Middle East Conflict May Put Rs 200–250 Crore of IPL Ad Spends at Risk
The ongoing Middle East conflict threatens to erase between Rs 200 crore and Rs 250 crore of advertising spend from Gulf brands in IPL 2026, which is projected to generate roughly Rs 4,900 crore in ad revenue. Airspace closures and security concerns have prompted several Middle Eastern advertisers to delay or suspend campaigns ahead of the tournament’s March 26 start. Industry insiders expect the impact to be short‑lived, with domestic sectors and other categories poised to fill much of the vacated inventory. Long‑term, the Indian market remains a priority for Gulf marketers despite the geopolitical turbulence.
Programming
AMC Networks has renewed Jonathan Glatzer’s drama “The Audacity” ahead of its Season 1 debut on April 12, with a world premiere slated for SXSW. The History Channel will launch the 20‑part documentary “World War II With Tom Hanks” on May 25, airing three...
Foxtel Kicks Off NRL Season With 39% New Sponsors On Board
Foxtel Media announced that 39% of advertisers for the 2026 NRL season are brand‑new, joining returning partners such as Westpac, McDonald’s and Toyota. New sponsors include Red Bull, Bunnings, Club 4×4 Insurance and Youi, while programmatic inventory expansion lets small regional...
The Aunty Donna Podcast Returns to Acast in New Partnership
Acast has inked a multi‑year agreement to host The Aunty Donna Podcast and the newly created Grouse House Podcast Network on its platform. The deal consolidates Australia’s leading independent comedy collective under one roof just as Aunty Donna prepares to...
Pre-Campaign Planning in Barb Ads Hub
Barb has added pre‑campaign planning to Barb Ads Hub, turning it into a single platform for UK advertising buyers and sellers to forecast and evaluate campaigns across linear and VOD services. The new planner, previously called Advanced Campaign Hub, merges...
Australians to Be Restricted From Four Major Pornography Websites
Australia is set to enforce new age‑verification laws for online pornography on 9 March, requiring users to prove they are over 18 through facial scans, digital wallets or photo ID. In protest, Aylo, the Canadian owner of Pornhub, RedTube, YouPorn and...
Jamie Durie Partners with LEADSTORY for Sustainability and Design Coverage
Australian designer and environmental advocate Jamie Durie has signed a partnership with global streaming platform LeadStory to produce original lifestyle programming. The new series will focus on sustainability, architecture and design, drawing on Durie's decades of experience in television and...
Apple’s Godzilla & Kong Blockbuster TV Show Immediately Becomes a Streaming Success
Apple TV+’s *Monarch: Legacy of Monsters* season 2 quickly rose to become the second‑most‑watched show on the platform in the United States, according to FlixPatrol, trailing only *Hijack* and *Shrinking*. The series introduces a new sea‑monster antagonist, Titan X, while keeping the...
‘Hoppers’ Debuts With $46 Million Weekend, Pixar’s Biggest Original Opening Since 2017
Pixar’s new animated feature *Hoppers* opened to a $46 million domestic weekend, bringing its global debut to $88 million. The launch marks the studio’s strongest opening for an original title since *Coco* in 2017 and the best domestic start for a Pixar...
Prime Video Is Removing Sean Bean's "Gripping" Psychological Thriller Very Soon
Prime Video will pull the 2001 thriller *Don’t Say a Word* from its catalog on March 14, giving viewers just six days left to stream it. The film stars Sean Bean as villainous thief Patrick Koster, alongside Michael Douglas and...
Why Cable TV Networks Won’t Switch To Free OTA TV
Cable networks such as ESPN, CNN and AMC continue to rely on subscriber carriage fees rather than moving to free over‑the‑air (OTA) television. In 2024 they collected over $40 billion in carriage fees, while advertising revenue declined about 10 % year‑over‑year. Technical...
Will Sling TV Be for Sale Soon?
Sling TV, a DISH/EchoStar subsidiary, introduced low‑cost daily Passes in 2025, attracting budget‑conscious cord‑cutters. Despite strong subscriber numbers—over 1.5 million—the parent’s strained balance sheet and costly 5G rollout have made Sling a non‑core asset. Analysts predict DISH may put Sling TV...
