“It’s one thing to capture attention, it’s another thing to create a memory that elevates engagement. TV does both of these things better than any other medium,” said Dawn Lee Williamson, Chief Revenue Officer, Media Solutions at Comcast Advertising. “That credibility is what powers the entire funnel and transforms awareness into trust and trust into business outcomes.”

A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that President Trump’s executive order to end federal funding for PBS and NPR is unlawful and unenforceable. “It is difficult to conceive of clearer evidence that a government action is targeted at viewpoints that the President does not like and seeks to squelch,” wrote US District Judge Randolph Moss. Plaintiffs’ attorney Theodore Boutrous called the ruling “a victory for the First Amendment and for freedom of the press.”

Long-running trade shows NATPE Global, Realscreen Summit and Kidscreen Summit are being discontinued by their owner, Brunico. “This decision was deeply considered and stemmed from the market consolidation that continues to progress and have structural impacts on the content production business,” said Russell Goldstein, President and CEO of Brunico Communications, which acquired NATPE out of bankruptcy in 2023. All three events were held in Miami.

Netflix has renewed “Age of Attraction” for a second season. The dating series premiered March 11 and drew 3.8 million its first week, followed by 3.2 million its second week.

Global consumer media usage rose a mere 0.3% in 2025 to an average of 57.65 hours per week (HPW), following strong growth of 2.1% in 2024, according to PQ Media’s 13th annual Global Consumer Media Usage Forecast 2026-2030. Decelerating growth in 2025 was due primarily to the lack of major international sporting events and fewer federal elections in the top 20 global markets versus 2024. Other key findings from the report include:
· The average global consumer spent 8.24 hours per day with media in 2025, up from 7.62 hours in 2020.
· Ad-supported media accounted for 52.7% of time spent in 2025, down from a 55.5% share in 2020.
· Television (including live, digital, streaming and OTT video) remained the most used of the 11 media platforms that PQ Media tracks, reaching 27.74 hours per week in 2025, while film & home video posted the fastest growth, up 7.8%, fueled by more movies being released on streaming services and more theatrical movies being produced in 2025 compared with 2024.
· Mobile video posted the highest gain of the 22 digital channels that PQ Media monitors, up 13.8% in 2025, while OTT video was the most used digital channel at 9.50 hours per week.

“We saw no indication that the uncertain worldwide economy caused by the various geopolitical tensions and shifting economic policies in 2025 negatively impacted media usage, despite anticipated increases in the cost of technology used to access media content on digital devices during the latter half of the year,” said PQ Media CEO& Founder Patrick Quinn. “Instead, consumers reverted to previous media consumption habits we’ve tracked over the past 25 years, in that they use media as a catharsis when the economy weakens and more people are stuck at home after losing a job, allowing them to watch more television and read more books, among other secular media consumption habits.”

Pollster HarrisX and interactive video platform 2WAY are teaming to launch “Capital Intel,” a polling-driven content franchise hosted by Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell, alongside Mark Halperin, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of 2WAY. “Capital Intel” will employ polling conducted specifically for the program by HarrisX, and audience members will be able to ask questions about poll results, the polling process, and methodology. Programming will include short-form segments, a 30–45-minute flagship broadcast, and monthly invite-only briefings.

Outdoor Sportsman Group’s Game & Fish TV has been added to The Roku Channel. With its tagline, “The Sporting Lifestyle,” it’s the fastest growing FAST channel in the hunt-shoot-fish market.

Samsung TV Plus is adding the Amazon Live FAST channel, which introduces a shoppable component to its streaming platform. Viewers can access Amazon Live programming and use the “Shop the Show” mobile companion by scanning an on-screen QR code, which links to a synchronized experience in the Amazon Shopping app.

Commerce intelligence platform Criteo is expanding its GO platform to offer full self-service access for SMBs and growth-stage commerce brands. Designed to streamline activation, Criteo GO enables marketers to dynamically allocate budgets across channels, bringing display, video, native, and social into a single campaign environment. The platform automatically optimizes spend for performance, while built-in generative AI tools create and adapt ad formats.

Geopath, in partnership with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), announced the development of a new measurement platform aimed at ensuring OOH provides advertisers with data that is consistent and credible. Ipsos has been selected to support an industry pilot launching in the second half of 2026. The pilot will evaluate a next-generation OOH audience measurement system across multiple formats and environments, including updated methods for estimating impressions, reach, and frequency.

Mediaocean’s Prisma is prepping the launch of Prisma Direct, an integrated workflow connecting buyers and sellers to activate direct transactions across streaming, video, and CTV. Disney will be the first media company to integrate with Prisma Direct through a new API. The connection will enable agencies and brands to automate buying, execution, and financial workflows across Disney’s portfolio, as well as align with Disney IP through sponsorships and high-impact placements, using automation. Prisma Direct is slated to go live in 3Q.

Damian Abraham, frontman of the punk band F*cked Up, and producer Zach Feldberg have launched Cut & Paste Pictures, a Toronto-based production company entering the market with an active development slate spanning scripted and unscripted formats and a feature documentary currently in production. “After two decades leading a band with a swear word for a name, and years spent working across podcasting and television chasing era-defining moments, I’ve learned that the culture you want to see in the world doesn’t just happen,” said Abraham. “Cut & Paste is an extension of that mindset – a home for stories that are raw, strange, and often overlooked.”

Dan Dakich has signed a multi-year contract to continue as the host of OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me.” It’s Dakich’s second contract extension with OutKick since the platform launched his show in 2021.

John Deere is now Official Partner of MLB. The partnership will include experiential activations at events like the 2026 MLB at Field of Dreams game and MLB All Star Week, along with ongoing digital and linear media programming.

The Kansas City Current and Scripps Sports announced that ION will be the domestic broadcast home for the 2026 Teal Rising Cup, presented by Visit Missouri. ION will broadcast all four matches of the four-team women’s soccer tournament and provide supplementary programming.

Documentary feature “One Golden Summer,” following the group of boys from the South Side of Chicago who became the first all-Black team to win the US Little League Championship, premieres Tuesday, April 7, 10:30p on TBS following the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays game. It will also air on OWN on Thursday, May 7.

Criteo has appointed Courtney MacConnell as Vice President of Commercialization for GO. Most recently, MacConnell was Head of Shopping at Google.

Blink49 has appointed Elizabeth Firth as Senior Vice President, Partnerships & Commercial Strategy. Firth joins from Influential, where she served as VP, Brand Partnerships.

Alison Mayes has joined Big Happy as VP of Strategic Partnerships, Agency Development. Mayes was most recently at Apollo Partners.

Today’s Trivia Question
Which actor played the eventual husband of the lead character in one sitcom, and her ex-husband in another? (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.)