Cristiano Ronaldo Becomes First to Reach 1B Social Media Followers Following YouTube Launch
Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has entered rarified air away from the pitch. After amassing nearly 61 million followers on his YouTube channel in less than a month, the Portuguese player has become the first person to claim over 1 billion fans across all of his social media platforms. In addition to his YouTube faithful, Ronaldo reaches 639 million followers on Instagram, 170.5 million followers on Facebook, and 113 million followers on X.
Tyler Perry, South Park Creators Among Highest-paid TV Showrunners of 2024
In a new feature from Forbes, South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker have been named the highest-paid TV showrunners of 2024 to the tune of $162 million in earnings. Media multi-hyphenate Tyler Perry comes in second with $136 million, making the most of owning his studio lot and a distribution deal with BET. The talent behind The Simpsons, Law & Order, and The Big Bang Theory round out the top five, all earning over $100 million in 2024 and proving the power of syndication in the streaming era.
Kid Cudi’s ‘Man On the Moon’ is First 2000s Hip-Hop Album with Multiple RIAA Diamond Singles
Kid Cudi‘s Man On the Moon: The End of Day is now the first hip-hop album from the 2000s to earn multiple RIAA Diamond certifications. Released in September of 2009, the debut studio album from Kid Cudi spawned three commercial singles with both “Day ‘n’ Nite” and “Pursuit of Happiness” receiving RIAA Diamond certification 15 years after its arrival.
United Airlines Taps Elon Musk’s SpaceX for Free Wi-Fi From Starlink
Starting in 2025, United Airlines will begin testing free Wi-Fi on flights with a little help from Elon Musk. The 98-year-old airline company from Chicago will begin testing SpaceX‘s Starlink on hundreds of its jetliners, beginning what CNBC calls “the biggest inflight internet deal yet for the satellite service provider.” Previously, SpaceX has worked with semi-private airline JSX.
Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav Estimates 6M Subscriber Boost in Q3
Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav is bullish on the growth of its Max streaming platform, estimating the company will add over 6 million subscribers in the third quarter. At Thursday’s Goldman Sachs Technology Conference, Zaslav spoke on the growing reach of Max since bundling it with Disney+ and Hulu, noting that availability in Europe and Latin America is also increasing subscription numbers.
MTV VMAs Return to Form with Biggest Audience in 4 Years
Wednesday night’s MTV Video Music Awards achieved its biggest audience in four years, claiming over 4 million viewers. Making the most of a live telecast across 13 Paramount-owned networks and two encore presentations, the annual event saw an audience uptick of 8% compared to 2023. Paramount suggests that much of the surge had to do with popularity on social media boosted by a record-breaking night from Taylor Swift.
Junior Bridgeman Reportedly Buying into the Milwaukee Bucks
NBA athlete-turned-businessman Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman is reportedly taking his talents and earnings back to his former place of work. According to sources close to CNBC, Bridgeman is close to buying a 10% stake in the Milwaukee Bucks, the franchise he played for from 1975 to 1984. The transaction is said to bring the Bucks’ valuation to $4 billion. Bridgeman has become a wildly successful businessman following the end of his playing career through a diverse portfolio that includes a fast food empire and legacy publications Ebony and Jet.
Chanel & L’Oreal Heir Invest in Olsen Twins’ Luxury Label at $1B Valuation
Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen have just scored buy-in from family members tied to Chanel and L’Oreal. L’Oreal’s billionaire heiress and the family behind Chanel have each invested in the Olsen Twins’ luxury label, The Row, taking the American fashion label to a valuation of $1 billion, Bloomberg reports. The Olsen sisters started The Row in 2006, offering luxury apparel and accessories.
MLB Inks First-ever Helmet Branding Deal for Playoffs
For the first time, the MLB Playoffs will feature advertising on team helmets. According to ESPN, German apparel company Strauss has inked a four-year deal with Major League Baseball to feature their name and logo across helmets for postseason play, starting this season. Additionally, Strauss advertisements will appear on the helmets of 120 minor league teams from 2025 to 2027.
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