| Good morning and welcome to Cynopsis — the media industry’s essential morning read. Today:
· Streaming Isn’t Shrinking — It’s Shifting
· Paramount Moves to Dismiss Merger Lawsuit
· Tubi’s Free World Cup Streams Rewrite the Playbook on Sports Reach |
 IN THE NEWS |
Video remains a resilient category even as consumers become more selective about where they spend. According to TiVo’s Q4 Video Trends Report, monthly household entertainment spend climbed to $161, reversing a post-pandemic slide, with households averaging more than 10 streaming subscriptions and topping five hours of daily viewing.
· Ad-supported tiers are now the norm: 54% of subscribers opt for them, and AVOD/FAST adoption hit 70% — up five points year-over-year. FAST, in particular, is gaining serious watch time (13% of total viewing), with the average user tuning into 7.5 channels, up two-plus from a year ago.
· Smart TV home screens are quietly becoming the new prime real estate — owners spend nearly 57% of their TV time on the device homepage, making those surfaces critical for discovery and ad placement.
· Local programming is punching above its weight, accounting for nearly 30% of total viewing time, up five points YOY.
· The takeaway: The “streaming fatigue” narrative needs an update. Viewers aren’t cutting back — they’re diversifying, with free ad-supported options absorbing more watch time while paid subs hold steady. |
 Paramount has moved to dismiss an antitrust suit brought by consumers seeking to stop its $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
· In a motion filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Oakland, the company called the lawsuit a “clumsy attempt to politicize antitrust litigation” that is disconnected from established legal principles and should be thrown out.
· The suit, brought by five streaming subscribers, claims the merger would give Paramount greater power to hike prices, reduce content output, shrink its slate, lower quality, and impose worse terms on consumers.
· Paramount pushed back, arguing the deal would actually breathe new life into Hollywood by fostering stronger competition that stands to benefit consumers, theaters, and workers.
· And yet…The five streaming subscribers suing to block this deal are far from alone. More than 1,400 actors and filmmakers, the Writers Guild, dozens of journalists, and U.S. senators have all raised alarms. With CNN folded into the equation — and the “60 Minutes” meltdown fresh in mind — Paramount may have dismissed this lawsuit as a nuisance, but the chorus of critics lining up against the deal is anything but. |
 ESPN drew praise for much of its coverage of Game 1 of the NBA finals, but the network is walking back its AI experiment after a digitally altered image of Tony Parker drew mockery online. An ESPN spokesperson confirmed to Front Office Sports that AI was used to create moving portraits of Parker and two other players during the broadcast as part of a concept to “bring iconic playoff images to life.” The network is now “evaluating” whether to use the tech in Game 2 tonight.
In the latest twist in the ongoing “60 Minutes” saga — following the ouster of veteran correspondent Scott Pelley — new executive producer Nick Bilton circulated a memo to staff pledging that “the story” would remain the show’s guiding principle, above relationships or politics. Bilton added that he had met with remaining correspondents Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim to discuss the program’s legacy and evolving storytelling approaches, though he stopped short of confirming whether any of them intend to remain with the show. |
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| CYNOPSIS SPORTS AWARDS
The Winners Have Been Announced
The 2026 Cynopsis Sports Awards winners are officially in.
From breakthrough campaigns and innovative platforms to standout leaders and teams, this year’s winners represent the very best in sports media and marketing.
See who took home top honors.
VIEW THE WINNERS |
| NEW & RETURNING SERIES |
| Food Network has set its summer competition schedule, anchored by a new installment of its long-running supermarket franchise. “Guy’s Grocery Games: Global Games,” a five-part tournament featuring eight chefs specializing in international cuisines, premieres Wednesday, July 8 at 9 p.m., with host Guy Fieri returning to the aisles. “Kitchen Chaos,” highlighting viral culinary moments, follows at 10 p.m. the same night. Three additional series round out the summer block: BBQ competition “Pitmasters” on Monday, July 13 at 9 p.m.; “Restaurant Impossible: Last Call” on Thursday, July 23 at 8 p.m.; and a new season of “The Great Food Truck Race” on Sunday, July 26 at 9 p.m.
“Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise” premieres Thursday, June 18 on Audible. The History Channel podcast series examining the legacy of the Civil War era is a collaboration between Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions and Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries. |
Today’s Premieres
Apple TV: Cape Fear
CW: Totally Funny Animals at 9 p.m.
Netflix: Teach You a Lesson
OWN: Belle Collective at 8 p.m.
Samsung TV Plus: Unlikely Romances
USA: Everything on the Menu With Braun Strowman at 11 p.m.
Saturday’s Premiere
BBC America: Wild Spring at 8 p.m.
Sunday’s Premieres
AMC: The Vampire Lestat at 9 p.m.
CNN: This Land at 9 p.m.
Food Network: 100 Cooks at 9 p.m.
HGTV: Building Baeumier at 8 p.m.
