Casting News: Jake Johnson Plays P.I. For NBC, Emma Roberts' Bride Wars, And More
Jake Johnson has been cast as Mickey, a down‑on‑his‑luck private investigator, in an untitled NBC comedy pilot created by Brooklyn Nine‑Nine writers Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici. The half‑hour series continues the Los Angeles private‑eye tradition and received a pilot order in January. Meanwhile, Peacock is developing a fresh adaptation of the 2009 rom‑com Bride Wars with Emma Roberts as a city wedding planner, and several established shows are bolstering their line‑ups with notable talent. Netflix’s Untamed adds Moon Bloodgood and Kekoa Kekumano for season 2, while Yellowjackets and MGM+ secure Molly Ringwald, June Squibb, and Matt Dillon for upcoming seasons.
Trump Officials Seek to Break Editorial ‘Firewall’ at U.S.-Funded News Agencies
The Trump administration is pushing a draft funding agreement that would let its political appointees veto hires for editors‑in‑chief, CEOs, and board members at two U.S.-funded overseas broadcasters, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. The proposal...
TikTok Releases Its 2026 Discover List
TikTok unveiled its 2026 Discover List, highlighting 50 creators across five categories—Educators, Foodies, Icons, Innovators, and Originators. Selections were based on video volume, account growth, engagement, and social impact. The program adds extra training and direct TikTok support for the...
Brendan Carr Blasts ‘Out of Touch’ Media, Declares ‘This Isn’t Reagan’s FCC’
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr used a Semafor media summit to defend his leadership, labeling mainstream news outlets as "drastically out of touch" with the American public. He rejected comparisons to Ronald Reagan’s FCC, insisting his approach is a...
Washington Post Editor Confronts ‘Human Cost’ of Layoffs, Says Jeff Bezos Is Committed to Paper
Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray acknowledged the "human cost" of this month’s layoffs, which saw more than 300 staffers cut, but framed the reductions as essential to stabilize finances and return the paper to break‑even. He emphasized owner Jeff...
Hollywood Actor Cast in "Iconic Role" For New Drama That's 'Reimagining of a 1960s Classic'
Hollywood is reviving the 1960 western *The Magnificent Seven* as an eight‑episode drama for MGM+, the Amazon‑owned streaming service. Veteran actor Matt Dillon has been cast as lead Chris Adams, bringing depth to the iconic role. The series, written and...
RAIN Notes: February 25
Google announced the acquisition of ProducerAI, the former Riffusion, to boost its AI‑driven music generation suite. The platform, already integrated with Google’s Lyria 3 model and Gemini AI, will let Google Labs users create full songs and lyrics from text prompts...
Sinclair Q4 Core Ad Revenue Jumps 14%
Sinclair Inc. posted fourth‑quarter 2025 revenue of $836 million, a 17% decline year‑over‑year, driven by weaker political advertising after the 2024 election cycle. Core advertising revenue, however, jumped 14% to $354 million, underscoring demand for live sports and resilient local ad inventory....
Hawaii’s New West Broadcasting Integrates Tieline Solutions
New West Broadcasting, operating six stations on Hawaii’s Big Island, has upgraded its transmission and remote broadcast infrastructure with Tieline’s suite of IP codecs and management tools. The company now uses Bridge‑IT, Gateway, ViA, and MPX codecs, complemented by a...
Heated Rivalry's Connor Storrie Shows Off His Many Accents In SNL Promo — Watch
Connor Storrie, known for his role in HBO Max’s "Heated Rivalry," will make his hosting debut on Saturday Night Live this week. A new SNL promo features Storrie and cast members Marcello Hernández and Ashley Padilla praising his Russian accent,...
2026 Ambies Winners, Podcasts Top Spoken Word Share of Ear, & More
The 2026 Ambies crowned Wisecrack as Podcast of the Year while industry data showed podcasts overtaking AM/FM radio for the first time, capturing 40% of U.S. spoken‑word listening. Research from Triton Digital and Cumulus Media reveals 80% of monthly listeners...
F1 CEO Defends Apple Leap: ‘Bigger’ Reach With ‘Other People’
Formula One has shifted its U.S. broadcast rights from ESPN to Apple, securing a $140 million per‑year deal that eclipses ESPN’s $80‑90 million payments. CEO Stefano Domenicali argues the Apple partnership will ultimately reach a larger audience, especially among cord‑never viewers, by...
