Need proof that Americans are increasingly willing to accept more ads in exchange for lower streaming costs? According to subscription bundling platform Bango’s Subscription Signals report, 36% of users say they would tolerate twice as many ads across streaming and subscription services if it reduced the monthly price. The willingness is even higher among younger viewers, rising to 46% of Millennials and 49% of Gen Z. Resistance to advertising appears to be easing as prices climb – Americans now pay for an average of 5.2 subscriptions, totaling about $69 per month, or roughly $830 a year aid Ryan Pirozzi, head of Prime Video Channels, U.S. . Meanwhile, 23% of respondents said they are spending more on subscriptions than they can comfortably afford, a figure that jumps to 41% among Gen Z.

About half of key audiences valued by advertisers – 52% of A35-54, 46% of HHI $100K+ and 56% of full-time employed adults – are watching more TV news compared to the previous year, according to the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) report, And That’s The Way It Is: How TV News Provides Scale, Attention & Engagement For High-Value Audiences. Among the findings:
· This key audience is much more likely to go to TV news first over social media for breaking news coverage and updates on major news stories. TV news is also their top source by far for vital information that personally impacts their daily lives, like weather and traffic.
· Viewers are more than twice as likely to have a higher opinion of the advertisers in local TV news. Additionally, high-income households and employed viewers are more than 2x more likely to buy from advertisers seen during national TV news.
· Collectively, households with an income of $100K+ are almost 13x more likely to trust TV news than social media platforms — with TV the most trusted news source as both local and national TV far outpace search, social media and AI across these audiences.
· Social media is seen as a far greater source of false information — with 46% of A35–54, 58% of HHI $100K+ and 50% of full-time employed adults saying it is the most likely to provide fake or misleading information, compared to 20%, 13% and 17% who say TV.

“Multiscreen TV news plays a central role in keeping influential audiences informed,” said Jason Wiese, EVP, Strategic Insights & Measurement, VAB. “From breaking headlines and defining political moments to local community updates, multiscreen TV news keeps key audiences connected to the stories shaping their world. In a media environment filled with misinformation and noise, it continues to stand out for its quality, reliability, accuracy and integrity.”

Netflix scored exclusive rights in Mexico for the next two Concacaf Nations League Finals and Concacaf Gold Cup, beginning in 2027. “We are very excited to partner with Netflix in Mexico as we continue to strengthen how fans connect with our premier national team competitions,” said Philippe Moggio, Concacaf General Secretary. “We know that in Mexico, the passion for football is truly unique, and this agreement allows us to bring these competitions closer to millions of fans through a new platform.”

Paramount+ has renewed “The Madison” for a third season. Dropped in two batches – three episodes on March 14 and the final three on March 21 – the drama starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell was the biggest launch so far for a Tayor Sheridan drama on the streamer, collecting 8 million viewers globally during its first 10 days. Production for the second season of “The Madison” is complete and the premiere date will be announced at a later date.

As growth in commerce media becomes increasingly concentrated among a handful of companies, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) launched its latest industry guide, Building a Competitive Commerce Media Ecosystem. While early growth was driven by the proliferation of retail media networks, long-term success now depends on establishing sustainable business models, notes the guide, which defines strategic operating models that commerce media organizations can adopt based on their business objectives, including:
· Driving top-line growth through new revenue streams
· Maximizing bottom-line profitability
· Enhancing omnichannel customer experiences with more personalized interactions
· Establishing meaningful differentiation to compete for brand investment and customer loyalty

“For several years, commerce media has benefited from momentum. But momentum, on its own, is not a strategy. The next chapter will be defined by rigor and by how well companies translate proximity-to-transaction into measurable, sustained performance,” said Collin Colburn, VP, Commerce & Retail Media, IAB.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) is holding a “spotlight hearing” today about Paramount’s deal to merge with Warner Bros. Discovery. Booker has invited Paramount CEO David Ellison to testify during the unofficial session, convened to focus on a specific issue, along with documentary filmmaker David Borenstei; Michael Isaac, director of legal services at the Writers Guild of America East; attorney Katie Phang; and Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, co-founder and executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund.

Allen Media Group’s digital platform Local Now has added seven channels from Scripps Networks: ION, ION Mystery, ION Plus, Bounce XL, Grit XTRA, Laff More, and the recently launched Scripps Sports Network.

Oliver Renick, founding anchor at Schwab Network, is joining CNBC as Options Reporter. The move is part of CNBC’s recently announced collaboration with Cboe to deliver daily live coverage from its Chicago trading floor. Renick’s start date: April 20.

