SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " run " 8,945 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Amazon Discounts New Mac Mini by Up to $149, Mac Studio by $200
Amazon has Apple's brand new Mac mini for up to $149 off this weekend, with deals focused on the M6 Mac mini this time around. You'll also find $200 off the M5 Max Mac Studio below. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. One of the best deals is on the M5 Max Mac Studio with 36GB RAM and a 512GB SSD, on sale for $2,299.00, down from $2,499.00.
Streaming’s Biggest Show Returns…and a Buzzy Genre Struggles
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Obviously, the big news of the week (if not month) is Netflix letting go of executive Bela Bajaria, their chief content officer. I’m going to cover this in my next “Most Important Story of the Week”, but I also have a data angle that I might publish before then. (Too much news this month, am I right?) But first, I have a bonus Streaming Ratings Report issue for you. Today’s article is a bit of a grab bag of topics I’ve wanted to write about, but couldn’t squeeze into the (already very long) Streaming Ratings Report issues. The NFL drives huge viewership numbers, so I’ve got a look at that. A whole bunch of TV shows returned to the traditional broadcast channels, and I have thoughts. And I have a quick look at adult animated shows, since a couple flopped earlier this month. Plus, the Emmys aired earlier this month, and we got some fun data bout how popular those nominated shows are and why I’m not optimistic about the show’s future. That’s a lot, so let’s dive right in. Subscribe Sports - Football Remains the King of Streaming Over the last two Streaming Ratings Reports, I sorta ignored the biggest “show” each week. (I was tempted to say “piece of content” but I know that word bugs folks.) In my database, I call these “specials”, and they sure are special. I speak of the king of American TV: football!!! Streaming football is back and, unlike some other sports, it routinely dominates all viewership. Probably the best way to show this is to update one of my favorite graphics, the “40 Million Hour Club”1 since football games have joined that club each week they’ve premiered: (Yep, that’s the data through 28-Sep, the first four weeks of the season. As a reminder, I take the average minute audience provided by Nielsen, factor out a percentage of linear TV viewers in home markets, and multiply the run time by the three-hour runtime.) Again, the numbers are huge. Let’s start with Netflix. They grabbed the rights to the bonus opening week NFL Kickoff game (which was on YouTube last year) and it put up 18.5 million viewers on average. That nets out to 47.4 million hours of estimated streaming hours. That’s good! Though, notably, it’s well below Christmas Day games from previous years. Compared to other streamers/broadcasters, that’s a bit of a mixed result. On one hand, Netflix’s 18.5 million average is about what YouTube claimed last year, though Nielsen used a bespoke methodology at that time, so I trust this viewership figure more. So that’s good. (The game also shifted from a Friday to a Thursday and that could have helped the viewership as well.) And Netflix continues to best Prime Video in total viewership—as you’ll see next—though Netflix has had much higher-profile (opening week and Christmas Day) games. NBC/Peacock’s opening game the night before averaged 25.1 million average viewers, which is just much bigger than Netflix (or Prime Video). That’s the big caveat to all streaming viewership records: even in success, they can’t compete with traditional linear TV. Previously, I called this my “hierarchy of viewership”, and the data keeps supporting that thesis. The downside for NBC is that this game’s viewership was down compared to previous years, though it may be a counting issue. Here’s a great chart from Sports Media Watch: Indeed, looking at all the opening week games across all windows, Netflix still lags the other primetime windows, but does well compared to the afternoon games: I saw a few folks make the case that streamers still lag traditional broadcasters in reach, and I’d add they really lag compared to “broadcast plus streaming” options like NBC/Peacock, ESPN/Disney+ and CBS/Paramount+. The best data I saw for this came from Samba TV, who charted reach through the 2025 season, and, wow. (Samba TV’s numbers are historically lower than Nielsen’s, so don’t compare their household figures to Nielsen’s hours, but use them as a proxy for the relative reach of the streamers.) The good news is Prime Video is NOT having a down year. Their opening Thursday Night Football game reached 18.6 million viewers (about what Netflix got), but that’s a high for Prime Video on Thursdays and the biggest Thursday night game since 2015. The TNF games the weeks of 21-Sep and 28-Sep continued this streak, getting 43.1 (16.8 million average viewers) and 42.5 total hours (16.6 million average viewers), which were both up from last year. Still, that continues the (typical) season slide: (For those new-to-streaming-football-numbers folks, the viewership declines for Thursday Night Football as the year goes along.) Overall, it appears as if Prime Video is now part of the “football habit”, be it for customers at home or out at places like bars and restaurants. And its viewership is slowly catching up to broadcast. One last chart shows this. Last season, Nielsen started adding out-of-home viewership to the charts, so I try not to do season-to-season comparisons as I did for the first few years. And while Nielsen added Big Data viewing this year, I’m going to compare the last two seasons. Here’s that chart, which shows the season-over-season gains: When it comes to streaming football, we have to keep