LPTV Broadcasters Association Urges Carr to Approve 5G for Broadcast
The LPTV Broadcasters Association has written to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr urging the commission to fast‑track a rulemaking that would permit low‑power television stations to use the 3GPP 5G Broadcast standard. The request follows HC2 Broadcasting’s experimental licenses for 5G Broadcast trials in Connecticut and aims to make 5G Broadcast a voluntary transmission option for LPTV operators. If approved, broadcasters could deliver linear TV, live events, emergency alerts and datacasting directly to 5G‑ and 6G‑enabled smartphones without extra hardware. The move is framed as essential for modernizing U.S. broadcast policy and capturing emerging market growth.
Spotify Streams Drive 1.5x More Consumption Time Than YouTube for Podcasts, New Podstock Data Shows
Podstock’s benchmark reveals a Spotify stream generates 1.5× more consumption time than a YouTube view of the same podcast episode. The analysis of thousands of episodes released simultaneously on both platforms found 95% of them had higher average minutes per...
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Q1 2026 Global Made for Advertising (MFA) Benchmarks Report for Mobile Apps
Pixalate released its Q1 2026 Global Made‑for‑Advertising (MFA) Mobile Apps Benchmarks Report, identifying 1,976 apps across Google Play and Apple App Store as likely MFA. Of those, 1,643 (about 83%) listed an anonymous country of registration, with the United States and China trailing. Games...
Fox Upfront: More Unscripted, 'Baywatch' Reboot Coming Midseason
Fox used its 2026 upfront to unveil a midseason reboot of the 1990s hit "Baywatch" and a new espionage drama, "The Interrogator," expanding its scripted Tuesday lineup. The network highlighted the strong advertising performance of its existing dramas, "Best Medicine"...
Global Ad Tech Player GumGum Expands Into France with Its Innovative Mindset Graph™ Technology
GumGum, a California‑based global SSP, is opening a Paris office to deepen its presence in France. The expansion is anchored by its proprietary Mindset Graph™ technology, an AI‑driven platform that gauges a user’s real‑time mindset to serve more relevant ads...
Spotify’s Launches a Wrapped-Style Recap of Your Entire Listening History
Spotify is rolling out a limited‑time, 20th‑anniversary feature that lets users explore their entire listening history, from the date they joined to the first song they ever streamed. The recap also generates a personalized playlist of the top 120 tracks,...
Cocie AI Launches CTV Autopilot, The First Agentic Contextual Intelligence Platform Built for Programmatic CTV
Cocie AI unveiled CTV Autopilot, an agentic contextual intelligence platform that transforms a single buyer brief into a live, show‑level targeted CTV campaign within minutes. The system ingests billions of bid‑stream and programming signals, enriches them with granular context, and...
CTV Graduates, Definitions Still Matter. What’s in a Name?
Advanced TV has shifted from a semantic debate over OTT versus CTV to a mature, standards‑driven ecosystem. The IAB Tech Lab’s recent guidance and the adoption of OpenRTB 2.6, VAST 4.3, AdCOM, and OM SDK provide consistent definitions, ad formats, and measurement across...
How Digital Fan Ecosystems Are Becoming Strategic Assets for Sports Organizations
Sports clubs are shifting from broad social‑media outreach to proprietary digital fan ecosystems powered by blockchain and fan tokens. These platforms let organizations treat fans as stakeholders, capturing high‑quality first‑party data and enabling personalized marketing. Revenue models are evolving from...
TikTok to Launch Paid, Ad-Free Tier in UK
TikTok announced it will roll out a paid, ad‑free subscription tier in the United Kingdom, letting users browse without targeted ads. The service will charge a monthly fee (price not disclosed) while the platform’s free, ad‑supported version continues. Creators can...
Are Micro-Dramas the Future of Film Ads?
Micro‑dramas—short, story‑driven video ads lasting 15‑30 seconds—are gaining traction as brands chase mobile‑first audiences. Christine Jones of SirenXYZ argues that traditional storytelling approaches miss the intimacy that bite‑size narratives provide. Early adopters report higher engagement and recall, prompting agencies to...
