Agentic Engine Optimization: Google AI Director Outlines New Content Playbook
Google Cloud AI director Addy Osmani introduced Agentic Engine Optimization (AEO), a framework for making web content consumable by autonomous AI agents. He argues that token limits, not clicks or dwell time, now drive content performance, urging creators to front‑load answers and keep pages compact. Osmani recommends serving clean Markdown alongside HTML and using files like llms.txt, skill.md, and AGENTS.md as machine‑readable indexes. The guidance adds a new optimization layer that operates parallel to traditional SEO.
Seaboard to Distribute “Killer Carl” Show
Seaboard Networks announced it has completed a distribution agreement for the syndicated political interview program “The Killer Carl Program.” Hosted by Carl “Killer Carl” Brown, the show has been on air for almost ten years and is part of the...
KNBR Renews Flagship Radio Deal with 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have renewed their flagship radio agreement with Cumulus Media’s KNKN (KNBR) sports talk station. Veteran play‑by‑play duo Greg Papa and Tim Ryan will continue calling every game, plus pre‑ and post‑game shows. The partnership spans AM,...
Plaiced CEO Kaaveh Shoamanesh on Building a Network Inside the Internet’s Closed Doors
Plaiced, led by CEO Kaaveh Shoamanesh, has built an ad network that taps into the "gated web"—private groups, niche apps, newsletters and Discord servers—offering brands access to over 50,000 curated communities and roughly 500 million high‑intent users. The platform promises engagement...
Ex-OnlyFans CEO Launches Vylit, an 18+ Creator Platform Positioned Between Social Media, Adult Content
Former OnlyFans CEO Ami Gan has launched Vylit, an 18+ creator platform that blends social‑media style discovery with adult‑content monetization. The New York‑based startup secured $2.7 million in seed funding from Windmill Chain Fund and angel investors. Vylit differentiates itself by...
Good Omens Series Finale Trailer: Aziraphale And Crowley Team Up Again To (Possibly?) Save Humanity — Watch
Amazon Prime Video unveiled the first look at the Good Omens series finale, set to drop on May 13. The 90‑minute episode reunites Michael Sheen’s angel Aziraphale, now a Supreme Archangel tasked with the Second Coming, and David Tennant’s demon...
Meta Is Launching An Easy Button For CAPI
Meta announced a one‑click activation for its Conversions API (CAPI) within Events Manager, simplifying server‑side tracking for advertisers. The update also introduces an AI‑powered enrichment feature for the Meta pixel that automatically extracts product and business data from web pages....
Locality and Nielsen Announce Landmark Integration of Media Data Engine, Transforming Local TV Measurement
Locality and Nielsen announced the integration of Nielsen’s Media Data Engine (MDE) into Locality’s broadcast advertising platform. The partnership makes Locality the first broadcast sales organization to deploy Nielsen’s MDE at scale, delivering demographic audience data across all 210 U.S....
“Why Did I Get Kicked Off the Air Again?” Jimmy Kimmel Torches JD Vance Over His Trump AI Jesus Theory
Jimmy Kimmel used his late‑night monologue to mock Indiana Senator JD Vance’s attempt to explain President Trump’s controversial AI‑generated image that portrayed the former president as a Jesus‑like figure. Kimmel highlighted Vance’s shifting narrative—first calling the picture a joke, then a...
Travel & Hospitality Brands Scale Creator Programs at Fastest Rate Across European Sectors, Research Finds
Travel and hospitality brands across Europe and the UK are expanding their influencer creator programs faster than any other sector, with 28% reporting a major increase in creator volume over the past year. A striking 92% of these brands rely...
How To Influence Future Voters
A new Pew Research Center study reveals that 29% of U.S. teens turn to TikTok for political news, closely followed by Instagram at 28% and Snapchat at 19%. Black teenagers are markedly more likely than their peers to learn about...
Taskmaster Favourite Sam Campbell in First Look at Channel 4's New Scripted Comedy Series
Taskmaster champion Sam Campbell is fronting a new Channel 4 scripted comedy, "Make That Movie," which he also created. The six‑episode series, set to debut next month, follows a fictionalised version of Campbell as he scouts ordinary people with quirky ideas...
