Zoë Kravitz Calls Hulu ‘Tacky’ for Instagram Post Linking Her ‘High Fidelity’ Character to Harry Styles
Zoë Kravitz publicly rebuked Hulu after the streamer posted an Instagram image that tied her "High Fidelity" character to Harry Styles, labeling the move "tacky." The deleted post referenced Styles’ new album to comment on Kravitz’s rumored engagement, sparking immediate backlash. Kravitz also recalled Hulu’s 2020 cancellation of the gender‑flipped series and her earlier criticism of the platform’s diversity record. The episode highlights growing friction between talent and streaming services over personal‑life publicity tactics.
Casting News: The Morning Show Adds Lizzy Caplan, Kelly Clarkson Returns To The Voice, And More
Apple TV+ announced that Oscar‑nominated actress Lizzy Caplan will join the cast of its hit drama The Morning Show for season five, playing Broadway director Gwen. The upcoming season also brings Jeff Daniels, Renee Rapp and Jesse Williams into the...
Threads Adds New Posting Options and Animated Mini Stickers
Meta’s Threads introduced two new tools aimed at boosting user posting frequency. The platform now automatically splits any pasted text longer than 500 characters into a series of linked updates, eliminating the need for manual trimming. In parallel, Threads is...
Dems Blast FCC Disney Probe As `Egregious Abuse of Power’
A coalition of senior Democratic senators sent a sharply worded letter to FCC Chair Brendan Carr, condemning the commission’s recent order that forces Disney’s eight ABC broadcast stations to file early license renewals. The senators labeled the action an “egregious...
‘SPARK’ Issue 3 Now Available for Free Download
Studio KÄ has released Issue 3 of its monthly magazine SPARK as a free PDF download. The 32‑page issue, edited by founder Adja Soro, spotlights the growing African animation ecosystem beyond production, covering schools, festivals, script‑consulting firms and distribution platforms. Highlights include Morocco’s...
‘John Candy: I Like Me’ Composer Tyler Strickland On Using French Horn To Depict Comedy Icon “As A Soldier Going...
The documentary "John Candy: I Like Me" chronicles the life of comedy legend John Candy, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds with participation from Candy’s children. Composer Tyler Strickland faced the challenge of scoring a film about...
New ITV Show Hosted by Graham Norton Gets Schedule Shake-Up Following Disappointing Ratings
ITV’s new reality series "The Neighbourhood," hosted by Graham Norton, is moving to later evening slots as its debut season nears its end. The show, which pits households against each other for a £250,000 (≈$310,000) prize, saw viewership dip below...
Sama Jordan TV Joins Es’hailSat Video Neighborhood at 26° East
Qatar’s Es’hailSat has added Jordanian news channel Sama Jordan TV to its 26° East video neighborhood, broadcasting via the Es’hail‑2 satellite across the Middle East and North Africa. The direct‑to‑home service is uplinked from the Tier 4‑certified Al Ghuwayriyah Teleport in Doha. This...
ANZ NZ Appoints MBM as New Media Agency; Ends Long-Standing Partnership with PHD + Omnicom
ANZ New Zealand has appointed MBM, the Publicis Group’s media arm, as its new media agency, ending a 15‑year relationship with PHD and Omnicom. The decision followed a competitive RFP that evaluated five agencies on strategy, technology and marketing effectiveness. MBM...
‘Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85’ Harnesses the Power of Retro Color
Netflix’s new animated spin‑off “Stranger Things: Tales from ’85” debuted on the platform, revisiting the original characters in a winter‑y 1985 setting. Showrunner Eric Robles emphasizes a bold, neon‑rich color palette that coexists with serious, dramatic moments, echoing 80s visual...
Flavor Flav, Ashley Nicole Moss, and More Star in Lotto’s 2026 World Cup Soccer Campaign
Lotto unveiled its "Legends Begin with Lotto" global campaign ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring a star‑studded cast that includes Flavor Flav, Ashley Nicole Moss, and a mix of athletes, musicians, and fashion figures. The 90‑second cinematic film, directed...
One Of ER's Most Iconic Shots Was Completely Unplanned
In the pilot of *ER*, a rain‑soaked ambulance bay replaced a planned alley, creating an iconic visual of Dr. Mark Greene reflected in a puddle as he delivers a memorable monologue to med‑student John Carter. The unplanned shot was captured...