a few seemingly contradictory thoughts in our head… First, streaming doesn’t come close to matching broadcast’s reach and, thus, viewership. Second, even with that gap, football is still the biggest “thing” on streaming. It’s very, very popular. Third, while some methodology changes have likely helped Prime Video’s numbers, their viewership does appear to be growing. Lastly, yeah, the NFL started the season off poorly, with week one dragging down the numbers in year-over-year comparisons. However—and again, methodology changes may have helped this—the viewership grew compared to previous seasons over the next couple of weeks. So football is still king. On streaming and off. Television - Adult Animation Continues to NOT Make the Streaming Charts In the last two reports, two adult-animated shows whiffed: Netflix’s animated comedy, Dang! Paramount+’s Sega-video-game-inspired fantasy/comedy, Golden Axe. Neither made the charts, but that’s usually the case for animated shows. I mean, here’s literally every animated show that’s made the Nielsen Original charts since the start of 2025: And one of those shows is G_abby’s Dollhouse_! A kids show! The problem with charts like this is that they don’t give you a sense of how many shows miss the charts. Netflix had at least eleven animated flops, including comedies like Big Mouth (a show everyone assumed was popular in the pre-Streaming Ratings Era), Long Story Short, Haunted Hotel, Mating Season, Strip Law, and Alley Cats, and action shows like Blood of Zeus, Castlevania: Nocturne, Devil May Cry, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. Prime Video had at least six animated misses, two in the same universe (Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss), three more comedies (#1 Happy Family USA, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy and Kevin) and an action show (The Mighty Nein). Disney+ had MCU and Star Wars animated misses (Eyes of Wakanda, Marvel Zombies, Star Wars: Visions, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, and Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld) but I can’t tell how many of those shows were geared towards adults. HBO Max had Harley Quinn and Hulu had Solar Opposites. None of these shows made the charts! That’s a lot of misses! If I remade the chart with all those misses, here’s how it would look: Listen, I know the counter arguments. First, it’s cheaper to produce animated shows than live action. Fair enough, but with viewership this low, even that cheaper price point starts to not matter. Second, just look at the acquired charts. Hit animated comedies can generate viewership for years! Shows like The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers do really, really well. Fair enough, but streaming has failed to recreate the dynamic that Fox has mastered so well. That’s a problem for streaming still. Television - Emmys! The annual Emmys broadcast was a few weeks ago, and I’ve got data on how the nominees performed on streaming, plus hot takes on this year’s viewership (and the big news about the broadcast’s, er, streamcast’s future). We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… The top Emmy-nominated shows… ...why I’m worried about the future of the Emmys telecast... ...the pros of broadcast television ...and the cons... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue (since the weeks of 21-Sep and 28-Sep were so light), but then I’ll be all caught up after a deluge of streaming ratings data from Nielsen in September. In the meantime, I’m going to try to take a look at Netflix’s stats to explain why Bela Bajaria is out. But even light weeks give me plenty to talk about. The Great British Baking Show returns to Netflix and Apple TV has a buzzy new star-studded comedy. And Netflix has a controversial-but-appears-to-be-popular new game show. Plus big films like Toy Story 5, Backrooms and The Breadwinner head to streaming. And is East of Eden a hit? After that, The Kardashians return to Hulu, Prime Video has a reboot of Carrie, and Netflix has a horror show, Below. Disclosure Day heads to Peacock, The Housemaid heads to HBO Max_,_ a new Ben Affleck film, Animals, lands on Netflix, and Apple TV has a new John Cena action film based on, checks notes, Hasbro’s Matchbox toys. Okay. Longterm, some interesting TV production news. HBO Max ordered How to Survive Without Me, starring Kaley Cuoco, Joshua Jackson, Ray Romano and Rita Wilson, for fifteen episodes! I love that some streamers (or, at least, HBO Max) are finally ordering TV shows with more than eight episodes. In less wise production news, Landman does not appear to be coming back this year, since it just started production. Frankly, I don’t love this (get your shows out on time) but Landman is so popular, I doubt it matters.
Learn Why The Bull Case For Madison Square Garden Entertainment Stock Could Change Following Revenue Jump
Madison Square Garden Entertainment reported revenue of US$1.1b, up 13% year on year, supported by the New York Knicks’ NBA Championship run and record sales for its Christmas Spectacular. The 30 day Harry Styles residency now under way at the Garden underscores how concentrated, high profile bookings can deepen event utilization across an already busy venue portfolio. We will look at how Madison Square Garden Entertainment’s investment narrative is affected by this 13% revenue jump and...
New Tools Let Users Edit and Load Modified VBIOS on GeForce RTX GPUs Without Flashing
A developer who goes by Panchovix has released three tools that let NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50, RTX 40, and RTX 30-series owners run a modified VBIOS without writing anything to the card's flash chip. The first is a VBIOS editor for Windows and Linux that can change power limits, voltage ceilings,...