Panasonic, NEP Partner on IP-Based Live Production
Panasonic Video and Audio Systems North America has partnered with NEP Group to integrate Panasonic’s Kairos IP live‑production system with NEP’s software‑orchestration platform. The certified interoperability creates a unified control and data plane, allowing broadcasters and live‑event providers to manage...
Partner Perspectives: DIRECTV Advertising on Modernizing the TV Experience
DIRECTV Advertising is merging linear TV with streaming to give advertisers the reach of traditional broadcast and the precision of digital. Leveraging PubMatic’s programmatic infrastructure, the platform has boosted live‑sports impressions by roughly 40% through streaming versus satellite alone. New...
This Hit '90s Sitcom Aired Its Entire Second Season Live
In 1992 the sitcom Roc aired its entire second season live, a rare move for a 1990s comedy. The live debut drew roughly one‑third more viewers than the first‑season premiere, proving the gamble a ratings success. Director Stan Lathan highlighted...
Amazon Ads Hands The IAB Tech Lab A Tool That Promises To Waste Fewer Bid Requests
Amazon Ads has donated its Dynamic Traffic Engine (DTE) to the IAB Tech Lab as open‑source software, enabling real‑time traffic shaping for programmatic advertising. The tool lets demand‑side platforms broadcast detailed inventory preferences to supply‑side platforms, which then filter bid...
Eccho Rights Announces that Behind the Veil Will Have a Fourth Season on Kanal 7
Eccho Rights confirmed that Turkish daily drama *Behind the Veil* will return for a fourth season on Kanal 7, keeping its original cast and production crew. The series has consistently broken audience records for the modest‑budget channel, outpacing flagship shows...
TelevisaUnivision Joins The Streaming Self-Service Bandwagon
TelevisaUnivision has partnered with ad‑tech firm fullthrottle.ai to make its streaming inventory available through a self‑serve platform. The integration adds a dedicated ad bidder, clean‑room data matching and ZIP‑code level targeting for U.S. Hispanic audiences. Fullthrottle reports a 90% match‑rate...
Spotify Strikes Deal with National Independent Venue Association to Boost Indie Venues in the US
Spotify has teamed up with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) for a year‑long program that will spotlight independent music venues on its platform throughout 2026. The deal adds the Certified Live Independent seal to venue pages, promotes venues via...
Google Is Replacing Dynamic Search Ads With AI Max via @Sejournal, @Brookeosmundson
Google will retire Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) and migrate eligible campaigns to its AI Max platform starting in September 2026. The transition unfolds in two phases: a voluntary upgrade window now open, followed by an automatic migration of remaining DSA,...
How Zenni Optical Leveraged Mobile Gaming to Achieve 30-Percent Sales Growth in February | Exclusive
Zenni Optical partnered with Ghost Gaming and ad‑tech firm Digital Culture Group to run a mobile‑gaming ad campaign in February. The initiative leveraged AI‑driven inventory targeting and achieved a cost‑per‑unique‑user (CPUU) of just $0.02. As a result, Zenni recorded a...
Best OTA DVR for Cord Cutters in 2026
Cord‑cutters can replace costly cable with a simple antenna paired with an OTA DVR. Among the options, the Tablo 4th Gen stands out as the most affordable, priced around $100 (or $130 with an antenna) and requiring no monthly fees. It...
Adobe Embraces Conversational AI Editing, Marking a ‘Fundamental Shift’ in Creative Work
Adobe announced the Firefly AI Assistant, a conversational interface that lets creators edit images, video and other assets by typing natural‑language prompts. The tool integrates with Photoshop, Premiere, Illustrator, Lightroom, Express and other Creative Cloud apps, handling multi‑step workflows and...
Amazon Is Launching a New Fire TV Stick HD But It Won’t Run on Android
Amazon unveiled its slimmest streaming device, the Fire TV Stick HD, priced at $34.99 and optimized for direct USB power. The stick runs on Amazon’s in‑house Vega OS, delivering about 30% faster performance and supporting Wi‑Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, though it...
