Fire Help Center Urges Families to Have a Wildfire Plan in Place Before Memorial Day Weekend
By
Media News
3 min read • Published May 18, 2026
By
Media News
3 min read • Published May 18, 2026
With Oregon’s 2026 wildfire season already underway and human activity responsible for 20% of the state’s fires, experts warn that the holiday weekend is one of the highest-risk periods of the year.
CHESTNUT HILL, MA / ACCESS Newswire / May 18, 2026 / As millions of Americans prepare to head outdoors for Memorial Day weekend, Fire Help Center is urging families to take wildfire preparedness seriously before they light the grill, pitch a tent, or gather around a campfire.
Memorial Day weekend consistently ranks among the highest-risk periods for human-caused wildfires. Across Oregon, human activities like recreational campfires, improper disposal of smoking materials, and debris burning account for 20% of all wildfires annually.
With the state’s 2026 season already starting earlier than normal due to historic heat and drought, the risk this holiday weekend is elevated.
"Memorial Day is a time to celebrate with family and friends, but it’s also a reminder that a single spark in dry conditions can turn a fun weekend into a tragedy," said Ricky LeBlanc, Managing Attorney of Sokolove Law. "Taking a few simple precautions before heading outdoors can make all the difference."
Oregon’s Wildfire Risk Is Growing
Oregon’s wildfire threat is not limited to peak summer months. As of May 2026, the state has already recorded multiple fires, including the Trout Creek Fire, which burned 43 acres near Sisters in early May.
Key facts about Oregon wildfires:
2,232 wildfires burned 1,797,796 acres across Oregon in 2024 – ranking the state first nationally in acres lost
128,007 Oregon homes and their occupants are currently at high risk of extreme wildfire
The state averages 2,149 wildfires annually
Debris burning accounts for 20% of Oregon wildfires, with 70% of escaped burn fires occurring illegally during fire season
State fire experts have confirmed the 2026 season began early, and current drought conditions across much of the state are compounding the risk.
Memorial Day Weekend Safety Tips
Fire Help Center recommends families take the following precautions this holiday weekend:
Check local burn bans before lighting any outdoor fire, including campfires and backyard burn piles
Never leave a fire unattended and ensure fires are fully extinguished with water, not dirt
Dispose of smoking materials properly – never toss cigarettes from a vehicle or into dry vegetation
Create a family evacuation plan and ensure all household members, including children, know what to do if a fire breaks out nearby
Monitor conditions throughout the weekend using an active fire map to stay aware of any growing threats in your area
When Negligence Causes a Wildfire
Not all wildfires are accidents. When negligence from a utility company, a neighboring property owner, or another party contributes to a wildfire that causes property damage, injury, or loss of life, victims may have legal options.
Fire Help Center connects wildfire victims with experienced attorneys who can help them understand their rights and pursue compensation. Wildfire lawsuit settlements in Oregon have reached into the hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years, including a $575 million PacifiCorp settlement in early 2026.
Families affected by a wildfire caused by negligence are encouraged to request a free case review to explore their legal options at no cost and with no obligation.
About Fire Help Center: Fire Help Center provides resources and support for wildfire victims across the United States, including educational guides, legal information, and free case reviews for those impacted by wildfires. For more information, call (866) 866-0753 or visit firehelpcenter.com.
AI Marketing and Affiliate Strategy Leaders Rabbi Russell Rabichev and Casey Hamilton to Attend HighLevel Affiliate Accelerator in Fort Worth, Texas
By
Media News
3 min read • Published May 18, 2026
By
Media News
3 min read • Published May 18, 2026
AI marketing, SaaS, and affiliate professionals to participate in three-day implementation-focused training event
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / May 18, 2026 / Rabbi Russell Rabichev, a Los Angeles-based community leader, independent journalist, and active HighLevel affiliate, will attend the HighLevel Affiliate Accelerator, a three-day in-person training event scheduled for May 19-21, 2026, at the Crescent Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas.
The HighLevel Affiliate Accelerator is a hands-on implementation-focused event designed for affiliates, SaaS marketers, and digital entrepreneurs seeking to strengthen their understanding of marketing systems, funnel strategies, automation workflows, and business optimization within the HighLevel ecosystem. The program emphasizes applied learning through structured workshops, live build sessions, and guided strategy discussions led by experienced affiliates within the ecosystem.
Participants are encouraged to bring laptops to actively implement strategies in real time, with on-site support provided throughout the program. The format allows attendees to test, build, and refine marketing systems while receiving feedback from peers and instructors.
The event brings together affiliates and marketers, including attendees such as Rabbi Russell Rabichev and Casey Hamilton, to improve execution, refine operational systems, and enhance performance within the HighLevel platform environment.
Among the attendees is Casey Hamilton, an entrepreneur and marketing technology executive, co-founder of Exact Match Marketing and ExactMatch.io, and founder of Uncommon Reach. With more than 15 years of experience in digital marketing, he has worked with agencies and businesses on strategies related to audience targeting, SEO, and data-driven growth systems.
Frankie Visone is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, and digital marketing expert with extensive experience in SaaS innovation, strategic marketing, and business growth. He specializes in B2B and B2C marketing, sales funnel optimization, SEO/SEM, and digital advertising strategies that drive customer acquisition and revenue growth. He also brings strong expertise in content creation and multimedia production, as well as healthcare marketing and consulting, combining creative strategy with data-driven execution.
"I look forward to attending the HighLevel Affiliate Accelerator to gain practical, hands-on insights into advanced digital systems and marketing workflows," said Rabbi Russell Rabichev. "Continuous learning is essential in today’s fast-evolving digital landscape, and I value opportunities to refine strategies that improve both professional execution and community-focused initiatives."
"The HighLevel Affiliate Accelerator brings together marketers and builders focused on practical execution and real-world application of digital systems," said Casey Hamilton.
"The HighLevel Affiliate Accelerator provides a valuable environment for collaboration, learning, and innovation among marketers and entrepreneurs working within the SaaS and digital growth ecosystem," said Frankie Visone.
Rabbi Russell Rabichev’s participation reflects his continued interest in digital innovation and applied entrepreneurship, particularly in areas where technology, communication systems, and community engagement intersect.
The HighLevel Affiliate Accelerator brings together affiliates and marketers seeking to improve execution, refine operational systems, and enhance performance within the HighLevel platform environment.
Rabbi Russell Rabichev is a Los Angeles-based community leader and independent journalist focused on public safety, emergency preparedness, and digital empowerment. Through his platform Rabbi.Love, he shares educational content and resources aimed at supporting individuals and communities. Connect with him on Facebook and explore his AI-powered tools at https://saaso.com/
Casey Hamilton Image
About Casey Hamilton
Casey Hamilton is an entrepreneur and marketing technology executive, co-founder of Exact Match Marketing and ExactMatch.io, and founder of Uncommon Reach. With more than 15 years of experience in digital marketing, he has worked with agencies and businesses on strategies related to audience targeting, SEO, and data-driven growth systems.
Frankie Visone Image
About Frankie Visone
Frankie Visone is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, and digital marketing expert with extensive experience in SaaS innovation, strategic marketing, and business growth. He specializes in B2B and B2C marketing, sales funnel optimization, SEO/SEM, and digital advertising strategies that drive customer acquisition and revenue growth. He also brings expertise in content creation, video production, and digital storytelling. Connect with Frankie Visone on LinkedIn.