NFL’s Next Media Move Could Put More Games on YouTube & Netflix
The NFL is set to allocate four of its streaming‑rights games between YouTube and Netflix, while adding a fifth game for a major global streamer. Netflix will air two Christmas Day games in the final year of its three‑year deal...
Semafor’s New AI Tool Helped Boil Down Its Entire Flagship Conference Into Nine Takeaways
Semafor introduced Semafor Intelligence, an AI‑assisted editorial product that condenses the five‑day World Economy conference into nine key themes. Journalists fed a custom‑built AI tool with transcripts from more than 250 sessions, using vector embeddings to cluster ideas and extract...
Rex Linn, Sasha Alexander & Missi Pyle Join Apple TV’s ‘Stick’ For Season 2
Apple TV+ renewed its feel‑good sports comedy *Stick* for a second season, adding veteran actors Rex Linn, Sasha Alexander and Missi Pyle to the recurring lineup. The show, created by Jason Keller and headlined by Owen Wilson as ex‑pro golfer Pryce “Stick” Cahill, will...
YouTube Tests Updated Feed Navigation
YouTube is piloting a redesigned mobile interface that repositions the Subscriptions feed to the top navigation bar and merges Home and Subscriptions into a swipeable tab. The experiment also places the Explore menu behind a pull‑to‑refresh gesture and may shift...
UK Thriller THE REVENGE CLUB Arrives on BritBox in Australia
BritBox has launched the six‑part UK thriller *The Revenge Club* for Australian subscribers. The series follows newly divorced strangers who turn therapy sessions into elaborate revenge schemes, blending dark comedy, suspense, and relationship drama. It features a star‑studded ensemble including...
Beasley Media and MBBA Bring Change to Detroit Airwaves
Beasley Media Group has teamed up with the Michigan Black Business Alliance (MBBA) to embed the nonprofit’s economic‑equity mission into its three Detroit radio stations—105.9 KISS, 105.1 The Bounce, and Detroit Praise. The partnership will use on‑air talent and digital platforms to...
The AI Media Arena: Journalism Is The Biggest Source For Query Answers
A Muck Rack study of over 25 million AI‑generated links finds that 99% of citations come from non‑paid sources, with journalism leading at 27% of all references. Corporate blogs follow at 24%, while aggregators, owned media and government sites make up...
Coastal Crime Series MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN Scores Third Season
Fox has renewed the Canadian‑produced crime drama “Murder In A Small Town” for a third season, adding a 10‑episode run and bringing Peter Gallagher on board as a series regular. The show, which premiered in Australia on Seven and 7plus...
Scripps Posts 8% Revenue Gain In Q1
E.W. Scripps Co. posted first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $587 million, an 8% year‑over‑year increase. Growth was led by Local Media, which rose 10% to $455 million, and Digital, which climbed 17% to $58 million, while National Media fell 12% to $132 million. Adjusted EBITDA...
Finneas O’Connell Used Synths That Sounded Like A “Swarm Of Bees” To Capture The Stressful Sound Of ‘Beef’ – Sound...
Finneas O’Connell, Oscar‑winning composer, scored Netflix’s *Beef* Season 2, employing synth patches that mimic a swarm of bees to amplify the show’s tension. He integrated ambient garden sounds and nostalgic needle drops from LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip and M83, creating a contrast between...
Who Should Host the Emmys on NBC? Keke Palmer, Alan Cumming or — Wait for It — the Cast of...
Variety editor Michael Schneider notes that NBC’s current Emmy broadcast agreement ends after the September 14, 2026 ceremony, leaving the future of the primetime awards uncertain. He proposes a “roadblock” simulcast that would air the show simultaneously on all broadcast networks and...
Microsoft Ads Expands Custom Columns to Include All Conversion Metrics
Microsoft Ads has upgraded its custom columns feature to accept every conversion metric available on the platform, including both primary and all‑conversion counts. The change lets advertisers construct bespoke columns that combine ratios, blended CPA, cost per qualified lead, and...
Genesis Launches First-Ever Hispanic Campaign
Genesis Motor America is rolling out its first culturally centered campaign aimed at Hispanic consumers, titled “El Lujo Está en Ti” (“Your Purpose is the Ultimate Luxury”). The campaign spotlights the GV70 SUV and will run 30‑ and 15‑second bilingual...
