Ticker: Testy Exchange Takes Place Between Scott Jennings and Adam Mockler on CNN NewsNight
During Thursday's CNN NewsNight, senior political commentator Scott Jennings erupted in profanity while debating the Iran war with MeidasTouch analyst Adam Mockler, prompting host Abby Phillip to intervene. The same broadcast highlighted a wave of personnel shifts at CNN, including the departures of veteran correspondents Marc Stewart and Stephanie Elam. Meanwhile, CNN announced the hiring of former Washington Post reporter Rachel Siegel to bolster its business coverage, and MS NOW introduced Ron Insana as a new analyst on The 11th Hour. In a related media move, Greta Van Susteren launched a weekly podcast, Greta Wire, across major platforms.
Kentucky Derby 152 to Air Across 19 Networks in 170-Plus Territories
HBA Media, on behalf of NBC Sports and Churchill Downs, secured broadcast and streaming rights for the 152nd Kentucky Derby across 19 networks in more than 170 territories spanning five continents. NBC Sports will air a five‑hour world feed with...
New SLAPP Guidance and Advice Hub for Journalists Facing Legal Intimidation
The University of Sheffield’s Centre for Freedom of the Media has launched SLAPPstraining.org, a dedicated website that equips journalists with tools to fight Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). The hub provides practical advice, case studies—including insights from Bellingcat’s Eliot...
Does Your Station Deserve a Marconi?
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has opened nominations for the 2026 Marconi Radio Awards, with a submission deadline of May 31. Winners will be announced at an October dinner in the Edison Ballroom, the night before the NAB Show in...
PQ Sees Growth For Media, Related Tech Consumer Spending
PQ Media’s latest research shows global consumer spending on media and related technology rose 2.8% to $2.44 trillion in 2025, a slowdown from the 4.4% gain in 2024. Digital media outperformed traditional, growing 4% to $1.85 trillion while traditional media fell 0.7%...
Analysts: ‘Hollywood’s Vertical Video Strategy Is Dead Wrong’
Analysts at LightShed Partners criticize Hollywood’s rush to vertical video, saying most platforms are merely repurposing existing content rather than creating original portrait‑native programming. Netflix, Disney+, ESPN, Peacock, Paramount+ and CNN have added vertical feeds to their mobile apps, citing...
New LPB Travel Show Aims to Showcase All of Louisiana
Award‑winning travel journalist Karen LeBlanc has launched LA64, a Louisiana Public Broadcasting series that will visit each of the state’s 64 parishes over a five‑year span. The first season premiered on Feb. 2, delivering 12 episodes that stream on PBS, LPB’s...
NAB’s Marconi Call for Entries Opens
The National Association of Broadcasters has opened nominations for its 2026 Marconi Radio Awards, with the entry window running through May. More than 20 categories span stations, on‑air personalities, formats and podcasts, allowing both large‑market and community outlets to compete....
You're About to See Less Slop on Instagram
Instagram is tightening its algorithm to curb "unoriginal" posts, limiting the reach of reposted single photos and carousel collections. The platform now requires creators to make meaningful transformations—such as added humor, commentary, or unique edits—to qualify as original content. Low‑effort...
AI Is Bringing Retail Media Closer to the Sale
Retail media is becoming more complex as brands juggle multiple channels and an explosion of shopper signals. At an ADWEEK House Possible panel, CVS Media Exchange (CMX) and Kenvue highlighted how artificial intelligence is being used to personalize offers, streamline...
Why Audio Is a Trusted Anchor in a Digital World
During an ADWEEK House Possible panel, executives from iHeartMedia, GroundTruth and ADWEEK discussed how audio is re‑emerging as a trust‑centric medium in a world saturated with AI‑generated content. They highlighted that 93% of consumers want news from a human and...
How Generative AI Will Impact Marketers and Consumers
InMobi exec Singhal predicts that by 2026 generative AI will power interactive ad formats that act like personal shopping agents, letting consumers outsource research while retaining final purchase decisions. He highlighted Glance, InMobi’s agentic commerce platform, which creates AI‑generated visual...
Doctor Who Star Among Big Names Confirmed to Host Final Two Episodes of Saturday Night Live UK
Saturday Night Live UK announced its final two episodes for season one. Hannah Waddingham, the Olivier‑winning star of Ted Lasso, will host the May 9 show, while Doctor Who and Barbie lead Ncuti Gatwa will helm the May 16 season finale. Musical guests Myles Smith and...
Chicagoland Station Rallies Volunteers for Fox River Flood Relief
Chicago’s 105.5 WZSR (Star 105.5) rallied volunteers to combat severe Fox River flooding after record‑breaking rain in mid‑April. Morning hosts Joe Cicero and Tina Bree used their live show to call listeners for sandbag assistance. Within a week, roughly 80,000 sandbags were...
‘My Adventures with Superman’ Sets Season 3 Adult Swim Return
Adult Swim announced that the third season of the animated series My Adventures with Superman will launch at midnight ET/PT on June 13, with a streaming debut on HBO Max the following day. The show follows a twenty‑something Clark Kent...
Spotify Now Verifies Artists that Are Human, Not AI
Spotify announced a new “Verified by Spotify” badge that will appear next to human artists’ names, using a mix of automated filters and human reviewers to confirm authenticity. The badge rollout begins in the coming weeks and will be accompanied...
Possible’s Aggressive Sponsorship Push: $50K Minimums and 2027 Contracts Due Today
Possible, the marketing and media summit owned by Hyve Group, wrapped up its fourth‑annual event in Miami Beach with 7,500 attendees, a 38 % increase over last year. The conference featured 292 commercial partners, up from 175, including headline sponsors such...
OpenAI Starts Laying Foundations for ChatGPT Ads in EU
OpenAI is preparing to launch advertising on ChatGPT in the European Union by updating its conversion‑tracking pixel with a consent‑management system and a country field. The change aligns the product with GDPR’s opt‑in requirements, a step not needed for U.S....
The Trade Desk Is Selling Onsite Retail Media Ads for Dollar General
The Trade Desk has launched a new retail‑media offering that lets advertisers purchase onsite display ads on Dollar General’s website through the same demand‑side platform used for off‑site campaigns. The partnership, built with retail‑tech provider Kevel, merges upper‑funnel inventory such...
Mini LED Vs. OLED: I've Tested Dozens of TV with Both Display Types, and This One's Better
ZDNet’s Adam Breeden compares Mini LED and OLED TVs, highlighting price, brightness, and burn‑in differences. Mini LED panels, built on backlit LCDs with thousands of tiny LEDs, deliver up to 5,000 nits and cost roughly half of comparable OLEDs. OLEDs, with self‑emissive pixels, provide...
Broadcaster Draper Media Names Bill Vernon President
Bill Vernon has been appointed president of Draper Media, effective May 1, after serving as vice president since December 2024. Vernon joined the company in 2020, first as general manager of the Delmarva Sports Network, then as station manager, before taking...
A ‘Bachelorette’ Season Hangs in the Balance as Abuse Claims Are Aired
ABC has placed the upcoming season of *The Bachelorette* on hold after domestic‑violence allegations surfaced against its lead, Taylor Frankie Paul. Prosecutors announced they will not file criminal charges, but Paul remains embroiled in a contentious Utah custody battle with...
Go Figure: 3 Big Marketing Numbers From April
CEO confidence in the CMO role slipped to 43% for 2026, signaling growing skepticism among senior leaders. At the same time, Modelo is committing a seven‑figure investment to sponsor every pre‑match broadcast of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Telemundo,...
What’s New To Streaming: April 30, 2026
This weekend’s streaming roundup highlights a surge of mystery and thriller offerings across major platforms. Apple TV debuts "Hijack" Season 2 with Idris Elba, while Tubi revives the 1980s classic "Miami Vice." Prime Video adds the haunting Holocaust drama "The Zone of...
Why Clinical Digital Out-of-Home Displays Are Healthcare’s Most Untapped Advertising Opportunity
Clinical digital out‑of‑home (DOOH) screens sit in waiting rooms where patients are fully attentive to a health concern, yet they are priced at the same CPM as mass‑media channels that cannot guarantee an audience. Studies show point‑of‑care ads generate 84%...
Notes From Perugia: Three Reflections for Media Leaders on Survival, Trust and the Business of Journalism
The International Journalism Festival in Perugia highlighted a collapsing funding floor for media, with only 11% of development organisations reporting sufficient resources and average budget cuts of 17% in 2025. A DW Akademie report warns that reliance on external subsidies is...
OpenAI To 'Promote' Own Products Via Your Browser Cookies
OpenAI announced that it will use browser cookies to promote its products and services on other sites, marking a shift from pure organic growth to a commercial advertising model. The updated privacy policy explains that cookies will personalize ads for...
The 1% Solution: Media-For-Equity
Mercurius Media Capital (MMC) announced a $25 million, five‑year agreement with A+E Networks that will supply roughly $5 million of advertising inventory annually to MMC’s startup portfolio. The company’s media‑for‑equity model lets legacy broadcasters convert unsold ad slots into equity stakes, allowing...
May 2026 Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Comment Deadlines, Political Windows, and More
May 2026 brings several FCC regulatory deadlines for broadcasters, including comment periods on the state of competition in video and audio markets (due May 21) and the TV Parental Guidelines ratings system (due May 22). The Audible Crawl Rule waiver was extended,...
Translator Conference to Focus on Broadcasters' Current ATSC 1.0-3.0 Hybrid World
The National Translator Association’s annual conference in Reno (May 6‑9) will spotlight the need to keep ATSC 1.0 operational while broadcasters roll out ATSC 3.0. A panel led by Weigel Broadcasting’s Kyle Walker will explore hybrid‑signal strategies, new encoding techniques from Harmonic and...
How Do You Turn Creator Commerce Into a Performance Channel?
The PI LIVE Europe Influencer & Commerce Summit will examine how creator‑driven affiliate marketing can evolve into a performance‑focused channel. Influencer spend reached $32 bn last year, a 35% jump, while research shows a 46% lift in affiliate sales when creators...
After Media and Commerce, Bia Granja Says Creators Are Coming for Hollywood IP
Bia Granja, veteran of Brazil’s creator‑economy firm YOUPIX, is launching HollyTube, a four‑day immersion in Los Angeles that bridges Hollywood studios with top creators. She argues the creator economy is now cracking the third gatekeeping—intellectual property—by co‑creating long‑form content with film...
Snapchat Partners With Credit Data Company Experian to Deliver Financial Education to Younger Consumers
Snapchat and credit‑reporting giant Experian have teamed up to embed an AI‑powered financial‑education experience within Snapchat’s Sponsored Snaps and chat interface. The partnership lets Gen Z and Millennial users ask money‑related questions and receive instant guidance, extending Experian’s recent ChatGPT‑driven...
Black Media Trust Set Up In Milwaukee
Wisconsin’s oldest Black newspaper and two Black radio stations have been placed into the newly created Milwaukee Black Media Trust, an employee‑benefit trust designed to guarantee perpetual independent Black ownership. The trust initially holds the Courier, WGKB (101.7 The Truth) and will...
Conservative Talk Media Star Larry O’ Connor Interviewed on Harrison Podcast
Larry O’Connor, the flagship host of Cumulus Media’s WMAL-FM in Washington, DC, appeared on Michael Harrison’s “Up Close Far Out” podcast to discuss his show’s recent syndication deal. The morning program “O’Connor and Company,” which runs from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m....
Civic Media Establishes Milwaukee Black Media Trust to Preserve Print and Radio Outlets
Civic Media has transferred ownership of the Milwaukee Courier, Wisconsin’s oldest Black newspaper, and two local radio stations into a newly created Milwaukee Black Media Trust. The employee‑benefit trust is designed to lock the assets in perpetual Black community ownership...
Cumulus Announces Season Three of “On the Frontlines” Podcast
Cumulus Media announced the launch of season three of its original podcast series, “On the Frontlines,” co‑hosted by conservative commentator Mark Levin and Yael Eckstein, CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. The season continues the partnership that...
What If You Could Target Mindset, Not Just Location?
Seedtag unveiled NeuroX, an AI‑driven Neuro‑Contextual Exchange that layers mindset signals onto traditional zip‑code targeting. The platform claims up to a 35% lift in click‑through rates and conversions by identifying buying intent in real time. NeuroX addresses the loss of...
Capitol Broadcasting to Sell Seven North Carolina Signals to Curtis Media
Capitol Broadcasting Company has filed to sell seven North Carolina radio signals to Curtis Media Group, including sports‑talk WMFD‑AM in Wilmington and FM stations WRMR, WKXB, WILT and WAZO, plus two translators. The assets cover coastal markets from Wilmington to...
NAB Rewind: Lawo’s Andreas Hilmer on the Power of the Edge One AV Stagebox
At NAB 2026, Lawo unveiled the Edge One AV stagebox, a compact device that merges video and audio interfacing, DSP processing, and compression into a single unit. The box offers up to eight SDI/XLR connections, four HDMI ports, two MADI,...
Progressive Megadonors Bet Big on Content Creators
The Democracy Alliance, the progressive movement’s largest donor network, announced plans to pour tens of millions of dollars into a new media fund aimed at supporting content creators who reach young audiences. After a 2024 retreat, the group concluded that...
Mappa Makes Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Anime Video for Final Manga Volume
Mappa released a brief anime promotional video to mark the launch of the third and final volume of the Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo manga on May 1, 2026. The teaser highlights new protagonists Tsurugi and Yuka Okkotsu, the alien Simurian Maru,...
Pinterest Ad Shows Girls Going From Doom-Scrolling to Dancing
Pinterest unveiled its latest Spot ad, the second installment of the "How did they do it?" campaign, featuring teenage girls shifting from doom‑scrolling on their phones to dancing. The creative visual underscores Pinterest’s push to position the platform as a...
BBC Confirms "Audacious" And "Totally Addictive" New Legal Drama - Here's What We Know
The BBC has commissioned a six‑part legal drama titled "Reputation" for BBC One and iPlayer. The series follows formidable lawyer Elaine, who defends free expression and becomes embroiled in a high‑profile libel battle with pop star Davina Knight. Created by...
The Morning After: Instagram Will Try to Penalize 'Unoriginal' Posts
Meta is expanding its 2024 algorithm tweaks to penalize unoriginal photo and carousel posts on Instagram, joining the earlier restrictions on recycled Reels. The change will throttle reach for accounts that simply reshare content without material edits. Meanwhile, Samsung is...
People Are Finally Using Reddit’s Search
Reddit reported a 30% year‑over‑year increase in weekly search usage, signaling that recent investments in its search engine and AI‑enhanced features are paying off. CEO Steve Huffman said search is now a major driver of user acquisition and retention. The...
The Clause that Lets Netflix Raise Your Price Might Not Be Legal in Europe
Netflix faces a €673 million ($727 million) lawsuit in the Netherlands alleging its price‑increase clause violates EU Directive 93/13 on unfair contract terms. The claim follows an Italian court ruling that declared every Netflix price hike from 2017 to 2024 unlawful, with similar...
Influencer Marketing in Saudi Arabia: A Complete 2026 Guide for Brands
Influencer marketing in Saudi Arabia has become a high‑engagement, culturally specific channel as social‑media penetration hits 94%—about 35 million active users—and platforms like TikTok and Snapchat dominate usage. Arabic‑first content consistently outperforms translated English by 35‑50%, while the General Authority for...
‘Becoming Elizabeth’ Creator Penning BBC Drama About Celebrity Legal Battle Spiraling Out Of Control
BBC has ordered a new six‑episode drama titled "Reputation" that dramatizes a high‑stakes celebrity libel battle. Created by Anya Reiss, the mind behind "Becoming Elizabeth," the series follows a free‑speech lawyer defending pop star Davina Knight against her ex‑husband’s defamation...
Environmental Finance Journalist Honoured with Award
Environmental Finance senior reporter Genevieve Redgrave was named Journalist of the Year for Sustainable Investment & Stewardship at the 24th State Street UK Institutional Press Awards, and she also placed as runner‑up in the Pensions category. The honors recognize her...