The Clippening
The Verge reports that anonymous clip‑farms are mass‑producing ultra‑short videos from podcasts and viral content, flooding TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. One such service, Vyro—launched by MrBeast—partnered with AI startup Perplexity for a paid campaign that paid $1.20 per thousand views....
From ‘Rank Me’ To ‘Trust Me’: How AI Is Rewriting The Rules Of Discovery
The rise of large language models is turning traditional web search into a zero‑click experience, delivering synthesized answers instead of blue‑link lists. Publishers now face a new visibility battle called Generative Engine Optimization, where inclusion inside AI‑generated responses matters more...
Keep Walking or Get Left Behind: Josh Dean on Reinventing Johnnie Walker
Former Johnnie Walker global VP Josh Dean explains how the brand’s “Keep Walking” platform serves as a creative north star, enabling authentic collaborations with cultural icons like Squid Game and Sabrina Carpenter. He argues that creativity should be treated as...
Google Discover Publisher Pages To Get Links & Featured Posts
Google is testing a redesign of its Discover publisher pages that adds custom link blocks, featured posts, larger header images, and sharper logos. Publishers will manage these changes by claiming their page, gaining the ability to reorder social media and...
Frank and Postecoglou Going Head to Head as BBC and ITV Pundits for World Cup
Former Tottenham managers Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou will serve as rival World Cup analysts, with Frank signing for BBC Sport and Postecoglou joining ITV. The two broadcasters share UK rights, each covering all 104 matches but with different allocations: BBC...
TV5MONDE Launches FAST Channels in North American Hotels
TV5MONDE has rolled out three free‑ad‑supported streaming (FAST) channels—Chefs, Info and Voyage—across more than 275,000 upscale and luxury hotel rooms in North America via a partnership with SONIFI. The channels deliver French‑language content with English subtitles, covering gastronomy, daily news,...
At the AAP’s Annual Meeting, Talk of AI, Copyright, and ‘Ripples of Hope’
The Association of American Publishers held its 2026 annual meeting, spotlighting the clash between AI developers and traditional publishers. Executives highlighted a pending $1.5 billion settlement with Anthropic, a lawsuit against pirate site Anna’s Archive, and a new class‑action suit accusing...
3 Actionable Ways Affiliate Managers & SEOs Can Keep Relevant – Ask An SEO via @Sejournal, @Rollerblader
The article advises affiliate managers and SEOs on staying relevant as AI reshapes search and content discovery. It stresses aligning brand messaging with AI‑driven personalization, modernizing affiliate payment structures, and converting existing backlink sources into paid affiliate relationships. It also...
TelevisaUnivision Makes a Super Bowl Play for Advertisers at Upfront
TelevisaUnivision will air Super Bowl LVII in Spanish through an ESPN partnership, positioning the event as a lower‑cost entry for advertisers. The upfront adds new soccer rights, a Formula 1 Las Vegas broadcast with Apple, and expands ViX with 100 micro‑dramas slated...
UBN Launches CTV Serial on Rakuten TV in Poland
United Broadcasting Network (UBN) has introduced its FAST channel CTV Serial on Rakuten TV in Poland. The 24/7 linear channel streams curated Ukrainian series spanning crime, procedural and medical drama. The rollout aligns with UBN’s broader push to distribute Ukrainian...
Former ITV Exec Jayesh Rajdev Reveals New Role
Former ITV executive Jayesh Rajdev exited the broadcaster at the close of 2025 and has publicly disclosed his next appointment. He is stepping into a senior leadership role at a fast‑growing digital‑media company focused on streaming and data‑driven advertising. Rajdev’s...
Media Planning Has No Taste
The article argues that the media planning sector has become overly fixated on data, metrics and algorithmic optimisation, sidelining the human sense of taste that fuels creative storytelling. While programmatic buying and real‑time analytics deliver efficiency, they also risk homogenising...
Resident Alien Season 4 Arrives on Netflix June 6, 2026 – Final Season Details Inside
Netflix will add the fourth and final season of the sci‑fi comedy *Resident Alien* to its U.S. catalog on June 6, 2026. The ten‑episode finale originally aired on Syfy from June to August 2025. The series first arrived on Netflix...
