Cynopsis

Wednesday January 21, 2026    IN THE NEWS Netflix revised its deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max streaming and studio operations. Amid a hostile takeover bid for WBD by Paramount Skydance, Netflix amended its original deal to offer all cash rather than a mix of cash and stock. The transaction’s value remains $72 […]

Tuesday January 20, 2026    IN THE NEWS Faced with the massive costs of AI infrastructure, OpenAI is looking to monetize its 800 million weekly users by advertising in ChatGPT. The company says it plans to test ads in the free tier, as well as ChatGPT Go, a low-cost […]

Friday January 16, 2026 Cynopsis will not publish on Monday, January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.    IN THE NEWS IAB released its AI Transparency and Disclosure Framework, designed to help brands use AI responsibly without losing consumer trust. “The digital industry is embracing AI in all of […]

Thursday January 15, 2026    IN THE NEWS In the fourth quarter, Netflix reclaimed its position as US SVOD market leader with a 20% share, according to JustWatch’s Q4 2025 US Market Share Report, and Prime Video slipped to second. While each service lost share year-over-year, Disney (14%) and Apple TV (9%) each gained 2 […]

Wednesday January 14, 2026    IN THE NEWS Trevor Noah will return for a sixth and, it appears, final time hosting the Grammy Awards. Noah will also serve as executive producer for the event, which is moving to ABC from CBS, its broadcast home since 1973, next year. “I am beyond thrilled to welcome Trevor […]

Tuesday January 13, 2026    IN THE NEWS Paramount Skydance is pressing ahead with its bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, filing a lawsuit to force WBD to disclose details of its $82.7 billion agreement with Netflix, which Paramount argues is inferior to its own $108.4 billion offer. “WBD’s stockholders have an immediate need for […]

Monday January 12, 2026    IN THE NEWS Netflix has renewed “Black Mirror” for an eighth season. The dystopian anthology series from Charlie Brooker launched on UK’s Channel 4 in 2011, moving to the streamer in 2016 starting with season three. Audience interest in seeing actors age 50-plus in leading roles is […]

Friday January 9, 2026    IN THE NEWS Paramount Skydance is doubling down, reaffirming its $30-a-share bid for Warner Bros. Discovery and insisting it tops the deal WBD struck with Netflix. The company says it has “diligently and constructively” addressed every concern raised by WBD, pointing to its December 22 revised proposal and follow-up filings […]

Thursday January 8, 2026    IN THE NEWS As expected, the board of Warner Bros. Discovery advised shareholders to reject the latest amended takeover offer from Paramount. “Your Board negotiated a merger with Netflix that maximizes value while mitigating downside risks, and we unanimously believe the Netflix merger is in your best interest,” […]

Wednesday January 7, 2026    IN THE NEWS NBC reports it has sold all of its ad inventory for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games – and the sellout was the earliest the company has ever recorded. The Games, from Milan Cortina, Italy, will be part of what NBC dubs a “Legendary February” […]