Our Longing for Inconvenience
In a New Yorker essay, poet Hanif Abdurraqib argues that relentless digital convenience erodes the richness of experiences that arise from friction. He highlights how on‑demand streaming, instant shopping, and dating apps compress moments that once required patience and effort. By deliberately re‑introducing inconvenience—waiting for a mixtape, meeting people face‑to‑face—he suggests we can reclaim depth and vitality. The piece invites readers to reconsider the hidden costs of a frictionless lifestyle.
Mass Effect TV Series Writer Claims They Were ‘Caught Off Guard’ by Rewrite Rumors
Prime Video’s upcoming *Mass Effect* series is in active development, with screenwriter Daniel Casey—known for *F9* and *10 Cloverfield Lane*—leading the script. A report from The Ankler claimed the show was being rewritten to appeal to non‑gamers, sparking fan concern. Casey responded...
Radio’s Problem Isn’t Relevance, It’s the Balance Sheet
Radio isn’t dying; its biggest challenge is balance‑sheet strain. Companies such as Townsquare Media, Cumulus Media, Audacy and iHeartMedia are letting licenses lapse because debt, bloated overhead, or loss of local relevance make stations unprofitable. The author argues the root...
The Internet Archive Makes 758 Classic PC Gamer Demo Discs Available to the Public
The Internet Archive has uploaded a collection of 758 classic PC Gamer demo discs, covering titles from the 1990s and early 2000s. The archive includes popular games such as Soldier of Fortune, Left 4 Dead, Need for Speed: High Stakes, and...
The New Roku City Screensaver Game Has Me Hooked - and It's Free to Play
Roku introduced Roku City Dash, a free, remote‑controlled game embedded in the Roku TV home screen. The title lets users pilot a spaceship through the iconic Roku City screensaver, with gameplay that mirrors the Flappy Bird craze and speeds up...
Deezer Says 44% of New Music Uploads Are AI-Generated, Most Streams Are Fraudulent
Deezer reports that AI‑generated tracks now account for 44% of all new uploads, roughly 75,000 songs daily. Its proprietary detection system flags AI content with a false‑positive rate under 0.01%, preventing those tracks from appearing in recommendations. Despite the volume,...
Wayvia Launches Shoppable Next Generation
Wayvia unveiled Shoppable Next Generation, an AI‑powered shoppable media platform that links every marketing touchpoint—display ads, social posts, email—to a real‑time purchase path. The solution surfaces live pricing and inventory from both physical and online retailers, and feeds confirmed sales...
How Advertisers Are Thinking About Meta’s Affiliate Tool Rollout
Meta unveiled a suite of creator‑focused affiliate and checkout tools at Shoptalk, extending shoppable Reels on Instagram and product‑tagging on Facebook. The affiliate program, backed by partners such as Amazon, eBay, Temu, Shopee and Mercado Libre, lets creators earn commissions...
Mass Effect Show Writer Denies It’s Being Rewritten For ‘Non-Gamers’
Writer and executive producer Daniel Casey publicly refuted a report that Amazon’s upcoming Mass Effect TV series is being rewritten for “non‑gamers.” He said the quote originated elsewhere and was never communicated to the show’s creative team. The series is...
MFF & CO Developing Cinematic Universe Based on ‘Possible,’ William Ury’s Best-Selling Guide to Conflict Resolution (EXCLUSIVE)
International studio MFF & CO has secured the rights to William Ury’s bestseller “Possible: How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict.” The company will build a cinematic universe centered on a fictional anthropologist‑negotiator who operates in volatile geopolitical hotspots....
If Comments Are the New Frontline, How Is Your Brand Showing Up?
AI is becoming the frontline of social media engagement, with brands like Warner Bros. Discovery deploying AI to filter low‑value comments and beauty and CPG leaders using AI to discover where conversations happen. Teams aim to answer comments and DMs within 24 hours,...
What Social Media Success Looks Like in a Post-Follower World
Free People achieved triple‑digit social media growth by abandoning follower counts and prioritizing views, shares, and a holistic Total Social Impact (TSI) metric. The brand’s organic and paid teams now operate in a unified structure, sharing insights and balancing content...
