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Netflix’s ad push grows to 250M viewers, with vertical video and podcasts expansion
12 days ago•Source: The Verge
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49.39 min•15 days ago
Texas sues Netflix over ads, data mining, and autoplay concerns
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit against Netflix, accusing the company’s ad-supported tier of breaching its ad-free/kid-friendly promises while turning Texans’ data over to ad-tech brokers in a claimed behavior-surveillance program; Paxton seeks to block data collection and disclosure and to disable autoplay on kids’ profiles. Netflix did not immediately comment.
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Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings steps down as chair after nearly 30 years
Reed Hastings will not stand for re-election to Netflix’s board and will step down as chairman when his current term expires at the June annual meeting, ending nearly 30 years with the company to focus on philanthropy and other pursuits. Netflix reported $12.25 billion in Q1 2026 revenue, up 16.2% year‑over‑year, driven by member growth, higher pricing, and ad revenue, while continuing to push into live content, podcasts, and games; it also paid a $2.8 billion breakup fee after walking away from an $83 billion Warner Bros. deal, raised prices to $19.99 for the cheapest ad‑free plan, and plans a mobile app revamp focused on vertical video.
Fox eyes five-game NFL package amid streaming bidders and antitrust probe
Fox is reportedly bidding for the NFL’s five-game media-rights package, joining YouTube and Netflix as the DOJ investigates whether streaming deals fall under the Sports Broadcasting Act antitrust exemption; the league has outlined five game windows (including the Australia International Series, Thanksgiving Eve, Black Friday, and a potential Christmas Eve slot), with Fox moving a high-profile window from streaming back to broadcast.
Three Must-Watch Netflix Picks From This Weekend’s Top 10
Tom’s Guide narrows Netflix’s current US top 10 into three must-watch picks for the weekend (Mar 28-29, 2026), highlighting a popcorn thriller War Machine, the kid-friendly The Bad Guys 2, and a third title starring Cillian Murphy described as a historical drama, to help you decide what to stream.”
Netflix hikes prices across its entire lineup
Netflix is raising prices on all subscription tiers in the US, with the ad-supported Standard plan going from $8 to $9, the ad-free plan from $18 to $20, and the Premium plan from $25 to $27. Adding another member now costs $8 on the ad-supported plan or $10 on the ad-free plan. The changes will roll out to current subscribers in the coming weeks, and existing members will be emailed about the price updates ahead of the switch.
One Piece returns as Netflix drops seven new titles for March 9–15
Netflix’s March 9–15 slate brings seven new titles, including One Piece Season 2, Virgin River Season 7, and Love Is Blind: The Reunion, plus Derrick Stroup: Nostalgic, Age of Attraction, Louis Theroux: Inside The Manosphere, and That Night. The standout options are the return of One Piece and Virgin River, with a live Love Is Blind reunion airing March 11. Other entries cover stand-up, reality dating, documentary, and a Spanish crime thriller, offering a diverse week of premieres for Netflix subscribers.
Drive to Survive expands to Apple TV as Netflix streams a live race
Netflix’s eighth season of Drive to Survive will stream on Apple TV in addition to Netflix, as Apple secures a five‑year US rights deal for Formula 1 races; the season debuts on both services, and Netflix will livestream the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix weekend for US subscribers.
YouTube Premium Lite adds background play and offline downloads
YouTube Premium Lite is gaining background playback and offline downloads, letting you play videos while using other apps and save content for offline viewing. The perks are rolling out at no extra charge with Lite, but ad-free viewing still requires the full YouTube Premium plan ($13.99/month); most videos are ad-free on Lite, though some content (music, Shorts, and browse/search results) may still show ads.
Apple TV+ rolls out a dense 2026 slate from Imperfect Women to Formula 1 live coverage
Apple TV+ unveiled a sprawling 2026 lineup, including Imperfect Women, Outcome, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, a Cape Fear adaptation, and shows like Lucky, The Dink, Mayday, and Way of the Warrior Kid, plus new seasons of Criminal Records and For All Mankind and a Formula 1 live-sports deal—a bid to broaden its audience that also raises questions about maintaining quality across many projects.
The rogue streaming-box boom rewrites how Americans watch TV
Rogue streaming devices like SuperBox and vSeeBox are surging in popularity as viewers push back against rising pay-TV and streaming costs, spawning a sprawling reseller economy that promises thousands of channels and on-demand content—often via pirated sources—while drawing lawsuits and security concerns; many users mix these boxes with legitimate services, signaling a tense, evolving landscape for TV consumption.
Ted Lasso Season 4 Arrives This Summer on Apple TV+
Apple TV+ will debut Ted Lasso season 4 this summer, picking up with Ted taking the reins at AFC Richmond’s new women’s team. The season brings back core cast members and adds newcomers, with Jack Burditt joining as executive producer under a new Apple TV deal as Apple pushes to expand its streaming lineup.