Television News and Headlines
Television News and Headlines
India's media and entertainment (M&E) industry expanded 9% year‑on‑year to ₹2.78 trillion (≈$33 bn) in 2025, according to the FICCI‑EY report. Digital media became the largest segment, crossing the ₹1 trillion (≈$12 bn) threshold, while digital advertising grew 26% to ₹947 billion (≈$11.4 bn), accounting for two‑thirds of ad spend. Live events surged 44% and digital subscriptions jumped 60% to ₹163 billion (≈$2 bn). The report projects the sector to reach ₹3.3 trillion (≈$40 bn) by 2028, driven by digital media, live experiences, filmed entertainment and VFX, at a 7%+ CAGR.
The NBA’s audience has shifted dramatically from traditional TV to a fragmented mix of streaming services, mobile devices, and consoles, with over a quarter of viewership now coming from virtual multichannel video programming distributors (vMVPD). This migration forces the league...
Samsung Ads unveiled a full‑funnel performance platform at IAB NewFronts 2026, pairing AI‑driven targeting with shoppable ad formats on Samsung TV Plus. The platform integrates Amazon’s Interactive Video Ad technology, enabling viewers to add Amazon items to cart directly from their...
Austrian telco Magenta Telekom has joined the Deutsche Netzmarketing (DNMG) association to distribute Stingray’s iConcerts, DJazz and Classica channels in HD. iConcerts is offered free across all TV packages, while DJazz and Classica are bundled in the TV L tier. The...
Network 10 announced that veteran journalist Narelda Jacobs will return to Perth to anchor a reinstated local weekend bulletin, replacing Georgie Tunny. The bulletin, launching on 18 April at 5 pm AWST, will be presented from Perth while sport and weather segments...
JioStar is positioning its live‑sports platform as a gateway for Southeast Asian brands to reach India’s billion‑strong consumer market. The upcoming TATA IPL 2026 will be broadcast across linear TV, CTV and mobile, building on the 2025 edition’s 537 million TV...
Grass Valley will showcase its new Grass Valley Media Universe (GVMU) at NAB Show 2026, featuring Dynamic Media Facilities powered by AMPP OS and hybrid workflows. The lineup includes the LDX 110 Series with triple‑speed capture, the LDX 180 Series...
Nine’s reality hit Married At First Sight pulled a total TV reach of 2.78 million, with an average audience of 1.78 million and nearly 600 000 BVOD viewers. During the homestay segment, contestant Gia publicly criticized Scott’s waterfront home, sparking a social‑media stir despite...
ABC’s decision to shift Planet America into the former Q+A 9:30 pm slot delivered 570,000 viewers on Monday, more than double the 320,000 average Q+A audience before its removal. The political program’s performance rivals several prime‑time entertainment titles, though it still...
Hawk Hill Pictures will launch the animated feature *Tied Up* worldwide on March 24, making it available on major digital platforms such as Prime Video, Google Play, and Apple TV. The film is written and directed by three‑time Oscar nominee Konstantin Bronzit, with...
Walmart and Vizio announced that new Vizio smart‑TVs will require a Walmart account for activation, creating a unified login and identity framework across devices. The integration centralizes streaming data on Vizio’s OS, giving Walmart a foothold in the connected‑TV (CTV)...
Andarta Pictures’ debut animated series *Ewilan’s Quest* premiered in February on France Télévisions, quickly reaching 2.6 million views in its first month and over 1 million streams across France.tv, Okoo and YouTube. The show generated more than 210,000 hours of watch time and attracted...
Netflix will live‑stream the 2026 MLB season opener on March 25, featuring the New York Yankees against the San Francisco Giants. The broadcast includes retired stars Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols and CC Sabathia as analysts, with MLB Network talent handling play‑by‑play...
FuboTV announced a 1‑for‑12 reverse stock split, consolidating Class A shares to about 29.4 million and Class B shares to 79 million. The split follows a 255 % plunge in share price since Disney’s October 2025 acquisition that merged Fubo with Hulu + Live TV. Fubo ended its latest...
Vertical Entertainment’s fantasy‑horror romance *Dracula* retained the #1 spot on Fandango at Home’s weekly revenue chart for the week ending March 22, after its premium digital launch on March 10. Lionsgate’s thriller *The Housemaid* vaulted to #2, while Universal’s sci‑fi comedy *Good...