When panic hits: New data maps the moment students start studying
By
Takeshi Young for Quizlet
3 min read • Published May 18, 2026
By
Takeshi Young for Quizlet
3 min read • Published May 18, 2026
Carl Court // Getty Images
When panic hits: New data maps the moment students start studying
Students in the U.S. and U.K. both procrastinate before high-stakes exams, but they do it on very different schedules, according to a new analysis by Quizlet of Google Trends data from 2022 through 2025.
The study, which tracked eight common student prep search terms across both countries, found that U.K. students wait until just over a week before their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams to begin searching for study materials in earnest. American students searching for SAT and practice test resources, by contrast, often don’t peak until after their exams have already started.
The findings come as exam anxiety draws renewed attention from researchers and parents. Dr. David Putwain, who has studied exam anxiety for 21 years, has argued that the issue is seriously underestimated and that the assumption that mild stress sharpens performance is not supported by evidence.
Quizlet
UK Students Cram in the Final Stretch
In the U.K., searches for “past papers” hit 75% of their annual peak an average of 9.5 days before the first GCSE exam, according to the analysis. The term reached an annual peak index of 86.5, the strongest U.K. prep signal in the study.
U.K. search terms also showed the steepest pre-peak growth in the dataset. Prep-related queries climbed between 128% and 141% in the 30 days before peaking, producing a near-vertical curve that the researchers described as four years of “calm, calm, calm, panic.” The pattern held consistently across all four years studied.
Quizlet
US Search Interest Peaks After Exams Begin
American search behavior followed a different pattern. “Practice test” searches in the U.S. peaked an average of 2.8 days after the earliest spring testing date, with an annual peak index of 94.0, the strongest U.S. signal in the study. Search interest continued to climb as the testing window extended further into spring.
“SAT prep” searches showed an even more delayed pattern, peaking an average of one day after the first spring SAT sitting each year. The researchers attributed this to the prevalence of SAT retakes. The College Board reports that a significant share of students take the SAT more than once, and the digital SAT rollout has made retesting easier to schedule.
Quizlet
A Smaller Group of US Students Plans Months Ahead
Not all U.S. search behavior reflected late-stage cramming. Searches for “AP exam prep” peaked an average of 72.8 days before the first AP exam, the longest lead time of any term in the study.
But the peak index for “AP exam prep” was 0.6, the lowest of any term measured. The researchers noted that AP coursework attracts students already oriented toward selective college admissions and that the exams reward sustained content study in a way other standardized tests do not.
This split helps explain why the overall basket averages diverge. Across all eight terms, U.S. students hit 75% of peak interest an average of 23.6 days before their relevant exam, compared to just 1.2 days for U.K. students. The U.S. average is pulled up by a small group of early-planning AP students, while the much larger group of SAT and ACT takers peaks at or after their test dates.
Quizlet
UK Search Behavior Spikes Again on Results Day
The largest single spike in the dataset came after exams ended, not before. U.K. searches for “grade boundaries” peaked 97 to 101 days after GCSE exams, coinciding with U.K. results day in mid-August. Pre-peak growth ranged from 1,700% to 2,500%, far exceeding any other term in the study.
There is no clean U.S. equivalent because American score releases are staggered across the SAT, ACT, AP exams, and individual school timelines, with no single national results day.
The researchers note that the consistency of these patterns across four consecutive years (2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025) suggests they are not pandemic-era anomalies but stable features of how students approach exam season. For educators and parents, that predictability points to clear windows for intervention in the two to three weeks before each market’s peak exam date.
Trustpoint Xposure Expands AEO Services to Include AI Chatbot Authority Strategy, Helping Brands Get Cited Inside the AI Assistants Their Clients Use Every Day
By
Media News
6 min read • Published May 18, 2026
By
Media News
6 min read • Published May 18, 2026
New service tier addresses the fastest-growing discovery channel in professional services, the AI chatbot query, with a methodology built to make clients the answer conversational AI recommends
POST FALLS, ID / ACCESS Newswire / May 18, 2026 / Trustpoint Xposure, the AEO-certified PR and digital authority agency, today announced the expansion of its Answer Engine Optimization services to include a dedicated AI Chatbot Authority Strategy, a specialized program designed to ensure that brands and professionals are correctly identified, accurately represented, and confidently cited by the AI chatbot platforms their clients and prospects use most.
The expansion responds to a fundamental shift in how professional discovery happens. Across legal, medical, financial, and technology sectors, prospective clients are increasingly turning to AI chatbots, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overviews not as search supplements but as primary research tools. They are asking these platforms who to trust, who to hire, and who leads a given field. The answers they receive shape decisions before a website is visited, a review is read, or a referral is sought.
For brands that have not built the authority signals these AI systems rely on, the consequence is invisible but significant: they are simply not part of the conversation happening between their most valuable prospects and the AI platforms those prospects already trust.
Why AI Chatbot Authority Requires a Dedicated Strategy
The authority signals that determine AI chatbot citations are distinct from, and in many cases orthogonal to, the signals that drive traditional search rankings. A brand can rank on page one of Google and still be absent from, or misrepresented in, the AI chatbot answers its prospects are receiving daily.
This is because AI chatbots draw on a different evidence base than search algorithms. They include weight training data, knowledge graph verification, third-party editorial authority, Wikipedia entity presence, and structured schema content, signals that traditional SEO and PR strategies rarely address directly.
The AI Chatbot Authority Strategy from Trustpoint Xposure is built specifically around these signals. It combines the agency’s proven AEO methodology with chatbot-specific optimizations, including FAQ schema architecture designed for chatbot extraction, entity disambiguation across major AI training sources, and authority reinforcement strategies targeted at the specific citation patterns of each major AI platform.
"We have clients who spent years building strong Google rankings and strong PR profiles, and who discovered that when their best prospects asked ChatGPT about them, the answer was either wrong, incomplete, or named a competitor," said a Trustpoint Xposure spokesperson. "That gap is what this service closes. Not gradually. Systematically."
Service Components
The AI Chatbot Authority Strategy includes five integrated components:
Chatbot Citation Audit: A comprehensive audit of how the client is currently represented across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overviews. Every inaccuracy, omission, and competitive displacement is documented and mapped to a specific remediation strategy.
Entity Clarity Architecture, Structured remediation of the entity signals that AI chatbots use to identify and describe a brand, including schema markup, consistent NAP (Name, Authority, Position) signals across the web, and entity disambiguation across major knowledge sources.
Chatbot-Optimized Content Development, Creation of FAQ-structured, schema-tagged, extractable content specifically designed to be surfaced and cited by AI chatbot retrieval systems. Every piece of content is written to answer the exact queries the client’s prospects are asking AI platforms today.
Authority Reinforcement Placements, Guaranteed editorial placements in publications that AI chatbot systems treat as high-credibility citation sources, building the third-party verification layer that AI models require before citing an expert with confidence.
Ongoing Citation Monitoring, Monthly monitoring of AI chatbot responses across major platforms to track citation frequency, accuracy, and competitive positioning, with strategy adjustments made in response to model updates and emerging citation patterns.
Client Results Driving the Expansion
The expansion is driven by documented demand from Trustpoint Xposure’s existing client base and a growing pipeline of inbound inquiries from professionals who have discovered their AI chatbot visibility gap firsthand.
Clients across law, medicine, finance, and technology have reported that improvements in AI chatbot citation frequency directly correlate with improvements in inbound inquiry quality, with prospective clients arriving already primed with a level of trust and credibility that previously required multiple touchpoints to establish.
"The clients who benefit most from this are the ones who rely on trust as the primary conversion driver," the spokesperson added. "When a prospective client has already been told by AI that you are the expert in your field, the first conversation is completely different. That is what an AI chatbot authority does."
