How 8 Episodes a Year Built One of Podcasting’s Most Expensive Advertising Inventories
Acquired, the business‑history podcast hosted by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal, limits itself to eight deep‑dive episodes a year, a scarcity strategy that has enabled it to command presenting sponsorships up to $6.5 million through Fall 2029. Each episode attracts over one million downloads in its first six months and the back catalog now supplies roughly a third of monthly listens. The audience is heavily weighted toward senior tech, finance and founder‑level professionals, with 35% holding C‑suite titles and 14% serving as CEOs. This premium audience has driven multi‑million‑dollar ad rates and sold‑out sponsorship calendars through 2028.
Every Orville Character Played By The Cast Of Seth MacFarlane's Ted
Seth MacFarlane has populated his 2024 Peacock prequel series for Ted with several actors who previously appeared on his sci‑fi comedy The Orville. The crossover includes MacFarlane himself as Captain Ed Mercer, Max Burkholder as Tomilin, Scott Grimes as Malloy,...
Digital Platform Ripe in Town Launches Brand Partnership Program to Connect Advertisers With Australian Travel Audiences
ripe in Town, a digital platform spotlighting regional Australian food, stays and travel, has unveiled a brand partnership program aimed at advertisers targeting regional travel audiences. The offering includes branded guides, integrated campaigns, content series, sponsored features and directory placements...
RHEI Overhauls Made Platform With Proactive AI Agents to Eliminate Creator Blank-Page Problem
RHEI has rolled out a major overhaul of its Made platform, shifting from a prompt‑driven tool to a proactive AI assistant that surfaces personalized content ideas as soon as creators log in. The update introduces five dedicated AI agents—Milo, Zara,...
Cumulus Reports $200M Loss for 2025 as Chapter 11 Continues
Cumulus Media reported a $200.7 million net loss for 2025, an improvement over the $283.3 million loss in 2024. Total revenue fell 10.3 % to $741.7 million, with the fourth quarter down 14 % year‑over‑year. The results were released five weeks after the company filed...
AI Won’t Fix Advertising – It May Scale Its Chaotic Nature
Industry hype suggests AI will solve advertising’s chronic inefficiencies, but the article argues otherwise. The core problem is a fragmented ecosystem of disconnected platforms, siloed data, and inconsistent measurement that AI cannot fix on its own. Adding generative AI merely...
Cumulus Media’s Q4 2025 Revenue Down 14%
Cumulus Media reported a 14% drop in Q4 2025 net revenue to $188 million and a 10.3% decline for the full year, ending 2025 with $741.6 million in revenue. Broadcast revenue fell 22.2% to $116.2 million, while digital revenue slipped 1.9% to $151.3 million....
Creators, Commentators, or Publishers: Liability Remains the Same
Independent political commentators on YouTube have embraced the "creator" identity, but the legal label does not shield them. Courts treat their videos as publications, applying the same defamation standards that govern traditional broadcasters. The absence of FCC oversight removes a...
Google Tops IPL 19 Charts as Advertiser Count Falls 31%
Google emerged as the leading advertiser in IPL 2026, commanding 13% of TV ad volume across the first 13 matches. The tournament saw a 31% drop in the number of advertisers, falling to just over 45, and a 22% reduction...
Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (April 6-10)
Talk radio monitoring service TALKERS released its weekly ranking of the most discussed topics on news and talk stations for April 6‑10. The list was led by geopolitical tension surrounding Iran’s cease‑fire talks and Israel’s strikes in Lebanon, followed by volatile...
Preview of the 63rd Edition of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
The 63rd Bologna Children’s Book Fair returns April 13‑16, gathering over 1,500 publishing professionals from 90 countries under the theme “Together We Are Better.” Illustration remains central, with more than 4,000 artists submitting work for the flagship Illustrators Exhibition, which will...
Bookstorm, an Illustration Project in Nigeria That Grew Out of a Partnership with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
Bookstorm is a two‑year illustration project founded by Nigerian poet Lola Shoneyin, emerging from a partnership with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and Milan’s Mimaster illustration school. It aims to train writers and illustrators to produce 100 children’s books reflecting Nigerian...
