 IN THE NEWS |
| Along with Netflix’s quarterly earnings on Thursday came the news that Reed Hastings is stepping down from the board of directors at the company he co-founded in 1997. “Netflix changed my life in so many ways, and my all‑time favorite memory was January 2016, when we enabled nearly the entire planet to enjoy our service,” stated Hastings. “My real contribution at Netflix wasn’t a single decision; it was a focus on member joy, building a culture that others could inherit and improve, and building a company that could be both beloved by members and wildly successful for generations to come.” Hastings, who left his CEO role in 2023, said he plans to focus on his philanthropic efforts.
As for those earnings, revenues at the streamer rose 16% over the past year to reach $12.25 billion, beating Wall Street estimates of $12.18 billion.
Digital ad revenue hit $294.6 billion in 2025, up 13.9% year over year, according to IAB’s Internet Advertising Revenue Report. Conducted by PwC, the findings point to a market powered by performance channels – social, video, and commerce media – as AI continues to transform how advertising is planned, bought, and optimized across the ecosystem. Key highlights include:
· Social reached $117.7B (+32.6% YoY)
· Digital video grew to $78B (+25.4% YoY)
· Creator advertising hit $37B |
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| “This revenue growth reflects a market that has reoriented around performance channels. As expectations for measurable outcomes rise, investment is concentrating in areas that can directly correlate spend to business results,” said David Cohen, CEO, IAB. “At the same time, artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from theory into practice, emerging as a meaningful driver of efficiency and effectiveness across the ecosystem.”
Roku announced it has surpassed 100 million streaming households worldwide. What’s the big deal? “Surpassing 100 million streaming households is a defining moment, not just for Roku, but for the future of television,” said Anthony Wood, Founder and CEO, Roku. “We’re helping shape the entertainment landscape by making it easier to discover great content, more affordable to watch it, and more effective for advertisers and partners around the world to connect with audiences.”
“Law & Order: Organized Crime” has been canceled after five seasons. The seventh series in the “Law & Order” franchise launched on NBC in 2021 and moved to Peacock for its fifth run.
Former “NBC Nightly News” and “The 11th Hour” anchor Brian Williams will host a podcast, “We’re Back! With Brian Williams,” for Netflix. “With scientists predicting that every American will have a podcast by 2030, I thought it was time to get in the game,” said Williams. “After 40 years in the news business, where an in-depth interview gets 4 minutes of airtime at best, I just want to have interesting conversations with creative, funny, smart, talented, and consequential people – like the shows we all grew up watching and listening to.” The show is set to debut later this year.
Scripps Sports is saddling up with Professional Bull Riders in a multi-year deal to bring Premier Women’s Rodeo exclusively to ION and Grit starting in May. The partnership kicks off with the 2026 PWR Championship, airing live from Fort Worth on Sunday, May 17 at 1p. |
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UPFRONTS
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Lead the conversation from the start.
Discover the 2026 Upfront Package.
REACH OUT TODAY |
| NEW & RETURNING SERIES |
| The eighth and final season of The CW’s “All American” debuts Monday, July 13 at 8p. An hour-long celebration of the series will air Monday, June 22 at 9p.
“Outlander” prequel series “Outlander: Blood of my Blood” launches this fall with two new love stories. The series finale of “Outlander” airs Friday, May 15 on Starz.
Season four of “SkyMed” drops Thursday, May 21 on Paramount+. For the first time, the new season of SkyMed will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in Canada. The medical drama had previously aired on CBC. |
Today’s Premieres
Netflix: Alpha Males
Prime Video: American Gladiators; Absolute Value of Romance
Saturday’s Premiere
Netflix: We Are All Trying Here
Sunday’s Premieres
Hallmark: The Way Home at 8p
History: The Food That Built America at 10p
MGM+: From at 9p |
| PRODUCTION |
| “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” stars Ellie Kemper and Tituss Burgess are re-teaming to voice characters in Paramount+ animated pre-K series “The Elephant & Piggie Show!”, while Neil Patrick Harris (“How I Met Your Mother”) will voice the Bus Driver in “The Pigeon Show! Starring The Pigeon.” Both series are adaptations of Mo Willems’ books series.