Availability
The AI Chatbot Authority Strategy is available immediately as a standalone service and as an integrated component of the Trustpoint Xposure AEO Certified PR Program. To schedule a complimentary consultation and receive a complimentary AI chatbot citation audit, visit www.trustpointxposure.com.
Q&A:
Q: What is an AI chatbot authority, and why do brands need a dedicated strategy for it? A: AI chatbot authority refers to the degree to which AI conversational platforms, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude, accurately represent, recognize, and confidently cite a brand or professional as an authoritative expert in their field. Brands need a dedicated strategy for it because the signals these platforms use to make citation decisions are distinct from traditional SEO and PR signals. A brand can have strong Google rankings and extensive PR coverage and still be absent from or misrepresented in AI chatbot answers, because AI chatbots draw on training data, knowledge graph verification, Wikipedia entity presence, and structured schema content that traditional strategies rarely address.
Q: How does Trustpoint Xposure’s AI Chatbot Authority Strategy work? A: The strategy begins with a comprehensive audit of the client’s current representation across all major AI chatbot platforms, identifying every inaccuracy, omission, and competitive displacement. From there, it addresses the foundational authority signals: entity clarity through schema markup and structured data, third-party verification through guaranteed editorial placements in AI-recognized publications, knowledge graph validation through Google Knowledge Panel management, Wikipedia entity establishment for qualifying clients, and chatbot-optimized FAQ content designed for extraction and citation by AI retrieval systems. The result is a comprehensive authority ecosystem that AI chatbot platforms recognize, trust, and cite.
Q: What is a chatbot citation audit, and how can brands use it? A: A chatbot citation audit is a systematic evaluation of how a brand or professional is currently represented in the responses generated by major AI chatbot platforms. It involves querying ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overviews with the exact questions a brand’s target audience would ask, and documenting the accuracy, completeness, and competitive positioning of every response. The audit produces a specific, actionable gap analysis: every place the brand is absent, misrepresented, or displaced by a competitor is a documented problem with a documented solution. Trustpoint Xposure provides complimentary chatbot citation audits as the first step in every new client engagement.
About Trustpoint Xposure: Trustpoint Xposure is the only AEO-certified PR and digital authority agency that guarantees brand placements inside AI-generated answers across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. The agency’s integrated methodology combines Answer Engine Optimization, top-tier media placements, Google Knowledge Panel verification, and Wikipedia entity establishment to position clients as the definitive answer AI recommends.
Place-Based Journalism Still Has a Pulse, and Specialized Comms Is Right Behind It
Five standout listings today, from a Charleston magazine to ASU's Marketing Cloud team, all paying for the same thing: deep knowledge of a community, a beat, or an audience that AI cannot fake.
The Mediabistro editorial team draws on 25 years of media industry expertise to cover jobs, careers, and trends shaping the industry.
5 min read • Published May 18, 2026
For all the talk about AI-generated content and distributed newsrooms, today’s job board tells a different story. The most compelling roles right now belong to organizations deeply rooted in specific places or specific audiences, from a Lowcountry city magazine to a global newspaper’s Washington bureau, from a Bay Area broadcast newsroom to a Baltimore station, and from there to a higher-education team in Tempe building communications campaigns that reach learners around the world.
What connects these listings is a commitment to specific expertise: of a place, of a beat, or of an audience. Every one of these employers wants someone who understands a particular context, its rhythms, its barriers, its language, and can translate that knowledge into work that resonates. That kind of specificity is not easily faked or automated.
If you’ve been building your career around a region, a beat, or a specialized audience, today’s roles reward that investment. Here are five worth a close look.
Today’s Hot Jobs
Managing Editor at Gulfstream Communications
Why you should pay attention: Charleston magazine is a respected regional title with a loyal readership and consistent awards recognition. This role combines traditional managing editor duties with hands-on writing and editing of the front-of-book sections, meaning you’ll shape the magazine’s voice while keeping the trains running on time. If you’ve ever wanted to know what a managing editor actually does day to day, this posting is a textbook example: equal parts creative contributor and operational backbone.
Enforce internal deadlines and maintain the monthly production schedule across print and digital
Write and edit the Channel Markers and Style File sections, covering Charleston’s art, culture, history, business, and events
Manage social media distribution of each issue’s editorial content
Deep familiarity with life in Charleston and the broader Lowcountry region
Reporter and Research Assistant at Yomiuri Shimbun
What makes this rare: The Yomiuri Shimbun is Japan’s largest daily newspaper, with a circulation exceeding five million copies. Their Washington bureau is hiring an entry-level reporter to assist Japanese correspondents covering U.S. politics, foreign policy, and economics. With 2026 midterm elections approaching, this role puts you at the center of campaign coverage for an international audience. Japanese language skills are preferred but not required, which opens the door to American journalists eager to work at the intersection of global media and domestic politics.
Attend briefings, press conferences, and campaign events; arrange and conduct interviews
Compose clear, concise memos on issues of interest for the bureau’s correspondents
Background in U.S. politics, international relations, economics, or journalism preferred
Bachelor’s degree required; strong work ethic and collaborative mindset essential
Where freelance still pays well: NBC Bay Area (KNTV) is hiring an experienced broadcast news writer for on-site freelance work in San Jose, with a posted pay range of $25 to $40 an hour. That level of transparency is uncommon in television freelance listings, and it’s a strong rate for the right journalist. The work spans broadcast and digital, with breaking news, story development, and newscast production all on the table. Bay Area market knowledge is a plus, and Spanish-English bilingual candidates have an edge in a region where bilingual coverage matters.
Write and produce news content for broadcast and digital platforms
Pitch, research, and develop story ideas; respond quickly to breaking news
Minimum 2 years of experience writing in a TV newsroom required, plus experience producing newscasts in a broadcast environment
Flexible schedule including early mornings, nights, weekends, and breaking news coverage
Digital Content Producer at Hearst Television (WBAL-TV, Baltimore)
The salary detail that matters: This Baltimore-based role at WBAL-TV lists a salary range of $42,000 to $46,000, which gives candidates clear expectations upfront. The position focuses on writing, editing, and publishing breaking news across the station’s website, mobile products, and social platforms. You’ll also manage livestreams of newscasts and special events, including iconic Baltimore fixtures like the Preakness and the Baltimore Marathon. For digital journalists who thrive on deadline pressure and want to sharpen their SEO and video editing skills, this is a strong foundation role at a station with more than 75 years of history in the market.
Write and publish breaking news, sports, weather, and feature stories across all digital platforms
Write compelling, SEO-rich headlines for mobile and social distribution
Professional experience with non-linear video editing software such as Adobe Premiere
Previous digital editing and writing experience required
Persistence Communications Manager at Arizona State University
Where AI fluency is a real qualification: ASU’s EdPlus team in Scottsdale is hiring a Persistence Communications Manager at $70,000 to $86,000 to design segmented campaigns that help students navigate financial aid, course registration, and graduation. What makes this listing unusually current: the desired qualifications include hands-on experience with Salesforce Marketing Cloud, AMPScript, and a stated openness to AI coding tools like Claude Code for writing and optimizing campaign code. That is a specific, modern skill set, and very few job postings name it this directly. If you’ve been blending communications strategy with technical fluency, especially in mission-driven work, this is a posting that actually rewards both sides of the brief. The role is hybrid in-person and requires reliable commute to Scottsdale.
