Why AI Gives Media Companies a Syncing Feeling
Artificial intelligence has become inseparable from media strategy, yet a pronounced syncing gap threatens its impact. Consumers adopt generative AI tools at breakneck speed, while media firms struggle to translate that demand into sustainable revenue. AI shows clear productivity gains at the creative front‑end and the personalization back‑end, but the entrenched, complex media factory resists transformation, delivering only fragmented value. As boardrooms grow impatient with delayed ROI, challengers poised to capitalize on AI’s agility could reshape the industry.
CTV Is Defining the Future of Streaming Ads
Connected TVs now reach over 85% of U.S. households, with roughly 60% of Gen Z streaming on them, and have surpassed cable as the primary source of video consumption in 2025. Advertisers are shifting focus to CTV because it gathers the...
Why Most Live Streams Won't Exist in 30 Days
Live streaming generated roughly $78 billion in 2025 and approaches $100 billion by 2024, yet most platforms delete recordings within days or weeks. Twitch, Instagram Live, and TikTok Live automatically purge VODs, while YouTube’s archival is optional and often de‑prioritized. This creates...
Report: The Future of Sport Is Multi-Format, Multi-Channel Offerings
Altman Solon’s seventh Annual Global Sports Survey warns that linear TV can no longer anchor sports consumption. Executives are urged to shift toward multi‑format, multi‑channel offerings that blend live games, highlights, and interactive content. The report highlights a 6 percent rise in...
AdPlayer.Pro Introduces New Results-Driven Features in Its Ad-Enabled Video Player
AdPlayer.Pro has rolled out new configuration capabilities for its ad‑enabled video player, targeting both instream and standalone video placements. The updates expand ad‑interval settings and aim to boost performance amid a market slowdown reported by over 40% of its users....
BeIN Extends F1 Rights Across 10 Asian Territories
beIN Asia Pacific has extended its exclusive Formula 1 broadcast partnership through the 2030 season, covering ten Asian territories. The agreement secures live transmission of every Grand Prix, practice, qualifying, Sprint and related feeder series such as Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 Academy...
Study: Addressable TV Delivers 3x Web Uplift vs Linear
Sky Media’s Addressable Advantage study of 2,400 campaigns shows addressable TV generates a 121% lift in aided ad recall and delivers three times more incremental web traffic than linear TV. The analysis, based on household‑level data from a five‑million‑home panel,...
JioStar Appoints Sagar Kadam as Senior Director
JioStar has appointed Sagar Kadam as Senior Director of Ecosystem & Subscription Partnerships, placing him in charge of partnership strategy for its flagship streaming service, JioHotstar. Kadam joins from SonyLIV, where he drove subscription‑revenue growth through telecom, fintech, and device...
Powering the Great Tech-Celeration: Meet the Strategic Partners Behind VBS 2026
The 22nd Video Broadcast and Broadband Tech Summit (VBS 2026) will convene India’s media and technology leaders on 27 February in Mumbai under the theme “Managing the Great Tech‑celeration.” The event is co‑powered by JioStar and ZEE, with Amagi as...
Research: Widening Gap Between Box Office Success and BAFTA Contenders
The BBFC’s 37‑year analysis shows a widening split between UK box‑office hits and BAFTA Best Film nominees. Over the last decade, top‑grossing titles are dominated by U, PG and 12A ratings, while 74% of BAFTA nominees carry 15 or 18...
10.com.au: Gold Wars DownUnder
Gold Wars: DownUnder, a new observational series from FredBird Entertainment, begins streaming on 10.com.au on February 27, 2026. The show follows three prospecting teams competing on a 15‑square‑kilometre plot in remote North Queensland that holds an estimated gold reserve exceeding $750 million. Beyond...
CTV Fueled Magnite’s Q4 Growth As Display Falters
Magnite reported Q4 revenue of $205 million, a 6% year‑over‑year increase, driven largely by its fast‑growing connected‑TV (CTV) segment. While the DV+ platform’s display revenue grew modestly 4% to $101.5 million, CTV revenue surged 32% to $93.6 million, representing 48% of the quarter’s...
AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron Lauds ‘Besties’ Netflix Relationship
AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron highlighted the growing partnership with Netflix, noting that exclusive theatrical events such as the KPop Demon Hunters premiere and the Stranger Things series finale drove 35% of the film's total audience and generated $15 million in...
Renewed: Robin Hood
MGM+ announced the renewal of its romantic adventure drama "Robin Hood" for a second season. The series, led by Australian actor Jack Patten and featuring Sean Bean as the Sheriff, will return with ten episodes. Season two expands the narrative...
Netflix Unscripted Live Events Head Sahara Bushue Exits
Netflix’s unscripted live events division is undergoing a leadership change as Sahara Bushue, the director of unscripted series, has left the company. Bushue was responsible for recent projects such as the Star Search reboot, Rhythm & Flow, and Building the...
Nexstar, Scripps, Sinclair Express Regulatory Optimism
Broadcasters are buoyed by FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s hints of relaxed ownership rules and a Trump endorsement of Nexstar’s $6 billion Tegna acquisition. Nexstar, Scripps and Sinclair all highlighted this regulatory optimism in recent earnings calls, stressing strategic M&A and operational...
Comcast Gets ESPN Unlimited
Comcast is now granting eligible Xfinity TV customers free access to ESPN Unlimited, the sports network’s direct‑to‑consumer app, once they authenticate their subscription. The offering unlocks the full suite of live sports, original shows, and on‑demand content without an additional...
WBD on Discovery Global’s Potential
Paramount Skydance argues that the Discovery Global spinoff would not add value for Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders, positioning itself as the stronger bidder against Netflix. CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, also CEO of Discovery Global, highlighted the global reach of DG's linear...
PMK Names Leah Sparkes VP, Ulisses Rivera Joins as Senior Account Director
PMK Entertainment announced two senior hires: Leah Sparkes as Vice President of Television, Film and Premium Content, and Ulisses Rivera as Senior Account Director in its Strategic Communications Group. Sparkes arrives with more than two decades of high‑profile publicity experience...
Casting News: Jake Johnson Plays P.I. For NBC, Emma Roberts' Bride Wars, And More
Jake Johnson has been cast as Mickey, a down‑on‑his‑luck private investigator, in an untitled NBC comedy pilot created by Brooklyn Nine‑Nine writers Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici. The half‑hour series continues the Los Angeles private‑eye tradition and received a pilot...
Hollywood Actor Cast in "Iconic Role" For New Drama That's 'Reimagining of a 1960s Classic'
Hollywood is reviving the 1960 western *The Magnificent Seven* as an eight‑episode drama for MGM+, the Amazon‑owned streaming service. Veteran actor Matt Dillon has been cast as lead Chris Adams, bringing depth to the iconic role. The series, written and...
Greg Segal Joins TEG in Senior Sponsorship Role
Ticketek Entertainment Group (TEG) has appointed Greg Segal as Managing Director of Sponsorship & Premium Experiences. Segal arrives with over 30 years in brand partnerships, most recently leading a 50‑person team at Live Nation Entertainment ANZ. He will build TEG’s...
Paramount+ Loses 100,000 Subs in Q4, Narrows DTC Fiscal Loss 45%
Paramount+ reported 79 million direct‑to‑consumer subscribers at the end of Q4 2025, a decline of 100,000 from the September count. Quarterly revenue jumped 17% to $1.84 billion, while DTC revenue edged up to $2.21 billion. The DTC operating loss narrowed dramatically by 45%...
Sinclair Q4 Core Ad Revenue Jumps 14%
Sinclair Inc. posted fourth‑quarter 2025 revenue of $836 million, a 17% decline year‑over‑year, driven by weaker political advertising after the 2024 election cycle. Core advertising revenue, however, jumped 14% to $354 million, underscoring demand for live sports and resilient local ad inventory....
Mainframe Studios, Cookbook Media Form Strategic Partnership
Vancouver‑based Mainframe Studios has teamed up with franchise‑management firm Cookbook Media to create an integrated commercial and business‑development engine for its original IP and work‑for‑hire slate. The partnership will drive new production partnerships, global distribution, licensing, merchandising and digital extensions,...