Kyle Lowder and Kenzie Beach have joined Newsmax as co-hosts of “Wake Up America Weekend.” Lowder joins Newsmax from Reno, Nevada where he anchored the weekday morning news for CBS affiliate KTVN for three years, and Beach jumps onboard from FOX 10 in Phoenix.
Great American Media is currently in production on “Christmas at Moose Lake,” set to premiere as part of the network’s Great American Christmas franchise. The holiday film stars Britt Robertson (“Tomorrowland”), Ryan Paevey (“General Hospital”), Kevin Dillon (“Entourage”) and Natasha Henstridge (“The Whole Nine Yards”). |
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| CYNOPSIS SPORTS AWARDS
Honoring Excellence in Sports Media & Fan Engagement
NBCUniversal has been named 2026 Sports Media Property of the Year, recognized for delivering powerful, multi-platform sports experiences at scale.
Join us on June 4 in New York City as we celebrate the innovators shaping what’s next in sports.
REGISTER NOW |
| TECH |
DirecTV Advertising is deepening its partnership with LiveRamp, integrating LiveRamp’s Conversions API (CAPI) Hub into its ad platform. The move brings server-to-server data connections that cut signal loss and deliver more accurate, durable measurement than browser-based tracking.
DoubleVerify is leveling up its DV AI Verification with “AI SlopStopper” for social, targeting the surge of low-quality, AI-generated content. The upgrade sharpens DV’s detection by combining machine-driven analysis with human oversight, giving advertisers a more precise, scalable way to flag and filter junk content.
Retail media platform Grocery TV is partnering with ABCS Insights to bring independent, third-party sales lift measurement to in-store retail media. Brands advertising on Grocery TV’s network can directly link in-store ad exposure to verified purchases at the product level, both in-store and across other retail environments. “In-store is at a critical moment in the path to purchase, yet it’s historically been under-measured,” said Jerome Shimizu, CEO, ABCS Insights. “This partnership with Grocery TV brings true purchase-based measurement to the channel, grounded in observed transaction data, so brands can understand exactly what outcomes their media investments are driving.”
Quickplay announced the full-scale deployment of Gray Media’s streaming platform. Built with Google Cloud AI, the new platform is now live across Gray’s 113 legacy television markets, and is set to be launched across four new Gray markets. |
| SPORTS REPORT |
 There will be a record number of platforms carrying the NFL Draft this year. ESPN and The Walt Disney Company are presenting the entire 2026 draft, with coverage across ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, the ESPN App, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes and ESPN’s social media platforms from Thursday, April 23 through Saturday, April 25. Disney+ and Hulu will also stream ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes’ trio of NFL Draft presentations throughout the event.
FANZO, the tech platform that links brands, rights holders and broadcasters with fans who aren’t watching games in arenas and stadiums, is launching with partners in North America in time for the FIFA World Cup. Fans use FANZO to find out-of-home venues nearby that are showing their game on TV, while commercial venues use FANZO’s B2B SaaS toolkit to market live sports online. |
| RATINGS |
| HBO Max’s “Euphoria” returned for season three to 8.5 million US viewers, up 44% from the first episode of season two.
Meanwhile, the series finale of HBO’s “DTF St. Louis” drew 3.5 million US cross-platform viewers in its first three days of availability, 40% growth from the series premiere. Episodes are currently averaging 6.5 million viewers.
Sports platform OutKick reports growth in Q1 2026 with 78.8 million total multiplatform views, up 28% versus Q1 2025 and up 14% versus Q4 2025, and 120 million multiplatform minutes, up 111% versus Q1 2025 and up 94% versus Q4 2025, according to Comscore.
Netflix’s “Virgin River” was number one on Nielsen’s Streaming Top 10 for the week of March 16 with 1.59 billion minutes, rising from #3 in the week prior following the launch of its seventh season on March 12. With a full week of availability, the newest episodes continued to account for the bulk of the viewing (72%) with women 35+ remaining the series’ core audience (61% of watch time).