Four personalities in entertainment, music, and advertising – Mariano Chihade (Mandarina), Demián Falestchi (Kidscorp), Federico Lauría (DalePlay), and Carolina Lightcap (former Disney/Discovery) – have teamed to launch ShowUp Studios, a new digital content studio and ecosystem for Gen Z, designed for YouTube, TikTok, and social platforms. The strategy: combine the agility of content creators with the production quality of traditional media to build content at scale, using a model focused on brand integration and intellectual property development. “ShowUp Studios was born with the ambition to build a studio and digital premium content ecosystem that is scalable and deeply centered on Gen Z – meeting this generation on the platforms where they already live; ensuring their voice is present at every stage of the process; and listening to their feedback as an audience day by day to deliver the content they are looking for,” said Lightcap, who will lead the company.

Dan Stevens (“Downton Abbey”) has joined the season two cast of Paramount+ drama “Dexter: Resurrection” as a serial killer. He joins Brian Cox (“Succession”), who will play “The New York Ripper,” another killer out for blood.

Great American Media original movie, “Silver Bells at Christmas,” is currently in production with Broadway singer Laura Osnes (“A Little Women’s Christmas”), Ryan McPartlin (“Chuck”), country music artist Chuck Wicks, Julia Reilly (“County Rescue”), Tanya Christiansen (“County Rescue”), Taylor Kalupa (“The Fix”), and DB Sweeney (“The Cutting Edge”). The film will premiere as part of Great American Christmas 2026.

While 66% of consumers believe AI will be important for good entertainment experiences, many don’t trust the results it provides. That stat comes from Gracenote’s new report, TV Search and Discovery in the AI Era. Additional findings include:
· 57% of those surveyed said AI could become, or already is, their preferred tool for finding entertainment information.
· People age 18-34 spend 16 minutes searching for something to watch, and 54% of the demo said they would consider canceling a service because they can’t find something to watch.
· 46% of Gen Alpha prefer AI over traditional search for its familiarity.
· 75% verify results because they don’t trust them.

“With this integration, we’re bringing a new model to market that connects verification directly to outcomes, using AI-driven, real-time intelligence to help marketers make smarter decisions and get more from every impression,” said Sara Maskivish, SVP, Market Enablement – Verification, Protected by Mediaocean.

Identity, once a technical enabler for targeting, has become integral to measurement, accountability, and coordination across the ecosystem, according to a new paper released by the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM). CIMM defines this next phase as “Identity Infrastructure 2.0,” characterized by four structural shifts:
· Deterministic household identity as a primary anchor for cross-platform measurement and addressability.
· Transparency and provenance as requirements for measurement-grade identity.
· Configurable, enterprise-controlled identity systems operating within governed environments.
· Signal enrichment to make fragmented supply interoperable across platforms.

“The industry is undergoing a structural transition in how identity functions within the TV marketplace,” said Jon Watts, Managing Director, CIMM. “Identity is now central to how buyers and sellers operate in a converged environment. The progress we’re seeing is meaningful, but it also underscores the need for greater transparency, stronger governance, and systems that can operate reliably at scale under increasing complexity.”

Synamedia unveiled GO Shorts, an AI-powered module that turns existing content into short-form mobile feeds aimed at mobile-first Gen Z audiences. AI identifies and surfaces clips tailored to each user’s viewing behavior, integrates third-party content, and enables fluid movement from short to long-form with a single tap. “The streamers who win with Gen Z won’t be the ones who simply mimic the existing and tired lean-back experience or the ones who build something new from scratch,” said Dr. Tzvi Gerstl, EVP Media Technology at Synamedia. “They’ll be the ones who figure out how to make what they already have feel native to these audiences.”

Education media network Backpack Media struck a strategic partnership with Kargo to help brands and agencies reach college students, recent graduates, and their families. Key benefits of the partnership include Backpack Media’s first-party data insights through Sallie, combined with Kargo’s creative formats and brand-safe premium environments. “Backpack Media’s deep education industry expertise, rich first-party audience intelligence, and growing partner ecosystem gives brands a precise, trusted channel to reach students and families. Our active campaigns show we can reach this audience at scale and efficiently across CTV and other channels where we operate,” said Marco Steinsieck, Managing Vice President and Head of Advertising at Backpack Media.

NBCU-Versant was first among media companies in February with powerful cross-platform engagement for its presentations of Super Bowl LX and the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge™ and Media Distributor Gauge reports. NBCU-Versant was up 48% month-over-month to represent 13.1% of total television usage in February (+4.6 pts.), its best share of TV since the Paris Olympics in August 2024 (13.4%).

Today’s Trivia Question
What was the name of the family dog on “The Partridge Family” (1970-74)? (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.)