Ankler: robotics giants could one day own the leagues they now rent
The Ankler’s Erik Barmack ties Beijing’s humanoid Robot Games to sports rights economics: the NFL, NBA and global streamers pay billions yearly for scarce athletes, while Amazon, Google and Apple already build the robotics that could one day replace them.
‘The Whisper Man’ climbs to No. 1 on Netflix with 33.4 million views
The Adam Scott thriller grew from 23.2 million debut views to 33.4 million in its second week, passing the GTA VI teaser to top Netflix’s movie chart for the week of Aug. 31.
Niche streaming services grew subscribers 14% in first half of 2026
Antenna data shows specialty streamers like AMC+, BritBox and Crunchyroll reached 42 million collective subscribers in the first six months of 2026, up 14% year over year.
Sky bundle deal drives Disney+ ad tier reach up nearly 30%
Disney+‘s UK household reach grew by around 1.1 million between Q1 and Q2, with over 700,000 households picking the ad-supported tier, per Barb data, largely credited to a Sky bundling partnership.
Hollywood chiefs turn out for Macron’s Lumière Summit, but stay quiet
Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, Disney’s Dana Walden, NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley and other top Hollywood executives attended French President Emmanuel Macron’s Lumière Summit on cinema’s future amid AI and streaming disruption.
Meta’s teen-safety settlement may not cover YouTube, TikTok on TV
Meta’s settlement with state attorneys general sets time limits and overnight bans for teens on Facebook and Instagram’s web and app versions, but the language does not appear to expressly cover smart TV interfaces.
What brands need to know about the creator economy’s ‘Napster moment’
EMARKETER frames the creator economy as facing a piracy-era-style disruption, where content, distribution and monetization norms are being rewritten faster than brands can adapt. The piece walks through what that shift means for marketer strategy.
John Lewis builds a YouTube chatshow to get noticed by AI search
John Lewis is launching a YouTube “vodcast” hosted by Angela Scanlon, with clips spread across social platforms, to boost its visibility in AI chatbots and AI-generated search results.
Streaming ad loads jump 18% this year as streamers chase margin
Ad minutes per hour on top US streamers rose 18% from January to August, according to Ampere Analysis data shared with Business Insider.
BIA: local media ad spend still a $185 billion market despite platform shift
BIA Advisory Services managing director Rick Ducey says local ad spend remains a $185 billion market. Political spending is accelerating a shift toward CTV, forcing broadcasters to decide how fast they can adapt.
Branded entertainment still measures a monoculture that no longer exists
A WFA/Lumency study of $8.2 billion in sponsorship spend finds 84% track awareness, but advocacy tracking fell to just 6%, from 15% two years earlier, even as fragmentation makes community loyalty the metric that actually counts.
Kalshi cracks top 3 in sports betting TV ad spend
iSpot data shows prediction market Kalshi ranks No. 3 in estimated national TV ad spend among sports betting brands this year, trailing only two traditional sportsbooks despite not running a typical sportsbook ad playbook.
IPA: Brits now consume 44% of commercial media alone
New IPA TouchPoints data shows British adults spend 44% of commercial media time alone, up 10% since 2015, with 16-34s at 46%. Smartphones now match TV for total commercial media time among UK adults.
Cord-cutters are ditching boxes, not cable TV itself
Digiday’s Future of TV Briefing points to data showing people are dropping cable boxes in favor of streaming apps, but many still pay for the same bundled cable channels through virtual pay-TV services.
MS NOW launches DTC streaming membership at $7.99 a month
MS NOW, the rebranded MSNBC, launches a direct-to-consumer membership Wednesday priced at $7.99 monthly or $79.99 yearly, with an introductory $39.99 annual rate through September 30. Subscribers get 24/7 streaming plus talent Q&As.
DOJ widens antitrust probe into Fox’s $22 billion Roku acquisition
The Justice Department plans a “second request” for more data from Fox and Roku, people familiar said, signaling skepticism about a deal merging Fox’s content with Roku’s dominant connected-TV operating system.
New streaming series orders plunge, study finds
A new study finds streaming platforms sharply cut the number of new original series they greenlit, continuing a multi-year pullback in original programming.
Retail media creative, not just placement, is deciding sales lift
EMARKETER’s latest guidance argues that as retail media inventory becomes commoditized, the creative shown in on-site and off-site placements is what separates campaigns that convert from those that don’t.
Netflix agrees to report box office for six upcoming theatrical releases
Netflix will report box office grosses for six upcoming films, including Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” Variety learned.
iHeartMedia gives Netflix exclusive video rights to 15 top podcasts
iHeartMedia struck an exclusive video podcast deal with Netflix covering more than 15 shows, including The Breakfast Club and My Favorite Murder, starting early 2026. iHeart keeps all audio rights and distribution; only Netflix will carry the video versions.