4 Film & Television Production Stocks to Watch Amid Dull Industry Trends
The Zacks Film & Television Production industry is seeing heightened digital demand but grappling with soaring content costs, pushing its Zacks Industry Rank to 149—bottom 40% of sectors. While the industry outperformed the broader Consumer Discretionary sector with a 24.4%...
TV News Goes Crazy for Creators: Will Digital Mavericks Add Life to Old Format or Wipe It Out?
U.S. broadcast news outlets are rapidly partnering with independent digital creators to rejuvenate primetime line‑ups. Alex Wagner’s unscripted clips on MS NOW have attracted over half new viewers, with two‑thirds of the 25‑54 demographic tuning in for the first time. Networks...
The Making of ‘Heated Rivalry’ Is Unpacked in New Book From Creator Jacob Tierney, Including Annotated Scripts
Creator Jacob Tierney, alongside Brendan Brady and Accent Aigu, announced a new book titled “I’ll Believe in Anything” that offers an official, fully annotated script collection and exclusive behind‑the‑scenes material from the first season of the hit series “Heated Rivalry.” The volume,...
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked Deck Reveals StackAdapt’s Playbook for ChatGPT Ads
StackAdapt is launching a limited pilot that places ads inside OpenAI’s ChatGPT, offering CPM rates as low as $15 and reduced platform fees. The leaked pitch deck positions the program as early access to a new “discovery layer” where users...
BBC Acquires Wartime Drama "Drenched in Adrenaline" That "Really Grips" – and There's a Twist
The BBC has secured the rights to *The Sentinels*, an eight‑part French wartime sci‑fi drama adapted from the graphic‑novel series *Les Sentinelles*. The series blends World War I settings with steampunk and robo‑cop elements, following a wounded soldier turned augmented super‑soldier....
‘Half Man,’ and 5 More Things to Watch on TV This Week
HBO is launching the new series "Half Man," starring Richard Gadd, which delves into the complexities of long‑standing male friendships. The six‑episode season will debut Thursday at 9 p.m. and will run weekly. Meanwhile, The CW revives "Sullivan’s Crossing" for a...
AI Transforming Journalism; Women Journos Can Turn Tech Shift Into Opportunities: Brijesh Singh
India’s Maharashtra Information Secretary Brijesh Singh said artificial intelligence is reshaping journalism, urging women reporters to view the shift as a chance to become more tech‑savvy. He highlighted AI’s ability to speed data collection, translation and multi‑platform delivery while freeing...
Action Bronson Promotes Minute Maid Spiked For 'Good Time'
Coca‑Cola’s Red Tree Beverages has launched Minute Maid Spiked, a line of flavored wine‑cooler and ready‑to‑drink vodka cocktails, with its first campaign starring rapper‑chef Action Bronson. The creative work is handled by agency Gertrude, which emphasizes a multi‑dimensional, “no‑fuss” vibe across...
SOOP Named Official Producer for 2026 Esports Championship East Asia
SOOP has been appointed the official broadcast producer and streaming partner for the 2026 Esports Championship East Asia, overseeing both domestic and global video delivery. The two‑day event, hosted by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized...
Moments Lab Teams With AWS To Monetize Media Archives With AI Indexing
Moments Lab has teamed with Amazon Web Services to help media and entertainment firms migrate and index massive video libraries using the startup’s multimodal AI platform. The joint solution leverages AWS migration tools and validated partners to lower cost and...
I'm a Celebrity's Adam Thomas Issues Statement About "Tough" Time on the Show: "I Wanted to Quit"
Adam Thomas, known from Emmerdale and Waterloo Road, issued an Instagram statement describing his participation in ITV's "I'm a Celebrity… South Africa" as one of the toughest experiences of his life. He cited physical, mental and emotional strain, exacerbated by...
BBC Studios and SiriusXM’s “99% Invisible” Announce Landmark New Series Exploring America Through 100 Objects
BBC Studios and SiriusXM have launched "A History of the United States in 100 Objects," a new audio series hosted by Roman Mars of "99% Invisible." The show, debuting May 19, examines everyday American artifacts—from a 1857 gold coin to a tiny screw—to...
BBC's '70s-Set Spy Thriller with "Mesmerizing" Florence Pugh Is "Worth the Wait" On Netflix
BBC’s 2018 miniseries “The Little Drummer Girl,” starring Florence Pugh, is slated to join Netflix’s catalog after its current availability on iPlayer. The 1970s‑set spy thriller, directed by Park Chan‑wook and based on John le Carré’s novel, earned a 95% Rotten...
