Koryn Stevens

The trend: US adult media consumption will reach 13 hours and 26 minutes per day in 2026, per EMARKETER’s US Time Spent With Media H2 2026 Update report. The increase was driven by generative AI platforms, which added a new block of screen time without reducing usage in other media categories.

The trend: Social media has become the primary channel for corporate reputation, transforming how audiences experience and evaluate brand controversies, according to Sprout Social’s Q2 2026 Pulse Survey, conducted across 2,250 social media users in the US, UK and Australia. Social networks are now the top place consumers discover brand crises, outpacing traditional news outlets and word-of-mouth.

The news: In a 6-3 decision (NRSC v. FEC), the US Supreme Court struck down a 50-year-old federal campaign finance law, eliminating limits on how much political parties can spend in direct coordination with their candidates. The majority ruled that spending caps violated the First Amendment's protection of political speech.