Design and execute segmented communication campaigns that simplify complex student processes
Build personalized, mobile-responsive email experiences using HTML, CSS, and AMPScript
Bachelor’s degree plus five years of relevant experience required
Apply by 11:59 pm Arizona time on Friday, May 22, 2026
Specific expertise is a genuine competitive advantage right now. These employers are not looking for generalists who can parachute into any market. They want people who already understand a place, an audience, or a specialized environment, whether that’s a Southern city, a Washington bureau, a Bay Area newsroom, or a population of online learners. If you’ve spent years building that kind of knowledge, lead with it in your application. And if you’re fielding multiple offers, Mediabistro’s guide to navigating a job offer can help you evaluate which opportunity aligns best with your long-term goals.
The media and communications industries keep consolidating at the national level. But at the local, regional, and specialized-audience level, the demand for people who know their territory remains remarkably steady. That’s where the opportunities are today.
Film Production Is Moving Fast. Your Atlas Just Got Redrawn.
Budapest post houses earn Cannes credits, Sri Lanka attracts Jeremy Irons, and AI agents are buying ads while you sleep.
By
Mediabistro Team
6 min read • Published May 18, 2026
By
Mediabistro Team
6 min read • Published May 18, 2026
The Cannes Film Festival’s marketplace has become a geography lesson. Sales agents are closing deals on Spanish survival thrillers. Hungarian filmmakers are crediting Budapest post houses on competition titles. Japanese producers are partnering with Indian directors on English-language packages.
Sri Lanka is entering the conversation as a serious production destination with recognizable international cast attached. These are not scattered anecdotes. They are coordinates on a map that looks nothing like the traditional Hollywood-Paris-London triangle, a map of a decentralized production economy where capital, infrastructure, and creative talent are genuinely portable.
That geographic story extends beyond production. A skincare brand is using NBA culture as a credibility gateway to Gen Z, borrowing tactics from entertainment marketing rather than traditional beauty playbooks. And the mechanisms that put branded messages in front of those audiences are being handed over to AI agents with minimal oversight, rewriting daily workflows for anyone in media buying or ad operations.
The Marché as Production Atlas
Start in Budapest. László Nemes, the Oscar-winning director behind “Son of Saul,” premiered “Moulin” in competition at Cannes. The WWII-era French resistance drama features what industry observers are calling a “truly extraordinary” visual treatment, and that look is the work of NFI Filmlab, a Budapest-based post-production facility.
According to Variety, this is the kind of credit that elevates a post house from regional vendor to global player. Budapest has been a below-the-line hub for years. Earning a Cannes competition credit on a prestige historical drama is a different tier entirely, evidence that post-production infrastructure outside the traditional centers has matured to the point where A-list directors will stake festival premieres on it.
Move west to Spain. Wild Bunch acquired German rights to “Balandrau: Where the Fierce Wind Blew,” a survival thriller sold internationally by Filmax. The deal, closed ahead of and during the Marché, fits a broader pattern: Spanish genre films finding traction with major European sales agents. The Spanish production sector has quietly built a reputation for delivering commercially viable thrillers and horror at budget levels that make pre-sales math work for distributors.
Then look east and south. Ohno Atsuko of Hassaku Labs, whose production “Nagi Notes” is competing at Cannes, is packaging “The Man Who Walks” with writer-director Pan Nalin. The English-language love epic is in casting and seeking co-production partners at the Marché. A Japanese producer and an Indian director collaborating on an English-language project without a U.S. studio anchor. That model, once rare, is becoming standard operating procedure for mid-budget international films.
Finally, Sri Lanka. Sumathi Studios is making its Cannes debut with “Rihana,” a female-led human rights drama starring Jeremy Irons and directed by Chandran Rutnam, a veteran line producer on Hollywood films. Deadline reports this as part of Sri Lanka’s broader push to raise its profile as a shooting destination. Irons’ involvement signals the country can attract recognizable international talent, with Sumathi Studios positioning Sri Lanka as a production base with its own creative identity and financing capacity.
Key Takeaway: Budapest, Spain, Japan-India partnerships, and Sri Lanka all have viable paths to international distribution. The Marché is functioning as a real-time map of where money, talent, and infrastructure are actually moving.
For producers, cinematographers, and post-production specialists watching where opportunities are emerging, this geographic diversification creates new pathways that bypass traditional gatekeepers.
Borrowing Cool: CeraVe’s NBA Play
Skincare brands traditionally chase dermatologist endorsements or Instagram aesthetics. CeraVe is running a different play: Carmelo Anthony as the “head coach” of a dandruff treatment push aimed at Gen Z.
Digiday reports that CeraVe identified the NBA and Anthony specifically as a gateway to a diverse, engaged, and Gen Z-heavy fandom. This is cultural code-switching borrowed directly from entertainment marketing.
The logic is straightforward. NBA culture commands attention and credibility among young consumers in a way that dermatology credentials do not. By framing a dandruff product launch through basketball culture, CeraVe is betting that the halo effect of NBA fandom transfers to a category that otherwise struggles for relevance with that demographic. Anthony functions less as a spokesperson and more as a cultural bridge, giving the brand permission to occupy a space it would not naturally inhabit.
For content strategists and brand marketers, this is where creative briefs are heading. Brands want to borrow credibility from unexpected cultural spaces rather than build it within their own category. Entertainment and sports IP are becoming licensing opportunities for products with no inherent connection to entertainment or sports. The question is whether the cultural territory a celebrity occupies can be repurposed for a different commercial context entirely.
AI Is Already Buying Your Ads
Agentic AI in programmatic ad buying is not a future-tense story. Marketers are deploying AI agents to execute buys, and the conversation about guardrails is happening while the systems are live.
At Digiday’s Programmatic Marketing Summit, executives discussed what has worked, what has not, and what protections the industry needs before this becomes standard practice.
The practical reality: AI agents are automating bidding decisions, optimizing placement strategies, and adjusting campaign parameters without human intervention. The efficiency gains are real. Faster reaction times, better budget allocation, the ability to process more data signals than a human team could manage manually. The risk profile is also real. Agents can overspend, misinterpret context, or make placements that violate brand safety guidelines if they are not properly constrained.
Career Impact: Media buying roles are splitting into two tracks: specialists who configure, monitor, and troubleshoot AI agents, and strategists who define the objectives and constraints those agents operate within. The middle tier of execution-focused buyers who manually adjust bids and placements is shrinking fast.
Executives at the summit emphasized transparent logging, human-in-the-loop checkpoints, and clear accountability structures when an agent makes a bad call. Those guardrails are not yet standard. Early adopters are functionally beta testing on live budgets. If your role involves routine campaign optimization, the question is how quickly you can develop the skills to manage the systems that automate those tasks.
What This Means
The through-line is decentralization of media. Film production is spreading beyond traditional centers. Brand marketing is borrowing credibility from cultural spaces outside its own category. Ad buying is being automated by agents that operate with minimal human oversight.
If you are a producer or post-production specialist, the Budapest and Sri Lanka stories are evidence that international work no longer requires proximity to Hollywood or London. If you are in brand marketing, the CeraVe campaign is a template for cultural partnerships outside traditional influencer models. If you are in ad operations, the agentic AI discussion is a preview of what your job looks like in 12 to 18 months.
The deals being cut at Cannes are about where the infrastructure to make, market, and monetize content is being rebuilt. Pay attention to the map, because it is changing faster than most industry veterans expected.
If you are looking for roles in the middle of these shifts, browse open roles on Mediabistro. And if you are hiring for teams navigating these changes, post a job on Mediabistro to reach professionals who understand where the industry is heading.
This media news roundup is automatically curated to keep our community up to date on interesting happenings in the creative, media, and publishing professions. It may contain factual errors and should be read for general and informational purposes only. Please refer to the original source of each news item for specific inquiries.
