Media & Entertainment

VUZ gets $12M for its immersive video experiences across emerging markets and the U.S.

Media & Entertainment /

VUZ, a startup known for offering immersive video experiences from red carpets and football stadiums, has raised $12 million as it doubles down on its presence in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as accelerates expansion into Africa, Asia, and the United States. The pre-Series C funding round, led by the International […]

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Spotify responds to creator backlash at public podcast play counts

Media & Entertainment /

Spotify announced last week that it would roll out public play counts on all podcasts as a way of “helping attract new fans.” But podcasters swiftly responded with criticism of the new feature — mainly, that it would further promote podcasts that already have large audiences while making smaller shows less appealing to new listeners.

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YouTube introduces an interactive product feed for shoppable TV ads

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YouTube made its pitch to advertisers on Wednesday, accompanied by a flashy performance from Lady Gaga and special appearances from popular YouTubers like Brittany Broski and MrBeast.  During its upfront presentation, YouTube executives introduced new ad formats coming to the platform, including an enhanced shoppable connected TV (CTV) offering that includes a new interactive product

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YouTube targets TV dollars with NFL deal, bingeable ‘shows’ from creators

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YouTube announced a range of initiatives designed to attract more TV ad dollars to its platform at Brandcast, its annual Upfront event for advertisers. Notably, the Google-owned video service is expanding its relationship with the NFL and plans to exclusively stream the NFL’s first Friday game of the 2025-2026 season. It’s also preparing to pilot

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YouTube viewers will start seeing ads after ‘peak’ moments in videos

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Imagine you’re watching a highly anticipated video from your favorite YouTube creator — perhaps the moment a famous couple finally gets engaged — when an ad pops up immediately after the clip. This is part of YouTube’s new ad format called “Peak Points.” The company revealed the new ad format during its Upfront presentation on

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SoundCloud backtracks on AI-related terms of use updates

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SoundCloud says it’s revising its terms after widespread backlash over a clause related to AI model training. Earlier this year, SoundCloud quietly updated its usage policies, adding wording that many users interpreted as legal cover to allow the company to train AI on audio uploaded to its platform. SoundCloud was quick to assert that it wasn’t

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Max to be renamed HBO Max. The name change nobody wanted

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Two years after Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) rebranded its streaming service to Max, the company is reverting to its old name. The company announced the good news at its Upfront presentation on Wednesday, with the name change becoming official this summer.  When Max launched in 2023, the revamped platform was positioned as a win for

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Max to be renamed HBO Max, fixing the name change nobody wanted

Media & Entertainment /

Two years after Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) rebranded its streaming service to Max, the company is reverting to its old name. On Wednesday, the company announced the good news at its Upfront presentation, with the name change becoming official this summer.  When Max launched in 2023, the revamped platform was positioned as a win for

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Apple Music introduces Sound Therapy, songs for focusing, relaxing and sleep

Media & Entertainment /

Apple Music is introducing a new “audio wellness” collection of songs called Sound Therapy. Designed in partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), the feature combines songs that subscribers already know with other sound waves that promote focusing, relaxing, or sleeping. Songs may include auditory beats or colored noise, sound waves where the intensity varies at

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