YouTube TV Rolls Out A New Build Your Own Plan Options to Help You Save Money
YouTube TV has launched a personalized subscription system that lets users build their own channel packages from 12 genre‑based bundles. The web‑only tool analyzes viewing history and suggests mixes of sports, entertainment, news and family channels, allowing customers to drop...
Patrick Dempsey's Crime Drama That's "Worth Sticking With" Jumps up UK Streaming Chart
Patrick Dempsey’s new crime drama *Memory of a Killer* has surged to #7 on Prime Video’s UK TV streaming chart, indicating strong viewer uptake since its January‑February rollout. The two‑part series follows Dempsey as Angelo Doyle, a photocopier salesman‑by‑day and...
ABC Iview, Netflix Lead Free to Air & Subscription Platforms.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority’s 2025 report shows free‑to‑air (FTA) TV viewership rebounding to 52 % of adults, driven by younger audiences, while subscription streaming remains stable at 68 % usage. ABC iview continues to dominate FTA catch‑up but its share fell...
Roku Adds a New Feature Everyone Wanted, YouTube TV Makes Changes to Two Popular Channels, & More – The Top...
Roku introduced a dedicated search function within its Live Guide, letting users locate free‑live channels by name, genre or keyword via on‑screen typing or voice. The update also blends over‑the‑air antenna signals with streaming, streamlining the viewing experience for budget‑focused...
President Donald Trump Launches Truth+, a Live TV Streaming Service With Both a Free & Paid Option
President Donald Trump’s media arm has introduced Truth+, a live‑TV streaming service that combines a free tier with a $9.99 premium Patriot Package. The free tier provides 21 live channels, over 1,000 on‑demand titles, DVR capabilities and multi‑device support, while...
‘Predator: Badlands’ Tops Disc Sales Chart for Second Week
Disney’s 20th Century Studios saw Predator: Badlands retain the No. 1 spot on the Circana VideoScan overall disc sales and Blu‑ray charts for the week ending Feb. 28, marking its second consecutive week at the top. The sci‑fi action title slipped to No. 2...
WGA Releases Pattern Of Demands Ahead Of AMPTP Negotiations
The Writers Guild of America released its Pattern of Demands ahead of negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers, a step approved by 97.4% of its members. The document outlines broad objectives on health and pension contributions,...
‘Scrubs’ Creator Bill Lawrence Addresses Revival’s Renewal Chances After Strong Premiere Ratings: “We’re Really Hopeful”
The *Scrubs* revival premiered to 11.36 million cross‑platform viewers, becoming ABC’s highest‑rated comedy debut in 17 years and the network’s top streaming launch in over a year. The show leads the network’s linear adults 18‑49 ratings after three episodes and holds 90%...
SAS Airlines Brings BBC Nordic Onboard
SAS Airlines has become the first carrier to launch a dedicated BBC Nordic on‑demand channel, thanks to a partnership brokered by Touch Inflight Solutions. The new offering provides passengers with a curated selection of British titles, ranging from murder mysteries...
Under Standstill Rule, Rogers Obligated to Freeze Movement of Corus Channels: Appeal Court
The Federal Court of Appeal rejected Rogers' challenge to two CRTC decisions that barred the cable operator from repackaging or removing Corus Entertainment’s Slice, Home and Flavour channels. The court interpreted the regulatory "standstill" rule as freezing all contract terms,...
NFL Network Talents Learn Their Fate After ESPN Takeover
ESPN has officially taken over NFL Network, absorbing all existing on‑air talent contracts as of April 1. Employees will remain under their current deals until expiration, after which they must negotiate new agreements with Disney’s ESPN division. The transition has sparked...
MRC Raises Concerns About Nielsen National Big Data + Panel Television Service
The Media Ratings Council (MRC) has raised concerns about Nielsen’s National Big Data + Panel TV measurement after detecting a more than 10% decline in 25‑54‑year‑old audience impressions in the first half of 2025. MRC identified four priority areas –...
"Masterpiece" Crime Drama 'Packed with Adrenaline' Is Leaving This UK Streamer Soon – Don't Miss Out
Sons of Anarchy’s entire seven‑season run is currently available on the free UK streaming service U, but the catalogue will be removed shortly. The FX crime drama, which aired 92 episodes between 2008 and 2014, holds an 87% Rotten Tomatoes...