Laurel House opens doors for independent business owners
COLUMBIANA - A business that lets beauty professionals run their own company, without the stress of owning a building, is now open in Columbiana.
The Elizabeth Holmes documentary is crushing it at the box office. See how much it's made so far.
Nathan Fielders nearly three-hour documentary about disgraced entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes is running up numbers at the box office
Jamel Dean Gets Nod as Steelers Captain vs. Former Team
TAMPA, Fla. — Ahead of Sunday’s road matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, cornerback Jamel Dean and running back Travis […]
Johnny Garcia pitches bipartisan approach in congressional bid
The former Bexar County sheriff’s deputy hopes to win Texas’ 35th Congressional District with a message of service over party affiliation.
PS6 Memory Components Alone Could Cost More Than $700
The speculated price tags on the next generation of consoles already has fans sweating as the AI-driven crunch shows no end in sight
After Oliver’s OUI arrest, Minogue asks him to suspend campaign
Shawn Oliver, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, was arrested on a charge of operating under the influence late Saturday night, authorities said, leading his running mate Mike Minogue to
Here’s Brunch, a pop-up, weekend email about the 2026 Election Cycle
Your Sunday buffet of Florida politics, food, culture & more.
Vance faces tough questions on Iran war, immigration and more in CBS town hall
The string of sharp queries, some from voters who said they had supported him and President Donald Trump, previewed the rocky path Vance may face trying to answer for the administration’s record if he runs for president himself in 2028.
Regional Science Consortium Researching Harmful Algal Blooms
If you've noticed large buoys or boats out on the bayfront and wondered what they were, you're not alone. The Regional Science Consortium is collaborating with Princeton Hydro on a research project funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study ways to control harmful algal blooms. Dr. Jeanette Schnars, the Executive Director of the Regional Science Consortium, explained the goal of the research."We are researching different ways to control blue-green algae, which creates harmful algal blooms and releases toxins," Dr. Schnars said.The project aims to identify potential techniques for controlling harmful algal blooms in Presque Isle Bay.Schnars explained that people may notice circular floats in the water near Perry's Landing and Liberty Park. Those floats are part of the testing process."You might see a circular float, almost like a hula hoop, that is out in the bay, near Perry's Landing and Liberty Park area, and those limn corrals go all the way to the bottom. And what we will do are some treatments within the limn corral in the bottom," Schnars said.After samples are collected, they are brought back to the laboratory at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center for analysis."A lot of those samples are coming back here. We are going to test them for the harmful algal bloom toxins before, during, and after, and see how effective the testing was," Schnars said.Sarah Magyan, an aquatic biologist with the Regional Science Consortium, explained that the team also collects samples from locations throughout the region."We pull samples every week from 30 different sites, and then we bring those back here, we preserve them and run them through the ELISA test," Magyan said.Schnars said researchers hope the results will help them develop effective ways to reduce harmful algal blooms in the future."If we can do some treatments over space and time in upcoming seasons, we may be able to reduce the number of harmful algal blooms we have in this area," Schnars said.The research is also important for public and animal safety. Magyan explained that toxins produced by certain algae can affect the skin, nervous system or liver.While toxin levels may be low for people, she emphasized the importance of protecting pets that swim in local waterways."Toxins can either be skin toxins, nerve toxins, or liver toxins. While we have low levels for people, it is important that we are keeping our pets safe because we recreate with our animals in the water, and we see hundreds and hundreds of dogs on Presque Isle and the rest of the shoreline," Magyan said.Testing began in September, and Schnars said researchers expect to conduct at least another six to eight weeks of testing to better understand the effectiveness of the treatments.
What happened to Home Run Dugout plans for San Antonio?
A new baseball entertainment venue was announced for The Rim in 2024, but the $17 million San Antonio project still hasn't taken shape. Here’s what we found at the site.
Latino voters helped put Trump back in the White House. What's their next move?
The path to a House majority on Capitol Hill runs through heavily Latino districts in states such as Arizona, Colorado and Texas.
Latino voters helped put Trump back in the White House. What's their next move?
The path to a House majority on Capitol Hill runs through heavily Latino districts in states such as Arizona, Colorado and Texas.
Qian Jiang, former Johns Hopkins’ eye institute expert, joins Chinese hospital
Chinese specialist leaves US for Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital to research eye transplants and work on virtual cells to test drug responses.
Will Tennessee Titans' Tyjae Spears play in Week 6?
Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears is questionable for Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts with a knee injury.
Brunswick County fair returns with rides and fun
The Brunswick County Agricultural Fair and Expo is coming back with amusement rides, livestock and live shows.
MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings (TSE:8725) Highlights Its US Business, Is The Upside Already Priced In?
MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings (TSE:8725) put its U.S. operations in the spotlight at its recent Investor Relations Day, giving shareholders fresh detail on how that overseas unit fits into the wider insurance group. The recent Investor Relations Day lands after a strong run in the share price, with a 1-day share price return of 2.49%, a 7-day share price return of 5.05% and a 90-day share price return of 14.70% that points to building momentum. A 1-year total shareholder return of 63.73% and...
Don’t Worry… Sunderland Are Gonna Be Alright
Four points from six games, and with a tough run of fixtures coming - should Sunderland fans be worried, or do the underlying numbers suggest better times are just around the corner?
Opinion - John Schickel: Public service, not politics — why I’m running for Boone County Commissioner
Editor’s Note: The NKyTribune is offering one free op-ed postings from NKY candidates in major races in which there is opposition for the November 3 General Election. All candidates may send op-ed’s…
Intel Inference Microservices: Xeon for Local AI
Intel Inference Microservices run language models on Xeon servers and automatically select suitable, pre-tested hardware profiles.
Guardant Health (GH) Stock Looks Below Fair Value On A Huge Run
Guardant Health has turned into a dramatic long term story for shareholders, yet the real question now is whether the current US$158.60 price can be supported by the cash flows its business is expected to produce. With the stock sharply higher over several years and new clinical and regulatory developments landing, the focus has shifted to what the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) view of its intrinsic value suggests about that price. Over the past 3 years the share price has risen by very large...
Is International Business Machines (IBM) A Bargain Or Fully Priced?
International Business Machines has delivered a strong multi year share price run. With the stock recently at US$232.14 and cash flows in focus, the live question is whether that price still lines up with what the business can earn and return over time. Over the past 5 years the share price has gained 130.1%, which puts a lot of weight on the idea that IBM’s future cash flows can justify a much higher valuation than in the past. Fresh commitments in areas such as quantum computing and...
Play science games, win science prizes
The 2026 winners for the Nobel Prize in the sciences, explained
PS6 RAM and Storage Alone Reportedly Cost Sony Over $680, Claims Leaker
The memory crunch looks like it is hitting the PlayStation 6 harder than expected. Hardware leaker KeplerL2 claims on NeoGAF that the RAM and NAND flash storage in Sony's next console alone cost over $680. He posted it as a reply to a forum member who floated $680 as a possible subsidized retail...
Health workers run out of patience with Stormont budget delay
The practical impact of Northern Ireland's budget delay seemed relatively muted until earlier this week when hospital doctors announced two strikes.
Northern Ireland health workers run out of patience with Stormont budget delay
The practical impact of Northern Ireland's budget delay seemed relatively muted until earlier this week when hospital doctors announced two strikes.
Facing Realities: Christian Nationalism, From Local Messages to Political Action - by Jessica Mitchell
Part 3.d -- Faith can guide someone’s vote, their decision to run for office, or their objections to a school board’s action. The question becomes more
Recap: Glocester Council Expands Planner's Hours for Health Grant, Continues Senior Tax Hearing
The Glocester Town Council made the town planner full-time to run a rural health grant and continued its senior tax exemption hearing to Nov. 5.
NFL predictions: can Ravens run over injured Browns’ D-line?
On Sunday against the Browns, the Ravens will be looking to execute a similar formula to last week’s win in Atlanta.
Scaler Wave (@scalerwave)
How’s that “science” workin’ out for ya? -“Outside of running, Yoo was a graduate student at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, known as KAIST, where she researched AI semiconductors. She shared her training and race results online and built an audience of thousands who admired how she balanced demanding research with serious endurance running. In March, she completed the full Seoul Marathon in 2 hours, 56 minutes and 32 seconds, finishing under the three-hour mark. No cause of death has been made public.” Odd….
Twenty Hours a Week at an Amazon Warehouse for Health Insurance at 60? Here Is the Math a Retired Paralegal Will Run
A 60-year-old paralegal with $350,000 saved and five years until Medicare faces a decision that could quietly reshape her entire retirement, and the answer turns on a warehouse job that pays less than half what she used to earn.
Susan Collins Says Rival’s ‘Oh, Shut Up’ Comment Reflects How He Treats Women
Ms. Collins, a Republican running in a crucial race, called the debate remark by her opponent, Troy Jackson, “very telling.” Mr. Jackson has defended his comment, and his campaign said Ms. Collins had run a campaign based on personal attacks.
Is There an Entrepreneurial Case for a Minneapolis Bathhouse?
Or will the taps of Minneapolis bathhouses run with nothing but red ink? “If it was a sure thing, there’d be one in St. Paul today.”
Los Angeles Clippers revive ClipperVision for 2026-27 season
Well, there’s at least one good thing about the 2026-2027 NBA season involving the Los Angeles Clippers: ClipperVision is back. The Clippers have had a unique stretch over the last year. Between Chris Paul’s aborted retirement run, an epic collapse to end the season, a quick playoff exit, the cloud of Pablo Torre’s Pulitzer-winning report…
Susan Dell is the one running the Dells’ $10 billion giving operation—and her biggest bets are on kids, health care, and UT Austin
Michael Dell may be one of the richest men in the world, but his wife Susan is helping decide where billions of their fortune go.