Is The Pitt Coming Back for Season 3?
HBO Max has officially renewed the medical drama *The Pitt* for a third season, with both Season 2 and Season 3 expected to debut in 2027. The series recently released a two‑minute teaser for the Season 2 finale, highlighting lead character Dr. Robby’s...
“The Luxury to Say ‘No’”: Talking with Children’s Author Maria Dadouch
Maria Dadouch, a prolific author of more than 80 Arabic children’s books, won the 2022 Sheikh Zayed Book Award for her novel “The Mystery of the Glass Ball.” The prize elevated her profile, allowing her to serve on award juries and champion...
YouTube Premium Just Got a Price Hike, and It's Not a Small One
YouTube Premium announced a U.S. price increase across all tiers effective next month. The individual plan climbs to $15.99 per month, the family plan to $26.99, and the student plan to $8.99. Annual subscriptions rise to $159.99, while the company...
Conecta Creative Lab 2026 to Take Place in Mallorca on May 25
Conecta Creative Lab 2026 will convene on May 25 in Palma de Mallorca, hosted at iconic venues such as Castell de Bellver and Centro Cultural La Misericordia. The closed‑door think‑tank gathers 80 senior audiovisual executives, investors and leading research firms...
SPNI Dedicates ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Episode to Distribution Partners
Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) dedicated a special episode of its newly launched Indian version of Wheel of Fortune to its distribution partners, inviting them onto the set as audience members and contestants. Hosted by Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, the...
Google’s Push For Data Strength Is Really A Push For Better Bidding via @Sejournal, @Brookeosmundson
Google is urging advertisers to prioritize data strength, arguing that AI‑driven bidding only works with high‑quality conversion signals. The push spans product updates, tag gateway, server‑side tagging, and new integrations with platforms like HubSpot and Zapier. Google stresses that conversion...
The Widower and Divorcee - Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs' New Comedy
Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs are returning to collaborate on an untitled BBC Wales comedy that follows a widowed teacher and a divorcing environmental officer who meet at a knee‑trauma clinic. The pair, famed for the hit series *Stella*, will write...
ViX Announced the Premiere of Its New Original Series Los Encantos Del Sinvergüenza
ViX announced the premiere of its new original series Los Encantos del Sinvergüenza, an 11:11 Films & TV production in partnership with W Studios. The drama, adapted from Ángela Becerra’s novel Memorias de un sinvergüenza de siete suelas, debuts on...
Movistar Plus+ Expands Liga Endesa Access Through DAZN Deal
Movistar Plus+ has expanded its basketball coverage through a new agreement with streaming service DAZN, offering two Liga Endesa games per matchday to all of its subscribers. Full league coverage remains on DAZN Basketball for dedicated sports packages, while the...
Futuresource Sees SVOD Entering More Disciplined Growth Phase
Futuresource Consulting reports that the global subscription video‑on‑demand (SVOD) market has reached 2.2 billion subscribers and is expected to climb to 2.6 billion by 2030. As major territories near saturation, growth is becoming incremental, pushing platforms to prioritize pricing strategies, bundling, distribution...
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The 12 Best Sci-Fi Shows on HBO Max
Entertainment Weekly lists HBO Max’s 12 top sci‑fi series, ranging from post‑apocalyptic drama "The Last of Us" to space comedy "Avenue 5" and animated hit "Rick and Morty." The guide highlights upcoming multi‑year releases such as season 3 of "The Last of...
Encompass Expands Riga-Based MCR for European Broadcasters
Encompass Digital Media has expanded its Riga, Latvia master control room, boosting capacity to handle more than 1,500 hours of live sports each month. The upgraded facility now oversees 277 channels for 22 broadcasters across Europe, Asia and the United States....
Accounts in Transit: Nickerson Picks Up Smartify Media
Nickerson has been appointed agency of record for Smartify Media, a digital‑out‑of‑home network that specializes in digital windows and retail displays. The firm will drive integrated marketing and communications to accelerate Smartify’s growth in the commercial‑real‑estate sector. In parallel, Meyocks...
