The Biggest Surprises of 2026 So Far: Mergers, Lawsuits & BEAD

The Biggest Surprises of 2026 So Far: Mergers, Lawsuits & BEAD

The first half of the year has flown by and CFX Download is looking back at the biggest surprises of 2026 so far. We talk about shock TMT mergers, court battles and, yes, why the heck are those BEAD non-deployment dollars taking so long?! Come for the analysis, stay for World Cup shenanigans, including our picks for who we think will win the tournament.

Inside CNN's FAST News Strategy with Nima Ahmed

CNN SVP, Programming Nima Ahmed joined CFX Download to talk all about the network's FAST strategy and what differentiates its programming from CNN linear and DTC. Ahmed also looked back on the most memorable story she has worked on in her career.

Why Cablefax Rebranded as CFX

Cablefax officially became CFX this month. In the latest episode of CFX Download, the editorial team sits down to briefly chat about why it was time for a rebrand, how the new name fits an evolving industry and why we'll still always love the name Cablefax. (Spoiler: Editorial Director Amy Maclean also reminisces about the days when the Daily was literally faxed to readers!)

So Much Vertical Video, So Little Time

In the past year, several programmers have launched new vertical video features on their DTC streaming apps, all offering sports highlights and altcasts. ESPN, Fox One and Peacock all now serve users curated playlists of vertical sports content. ESPN is even leveraging AI to generate a bite-sized version of "SportsCenter" personalized to each user. Distributors are paying attention to this trend too, including Fubo, which is set to launch AI-generated vertical video on its mobile app soon. CFX Download dives into all the latest developments. We even took a few of these vertical features for a spin and discussed our experiences so far!

Nexstar-Tegna & Charter-Cox Deals Heat Up in March Merger Madness!

It's a huge month for industry mergers! The Nexstar-Tegna deal closed, while Charter-Cox cleared another regulatory hurdle. Plus, GFiber and Astound Broadband delivered another big surprise when the companies announced they planned to combine. CFX Download breaks down the latest updates, what they mean for the TMT landscape and what's next for all of the companies involved.