Today's 5️⃣ top stories: Tebas-Florentino war, Bellingham until 2031
Saturday, October 17 is here, bringing a day packed with football and news. So let's run through the five stories you can't miss to start your day...The Tebas–Florentino Pérez feud is heating up���...
Three Cardinals Named Gold Glove Award Finalists
Once again, the St. Louis Cardinals were one of baseball’s better defensive teams. St. Louis tied with Toronto for second in fielding run value (46), finished third in outs above average (38), and fifth in Fangraphs’ defensive value metric (22.0). Although the Cardinals had several above-average defenders, a few standouts in the field did much …
East Las Vegas businesses on edge after deadly shooting, 3 suspects sought
A deadly robbery at an east Las Vegas business is now a homicide investigation and the three people police say were involved are still on the run.
Nicolas Cage and Antonio Banderas will officially headline “True Detective” season 5
Production will begin in 2027 with Issa López back as showrunner.
Airline High School students run their own store to build real-world business skills
Airline High School students are getting a hands-on lesson in business through the Viking Exchange, a student-run store designed to help prepare them for the workforce and life after graduation.
Anime Gambling Horror Game Ditches Free Steam Demo Over Fears Of Getting Ripped Off By AI
Drunken Goddess Reflux will have a closed beta instead
Mayor Johnson’s campaign cash dips below $380,000, while frontrunner Giannoulias has $19 million on hand
The freshman incumbent has just $379,471 in the bank — yet another indication of his struggle to raise money for the uphill reelection bid he announced last month.
Here's who Netflix just brought in to run content — and what it means for the streamer
Peter Rice brings a wealth of experience in TV and film, including scripted and unscripted shows, live sports, prestige television and theatrical distribution.
Ole Miss vs Missouri: A CFB27 Simulation
Heading into this digital match up, Ole Miss is 5-0 and #2 in the country while Missouri is unranked with a 4-2 roster. They also obviously have Ahmad Hardy as the starting running back, but Roberts has been so good, we can accept the performance by Hardy as a reasonable result regardless. Let’s see how […]
We have reached a new threshold in genAI gloom, with a game dev cancelling a demo for fear of copycats ripping them off before release
The creators of Drunken Goddess Reflux have cancelled a demo for fear of genAI copycats making a clone before they release the game.
Sell Rating Could Be A Turning Point For Sphere Entertainment Stock (SPHR)
Argus recently cut its view on Sphere Entertainment to a SELL rating, citing weaker scores on management quality, growth potential, and valuation, while assigning only medium marks to financial strength and the industry backdrop. The downgrade highlights a key tension in Sphere Entertainment’s story: an experience-heavy, capital-intensive model that faces questions about execution discipline and long-run profitability. This raises the question of how Sphere Entertainment's investment...
Local health insurance broker highlights changes coming to Medicare, healthcare policies in 2027
As over a million Coloradans review their healthcare plans for Medicare’s open enrollment period — running from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 — a local health insurance broker is preparing
Veteran Players Manage To Kill New RuneScape In Just Two Weeks
RuneScape Reignited was set to launch in early December
Double trouble: Sister duo powers nationally ranked flag football team's 15-0 run
Together, the sisters have produced more than 1,800 yards of offense during the Titans' undefeated season.
Can AI solve our mental health access problem?
Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.
Apple Pre-Orders Kick Off With First Discounts on HomeView and Apple TV 4K
Pre-orders are now live on Apple's newest devices, including the HomeView and Apple TV 4K, and Amazon has the first-ever discounts on these devices. We're also tracking great deals on MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and Apple Watch SE 3 in this week's best Apple deals. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Google revealed as company considering Roanoke County site
Google is considering Roanoke County’s Wood Haven Technology Park for a data center, with a due diligence period running through March 2027.
Weekly Rundown: JAMA Network to add AI journal in 2027; UMass Memorial Health partners with Microsoft, Accenture
Stay up to date on the latest in health tech, digital health and health AI news with this weekly brief. Read below for news from the week of Oct. 12 to 16. | The latest news from UMass Memorial Health, Elation Health, HealthTap, JAMA and more.
First Apple TV 4K Pre-Order Discount Arrives at Amazon
Following in the footsteps of a small pre-order discount on the HomeView, Amazon is now offering the first cash discount on the brand new A19 Apple TV 4K. You can get this model for $289.99, down from $299.00. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
I've lived with Microsoft's $6,000 Surface Laptop Ultra, and it's so close to being the best MacBook Pro alternative you can buy
Microsoft's top of the line Windows 11 PC is finally here, and it's giving the MacBook Pro a real good run for its money.