The Convergence Research Group reports Canadian over‑the‑top (OTT) subscription revenue jumped 15% in 2025 to roughly $3.5 billion USD (CAD 4.8 billion). It projects an 11.5% rise to about $4.0 billion USD (CAD 5.35 billion) in 2026, with OTT revenue expected to outpace traditional TV by...
Netflix has partnered with Screen Careers and Screenworks to run on‑set attachment programs, funding over 70 fully paid placements in the past five years. Trainees receive hands‑on experience, mentorship and a screen credit on Netflix productions. The Heartbreak High Season 3...
LG Ad Solutions and LG Electronics unveiled a suite of new advertising tools at the IAB NewFronts, featuring a seamless home‑screen experience that embeds full‑frame video directly into the TV interface. The company introduced programmatic home‑screen ad formats, live‑tune‑in previews,...
Netflix has secured the psychosexual drama series “The Decorator,” beating ten other bidders in a competitive auction. The show, based on Cody Behan’s short story, will be set in the cut‑throat world of luxury interior design in Los Angeles and is entering...
NBC Sports unveiled its MLB Opening Day doubleheader analyst lineup for March 26, pairing former players Al Leiter, Neil Walker, Orel Hershiser and Luis Gonzalez with play‑by‑play veterans Matt Vasgersian and Jason Benetti. The games will air on NBC and the streaming service Peacock, with...
Quebecor Content announced that its original crime drama *Detective Surprenant: Murder on the Island* has been licensed to CANAL+ Poland. The six‑episode series will debut in spring 2026 on the Ale kino+ channel in its original French with Polish audio...
CBS Studios and Paramount+ announced that *Star Trek: Starfleet Academy* will end after its second season, which has already been filmed and is in post‑production. The series, set in the 32nd‑century timeline of *Star Trek: Discovery*, mixed teen‑drama storytelling with...
Christopher Martinez has been promoted to the newly created Vice President of Advanced Advertising at Hearst Television. In his expanded role, he will oversee digital ad‑product development, platform integration, and the company’s ad‑tech stack while maintaining client relationships. Since joining...
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Access and HBO Max have announced the second edition of the Script Engine writers’ program, in partnership with Series Mania Institute. The initiative, aimed at mid‑level screenwriters with ties to France, Spain, Italy and Germany, will accept applications from...
ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Network will not eliminate the channel’s own NFL Draft telecast. Instead, Disney plans to run four distinct draft presentations—on ESPN, NFL Network, ABC, and Pat McAfee’s streaming show—through the three‑day event. All on‑air talent will become ESPN/Disney...
Bay FC has signed a multi‑year deal with free streaming service Victory+ to become the club’s exclusive local streaming partner through the 2027 NWSL season. Victory+ will broadcast 16 Bay FC matches, including six games restricted to Bay Area viewers,...
Sacha Gregson has been appointed director of content and talent at VicScreen, commencing on April 7. She arrives with more than two decades of senior leadership experience at the ABC, most recently as head of production in its Screen division. In...
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting cancelled the registrations of 114 multi‑system operators, bringing the total number of active cable operators in India down to 756 after 1,159 exits since early 2025. The move is part of a year‑long crackdown...
Sportel Asia 2026 convened in Singapore, gathering rights‑holders, broadcasters, streaming platforms and tech vendors for two days of deal‑making. Sessions highlighted soaring rights fees, the surge of streaming services, and the fragmentation of Asian audiences. The agenda also tackled piracy’s...
UEFA is exploring a league‑owned global streaming service for Champions League matches, targeting a pilot in Asian markets next year and a broader rollout by 2027. The concept echoes Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez’s free‑to‑air vision from the failed Super...
Amid accelerating media consolidation, Hub Entertainment Research finds U.S. consumers struggling to differentiate streaming services. Confidence in major SVOD brands fell in 2026, with declines ranging from 1% for Hulu and Prime Video to 5% for Apple TV. Around two‑thirds...
All3Media International has secured a robust slate of pre‑sales for the espionage thriller *Secret Service*, produced by Potboiler Productions. The series will debut on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK this spring and will premiere exclusively on Spain’s Movistar Plus+....