OB-GYN Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand discusses Women's Health Month on TipsOnTV
By
Media News
3 min read • Published May 15, 2026
By
Media News
3 min read • Published May 15, 2026
Why Proactive Care Matters at Every Stage of Life for Women
ATLANTA, GA / ACCESS Newswire / May 15, 2026 / As Women’s Health Month begins, experts say too many women continue to put their own health last, often overlooking early warning signs tied to common conditions ranging from heart disease to hormone-related issues. OB-GYN Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand explains what women should be paying attention to now and why taking a proactive approach to health can make a meaningful difference at every stage of life.
The conversation also serves as a timely reminder for women to prioritize their well-being with practical, everyday habits that can help them stay ahead of potential health concerns. Dr. Ferdinand shares simple, approachable steps women can take to feel more informed, comfortable, and confident about their health.
WHAT DO WOMEN NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GLP-1S
GLP-1s can be a great option for women looking to lose weight, including women navigating hormonal transitions like menopause, when weight gain is common. GoodRx for Weight Loss can help anyone get started. This telemedicine subscription connects with a licensed healthcare provider for a consultation to understand anyone’s needs, review options and, if appropriate, get a prescription for an FDA-approved GLP-1. GoodRx is not insurance but offers industry-leading prices to help make these treatments more accessible. For more information, visit GoodRx.com/WeightLossSupport.
HOW TO SLEEP BETTER
Quality sleep is essential for supporting energy, mood and overall well-being, especially for women balancing so much each day. In honor of Women’s Health Month, make sleep a priority with new Ultra Sleep from Natrol®. As the #1 drug-free sleep aid brand*, Natrol® understands sleep. Its 3-in-1 blend of melatonin, a highly trusted and effective sleep ingredient, GABA and botanicals support all four stages of the sleep cycle.** It is 100% drug-free and non-habit forming, so anyone can wake up feeling rested, refreshed and ready for the day. For more information, visit www.natrol.com. Nielsen L52 weeks 02.21.26*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT
Incontinence is something many women experience, especially as they age. Simple steps like maintaining good hygiene and using gentle, skin-friendly products can make a big difference in comfort and confidence. WaterWipes has expanded beyond baby and toddler care with its new Incontinence Care Wipes, made with 99% water, providing a gentle, effective 3-in-1 clean for sensitive, aging skin. With three tailored options, women can choose the right solution for their needs. WaterWipes Adult Incontinence Care Wipes are available at Amazon and Walgreens. For more information, visit www.waterwipes.com.
TipsOnTV is a lifestyle blog featuring content as seen on national and local media outlets. Expert hosts share advice for viewers, listeners, and readers. TipsOnTV covers a variety of topics, including food, entertaining, personal finance, technology, travel, health, lifestyle, and more.
What Gets Financed at Cannes Tells You How the Industry Thinks
From streaming stars to Oscar leverage to FIFA's halftime math, five deals reveal the recognition currencies that unlock production capital.
By
Mediabistro Team
6 min read • Published May 15, 2026
By
Mediabistro Team
6 min read • Published May 15, 2026
The Cannes market is a real-time ledger of what the industry considers financeable. Four projects launching at this year’s festival represent four distinct theories of bankability, each a data point in how capital flows toward talent and attention.
Streaming-to-theatrical star packaging. Oscar-leveraged slate financing. Cross-continental casting plays. Auteur prestige. And beyond film: the FIFA World Cup halftime show lineup functions less as a concert booking than as a content distribution strategy engineered for demographic and geographic coverage.
What connects all of them is one question: what forms of recognition translate into financing? The answers arriving out of Cannes suggest the definition is expanding, but the calculus remains ruthlessly specific.
Streaming Recognition as Theatrical Currency
Alisha Weir built name recognition through Netflix’s “Matilda the Musical,” where 163 million hours of viewing translated into industry visibility. That streaming-era credential is now being converted into theatrical financing.
Weir will lead “Underdogs,” a coming-of-age adventure comedy from first-time feature director Fabia Martin. Two teenage girls run away from foster care and wind up competing at a national BMX championship.
The packaging logic is legible: a young performer demonstrates she can anchor a musical franchise for a major streamer, then gets positioned as the lead in an indie feature designed for festival play and eventual platform distribution. Streaming as proof-of-concept for theatrical bets.
Bankside Films is launching sales at Cannes, with production set for fall 2026 in Scotland.
Key Takeaway: Streaming credentials now function as bankable assets in the independent film economy. A Netflix lead role generates the kind of visibility that unlocks indie theatrical financing.
Awards Momentum as Institutional Strategy
Globo Filmes is using Fernanda Torres’ Oscar-nominated performance in “I’m Still Here” to unlock financing for an entire slate, including a biographical feature on Novo Cinema icon Glauber Rocha.
This is awards-season capital being reinvested at scale. Torres’ nomination generated international attention for Brazilian cinema, and Globo is treating that momentum as collateral for financing decisions that extend well beyond her individual career.
Torres’ next film reunites her with “I’m Still Here” director Walter Salles. Conspiraçao, Globo’s production partner, is packaging these projects for the Cannes market alongside several other titles.
The institutional dimension matters. A single performer’s Oscar recognition is being leveraged to finance a broader cultural argument about Brazilian film history. The Rocha project carries obvious prestige value, but it also represents a bet that international buyers will engage with Brazilian auteur cinema if it arrives through recognizable names and production infrastructure.
Cross-Continental Casting as Pre-Sales Engineering
Eddie Peng and Ewan Mitchell are being paired in “The Healer,” an action feature designed explicitly for multi-territory pre-sales. Highland Film Group is launching the project at Cannes with a package engineered around geographic coverage.
Peng carries recognition across Asia-Pacific markets from “The Great Wall” and “Black Dog.” Mitchell’s breakout role in “House of the Dragon” positions him for European and North American distribution.
The film is the feature directorial debut of Can Aydin, a stunt coordinator and second unit director whose credits include “Thunderbolts*,” “The Fall Guy,” and Disney’s “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” That technical pedigree matters for action pre-sales, where buyers need assurance that set pieces will deliver.
This is packaging as territorial math. The casting choices ensure that international buyers in distinct markets each see a recognizable asset worth financing. Highland is betting that the combination of Peng’s Asian market value, Mitchell’s streaming-era recognition, and Aydin’s action credentials creates enough pre-sale momentum to close the budget.
Auteur Prestige After the Long Hiatus
Pawel Pawlikowski has not directed a feature since “Cold War” premiered at Cannes in 2018. Eight years away. His return carries a specific kind of bankability: the prestige bet.
“Fatherland” debuts at Cannes, a drama focused on writer Thomas Mann during his years in exile. Pawlikowski co-wrote the script with Robert Harris, adapting Mann’s own writings and family correspondence.
This is the oldest form of financing logic still functioning in the independent film market. Pawlikowski won the Oscar for “Ida” in 2015, earned a directing nomination for “Cold War” in 2019, and built a reputation for austere, formally controlled dramas that generate awards attention and critical prestige.
That track record translates into financing even after extended gaps between projects, particularly when the subject matter carries literary and historical weight.
The Prestige Math: Auteur directors with Oscar credentials can secure financing after eight-year gaps. Emerging directors without that track record face a far narrower path to similar projects.
The Mann project has a different risk profile than the other Cannes deals here. No franchise recognition, no cross-territorial casting play, no streaming platform credential. The financing depends entirely on Pawlikowski’s reputation and the festival’s validation, which itself functions as a form of pre-sale to distributors who need the Cannes imprimatur to justify arthouse acquisitions.