Mayra Berenice Joins Lotus’ 980 La Mera Mera for Afternoon Drive
Mayra Berenice has been hired to host the afternoon drive slot on Lotus Communications' 980 La Mera Mera in Los Angeles. The move is part of Lotus's broader effort to staff every major daypart with live, local on‑air talent. The station also added...
Less Tools, More Visibility: TAG Video Systems at NAB 2026
TAG Video Systems announced a suite of new capabilities for its IP‑native Realtime Media Platform at NAB 2026, aimed at consolidating broadcast monitoring tools into a single interface. The rollout includes the Lens visual‑service health analyzer, expanded QC Station colour and...
Nexstar Lays Off Local TV Journalists Including KTLA's Glen Walker and Lu Parker
Nexstar Media Group announced layoffs of longtime KTLA anchors Glen Walker and Lu Parker, along with veteran meteorologist Mark Kriski, as part of a company‑wide cost‑reduction drive. The cuts extend to other major‑market stations such as Chicago’s WGN and New York’s WPIX, reflecting...
Samsung Taps Gracenote for AI-Powered Discovery
Samsung has partnered with Gracenote, Nielsen’s content‑data unit, to embed its extensive entertainment metadata into Samsung Smart TV’s AI stack. The collaboration will power large‑language‑model (LLM) driven search, enabling conversational queries that surface TV shows, movies and sports more intuitively....
The Channel Store Integrates FAST Channels on Prime Video in Spain
The Channel Store has become the first technology provider to launch four free‑ad‑supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Prime Video in Spain. The channels—Anime Visión, Anime Visión Classics, Cines Verdi TV and Cine Feel Good Verdi TV—were technically integrated in...
Jim Lyke Back at SBS for a Breath of Fresh AIRE
Jim Lyke re‑joins Spanish Broadcasting System as Executive Vice President of Network Radio and National Digital Sales for AIRE Radio Networks, co‑leading the division with EVP Carolina Patiño. Lyke previously left SBS in March 2025 for Nueva Network and has...
Avid's New CPO Discusses AI, NAB Show and Newsroom Tech
Avid has appointed Kenna Hilburn as chief product officer and is rolling out Avid Content Core, a cloud‑native platform that links existing broadcast and digital tools for hybrid media teams. The company is embedding AI selectively to automate transcription, search...
AdApt Enhances AI-Driven Media Sales Platform With BIA Data
AdApt Media Sales has entered a strategic partnership with BIA Advisory Services to embed BIA’s local market revenue forecasts and category analysis into its AI‑enabled sales platform. The integration will give broadcasters and other local media organizations access to market‑level...
IHeart Adds Flag Football to Emerging Sports Partner Portfolio
iHeartMedia has been named the official media partner of the International Flag League (iFlag), the world’s largest flag football tournament operator. The partnership will use iHeart’s AM/FM radio stations, podcasts and digital platforms to promote youth competitions, athlete stories and...
HBO Renews ‘Industry’ for a Final Season
HBO has renewed the drama series Industry for a fifth and final season, concluding the show after five years. The fourth season wraps up on March 1, 2024, featuring Harper and Yasmin entangled in high‑stakes fintech intrigue in London. Showrunners Mickey...
Legendary Alum Deborah Kaufmann Joins Sipur
Deborah Kaufmann, a former senior vice president of literary affairs at Legendary, has been appointed chief of global content at Sipur Studios. The newly created role tasks her with steering worldwide content development and creative leadership. During her decade at...
Bruce McAvaney Leads SEVEN’s Tongue in Cheek 2026 AFL Launch Campaign
Seven Network unveiled a tongue‑in‑cheek promo for the 2026 AFL season, starring veteran commentator Bruce McAvaney as the network’s fictional “Head of Sport.” The spot gathers Seven’s top football voices—including Brian Taylor, Kane Cornes, and Nick Riewoldt—alongside current players and...
The Creator Economy Builds Its Own Lot
The Lighthouse, a creator‑economy co‑working campus, opened in a renovated Venice post office and a larger Brooklyn location, offering podcast studios, edit bays, and communal spaces. With a $6,000 annual membership, it caps membership at 500 and provides credits for...