NEP to Provide Broadcast Infrastructure for Eurovision 2026
NEP Group, via its NEP Europe subsidiary, will provide the full broadcast production infrastructure for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, supporting host broadcaster ORF and the European Broadcasting Union. The contract includes primary and backup outside‑broadcast facilities, wireless...
Social Media Updates and New Features to Know This Week
Meta announced a new AI incubator partnership with gener8tor, training over 100 small and rural businesses on AI tools, while also previewing advanced AI agents that can shop, research and act on users' behalf. The company introduced AI‑powered age‑verification that...
New NBC 'Rockford,' Fox 'Stewie' Spinoff Enliven Monday Upfronts
At their Monday upfronts, NBCUniversal and Fox unveiled new scripted and unscripted projects aimed at refreshing legacy brands and attracting younger viewers. NBC announced a four‑show scripted slate, headlined by a David Boreanaz‑led reboot of “The Rockford Files” slated for...
From Cannes to Commerce: How Authentic Studios Is Turning Fashion Brands Into Content
Authentic Studios, the content arm of Authentic Brands Group, was created in 2023 to shift the company from passive licensing to producing its own film, series and digital content. By leveraging heritage fashion and celebrity‑backed IP such as Elvis, Reebok,...
Rakuten TV Signs Up to Barb Measurement
Rakuten TV Enterprise has signed up for measurement by Barb, the UK broadcaster‑owned joint industry committee. The move brings its ad‑supported video on demand and FAST channels under the same independent methodology used by public service broadcasters and major streaming...
AI-Enhanced Video From the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Spread Confusion Online
An unedited security clip from the April 25 White House Correspondents’ Dinner was posted by President Donald Trump on Truth Social after a shooting disrupted the event. Social‑media users applied artificial‑intelligence tools to sharpen the low‑resolution video, but the AI added fabricated...
SES Reiterates Outlook After Strong Q1
SES reported a robust start to 2026, with Networks revenue soaring 106% year‑on‑year and Mobility up 207.8%. Media revenue rose 42.9%, while the company signed €306 million (≈$334 million) in new contracts, including about €100 million (≈$109 million) from Media. New O3b mPOWER satellites...
EU to Crack Down on TikTok, Instagram's ‘Addictive Design’ Targeting Kids on Social Media
The European Commission announced plans to curb "addictive design" features on TikTok and Instagram, targeting endless scrolling, autoplay and push notifications that lure children. A new EU‑backed age‑verification app, designed for integration with digital wallets, will enforce minimum‑age rules and...
Meet Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Who Plays Alamo in Euphoria’s Season 3
HBO's teen drama *Euphoria* has launched its third season, now the most‑watched series on HBO Max according to FlixPatrol. In the new arc, Zendaya’s Rue becomes entangled with Alamo Brown, a ruthless adult‑entertainment kingpin played by veteran actor Adewale Akinnuoye‑Agbaje....
Multi-Truck Production Power for Final Four Concert Broadcasts
TNDV and its sister company Live Media, divisions of Live Media Group, delivered a multi‑truck mobile production for the NCAA Final Four weekend, supporting the March Madness Music Festival and the first HDR concert broadcast between the two games. The...
Global Services Take Majority of Norwegian Video Viewing
Mediavision's latest research shows global streaming services now account for nearly 55% of all video consumption in Norway, marking the highest share among Nordic markets. Linear television usage has dropped dramatically, with average daily viewing more than halving since 2017....
Globe and Mail Grows Newsroom by 10% Fuelled by Online Subscriptions
The Globe and Mail enlarged its newsroom by more than 10% in 2025, bringing staff to 260 with 30 new hires focused on business coverage and everyday‑life reporting. Editor‑in‑chief David Walmsley said the paper’s subscription base – about two‑thirds of...
Billie Eilish Just Turned Roblox Into Her Concert Stage
Billie Eilish’s 3D documentary film “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR” was turned into an immersive activation on Roblox’s music hub, The Block, from May 6‑10. The virtual environment recreates her concert stage, allowing fans to explore, role‑play as the...
Screencore Expands Its Global Programmatic Infrastructure with the Launch of SuiteDSP
Screencore has launched SuiteDSP, an omnichannel demand‑side platform that adds CTV, video, native, display and mobile buying to its existing programmatic suite. The company now serves more than 150 markets, 30,000 publishers and delivers over 2 billion ad impressions each month...
