Shelly Palmer

Comcast’s spinoff of the majority of its NBCU cable network portfolio, Versant Media Group, will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker "VSNT" after the separation. A filing with the SEC shows that for the first six months of this year, the assets that fall under Versant Media generated $670 million in net profit, down 16%, on revenue of $3.42 billion, down 6%. The assets generated $7 billion in revenue in 2024, down from $7.4 billion in 2023 and $7.8 billion in 2022. The company also disclosed that it ended the first half of the year with $4 million in cash, $11.6 billion in assets and $1.03 billion in debt. SEC filing: https://lnkd.in/etkEsQRv - #versant #paytv #cordcutting #streamingmedia #NBCU #comacst #SVOD #AVOD

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At Content Americas in Miami last week, with 2,000+ industry leaders, one question kept coming up: What does reinventing the TV business actually look like? These are a few of my takeaways from the event: ✔️ International streamers are doubling down on local, while local broadcasters are increasingly looking outward and investing in international productions. ✔️ The novela is back in a big way. One of the most interesting trends on the horizon for LATAM is microdramas: short, vertical, phone-first storytelling. It feels like a natural evolution of the novela, reinvented for mobile-first audiences. ✔️ Brazil continues to be a hotspot for global streaming. Our Brazilian production partner, Floresta, is busier than ever and it’s exciting to see the momentum in that market. Plus, our partners got a first look at our upcoming scripted series, Carlota, inspired by the true story of Carlota of Habsburg, the first and only Empress of Mexico. I got to take a picture in our display inspired by the set:

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"Benito Bowl", as many have referred to Sunday's Super Bowl Halftime show, was a confirmation that culture isn't homogenous. Culture is the sum of its parts and Latino culture has always, and will continue to, contribute to U.S. culture. In this article, I wrote that language now challenges conventional notions about how language defines reach. However, what we saw during the halftime show is that audiences respond to emotion, identity, and relevance more than translation. It's time for marketers to move beyond preconceived barriers and embrace communities that create and make up the cultural zeitgeist.

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Why does Disney want Hulu + Completing the Hulu acquisition paves the way for a deeper and more seamless integration of Hulu's general entertainment content with Disney+ and, soon, with ESPN's direct-to-consumer product, providing an unrivalled value proposition for consumers. Disney also understands that the Movie Theatre business is becoming slowly extinct for certain Drama’s and films Netflix, a competitor of Disney+, has approximately 247.2 million paid subscribers worldwide in 2023. Netflix generated a total revenue of over 9 billion U.S. dollars in the third quarter of 2023. On the other hand, Disney+ had only 150 million subscribers by the end of the fourth quarter of 2023. Disney+ had then gone down to 112.6 million subscribers around Sep. 30, 2023. Disney+ has generated a revenue of $6.16 billion in 2023 for now. For comparison, Disney+ made a revenue of $7.423 billion in 2022. Hulu, with its latest recorded number of subscribers, has 48 million paid subscribers as of December 2022. Hulu made $11.2 billion in revenue in 2023. According to Disney, buying Hulu will help them get better engagement, more advertising, lower churn and reduced customer acquisition costs. They believe that adding Hulu to the circle will help increase revenue. What this acquisition means for the future of Hulu is unclear, but Disney’s growing media influence is apparent

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The commercial broadcast TV industry has lobbied intensely for permission to shut off their current digital signals in favor of NextGen TV, promoting the technology as one that will allow local TV stations to transmit clearer pictures with better audio, launch interactive features and deliver hyper-local emergency alerts and targeted advertising. #Telecison #Digital #TV #NextGenTV #Broadcast #FCC https://lnkd.in/eEi9ZhFH

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📱 “ Filmology Labs a $250 Million Studio Built for Content Creation Like Vertical Micro-Dramas and AI-Driven Media Formats, Set to Open in New Jersey.” https://lnkd.in/dDHPbadM

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Leadership has an interesting rhythm. Strong teams build momentum, industries evolve, and occasionally you get the chance to add someone new who helps the whole organization see the next set of possibilities. Roku’s ad business is growing quickly, thanks to a group of smart, competitive leaders who have built something real and durable. As Variety recently noted, we've become one of the most influential players in the sector. When that’s the foundation, bringing in someone new is about elevating what we have, adding perspective, and opening the door to the next wave of opportunity. That’s why I’m pleased to welcome Patrick Harris as our new Head of Global Media Revenue. Patrick and I first met over a cup of coffee and spent most of the conversation talking about life, values, the media business, and how companies working closely with partners actually execute meaningful outcomes. He struck me quickly as what every company hopes for in a senior leader: a thoughtful and world-aware professional, and a seasoned operator with deep experience delivering results for agencies, partners, and clients. Just as important, Patrick is the kind of leader who understands that great companies are built by great teams. His arrival gives an already strong group even more room to grow, learn from one another, and keep building. The CTV industry is entering a phase where only a handful of platforms will truly be able to prove performance at scale. Patrick has spent much of his career operating right in that space, and I’m excited to see what we build together. One final note: Patrick is a Villanova basketball fan. I went to Bucknell, which is a clearly inferior basketball school. That said, when Villanova wanted championships, who did they turn to? Bucknell graduate Jay Wright, who delivered a couple of them. Nova and Bucknell working together — it’s only fitting that Patrick is joining us during March Madness. Welcome aboard, Patrick. You’re joining a terrific team. Let’s build a few championships.

