UK Culture Secretary supports TV licence fee extending to streaming services beyond BBC

• Lifehacker writer Stephen Johnson published a ranked list of the top 10 most-streamed TV series of 2026 as of July 15. • The list utilizes streaming data to categorize popular content, ranging from prestige HBO dramas to reality television.

• Luminate’s 2026 Midyear Report highlights a significant surge in music streaming trends across the U.S., specifically noting the dominance of Latin music. • Latin music reached nearly 180.3 billion streams in the first half of 2026, far exceeding other major genres such as rock (137.2 billion) and pop (87.8 billion).

• Hollywood is shifting away from all-American blockbusters by increasingly casting international actors to appeal to global audiences and embrace cross-border storytelling. • Recent major projects have featured a diverse array of talent, including Ma Dong-seok in ‘Eternals,’ Simu Liu in ‘Shang-Chi,’ and Tenoch Huerta in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.’

• A new survival-horror film has been released for streaming between July 15-21, featuring a plot centered on two best friends. • The story takes place in Thailand, where the protagonists become trapped on a sinking tour boat within a tiger shark sanctuary.

• The Hollywood Reporter has received a Daytime Emmy nomination for its roundtable series, "Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter." • This marks the third consecutive nomination for the series, contributing to a total of six nominations over the last nine years.

• The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has released the nominations for the 53rd Daytime Emmy Awards, with "The Young and the Restless" and "Beyond the Gates" emerging as top contenders. • The awards recognize a wide range of programming, including daytime dramas, talk series, and culinary shows, based on an eligibility period from January 1 to December 31, 2025.

• Lifehacker staff writer Stephen Johnson released a list of the top 10 most-streamed movies of 2026 as of July 14. • The rankings are based on streaming data and feature popular titles such as *Project Hail Mary*, *Avatar: Fire and Ash*, and *Send Help*.

• The author argues that physical media, such as Blu-rays and DVDs, is essential for preserving art in an era where streaming services frequently delete content. • The piece highlights "Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies" as a key example, noting that a posthumous DVD release rescued the series from being functionally erased from public memory.

• The digital editor at WIRED Middle East, Dana Alomar, has released a curated list of the 10 best movies to stream this month. • Featured recommendations include high-profile titles such as Enola Holmes 3, Project Hail Mary, and Avatar: Fire and Ash.

• Stephen Chow's new film, "Kung Fu Soccer," a spinoff of "Shaolin Soccer," opened to $74 million at the China box office. • This project marks Chow's first return to the director's chair in seven years.

• Technological advancements, including widespread internet access and powerful mobile devices, have significantly increased the flexibility of entertainment consumption. • Users in Canada and the United States can now access streaming films and music services instantly from any location.