The Halftime Show as Global Content Strategy
The FIFA World Cup final halftime show lineup extends the same packaging logic into live entertainment at stadium scale. BTS, Madonna, and Shakira will perform at MetLife Stadium on July 19, a booking that functions less as a concert and more as a demographic and geographic distribution strategy.
Each act covers a distinct segment. BTS delivers the Asia-Pacific audience and the global K-pop demographic. Madonna anchors legacy pop recognition across North America and Europe. Shakira captures Latin America and the broader Latin pop market.
This is content packaging designed for broadcast and streaming partners who need assurance that the halftime show will deliver viewership across multiple territories and age cohorts.
The World Cup final halftime show is becoming the Super Bowl halftime’s global equivalent. The Super Bowl books acts to deliver a massive, cross-demographic television audience in a single market. The World Cup books acts to deliver that audience across multiple continents simultaneously. Artistic coherence is secondary to coverage logic.
The booking strategy makes explicit what remains implicit in most content packaging: decisions driven by demographic and geographic targeting rather than artistic vision. That’s not a critique. It’s a description of how capital makes bets when the stakes are measured in hundreds of millions of viewers across dozens of countries.
What This Means
The Cannes market and the FIFA halftime show sit at opposite ends of the budget spectrum, but they run on the same financing logic. Capital flows toward projects where recognition can be converted into audience attention across specific markets or demographics.
Streaming performance metrics, awards nominations, festival premieres, and cross-territorial name recognition all function as different forms of currency in different contexts. The Cannes deals clarify which currencies are appreciating and which remain stable.
If you are navigating your own career trajectory in this environment, browse open roles on Mediabistro to see which credentials employers are prioritizing. If you are hiring talent for projects that require similar packaging logic, post a job on Mediabistro to reach candidates who understand how these financing patterns shape the industry.
This media news roundup is automatically curated to keep our community up to date on interesting happenings in the creative, media, and publishing professions. It may contain factual errors and should be read for general and informational purposes only. Please refer to the original source of each news item for specific inquiries.
Newsmax Announces First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
By
Media News
10 min read • Published May 14, 2026
By
Media News
10 min read • Published May 14, 2026
Company Reports Quarterly Revenues of $51.7 million, a 14.0% Year-Over-Year Increase
Broadcast Revenues Increase to $43.7 million, a 20.8% Increase Year-Over-Year
Company Reaffirms Full-Year 2026 Revenue Guidance, Representing Accelerated Year-Over-Year Growth of 13% at the Midpoint
BOCA RATON, FL / ACCESS Newswire / May 14, 2026 / Newsmax Inc. (NYSE:NMAX) ("Newsmax" or the "Company") today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.
First Quarter 2026 Business and Operational Highlights
Delivered broad first quarter audience reach, with 30.4 million total viewers and 13.3 million Adults 35-64, reinforcing Newsmax’s position as the fourth highest-rated cable news channel and a top fifteen cable network across key dayparts.
Continued to strengthen the Company’s multi-platform audience ecosystem, with social media followers rising to 24.7 million as of March 31, 2026.
Increased content offering through continued investment in Newsmax+ and in premium programming, including the expansion of World at War / War & Warriors, where available titles increased more than 200%.
Continued to advance our international growth strategy by expanding our licensing agreement with Telecom Serbia and Newsmax Poland.
Management Commentary
"Newsmax delivered a strong start to 2026, with broad audience reach across cable, streaming and digital while continuing to strengthen the scale of our platform," said Christopher Ruddy, Chief Executive Officer of Newsmax. "In the first quarter, we increased viewership, gained traction with younger demographics and saw continued momentum across Newsmax2, Newsmax+ and social media. While the industry is lapping unusually high election-driven news consumption from early 2025, our first quarter rankings demonstrate that Newsmax continues to perform strongly in a more normalized environment. We are also making further strides as a global news brand and continuing to attract unique viewers that reinforce the significant opportunity we see in the under-served center-right market. These results reflect the strength of our brand, the loyalty of our audience and the value of our multi-platform strategy."
"Looking ahead, we see meaningful opportunity to build on this momentum through continued investment in content, broader distribution and deeper audience engagement across all of our platforms," Ruddy continued. "As the media landscape evolves, we believe Newsmax is well positioned to expand its reach, strengthen monetization and deliver sustainable long-term growth by providing independent, values-driven journalism that resonates with viewers in the United States and around the world."
"Our first quarter results reflect continued progress in executing our growth strategy," commented Darryle Burnham, Chief Financial Officer of Newsmax. "We saw solid revenue growth driven by affiliate fees and licensing, while we continue to invest behind this growth in programming, production and our OTT initiatives to support long-term expansion. With a strong balance sheet and disciplined approach to capital allocation, we remain confident in our financial outlook and are maintaining our full-year guidance as we continue to invest in initiatives that drive sustainable, long-term shareholder value."
Financial Results:
Revenue by Segment by Component Table (unaudited):
($ in millions)
Three Months Ended March 31,
2026
2025
$ Change
% Change
Broadcasting
Advertising
$
23.7
$
24.6
$
(0.9
)
(3.7
)%
Affiliate fee
13.0
7.4
5.6
75.2
%
Subscription
3.5
3.7
(0.2
)
(5.9
)%
Licensing
3.5
0.4
3.0
697.1
%
Total Broadcasting revenues
$
43.7
$
36.2
$
7.5
20.8
%
Digital
Advertising
$
3.5
$
4.3
$
(0.8
)
(18.1
)%
Subscription
3.0
3.3
(0.3
)
(10.1
)%
Product sales
1.5
1.6
(0.1
)
(3.5
)%
Total Digital revenues
$
8.0
$
9.1
$
(1.2
)
(12.7
)%
Total Revenues
$
51.7
$
45.3
$
6.4
14.0
%
First Quarter 2026 Financial Highlights:
Newsmax reported total quarterly revenues of $51.7 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2026, representing a 14.0% year-over-year increase.
Total broadcasting revenues grew 20.8% year-over year to $43.7 million for the first quarter of 2026, primarily driven by an increase in affiliate fee revenue attributed to timing of new contractual relationships and expanded international licensing agreements.
Newsmax reported a quarterly net loss of $(2.2) million as compared to a net loss of $(17.2) million reported in same quarter in the prior year, primarily driven by higher total revenue, lower legal expenses and improved other income, partially offset by higher production headcount, programming and production costs, continued investment in Newsmax2 and higher stock-based compensation.
Quarterly adjusted EBITDA was $(0.4) million, a decrease of $(0.8) million from the amount reported in the same quarter last year, primarily due to higher production, programming and personnel costs to support ongoing content and OTT investment, partially offset by growth in affiliate fee revenue in the broadcast segment. See reconciliation of net loss to adjusted EBITDA below.
The Company ended the quarter with $129.1 million in cash and short-term investments. Cash and cash equivalents were $17.2 million and short-term investments were $111.9 million.
The Company is reiterating its previously issued full-year 2026 revenue guidance of $212 million to $216 million, representing 13% year-over-year growth at the midpoint of the range.
About Newsmax
Newsmax Inc. is listed on the NYSE (NMAX) and operates, through Newsmax Broadcasting LLC, one of the nation’s leading news outlets, the Newsmax channel. The fourth highest-rated network is carried on all major pay TV providers. Newsmax’s media properties reach more than 50 million Americans regularly through Newsmax TV, the Newsmax App, its popular website Newsmax.com, and publications such as Newsmax Magazine. Through its social media accounts, Newsmax reaches over 25 million combined followers. Reuters Institute says Newsmax is one of the top U.S. news brands and Forbes has called Newsmax "a news powerhouse."