Watching ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ as an Elegy for Magazines
The Devil Wears Prada 2 turns a beloved comedy into a sharp commentary on fashion journalism’s decline, earning $240 million in its opening weekend and already surpassing the original’s $326 million total. The film follows former assistant‑turned‑Dior executive Emily as she navigates layoffs,...
ZenoRadio Grows With New In-Car Access
Zeno Media has added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support to its ZenoRadio app, enabling users to stream global radio stations directly from car dashboards. The update also introduces a “call‑to‑listen” feature that lets listeners dial a phone number to...
5 K-Dramas That Explore Loneliness, Survival, And Self-Worth Like “We Are All Trying Here”
The article highlights five Korean dramas—“My Liberation Notes,” “Daily Dose of Sunshine,” “Move to Heaven,” “My Mister,” and “Tomorrow”—that echo the emotional depth of “We Are All Trying Here.” Each series delves into loneliness, mental‑health struggles, and the quest for...
Google Tests AI Search Tool Built Around YouTube. What Affiliate Marketers Need to Know
Google is piloting an AI‑driven feature called Ask YouTube that answers natural‑language queries using video content directly within the YouTube interface. The tool adds a video‑first layer to Google Search, potentially diverting traffic that traditionally landed on text‑based affiliate pages....
Digest: Alibaba Pushes ‘Chat-to-Buy’ With Qwen AI; Amazon Data Coming to Netflix Inventory Next Week; Instagram Eyes Long-Form CTV Push
Alibaba is embedding its Qwen AI assistant into Taobao and Tmall, enabling chat‑to‑buy experiences where users can search, compare, and purchase via text or voice. Amazon’s shopping data will be integrated into Netflix’s ad inventory in the UK and EMEA...
2026 FIFA World Cup Audiences Are Growing and Fragmenting in Australia, Nexxen Forecast Finds
Nexxen released a forecast report on Australian viewership for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, using its proprietary data to map how fans will consume the tournament across linear TV, streaming and digital platforms. The study finds that 88% of Australians...
Vivid Broadcast Debuts 20-Camera Fully Remote HDR Truck
Vivid Broadcast has launched Barra OB, a 20‑camera fully remote outside‑broadcasting truck built for HDR and SDR workflows. The vehicle runs on a 63 A three‑phase supply, delivering over eight hours of operation with shore‑power redundancy, and includes True Control 2.0 for remote audio...
Is It Time to Rethink SBS Eurovision Schedule?
SBS currently broadcasts Eurovision live in the early morning but delays primetime replays until later in the week, diluting the event’s momentum. The columnist proposes moving evening replays to Wednesday and Friday nights to capture same‑day buzz and extend audience...
IAB Australia’s Gai Le Roy Says Industry Must Create New Jobs To ‘Supplement AI’
IAB Australia CEO Gai Le Roy told a Cairns panel that the media and advertising sector should focus on creating new roles that work alongside AI rather than replacing staff. She warned that many firms are already cutting teams while AI tools...
Bustle’s Charlotte Owen on Ditching the ‘Everything for Everyone’ Era
Charlotte Owen, editor‑in‑chief of Bustle and EVP of Editorial at BDG, says the era of trying to be everything for everyone is over. BDG now operates ten distinct lifestyle and parenting brands, each with a clear point of view, allowing...
Premiering 14 May, This Netflix Crime Series Is the New Drama Everyone Will Be Binging This Weekend
Netflix’s new crime series Nemesis arrives on May 14, 2026, offering a heist‑drama centered on a brilliant detective (Matthew Law) and an unstoppable criminal mastermind (Y'lan Noel). The show is created by Courtney A. Kemp, the architect of the Power...
CommsCon Catchup: Humans Still Required — Communication in an Age of Misinformation
At CommsCon in Sydney, behavioural strategist Amy Arbery and University of Canberra researcher Rebekah Russell‑Bennett presented tactics for communicators to combat AI‑driven misinformation. Arbery promoted “pre‑bunking,” a proactive four‑step playbook that inoculates audiences by warning them and exposing weakened false...