A Chicago billionaire is now a chief foe to both Mayor Johnson and CTU. Just who is Michael Sacks?
For years, Sacks has been a behind-the-scenes fixture in Chicago politics. Now he’s putting his money behind frontrunner mayoral candidate Alexi Giannoulias, as well as anti-Chicago Teachers Union school board candidates in the Nov. 3 election.
Feed Energy CEO Joe Riley takes reins of family business
From a young age, Joe Riley knew he wanted to own and run a business. His dad, Bob Riley, paved a path for that with a family business, leading to the father-son duo working together. “I’ve always thought that entrepreneurship and running a business was a very important part of society. Without businesses, the economy…
Can this Democrat crack the code for universal healthcare?
Amanda Janoo is running for governor of Vermont. Her health reform proposal has a twist.
Can this Democrat crack the code for universal healthcare?
Amanda Janoo is running for governor of Vermont. Her health reform proposal has a twist.
Q&A with candidates for Leesburg Town Council and mayor
In Leesburg, the county’s largest town with a population of nearly 50,000, incumbent Mayor Kelly Burk, a resident of Crestwood Hamlet, is running unopposed for a sixth term.
Jagex cancels RuneScape Reignited less than two weeks after it was announced, due to "a ton" of player feedback
A new and visually improved version of RuneScape has been scrapped shortly after its reveal, following fears it would split the playerbase.
I quit a leadership role at Google to be a sustainability consultant
Bruno Bianchini transitioned from a 13-year career at Google to focus on sustainability and reforestation in Cambodia.
Gov. Josh Shapiro launches a federal PAC — the strongest signal yet he’s eyeing a 2028 run
Shapiro’s New Path PAC will allow him to fundraise and contribute directly to the Pennsylvania Democratic congressional candidates whom he’s supporting in the midterms, his campaign said.
$50M family-run SWFL boat business sails into next generation
The Frickes keep on going, now in the second generation of family ownership with Fish Tale Boats.
Should California taxpayers chip in to fund political campaigns? Prop 4 lets you decide
Proposition 4 would lift a ban that prohibits state and most local candidates from using public funding for their political campaigns. Proponents argue the mechanism helps more candidates run for office, but opponents are skeptical.
Lucie Arnaz marks “I Love Lucy” 75th anniversary with heartfelt tribute to parents Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz
The classic sitcom about Ricky and Lucy Ricardo continues to air in reruns.
Controversy over Musk military system in Ukraine pitches relations with US into deeper crisis
The worst crisis in US-Ukraine relations since last year’s Oval Office meltdown is deteriorating further over a dispute about who ordered a disruption to a critical Ukrainian military system running on Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service.
Controversy over Musk military system in Ukraine pitches relations with US into deeper crisis
The worst crisis in US-Ukraine relations since last year’s Oval Office meltdown is deteriorating further over a dispute about who ordered a disruption to a critical Ukrainian military system running on Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service.
Meet the 19-year-old ASU student running for Maricopa County office
At a time when many young people have become disillusioned with politics, Matta is hoping his candidacy inspires them to get involved.
Watchdog Questions Zeldin’s Tour With Embattled GOP Candidates
The EPA administrator is visiting battleground districts and states in the runup to the midterm elections. Are the trips for policy or politics?
Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty Comments on Health Before Bills Matchup
Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty provided an update on how he's feeling amid uncertainty over his availability for the Bills matchup. The post Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty Comments on Health Before Bills Matchup appeared first on HEAVY.
Prichard finance committee meeting raise questions about employee health insurance and potential pay increases
Prichard finance committee meets as city budget runs more than two weeks overdue
How Perelel Built a $100 Million Business by Refusing to Stay in a Niche
Starting with prenatals and expanding into protein powders, women's health brand Perelel hit a $100M run rate. Discover the growth strategy behind it.
Mixed reception in Trenton for union-backed bill to revamp school health benefits
Teachers union officials have a plan to help fix the state-run health benefits plan for school workers. Critics say it needs more work.
RuneScape Reignited Cancelled Less Than Two Weeks After Being Announced
Creative director Mod Ryan announced that RuneScape Reignited, a new game mode designed for both old and seasoned players to start fresh, has been canceled less than two weeks after it was first announced.
Tom Haberstroh joins NBC Sports Philadelphia as 76ers sideline reporter
Tom Haberstroh is back covering LeBron James. Fifteen years ago, Haberstroh was one of a trio of ESPN reporters who decamped in Miami to run the Heat Index for the Worldwide Leader, a constantly running live feed of news and content around the “Big Three” era of the Miami Heat. Haberstroh chronicled LeBron James, Dwyane…
Independent candidate for governor accuses Sen. Marsha Blackburn of favoring political self-interest over the people
Independent candidate for governor Lauren Pinkston made claims against frontrunner Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee. Pinkston claims that Blackburn’s office is more worried about political gain that the people.
