Podcast industry revenue over double previous estimates
As a global format, the podcast industry reportedly surpassed $7.3 billion USD in revenue last year. The sector is now twice as large as previous estimates initially suggested. Do you listen to podcasts regularly? It seems like many of us gravitate toward long-form audio content, as podcasting has now been...
Current in Media
Opinion – Do we really need another biopic?
From the Beatles to Anthony Bourdain, nobody is safe from the biopic treatment. It’s the symptom of a creative industry high on nostalgia and low on imagination. It was only a matter of time before Hollywood came for Anthony Bourdain. The man who made a career of evading easy...
Katy Perry says online criticism made her feel like ‘human piñata’
Singer Katy Perry has responded to the comments made against her for tour, music and space stunt with Blue Origin. She posted on Instagram that the experience has made her regard the internet as a ‘dumping ground for unhinged and unhealed people.’ Katy Perry has taken to Instagram to...
Ultra-processed foods could be linked to dying early
A new study across eight countries finds that those who eat lots of ultra-processed foods may be at a higher risk of dying earlier. Ultra-processed foods could be a major contributor to dying young, a new study has found. These include processed meats, fizzy drinks, ice creams and breakfast cereals,...
Doctor Who boss pushes back against ‘wokeness’ critiques
Russell T Davies, boss of the BBC’s show Doctor Who, has said that he has no time for complaints from ‘online warriors’ who say the show has gotten too ‘woke.’ The head of Doctor Who, a long-running sci-fi show on the BBC, has said that he has ‘no time’...
Use of disposable vapes reportedly falls ahead of ban
E-cigarettes, more commonly known as vapes, have reportedly seen a decline in popularity ahead of the UK-wide ban that comes into effect at the start of June. From then on, disposable versions will no longer be available. The use of disposable vapes has seen a sharp decline in the...
The White Lotus is breaking the Hollywood pay code
Mike White’s hit show pays every cast member the same amount, regardless of role or experience. You could argue that all jobs, all workplaces, are built on hierarchies. But perhaps no more so than Hollywood. There are few other contexts in which all employees work on the same projects regardless of experience. There’s the A-listers and the unknowns, the seven-figure-episode superstars and the struggling actors juggling three side gigs to...
UK calls for streaming services to share revenue into TV fund
MPs in the UK have called for platforms like Netflix to share some of their revenue to support high-end British TV. They warn that a lack of support could erode distinctly British content. A group of UK MPs have called for streaming services to contribute a share of their revenue to a fund that would support British high-end TV production. The recommendation comes as part of a new report by...
Understanding the body politic
As many people are becoming increasingly disillusioned by a tumultuous political arena and a lack of social mobility, many are turning towards the gym as a way to “cope” with capitalism and achieve objective “positive” results. In 1982, Jane Fonda’s at-home workout videos were released, becoming one of the most popular nontheatrical home videos in the world. As well as her choreographed fitness routines, Fonda also experienced success as an...
Opinion – The bashing of Meghan Markle has gone too far
The media loves a catfight, but its obsession with inserting them into Meghan Markle’s innocent home-making exposes deep-rooted biases. Ever since she entered the remit of the royals, Meghan Markle has been subject to relentless scrutiny. Never one to break a habit, the media has ensured that her latest venture, the Netflix series With Love, Meghan, has been met with undue criticism and even spawned a recent string of...