Today's Television Pulse
Updated 2h ago
Canal+ reshapes South Africa's MultiChoice with $275M synergies and $440M cost cuts
Six months after Canal+ bought MultiChoice, the pay‑TV group is undergoing a major overhaul under CEO David Mignot. A price freeze follows the loss of 2.8 million linear subscribers and the retirement of the underperforming Showmax service. Canal+ aims to generate about $275 million in synergies and $440 million in cost savings.
Streaming Viewers Are OK with Double the Commercials as ‘Subscription Fatigue’ Sets In
A new MarketWatch survey finds that as streaming subscription fees climb, more viewers are willing to watch twice as many commercials in exchange for lower prices. The trend, labeled “subscription fatigue,” shows consumers prioritizing cost savings over ad‑free experiences. Respondents said they would tolerate double the ad load if it meant a discount on their streaming bundles. This shift hints at a broader move toward hybrid ad‑supported pricing models across major platforms.
Kirk Jones to Direct Live‑Action ‘Mr Benn’ Film, Reviving Classic British Children’s Tale
Director Kirk Jones announced a live‑action adaptation of the classic British children’s series ‘Mr Benn’, bringing together 48 Films, BeaglePug Ltd, Jackpot Productions and the McKee family. The project aims to modernize the whimsical adventures for a new generation while preserving...
AMC's Dark Satire 'The Audacity' Debuts Globally, Targeting Tech‑Weary Viewers
AMC premiered two episodes of the dark satirical series The Audacity on April 12, rolling out weekly on AMC and AMC+. Created by Jonathan Glatzer, the show lampoons Silicon Valley’s ego‑driven culture and is already available for free in Australia via SBS...
Dan Levy Launches Dark Comedy “Big Mistakes” On Netflix, His First Post‑Schitt’s Creek Series
Dan Levy’s new eight‑part series “Big Mistakes” premiered on Netflix on April 9, marking his first solo project since Schitt’s Creek. The dark comedy, co‑created with Rachel Sennott, has opened to a 95% Rotten Tomatoes rating and early praise for its...
We're Tracking Streaming Price Hikes in 2026: Netflix, Spotify, YouTube and Others
Streaming services across the U.S. are seeing a wave of price hikes through 2025‑2026, with major players like Netflix, YouTube Premium, Spotify, and Disney+ raising monthly fees by $1‑$4. Netflix’s ad‑free Standard and Premium plans now cost $20 and $27...
Robert Corn-Revere: Fact Checking Without Facts
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is using the public‑interest licensing standard to threaten broadcasters that he labels as spreading "fake news," a stance that departs from decades‑old FCC precedent. Over the past year he has posted on social media that stations...
Overlay Ads and the Streaming Ad Tech State of Play
IAB Tech Lab’s VP of Product Jill Wittkopp outlined the current state of streaming ad‑tech, focusing on overlay formats such as L‑bars, squeezebacks and corner overlays. The lab applied an 80/20 rule to distill eight ad experiences down to six,...
How Brands Should Respond to CTV Ad Fatigue Before Viewers Tune Them Out
Streaming platforms are rapidly expanding ad‑supported inventory, with Prime Video doubling its ad load, Netflix adding ad minutes, and Amazon rebranding its ad‑free tier. The U.S. CTV audience now exceeds 240 million, and projected ad spend is set to surpass $46 billion...
The End of MultiChoice as We Know It
Six months after Canal+ acquired MultiChoice, the South African pay‑TV giant is being reshaped under CEO David Mignot. A price freeze follows the loss of 2.8 million linear subscribers, and the underperforming Showmax service is being retired. The business now leans...
Connected TV Becomes First Real Testbed for AI‑Driven Agentic Advertising
Connected TV (CTV) is emerging as the inaugural arena for agentic advertising, as budgets grow 9.5% YoY and manual workflows strain publishers. AI‑driven agents are being deployed to automate pricing, pacing and inventory allocation, offering a potential solution to CTV’s...
Top Hollywood Talent Opposes Warner‑Paramount Mega‑Deal
New this morning: A-listers that are in business with Warners and Paramount have signed an open letter opposing their mega-deal. --The signers include Dune 3 director Denis Villeneuve, DTF St. Louis star Jason Bateman, director JJ Abrams, who has a deal...
Grass Valley Expands Studio Berlin Deal For Cinematic Live Workflows
Grass Valley is expanding its partnership with Studio Berlin by delivering a new batch of 24 LDX cameras—12 LDX 135 UHD/HDR units and 12 LDX 180 Super 35mm systems, including two compact C180 models. The cameras will be integrated into Studio...
AIP, Castlabs To Demo Next-Gen Streaming Ad Formats
Ad Insertion Platform (AIP) and Castlabs will demo next‑generation streaming ad formats at the NAB Show in Las Vegas (April 18‑22). The showcase centers on AdBlendr, AIP’s server‑guided ad insertion engine, paired with Castlabs’ PRESTOplay player to deliver non‑intrusive formats such as...
Visionular’s Auroravision Aims To Bring Tier-1 Live Production To Standard GPU Servers
Visionular has unveiled AuroraVision, an AI‑native production platform that delivers Tier‑1 live‑production features on standard GPU servers. The software provides real‑time slow‑motion replay, AI‑driven video reframing, 4K/8K up‑scaling and object tracking without specialized cameras or signal‑chain hardware. AuroraFlex extends the...
Hollywood Stars Rally Against Paramount‑Warner Merger
Joaquin Phoenix, Ben Stiller, Kristen Stewart and 1,000-Plus Hollywood Names Oppose Paramount-Warner Deal in Open Letter: ‘Block the Merger’ https://t.co/1uGZPIVoSq
