Variety reports: “It’s not HBO, it’s Max — but the new standalone logo for Warner Bros. Discovery‘s streamer now certainly looks like HBO’s at a glance. The Max streaming service has quietly launched a fresh look, ditching its shiny blue user interface for a new monochrome color palette that, either purposefully or not, evokes the longtime branding of HBO.”
The Verge reports: “Some Hollywood studios are reportedly earning money from fake AI-generated movie trailers on YouTube, against the wishes of the union representing actors. According to a report from Deadline, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, and Sony Pictures redirected ad revenue to themselves instead of enforcing copyright protections and shutting down the popular Screen Culture and KH Studio trailer accounts.”
Media Play News reports: “When it comes to live sports streaming, London-based DAZN is the polesitter, far ahead of streaming goliaths Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube. New data from EMarketer, citing Ampere Analysis, finds that DAZN accounts for 33% of live sports rights spending in 2025, followed by Prime Video at 22%, YouTube at 16% and Netflix at 5%.”
TechCrunch reports: “It’s only been a day since ChatGPT’s new AI image generator went live, and social media feeds are already flooded with AI-generated memes in the style of Studio Ghibli, the cult-favorite Japanese animation studio behind blockbuster films such as “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away.””
The Hollywood Reporter reports: “The 2010s changed home entertainment forever. During this decade, power and momentum swung towards global subscription video on demand (SVOD) platforms selling their content directly to consumers. However, the same period may have been a zero-interest rate phenomenon. These subscription streaming giants are here to stay, but their distribution strategy will become increasingly indirect.”
AdWeek reports: “French news publisher Le Monde, and its entertainment sister magazine Télérama, are partnering with the streaming service Max to bring a bundled subscription to French consumers, launching on April 3. The tie-up is a calculated bid from both companies to acquire new subscribers and increase the retention rate of their existing customers amid a rapidly saturating subscription landscape, according to Le Monde director of digital operations Lou Grasser.”
Variety reports: “India’s media and entertainment sector hit INR2.5 trillion ($29.4 billion) in 2024, according to the annual Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)-EY report. Titled ‘Shape the Future: Indian Media and Entertainment is Scripting a New Story,’ the report reveals that digital media overtook television for the first time, becoming the industry’s largest segment and accounting for 32% of total revenue, ending a two-decade reign by TV.”
Gamespot reports: “Nintendo capped off the March Nintendo Direct by announcing a smartphone app called Nintendo Today. The app will function like a daily calendar, Nintendo said, and it will have news about Nintendo announcements, including details on the Switch 2 when the time comes. A Nintendo Account is required to use Nintendo Today. The app arrives today, March 27, for iOS and Android.”
Media Play News reports: “NBCUniversal and LG Electronics have expanded their content distribution agreement with the addition of 40 free ad-supported streaming television channels with ecommerce opportunities to branded LG Smart TVs. The channels include NBC News Now, Today All Day, Dateline 24/7, SNL Vault, Million Dollar Listing, The Real Housewives, and Top Chef, in addition to Spanish-language news, entertainment from Telemundo, local news, true crime, and sports programming.”
Cord Cutters News reports: “In a surprising turn for cord-cutters and streaming enthusiasts, Crackle, the pioneering free ad-supported streaming service, has made an unexpected comeback this week, as of March 26, 2025. The platform, which had been dormant since its parent company Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment spiraled into bankruptcy last year, is once again operational, offering its catalog of movies and TV shows to viewers at no cost.”