How Mondelēz Is Engaging with ‘Mini Super Bowl Moments’ During World Cup
Mondelēz International, which generated roughly $38.5 billion in revenue last year, is leveraging the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a "Summer of Soccer" campaign that treats high‑profile matches as "mini Super Bowl moments." The initiative pairs snack brands such as Chips...
Amazon's Most Interesting TV Ever Is Launching in the UK at Last, Along with a New Fire TV Stick
Amazon has finally introduced its Ember Artline TV to the UK and EU, rebranding the line as Ember TVs that ship with Fire TV OS pre‑installed. The 55‑inch model costs about $1,190 and the 65‑inch version about $1,500, each including...
Purple Acorn Network Partners with PodStar to Scale Founder Voices Across the Future of Work
Purple Acorn Network, a fast‑growing HR‑tech podcast platform, announced a strategic partnership with PodStar, a global podcast guesting community. The deal makes Purple Acorn a recommended network within PodStar, giving founders access to curated shows such as The HR Morning...
Interest In Local News Declines, Media Patterns Shift
Pew Research reports a sharp decline in local news interest, with only 21% of Americans following local news closely in 2025, down from 37% in 2016, and newspaper readership falling to 36% from 43% in 2018. Meanwhile, Axle AI unveiled...
Why Refusing to Change the Format Led Subway Takes to Viral Success
Subway Takes, an Instagram series filmed on the New York City subway, has amassed over 2 million followers and attracted A‑list guests while refusing to alter its core format. Host Kareem Rahma keeps the show’s DNA rooted in independent talent and a simple...
How Are Creator Journalists Reaching Audiences Traditional Media Miss?
Liz Kelly Nelson, former Vox VP, launched Project C in 2024 and co‑founded the Independent Journalism Atlas in 2026 to map the surge of creator‑model journalists who publish on YouTube, Substack and TikTok. She argues that Gen Z and Gen Alpha now treat...
Vax Appoints UK Media Agency Following 7-Way Pitch
Vax, the long‑standing UK floor‑care brand, has appointed the7stars as its new media agency after a competitive seven‑way pitch that also featured incumbent McCann Birmingham. The agency will assume media planning and buying responsibilities for Vax’s vacuum, carpet‑washer and cleaning‑solution...
Other Legacy U.S. Newspapers Which Have Gone Nonprofit
The Pittsburgh Post‑Gazette averted closure after a nonprofit journalism group agreed to acquire it, underscoring a growing trend of legacy papers turning to the nonprofit sector. Earlier conversions include the Salt Lake Tribune, which became the first for‑profit newspaper to...
Media Insight Project Adds Partners Ahead of New Report Release
Today the Media Insight Project announced two new academic partners—Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism. The expansion bolsters the initiative’s ability to conduct rigorous, independent research on how audiences engage...
India Added Nearly 4m Paid Music Streaming Subscriptions in 2025, Taking Its Total to 14.4m, According to New Report
India’s paid‑music streaming market added nearly 4 million new subscribers in 2025, lifting paid users to 14.4 million and generating ₹10.3 billion ($118 million) in subscription revenue. Overall online music listeners grew to 178 million, but only about 8% are paying. The broader music‑industry revenue...
Bisleri Rolls Out New Campaign with RCB and Jaideep Ahlawat
Bisleri International has launched a digital‑first campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and actor Jaideep Ahlawat, unveiling limited‑edition bottles that feature the franchise’s branding. The spot shows cricketers Rajat Patidar, Venkatesh Iyer and Tim David sharing a humorous water‑break behind...
Walmart Rolls Out A New Onn Google TV Pro Streaming Player for Just $60
Walmart has begun stocking its new Onn 4K Pro streaming box, priced at $60, in select stores ahead of a formal launch. The device runs Google TV, features a quad‑core Cortex‑A55 CPU, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, Wi‑Fi 6, and supports Dolby...