Mark Ruffalo Drama That's "Poised to Break Hearts" With "Perfect" Cast Lands New UK Streaming Home
Hal & Harper, the Mark Ruffalo‑led drama that premiered on Australia’s Stan platform, is arriving in the UK on ITVX on 23 March. The series follows two siblings confronting childhood trauma while navigating adult life, and features Lili Reinhart, Cooper Raiff,...
Stan Acquires Buzzy George Kay Thriller Series GONE for Australia
Australian streaming service Stan has acquired the exclusive rights to the six‑part psychological thriller *Gone* for the Australian market. The series, created by George Kay – known for *Hijack* and *Lupin* – follows elite headmaster Michael Polly, played by David...
BCNEXXT Adds HLG-Based HDR To Vipe Platform
BCNEXXT has integrated live HLG‑based HDR playout into its cloud‑native Vipe platform, supporting UHD 2160p BT.2100 HLG ingest and output. The solution lets broadcasters run HDR and SDR streams side‑by‑side, especially for live sports, while minimizing cross‑conversion steps. Vipe’s architecture...
Publication Closures, AI and Funding and Budget Cuts Top Concerns for Arts PR’s in 2026
Mobius Industries’ 2026 arts PR survey reveals publication closures (65%), AI concerns (55%) and budget cuts (52%) as the sector’s top worries. Respondents are split on AI, with half fearing misuse while the other half sees efficiency gains if regulated....
BBC Faces Backlash After Bafta Racial Slur – The Latest
The BBC issued a public apology after a presenter used a racial slur during the BAFTA awards ceremony, prompting a wave of criticism across social media and industry circles. The broadcaster’s mistake triggered calls for accountability from civil rights groups...
The Baltimore Beat Experiments with Pay-What-You-Can Ads
Baltimore Beat, a nonprofit news outlet, is introducing pay‑what‑you‑can advertising options. The tiered pricing lets mom‑and‑pop shops pay $50, brick‑and‑mortar stores $150, and larger investors $300 per ad. The paper, which distributes 20,000 free print copies twice a month and...
Viewers Continue To 'Struggle' With Sports Program Discovery
A recent Reviews.org survey reveals that nearly half of U.S. sports fans struggle to locate the right channel or streaming service for a specific game, and 53% have missed games because of subscription gaps. The study, based on 882 active...
Comedy Meets Culture: Jess a Couple Things Partners With Backyard Ventures
Backyard Ventures announced an exclusive partnership with Jess A Couple Things, the pop‑culture comedy show hosted by Jessie Woo. The deal positions BV as the sole representative for premium brand collaborations across the show’s Instagram, YouTube, podcast and other social channels....
SAVE THE DATE: TALKERS 2026 Conference Set for Friday June 5 at Hofstra University
The 27th annual TALKERS conference is slated for Friday, June 5, 2026 at Hofstra University’s modern campus on Long Island. After a one‑year hiatus in 2025, the event returns with its traditional partnership with WRHU‑FM and the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication....
Ofcom to Force Stations to Create Local News Locally
Ofcom announced new licence conditions requiring all local analogue commercial radio stations to broadcast mandatory local news bulletins. Weekday bulletins must air hourly between 6 am and 7 pm, with at least three bulletins on weekends and bank holidays, and stations previously...
Brave Bison Appoints Ed Knights as Head of Growth
Brave Bison, the UK‑based influencer‑marketing and digital‑media platform, has named Ed Knights as its new Head of Growth. Knights joins from senior roles at Born Social and M&C Saatchi Performance, where he led performance‑driven campaigns for major brands. The appointment...
Week of Feb. 9 Cable News Ratings: Total Viewers Grow
For the week of Feb 9 2026, Fox News, MS NOW, and CNN all recorded higher total viewership, with Fox News maintaining its lead in primetime and total‑day audiences. Fox News posted a 5% rise in primetime total viewers (2.768 million) and a 7%...
Broadpeak Launches Multiview For Live Sports at 2026 NAB Show
Broadpeak announced the launch of its Multiview solution for live sports at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas. The technology lets broadcasters, streaming platforms and telecom operators deliver multiple simultaneous feeds on a single screen, offering viewers the ability to...