Exclusive: ‘In Your Dreams: Breakfast Town and FX How-To Breakdowns
Netflix has added the 3DCG animated feature *In Your Dreams* to its streaming catalog, accompanied by two exclusive behind‑the‑scenes VFX breakdown videos. The featurettes, hosted by VFX supervisor Nicola Lavender, showcase Sony Pictures Imageworks’ work on the film’s surreal Breakfast...
Quentin Rigaux’s ‘Cosmo Princess’ Blends Vintage Anime And French Animation Traditions With A Sci-Fi Story
Quentin Rigaux’s first feature, *Cosmo Princess*, is a 90‑minute 2‑D sci‑fi family film that fuses 1970s‑80s anime aesthetics with classic French animation influences. The project is being shepherded by Academy Award‑winning producer Ron Dyens of *Flow* and debuted at the 2026...
Video Panel: The Battle for Your TV Screen: Who Controls the Future of TVOS?
The Next TMT Talks panel examined how connected‑TV operating systems have become the primary gateway for streaming content, advertising, and data collection. Panelists from The Trade Desk’s Ventura TVOS, Whale TV, and ViewLift discussed their strategies to challenge incumbent platforms and capture...
SVG Sit-Down: Midco Sports’ Andy Price and Craig DeWit on How the Dakotas-Based RSN Is Redefining Regional Sports Media
Midco Sports, a 95‑year‑old Upper Midwest technology firm, has turned its regional sports network into a national‑minded streaming platform, Midco Sports Plus, now reaching viewers in nine U.S. states. A new partnership with the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) brings...
Riedel Communications Demos Product Innovations at 2026 NAB Show
Riedel Communications showcased a suite of new products at the 2026 NAB Show, emphasizing simplified, scalable production workflows across video, audio, intercom, and networking. Highlights included the browser‑based hi human interface control system, the MediorNet HorizoN ST 2110 MultiViewer app,...
Cloud Workflows Are Redefining Live Sports Production
Live sports broadcasters are moving core production to cloud workflows, replacing on‑site hardware with scalable, remote infrastructure. The shift reduces capital expense, improves agility, and supports the growing demand for multi‑language, regional, and platform‑specific feeds. Modern encoding, bandwidth, and latency...
Salem News Channel Now Available on Amazon Prime
Salem Media announced its Salem News Channel is now available on Amazon Prime Video. The addition places the channel within Prime Video’s growing free ad‑supported streaming TV (FAST) portfolio. Salem’s VP Cary Pahigian highlighted the move as a way to...
Ratings Roundup: Post Olympics High, NHL on ESPN Viewership Spikes Over 50%
Ratings Roundup shows a surge in live sports viewership across major leagues. ESPN’s MLB spring‑training broadcast between the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers attracted 468 K average viewers, a 54 % increase over last year and the most‑watched spring‑training game in a...
Netflix Live-Streaming South Korea’s Mega Boy Band BTS ‘The Comeback’ Performance on March 21
Netflix will live‑stream BTS’s comeback performance on March 21 from Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, coinciding with the release of their fifth studio album ARIRANG. The event airs at 7 a.m. ET (4 a.m. PT) in the United States and spans multiple global time zones. BTS, holder...
MIB Halts News TRPs for Four Weeks over Sensational US-Iran Conflict Coverage
India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting ordered the Broadcast Audience Research Council to suspend television news ratings (TRPs) for four weeks, citing concerns that sensational coverage of the US‑Iran conflict is stoking public panic. The pause aims to remove the...
Council of Europe Launches Calls for Proposals Under Its Pilot Programme for Series Co-Productions
The Council of Europe has opened two 2026 calls under its Pilot Programme for Series Co‑productions, allocating roughly €2.1 million to support high‑quality scripted fiction, animation, or documentary series that involve cross‑border collaboration. Awards range from €150,000 to €300,000 and can...
Week in Review: BBC Mulls Opening Up iPlayer to Other PSBs, Video Leads Digital Ad Growth in the UK, and...
The BBC warned that declining licence‑fee revenue and rising streaming competition threaten its funding model, and proposed opening iPlayer to other public‑service broadcasters while keeping BBC content ad‑free. Meanwhile, UK digital video advertising grew 20 % to £9.3 billion, now accounting for...
