Russell Crowe Thriller ‘The Get Out’ Debuts Digitally June 30
Action thriller *The Get Out* starring Russell Crowe will hit digital platforms for purchase and rental on June 30, following a four‑day limited theatrical run that begins June 26. The film follows a nightclub owner forced to confront masked gunmen, cartels and a mysterious buyer, with co‑stars Teresa Palmer, Nina Dobrev, Aaron Paul and Luke Evans. Directed by Derrick Borte, known for gritty genre pieces, the movie blends crime drama with high‑stakes action. Its staggered release aims to maximize both box‑office buzz and streaming revenue.
PBS Kids Renews ‘Lyla in the Loop’ for a Second Season
PBS Kids has renewed the animated series “Lyla in the Loop” for a second season, slated for a 2027 launch. The new season will feature 24 half‑hour episodes, a family‑reunion special, and additional digital games that teach AI‑literacy and computational...
Omdia: Brazil and Mexico Drive Latin America’s Microdrama Growth
Omdia’s latest research presented at Conecta Fiction shows Brazil and Mexico dominate Latin America’s microdrama market, with 24 million and 20 million monthly active users respectively in 2025. Together they account for 44 million MAUs, outpacing most European markets and positioning the region...
Week of May 18 Evening News Ratings: CBS News Has Double-Digit Gains in Demo
The May 18 Nielsen week showed all three major network evening newscasts holding steady or growing, with CBS Evening News delivering the strongest performance. CBS added 6% in total viewers and a double‑digit 21% jump in the coveted Adults 25‑54 demo, pushing...
Nick Bilton Suggests 60 Minutes Might Get "Kind of Gonzo" With Its Journalism
Nick Bilton has been named executive producer of CBS’s flagship news program *60 Minutes*, signaling a shift toward more experimental, "gonzo" storytelling. Bilton, known for his tech‑culture reporting, says the show should expand beyond its traditional one‑hour TV slot onto...
Week in Review: Germany’s Measurement JIC Embraces Big Data, Netflix Pushes Further Into Podcasts, and Audience Acceptance for Streaming Ads...
Germany’s TV‑measurement joint industry committee (JIC) is expanding its trial to embed HbbTV data, supplementing traditional panel metrics and reducing zero‑rating errors. Netflix will launch a live‑video version of the popular "The Breakfast Club" podcast on June 1, pairing the stream...
AUK Studios Acquires Wedding TV Catalogue and Brand
AUK Studios announced the acquisition of the Wedding TV catalogue and brand, adding more than 400 hours of archived programming to its portfolio. The archive, which originally aired on Sky from 2007 to 2013, includes popular titles such as The Wedding...
‘Mallorca Things to Do,’ ‘Naked,’ ‘To Catch an Old Lady’ Win at Conecta Magaluf-Mallorca
The 10th Conecta Magaluf‑Mallorca ceremony on May 27 crowned *Mallorca Things to Do* with the RTVE Play Award (€5,000 ≈ $5,820) and an Acorde Award for music catalogue access. *Nua* (“Naked”) secured the €3,000 ≈ $3,492 Triodos Bank Award for its socially conscious storyline, while *To Catch...
Swiss Broadcaster Canal Alpha Modernises Playout Operations
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has upgraded its playout workflow by deploying Harmonic’s XOS media processor. The cloud‑native solution combines playout, live recording and branding, delivering up to 50% bitrate savings through AI‑powered EyeQ encoding and UHD support. Its software‑based architecture...
Current Uses of AI in CTV and Streaming Ad Ops
Publishers and advertisers are increasingly embedding AI into CTV ad operations to streamline creative management and data optimization. IAB Tech Lab’s upcoming creative‑management API aims to assign unique IDs to every creative version and enable autonomous agents that handle approval...
“Project Gemini” Is Disney’s Effort to Eventually Shut Down Hulu App
Disney’s internal "Project Gemini" aims to phase out the standalone Hulu app by migrating users to Disney+ while keeping Hulu content accessible through a dedicated tile and new watch‑list sync feature. The plan follows Disney’s full acquisition of Hulu and...