Top 10 Streaming Programs for the Week of March 16 |
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Top 10 Broadcast Primetime for the Week of April 6
P2+ AA (000)
CBS 4.10
ABC 2.73
NBC 2.57
Fox: 1.48
Univision: 1.09
Telemundo: 0.83
MeTV: 0.56
CW: 0.54
ION: 0.41
Grit: 0.32
Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel |
This Day in History
1861 – Virginia seceded from the Union.
Friday Fun Fact
Cats prefer to sleep on their left side.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which drama centered on a spy whose cover was a rare books business? “Hunter” (1977). Kudos to: Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Andrew Goldman-Phanes Funding Group/NYC; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA
Today’s Trivia Question
? (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.) |
EXECUTIVE >>
TBS INTERNATIONAL/LOS ANGELES, CA: Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of entertainment and media agreements, with a primary focus on unscripted television, format licensing, and intellectual property distribution. Handle development, production, and co-production agreements, including situations where TBS is designated as the production entity providing production services. More info HERE
PRINT TRAFFICKER AND TECHNICAL COORDINATOR >>
FILM FEST DC/WASHINGTON, DC: Coordinate direct communication between print sources and the festival to ensure the on-time inbound and outbound delivery of all film materials and work with venue staff to deliver and test each film and KDM. Request and collect KDMs for all encrypted DCPs and maintain a spreadsheet that contains all the aspects of the film. Full info HERE
MANAGER, MEMBER ENGAGEMENT AND ANALYTICS >>
TELEVISION ACADEMY/NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA:
Lead the execution of initiatives such as the Peer Circle program and Your Voice Matters, reviewing data to enhance program participation and ensure metrics are achieved; collaborate with the Senior Director of Engagement and Retention and stakeholders across marketing to manage delivery and optimization of the Member Benefits Perks newsletter. Full info HERE
BROADCAST ENGINEER >>
HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY/HIGH POINT, NC: Ensure high-quality production environments and provide technical leadership to faculty, staff, and students in live and recorded productions and play a role in supporting the school’s mission to provide industry-standard production experiences for students and will have opportunities to contribute to the development of emerging media technologies. More info HERE
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE, MULTI-EPISODE TELEVISION PRODUCING >>
BOSTON UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION/BOSTON, MA: Develope, produce, and manage scripted and unscripted multi-episodic series for linear television and/or streaming. Qualified applicants will be distinguished multi-platform practitioners with a significant body of “boots on the ground” work in the TV and streaming industry. The position will require in-class instruction and on-set exercises. Full info HERE
PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE: STUDIO AND/OR FIELD DIRECTING; MULTIPLE CAMERAS >>
BOSTON UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION/BOSTON, MA: We seek a colleague with a significant body of practical work in television directing using multiple cameras for linear television and/or streaming platforms. Familiarity with visual effects and AI-supported tools is considered a plus. This position includes teaching directing of scripted and/or unscripted content using multiple cameras at many levels. Full info HERE
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE: VERTICAL FILMMAKING/CONTENT CREATOR >>
BOSTON UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION/BOSTON, MA: We seek a colleague with a professional track record in the creation and development of original short-form content aimed at promoting, activating, and motivating young people through social activism, experimentation, entertainment, brand building, and audience engagement across today’s leading content platforms and social media ecosystems. More info HERE
SALES MANAGER – AP AD INSIGHTS HUB >>
ADVERTISER PERCEPTIONS/NEW YORK, NY: Drive direct sales of the platform offering, focusing heavily on new client acquisition. Reporting to and working closely with the GM of the Ad Insights Hub, this individual contributor will partner cross-functionally with Sales, Business Intelligence, Operations, and Client Services teams to build awareness and engagement with new clients. Full info HERE
SALES DIRECTOR – OMG
MOONBUG ENTERTAINMENT
NEW YORK, NY