Meet The Self-Made American Who Founded Forbes
B.C. Forbes, a self‑made immigrant who left school after eighth grade, founded Forbes magazine in 1917 amid World War I. He distinguished the publication by profiling CEOs—the “head knockers”—instead of merely reporting balance‑sheet data. Despite a near‑total bankruptcy in 1932,...
Apple Offers Ads on iOS Maps but What’s the Final Destination?
Apple announced that iOS Maps will now host advertising slots, allowing businesses to promote themselves directly within the app’s search and navigation experience. The ads will appear alongside location results, points of interest, and in the new Look Around feature....
Where and How Book Censorship Is Impacting Children’s Publishing Right Now: Book Censorship News, April 10, 2026
The abrupt closure of Penguin Random House's Dial Books imprint highlights the cascading effects of intensified book censorship in U.S. schools and libraries. Aggressive legislation in Texas and Florida—particularly Senate Bills 12 and 13—has stalled thousands of titles, costing publishers...
Arsenal Tap Meta for Global WhatsApp and Facebook Partnership
Arsenal has announced a global partnership with Meta, linking the club’s fan base to official WhatsApp and Facebook channels. The deal includes exclusive digital experiences, in‑stadium activations throughout April, and opportunities for Facebook community members to attend matches. Meta’s agreement...
Ecosystem Roundup: The Hard Truth Behind OnMic’s Quiet Exit
OnMic, the Vietnam‑based social‑audio startup that rode the pandemic wave, has shut down, underscoring the difficulty of turning fleeting user enthusiasm into a sustainable business. The platform attracted Gen Z micro‑communities during COVID‑19 but lacked a clear monetisation strategy and...
Omnicom Lands IBM's Global Media Account
Omnicom Group has won IBM’s global media account, taking over from incumbent WPP Media, which opted not to defend the business. The multi‑year contract gives Omnicom responsibility for planning and buying IBM’s worldwide advertising across digital, TV and print. IBM’s...
Pillar Media’s Stockman Lays Out How Radio Out-Programs Spotify
Matt Stockman, Pillar Media’s brand director, highlighted research showing radio playlists closely resemble streaming habits, with listeners maintaining roughly 66 active titles and 5‑15 core artists. He warned that shrinking panel sizes in streaming research distort chart data, contrasting Nielsen’s...
Sustainable Advertising Is Our Best Creative Brief
Sustainable advertising is emerging as a generational business opportunity, promising to drive both environmental impact and revenue growth. Yet many brands remain cautious, citing cost concerns and difficulty measuring behavioral change. The article argues that creative teams must treat sustainability...
OUT MONDAY: Radio Ink’s Leaders Issue
Radio Ink’s April issue spotlights the people shaping radio’s future, from multicultural growth to policy advocacy. The cover story features MediaCo CRO Brian Fisher outlining a market‑by‑market strategy to build a national network anchored in multicultural broadcasting. The magazine also...
Katz: 77% Would Consider New Auto Insurer After Radio Exposure
A Katz Radio Group case study of 600 auto‑insurance decision‑makers found that 77% would consider a new insurer after hearing a radio campaign. The research shows 82% of the 25‑54 target audience tunes AM/FM radio weekly, giving advertisers consistent reach...
Zach Sang to Headline BEA Fireside Chat with Radio Ink in Vegas
Zach Sang, the former teen‑radio prodigy turned syndicated host, will headline a fireside chat at the Broadcast Education Association’s 2026 conference in Las Vegas. The session, co‑hosted with Radio Ink editor Cameron Coats, runs on April 20 from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. PT...
8 Ways To Make Talent Endorsements Work
Radio and podcast hosts can wield endorsements that rival personal recommendations, but only if they feel authentic. The article outlines eight practical rules—starting with only promoting products the host would use, and ending with aligning deals with long‑term brand values....