The Terror: Devil in Silver Is No One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Says Judith Light
Judith Light headlines the Shudder and AMC+ horror series "The Terror: Devil in Silver," playing long‑time patient Dorry in a decaying psychiatric ward. The show, adapted from Victor LaValle’s novel, premiered on May 7, 2026, and tackles mental‑health themes without echoing the...
Starz Extends First Quarter Loss on Lower Revenues
Starz Entertainment reported a first‑quarter loss for 2026, with revenue slipping to $307 million, down from $330.6 million a year earlier. Streaming revenue fell to $211.1 million while linear TV revenue dropped to $95.8 million, contributing to an operating loss of $152.8 million and a...
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Claudia-Cardinale-in-Once-Upon-a-Time-in-the-West--2-Cary-Grant-in-To-Catch-a-Thief--and-3-Samuel-L.-Jackson-in-Pulp-Fiction518-05062026-fb14f48f3a1d40aa8150112b73a984ea.jpg)
10 Timeless Classics on Paramount+ for Movie Lovers
Paramount+ has curated a library of ten timeless classics that span the studio’s golden age, New Hollywood, and modern cinema. The lineup includes iconic titles such as *Chinatown*, *Pulp Fiction*, and *Once Upon a Time in the West*, offering both...
Kelly Clarkson Returning for Season 30 of 'The Voice' - Who Else?
Kelly Clarkson will return as a judge for the 30th season of NBC’s "The Voice" in fall 2026, marking her 11th season on the show. The upcoming season will feature Adam Levine and two yet‑to‑be‑named coaches, restoring the traditional four‑chair...
This Week’s MPN Video Podcast: Big Media Earnings, Vertical Drama Market, OpenAI Trial and the Future of Hollywood
The Media Play News podcast highlighted Disney’s strong Q1 results, Paramount’s aggressive 30‑film‑a‑year plan, the launch of the LA Vertical Drama Market, and the escalating legal battle between Elon Musk and OpenAI. It also examined shifting ad spend as social...
NBC Sports, Peacock Scale Vertical-Video Production Across Sports — and Beyond — Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026
NBC Sports and Peacock are scaling 9:16 vertical‑video production for live sports, debuting formats like Courtside Live for the NBA All‑Star Game and Rinkside Live for the Milano‑Cortina Olympics. The workflow relies on FOR‑A/Nippon TV’s AiDi AI, which automates cropping,...
How to Measure Influencer Marketing Success: A Complete Guide for Brands
Influencer Marketing Hub released a comprehensive guide on measuring influencer marketing success, outlining the key performance indicators brands should track. The guide highlights benchmarks such as average engagement rates, cost‑per‑engagement, and a 5.2‑times return on investment reported in the 2026...
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS Serves Mother’s Day Ideas
Better Homes and Gardens aired a Mother’s Day‑themed episode featuring Australian‑Italian grandmother Nonna Fina, whose viral videos have amassed over a million followers. Host Johanna Griggs joined her and granddaughter Maddie for a kitchen segment, while chef Colin Fassnidge demonstrated a...
Pulitzer Prize Winning Biographer Jon Meacham and Copyright Scholar Paul Goldstein Headline AAP’s Annual Meeting
The Association of American Publishers held its 2026 annual meeting, marking the United States’ 250th birthday and the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Copyright Act. President Maria Pallante highlighted a pending $1.5 billion settlement with AI firm Anthropic, a lawsuit against...
THE BEAR Surprises Fans with Hidden Episode ‘GARY’ on Disney+
Disney+ surprised The Bear fans on May 7, 2026 with a hidden flashback episode titled “Gary,” co‑written by lead Ebon Moss‑Bachrach and Jon Bernthal. The short instalment follows Richie and Mikey on a work trip to Gary, Indiana, and can...
31 Years Ago Today: ‘Matlock’ Came to An End, Marking a TV Milestone
On May 7, 1995 the long‑running legal drama *Matlock* aired its series finale, ending a nine‑season, 193‑episode run that began as a 1986 NBC pilot. The show shifted to ABC in 1992, maintaining solid ratings while delivering courtroom intrigue mixed with Southern...
Ellen Tailor Returns to Seattle’s Wolf for New Morning Show
Audacy Seattle’s 100.7 The Wolf is launching a new morning program called “Ellen & Aaron,” pairing returning host Ellen Tailor with Cascade Country personality Aaron Crawford. The change follows the departure of the previous “Morning Wolfpack” hosts, Matt McAllister and Gabe...
