On Amazon's quarterly earnings call, Andy Jassy said Prime Video has become a standalone profitable business with annualized revenue in the tens of billions of dollars. Amazon MGM Studios grossed more than $1.2 billion at the global box office, and Thursday Night Football grew its audience by 16%.
According to Luminate, in the first half of 2026 about 60% of listens in the UK and US went to songs older than five years. 18 of the 20 best-selling songs of the year in the UK were released more than 12 months ago. Meanwhile, over 100,000 tracks are uploaded to streaming services daily, and Spotify removed 75 million “spam tracks.” The industry is looking for ways to support new artists. According to Luminate, in the first half of 2026 about 60% of plays in the UK and US went to songs older than five years. 18 of the 20 best-selling songs of the year in the UK were released more than 12 months ago. Meanwhile, more than 100,000 tracks are uploaded to streaming services daily, and Spotify removed 75 million 'spam tracks'. The industry is looking for ways to support new artists.
Spotify confirmed the rollout of QR-code verification for Family Plan subscribers during its third-quarter earnings call. Co-CEO Alex Norström rejected the word 'crackdown', calling the measure a routine improvement to existing verification tools. Subscribers have seven days to scan the code; if they miss the deadline, they will have to switch to an individual plan, and joining another Family or Duo plan will be blocked for 12 months.
Spotify reported a strong third quarter: 788 million monthly active users and revenue of about €5 billion (~$5.6 billion). On the investor call, co-CEO Gustav Söderström explained why the company sees the era of AI agents as favorable for itself: Spotify is integrated with Meta Muse, ChatGPT and Claude and wants to become the media service that agents turn to by default.
The profession of intimacy coordinator, previously unknown in Bollywood, is spreading after the #MeToo movement and the rise of streaming platforms. Specialists choreograph intimate scenes, use 'modesty tools' and ensure actors' consent, but there are only slightly more than a dozen of them in India so far, and no mandatory rules exist.
Spotify announced that over the past year it strengthened its defenses against AI spam: more than 50 million tracks were excluded from recommendations, and over 75 million spam tracks were removed from the platform. The company updated its recommendation system, introduced AI Credits and labels for AI artists.
Netflix reported better-than-expected earnings: EPS $0.87, revenue $12.87 billion (+12% y/y), net income $3.66 billion. The company acknowledged investor concerns about slowing viewing hours and revenue growth, announced layoffs of about 1,000 employees (6%) and a change of content chief: Bela Bajaria is being replaced by Peter Rice. Despite solid results, shares fell more than 5%.
JustWatch, known for its streaming guide with an audience of 50 million users, has launched JustWatch TV — a service with free and paid tiers and a movie rental store in 12 countries.
Spotify on Tuesday launched paid memberships for podcasters: creators will be able to offer bonus audio and video, fewer ads, and early access to episodes. The feature is available in 34 countries, including the US; creators keep 90% of revenue.
Deezer announced it is developing a toggle that will allow users to completely hide AI-generated music from search. The company links the decision to the growing share of AI tracks: from 10% of daily uploads a year ago to more than 50% in July. According to a survey, about 45% of listeners wanted to filter such content.
YouTube Music is launching a labeling system to indicate the role of AI in music creation: Fully Gen AI, Partly Gen AI, and No Gen AI. The labels will also appear in the main YouTube app. This is part of an industry trend — similar measures are being implemented by Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, and TIDAL.
Netflix announced layoffs of roughly 6% of its staff, about 1,000 people, mainly in product, technology, legal and HR. In a memo, co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters said the business is 'strong and growing' and the company remains on track for its annual forecast. This is the largest layoff since 2022; the quarterly report is expected on October 20.
Netflix is cutting about 1,000 jobs, roughly 6% of its workforce, in its largest layoffs since 2022. Co-CEOs Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos announced the cuts in an email to employees, citing the need for discipline in prioritizing people and resources. Most layoffs will affect product development, technology, legal, and HR divisions. Netflix had about 16,000 full-time employees at the end of 2025, and its market capitalization has fallen nearly 25% since the start of 2026.