This communication contains forward-looking statements. From time to time, we or our representatives may make forward-looking statements orally or in writing. We base these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, which we derive from the information currently available to us. Forward-looking statements can be identified by those that are not historical in nature. The forward-looking statements discussed in this communication and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives, may not occur, and actual events and results may differ materially and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us. Newsmax does not guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Moreover, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as predictions of future events. We are under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this communication to conform our prior statements to actual results or revised expectations, and we do not intend to do so. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include various factors, including but not limited changes in domestic and global general economic and macro-economic conditions and the volatility of the price of Common Stock that may result from, among other things, comments by securities analysts or other third parties, including blogs, articles, message boards and social and other media, large shareholders exiting their position in our Common Stock, any negative public perception of us, sales of shares previously registered for resale, or other uncertainties and the factors set forth in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" in Newsmax’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025 and other filings Newsmax makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Nothing in this communication should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements in this communication, which speak only as of the date they are made and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the cautionary statements herein.
USE AND DEFINITION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
This press release contains a financial measure that has not been prepared in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("U.S. GAAP"). This financial measure is Adjusted EBITDA.
Non-GAAP financial measures are used to supplement the financial information presented on a U.S. GAAP basis and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the relevant U.S. GAAP measures and should be read in conjunction with information presented on a U.S. GAAP basis. Because not all companies use identical calculations, our presentation of Non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies.
Adjusted EBITDA1 is defined as revenues less cost of revenues and general and administrative expenses and does not include depreciation, amortization related to the incremental costs to obtain a contract, interest expense, net, impairment charges, unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities, stock-based compensation, other corporate matters (consisting primarily of certain litigation expenses, and related fees, for specific legal proceedings that the Company has determined are infrequent and unusual in terms of their magnitude), other, net, and income tax expense.
You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment used in calculating our non-GAAP financial measure and the reasons we consider our non-GAAP financial measure appropriate for supplemental analysis. In evaluating our non-GAAP financial measure, you should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments in our presentation. Our non-GAAP financial measure has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider this measure in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Our presentation of our non-GAAP financial measure should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Our non-GAAP financial measure may not be comparable to other companies. Please see a historical reconciliation of this measure to the most comparable GAAP measure presented in our consolidated financial statements below.
1 The Company compensates for limitations of the adjusted EBITDA measure by prominently disclosing GAAP net loss, which the Company believes is the most directly comparable GAAP measure, and providing investors with a reconciliation from GAAP net loss to adjusted EBITDA.
NEWSMAX INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited)
March 31, 2026
December 31, 2025
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$
17,198,760
$
20,433,021
Funds held in escrow
20,000,000
20,000,000
Investments
111,896,268
110,895,693
Accounts receivable, net
38,293,087
33,414,435
Inventories, net
2,010,130
2,027,168
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
10,704,282
8,690,490
Total current assets
200,102,527
195,460,807
Property and equipment, net
6,902,752
6,264,885
Right of use assets
7,893,359
8,823,716
Other assets
11,359,217
9,293,670
Funds held in escrow
–
20,000,000
Total assets
$
226,257,855
$
239,843,078
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities
Accounts payable
$
16,277,687
$
16,770,777
Accrued expenses
20,008,943
14,894,949
Deferred revenue
13,480,873
12,599,119
Lease liability
3,643,566
4,062,971
Settlement liability
26,250,513
26,487,028
Share repurchase liability
6,461,320
6,461,320
Total current liabilities
86,122,902
81,276,164
Long-term liabilities:
Deferred revenue, net of current portion
2,522,836
3,148,945
Lease liability, net of current portion
4,681,137
5,292,095
Other long-term liabilities
3,879,167
925,000
Settlement liability, net of current portion
22,027,017
43,152,322
Total liabilities
119,233,059
133,794,526
Stockholders’ equity
Class A common stock, 0.001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 39,239,297 shares issued and outstanding at par as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025; Class B common stock, 0.001 par value; 940,000,000 shares authorized 89,899,158 and 89,889,822 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively.
129,138
129,129
Additional paid-in capital
436,731,324
433,325,830
Accumulated other comprehensive income
223,316
464,365
Accumulated deficit
(330,058,982
)
(327,870,772
)
Total stockholders’ equity
107,024,796
106,048,552
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$
226,257,855
$
239,843,078
NEWSMAX INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, (Unaudited)
2026
2025
Revenues:
Service revenue
$
50,146,781
$
43,735,340
Product revenue
1,511,710
1,566,367
Total revenues
51,658,491
45,301,707
Cost of services
30,761,471
24,648,465
Cost of products sold
968,292
1,191,106
Gross profit
19,928,728
19,462,136
General and administrative expenses:
Personnel costs
9,048,634
8,013,416
Advertising costs
5,361,998
4,418,454
Depreciation
566,819
736,875
Other corporate matters
–
9,667,603
Other
9,420,361
8,198,568
Total general and administrative expenses
24,397,812
31,034,916
Loss from operations
(4,469,084
)
(11,572,780
)
Other income (expense), net
Interest and dividend income
1,343,812
1,054,286
Interest expense
(2,950
)
(6,055
)
Unrealized gain on marketable securities
978,911
1,585,580
Other, net
(38,899
)
(8,288,556
)
Total other income (expense), net
2,280,874
(5,654,745
)
Net loss before income taxes
(2,188,210
)
(17,227,525
)
Income tax expense
–
5,000
Net loss
$
(2,188,210
)
$
(17,232,525
)
Other comprehensive income:
Unrealized (loss) gain on available for sale debt investments, net of income tax
(241,049
)
482,391
Comprehensive loss
$
(2,429,259
)
$
(16,750,134
)
Weighted average common stock outstanding, basic and diluted
128,491,597
44,895,546
Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted
$
(0.02
)
$
(0.49
)
NEWSMAX INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, (Unaudited)
2026
2025
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss
$
(2,188,210
)
$
(17,232,525
)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
1,523,571
1,540,440
Stock-based compensation
3,355,369
1,577,109
Change in fair value of warrant liability
–
1,824,179
Change in fair value of derivative liability
–
6,104,230
Provision for (recovery of) credit losses
331,760
(118,266
)
Unrealized gain on investments
(890,275
)
(1,585,580
)
Lease expense
930,357
889,411
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable
(5,210,412
)
(540,358
)
Inventory
17,038
(90,331
)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
(2,013,792
)
(758,633
)
Funds released from escrow
20,000,000
–
Other asset
(3,022,299
)
(472,398
)
Accounts payable
(1,407,567
)
577,173
Accrued expenses
5,113,994
4,006,055
Lease liabilities
(1,030,363
)
(1,005,711
)
Settlement liability
(21,361,820
)
(10,322,243
)
Other long-term liabilities
2,954,167
–
Deferred revenue
255,645
(118,511
)
Net cash used in operating activities
(2,642,837
)
(15,725,959
)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of investments
(351,349
)
(36,672,837
)
Proceeds from maturity of investments
–
7,250,000
Purchase of property and equipment
(242,854
)
(40,786
)
Net cash used in investing activities
(594,203
)
(29,463,622
)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of convertible preferred stock, net
–
80,742,222
Proceeds from issuance of common stock IPO, net
–
67,469,857
Proceeds from exercise of stock options
50,134
–
Payment of dividend
–
(304,930
)
Principal payment under finance lease obligation
(47,355
)
(51,761
)
Net cash provided by financing activities
2,779
147,855,388
Net change in cash
(3,234,261
)
102,665,806
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning
20,433,021
24,052,887
Cash and cash equivalents – ending
$
17,198,760
$
126,718,693
NEWSMAX INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (CONTINUED) FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, (Unaudited)
2026
2025
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities
$
–
$
28,391
Interest paid
$
–
$
586
Non-cash investing transactions:
Property and equipment acquired through accounts payable:
$
914,477
$
195,722
Non-cash financing activities:
Common stock issuance costs acquired through accounts payable
$
–
$
(337,458
)
Common stock issuance costs reclassified from prepaid expenses
$
–
$
(1,798,989
)
Issuance of warrants in connection with the issuance of convertible stock
$
–
$
1,144,976
Preferred stock cancellations to be refunded
$
–
$
(115,000
)
Accrued dividends payable
$
–
$
610,139
IPO funds receivable in escrow
$
–
$
750,000
NEWSMAX INC. NON-GAAP ADJUSTED EBITDA RECONCILIATION FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, (Unaudited)
2026
2025
Net loss
$
(2,188,210
)
$
(17,232,525
)
Add
Depreciation
566,819
736,875
Amortization
192,562
39,375
Interest, net
(1,340,862
)
(1,048,231
)
Unrealized gain on marketable securities
(978,911
)
(1,585,579
)
Stock-based compensation
3,355,369
1,577,110
Other corporate matters2
–
9,667,603
Other, net3
38,899
8,288,556
Income tax expense
–
5,000
Adjusted EBITDA4
$
(354,336
)
$
448,184
2 Comprised of certain litigation expenses, and related fees, for specific legal proceedings that we have determined are infrequent and unusual in terms of their magnitude.
