Apple is getting in on the rise of the video podcast. The tech company is set to start rolling out video on its popular podcast app. It comes over 20 years after Apple first started supporting podcasts via iTunes and launched a standalone app in 2012. The move comes as the battle for video podcast intensifies with Netflix aggressively striking deals with podcast creators to move their video streams from YouTube to its own service. The streamer has struck deals with the likes of The Ringer and Barstool Spor ...

Core Insights - Japan's premium streaming sector experienced a 15% growth in 2025, reaching revenues of $7.2 billion, driven by ad-supported tiers, local content, and live events [1] - The sector added four million subscribers, totaling 67.3 million, with Prime Video leading in subscriber base at 19.3 million [3] Market Share and Competition - Netflix holds a 22% share of the premium video-on-demand market, while U-Next is the leading local player with a 12% share; together with Prime Video, they account for 50% of the market [2] - TVer emerged as the most-watched ad-supported streamer, capturing 23% of total viewing hours [3][4] Viewer Engagement and Content Performance - Netflix users average nearly 20 hours of engagement per month, with Japanese titles viewed for a cumulative 25 billion hours, making them the second most-watched non-English content globally [5][4] - Japanese drama is the top genre, reaching 73% of viewers and accounting for 37% of hours viewed, while anime reached 50% of viewers and accounted for 26% of hours [6] Strategic Developments - The entry of major players into live sports, such as Netflix's acquisition of rights to the 2026 World Baseball Classic, indicates a shift towards event-driven engagement [8][9] - U-Next is expanding its sports offerings by acquiring rights to women's golf majors and the English Premier League [8] Future Outlook - The premium VOD market in Japan is at a maturation point, focusing on sophisticated monetization strategies, including ad-tier yields and telco bundling [9] - The competition will increasingly rely on event-driven engagement and premium local storytelling, particularly in anime and drama [9]

Warner Bros. Discovery could reveal as early as Tuesday that it will engage with Paramount following the Ellison family’s latest offer, which included some significant concessions, Deadline has learned. WBD has a signed deal with Netflix but Par has been lobbing consecutive unsolicited takeover offers, all rejected outright thus far. The amended bid with a series of sweeteners led to some WBD shareholders, including activist investor Ancora Capital, becoming vocal that the board needed to consider all opti ...

Core Insights - Roku significantly exceeded Wall Street analysts' expectations for earnings in Q4, reporting revenue of $1.4 billion, a 16% increase, and adjusted earnings per share of 53 cents, compared to a loss of 24 cents in the same quarter last year [1] - The company plans to introduce bundles of premium streaming subscriptions, enhancing its platform monetization strategy [3][4] Financial Performance - In Q4, Roku's revenue reached $1.4 billion, marking a 16% year-over-year increase, with adjusted earnings per share of 53 cents, surpassing analysts' expectations of 28 cents [1] - For 2026, Roku anticipates total revenue of $5.5 billion and adjusted EBITDA to rise nearly fivefold to $635 million, indicating strong future growth [4] Audience Growth - Roku estimates its audience will reach 90 million logged-in households globally by the end of 2025 [2] - The Roku Channel has become the second most popular free, ad-supported channel on its platform, only behind YouTube [2] Subscription Strategy - The fourth quarter was noted as Roku's largest ever for net additions of premium subscriptions, attributed to the holiday season and improvements in user interface [2][3] - Roku has added HBO Max to its list of premium subscription partners and plans to roll out bundled subscription plans, positioning itself as a distribution hub for these packages [3]

Company Overview - Netflix's product division has laid off several dozen employees, which is less than 1% of its 6,000-employee workforce, as part of a reorganization effort [1] - The layoffs did not affect any senior executives within the product division [1] Leadership Changes - Elizabeth Stone has been promoted to Chief Product and Technology Officer, overseeing product, engineering, and data groups [2] - The previous Chief Product Officer, Eunice Kim, left in September after a significant user interface update, which was linked to recent subscriber growth [2] Subscriber Metrics - Netflix has stopped reporting quarterly subscriber numbers but indicated it ended 2025 with over 325 million subscribers [3] Strategic Moves - In December, Netflix announced an $82.7 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's studios and streaming division, which is pending approval and may take over a year [4] - Paramount Skydance has made a hostile bid for shareholders, revising its offer multiple times [4] Industry Context - Workforce reductions are becoming common in the tech sector, with Amazon announcing 30,000 layoffs in the past four months [5] - The rise of AI is cited as a reason for job cuts, as many roles in tech are evolving to focus on refining AI-generated work [6]

