In this episode of The MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire editor Aimee Newell Tarín is joined by CEO Rachel Smith and head of content, John Still. They look into OpenAI's foray into media ownership, an AI-publishing crossover, and the streaming market.

The first story this week is OpenAI's acquisition of the talk show, Technology Business Programming Network. The team discuss what this says about OpenAI's strategy, and what it means for TBPN. The second covers CNN International Commercial’s move into agentic infrastructure, and the opportunities and pitfalls of agentic transactions. Finally, a court in Rome has ruled that Netflix's price increases between 2017-2024 were illegal. Will this case set a global precedent for the streaming giant?

OpenAI acquires TBPN 

OpenAI has made its first foray into media ownership with the acquisition of the popular tech and business talk show, Technology Business Programming Network (TBPN). The daily three-hour live programme is hosted by former tech founders, John Coogan and Jordi Hays. It is broadcasted across YouTube and X and covers tech, AI, and defence.

Notably, the TBPN team will report directly to OpenAI’s chief political operative, Chris Lehane. This signals a strategic communications shift for the AI giant.

CNNIC building in-house agentic infrastructure 

CNN International Commercial (CNNIC) is building out agentic infrastructure as it prepares to begin transacting media through a new trading model in the first quarter of 2027. The publisher is working with the IAB Tech Lab and its Agentic Real Time Framework to develop the infrastructure.

Faisal Karmali, CNNIC's VP of business operations, said that the company expects to have finished scoping agentic tools by the end of June. Testing will begin in Q3.

Italian court rules Netflix price hikes illegal

A court in Rome has ruled that Netflix’s price increases in Italy between 2017 and 2024 were illegal. The streaming giant was found to have violated Italy’s national consumer code, which prohibits unilateral price hikes without a valid, pre-stated reason.

The ruling comes just days after Netflix announced its second US price increase in little over a year. The court has ordered Netflix Italia to reduce current subscription fees and to refund customers for amounts paid in violation of the law. The reimbursements are estimated around €500 (£436.28) for Premium subscribers and €250 (£218.14) for Standard subscribers.