First Nations Scholarship Program
AFTRS and Netflix ANZ have launched the Netflix First Nations Pathways Scholarships, offering two awards of AUD 50,000 each (approximately US$33,000) for full‑time study at AFTRS’s Sydney campus. The scholarships are reserved for participants of AFTRS’s On Country Pathways Program, which...
Forbes Australia Expands Editorial Team
Forbes Australia announced a wave of editorial hires, adding a business journalist, a head of video, an editorial lead for contributors and lists, a lifestyle writer, and a freelance features reporter. The expansion comes as the magazine’s monthly readership tops...
‘Those Words Are in the Contract’: Bianca Dye on Why She Wouldn’t Do MAFS
Australian radio personality Bianca Dye told KIIS FM she would not apply to appear on Married at First Sight after recent UK season rape allegations. She recounted a rigorous background check that forced her to delete a 2016 social‑media post and warned...
Suns, Mercury Sign Long-Term Extension With Gray
Phoenix’s NBA Suns and WNBA Mercury have signed a multiyear broadcast extension with Gray Media that runs through 2030, moving all non‑national games to the over‑the‑air Arizona’s Family network. The partnership replaces the previous Diamond Sports arrangement and adds a...
Mamamia Hits Second in Podcast Ranker After Key Role Made Redundant
Australian Podcast Ranker for April 2026 shows Hamish & Andy leading with 832,058 monthly listeners, while Mamamia Out Loud holds second place with 722,478 listeners. News remains the dominant genre, attracting nearly 5 million listeners, followed by Society & Culture and...
Google’s Ambitious AI Search Changes Are Risky. Here’s Why
Google’s AI Overviews feature recently produced absurd answers—advising Elmer’s glue on pizza and eating rocks—after pulling content from a Reddit joke and a satirical Onion article. The mishaps sparked a viral backlash, prompting Google to label them “uncommon queries” and...
Amazon, Netflix and Google to Capture Half of CTV Ad Market by 2030
Omdia forecasts global connected‑TV (CTV) advertising revenue to rise from $44 billion in 2025 to $81 billion by 2030. Google, Amazon and Netflix together are projected to capture 50% of that market, with shares of 26%, 13% and 9% respectively. The data...
Android Auto Is Adding Two Major Streaming Services
Google is preparing its biggest Android Auto update yet by adding video app support, starting with YouTube, to car infotainment screens. Playback will be limited to when the vehicle is parked, and can reach up to 60 fps on compatible hardware...
DSPolitical and FreeWheel Partner on Political CTV Ads
DSPolitical, a Democratic‑focused digital ad firm, has partnered with FreeWheel to enable political campaigns to activate first‑party voter data on connected TV (CTV) through FreeWheel’s Buyer Cloud and Identity Network. The collaboration promises deterministic, household‑level targeting that delivered an 18‑times...
Liftoff Upgrades Cortex
Liftoff, a leading mobile‑app performance‑marketing platform, announced a major upgrade to its Cortex neural‑network engine on May 19, 2026. The enhancements add unattributed sample learning, multicast user‑level ROAS modeling, and sequential behavioral modeling. These changes expand the data pool, shift predictions to...
Twitch Adds New Community-Driven Monetization Tools for Eligible Creators
Twitch unveiled three community‑driven monetization tools—Creator Badge Drops, Custom Power‑Ups, and expanded Hype Train formats—to let creators turn viewer participation into direct earnings. Badge Drops let streamers design event‑specific badges unlocked by subscriptions or watch time, delivering up to a...
‘Camp Snoopy’ Season 2 Leads Apple TV’s Summer ‘Peanuts’ Slate
Apple TV+ is rolling out a robust summer Peanuts slate, kicking off with the June 26 debut of Camp Snoopy Season 2. The lineup adds four new specials—including Snoopy Presents: There’s No Place Like Home, Snoopy (July 31) and This is America, Charlie Brown (July 3)—and continues the partnership with WildBrain,...