Why CBS Didn't Want Desi Arnaz To Star In I Love Lucy
In the early 1950s CBS executives balked at casting Cuban‑born Desi Arnaz opposite Lucille Ball in the new sitcom that would become *I Love Lucy*. Ball threatened to quit unless her husband was kept, and the couple’s successful vaudeville tour proved audiences would accept...
Tedial to Highlight AI-Fueled Media Lifecycle at 2026 NAB Show
At the 2026 NAB Show, Tedial will showcase its AI‑driven media asset management platform, highlighting new agentic AI capabilities integrated via the Model Context Protocol. The solution blends pervasive AI, composable architecture, and NoCode workflow design to boost operational efficiency...
Hulu + Live TV Should Disney+'s Streams to Its Channel Guide
Disney will retire the standalone Hulu app by 2026, moving its on‑demand library into Disney+. Hulu + Live TV will stay as a separate subscription but its future home is unclear, with options including the Disney+ app or the merged Fubo platform....
KLIP Launches New TVC Highlighting Microdrama Entertainment for Everyday Waiting Moments
KLIP, a new microdrama streaming app, launched a television commercial to introduce its two‑minute, bite‑sized drama episodes. The ad targets Indian Tier 2 and Tier 3 viewers aged 16‑45, emphasizing entertainment that fits into everyday waiting moments. By framing waiting as an...
YouTube TV Is In Talks For a Massive New Sports Deal
The NBA is in advanced talks with YouTube TV, Amazon, ESPN and DAZN to launch a centralized streaming hub for local team broadcasts, potentially as early as the 2026‑27 season. The effort gained urgency after Main Street Sports Group collapsed,...
Free MLB.TV Is Back For T-Mobile Customers, But Only For a Few Days
T‑Mobile has revived its partnership with Major League Baseball, offering eligible customers a free MLB.TV subscription for the 2026 season—a service normally priced at $149.99. The benefit applies to qualifying T‑Mobile and Metro by T‑Mobile voice and data plans, but...
Czech TV Viewing Rises as Out-of-Home Data Added to Official Measurement
Czech television viewing jumped sharply in February after Atmedia introduced a new audience metric that adds out‑of‑home consumption. Average daily viewing rose to 4 hours 11 minutes, a 10% year‑on‑year increase. Out‑of‑home viewing accounted for about 7% of total time but drove roughly...
Aferian Shares Suspended as Company Prepares for Sale
Aferian has suspended its AIM‑listed shares as it moves toward a pre‑pack administration and the sale of its operating subsidiaries, 24i and Amino, to a single buyer. The transaction, backed by senior lenders, is expected to close within days and...
Movistar Plus Adds Mandatory Ads when Accessing TV Channels
Movistar Plus has expanded its mandatory pre‑roll advertising to several Atresmedia linear channels, adding a 30‑second non‑skippable ad before viewers can watch live broadcasts. The system, first rolled out on RTVE channels, limits exposure to one ad per 30 minutes...
Shoppable Content Meets Cloud Gaming on CTV
At Streaming Media Connect 2026, Fuse Media’s CRO Karl Meyer and Spaceback co‑founder Joe Hall discussed how shoppable content is converging with cloud gaming on connected‑TV platforms. Samsung’s early integration of on‑demand gaming into its smart TVs set the stage,...
7:30 Announces New Executive Producer
ABC News appointed Dani Isdale as the new Executive Producer of 7.30, succeeding Joel Tozer. Isdale brings 26 years of award‑winning international journalism experience, including BAFTA, News Emmy and RTS honors. She currently serves as Deputy Head of Foreign and...
A24 Taking Advance Orders for ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ Blu-Ray
A24 has opened advance orders for the Blu‑ray release of *If I Had Legs I’d Kick You* through its own online store, with shipments slated for May 2026. The dark comedy stars Rose Byrne, who recently earned a Golden Globe...
Paramount+ Premiering ‘Anderson Spider Silva’ MMA Series in U.S. March 7
Paramount+ will debut the Brazilian biographical MMA series “Anderson Spider Silva” in the United States on March 7, following an international launch on March 5 across Latin America. The eight‑part miniseries tracks Silva’s journey from a challenging childhood in São Paulo to his...