The UK government is reportedly considering a proposal to expand the existing BBC license fee so it also covers video streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ and YouTube, according to The Independent. Currently the £180 (~$239) annual fee applies to anyone watching live or on-demand TV content, but streaming via phones or computers can let viewers avoid it. An unnamed source said officials view this as an unfair loophole that lets people watch television-like content without paying.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-15
German police in Cologne opened an investigation after a robot, operated by a 16-year-old and a 19-year-old, touched a teenage girl's buttocks and made thrusting motions toward her overnight between Saturday and Sunday. The pair allegedly filmed and livestreamed the incident with commentary before police found the robot stashed in a car trunk and confiscated it along with their phones.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-15
Netflix is laying off about 1,000 employees, or 6% of its global workforce, according to Variety. Co-CEOs Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos told staff in an email that the cuts will mostly affect product, technology, legal and human resources teams. The reductions come a week ahead of the company's quarterly earnings report.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-15
Disney+ has launched its new series 'VisionQuest' with a two-episode premiere. The opening episodes introduce an ambitious narrative built around themes of family and humanity, alongside multiple other story threads.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-10-14
DirecTV rolled out a new Build Your Own Multiview feature this week, letting subscribers watch up to four sports channels simultaneously on one screen. The tool, built into the platform's interface, supports channels like ESPN, FS1, NFL Network, NBA TV, MLB Network and several conference networks, with users able to add or change channels at any time.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-14
Deezer announced a new on/off switch that will let users completely remove AI-generated tracks from their streaming experience, set to roll out by the end of 2026. CEO Alexis Lanternier said the feature responds to clear user demand to focus only on content made by human creators. Deezer says AI-generated tracks now make up more than 50 percent of uploads to its platform, up from 18 percent last year, with about 90,000 AI tracks uploaded daily.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-14
Deezer announced a new feature that will let users hide AI-generated tracks, albums, and related artists from search results, with a rollout expected before year's end. CEO Alexis Lanternier cited user demand and a company survey showing roughly 45% of customers wanted a way to exclude AI music from their listening experience.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-14
Netflix confirmed it is laying off close to 1,000 employees, about 6% of its 16,000-person staff, with most cuts concentrated in product, technology, legal and human resources. Co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters told staff in an internal memo, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, that the company must be disciplined about prioritizing people and resources, while maintaining it remains on track to meet its full-year financial forecast.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-14
Apple announced a new Apple TV 4K on Tuesday, cutting the cheaper 64GB Wi-Fi-only model and raising the price of the sole remaining 128GB Wi-Fi/Ethernet version to $300. The update adds a faster chip, Find My support for the remote, built-in far-field microphones for Siri, a dedicated AV1 decoder for higher-quality streaming, and the ability to pair HomePod 2 and HomePod Mini 2 speakers into a surround sound setup.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-14
Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters confirmed in an internal memo, obtained by Variety, that the company is cutting roughly six percent of its workforce — around 1,000 jobs — mostly in product, technology, human resources, and legal teams. This surpasses earlier rounds of 150 and 300 layoffs in 2022 and follows a report last week suggesting a smaller five percent cut.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-14
Discovery+ has increased its ad-free plan from $10 to $12 per month and its ad-supported tier from $6 to $7, effective immediately for new subscribers. Existing subscribers will see the new rates applied starting with bills issued on or after November 12, following a 30-day notice period.
news.slashdot.org
· 2026-10-14
Discovery+ has increased its monthly subscription prices, with the ad-free plan rising from $10 to $12 and the ad-supported tier from $6 to $7. New subscribers face the higher prices immediately, while existing customers will get 30 days' notice, with new billing starting November 12. The increase comes about a week after Paramount Skydance completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Discovery+'s parent company.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-10-13
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