Coverage of the Fossil-Fuel Industry ‘Doesn’t Have to Be This Way’
Michelle Amazeen, a Boston University scholar, warns that legacy newsrooms are allowing fossil‑fuel money to shape energy coverage through undisclosed native advertising. She cites the New York Times’ paid partnership with Chevron that framed oil as essential and local propane ads that...
Waiting for Shihab-Eldin
On March 3, independent journalist Ahmed Shihab‑Eldin was arrested in Kuwait City on vague charges of spreading false information, harming national security, and misusing his mobile phone. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has labeled the accusations as overly broad and...
AI Slop Is Making the Internet Fake-Happy
A preprint study by Imperial College London, Stanford University and the Internet Archive reveals that roughly 35% of new websites launched between 2022 and 2025 are AI‑generated or AI‑assisted. The analysis, using Pangram Labs detection tools and Wayback Machine snapshots,...
3 Golden Insights From NBC Sports’ Social Strategy During the Milan Winter Olympics
NBC Sports leveraged its social platforms during the Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics to treat the event as both sport and culture, targeting anyone with a smartphone. The team re‑imagined the 8 p.m. ET recap as a feature‑film‑style experience, extending conversation 24/7. Their...
Vax Selects The7stars Following Six-Agency Pitch
Vax has appointed the UK agency the7stars to run its 2025 media account, valued at $36.5 million (approximately £26 million). The decision came after a six‑agency pitch, highlighting the7stars’ ability to deliver integrated brand solutions. COMvergence projects the account to surpass $40 million...
Poetry Month Feature: Tupelo Press
Tupelo Press is spotlighting two new titles for National Poetry Month: the Arabic/English anthology "Other Paths for Shahrazad," featuring contemporary Arab women poets, and Carrie Olivia Adams' "The Book of Marys and Glaciers," a collection that weaves desert, consumerism and...
How to Get More Views on TikTok (Proven Strategies That Work in 2026)
TikTok’s algorithm now rewards videos that keep users watching, making watch time and completion rate the top ranking signals. Creators who hook viewers in the first three seconds, keep videos short (8‑20 seconds), and encourage high‑value engagement such as comments,...
StreamTV Europe: FAST Channel Operators Advised to Keep It Local
At the StreamTV Europe forum, leading FAST operators—including Samsung TV Plus, TCL, Your Channels, and France 24—emphasized that European success hinges on localized content. Panels highlighted that dubbing, subtitles, and region‑specific genres drive higher engagement than generic feeds. Real‑world cases such as...
Why the Inbox Is the New Algorithm
At Adweek’s Social Media Week 2026, brand leaders argued that newsletters are experiencing a renaissance as a reliable alternative to algorithm‑driven social feeds. Executives from Rare Beauty, Betches, and UTA highlighted that owned email lists give brands direct access to...
Pinterest Turns to Real Life Amid Social Media Backlash
Pinterest is shifting focus from purely digital inspiration to tangible, real‑world experiences after facing criticism over algorithm changes and perceived over‑commercialization. The company announced a series of pop‑up retail events in major U.S. cities, partnering with brands to let users...
Bauer Media Taps Experian to Boost Audience Targeting
Bauer Media has partnered with Experian to embed its Mosaic consumer‑insight data into the company’s digital audio platform audioXi and publishing platform Illuminate. The integration gives advertisers access to consistent audience segments across Bauer’s 120 radio stations and more than...
Meghan to Appear as Guest Judge on MasterChef Australia
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, will appear as a guest judge on the upcoming season of MasterChef Australia, with the episode filmed in Melbourne and set to air on 19 April. The appearance comes during the couple’s four‑day private tour...
This Monkey Selfie Will Protect You From AI Slop
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the Copyright Office’s refusal to register works created solely by artificial intelligence, cementing the view that such output has no copyright protection. The ruling echoes a decade‑old dispute over a...
Spotify Launches the Ability to Purchase Physical Books in the US and UK
Spotify has rolled out a new feature that lets users buy physical books through its app in the United States and United Kingdom. The service, powered by a partnership with Bookshop.org, is live on Android now, with iOS support slated...