Media & Entertainment

CNN+ was doomed from the start: The much-discussed news streaming service is shutting down after reports that it couldn’t attract subscribers.

More than 80% of US music industry revenues came from streaming in 2021. Physical formats, like CDs and vinyl records, accounted for 11%, while the rest of the revenues stemmed from digital downloads and synchronization deals with music licensees.

The metaverse promises to be transformative for the digital marketing landscape—at least, as soon as tech platforms figure out how it will actually work.

Despite the stagnation of the traditional TV market, US TV screen advertising will grow by over $14 billion in the next four years. Viewing patterns are shifting toward digital as more Americans continue to cut the cord and move to connected TVs and streaming services.

On today's episode, we discuss how public service broadcasters can compete with the global streaming behemoths, how ad-free digital video options are disrupting things for marketers, and what the connected TV advertising landscape looks like. Join our analyst Bill Fisher as he hosts analysts Karin von Abrams and Paul Briggs.

Scandal and branding issues are catching up with Harry Potter: The latest film is struggling domestically, and international box offices might not save it.

It’s not just immersive games that are attracting ad opportunities: Microsoft’s free-to-play games could reportedly receive in-game ads sometime in Q3.

Among executives worldwide, 72% believe the metaverse will have at least some positive impact on their organization. Some 13% expect this mixed-reality realm to redefine their industry, while 28% think it will enable new business practices and help them reach new customers. Another 28% anticipate the metaverse will have minimal or no positive effect on their company.

Hyundai’s NFT project is at odds with sustainability goals: The automaker is diving into NFTs as the craze is dying down.

Streaming viewers care more about cost and exclusivity: A survey from Fandom shows consumers are more cost-conscious but don’t want to miss out on new content.

May’s TV upfronts will be a testing ground for fractured measurement: New measurement solutions are focusing on multimedia and data privacy.

Amazon’s IMDb TV rebrands to Freevee as ad-supported video gains fans: Name change will highlight the service’s value and may help it better compete with Hulu.

Meta’s risky move to grow its metaverse: The metaverse was conceived as an escape from mobile apps and PCs, but Meta is now risking it all by pushing the web and mobile version of Horizon Worlds. Why?

Meta has to do more with the metaverse than move beyond VR: Its social game Horizon Worlds is coming to phones and browsers, where Fortnite and Roblox reign supreme.

YouTube’s MLB deal is a reminder of its streaming power: A whirlwind of streaming news has mostly left YouTube out of the picture, but its dominance can’t be ignored.

On today's episode, we explore the "madness" surrounding the NCAA tournament each year, customers' reception of QR codes, soccer's rise in popularity in the US, discounts on Amazon Alexa, gaming subscriptions on the horizon, rules around how soccer players can celebrate during games, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Ross Benes and Dave Frankland and director of reports editing Rahul Chadha.

Out of home advertising is poised to grow as outdoor activity resumes: The sector had a strong 2021, led by the digital segment.

The importance of intellectual property can’t be overstated: That’s what Warner Bros. Discovery is realizing, as it taps DC Entertainment to help it out of a huge financial hole.

Are recent video and gaming outages a sign of an overburdened infrastructure? The increase in high-resolution 4K video and demanding multiplayer games could be bogging down network connections.

CNN+’s rough launch shows consumers prefer entertainment-first streaming: Executive shakeups, distribution issues, and more have led to a tepid start.