The Hex Update: Issue 042

the hex update
media
The reinvention of traditional media; the great TV ad swap; folks still consume local news, though few will pay for it; a working AirPower Pro Max Ultra Plus desk; and some other cool things I came across recently
Author

Collin K. Berke, Ph.D.

Published

October 5, 2026

Let’s catch up

Welcome to Issue 042.

I skipped last week because I just couldn’t find the time to sit down and write. A good, fun couple of weeks on my end, though. I spent time with friends this past weekend. Many things to celebrate and be happy about. We hope to spend some more time with folks this October, as the fall season starts to get into full swing–maybe even spending some time at a pumpkin patch or two is in order.

Let’s learn something.

Three topics recently caught my attention:

For a bit of fun, I share a video of someone who built their own AirPower Pro Max Ultra Plus desk. Kudos to pulling this off.

You’ll also find some additional links to other items I found cool recently.

Three things

Here’s what caught my attention last week:

Beyond the Cable Bundle: The Reinvention of Traditional Media (article)

The key point of this article is clear: traditional broadcast and cable companies need to reinvest current resources to transform their businesses. As the author puts it, this includes reinvesting revenue into developing business models that include subscriptions, advertising, commerce and transactional relationships with audiences, acquiring assets cheaply, and becoming more of a diversified media platform and company. This also involves shifting focus towards becoming more of a vertical audience platform. That is, as quoted from the article:

Traditional media companies need to become vertical audience platforms built around strong media brands, rather than simply streaming versions of cable channels.

Vertical audience platforms are characterized as ones that have multiple forms of monetization, deep brand engagement, and key in on high-value verticals. To clarify these points, the article also shares the example of how Comcast spun off Versant, a separate mass media and technology company. This new structure, as the article states, allows for greater ‘strategic freedom’ and more ‘independence in investment and acquisitions’. Moreover, it’s an operating structure that allows Versant to more effectively meet their transformation goals: revenue from non-pay-TV to be 1/3 of total revenue in the three years, where eventually this will increase to over 50%. The article also makes a point that this transformation shouldn’t be viewed in terms of just making existing services available via digital.

Why does this matter?

Declines in pay-TV have stabilized, and this offering still results in a significant share of revenue for traditional media companies. Despite this, audience behaviors continue to shift toward non-pay-TV sources. Large conglomerates are acknowledging this shift and are setting goals, developing strategies, and organizing themselves to become more of a vertical audience platform. These trends are signals for other traditional services to reconsider and reinvest in these areas as well. Another important point made in the article centers around how this transformation should not be viewed. It’s not just about making current services available in digital spaces. Rather, it’s a rethinking of these offerings and how these offerings can be leveraged to become more of a vertical audience platform.

The Great TV Ad Swap (article)

This article points to a critical trend for ad-supported TV: by 2030, streaming will garner more ad impressions than linear TV. This is a direct result of audiences spending more time consuming content on ad-supported streaming platforms. The gap between linear TV and streaming results from streaming having lower ad loads then linear: linear runs 2.5x more ads per hour. In fact, streaming platforms from linear-native networks have a higher ad-load than other streaming platforms. However, as the author predicts, this gap will narrow over the next several years.

Why does this matter?

We’re witnessing a further shift in audience behavior here, so the impressions and advertising dollars will follow. Moreover, audiences’ experiences with ads via streaming services will likely change, as the ad-load per hour will increase. This is already being demonstrated with linear-native streaming services. Other ad-supported streaming platforms will likely follow.

Good news: Half consume local news daily. Bad news: Only 14% will pay for it

This article and companion vodcast provides insight into the current state of local news. Through a survey fielded by the Local News Initiative at Northwestern University’s Medill School, audience’s have a strong appetite for local news, but views on financial support are low. Indeed, as was stated in the vodcast, publishers’ revenue models can still be successful as long as they maintain a loyal and engaged audience. However, there’s a ceiling. The article then covered the pressures television news faces with digital disruption, which includes the challenges of attracting audiences to local TV stations’ digital platforms. Several other topics were discussed: AI and trust in local news remains high. However, the final discussion point about meeting audiences where they are highlighted some opportunities. This included investments in more video and further exploring storytelling approaches to better reach and engage audiences via their mobile devices.

Why does this matter?

My read here focuses on future investment. It’s clear audiences continue to want local news, so the opportunity is there for publishers to be successful. However, it’s about packaging and delivering what audiences want and in places where they want it: using video storytelling and making it available via their mobile devices. These opportunities are only amplified by the trust folks have in local news.

Check out the links above for the full story in each item, not just my brief summary and analysis.

What I found interesting this week

Logging decisions within projects has been on my mind lately. For a project I’m actively working on, I’ve been tracking down and attempting to obtain answers to when and how decisions were made for different components of the project. At one point, some of the information about decisions made in the past predated my time on the project and lacked some form of documentation–decades ago in some cases. With that added context, my information gathering efforts sort of lead to a dead end.

While doing this work, I was reminded about Architectural Decision Records (ADRs), which are a documenting and thinking tool used within software development. This tool is intended to be a lightweight document containing several elements:

  • title
  • status
  • decision
  • context
  • options considered
  • consequences
  • advice

I considered modifying and using a form of this tool within some of the projects I’m working on. The idea that this could be used as a reference to past decisions, an onboarding resource, and a thinking tool all in one is what’s motivating me to give it a try.

I found this additional article on the subject worth a read.

Cool things I recently bumped into

A collection of links to things I’ve found cool recently (or was reminded are cool).

That’s it for this update. Take a beat and make some plans for fall. Maybe connect with some friends and celebrate something, even if its just your friendship.

Here’s to a great rest of your week. I hope it’s a good one.

Cheers 🎉!

Let’s connect

If you found this content useful, please share. If you find these topics interesting and want to discuss further, let’s connect: