Chapter 11 TV Drops ‘Water Bug’ Ft Dimitri Poulos
Chapter 11 TV has launched a new short‑form video titled “Water Bug,” starring Ventura‑based surfer Dimitri Poulos. The clip highlights Poulos’ rapid, high‑energy surf maneuvers, emphasizing his ability to generate excitement even without major sponsorship. The release is positioned as a showcase of untapped talent and a bid to attract a niche surf‑enthusiast audience. The piece also underscores the challenges faced by emerging extreme‑sport athletes in securing brand backing.
Cannes Lions 2026 Announces Titanium and Inaugural Creative Brand Lions Juries
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity unveiled the juries for its Dan Wieden Titanium Lions and the brand‑new Creative Brand Lions ahead of the June 22‑26, 2026 event. Marcel Marcondes, AB InBev’s global CMO, will chair the Creative Brand Lion jury, which aims to...
Betty’s Burgers Appoints Independent Shop Superhuman as New Media Agency
Betty’s Burgers, the Australian burger chain with 75 restaurants, has hired independent media agency Superhuman to lead its media strategy, planning and buying. The partnership comes as the brand rolls out new store openings and burger launches, seeking to reach...
Pedigree Launches New Global Campaign ‘Good Then, Better Now’ via Colenso BBDO
Pedigree has unveiled a new global advertising campaign titled “Good Then, Better Now,” developed with creative agency Colenso BBDO. The campaign leans on nostalgic childhood photos and home videos submitted by dog owners worldwide to reinforce Pedigree’s long‑standing reputation in...
‘Influence Isn’t Driven by How Loud You Are, but by How Available You Are.’: Omicom Media Singapore’s Chloe Neo and...
Omnicom Media Singapore unveiled its OM Growth Model, emphasizing that brand influence now depends on three pillars—physical, mental and emotional availability—rather than sheer ad volume. The framework reflects a consumer shift toward AI‑driven discovery, creator‑led content, and frictionless commerce across...
2DayFM Leans Into Nostalgia with Second Format Change in a Year
After a year of experimenting with a youth‑focused playlist, Sydney’s 2DayFM has rebranded as an Adult Contemporary station aimed at women aged 25‑44. The station resurrected its classic “Better music and more of it” slogan and now mixes 1990s‑2000s staples...
‘My Brother the Minotaur’: A Mystical Being Embraces Community and Individuality
Apple TV will launch the animated series *My Brother the Minotaur* globally on April 24. The show, co‑produced by Dog Ears, Cartoon Saloon and funded by Northern Ireland Screen and the Irish Film Board, follows half‑bull, half‑boy Lorcan as he navigates a human world with...
Amazon Ads Introduces AI-Powered Video Generator for Australian Advertisers
Amazon Ads has rolled out its AI‑powered Video Generator to Australian advertisers, letting businesses of any size produce up to six high‑motion video ads in just minutes at no extra cost. The tool pulls product images, existing videos or Amazon...
Shareholders Greenlight AU$156B Paramount-Warner Merger
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders gave the green light to Paramount Skydance's AU$156 billion (US$111 billion) takeover, marking the largest media merger since AOL‑Time Warner. The vote also rebuked a proposed AU$700 million (US$500 million) golden parachute for CEO David Zaslav, though the advisory vote...
Made By Dyslexia Launches New Film to Reshape Dyslexia Search Results via Clemenger BBDO
Made By Dyslexia, together with Clemenger BBDO, has launched a global short film titled “What is dyslexia?” to claim the top spot on Google’s Knowledge Panel for the most common search query about the condition. The animated piece, starring Jeremy Irons,...
African Storytelling Is a Growth Market Hollywood Is Missing, Says Next Narrative Africa Fund Study
The Next Narrative Africa Fund (NNAF) released a study with Parrot Analytics showing that global demand for African and diaspora film and TV outpaces supply, especially for non‑English titles. Non‑English African stories represent 28% of audience demand but only 16%...