3 Comprised of miscellaneous items such as derivative adjustments, income tax credits, and unrealized gains on securities
4 For a discussion of Adjusted EBITDA, see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures".
Trustpoint Xposure Establishes Itself as the Definitive Authority on AEO, The Discipline Reshaping How Brands Are Found, Trusted, and Recommended by AI
By
Media News
5 min read • Published May 14, 2026
By
Media News
5 min read • Published May 14, 2026
As AI platforms replace traditional search for high-value professional discovery, Trustpoint Xposure leads the industry in helping brands become the single answer ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity recommend
POST FALLS, ID / ACCESS Newswire / May 14, 2026 / Trustpoint Xposure, the AEO-certified PR and digital authority agency, today announced its expanded thought leadership position as the leading voice in Answer Engine Optimization, the emerging discipline that is rapidly becoming the most consequential factor in how professionals, executives, and brands are discovered, evaluated, and trusted in an AI-first world.
The announcement reflects a broader shift in how authority is built and perceived online. As AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, increasingly replace traditional search as the first point of professional discovery, the brands and individuals who appear inside AI-generated answers are capturing a disproportionate share of credibility, trust, and inbound business. Those who don’t are becoming invisible to the very audiences they most need to reach.
Trustpoint Xposure has positioned itself at the center of this shift, building the methodology, the client results, and the public voice that defines what it means to win in AI search.
The Problem Most Brands Don’t Know They Have
Traditional digital marketing was built for a world where getting found meant appearing in a ranked list of results. That world still exists, but it is no longer where high-value discovery happens first. Today, when an executive asks ChatGPT for the best attorney in their city, or a patient asks Gemini which surgeon to trust, or an investor asks Perplexity who leads a particular sector, the answer they receive is not a list. It is a name. A single recommended expert.
For brands that have invested heavily in traditional SEO and PR without addressing the authority signals AI systems use to make citation decisions, this shift represents an invisible but growing threat. Their website may rank. Their press releases may circulate. But the AI answering their most valuable prospect’s most important question may not know they exist, or may confidently recommend a competitor instead.
"This is the gap we exist to close," said a spokesperson for Trustpoint Xposure. "Most brands don’t know they have an AI visibility problem until they ask an AI about themselves and see what comes back. That moment, seeing a competitor named where your brand should be, is usually when the conversation with us begins."
What AEO Actually Requires
Answer Engine Optimization is not a single tactic. It is a coordinated strategy that addresses the specific signals AI systems use to evaluate and select citations. Trustpoint Xposure’s methodology operates across five dimensions:
Entity Clarity, Ensuring that AI systems can identify a brand or professional unambiguously, who they are, what they specialize in, where they operate, and why they are credible, through consistent, structured signals across the web.
Third-Party Media Authority, Securing editorial placements in publications that AI systems treat as authoritative citation sources. Not wire-distributed press releases. Genuine editorial coverage that functions as external verification of expertise.
Google Knowledge Panel Verification, Establishing and managing verified entity presence within Google’s knowledge graph, one of the most direct signals feeding into Gemini, Google AI Overviews, and the broader AI citation ecosystem.
Wikipedia Entity Establishment, Building properly sourced Wikipedia entries for qualifying clients that establish foundational credibility at the training data level, the deepest layer of authority available in the AI ecosystem.
Structured AEO Content Architecture, implementing schema markup, FAQ structures, and entity-clear language that makes expertise machine-readable, extractable, and citable by AI answer engines across every major platform.
The Compounding Advantage
What distinguishes AEO authority from traditional SEO is its compounding nature. Every time an AI system cites a brand as the authoritative answer to a category of queries, it reinforces its confidence in that citation. The pattern strengthens with each query, each model update, and each new AI platform that draws on the same authority signals.
"First-mover advantage in AEO is real, and it is widening," the spokesperson continued. "The brands building this authority now are creating a structural position that will be extraordinarily difficult for competitors to overcome. The brands waiting are watching that position get claimed."
Availability
Trustpoint Xposure’s AEO Certified PR Program is available immediately for executives, attorneys, physicians, financial professionals, authors, and organizations seeking to establish or strengthen AI-driven digital authority. Interested parties may schedule a complimentary consultation at www.trustpointxposure.com.
Q&A:
Q: What is Answer Engine Optimization, and why does it matter in 2026? A: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring a brand’s content, media authority, and entity data so that AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, select and cite that brand as the authoritative answer to relevant queries. In 2026, AI platforms will have become the primary discovery channel for high-value professional services. Unlike traditional search, which returns a ranked list of results, AI answer engines deliver a single recommendation. AEO is the discipline of ensuring that recommendations are for your brand.
Q: What makes Trustpoint Xposure different from a traditional PR agency? A: Traditional PR agencies build awareness through media coverage and measure success in impressions, placements, and reach. Trustpoint Xposure builds AI authority, a specific, measurable form of credibility that determines whether AI platforms select and cite a brand as the trusted expert in their field. Every strategy, placement, and content decision is evaluated against one outcome: does this make AI more likely to recommend our client? No other agency has built its entire methodology around this outcome or backs it with a placement guarantee.
Q: Which AI platforms does Trustpoint Xposure’s program target? A: The Trustpoint Xposure AEO program is designed to build citation authority across all major AI answer platforms simultaneously, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. While each platform weighs authority signals differently, the foundational elements of AEO, entity clarity, third-party verification, knowledge graph presence, and structured content are recognized across all of them. A comprehensive AEO strategy built on these foundations creates authority that transfers across platforms rather than optimizing for any single system.
About Trustpoint Xposure: Trustpoint Xposure is the only AEO-certified PR and digital authority agency that guarantees brand placements inside AI-generated answers across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. The agency’s integrated methodology combines Answer Engine Optimization, top-tier media placements, Google Knowledge Panel verification, and Wikipedia entity establishment to position clients as the definitive answer AI recommends.
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