Top News:
Isabella Simonetti / Wall Street Journal:
Disney reports Q2 revenue up 7% YoY to $23.62B, streaming profit up 16% to $336M, and 180.7M streaming subscribers, up 2.5M from Q1 2025; DIS closes up 10.8% — Company says it is watching broader economic developments for any impact to its businesses — Disney's theme parks …
Discussion:
Broadband TV News, MediaPost, @sherman4949, Benzinga, The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes, Deadline and The Wrap
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Todd Spangler / Variety:
In Q2, Disney says Disney+ subscribers rose by 1.4M to 126M, while Hulu rose by 1.1M to 54.7M, and operating income hit $336M, up from $47M in Q2 2024 — Despite gathering economic storm clouds, chief Bob Iger said the Mouse House remains “optimistic” about its current fiscal year guidance.
John Koblin / New York Times:
Netflix unveils a new homepage design for TVs, its first major update since 2013, featuring fewer titles but more video and animation, rolling out next week — The implications for the industry could be significant, given that most other streaming services have copied Netflix's design.
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix Tudum, Netflix on YouTube, MacRumors, Benzinga, AppleInsider, Android Headlines, Media Play News, Josh Mateo on LinkedIn, Streaming Better, Patrick Flemming on LinkedIn, @lucas_shaw, @mhwilliams.bsky.social, Android Authority, The US Sun, NBC News, BGR, Fast Company, Bloomberg, Engadget, Variety and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
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Lauren Forristal / TechCrunch:
Netflix unveils its ChatGPT-powered search that lets users express preferences using natural phrases, to be rolled out this week to iOS users as an opt-in beta — After hinting at a new AI-powered search experience during its recent earnings call, Netflix officially unveiled the feature at its tech and product event on Wednesday.
Jay Peters / The Verge:
Netflix says it plans to start testing a TikTok-like feed of vertical videos in its mobile app “in the coming weeks” to help users find more content to watch
Netflix says it plans to start testing a TikTok-like feed of vertical videos in its mobile app “in the coming weeks” to help users find more content to watch
Discussion:
Fast Company, Mashable, @aerocles, Comic Book, WeRSM, Business Insider, @lucas_shaw, @reckless.bsky.social, CNN, TechCrunch and The Wrap, more at Techmeme »
David Folkenflik / NPR:
Kari Lake says OAN will provide its newsfeed and video service “free-of-charge” to USAGM networks, including VOA, OCB, and Radio Martí — Senior presidential adviser Kari Lake appears to have resolved any doubts about what she wants to do with the Voice of America.
Discussion:
@karilake, Washington Post, The Guardian, Columbia Journalism Review, Adweek, Arizona Republic, Associated Press, TVNewsCheck, Deadline, @farhip, @pwidakuswara, @houseforeign.bsky.social, @scottnover, CNN, @joshkovensky.bsky.social, @scottnover, Raw Story, Axios, The Hill, Cord Cutters News, Daily Kos, @davidfolkenflik, @dhnexon.bsky.social, The Independent, Reuters, @timkarr.bsky.social, New York Daily News, @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @karaswisher.bsky.social, @knittingknots2@mstdn.social, @annamerlan.bsky.social, @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, @nick-lynx.bsky.social, Florida Politics, @iamfreetobeme.bsky.social, @amanbatheja.bsky.social, @damon.kiesow.net, @newsguy.bsky.social, The National Pulse and The Gateway Pundit
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
The NYT reports adding 250K digital-only subscribers in Q1, taking its total subscribers to 11.6M+; digital ad revenue rose 12.4% YoY to $70.9M — The company had nearly 11.7 million total subscribers at the end of March. Adjusted operating profit grew 21.9 percent compared with the same quarter a year ago.
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, PR Daily, Sports Business Journal, Benzinga, Adweek, Streaming Better, Reuters and TVNewsCheck
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Lachlan Cartwright / Breaker:
Sources: NYT reporter Rob Copeland filed a HR complaint against editor Ellen Pollock after she threatened to “kill” him if a Harvard story exceeded 2,000 words — Pamela Paul's new gig; Keith McNally censored; VERSANT vs Vaulter — In partnership with … Newsrooms plus pressure equals... more drama.
Jill Goldsmith / Deadline:
Lionsgate Entertainment completes the separation of its studio and Starz into two standalone companies; Starz had 20M subs in US and Canada at the end of 2024 — Lionsgate Entertainment has completed the full separation of its studio and Starz businesses into two standalone, publicly-traded companies.
Oliver Darcy / Status:
The Daily Dot laid off 15 people, or much of its staff, after a sudden and unexplained collapse in referral traffic starting April 10 that it couldn't fix — After a sharp and abrupt traffic collapse, the Daily Dot was forced to lay off much of its staff—and it may be a preview of the tough road ahead for digital publishers.
Scott Feinberg / The Hollywood Reporter:
The Golden Globe Awards plans to add a best podcast category in 2026, featuring six nominees chosen from among the 25 most-listened-to podcasts — It would appear that Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper and Megyn Kelly could soon be invited to “Hollywood's Party of the Year.”
Discussion:
Deadline, GoldDerby, USA Today, Vanity Fair, Variety, The Independent, Mia Lobel on LinkedIn, IndieWire, Engadget, @maxwelltani, World of Reel, The Wrap, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Consequence, KDFX-TV, Barrett Media, Just Jared and TV Insider
Winston Cho / The Hollywood Reporter:
In a letter, nine US senators urge Shari Redstone not to settle Trump's $20B lawsuit, saying it will only embolden him to “extort” CBS and other outlets — The letter signed by nine senators urges Redstone to “Stand up for freedom of the press and our democracy.”
Discussion:
Fox News, Politico, Washington Examiner, The Wrap, The Independent, Variety, Mediaite, @benmullin, TVNewsCheck, Common Dreams and Semafor
Jessica Testa / New York Times:
Dear Media, the woman-focused podcast network launched in 2018, says it has between $51M and $100M in revenue and has raised $12M — Men dominate the top of the podcasting charts. As listeners, they slightly outnumber women, too. “Brocasters” and the “manosphere” have even become a media obsession, and for good reason.
Discussion:
The Information and @jtes