Netflix Cancels Adult Animated Series ‘Strip Law’ After One Season
Netflix announced it will not renew the adult animated series Strip Law for a second season, ending its run after a single 10‑episode launch in February. Created by Cullen Crawford, the show follows a dull Vegas lawyer who teams up...
With Grouse House TV, Aunty Donna Make a Bid to Usher in the Future of Independent Australian Comedy
Aunty Donna has launched Grouse House TV, an Australian subscription platform dedicated to “cooked” comedy, debuting with the interactive sketch “Bandersketch,” a parody of Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch that traps viewers in a 40‑minute real‑time Melbourne walk if they choose wrong....
Read the Memo: Cecilia Vega Slams CBS News After Being Fired From '60 Minutes'
Cecilia Vega, the first Latina correspondent on CBS's "60 Minutes," was terminated a year before her contract expires in March 2027. Her departure coincides with a sweeping leadership overhaul led by editor‑in‑chief Bari Weiss, who removed executive producer Tanya Simon...
Cuts to NZ Funding Prompt Calls for Streaming Regulation
The New Zealand 2026 budget slashes funding for NZ On Air and the New Zealand Film Commission, intensifying pressure on the country’s screen sector. In response, the screen producers’ guild Spada is calling for a modern streaming‑revenue levy, proposing a 5 percent charge on international...
Ratings
ESPN reclaimed the primetime cable crown for the week of May 18‑24, drawing 3.55 million viewers as NBA and NHL playoff action surged. Fox News slipped to second place with 2.26 million, while total‑day ratings saw ESPN at 895 000 versus Fox News’s 1.5 million....
Scripps Getting Scrappy on Retrans
Scripps wrapped a five‑week carriage dispute with Comcast on May 5, ending a rare standoff for the broadcaster. The company is now warning that DirecTV could lose its 52 affiliated stations in 38 Nielsen DMAs if a new retransmission agreement isn’t...
CBS Says It's Making $55 Million by Dumping Colbert for Byron Allen
CBS announced it netted $55 million by canceling Stephen Colbert’s Late Show, eliminating a $40 million annual loss and leasing the hour to Byron Allen for a $15 million flat fee. The network framed the move as a pure financial decision, unrelated to politics,...
Netflix Subscribers Paying More Despite Less Original Content
Netflix’s first‑quarter 2026 slate delivered just 23 original films, the fewest since 2018, while the streamer raised its Australian premium price to $28.99 AUD (about $19 USD), more than double the 2018 level. The drop from 50 films in Q1 2022 reflects a...
SBS on Demand Adds New Features Ahead of FIFA World Cup
Australian public broadcaster SBS on Demand has rolled out a suite of new features ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The upgrades include Live Restart, which lets users pause, rewind or fast‑forward any of the 104 matches, and streaming...
Netflix Launching ‘Instadocs’ Genre, Starting With Program on Disgraced Lawyer Alex Murdaugh on May 30
Netflix is launching a new "Instadocs" format—quick‑turn docuseries that chase breaking‑news stories—in a strategic move to extend its documentary dominance. The debut episode, "Alex Murdaugh, Unconvicted," arrives on May 30 and chronicles the South Carolina lawyer’s overturned murder convictions and ongoing...
Save The Dates: New Simpsons On Disney+, Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence, And More
Disney+ will debut three exclusive Simpsons episodes this summer, beginning with the double‑length "Extreme Makeover: Homer Edition" on June 17, followed by "Simpsley" on July 3 and "Yellow Mirror" on August 26. Apple TV is rolling out a trailer for season two of...
Study Finds Growing Acceptance of Advertising on Streaming Platforms
A new ARD Research Service study shows that advertising‑supported streaming (AVOD) is gaining acceptance in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, especially when ads are perceived as informative rather than intrusive. Viewers favor overlay ads and short pre‑roll or post‑roll spots over...
1 of the Scariest Horror Movies Is Leaving HBO Max
James Wan’s 2010 horror thriller Insidious will leave HBO Max on June 1, 2026, ending its current streaming run. The film, which sparked a multi‑film franchise and holds a 66% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, has become a cult favorite among horror...
Roku’s Revenue From The Sale of Roku TVs & Roku Players Is Now Less Than 10% of Its Total Revenue,...
