News Brief
Quick stories from the technology, journalism and media industries, updated daily.
Weigel’s MeTV to mark “I Love Lucy” anniversary with marathon
MeTV will mark the 75th anniversary of “I Love Lucy” with a five-hour marathon in early October, the company said this week.
Stingray’s TuneIn forges new distribution pact with Stellantis
The agreement will bring the TuneIn app into select future Stellantis vehicles.
FIRST ON THE DESK
Nexstar to produce Iowa U.S. Senate debate, aired across multiple stations
The broadcast will originate from WHO-TV in Des Moines and air on partner stations owned by Allen Media, Hubbard Broadcasting, Gray Media and others.
CBS partners with Hearst on new “Lucky Dog” series
The show follows Brandon McMillan as he pairs dogs with military families; it will air as part of the CBS WKDN educational/informational programming block.
Local Now renews deal for Warner Bros Discovery streams
The deal keeps free streaming channels like CNN Headlines, CNN Originals and WB At the Movies on the Allen Media-owned FAST platform.
FIRST ON THE DESK
DIRECTV launches FAST channel for “Military Makeover with Montel”
The launch expands DIRECTV’s work with programmers to turn content libraries into dedicated viewing destinations.
RTL to cut 500 jobs following Sky Deutschland merger
The job cuts are expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with contracts cancelled and vacant positions going unfilled.
Disney Plus rolls out curated playlists globally
Disney is rolling out a new feature that allows subscribers of its flagship streaming service Disney Plus to find shows and movies through curated playlists.
IBC pulls in 41,200 attendees, down from 2025
IBC saw lower attendance this year, a trend afflicting other broadcast-focused trade shows and conferences.
Pew: U.S. electorate grows more diverse ahead of 2026 midterms
Hispanic and Asian voters are driving much of the electorate’s recent growth heading into the 2026 election, according to Pew data.
DATA
Gray Media expands weekday lineup with new seasons, daily “The Good Side”
Gray Media has launched new seasons of “Investigate TV Plus” and “Aging Untold” while expanding “The Good Side” to a Monday-through-Friday schedule.
Gray Media brings 111 local TV news streams to Local Now
Local Now is expanding the amount of local television news content available on its platform through a new deal with broadcaster Gray Media.