F1 CEO Defends Apple Leap: ‘Bigger’ Reach With ‘Other People’
Formula One has shifted its U.S. broadcast rights from ESPN to Apple, securing a $140 million per‑year deal that eclipses ESPN’s $80‑90 million payments. CEO Stefano Domenicali argues the Apple partnership will ultimately reach a larger audience, especially among cord‑never viewers, by...
Less Tools, More Visibility: TAG Video Systems at NAB 2026
TAG Video Systems announced a suite of new capabilities for its IP‑native Realtime Media Platform at NAB 2026, aimed at consolidating broadcast monitoring tools into a single interface. The rollout includes the Lens visual‑service health analyzer, expanded QC Station colour and...
‘The Pitt’ Tops Weekly Whip U.S. Streaming Originals Chart Through Feb. 22
HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt” retained the #1 spot on Whip Media’s weekly streaming originals chart for U.S. viewers during the week ending Feb. 22. The series, starring Noah Wyle, is in its second season, which runs from Jan. 8 through...
Nexstar Lays Off Local TV Journalists Including KTLA's Glen Walker and Lu Parker
Nexstar Media Group announced layoffs of longtime KTLA anchors Glen Walker and Lu Parker, along with veteran meteorologist Mark Kriski, as part of a company‑wide cost‑reduction drive. The cuts extend to other major‑market stations such as Chicago’s WGN and New York’s WPIX, reflecting...
Samsung Taps Gracenote for AI-Powered Discovery
Samsung has partnered with Gracenote, Nielsen’s content‑data unit, to embed its extensive entertainment metadata into Samsung Smart TV’s AI stack. The collaboration will power large‑language‑model (LLM) driven search, enabling conversational queries that surface TV shows, movies and sports more intuitively....
Fernando Szew on the Importance of Partnerships
Fernando Szew, president of FOX Entertainment Studios, highlighted the studio’s core strength: marrying creative ambition with disciplined business practices while leveraging FOX’s distribution network. He outlined a talent‑first strategy that includes first‑look deals with established stars and emerging digital creators,...
The Channel Store Integrates FAST Channels on Prime Video in Spain
The Channel Store has become the first technology provider to launch four free‑ad‑supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Prime Video in Spain. The channels—Anime Visión, Anime Visión Classics, Cines Verdi TV and Cine Feel Good Verdi TV—were technically integrated in...
Avid's New CPO Discusses AI, NAB Show and Newsroom Tech
Avid has appointed Kenna Hilburn as chief product officer and is rolling out Avid Content Core, a cloud‑native platform that links existing broadcast and digital tools for hybrid media teams. The company is embedding AI selectively to automate transcription, search...
HBO Renews ‘Industry’ for a Final Season
HBO has renewed the drama series Industry for a fifth and final season, concluding the show after five years. The fourth season wraps up on March 1, 2024, featuring Harper and Yasmin entangled in high‑stakes fintech intrigue in London. Showrunners Mickey...
Legendary Alum Deborah Kaufmann Joins Sipur
Deborah Kaufmann, a former senior vice president of literary affairs at Legendary, has been appointed chief of global content at Sipur Studios. The newly created role tasks her with steering worldwide content development and creative leadership. During her decade at...
Mark Ruffalo Drama That's "Poised to Break Hearts" With "Perfect" Cast Lands New UK Streaming Home
Hal & Harper, the Mark Ruffalo‑led drama that premiered on Australia’s Stan platform, is arriving in the UK on ITVX on 23 March. The series follows two siblings confronting childhood trauma while navigating adult life, and features Lili Reinhart, Cooper Raiff,...
Stan Acquires Buzzy George Kay Thriller Series GONE for Australia
Australian streaming service Stan has acquired the exclusive rights to the six‑part psychological thriller *Gone* for the Australian market. The series, created by George Kay – known for *Hijack* and *Lupin* – follows elite headmaster Michael Polly, played by David...
Orlando Magic Jump Into ST 2110 With New Production-Control Room at Kia Center
The Orlando Magic has completed a full‑scale conversion of its Kia Center control room from legacy baseband to SMPTE ST 2110 IP‑based infrastructure, finishing just before the 2025‑26 season opener. Systems integrator Alpha, along with Anthony James Partners and Unity Systems...