Live, Local Saturday Night Show Gains Traction in Hartford
"Nighttime Neighbors," a live, multi‑topic talk show on WTIC‑AM, debuted in January and airs Saturdays from 9 pm to midnight. Hosted solo by morning news anchor Morgan Cunningham, the program features no guests and relies on open‑line calls. Targeting truckers, shift...
Spotter’s Brand Partnerships Director on Why Fewer Creators and Deeper Deals Win
Christian Liquigan, Spotter’s Director of Brand Partnerships, says creator marketing is evolving from one‑off influencer spots to always‑on, network‑style collaborations. Brands that treat creators as media publishers and lock in deeper, performance‑based deals with a handful of creators can reduce...
How Future Today Plans to Move the Creator Economy From Phones to Living Rooms
Future Today, founded in 2006, has built two ad‑supported streaming services—Fawesome and HappyKids—that now reach over 75 million U.S. households and generate more than 2 billion monthly impressions. The company recently added more than 50 creator partnerships, highlighted by basketball YouTuber Jesser,...
Bob Kevoian Dies at 75
Bob Kevoian, co‑founder of the syndicated morning program The Bob & Tom Show, died on April 19, 2026 at age 75 after a three‑year battle with cancer. Kevoian, who retired from the show in 2015, had publicly disclosed his diagnosis...
Barack Obama Reveals Fate of His and Michelle’s Production Company After Netflix Deal Ends
Barack and Michelle Obama announced that their production company, Higher Ground, is ending its exclusive multi‑year deal with Netflix after eight years. The company, founded in 2018, delivered a slate of award‑winning films and series, including the Oscar‑nominated "Rustin" and...
Omnicom Launches Frequency Probe, Finds 'Negative Reach'
Omnicom’s OM Intelligence unit released the first report in its “Why Frequency Matters” series, revealing that excessive ad repetitions can trigger a phenomenon called “negative reach,” where consumers develop adverse brand perceptions. The study shows that as few as two...
Entourage Adds a String of High-Profile Clients to Its Portfolio
Entourage, the integrated communications agency, announced four marquee wins that span global corporate, tourism, sport and digital government sectors. The firm will manage Aramco’s worldwide communications, lead Al Dhannah City’s full‑scale marketing in the UAE, produce the Roshn Saudi League closing...
Jellyfish Wants You to Use Large Language Models to Plan Your Ad Buys
Jellyfish is marketing its “Share of Model” service, which uses large language models to gauge how often AI assistants mention a brand versus competitors and turns those insights into targeting cues for Google Performance Max campaigns. The agency applied the...
Should You Buy Meta Platforms (META) Before Earnings?
Meta Platforms is leveraging AI through its Advantage+ ad platform and custom MTIA silicon to drive higher advertiser returns and lower compute costs. The company projects 2026 revenue of $53.5‑$56.5 billion, topping analyst forecasts, while advertising revenue hit $196 billion in 2025,...
Podscribe Launches Radio Measurement Capabilities and Smart Columns to Bring Digital-Level Clarity to Audio Advertising
Podscribe unveiled Radio Measurement Capabilities, a platform that blends aircheck verification with performance attribution to give advertisers digital‑grade transparency for radio spots. The solution supports terrestrial, satellite and multi‑market campaigns, using machine‑learning and Bayesian models to quantify lift in site...
Headliner Makes Video Tools Free
Headliner announced that its video podcasting suite is now free, eliminating subscription fees and credit‑card requirements. The offering includes unlimited, watermark‑free exports, a library of video templates, captioning, and an auto‑clipping tool that can generate up to ten short clips...
Uni Pod Festival Returns to Birmingham UK Spotlighting Video Podcasts Whilst Platforming Diversity in Podcasting.
Uni Pod Festival returns to Birmingham on May 8, 2026, centering its program on the surge of video podcasting and YouTube‑first growth tactics. The one‑day event gathers broadcasters, academics, and platform experts for talks, demos and networking, while reinforcing its commitment to...