Carson Roney: Discipline Of An Athlete, Instinct Of A Content Creator
Carson Roney leveraged her athlete’s discipline to build a multi‑platform creator business after college, turning TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat into revenue streams that now outpace her previous wait‑staff job. A surge in posting frequency during the COVID‑19 lockdown sparked rapid...
March 2026 Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Daylight Savings Time, Applications for New LPTV/TV Translator Stations, Political Windows, and More
The FCC’s March 2026 calendar is packed with compliance milestones for broadcasters. Daylight‑Saving Time begins on March 8, forcing AM stations to verify sign‑on and sign‑off times, while a filing freeze on March 12 pauses all Class A, LPTV and translator modifications until...
Unfiltered Media Podcast
Barb CEO Justin Sampson appeared on the Unfiltered Media podcast on 25 February 2026 to examine mounting pressures on traditional media measurement currencies. He explained how fragmented consumption across streaming, social and gaming platforms is eroding legacy TV‑rating models. Sampson...
Olympic Snowboarder Maddie Mastro Generated The Biggest Engagement Surge On Team USA’s Instagram – All On Organic Content
U.S. halfpipe snowboarder Maddie Mastro, reigning World Cup champion, generated the largest organic engagement surge among Team USA accounts during the lead‑up to the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. In the 30 days surrounding the Games her Instagram engagement rose nearly...
DUPAY: The Income Protection Platform Turning Unpaid Creator Invoices Into Recoverable Revenue
DUPAY, launched in May 2023, offers a subscription‑based income‑protection platform for creators, agencies, and small businesses. Leveraging AI‑generated demand letters and a three‑letter escalation protocol, the service reports an 81% success rate in recovering unpaid invoices across 16 countries. Beyond...
F1 CEO: Audience Reach on Apple Will Be ‘Even Bigger’ than ESPN
Formula One has signed a reported $150 million per‑year deal with Apple, ending its ESPN partnership that delivered a record 1.32 million U.S. viewers in its final season. Apple TV+ will stream every practice, qualifying, sprint and Grand Prix at no extra cost, while...
Why “Magic Links” And Passcodes Are Taking over News Logins
News publishers are increasingly replacing passwords with email‑based magic links or one‑time passcodes. Small‑scale outlets using platforms like Ghost, Substack, and Beehiiv cite reduced security overhead and faster onboarding as primary benefits. Industry voices argue that magic links combat password...
AiMCO Wants to End the ‘Wild West’ Era of Influencer Marketing in Australia With Its 2026 Summit
The Australian Influencer Marketing Council (AiMCO) will host its 2026 Summit on Feb 26 in Sydney, aiming to shift the perception of influencer marketing from a “Wild West” to a disciplined, brand‑ready channel. The not‑for‑profit body, which introduced Australia’s first influencer...
Digital Media Company Raptive Crosses $4B In Publisher Payouts
Raptive, the ad‑management platform for independent sites, announced it has paid $4 billion to its publisher partners, confirming its status among the top‑10 global media companies. The network now spans more than 6,500 premium sites, reaching 223 million unique monthly visitors and...
Valerie Bertinelli Launches Subscription Direct-to-Fan Platform ‘Valerie’s Place,’ Including New Episodes of ‘Home Cooking’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Former Food Network star Valerie Bertinelli has launched a subscription‑based direct‑to‑fan platform called Valerie’s Place, priced at $2 per month. The service, built on Visible Things’ technology, offers new episodes of her show Home Cooking, original programming, podcasts, live streams,...
ITV Studios Produces the Spanish Version of Parents’ Evening for Atresmedia
ITV Studios announced that its hit UK celebrity game show Parents’ Evening will be adapted for the Spanish market by Atresmedia, with production handled by ITV Studios Iberia. The format, created by Ranga Bee Productions and hosted by Romesh Ranganathan...
IHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God Announce the Fourth Annual Black Effect Podcast Festival Presented by State Farm® on April 25...
iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God announced the fourth annual Black Effect Podcast Festival in Atlanta on April 25, 2026. The day‑long event, presented by State Farm, will feature hosts Charlamagne Tha God, DJ Envy and Loren LoRosa, with tickets on...