BCNEXXT Adds HLG-Based HDR To Vipe Platform
BCNEXXT has integrated live HLG‑based HDR playout into its cloud‑native Vipe platform, supporting UHD 2160p BT.2100 HLG ingest and output. The solution lets broadcasters run HDR and SDR streams side‑by‑side, especially for live sports, while minimizing cross‑conversion steps. Vipe’s architecture...
Viewers Continue To 'Struggle' With Sports Program Discovery
A recent Reviews.org survey reveals that nearly half of U.S. sports fans struggle to locate the right channel or streaming service for a specific game, and 53% have missed games because of subscription gaps. The study, based on 882 active...
Lionsgate’s ‘The Housemaid’ Remains Atop U.K. Weekly Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through Feb. 25
Lionsgate’s thriller *The Housemaid* retained the No. 1 spot on the U.K. weekly home‑entertainment sales chart for a second consecutive week, underscoring its strong consumer appeal. Disney’s *Zootopia 2* held steady at No. 2 following its recent digital retail launch, while Signature’s *Dracula*...
Amazon MGM Studios Bows Trailer For Action Thriller ‘Pretty Lethal’ Streaming on Prime Video March 23
Amazon MGM Studios unveiled the trailer for its new action thriller “Pretty Lethal,” set to debut on Prime Video on March 23, 2026. The film features an ensemble cast led by Uma Thurman and includes five professional ballerinas—Maddie Ziegler, Lana...
Week of Feb. 9 Cable News Ratings: Total Viewers Grow
For the week of Feb 9 2026, Fox News, MS NOW, and CNN all recorded higher total viewership, with Fox News maintaining its lead in primetime and total‑day audiences. Fox News posted a 5% rise in primetime total viewers (2.768 million) and a 7%...
Broadpeak Launches Multiview For Live Sports at 2026 NAB Show
Broadpeak announced the launch of its Multiview solution for live sports at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas. The technology lets broadcasters, streaming platforms and telecom operators deliver multiple simultaneous feeds on a single screen, offering viewers the ability to...
Unfiltered Media Podcast
Barb CEO Justin Sampson appeared on the Unfiltered Media podcast on 25 February 2026 to examine mounting pressures on traditional media measurement currencies. He explained how fragmented consumption across streaming, social and gaming platforms is eroding legacy TV‑rating models. Sampson...
F1 CEO: Audience Reach on Apple Will Be ‘Even Bigger’ than ESPN
Formula One has signed a reported $150 million per‑year deal with Apple, ending its ESPN partnership that delivered a record 1.32 million U.S. viewers in its final season. Apple TV+ will stream every practice, qualifying, sprint and Grand Prix at no extra cost, while...
ITV Studios Produces the Spanish Version of Parents’ Evening for Atresmedia
ITV Studios announced that its hit UK celebrity game show Parents’ Evening will be adapted for the Spanish market by Atresmedia, with production handled by ITV Studios Iberia. The format, created by Ranga Bee Productions and hosted by Romesh Ranganathan...
TV Media Buyers Want Outcomes – So Nielsen Is Introducing More Advanced Audiences
Nielsen announced the addition of more than 200 advanced audience segments to its Nielsen ONE cross‑platform dashboard, drawing on Scarborough’s extensive U.S. consumer surveys. The new segments span demographics, purchase behavior and lifestyle categories, and are intended to improve TV...
Week of Feb. 9 Evening News Ratings: Nightly News Gets Olympic Boost
NBC Nightly News anchored from Milan posted week‑to‑week gains in both total viewers and the coveted Adults 25‑54 demo, buoyed by its Milano‑Cortina 2026 Olympic coverage. The broadcast recorded 7.797 million total viewers and 1.24 million demo viewers, up 8% and 13% respectively,...
Dystopian Drama with "Gut-Wrenching Twists" Said to Be 'Unlike Anything on TV' Is Coming to Netflix
Amazon Prime’s acclaimed dystopian series The Man in the High Castle will debut on Netflix on March 11, nearly seven years after its original finale. Created by Frank Spotnitz and starring Rufus Sewell, the show reimagines a world where the Nazis...