Banijay Entertainment announced a premium scripted slate at Series Mania in Lille, highlighting a diverse lineup that spans the UK, Europe and global streaming platforms. The slate features high‑profile dramas such as *A Woman of Substance*, *Falling* by BAFTA‑winner Jack...
Roku announced a forthcoming software update to fix a bug that forced Roku TV users to have an active internet connection to access over‑the‑air (OTA) channels via an antenna. Recent OS changes merged OTA broadcasts with streaming listings in the...
Pinterest debuted its first shoppable TV series, "Bring My Pinterest to Life," on Roku’s free channel in the UK, US, Canada and Mexico. The six‑episode lifestyle show transforms users' inspiration boards into real‑world makeovers while embedding QR codes that link...
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) has publicly demanded greater transparency after Skydance Media’s merger with CBS triggered a second round of layoffs and the shutdown of CBS News Radio. The union warned that the rapid changes, announced only...
Frammer AI, founded by former NDTV executives in 2023, has secured a deal with ABS‑CBC, one of Asia's largest media groups. The partnership replaces the long‑standing European platform Wildmoka, consolidating ABS‑CBC's live and edited video workflows under Frammer's AI‑driven system....
Dynamic volumetric 3D has long been hampered by inefficient mesh compression, preventing real‑time broadcast deployment. An ISO‑backed Video‑based Dynamic Mesh Compression (V‑DMC) standard now encodes changing 3D detail as 2D video frames, leveraging existing video codecs and GPU acceleration. The...
Paramount Skydance has agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for $77 billion per share, valuing the combined company at roughly $110 billion after debt. The transaction places CNN and CBS News under the same corporate roof for the first time, opening the door to...
Matt Towle, head of broadcast at Anything is Possible, argues that traditional TV training programs are outdated and can’t keep pace with the modern CTV ecosystem. He notes that CTV is democratizing video advertising, allowing brands with budgets as low...
Amazon MX Player has launched Fatafat, a free micro‑drama platform delivering short, serialised episodes for mobile‑first audiences in India. The service spans romance, thriller, drama and youth‑focused stories, differentiating itself by offering content at no cost. A high‑profile campaign starring...
Local TV news is in crisis as Nexstar Media Group slashes staff, including longtime KTLA anchors, amid plummeting ratings. Streaming now captures more than 40% of U.S. viewing, pulling ad dollars away from traditional broadcasts. The industry is turning to...
Ampere Analysis reports that HBO Max holds the largest bundling footprint among streaming services in 20 major markets, partnering with 60 unique providers and appearing in 303 packages. The service’s bundling strength is especially pronounced in Central and South America...
Swiss Beauty has teamed with Warner Bros. Discovery to launch a limited‑edition FRIENDS‑themed CRAZE makeup line in India. The collection spans skincare, colour cosmetics and press‑on nails, with prices from roughly $2 for remover wipes to $6 for nail sets....
Spain’s anti‑piracy crackdown, led by LaLiga, relies on IP‑blocking to stop illegal football streams. Movistar’s implementation on March 22 blocked about 145 IP addresses, including those of major cloud providers, causing widespread service outages that persisted into the following morning. The...
European broadcasters have jointly urged the European Commission to apply Digital Markets Act gatekeeper rules to major connected TV operating systems and virtual assistants. They request designation based on quantitative thresholds or, failing that, a market investigation using qualitative criteria....
5 and Pluto TV have forged a simulcast partnership to air two senior snooker events – the John Virgo Trophy on April 11‑12 and the World Seniors Snooker Championship on May 6‑10. Both tournaments will be streamed live on Pluto TV, with...
Global has appointed Craig Hunter as Managing Director of its newly created podcast and digital production unit, Global Studios. Hunter arrives from STV Studios, where he transformed the factual label into a leading unscripted house and previously commissioned BBC hits...
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has launched a review of commercial TV alcohol advertising rules, focusing on placements alongside sports broadcasts. The consultation, which runs until 30 April 2026, examines Code of Practice sections 6.2 and 8 that define permissible...
Tubi has introduced two premium advertising products in Australia – Thematic Takeovers and Title Takeovers – with Samsung Electronics Australia debuting the formats for its Galaxy S26 launch. Thematic Takeovers grant advertisers 100% share of voice across a chosen genre,...
