Ad spending on political podcasts jumped 42% in the first half of 2026 after rising 36% during the same period last year, according to Magellan AI estimates provided to TheWrap. Taken together, spending increased approximately 93% over two years. - The Wrap (MSN)
“The Drive-In, a TVOD service that will operate within independent film and TV discovery app RecDek, … will stream directly from the filmmaker’s library within the platform, which means that ‘nothing is handed over, re-uploaded or locked away.’ Producers will also set their own prices and keep receipts from first sale.” - Variety
“Per a note to Boston Globe staff today, the lesbian bar story generated 1,000 subscriptions to the paper yesterday. The Globe’s managing editor said it was ‘by far our best performing story of the year,’ and appears to be ‘on pace to shatter all sorts of Globe records.'” - Mediaite
“A number of suitors, … enamored by the site’s obsessive audience and the subscription and advertising revenue streams it provides, … have submitted expressions of interest, including The New York Times Company, Sony Pictures Entertainment and (indie studio) A24. … Any deal is expected to value Letterboxd at more than $300 million.” - The New York Times
“Deadline hears that the BBC is expected to unveil what one source described as ‘audience-facing’ closures next week, as the UK broadcaster ramps up efforts to save £500 million ($660M) over the coming years. … Speculation (is) rife that youth network BBC Three is at risk of being unplugged for a second time.” - Deadline
With an 11 am PT virtual hearing before Judge Martinez-Olguin widely viewed as a rubber stamping of the September 21 antitrust settlement and hence the mega-merger itself, the granting of Block the Merger’s move makes it almost certain the deal won’t be formally approved today. - Deadline
“These promises are extremely, exquisitely hard to enforce,” said Alvaro Bedoya, an antitrust lawyer, likening Paramount’s concessions to a pinkie promise. If Paramount fell short of its spending commitments, for instance, attorneys general would need to rely on the company’s own data to prove it, Bedoya said. - The Wall Street Journal
The general mood on both sides of the Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance aisles on Monday was shock and surprise over the sudden turn of events. - Variety
Such “boards” have been a part of other news-company acquisitions that have raised similar concerns about antitrust or editorial control. These boards’ effectiveness has been, to be generous, extremely limited. - The Atlantic
“NPR, PBS, several local public broadcasters and the Trump administration agreed in July to dismiss the last remaining claims in the consolidated cases. The move ends the litigation and leaves intact the court’s March decision permanently blocking key provisions of the executive order, which the administration did not appeal.” - Inside Radio
Paramount’s C-suite must have been popping bottles of champagne as the press office engines of the major studio and 12 state attorney generals typed up the settlement term boilerplate language of what ended up being a stern finger-wave to Ellison’s team. - The Hollywood Reporter
A rundown of what Paramount chief David Ellison agreed to do to get the state officials to call off their antitrust lawsuit to block the merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. - AP
“The settlement announced Monday stops short of forcing Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison to make significant structural changes to the company, but includes penalties such as the forced sale of cable channels and Paramount’s stake in Miramax if it doesn’t make good on its promises.” - The Wall Street Journal (MSN)
The company said earlier this year that a slump in overall digital page views had been driven by a 46% year-on-year decline in traffic from Google as features such as Google’s AI Mode and AI Overviews negate the need for readers to click through to its websites. - The Guardian
The parties have discussed compromises including Paramount agreeing to operate the two companies’ movie studios separately for a period rather than immediately combining them, the people said. - The Wall Street Journal