Deliver and exceed sales revenue targets as well as build, manage and grow a strategic account list with a focus on Omnicom agencies and their clients directly, within the northeast. Ability to navigate holding company structure and negotiate strategic partnerships with key stakeholders (ratecards, preferred programmatic deals, content deals, etc.). More info HERE
DIRECTOR OF PERFORMANCE MARKETING >>
ATHLETE TO ATHLETE/SANTA MONICA, CA: Lead the performance marketing team across Meta Ads and new paid digital channels (TikTok, YouTube, Google, etc.) as well as build and execute a roadmap for channel expansion and profitable scale. Develop and run structured testing frameworks. Partner with Creative Strategist on ad briefs, testing priorities, and creative feedback loops. Full info HERE
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER>>
HEARST MEDIA PRODUCTION GROUP/CHARLOTTE, NC: Oversee daily sales pipeline operations focused on national sponsorships, integrations, and branded content tied to unscripted programming. Manage and coach the Business Development team, drive outbound activity, shape proposals and pricing, and lead CRM strategy, reporting, and optimizations via Salesforce. Full info HERE
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER >>
NTD/WASHINGTON, DC: Pitch story ideas and write scripts/segment outlines as well as research guests and interview topics. Book guests and coordinate interviews. Help with logistics and sometimes field production. Support shoots and ensure production runs smoothly. Review footage and work with editors to shape final episodes. Write headlines, teasers, and social posts. Full info HERE
DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES AND ADMINISTRATION >>
THE JIM HENSON COMPANY/HOLLYWOOD, CA: Responsible for all HR functions and oversight of administrative and management needs. This strategic role is charged with operating from a customer service driven viewpoint that prioritizes employee satisfaction as well as enforce legally compliant policies, increase efficiency by implementing administrative and record-keeping best practices. Full info HERE
SR. DIRECTOR OF SALES, KSTU & KUPX >>
THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY/SALT LAKE CITY: Leverage our suite of advertising solutions to unlock growth opportunities for local and national businesses. Play a role in driving the station’s revenue goals as well as serving as the home station for Utah’s new NHL team. Collaborate with our production team to create campaigns that connect our clients with their customers in meaningful ways. Full info HERE
DIGITAL MEDIA BUYER >>
FURMAN ROTH ADVERTISING/NY(HYBRID): Plan, launch, and optimize digital marketing campaigns across various paid media channels (including Display, Google products, Paid Social, CTV, and Programmatic, etc.) while managing budgets effectively. Support the execution of media plans across platforms, overseeing targeting, budget allocation, and performance tracking to drive campaign success. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR; CTV BRAND PARTNERSHIPS – MID WEST/WEST COAST
FUTURE TODAY
REMOTE
Build, maintain and expand a pipeline of sales targets, contacts, and sales opportunities leveraging your relationships with a heavy focus on new business revenue. Build/nurture relationships with the investment, strategy, precision and digital agencies as well as clients. Also maintain an ongoing knowledge of the streaming media landscape. Full info HERE
DIRECTOR, AD MARKETING & SALES >>
THE SHADE ROOM/REMOTE: Develop and execute a revenue growth strategy to drive direct advertising, branded content, and sponsorship sales as well as lead the development of compelling advertising and branded content offerings tailored for TSR’s audience and cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key advertisers, media agencies, and brand partners. Full info HERE
PROFESSIONAL LECTURER OF COMMUNICATION/SPORTS BROADCASTING >>
MARIST UNIVERSITY/ POUGHKEEPSIE, NY: Teach studio and field broadcasting and new media courses in sports media and journalism as well as be able to teach a studio course on producing a newscast and help students live stream a podcast or produce short-form feature content suitable for social media streaming. Also demonstrate through their teaching, professional activity, and service. Full info HERE
SALES LEAD – AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS
UPWAVE
NEW YORK, NY
Build and manage relationships with our agency partners – mostly targeting media buyers and planners – and help them see the value of adding Upwave measurement to The Trade Desk campaigns. You will both leverage your existing network and open new doors to achieve aggressive but achievable sales targets. Full info HERE |
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