Roku has transformed from a hardware‑centric business to a platform‑focused model, with device sales now representing just 9.44% of total revenue. In 2026 the company projects roughly $5 billion in platform revenue versus $535 million from hardware. Q1 2026 showed device revenue...
Globo?s Best Practices for World Cup 2026 Live Streaming Ad Insertion
Globo’s ad‑tech director Ana Beaklini says latency has long hampered the Brazilian broadcaster’s ability to deliver seamless dynamic ad insertion (DAI) for high‑profile live events. To prepare for the 2026 World Cup, Globo is deploying a hybrid approach that blends...
Charo Penedo, New Sales Rep for Fred Media in Spain and Other European Countries
Fred Media, the content arm of Australia’s WTFN Group, announced a European‑focused sales overhaul effective June 1. The company hired Charo Penedo in Madrid to sell its catalogue across Spain, Portugal, France, Benelux, Italy, Greece and Turkey, while Malgorzata “Malgo” Gudel...
Netflix Isn't Airing the World Cup. But It Still Has Big World Cup Programming Plans
Netflix is rolling out a slate of original soccer documentaries and scripted series to ride the excitement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, even though it does not hold broadcast rights. The lineup includes titles from Latin America, the UK,...
‘Project Hail Mary’ Tops DEG Digital Transactions Chart for Week of May 17
Amazon MGM Studios’ sci‑fi adaptation Project Hail Mary topped the Digital Entertainment Group’s transactional digital sales chart for the week ending May 17, according to GfK Entertainment data. The film, released for premium digital purchase and rental on May 12, outperformed a...
‘The Testaments’ EP Warren Littlefield On Discovering Chase Infiniti & Lucy Halliday; A Season 2 Tease; ‘Fargo’ Season 6 &...
Hulu’s *The Testaments* season 1 finale delivered 45 million hours of viewing, prompting a season 2 renewal announced on May 20. Executive producer Warren Littlefield revealed that two more seasons are slated, creating a three‑season story arc that will continue June’s daughter Hannah’s journey....
Reuters’ Simon Robinson Tipped for ABC News Top Job
Reuters veteran Simon Robinson is expected to replace Justin Stevens as ABC News director after Stevens resigned abruptly. The appointment, still unconfirmed by ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks, would bring a leader who has spent 16 years at Reuters and...
Germany Introduces Mandatory Investment Quota for Streamers and Broadcasters
Germany’s cabinet approved the Media Services Investment Obligation Act, mandating that streaming platforms and TV broadcasters allocate at least 8% of their annual revenue to German film production. Providers that invest 12% or more can opt out of certain detailed...
Roku Updates Its UI For the First Time In a Decade
Roku is deploying its first major homescreen redesign in a decade, adding personalization features such as frequently used apps, "top picks," and household‑specific layouts. The update also introduces a prominent marquee ad space, reflecting Roku’s reliance on advertising revenue rather...
Dick Wolf Didn't Develop And Launch Chicago Fire With Franchise Aspirations
Dick Wolf’s *Chicago Fire* was originally pitched as a single‑show concept, but its strong ratings quickly revealed franchise potential. The series spawned *Chicago P.D.*, followed by *Chicago Med* and *Chicago Justice*, creating the interconnected “One Chicago” universe. Wolf deliberately structured each drama to allow seamless character...
WBD Bondholders Approve Change in Fiscal Rules to Facilitate Paramount Merger
Warner Bros. Discovery secured bondholder and lender consent to amend its fiscal covenants, clearing a key hurdle for the $110.9 billion Paramount Skydance acquisition. The vote covered $16.6 billion of debt, with approval rates between 79 % and 99 % across note classes. Paramount will...
YouTube TV Is Adding ESPN Unlimited, But When?
YouTube TV will embed ESPN Unlimited into its service this fall, following a multi‑year carriage agreement that ended a blackout of Disney‑owned sports channels in late 2025. Existing YouTube TV subscribers will receive the premium ESPN Unlimited tier at no...
Netflix Goes Familiar With Morning, Weekday Live Show
Netflix is adding a weekday early‑morning video podcast, "The Breakfast Club," hosted by Charlamagne tha God and co‑hosts. The live show will stream every weekday, positioning Netflix against traditional broadcast morning programs and YouTube’s growing video‑podcast slate. The move follows...
