Amazon Music has a new AI-powered personalization feature called Weekly Vibe that is designed to keep playlists fresh and prevent listeners from tiring of the same songs. The feature is available to iOS and Android users in the U.S. across all subscription tiers. Every Monday, Weekly Vibe will update playlists to reflect recent listening choices, taking into account musical interests and moods. It will also suggest new music based on demonstrated patterns and preferences. Weekly Vibe builds on the Maestro AI playlist generator Amazon Music launched in beta last year. Continue reading Amazon Music Adds Weekly Vibe AI Playlists Across All Tiers

Four years after its announcement, Spotify Lossless is arriving for Premium subscribers, offering HD-quality sound for just about every song in the catalog. The reveal was issued by Spotify VP of Subscriptions Gustav Gyllenhammar, who attributed the delay to “time to build this feature in a way that prioritizes quality” and ease of use. Spotify Lossless enables streaming in up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC. Lossless joins the previous settings of Low, Normal, High and Very High for data management across Wi-Fi, cellular and downloads. Spotify has also added Smart Filters for better playlist building. Continue reading Spotify Delivers New Lossless Audio Tech for Premium Subs

Amazon Ads and Netflix have partnered to provide advertisers direct access to Netflix’s premium ad inventory via Amazon DSP. Beginning in Q4, marketers using Amazon DSP in the U.S., UK, France, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Italy, Germany and Australia, will be able to purchase programmatic ad inventory from Netflix using the e-retailer’s demand-side platform. In June, Amazon and Disney did a similar deal and Netflix partnered with Yahoo DSP. Netflix has expanded outreach to Madison Avenue through its own internal ad-tech platform, now in 12 markets, including South Korea in addition to those mentioned above. Continue reading Netflix Taps Amazon DSP for Programmatic Advertising Sales

Apple has partnered with live audio provider TuneIn in a deal aimed at expanding global access to Apple Music’s six commercial-free live radio stations. The agreement marks the first time Apple’s 24/7 radio stations are available outside of the company’s own ecosystem. The move aims to boost Apple Music’s market share, closing the gap with Spotify by tapping TuneIn’s 75 million monthly active users, connected through more than 200 device partnerships spanning smart speakers, headphones and more than 15 auto brands. MIDiA Research says Apple Music and Spotify had user parity in 2020, with Apple subsequently losing ground. Continue reading Apple Music Chases Spotify with TuneIn Streaming Radio Deal

Sling TV has carved a niche for itself as a flexible purveyor of affordable streaming options. Now it is launching the $20 per month Sling Select, anchored with preselected channels FOX News, National Geographic, GRIT, NFL Network, FX, FS1, MeTV, Game Show Network, Heroes & Icons, Lifetime Movie Network and Vice, as well as specific 4K content across FOX and FS1. In select markets, Sling Select will also make local broadcasters ABC, NBC and FOX available for an additional $5 per month for markets that offer one or two of the channels and $10 per month for markets with all three. Continue reading Sling TV Launches a $20 per Month Sling Select Skinny Plan

After 10 years of YouTube Music, global fans have created over 4 billion music playlists — including 1.8 billion public lists — and now the Google-owned platform is celebrating its decade landmark by adding new features to connect music fans. Coming soon are playlist comments that will appear directly on album and song lists “to keep the conversation going around the music you love.” Also new to the menu, “taste match” playlists, which update each day based on the listening habits of those who join. Additionally, YouTube has entered into an exclusive arrangement with Bandsintown to help promote live performances and much more. Continue reading YouTube Music Touts 10 Years with Live, Interactive Features

Atlanta-based local TV station group Gray Media is rolling out a hyper-personalized DTC service that will debut in January, utilizing end-to-end streaming solution technology from OTT solutions firm Quickplay Media via Google Cloud. “By harnessing real-time data and advanced machine learning, Gray will transform how content is delivered and consumed, establishing a new benchmark for the media and entertainment industry,” explains Gray, which owns affiliates of ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. The as-yet-unnamed product from the new partnership will understand viewer preferences in real time and adjust content sequence and ad loads based on consumer habits. Continue reading Gray Media Teams with Quickplay and Google Cloud on DTC

Netflix has issued partner guidelines outlining use of generative AI in content workflows. The guidelines emphasize circumstances in which the use of generative AI requires advanced written approval, such as altering a character or performance, any inclusion of generative AI in the final product or using AI in a way that materially impacts union work. Fabricated content that could be “mistaken for real events” is to be avoided. Use of AI for “ideation” is deemed generally acceptable if done within guidelines. Allowing models to train on input or output of material destined for Netflix is off-limits. Continue reading Netflix Publishes Partner Guidelines for GenAI Production Use