Nat Geo: Best of the World With Antoni Porowski at 9 p.m. |
| LEGAL TURBBULENCE |
| Things seemed rosy back in February when Nexstar and other broadcasters expressed optimism about their ability to consolidate quickly in a favorable regulatory environment under the Trump administration. Not so fast. That $6.2 billion merger is now tied up in the courts, facing legal challenges from state AGs and DirecTV that will keep the combo in limbo for months (if not years).
Nexstar President/COO Michael Biard phoned into Gabelli’s annual sports and media symposium in NYC on Thursday to give a status update on where things stand in the courts — and the exec took a few shots at the merit of DirecTV’s challenge. For CFX’s coverage on that and more, go here. |
| SPORTS REPORT |
All it took was a freebie. While 86% of intended FIFA World Cup 2026 viewers have cut back on discretionary spending — including paid streaming subscriptions — 14 million Americans who had no plans to watch the tournament said they are now tuning in because Tubi is streaming the opener and the first U.S. match for free. That stat comes from volume two of Nexxen’s FIFA World Cup Predictions and Insights Report, which examines fan behavior in a price-sensitive landscape. Additional findings underscore just how much cost is driving viewing decisions for the big event.
· When asked what matters most in choosing how and where to watch, 38% of respondents cited whether a match is free, and 22% pointed to the cost of a subscription.
· Nine million more fans now plan to watch at bars and other free out-of-home venues compared to Nexxen’s January report.
· 19 million Americans who don’t plan to watch matches live still expect to engage with highlights, recaps, creator content, and tournament coverage.
· The takeaway: Free isn’t just a price point — it’s a growth strategy. The World Cup data makes clear that lowering the barrier to entry converts non-viewers into audiences, drives out-of-home attendance, and expands the total fan funnel. Reach doesn’t always require a paywall — sometimes it requires removing one. |
 Launching alongside the kickoff of Men’s World Cup on June 11 is a new game from Netflix. In “FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition” — included with membership — users will be able to play as any of the 48 teams in the tournament, travel to the 16 real-world stadiums, and take control of any of the 1248 players in the Cup. Netflix calls it a “new direction for FIFA football games,” celebrating the joy of the sport — no matter how familiar players are with video games or football. |
 FIFA and DAZN have joined forces to launch FIFA+ exclusively on the DAZN platform, combining FIFA’s global football content library with DAZN’s portfolio of league and competition rights. The partnership will bring subscribers approximately 8,500 live football events per year across select territories, alongside a catalog of archived content.
Paramount and UFC expanded their media rights partnership to make Paramount+ the exclusive home of UFC Numbered Event main cards in Canada for the next six years beginning in 2027.
NBA team sponsorship revenue hit $1.8 billion during the 2025-26 season, up 11.1% year-over-year. That’s according to SponsorUnited’s NBA Sponsorship Intelligence Report, which found:
· Financial Services led all categories with $318 million in estimated sponsorship spend.
· The New York Knicks posted the league’s largest sponsorship growth (+28.3%) year-over-year.
· The San Antonio Spurs grew sponsorship deal volume by 13.9%, adding 10 new sponsorship deals as the “Wemby effect” continued attracting new brand partners. |
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| TECH |
Nielsen announced a new collaboration with Mediaocean to power the next phase of advanced audience measurement.
· Nielsen will provide reporting on advanced audience segments for data-driven linear (DDL) national TV campaigns to expand the integration of its Big Data + Panel audience measurement solution directly within Mediaocean’s Prisma platform.
· Clients can define advanced audience segments (first- and third-party and Nielsen-owned) within Nielsen Audience Builder and then see the corresponding measurement metrics directly within Mediaocean.
· Concurrently, S&P Global Mobility is integrating insights from its Polk Automotive Solutions Portfolio so that marketers can better reach customers in the auto sector.
· The integration will officially launch in September, in time for the fall 2026 TV season.
· Takeaway: By embedding advanced audience measurement directly into the buying workflow, Nielsen and Mediaocean are reducing friction between planning and proof. The addition of S&P Global Mobility’s auto insights signals that vertical-specific data is becoming table stakes for any platform serious about competing for national TV budgets. |
| PRODUCTION |
| FX placed an order for “The Marriage Plot,” a limited series adapted from the novel by Jeffrey Eugenides (“The Virgin Suicides”) for FX and Hulu. The drama, following three recent college graduates caught in a love triangle, comes from executive producer and writer Will Arbery (“Succession”) with Hiro Murai (“Atlanta”) set to direct and executive produce; Sadie Sink (“Stranger Things”) is attached to star and executive produce.
Starz is going back to the “Power” well — and this time, it’s getting a bigger cut. The network has ordered eight episodes of “Power: Legacy,” a co-production with Lionsgate Television that marks a deliberate shift from the licensed deals behind previous franchise entries. By co-owning the show, Starz positions itself to share in ancillary and downstream revenue, part of a wider effort to build equity in its original slate rather than just air it.