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Radio scores another great article today and Iliad Media Group is leading the charge for business owners and operators with our trademarked Be Heard, Be Found strategy. Here are some key points. I will link the full article below. Key highlights from the report: Radio leads the pack with 85% of Americans rating it as "very trustworthy" or "trustworthy" — topping all other media types. It holds steady across age groups: 85% for 35–54, 83% for both 18–34 and 55+. Newspapers come in at 77%. TV at 73%. Podcasts are closing the gap fast, hitting 70% (tying with magazines) and now just 3 points behind TV — especially strong with younger folks (77% for 18–34). Social media trails way behind at 49%, over 30 points lower than radio. The article emphasizes why radio stands out in today's noisy, algorithm-heavy world: that human connection, live programming, local relevance, and familiar voices build real credibility that's hard to fake or replicate with deepfakes and synthetic stuff. My favorite quote from the piece: “In a media environment filled with algorithmic feeds, deepfakes, and synthetic voices, trusted human connection is becoming more valuable, not less. And that’s where radio stands apart.” Gives us a shout if you want the massive awareness of radio and the customer conversions of digital working for your funnel. https://lnkd.in/gFAiAJD2

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Fox News Digital led major news publishers in several audience categories in April, drawing 191.1 million total digital multiplatform unique visitors, according to data from Comscore. The figure represented a 46 percent increase from April 2025 and put Fox News Digital ahead of: CBS NBC CNN NYTimes ABC https://lnkd.in/eUiPrDpq

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The Healing Channel (HealingChannel.tv) will focus on key health and wellness topics: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, sexual, relationship, financial, longevity, end-of-life planning and hospice care. ROKU and other streaming channels will air these important episodes. We will deliver our episodes to seniors' and care homes, orphanages, prisons, as well as millions of individual homes worldwide, in a variety of languages. We're seeking content, advertisers, co-producers, hosts and those with a message to share for our uplifting channel on health and wellness. Advertisers with commercials and selected product placement will showcase their products and image to millions of viewers worldwide, in traditional wide-screen and the new vertical format. The co-producers will participate in the net earnings or net profits of the channel as follows: the first co-producer will receive ten percent (10%) of the net profits per year, the second will receive seven percent (7%), and the others will receive five percent (5%) of the net profits per year of that channel. See HealingChannel.tv for more information.

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Chris Pizzurro from Leap Media Group LLC explains how #EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce may very well be the most effective television advertising strategy - on TiVo's #FridayFireside. Watch the full episode Friday (natch!) at itvt.com/friday-fireside

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Up to 40% of licensing revenue is lost due to poor metadata — highlighting the important role proper metadata tagging has in a media company's success.   In my latest piece for tvTech, I explore how companies can improve metadata tagging to maximize revenue and enhance the customer experience. This includes leveraging AI to quickly review and organize content. But remember, that human oversight and quality insurance is critical to ensure all content is tagged appropriately in context.   Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/e_Xsf5hX

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CFOs and CMOs, take note. Media Monitors’ recent expansion—now covering the top 250 markets and keeping every AM/FM radio ad file permanently—marks a turning point for audio in media mix modeling. Why it matters: • Better Data, Better ROI – With 86% of AM/FM radio reach now represented, MMM and attribution models will finally give radio the credit it deserves. • Always-On Measurement – Advances in AI and tech are lowering costs, bringing MMM to more local and regional advertisers. • ROI Proof – While perception lags, Nielsen’s global benchmarks rank AM/FM radio #2 in ROI among all media. As Deloitte’s Duncan Stewart reminds us: “Nobody listens to radio anymore” is a myth. The evidence is clear—radio delivers. John Fix Pierre Bouvard José M. Villafañe Benjamin Finley Jose Mateo Jim Lyke Maria Castillo Inside Radio CFO Dave Sturgeon James Roman #AudioAdvertising #RadioWorks #MediaMixModeling #CMO #CFO #MarketingROI https://lnkd.in/eszwn4Mv

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The biggest challenge media companies are dealing with right now isn’t just streaming vs broadcast… It’s trying to run both at the same time. You’ve got traditional broadcast workflows that are reliable but rigid. Then you’ve got streaming workflows that are flexible but complex and expensive. Most companies are stuck in the middle. Running duplicate systems Paying for cloud + legacy infrastructure Stitching together a bunch of tools that don’t always work well together And all of that slows things down when speed matters more than ever. Meanwhile, teh expectation from viewers? Instant, high-quality content… everywhere… with zero issues. That’s a tough gap to close. What I’m seeing more and more is this: The companies that are winning aren’t necessarily the ones with the most technology… They’re the ones simplifying it. A few thoughts for anyone in this space: • Stop trying to “boil the ocean” with full transformation Start with 1–2 workflows (live production, content delivery, etc.) and get those right • Reduce the number of vendors Every extra tool adds cost and complexity, even if it solves a small problem • Design for flexibility, not perfection You’re never going to build a “final state” system… this space changes too fast • Get serious about cost visibility in the cloud If you don’t understand your usage, it will get expensive quickly At the end of the day, this isn’t just a technology problem… it’s an operating model problem. The real opportunity is helping media companies simplify how everything works together. Curious how others are thinking about this, what are you seeing in your world?

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