New Data From DAIVID & Kinetiq Shows BODYARMOR Debut Increased Coca-Cola’s March Madness Visibility By 55%
Coca‑Cola’s $5.6 bn acquisition of BODYARMOR has reshaped its NCAA March Madness strategy, replacing POWERADE after 15 years. Data from DAIVID and Kinetiq shows BODYARMOR ads aired 55% more often, with a 71% surge in the men’s tournament and a jump to...
‘Euphoria’ Is Back. Here’s What to Know.
HBO’s cult teen drama “Euphoria” returns for a third season on April 12, 2026, marking its first new episode in over four years. Production was delayed by the 2023 writers and actors strikes and by the busy schedules of its...
Billy Magnussen Has Mixed Feelings on Playing ‘Punchable’ Guys So Well
Billy Magnussen headlines AMC’s new Silicon Valley satire *The Audacity*, portraying a tech‑bro visionary. Known for roles that make audiences want to “punch” his characters, he’s become synonymous with the archetype across shows like *Black Mirror* and *Made for Love*....
Week of March 30 Cable News Ratings: Wednesday’s Live Events Lift Cable Networks
Fox News dominated cable news viewership during the week of March 30, 2026, capturing 4 million viewers for the Artemis II launch and 6.654 million for President Donald Trump’s primetime address. The network’s primetime average rose 4% week‑over‑week to 2.763 million total viewers and 16% in...
The Stack: Streaming Shake-Up
This week streaming platforms embraced AI and new partnerships while facing legal scrutiny. Tubi launched a ChatGPT‑native app, and Microsoft deepened its agentic‑marketing tie‑up with Publicis, signaling automated ad buying. CNN International Commercial announced an in‑house AI‑driven media‑trading infrastructure slated...
JWX Partners with QuantumPath to Give Media Buyers Holistic Control Across Their Programmatic Ad Buys
JWX announced an exclusive agreement with QuantumPath to launch a multi‑DSP agentic orchestration layer that sits above existing programmatic buying platforms. The new layer automates campaign setup, pacing, optimization and reporting across more than a dozen DSPs, reducing manual effort...
Meet the NextGen AI Leaders in News Media
WAN-IFRA, in partnership with the Google News Initiative, has launched the inaugural NextGen AI Leaders programme. After a competitive review of over 100 applicants, 24 media professionals from 14 countries were selected. The cohort will convene on 14 April in Frankfurt...
Esports: An Arena Where Every Dollar Is Spent Effectively
The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 transformed gaming from a niche hobby into a core marketing platform, drawing over 2,000 players, 200 clubs, and a $70 million prize pool across 24 games. The seven‑week tournament attracted more than 3 million on‑site visitors...
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[Perspectives] The Pitt: Essential Work
The Pitt, now in its second season, is a drama that follows a single, intense day in the emergency department of the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital. Each episode captures one hour of that day, framing the narrative around chief...
Leaning Into Serialised Social Storytelling, Not Campaigns
Danielle Bedin argues that the traditional, time‑boxed campaign model is obsolete on social platforms where users scroll endlessly. Brands that post consistently—three to five times a week—see double the follower growth, while periods of silence hurt algorithmic standing. Serialised storytelling,...
Ads of the Week: 9 Campaigns That Caught Our Eye, From On to Coca-Cola
A weekly roundup highlighted nine standout ad campaigns ranging from fashion‑tech collaborations to sports league celebrations. Notable spots include Zendaya fronting On’s “Shape of Dreams,” Coca‑Cola’s refreshed “Hilltop” anthem for the America 250 project, and Wise’s tongue‑in‑cheek critique of legacy banks....
Standing Out From the Sea of Sameness
Touleen Barto warns that AI‑driven tools are flooding the market with fast, cheap content, creating a "sea of sameness" that threatens brand identity. While generative technology boosts production speed, it also homogenises visuals and copy, making campaigns indistinguishable. She argues...
16 Hours on Social Media Is an ‘Addiction’ – but You’re Not Far Off
A Los Angeles jury found Meta 70% liable and YouTube 30% liable for a plaintiff who claimed she spent 16 hours a day on their platforms, awarding $6 million in damages. The verdict marks the first major U.S. case to treat...