Paramount Gains Ground in Push for DOJ Approval of Its Warner Bros. Discovery Purchase as Regulators Signal Potential Approval
Paramount is moving closer to securing DOJ approval for its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery after a two‑hour antitrust briefing. The company emphasized a continued commitment to theatrical releases to counter concerns about streaming‑first strategies. Shareholder consent is already in place,...
Channel21 to Close Following Insolvency Proceedings
Channel21, Germany’s third‑largest teleshopping broadcaster, will cease operations on 31 May 2026 after formal insolvency proceedings were opened on 27 May 2026. Preliminary insolvency began on 23 March 2026, with a provisional administrator appointed to explore restructuring. Efforts to secure a long‑term solution failed amid a...
Ampere: Streamers Waiting Longer for Return of Hit Shows
Ampere Analysis reports that the average interval between seasons of scripted streaming originals has jumped from 12 months in 2020 to 21 months in 2025, nearly doubling over five years. The longer production cycles are driven by higher budgets and...
TV Groups to FCC: Current Parental Ratings System Works Fine
A coalition of television industry groups—including the National Association of Broadcasters, NCTA and the Motion Picture Association—has asked the FCC to retain the decades‑old TV Parental Guidelines. In a joint filing, they argue the voluntary ratings system remains effective, widely...
Research: 80% of New Nordic Streaming Subs Are Ad-Supported
The Nordic streaming market now tops 27 million paid subscriptions, adding roughly 3.5 million since spring 2025, driven largely by hybrid video‑on‑demand (HVoD) plans that blend lower fees with ads. About 80% of the new subscriptions are ad‑supported, making HVoD the primary growth...
Future of TV Briefing: How AI Agents Will Figure Into This Year’s Upfront Negotiations
AI agents are becoming a central topic in this year’s upfront negotiations, with major broadcasters such as Disney, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery exploring how autonomous software can automate ad buying and placement. Advertisers are being asked to consider AI‑driven...
Campaign Launches to Save Mometu
A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to rescue independent streaming service Mometu, which announced its shutdown last month. The initiative aims to relaunch the platform as Mometu 2.0 with a tiered access model that includes a free ad‑supported tier, a sub‑$3...
‘He’s a Machine’: Karl Stefanovic Show Co-Founder on Scaling and Making Money
The Karl Stefanovic Show launched in January and has quickly amassed over 250 videos, delivering 1.38 million YouTube views and 859,000 Spotify streams in April alone. Episode performance ranges from a low of 10,000 views to a peak of 358,000, with...
There’s No Hockey Romance Fatigue
Prime Video’s new hockey‑romance series Off Campus has become the platform’s third‑most‑watched debut, attracting 36 million viewers in its first twelve days. The show outperformed high‑profile launches such as Fallout and The Rings of Power, and even eclipsed popular BookTok‑driven titles....
Shaw Rocket Fund Asks Court Whether CRTC Should Have Ordered Public Hearing on Rogers Funding
The Shaw Rocket Fund has filed a judicial review seeking a court ruling that the CRTC should have ordered a public hearing on Rogers Communications' continued funding obligations. The fund argues that the CRTC’s administrative licence renewal for Rogers, which...
Live Nation’s Veeps Locks In Free Saturday Night Digital Streams Of Major League Wrestling
Live Nation’s Veeps platform has secured a weekly, free‑to‑watch slot for Major League Wrestling’s flagship series, MLW Fusion, starting this Saturday. The partnership includes quarterly pay‑per‑view events, exclusive limited‑edition merchandise drops, and live‑stream giveaways. Veeps, which traditionally focused on concert...
Why Is Network 10 Resting so Many Local TV Shows?
Network 10 reported an $84 million AUD loss (≈$55 million USD) for the year to December 2025, even as revenue grew 6.4% to $464 million AUD (≈$306 million USD). The broadcaster trimmed staff from 850 to 736 and slashed programming spend by nearly $80 million AUD,...
Play TV Adds Kabaret GO Package
Polish telecom operator Play has introduced Kabaret GO as an add‑on to its Play TV service, offering an ad‑free on‑demand library of Polish cabaret content. The launch includes over 50 hours of sketches from well‑known troupes such as Kabaret Moralnego...