Amazon devices chief Panos Panay sees a future where AI devices replace the need to use apps
Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt, Amazon devices chief Panos Panay described a future where ambient AI devices work in the background, anticipating users' needs instead of waiting for commands.
IP Saves the Day On Streaming
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get started, I wanted to highlight a new idea I saw from Real Good AI, proposing a ratings system for AI use. (H/T to Anthony Kaufman’s article highlighting this.) It would look something like this: In general, I think that this is a solid, middle-ground solution that should appease both the pro-AI camp (who love AI) and the anti-AI camp (who wants to know if what they’re watching didn’t come from humans). Regardless of your feelings on AI/LLMs—I’ll never use it for my writing—transparency is often the best solution to many problems. In general, I think way more media outlets need to be using way more AI disclosures. My quick “Yes and...” to this idea: what about ads? In particular, I hate it when I see or hear ads that are obviously AI-generated, but a person or voice says, “I used this product”. AI doesn’t use products! Just today, I watched a YouTube ad where a “person” said they use some sort of rain wind chime...but that’s not a real person! They didn’t use this product. (Especially since the video of the wind chime itself also appeared to be AI-generated...) I believe most traditional advertising already has standards like this anyway.1 Okay, on to this week’s issue. We’re covering the week of 14-Sep, and then next issue, I’ll be fully caught up with Nielsen’s new release schedule. In the future, I plan to put out Streaming Ratings Reports each Monday after Nielsen’s Thursday releases. Overall, we had some big new shows this week, like Prime Video’s Reacher spinoff_, Neagley_, which is off to a big, big start, and Netflix’s latest in its Monster anthology, which is their largest opening since June and the second-largest since One Piece came out in March. All that, plus Slow Horses returns, the trio of returning shows (Lioness, Reacher and Ted Lasso) continue to dominate the top tens, Paramount+’s latest crime drama, a big whiff for a Netflix original film and a precipitous drop for Netflix film charts, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of September 14th to September 20th 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Television - IP For the TV Win Can I use the dirty word of entertainment journalism right now? IP. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone I said it. But IP works at the box office, and we’ve seen some evidence it works in TV too. Not as well, and not all the time—no absolutes here!—but often enough. And glancing at the Nielsen top ten…it worked this week! Take Prime Video, who has a monster hit in the crime drama Reacher. Would a spinoff work for that show? Yep! They binge-released Neagley, about a detective from the original Reacher series, and its eight episodes debuted to 29.6 million hours. Here’s how it stacks up to Reacher, one of Prime Video’s biggest shows: That’s great. Nearly as strong as Reacher’s opening! (Both shows started with eight, binge-released episodes, so this comparison is apples-to-apples.) Notably, Prime Video scheduled the debut of Neagley to overlap with Reacher’s most recent season, to help drive tune-in. Obviously, I love smart release strategies like that. And even though I wrote “obviously”, it’s not really that obvious, since streamers don’t often take advantage of natural overlaps like this_._2 Other data backs how well Neagley performed. It opened at second place on Samba TV for two weeks and got 51.7 million hours on Luminate. That’s the eleventh biggest opening on Luminate since May of 2024 and tied with Bridgerton’s third season opening. That’s a huge opening! Its IMDb is solid too, a 7.7 on 24K reviews. Netflix’s latest edition in the “Monster” series—which started with Jeffrey Dahmer and comes from Ryan Murphy—did well too, opening to 24.7 million hours. That’s the biggest opening for Netflix since I Will Find You in June, and second biggest since March. Unlike the Reacher series, this franchise is trending downward, though. The first Monster show—Dahmer - Monster—was giant. More than anything, I think this reflects that Netflix running out of extremely popular—if that’s the right word?—serial killers to feature. Still, the data says this is a very good opening. It made it to third place on Samba TV for two weeks. It also opened to 40.0 million hours on Luminate. That’s not quite as elite as Neagley, but still very, very strong. I’ll be honest: my priors coming into any given week are that IP works to help drive buzz for new shows, but TV shows need to stand on their own even more than movies, so they will succeed or fail based on their quality. But these two spinoffs definitely worked. Quick Notes on TV The top show, film or special this week? Football, again. Specifically, Prime Video’s season opener of Thursday Night Football. The games run long (three hours) but mainly a lot of people watch each game. That adds up to a lot of viewership. Paramount released the second season of MobLand on an unusual day for that service, a Friday! Often, they put their new shows out on a Sunday, as they did last year with a run of shows (Lioness, Tulsa King and Landman). MobLand didn’t make Nielsen in its first week, but on Samba TV it got to eighth and seventh place. Luminate had a smaller opening too, only 5.3 million hours. MobLand missed the Nielsen charts for its first eight weeks, so this season is off to a stronger start. (Bonus note: the first season streams on both Prime Video and The Roku Channel, but I only have it as Paramount+ on those charts.) I’ve mentioned