Core Insights - AMC Networks reported mixed fourth quarter results, with total revenue of $595 million, a 1% decline year-over-year, and adjusted earnings per share of 64 cents, falling short of Wall Street expectations of $581.8 million in revenue and 66 cents in earnings [1] - Streaming services have become a significant revenue source, generating $177 million in the quarter, marking a 14% year-over-year increase, surpassing revenue from traditional cable networks [2][3] - The total subscriber count for AMC's streaming services, including AMC+, Shudder, and Acorn TV, remained flat at 10.4 million as of the end of 2025 [3] Revenue and Advertising - Domestic ad revenue decreased by 10% year-over-year to $124.9 million, indicating challenges in the advertising segment [4] - AMC Networks is transitioning away from linear business models but continues to leverage relationships with distributors, with over 1.1 million customers activating ad-supported AMC+ through Charter's Spectrum TV service since a carriage deal in September 2024 [4][5] Strategic Developments - Charter, the leading pay-TV operator in the U.S., has integrated streaming services at no extra charge, contributing to a rare increase in video subscribers in the fourth quarter [5] - AMC Networks achieved carriage renewals with distributors in the U.S. and Canada, covering approximately one-third of its total footprint in 2025 [5] - CEO Kristin Dolan highlighted the shift towards streaming as a significant milestone in the company's ongoing transformation [6]

Core Viewpoint - Activist investor Ancora Alternatives LLC is pressuring Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) to engage with Paramount regarding a potential superior offer, threatening to oppose WBD's current deal with Netflix if they do not comply [1][2][3] Group 1: Activist Investor Actions - Ancora Alternatives LLC has threatened to vote 'no' on the Netflix deal and initiate a proxy fight if WBD does not engage with Paramount [1] - The firm has sweetened its hostile takeover offer for Warner Bros. Discovery in an effort to disrupt the Netflix agreement [1] Group 2: WBD Board's Position - The WBD board is now compelled to consider Paramount's amended offer as a potential superior proposal due to Netflix's inferior proposal and unresolved regulatory issues [2] - If the WBD board fails to engage with Paramount, Ancora will hold them accountable at the 2026 shareholder meeting [2] Group 3: Criticism of WBD's Decision - Ancora criticized the WBD board for hastily entering into a flawed deal with Netflix instead of pursuing a superior offer from Paramount, which they argue is a violation of the directors' fiduciary duties [3]

Group 1: Employment Data - The U.S. added 130,000 jobs in January, exceeding expectations, following a year of weak employment growth [1] - The unemployment rate remained largely unchanged at 4.3% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics [1] - Job gains were significant in health care, social assistance, and construction, while federal government and financial services saw declines [1] Group 2: Sector-Specific Job Changes - Jobs in the movie and music industry increased by 13,900, reaching a total of 360,900 [1] - Broadcasting and content provider jobs decreased by 4,800, totaling 335,900 [1] Group 3: Wage Growth - Average hourly earnings rose by 15 cents to $37.17, with a year-over-year increase of 3.7% [2] Group 4: Job Market Trends - Job estimates for November and December were revised down by 17,000, with annual adjustments showing only 181,000 job gains for 2025, down from 584,000 [3] - The job market is stabilizing but remains characterized as a "low hire, low fire" environment, particularly outside of healthcare [3]

Core Insights - Hasbro's shares surged 7.5% to a 6-year high following strong fourth-quarter earnings and an optimistic outlook for 2026 [1] - The company reported a 31% increase in revenue year-over-year, reaching $1.45 billion, with adjusted earnings per share rising to $1.51 from $1.04 [1][2] - The stock has more than doubled since late 2023, when the company faced challenges and laid off 20% of its workforce [3] Financial Performance - Revenue for the fourth quarter increased by 31% compared to the same period last year, totaling $1.45 billion [1] - Adjusted earnings per share rose to $1.51, up from $1.04 in the same quarter of 2024 [1] - The company's revenue forecast for 2026 predicts an increase of 3% to 5%, exceeding analysts' expectations [6] Strategic Initiatives - CEO Chris Cocks has implemented a turnaround strategy called "Playing to Win," focusing on digital gaming and the Wizards of the Coast division [4] - The company divested its film and TV subsidiary eOne to Lionsgate in December 2023, shifting focus away from Hollywood [4] - Hasbro is leveraging licensing deals with major franchises such as Harry Potter, Kpop, and Voltron to enhance its product offerings [5] Licensing and Partnerships - Hasbro announced a multi-year deal with Warner Bros. Discovery for Harry Potter toys and games, coinciding with the franchise's 25th anniversary [5] - The licensing agreement for Kpop, a major animated film, is shared with Mattel, targeting a diverse audience [4][5] - Voltron is set for a live-action reboot, reinforcing its status as a significant collector brand from the 1970s and 80s [5]

Core Viewpoint - Paramount has increased its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery by introducing a $0.25 per share "ticking fee" for each quarter the transaction remains unclosed beyond December 31, 2026, indicating confidence in regulatory approval for the deal [1] Group 1 - Paramount will cover a $2.8 billion termination fee owed to Netflix as part of the transaction [1] - The company is also providing solutions to address Warner Bros. Discovery's debt financing costs and obligations [1]