The ESPN mobile app has been revamped to coincide with today’s debut of the ESPN DTC streaming service, which offers the sports network’s 12 program outlets together for the first time. The ESPN app has added a vertical feed of video shorts accessible through a “Verts” tab and the homepage carousel. The Verts feed includes game highlights and analytics as well as user-generated content. A vertically delivered “SportsCenter” called “SC for You” delivers daily updates personalized for favorite teams, leagues and sports, available on the app, ESPN.com and some smart TVs. Continue reading ESPN Updates Mobile App with Vertical Video for DTC Launch

Yahoo Sports has teamed with C15 Studio to launch the Yahoo Sports Network, a FAST channel offering more than 60 hours per week of original reporting on gameplay from the NFL, NBA, MLB and more. Included are live series such as “The Ariel Helwani Show,” “Yahoo Sports Daily,” “Inside Coverage” and “Yahoo Fantasy Forecast,” mixed in with recorded programming including “The Kevin O’Connor Show,” “Football 301” and others. Initially available on LG Channels and Sling Freestream, Yahoo Sports Network plans availability on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Fire TV, Fubo, Plex, Prime Video and The Roku Channel in the weeks ahead. Continue reading Yahoo and C15 Launch FAST Channel: Yahoo Sports Network

Hisense Channels is a new FAST service launched by TV manufacturer Hisense and Xumo, the streaming joint venture between Charter Communications and Comcast. Boasting in excess of 200 premium channels from content providers including Scripps, Stingray and Radial Entertainment, Hisense Channels is debuting on Hisense smart TVs, where viewers can access it from the TV’s homepage screen — no need for a subscription or download. The move is an expansion of the existing partnership between Xumo and Hisense, which is interested in simplifying content discovery with built-in streaming access. Continue reading Xumo Powers Hisense Channels’ 200 FAST Content Offerings

Netflix says it has more than doubled overall Upfront ad sales commitments, with year-over-year growth across all categories including retail, CPG, telco, health and wellness, entertainment and tech. It marks a strong showing for the streaming company, which launched its ad-supported tier in November 2022. For the 2025-2026 season, Netflix has once again sold out its Christmas Day NFL double-header, including sponsorships with Accenture, FanDuel, Google and Verizon for in-game and broadcast inventory. Netflix also reports robust response to the final season of “Stranger Things” and returning series “Bridgerton” and “Emily in Paris.” Continue reading Latest Netflix Upfront Ad Commitments Double from Last Year

Live streaming service Sling continues to innovate in the price-performance category, adding a $5 Day Pass that consumers without full-feature (or even skinny) subscriptions will likely find convenient for sports and other special events. The company is offering a $10 Weekend Pass and $15 Week Pass to complement a regular monthly subscription price that starts at $46. “Just in time for football season … fresh, flexible ways to tune in,” Sling touts, proclaiming a “mission to challenge industry norms” with “fan-first streaming solutions at a time when consumers are demanding more control and less cost.” Continue reading Sling Shakes Up Television with Live Streaming Starting at $5

The Walt Disney Company and Fox Corporation are joining forces to market their sports streaming services. In addition to being sold separately, ESPN’s upcoming direct-to-consumer platform and FOX One will be offered as a $39.99 monthly bundle starting October 2. Both individual services debut August 21, with ESPN charging $29.99 per month and FOX One priced at $19.99 monthly. FOX One will include Fox’s NFL and MLB telecasts as well as FOX News, FOX Weather, FOX Business, FOX Broadcasting and more, while the ESPN DTC service will include access to ESPN’s linear networks, ESPN+ and ESPN on ABC. Continue reading ESPN DTC and FOX One Merging into Mega Package This Fall

AMC Networks increased streaming revenue by 12 percent to $169 million in Q2 despite an 18 percent dip in U.S. ad sales. The company — whose portfolio of streaming platforms includes AMC+, Sundance Now, Acorn TV, Shudder, HIDIVE and ALLBLK — added 200,000 new subs in the April through June period, ending the quarter with a total of 10.4 million, a 2 percent increase. AMC said it now calculates streaming subscribers on the basis of paid signups. Ongoing challenges in the U.S. cable and satellite TV markets that berth the bulk of its business continue to drag on the balance sheet. AMC’s cable and satellite brands include AMC, BBC America, IFC, IFC Films, SundanceTV and WE tv. Continue reading AMC Networks: Streaming Revenue Growth, Drop in Ad Sales