“Today’s voters, regardless of political involvement or party affiliation, move fluidly across trusted multiscreen TV platforms, spanning both linear and streaming, to stay informed on current events and political issues,” said Jason Wiese, EVP, Strategic Insights & Measurement, VAB. “TV news delivers the scale, trust, credibility and authenticity that no other media can for both political and non-political advertisers.”

Hulu has renewed political thriller “Paradise” for a third season. The Dan Fogelman (“This Is Us”) drama, starring Sterling K. Brown, has racked up more than 30 million viewing hours in its current run and nearly 12 billion minutes streamed globally across its first two seasons. The sophomore season wraps Monday, March 30.

Paramount Skydance and David Ellison have been added to Las Vegas gambler and self-described “fixer” R.J. Cipriani’s lawsuit accusing Paramount president Jeff Shell of failing to pay him for crisis communication services. “Paramount is aware of the frivolous lawsuit and believes the claims are entirely without merit,” said a Paramount spokesperson in a statement. “There is no factual or legal basis for any claim against Paramount, its directors or its major shareholders, and the company intends to defend these allegations vigorously.” Shell has accused Cipriani of extortion.

There was no political interference in Netflix’s failed bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, co-CEO Ted Sarandos told Politico, saying the political backdrop “complicated the narrative, not the actual outcomes.” The process did, however, reveal what he described as “a real deep misunderstanding” of YouTube. Many still see the platform as a repository for cat videos or a free promotional tool, Sarandos said, when in reality it’s a direct competitor. “It’s a zero-sum game,” he argued – time spent on YouTube comes at the expense of services like Netflix or RTL – underscoring that the platform is playing in the same arena as traditional and premium streaming players.

NBC News is expanding its AI coverage with the addition of technology journalist Joanna Stern as chief tech analyst and contributing correspondent. Stern, alongside her media company, will produce content across the network’s platforms, including vertical video, explainers, and investigative reporting. The network will also debut a new franchise series, “AI in America,” led by Stern. The partnership “reflects a new model of working with leading independent journalists and creators,” said President of Editorial Rebecca Blumnstein.

Paramount+ offered a look at docuseries “Made for March,” following the Kansas Jayhawks and Michigan Wolverines in their bid for a national championship this season. The four-parter debuts Saturday, April 4.

Production for season three of “Time” is set to begin in Belfast. The drama, made by BBC Studios Fiction for BBC iPlayer and BBC One as a co-production with BritBox, stars David Tennant (“Doctor Who”) and Siobhan Finneran (“Downton Abbey”).

Banijay Asia and All3Media International announced the return of “Rise & Fall” for a second season, for Indian ad-supported streaming service Amazon MX Player. The buzzy reality show became Amazon MX Player’s biggest title, amassing over 500 million views its first time around.

Smartly has signed a letter of intent to acquire INCRMNTAL, an AI-powered incrementality measurement platform that delivers real-time insights into the incremental impact of marketing investments across channels. The integration will translate incrementality signals into real-time planning and optimization within Smartly.

The fourth annual “Billboard Latin Women in Music” special is set for Thursday, April 23 at 9p on Telemundo. The two-hour show will spotlight the women shaping the Latin music industry.

Sprite is back as the official global soft drink sponsor of the NBA, rolling out a mix of integrated global campaigns, digital-first storytelling, retail activations and on-the-ground fan experiences designed to channel the energy of the game into refreshment. “Basketball is central to the DNA of Sprite,” said Manolo Arroyo, EVP and Global Chief Marketing Officer, The Coca-Cola Company. “Reuniting with the NBA is about co-creating what’s next – experimenting with new fan experiences, exploring emerging formats and meeting the next generation where they are.” Sprite had been the league’s soft drink sponsor from 1994 until 2015, when PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew took over beverage rights.

Women Of Wrestling (WOW) is launching its own podcast series, “The WOW Official Podcast with Nigel Zane.” The companion show will stream every Friday at 3p, for a live, interactive experience offering exclusive insights from the WOW Superheroes.

Overtime, CampusOne, and University of Connecticut (UConn) Women’s Basketball announced a media partnership that will include the creation of a content studio set within UConn’s campus. Overtime will film with the UConn women’s team in the studio throughout the remainder of the season and during postseason, aiming to grow the team’s brand. Overtime has partnered with Wendy’s and Google Gemini to sponsor the content.

The College Basketball Crown announced its full field and bracket for the postseason college hoops tournament, a single-elimination eight-team competition. The event returns to Las Vegas from Wednesday, April 1 to Sunday, April 5. Competing for the 2026 College Basketball Crown will be Baylor, Colorado, Creighton, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Rutgers, Stanford and West Virginia.

How has the role of women’s sports evolved within the broader media mix for brands?
For a long time, investment in women’s sports was framed primarily around equity or cultural alignment. What the data now shows is something more compelling: women’s sports deliver real, measurable marketing performance. Audiences in these environments are highly attentive, emotionally engaged, and responsive to brands that show up authentically. That combination of context, attention, and cultural relevance creates a multiplier effect on advertising impact. In other words, women’s sports are no longer simply a cultural moment – they’re one of the fastest-growing and most effective performance environments in media today.

What makes the women’s sports audience effective for brand building?
The real power here isn’t just the creative – it’s the environment. When a brand shows up in women’s sports, the context itself does the heavy lifting. You’re reaching an audience that isn’t just watching – they’re deeply invested, which leads to higher attention and a stronger emotional tether. We see the proof in the numbers: the exact same ad often performs significantly better within women’s sports than it does elsewhere. Beyond that, you’re capturing a premium, hard-to-reach demographic who are showing up specifically for the live experience.

What were the most surprising results in the study?
The consistency of the performance lift was one of the most striking findings. Across multiple industries and more than 200 ads, placements in women’s sports delivered an average of 20% higher engagement and ad impact than comparable placements outside of live sports. The pace of growth was also notable. Year over year, women’s sports impressions increased 79%, while ad investment rose 69%, signaling rapid momentum from both audiences and marketers.

Perhaps the most compelling takeaway was the role of the environment itself. Even when brands ran the exact same ad across different placements, engagement was stronger within women’s sports. That reinforces the idea that the context around the ad can meaningfully amplify performance.

Nippon TV and MakerVille announced that MakerVille will produce a Cantonese remake of Nippon TV’s scripted format “Life’s Punchline.” The Cantonese adaptation is scheduled to air on ViuTV in Hong Kong.

During February, FOX News Digital delivered over 3.5 billion minutes and over 1.7 billion multiplatform views, according to Comscore. That’s 37% year-over-year growth, with 165 million total digital unique multiplatform visitors during the month.

Today’s Trivia Question
In what year did TV series “Dragnet” premiere? (Email your answer to trivia@cynopsis.com and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone – a limit of four answers per time zone.)