Live and Unloved – Kyle and Jackie O Are Back in Court and on Screen
The Kyle and Jackie O Show is back in the Federal Court of Australia, facing a directions hearing that the court has chosen to livestream. The court announced the live stream on LinkedIn, turning a normally dull procedural matter into...
E-Books Lag Printed Books
Statista’s latest market data shows e‑books still lag printed books in most countries. In the United States, 21% of consumers bought an e‑book last year versus 30% who purchased a printed title. China is the outlier, with e‑book purchases at...
Stephen Colbert Bequeaths His Iran War Jokes to Jimmy Kimmel
Stephen Colbert wrapped up his Late Show run by joking that he would pass his unused Iran‑war jokes to fellow late‑night host Jimmy Kimmel. The tongue‑in‑cheek bequest references a long‑standing tradition of comedians sharing material after a show ends. Colbert...
Could the US Military Handle a Monster Invasion? Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Begs the Question
Season 2 of Apple TV+’s "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" ends on May 1, using a fictional Kaiju invasion to expose how the U.S. military would respond to a giant, mobile monster. The article outlines three major gaps: ambiguous command authority under the National...
Pedigree, Spot & Tango Campaigns Feature Real Dog Owners
Legacy pet food brand Pedigree and direct‑to‑consumer label Spot & Tango are rolling out new campaigns that feature real dog owners rather than polished actors. Pedigree’s “Good Then, Better Now” platform, created by BBDO, will debut in the U.S. across...
CRTC Says Rogers Does Not Need to Continue Putting Money Into Shaw Rocket Fund
The Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ruled that Rogers Communications is not required to continue its financial contributions to the Shaw Rocket Fund beyond August 2025, rejecting the fund’s request for an extension. The regulator determined that Rogers’ 2021 commitment...
WPP Media, Google, CBS Back 'Cultural Relevance Score'
Los Angeles‑based startup Culture Hive Media Group has launched the AI‑powered Cultural Relevance Score (CRS), a metric that quantifies how well ads align with target audiences’ cultural values. An advisory board featuring Google, WPP Media, CBS and other industry leaders...
Brendan Carr’s War on Wokeness Targets Inclusive Children’s Television
The FCC, led by Chairman Brendan Carr, has opened a public comment period to review how TV ratings handle children’s programming featuring transgender or non‑binary characters. The bureau claims there is a rise in parental concerns about undisclosed gender‑identity content,...
How to Watch the 2026 NFL Draft Online for Free
The 2026 NFL Draft will be televised on NFL Network, ABC and ESPN from April 23‑25, with Round 1 kicking off at 8 p.m. ET. Major streaming platforms—DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV—carry all three channels, offering various plan tiers and pricing. Free‑trial...
Warner Bros. Discover Approves $110B Paramount–Skydance Merger; Regulators up Next
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve a $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, handing media mogul David Ellison control of Warner’s film studio, streaming platforms, and cable assets such as HBO and CNN. The deal faces fierce opposition from more than 4,000 Hollywood...
Lawmakers in Turkey Pass Teen Social Media Ban
Turkey's parliament approved a bill on April 22 that bars children under 15 from accessing social‑media platforms. The legislation forces platforms to install age‑verification systems, offer parental‑control tools, and respond quickly to harmful content, with penalties for non‑compliance. The measure...
The 12 Monkeys TV Series Began With A Pitch For A Different Sci-Fi Show
The Syfy series “12 Monkeys” was not born from a direct movie adaptation but from a spec script by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett that impressed producers with its time‑travel conspiracy angle. Initially, the duo hesitated to tackle the beloved...
Meta Launches Instagram Spinoff Instants as a Standalone App
Meta has spun off Instagram's short‑lived Shots feature into a new standalone app called Instants, which mimics Snapchat’s camera‑first, disappearing‑photo experience. The app opens directly to the camera and promises “no edits, share instantly,” targeting raw, unfiltered sharing among younger...