Multi-Platinum, Emmy Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter Andy Grammer Launches New Podcast: “Showing Up with Andy Grammer
Multi‑platinum singer‑songwriter Andy Grammer is debuting a new weekly podcast, “Showing Up with Andy Grammer,” on April 15, 2026. The show pairs long‑form, unscripted conversations with a live songwriting segment that honors a listener‑nominated “hero.” Co‑produced with Companion Arts, the series will...
What the Northernlion Creator SuperCruise That Got Cancelled Can Warn Creators About Going Too Far
Creator Ryan "Northernlion" Letourneau abruptly cancelled his planned 2027 SuperCruise after announcing it, citing safety concerns for both creators and fans. The six‑day cruise, priced at several thousand dollars per cabin, promised meet‑and‑greets, live shows, and onboard content with fellow...
Dave Chappelle Says He May Bring Back Chappelle’s Show — With Eddie Murphy’s Help
Dave Chappelle told AP News he is now open to reviving his early‑2000s sketch series after a recent conversation with Eddie Murphy. The idea emerged during Chappelle’s AFI Life Achievement Award speech, where Murphy suggested a new Chappelle’s Show movie...
Hundreds Of Veteran Journalists And Groups Urge WHCA To “Speak Forcefully” About Trump’s Attacks On Media As He Attends Annual...
President Donald Trump will attend the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner for the first time as president, prompting veteran journalists and press groups to demand a forceful condemnation of his ongoing attacks on the media. A letter signed by figures...
Magnite, AMC Global Media Partner On Programmatic
Magnite announced a partnership with AMC Global Media to make the broadcaster’s linear‑television inventory available through programmatic buying. The deal coincides with the launch of the 2026‑27 TV upfront season, signaling a push to unify linear and streaming ad transactions....
WPP Media Wins KFC, Pizza Hut Singapore Assignments
WPP Media has been named the integrated media agency for both KFC Singapore and Pizza Hut Singapore after a competitive pitch, taking charge of strategy, planning and buying across the market. The agency already works with the two brands in...
How StackAdapt Quietly Built an Adtech Giant
StackAdapt, a Canadian adtech firm, now pulls roughly $500 million in revenue and $100 million in earnings each year, making it one of the country’s most profitable private tech companies. The firm’s early bet on artificial intelligence allowed it to lower adoption...
Remembering The Far-Out Kids' Shows Of Sid And Marty Krofft
Sid Krofft, the 96‑year‑old co‑creator of a generation of off‑beat children’s shows, died on April 10, prompting a look back at the brothers’ prolific 1968‑1975 output. Their portfolio—including "H.R. Pufnstuf," "Land of the Lost," "The Bugaloos," and "Far Out Space Nuts"—was marked...
The Google Analytics 'Blind Spot'
In April, 88% of organic search traffic came from AI agents—a 150% jump from the previous month—revealing a rapid shift in how users access content. Google Analytics 4 cannot detect this traffic because many agents bypass JavaScript and are automatically...
From ‘The Jacksons: An American Dream’ to ‘Michael’: Evolution Of MJ’s Cinematic Power
The 1992 ABC miniseries *The Jacksons: An American Dream* set a benchmark for music biopics, earning an Emmy for choreography and featuring 38 songs that mixed original recordings with cast performances. Decades later, Antoine Fuqua’s *Michael*—starring Jaafar Jackson—revives the story...
‘Euphoria’ Returns With Time Jump And a Darker Chapter in Season 3
The third season of HBO’s Euphoria debuted on April 12, 2026, leaping five years ahead to follow its characters as young adults. The eight‑episode run explores darker themes, including Rue’s $100,000 debt‑driven drug mule work and Cassie’s turn to OnlyFans...
Prioritize Your Ballot and Polling Coverage
Newsrooms are urged to move beyond traditional "horse‑race" election coverage and prioritize the stakes of races and ballot measures. Editors should inventory local contests, assess community knowledge gaps, and assign coverage priority based on impact rather than historical habits. The...
Expanding Transparency: IAS Brings Total Media Quality Measurement to TikTok’s Performance Solutions
Integral Ad Science (IAS) is extending its Total Media Quality (TMQ) measurement to TikTok’s performance‑driven ad formats, including Search, the upgraded Smart+ campaign creation experience, GMV Max, and TikTok Lite. The AI‑powered TMQ analyzes image, audio and text at the...