Fox streamer Tubi struck a multi-year deal with comedian and creator Kevin Fredericks, reports Deadline. In addition to two more seasons of “Safe Space,” Fredericks will create a new workplace comedy, a comedy special, and feature films. “This slate is what happens when a platform believes in a creator’s full vision and gives them room to grow,” said Fredericks in a statement.
Production is underway on 20 new episodes of true crime series “The FBI Files,” a project built on Radial Entertainment’s acquisition of the New Dominion Pictures catalog earlier this year. Bright North Studios, backed by Jeff Zucker-led RedBird IMI, is producing.
Brian Bennett is set to join MS NOW as national security director. Bennett, who starts his new job on July 1, was most recently senior White House correspondent for Time.
Go Button Media will begin production of a fifth season of “Secret Nazi Bases” this summer, with investment from UKTV. The series has been licensed to more than 120 territories. |
| COMING UP |
| Alan Jackson’s final concert performance on June 27 will be filmed to air on NBC later this year as “Alan Jackson: The Last Show.” The country superstar is retiring to manage his battle with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, a condition he revealed in 2021.
Ho ho ho! “Christmas in July” kicks off June 26 on Great American Family, Great American Pure Flix, and GFAM+. Launching the same day: “Miracles of Christmas,” a new holiday movie franchise on Great American Faith & Family. |
| RATINGS |
| The third and final season finale of “Euphoria” reached 8.7 million viewers in its first three days, reports HBO. The season is averaging 25 million global viewers, up 17% versus season two.
ABC’s “The Mystery of Richard Simmons — A Diane Sawyer Special” has drawn 10.2 million cross-platform viewers since its premiere on May 12, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel numbers. And it’s still going strong — on June 1, an encore airing drew 2.7 million viewers, to rank as the No. 1 broadcast show of the night.
The 2025-26 LALIGA soccer season reached 20.1 million viewers and 3.9 billion minutes across ESPN platforms, up 10 percent and 11 percent, respectively, from the season prior, for its best season ever.
HGTV delivered its highest-rated Friday prime among Adults 25-54 in nearly four years on Friday, May 29. “My Lottery Dream Home” garnered a .73 Live + 3 rating among Adults 25-54 and a 1.07 live plus three-day rating among Women 25-54, while “Zillow Gone Wild” posted a .49 rating among Adults 25-54 and .77 among Women 25-54. HGTV ranked as the No. 1 non-news/sports ad-supported cable network among Adults 25-54 and the No. 1 overall ad-supported cable network among Women 25-54.
Linear TV series are continuing to find renewed success on Netflix. NBC drama “La Brea” jumped to No. 1 overall in its first full week of availability on Netflix with 1.28 billion minutes, a 46% increase over its Top 10 debut in the previous interval (881 million minutes in its first three days). The growth was largely propelled by Millennial and Gen X audiences, with adults 35-64 driving 56% of watch time this week. |
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Basic Cable Top 10 for the Week of May 25
P2+ AA (000)
Primetime
Fox News 2,299
ESPN 2,038
MS NOW 881
HGTV 874
TNT 826
CNN 590
History 590
TLC 505
USA 505
TBS 497
Total Day
Fox News 1,448
ESPN 704
MS NOW 554
CNN 432
HGTV 382
TNT 364
Hallmark Channel 288
History 278
GSN 269
USA 269
Source: Nielsen Live + Same Day
Top 10 Broadcast Network Primetime Averages for the Week of May 25
P2+ AA (000)
NBC 5,154
CBS 3,536
ABC 1,817
Fox 1,223
Univision 1,505
Telemundo 835
CW 614
MeTV 590
ION 444
Grit 297
Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel |
| EXECUTIVE MOVES |
| Screenverse appointed Jonathan Carroll as SVP of Sales. Most recently, Carroll led Warner Bros. Discovery’s relationship with WPP.
Gardner Reed has been elevated to President of Wheelhouse’s Spoke Studios. Reed joined the company at its inception in 2018.
Shaftesbury named producer and media strategist Jay Bennett (“The Fallen: ARG”) as Senior Vice President, Franchise Strategy & Innovation.
Fahad Haider has rejoined NESN as Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Formerly VP of Broadcast Engineering and Chief Technology Officer at NESN, most recently, Haider was Vice President and General Manager of Operations at FanDuel Sports Network. |
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Friday Fun Fact
Architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s son invented Lincoln Logs.
Today’s Trivia Question
Who played Crockett’s second wife on “Miami Vice” (1984-89)? (Email answers to trivia@cynopsis.com and include your name, company and city. Answers limited to four per time zone.)
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
On which sitcom did Phyllis Diller play a paramedic? “Blossom” (1990-95).
Congrats to: Justin Pierce-JP Consulting Group/LA; Phyllis McQuillan-MSG Networks/NYC; Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA |
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