37 Years Ago Today: NBC Aired the Baywatch Pilot Movie
On April 23, 1989 NBC aired the pilot movie *Panic at Malibu Pier*, launching the lifeguard drama that would become *Baywatch*. After a modest first season and network cancellation, the series was revived in first‑run syndication in 1991, eventually reaching over one billion...
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Streaming on Crunchyroll Next Week
Crunchyroll announced that *Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc* will debut on its platform on April 30, 2026. The release is timed with the service's Ani‑May 2026 event, which includes special subscription discounts. The film picks up immediately after...
Meta Expands Instagram Management APIs
Meta unveiled a suite of Instagram API upgrades, adding automatic partnership‑ad label support to the Content Publishing API, new performance metrics to the Graph API, and aggregated engagement data across Instagram, Facebook and boosted posts. The changes also let third‑party...
YouTube Reduces Push Notifications for Unengaged Subscribers
YouTube is rolling out variable limits on push notifications for channel subscribers who haven’t engaged with a creator’s content for roughly a month. Inactive users will still receive inbox notifications via the bell icon, but their push alerts will be...
DIRECTV Is Expanding the MiEspañol Genre Pack
DIRECTV announced a major expansion of its MiEspañol Spanish‑language genre pack, adding Telemundo affiliates in 82 markets and reaching roughly 98% of U.S. Hispanic TV homes. The rollout, which includes cities such as Atlanta, Austin, Seattle and Portland, adds about...
Rednote Draws a Line Between China and the World
Rednote, the Chinese short‑form video app that surged during last year’s “TikTok refugee” wave, is now positioning itself as a global social media contender. To appeal to non‑Chinese users, the company is building a separate overseas platform that stores data...
ITV's "Thrillingly Suspenseful" And "Gripping" Drama with Ashley Walters Is 'Unlike Anything Else'
ITV is developing a six‑part drama titled *First Woman*, starring Ashley Walters and Andrea Riseborough. The series follows Ben Reith as he searches for his astronaut wife Claire, who vanishes from the UK’s inaugural moonbase. Written by Lydia Yeoman, George Oakes and...
With Emmy Submissions Likely to Drop Again, Smaller Field Could Boost Dark Horse Series and Performers
Emmy submissions are projected to fall to about 189 entries across drama, comedy and limited series, down from 228 last year and a high of 309 in 2023. The reduced pool will trim nominee slots in most of the 80...
WNBA Expands Fan Access with Free Streaming of All 2026 Preseason Games
The WNBA unveiled its 2026 preseason schedule, featuring 18 games that will stream for free on the WNBA App for anyone with a WNBA ID. Four matchups will also be broadcast nationally on ION, expanding the league’s television footprint. The...
World Press Photo of the Year Depicts a Family Torn Apart by ICE
The World Press Photo foundation named Carol Guzy’s image "Separated by ICE" the 2026 Photo of the Year. The photograph shows two young girls clinging to their father’s shirt as ICE agents detain him in New York’s Jacob K. Javits...
Instagram Tests a New ‘Instants’ App for Sharing Disappearing Photos
Instagram is piloting a standalone app called Instants in Spain and Italy, letting users capture single‑tap photos that disappear after a single view or 24 hours. The app forbids editing, uploads from the camera roll, and focuses on raw, in‑the‑moment...
Truth Is Not Enough - Journalism Now Needs More than Facts
Journalists at the International Journalism Festival argued that facts alone no longer persuade audiences, highlighting a growing trust gap. A Middle‑East fact‑checker demonstrated a bot that returns verified answers to user‑submitted claims, illustrating a hands‑on response to verification shortages. Participants...
Facility Executive Welcomes New Editorial Director
Facility Executive, Continuity Insights, and Campus Resilience & Security announced Michael Gianakos as their new Editorial Director. Gianakos arrives with over 15 years of experience in fast‑paced media, most recently at sports‑focused digital outlet ClutchPoints. He will oversee content strategy...