Cannes 2026 Movies Sold So Far: ‘Paper Tiger,’ ‘The Devils’ 4K Restoration, and ‘Minotaur’ Find Homes Early
At Cannes 2026, several high‑profile titles have already been sold ahead of the festival. Warner Bros.’ new indie label Clockwork will release the restored Ken Russell classic “The Devils,” while Neon has picked up James Gray’s “Paper Tiger,” its first collaboration with the...
Live Sports Streaming Ad Market Rife With Fraud, Experts Say
The rapid shift of live sports to streaming platforms has created a fragmented ad marketplace where third‑party aggregators resell inventory they don’t directly control. Experts from Good Karma Brands and Digital Remedy warn that these middlemen often misrepresent placement guarantees,...
I Started Clearing My Roku Cache, and It Fixed My Biggest TV Complaint
Elyse Betters Picaro reports that a hidden remote shortcut can soft‑reset Roku TVs and streaming devices, effectively clearing their cache and eliminating sluggish performance. The sequence—Home five times, Up, Rewind twice, Fast Forward twice—forces a brief freeze and restart, wiping...
Kimberly Adams Succeeds Brancaccio at APM’s ‘Marketplace’
American Public Media announced that Kimberly Adams will take over as host of its flagship weekday program, Marketplace Morning Report, beginning June 8. Adams, currently the show’s senior Washington correspondent and host of the Make Me Smart podcast, replaces David Brancaccio...
Disney+ Reveals Its Latest Content Alliance With a Broadcaster – Mexico’s TV Azteca
Disney+ announced a new content partnership with Mexico's free‑to‑air broadcaster TV Azteca, bringing the upcoming season of MasterChef 24/7 to the streaming platform on May 17. The deal also adds three live Azteca channels and a slate of popular telenovelas and reality...
No Backlash From U.S. Formula 1 Fans After the Switch to Apple TV: Liberty Media CEO
Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang said the early results of Formula 1’s switch to Apple TV as the U.S. broadcast partner are promising, with viewership up across the first three races and no fan backlash. Apple’s tech‑forward platform delivered multi‑view, data‑feed and...
AI Max vs DSA: Advertisers Question Control as Google Responds
Google is transitioning advertisers from legacy Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) to its AI‑driven Max campaigns, sparking concerns over lost URL‑level targeting granularity. Marketers argue that DSA’s ability to align ads with site architecture via categories, URL paths, and page rules...
With Malice
FBI Director Kash Patel filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic after the magazine published an April 17 report alleging his intoxication, absenteeism, and a politicized FBI. Patel claimed the story relied on anonymous sources and insufficiently allowed a right‑of‑reply, vowing...
Trade Desk Growth Slows to Lowest Rate Since Covid; Publicis Talks Ongoing
Trade Desk reported Q2 revenue of $689 million, a 12% year‑over‑year increase that beat estimates but marked its slowest growth since the 2020 Covid‑era downturn. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $206 million, reflecting a 30% margin, while earnings per share missed forecasts, sending...
Cord Cutting Today: HBO Max Ends Support For Some Devices, Disney Streaming Surges as Fubo Loses Subscribers & Roku Expands...
Cord‑cutting dynamics shifted sharply this week as Fubo shed over 500,000 North American subscribers in Q2 2026, while Disney reported an 88% jump in streaming revenue that helped offset a broader cable decline. Disney’s new CEO highlighted AI‑driven storytelling as...
This World Cup, CTV Becomes the New Stadium
The upcoming World Cup will be watched across televisions, phones, tablets and voice assistants, turning the living room into a multi‑screen arena. Connected TV (CTV) is positioned as the central hub that can capture the household’s collective attention, but only...
You Can Now Stream Sam Raimi’s Send Help
Sam Raimi’s horror‑comedy *Send Help*, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien, began streaming on Hulu on May 7, 2026. The film follows an underappreciated female executive stranded on a desert island with her domineering boss, mixing survival thrills with a...
MNTN Wants Its AI Video Ad Generator To Stand Apart From Its CTV Platform
MNTN unveiled QuickFrame AI 3.0, an AI‑driven video ad generator that lets users craft multi‑scene narratives and reuse assets across projects. The tool is sold as a standalone subscription aimed at small‑ and mid‑market advertisers and individual creators, separate from MNTN’s...