a few times that foreign-language originals do lower numbers than English-language originals on Netflix most of the time. But I don’t usually emphasize what country those originals come from, and observationally, they tend to be from Western or Northern European countries, in general. So credit to Not a Stranger, a Turkish Netflix original, for breaking through on Luminate, getting to 7.9 million hours in its first full week on those charts. As I mentioned last issue, Crew Girl ended up making the Nielsen charts in its second week. That’s still a soft performance compared to many shows, but again this, one looks affordable. And if you’re curious, here’s how it stacks up to some other sports romance shows: We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… …about a new data source and how it drives streaming viewership… ...what reality show is struggling in its latest season…. ...what Netflix film bombed…. ...How Reacher, Ted Lasso, and Lioness are doing on the charts… ...what obscure sport put up great viewership numbers… …how far streaming films are falling… …all the flops, bombs and misses for the last week… …and more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you want an idea of just how much content you’d get in a full issue, check out this older issue. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue, then we’ll be all caught up with Nielsen’s data. Yes! The goal is to have my report out on the Monday after I get Nielsen’s data. So next issue, I’m looking at East of Eden, The Great British Baking Show, a Willy Wonka game show (that people are upset uses AI, but viewers might not care), and a Cosby show spinoff reboot on Netflix, and Brothers on Apple TV (starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey). That’s about it for TV, but who’s going to win the streaming week, The Breadwinner or Backrooms on streaming? Answer: Toy Story 5. Plus Netflix has a Unabomber film and a new Tyler Perry film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma tries to repeat The Substance’s run on MUBI, and Paramount+ has Jackass: Best and Last. Long term, Netflix is remaking Lonesome Dove. I love this choice, but man, there are a lot of westerns on TV right now. And they’re making Sega TV shows, including a Crazy Taxi TV show and Sonic show with an “edge”.
I’m Both Elated and Terrified to Hear That Trump’s Administration Is Coming Unstrung
A disastrous new press secretary. Whispers of a new chief of staff. A feud between the president and old lawyers. We have to endure two more years of this?
Gulfshore Playhouse presents the world goes ’round musical
Gulfshore Playhouse introduces the cast of “The World Goes ’Round,” a celebration of the music of Tony Award-winning songwriting team John Kander and Fred Ebb, running Oct. 20 through Nov.
Bucs' Todd Bowles warns defense about Steelers RB Jaylen Warren
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles urges his defense to wrap up against Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren ahead of Week 6.
Indiana’s Title Windfall Meets Its Biggest Home Game in History
A new jersey patch extends Indiana’s run of sponsorship deals
Mignon Faget moving from Magazine Street location as landlord turns to 'regional' brand
Maghan Oroszi, who has run the jeweler since 2024, said this week it will move out of its flagship retail space at 3801 Magazine at the end of October. The store will set up a temporary location across the street as it searches for a permanent home elsewhere on the six-mile commercial strip.
Trump’s worst political instincts are on full display
It’s clear that many Republicans running for office in the 2026 midterm elections would prefer to keep President Donald Trump at arm’s length. He keeps reinforcing why.
The best reason to care about Nvidia’s RTX Spark: ‘everything’ will run on Arm
Nvidia’s new laptops will run all your apps and games, the company claims.
Arsenal have business reasons for job losses, but it symbolises the bleak reality of how football is run
This is not just about Arsenal - but clubs' searching for efficiency off the pitch does not sit comfortably with their spending on the pitch
Microsoft Confirms 20% Faster Windows 11 Experience, 8 GB Systems Also Run Better
Microsoft is making its long-promised Windows 11 changes official! Today, the company confirmed that Windows 11 is finally getting a responsiveness improvement, up to 20% more noticeable than the older Windows experience. In footnotes, Microsoft states that the company compared response times...
Yankees would be wasting Cody Bellinger at first base
Seventeen home runs aren’t enough to make everyone happy with a $162.5 million contract. Cody Bellinger’s glove deserves a much […]
When did politics become a sport?
'What is the deal with people running as a team for political office? Regardless of your party affiliation, something is wrong with this picture. I want an independent thinker representing me, not someone who is more interested in winning the game.'
Benchling launches Science Foundries, a new way for scientists and agents to work together
/PRNewswire/ -- Benchling today launched Science Foundries, a new way to run scientific processes end-to-end with agents and scientists working together. With...
Microsoft says Windows 11 is now ‘more responsive’ and runs better on 8GB of RAM
A lot of the speed improvements are thanks to smarter ways to manage memory and PC resources.
Business Beat : Capri Drive-In Trunk or Treat set for October 24th
COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) - The historic Capri Drive-In Theater, is gearing up for its annual Trunk or Treat extrav...
Business thrives in giving industrial products new life
Although he’s run Repurposed Materials for 16 years, Damon Carson can still vividly recall the “Reese’s moment” that led to