Stream These Movies and TV Shows Before They Leave Netflix in May
Netflix will remove several high‑profile titles from its U.S. catalog on May 1, including the Oscar‑winning drama “12 Years a Slave,” the action‑packed “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation,” and Sofia Coppola’s biopic “Priscilla.” The departures reflect the end of licensing agreements that typically...
Meta Rolls Out AI Business Assistant To All Advertisers, Agencies
Meta announced the global rollout of its AI Business Assistant, extending the beta to advertisers and agencies of all sizes across major markets and languages. The tool, first piloted with U.S. small businesses, delivers real‑time, data‑driven recommendations, account restoration, spend‑limit...
NFL To FCC: Ending Antitrust Exemption Would Mean “Higher Costs and Confusion”
The NFL warned the FCC that ending its league-wide antitrust exemption would fragment media rights, driving up consumer costs and creating confusion. The league highlighted that 87% of games still air on broadcast networks and that the 2025 season remained...
This Swiftie’s Best-Selling Book Offers an Insider’s Look at Taylor Swift’s Fanbase
Olivia Levin, a self‑identified superfan with a 630,000‑strong Instagram following, released *The Story of Us* on April 14 through Simon & Schuster. The memoir, chronicling the evolution of the Swiftie community from its early days to the Eras Tour ticket frenzy,...
The Sports Audience TV Can’t Match Is on the Radio, Study Shows
A Vision Insights Decoder study of U.S. sports fans (August‑October 2025) shows sports radio listeners are twice as likely to back brands that sponsor their favorite teams, and they rate radio sponsors as more memorable than TV sponsors among 18‑34...
Canadian Drama Heated Rivalry Wins Prestigious Peabody Award
Canadian series Heated Rivalry, a hockey romance on Crave, won a Peabody Award. The show, co‑produced by Bell Media and distributed in the U.S. by HBO Max, debuted in November 2025 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Jurors praised its...
There's a New Playbook for Partnering with Creators on Marketing Campaigns.
Google has rolled out YouTube Creator Partnerships within Google Ads and Display & Video 360, allowing advertisers to discover, activate, and manage creator‑driven ads directly in performance campaigns. The new tools aim to lower the entry barrier for creator marketing,...
Real Results and an Attribution Void: Podscribe Benchmark Report
Podscribe released its Q1 Performance Benchmark Report, delivering the latest metrics on audio advertising across streaming, podcast, and video‑podcast formats. The data show streaming audio achieving higher conversion rates and lower costs than podcast‑only campaigns, while a larger U.S. YouTube...
NASCAR Heads to Talladega: Here’s How to Stream This Weekend’s Races Online for Free
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Talladega Superspeedway for the Jack Link’s 500 on Sunday, April 26, with Zac Brown serving as grand marshal and Kip Moore performing the Saturday in‑field concert. The race starts at 3 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FOX....
The Hardy Men
Last year a conservative publisher released two box sets of the Hardy Boys mystery novels, touting them as restored to their original form and marketed as the ideal introduction for young readers. The "restored" editions retain the series' historic racial...
Hurley Brings Regional Playbook to iHeart Philadelphia
Jeff Hurley has been appointed senior vice president of programming for iHeartMedia Philadelphia, taking charge of the market’s six‑station cluster that includes Power 99, WDAS, and Fox Sports The Gambler. He previously served as EVP of programming across Upstate New York,...
Prime Video Drops ‘The Legend of Vox Machina’ Season 4 Trailer
Prime Video released the official trailer for Season 4 of the adult‑animated series The Legend of Vox Machina, set to debut on June 3. The new season will roll out three episodes per week and will be available in more than 240...
There Will Be Ducks in The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4 Trailer
Prime Video dropped the Season 4 trailer for the animated series *The Legend of Vox Machina*, confirming a June 3, 2026 debut with three new episodes released weekly. The teaser shows the ragtag heroes re‑uniting a year after the Chroma Conclave, facing a...